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2006 First Round Mock draft is here

Eagles get butts kicked in Denver. Lose 49-21.
Jules Pilla 10-31-05

Trotter said it best... "An old-fashioned butt-whuppin". Embarassed again. Don't let that comeback fool you. The Eagles were not winning this game. And we shouldn't expect the kind of comeback we saw in KC to become a standard. But what we should expect is more losses than we thought. And we can expect to struggle the rest of the season and just make the playoffs.

As I see it , the Eagles have TWO big problems. Donovan's injury has rendered him an ineffective QB and secondly, Andy Reid doesn't realize how bad McNabb is and keeps running his offense as if his QB was normal. Think about it for a minute. In every game since he has been hurt, Donovan has been below average. Then , at some time in the game, he shows flashes of brilliance. The problem is , there are 4 quarters in a game. Not three or four series.

Donovan started the game by completing NO passes in the first quarter and went 0-12. So much for running the ball more. Andy doesn't realize that Donovan just can't throw effectively or that much because of his injury. But the defense came thru and held the Broncos to 28 points. Before Donovan completed his first 4 yd pass, the Eagles were down 28-0.

The start of the game proves the second half of my point. McNabb's first pass hit the dirt 5 yds in front of the receiver. The second play was another incomplete pass but not untill they called a TIMEOUT to discuss the first play. It was painful to watch. He went 0-12 before completing a dink pass. It was painful until Donovan got to put together the couple of series of brilliance again in the middle of the game. Then, the "comeback " started. And just as quickly , it disappeared.

The defense plays on emotion and when they are up, they're great. But , they too, are beng affected by Donovan's ineffective play. Case in point, they gave up TD's after each of the Eagles 3 and out's led by the QB. Then , when Donovan started his comeback , they stuffed Denver like the defense of old. Holding them to nothing while the offense put up 21 points to come within 7 points. Then came Donovan 's interception to end the tieing comeback drive. Effect...emotional deflation on the defense. The defense reverted back to the first quarter play and allows the Broncos to move at will down field and score 3 more TD's to complete the embarassment.

I usually list some highlights , like Terrell Owens fantastic 91 yd TD catch and run but I can't bring myself to list them. The Eagles are on a bad path. As long as Donovan is injuried and plays , this is what we can expect. I love Donovan and Andy Reid. If you have been a reader of my columns over the years, you know that. But Andy has a couple of tough choices to make. He is fiercely loyal to Donovan and rightly so. But he needs to start another QB if he wants to keep throwing the ball so much. Or he can continue to play McNabb and change his philosophy on passing and develop a run first team. Both of these choices are unlikely to happen. So get used to the roller coast type games. Against better teams , we'll lose . Against the weaker opponents, we'll do ok.

If you think I'm crazy or on to something, let me know . Email me with your comments or ideas.

Coming soon...2006 Mock draft. Yeah, it is that time again.

Good morning boys and girls and Happy Halloween,

(NOTE: I will refrain from the too-easy and corny Halloween-esque lines and puns regarding yesterday's debacle.)

After missing last week's game to attend my daughter's birthday party, I was back in my familiar spot, to the immediate left of one MW Quinlan.

Something tells me I should have taken this week off, too. At least after the First Half anyway.

This week The Big Man's gonna look at the game in Halves ... Full story here

 

 

Eagles Schedule for 2005 season.

Home	Away	Date
Atlanta	Philadelphia Eagles	Sept 12
Philadelphia Eagles	San Fran	Sept 18
Philadelphia Eagles	Oakland	Sep25
KC	Philadelphia Eagles	Oct 2
Dallas	Philadelphia Eagles	Oct 9
Philadelphia Eagles	San Diego	Oct 23
Denver	Philadelphia Eagles	Oct 30
Washington	Philadelphia Eagles	Nov 6
Philadelphia Eagles	Dallas	Nov 14
NY Giants	Philadelphia Eagles	Nov 20
Philadelphia Eagles	Green Bay	Nov 27
Philadelphia Eagles	Seattle	Dec 5
Philadelphia Eagles	Ny Giants	Dec 11
St Louis	Philadelphia Eagles	Dec 18
Arizona	Philadelphia Eagles	Dec 24
Philadelphia Eagles	Washington	Jan 1