Merrill Hodge

by 700 Level on Dec 22, 2009 3:36 PM EST

I heard Merrill Hodge on M&M this morning basically call Dallas the best team in the league... ok not really, but he did say he thought the Eagles would lose to Dallas in week 17. He made some mention of this team being "different" than previous seasons and that the win in NO was "no flash in the pan"

I just don't get it... Until Dallas gets in the playoffs - much less actually wins a playoff game (is it 15 years?, im losing count), it's a flash in the pan. How exactly is this Dallas team different than last year or the year before? I would argue they are actually less talented and less dangerous than last year and certainly less talented than two years ago. They still have the same softy of a coach, and they still have Romo, which until proven otherwise can't get it done down the stretch. The simple truth is, the only difference in opinion is based on the Cowboys beating the Saints.

I'm just baffled how one win changes everything in this league. I dont care who you beat, one win would should not take you from "about ready to implode" to "incredibly dangerous."

I guess we'll see... but you heard it here first. This IS the same imploding dallas franchise that we've seen the past few years.

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Merrill Hoge is an admitted Eagle Hater… I never listen to the crap he spews

by Tron79 on Dec 22, 2009 3:41 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

+1

That’s all I came here to post. I’m sure all your posts below are wonderful, but I gives a shit what Hogie thinks, so pardon me …

Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome

by D3Keith on Dec 23, 2009 8:00 PM EST up reply actions

Last Sunday

I heard someone on the 4 letter network call Romo hands down the best QB in the league right now. How many come from behind wins had N.O. already had against sub par teams? People love to jump on the Dallas bandwagon. Cant wait till it looses a wheel and everyone jumps right back off. You know its coming.

I will always be pulling for you #20.
April 20, 1996 - February 28, 2009

by EaglesPhan on Dec 22, 2009 3:48 PM EST reply actions

+1

completley agreed. i know at least 3 bandwagon cowboy fans i work with.
the only time they talk football is when they watch highlites of the games.

"Never give in, never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.

by ando1213 on Dec 22, 2009 6:35 PM EST up reply actions

I think the win over NO gives the Cowgirls tremendous confidence, considering their December records past, and that makes them incredibly dangerous. But to say that they will unequivocally beat the Eagles now, no question, is taking it a bit too far. They are very even teams, and if we get some decent officiating in this game, it really can go either way.

Romo best QB in the league? Um, Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger, and Peyton Manning take offense to that.

by doubleh on Dec 22, 2009 4:12 PM EST reply actions

Donnie mac could probably have a word about that as well

Desean Jackson... "If He's even, He's leavin"

by 700 Level on Dec 22, 2009 4:24 PM EST up reply actions

This really isn’t any different than last year. Week 15, dallas played the Giants, a team nobody thought they could beat. But they did.

This year, not many people gave them a chance against NO, but they pulled it out.

Last year, Week 16, dallas had a game most people thought they would win against Baltimore, but they lost. Next week, the ’girls play the Redskins, a team that they should beat.

And as we all know, dallas’ season came crashing down against us. Guess who they play Week 17?

"Backs in the 'I'...First and 10...McNabb, play action. Is back again. He is looking..he is going deep. He wants DeSean Jackson..who HAS IT!!! HE HAS IT!!! AND STEPPED INTO THE ENDZONE!! He took it away from the defender!! He took it away from Dominique Rogers-Cromarte, and ran into the endzone!!"

by McNabb2Maclin4Philly on Dec 22, 2009 4:20 PM EST reply actions

I like

I have a man crush on DeSean Jackson

by maximdim on Dec 23, 2009 2:35 AM EST up reply actions

WATEVER.............

Shit like this used 2 get me really fired up from this moron but not anymore. Merrill Clown has been on the Eagles dicks for 2 long now. Hes prolly just jealous that he was a bum when he played and he should be grateful he still has a job. Mark my words, in due time he will wind up just like Sean Salisbury….another jackoff. FUK DA HATERZ!!!!!! Birds arent losin another game all season.

by goldenbird09 on Dec 22, 2009 4:35 PM EST reply actions

Do you think the Broncos are a gimie?

You might want to think about that!

Opinions are like......, Well anyway, this is mine.

by Sean in Pa. on Dec 22, 2009 5:56 PM EST up reply actions

no gimmie

but do i think the eagles should and will win

YES

Desean Jackson... "If He's even, He's leavin"

by 700 Level on Dec 22, 2009 6:56 PM EST up reply actions

I don't care what Merrill Hodge has to say

Romo is a good QB, but not a great one. Until he has a great season, and some playoff wins, he won’t be a great QB.

However it was not Romo who won that game, it was the defense, which followed the blueprint for slowing down the Saints attack – rush 3, sit back and cover his outlets. It has been working well as the season has progressed, but hard to tell since they haven’t played a good D for a while.

