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What We Learned

  • The Eagles D is pretty good, pretty solid. Not great, as in fantastic and game changing (see Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Tennessee). But pretty good.
  • They're also young and improving. No reason guys like Bradley, Jordan, Laws won't be better next year.
  • On a related note: the defense is not the problem. When you force three and outs over and over and continue to get stuck in terrible situations, yet only give up 10 points, it's not your fault.
  • Donovan McNabb cannot carry this team any more. He is not Tom Brady or Peyton Manning. He isn't even young McNabb who required defensive spies for containment.
  • That doesn't mean McNabb is bad, or should go. It simply means he cannot, on his own, carry this team. He is capable of pro-bowl caliber play, but he cannot do it consistently without better weapons around him.
  • Sav Rocca may be looking for a job next year down under.
  • Brian Westbrook is capable of carrying this team. But if teams with the personnel to stop or at least contain him set their minds to it, the Eagles don't have anyone who can step up.
  • Reggie Brown will be gone after the season.
  • LJ Smith will be gone after the season.
  • None of the players behind them on the depth charts are significantly better.
  • DeSean Jackson needs to learn some stuff. Like how to become a dependable receiver. He has the raw tools to be the next Santana Moss or Steve Smith. But DeSean suffers from Lito syndrome- i.e. he thinks that he is better than he is.

Let's Play some SNL "Really?" with our favorite band of eagles:

  • Really, DeSean, you couldn't catch either one?
  • Really, LJ, you can't block the guy right next to you?
  • And you can't catch what is practically an underhand toss? Bye Bye.
  • Really, Reggie? Really? You don't know that you have to run into the endzone?
  • I mean really?
  • Really, Andy/Marty? How many eight yard hook patterns do you think you need to run before you realize they aren't working? Really?

And more...

  • It amazes me how defenses can be so bad that they make the Eagles receiving corp look good. Only the incorrigible Jackson and oft-injured Curtis can occaisonally get free in single coverage.
  • The same Jason Avant as last week? Yes. But a very different secondary.
  • How bad is Brent Celek that he can't get on the field ahead of LJ?
  • And how much money per catch are we spending on our tight ends? I would look but I don't want to throw up.
  • Every time I see Donovan have to check down to a former defensive tackle for a 2 yard gain on 3rd and 5, I want to sell my football allegience to the highest bidder.
  • So we had injuries to the wide receiving corp. So McNabb was off at times. If we are going to throw that much, could we at least spread out the field and do some deep routes? Donovan was in constant 3-step drop mode and never had anyone open.
  • Is it too much to ask for little creativity in the offense? You know, like a run.
  • Can anyone tell me whether the drive-blocking force we saw over the last few weeks was an abberation?
  • One small spark of light: Demps looks like he has a future. Did you see him down in the endzone in the first half, stride for stride with Moss on the long ball?
  • Another: the difference between teams in this league is little to nothing. It's one or two playmakers, often just one to two plays. For example, the Giants without Jacobs and Plaxico. Add one or two playmakers to this offense and we'll be in business. If we had gotten any one of the multitude of receivers the Eagles had been linked to in the offseason, I believe we would be in the playoffs already.
  • How is it that Arizona, maybe the 20th best team in football, is going to the playoffs, let alone hosting a game?