The Saints over the last several games:
Dallas – scored 17 against the #21 defense (according to DVOA)
Atlanta – scored 26 against the #26 defense
Washington – scored 33 against the #12 D (Washington gave the ball up 4 times in that game to help the Saints out a little)
New England – scored 38 against the #17 D

I could go on, but you get the point. The last team they played with a top 10 D was the Jets, who held them to 24 (with Sanchez giving the ball up 4 times).

I’m not saying the Saints have a bad offense, they have a very goon one! But to contrast, the last top 10 defense the Eagles played was…. the 49ers! Their D was ranked #4 before out tilt with them, and we scored almost at will. I think our offense is peaking, and theirs is declining.

We’ll see more when we face the Broncos, with their D ranked #3 (last week), we should know a lot more about our offense this time next week.

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog." - Bear Bryant

by NJBammer on Dec 22, 2009 4:45 PM EST reply actions

Good points

but to play devils advocate, the Niners did have 4 turnover in the first half.

And that fumble inside the 10 in particular was a killer

That said, and the same is true for the Giants game the week before (and really since the bears game) we have been able to score everytime we have needed to

Desean Jackson... "If He's even, He's leavin"

by 700 Level on Dec 22, 2009 4:54 PM EST up reply actions

The Colts as well

have been suspect. Yes, the Broncos lost but they did stop Peyton and the offense, Just sayin;

Opinions are like......, Well anyway, this is mine.

by Sean in Pa. on Dec 22, 2009 6:00 PM EST up reply actions

romo played probably the game of his life against the saints

that said New Orleans was pushing with 2 minutes to go, and if they scored everyone would be talking about nick folk and how he blows….

regardless you play 16 games for a reason, and Dallas isn’t gonna walk over washington like the giants did. I have a feeling washington will bring a much better game next week.

And of course, week 17 is looming large. And the one team that haunts the cowboys decembers, is the eagles

by Get Jackson a better nickname on Dec 22, 2009 5:04 PM EST reply actions

This isn't true, he was on Mike & Mike as the guest host

he actually said he thought the Eagles had the best chance to make the Super Bowl out of the NFC teams. He said the Saints had the best team, but the Eagles wouldn’t be as surprising as the Saints would.

Brian Dawkins for President

by BDawkins20 on Dec 22, 2009 5:05 PM EST reply actions

that is not at all what i heard around 7:15ish or so

and then again around 10 after 8

Desean Jackson... "If He's even, He's leavin"

by 700 Level on Dec 22, 2009 6:57 PM EST up reply actions

44-6

It was a playoff game and they didn’t even show up. I’m not worried.

by Greg M on Dec 22, 2009 5:44 PM EST reply actions

The Cowboys are a different team

than when we even played them the first time…but not much different. They are definitely different than last year from the loss of TO to Romo’s good decision making. Sure they’re a different team.

But so are we. Teams evolve in throughout the season. Think of how we’re using Weaver and Vick now. The first time we played them, Weaver had 8 carries and no catches. Vick had 1 rushing attempt and no passes. We’ve played around ALOT more with our linebacking corps (Trotter was still getting a feel for the game again)…

So, are the Cowboys different? Sure. Are they better? Let them answer the question in the postseason (if they make it). Are we different? Sure. Are we better? Let’s answer it week 17, and confirm it through the postseason.

"What did it feel like? That collision, I didn't feel nothing, because he was pretty much defenseless. It was like running through a cardboard box. Seriously. Cardboard box."- Sheldon Brown on his pounding of Reggie Bush in the '06 Playoffs

by jalarsen1 on Dec 22, 2009 6:24 PM EST reply actions

good points

but i still disagree that Dallas is different… this is the team that found ways to lose to the Giants and the Chargers in December, both of which were must win games. They played an incredible game and got the win in New Orleans.. but again, the basis for this post was to say:

One win doesnt change my opinion of anyone

Desean Jackson... "If He's even, He's leavin"

by 700 Level on Dec 22, 2009 6:59 PM EST up reply actions

and I agree with you

one win doesn’t mean they’re clutch performers (they are still 1-2 for December)…but I don’t want to take anything away from the win…they played really well. If that had been the Eagles, I’d have been psyched, so I can’t take anything away from them for being excited.

With that said, they still control their own destiny and they have a chance to show that they aren’t the same team. I guess I’m just expecting them to succeed so that I’m not disappointed if they do, but ecstatic if they fail:)

by jalarsen1 on Dec 22, 2009 8:03 PM EST up reply actions

completely agree

people are forgetting

any team on any given day

this “cowboys will choke any second now” mentality will get you killed this late into the season…

by joshdee on Dec 22, 2009 8:03 PM EST up reply actions

Fuck Hodge,

that eagle hating piece of shit.. He can go have a circle jerk with Joe buck and kornheiser…

thats Cobb on Kolb crime if you ask me... as said by yophillybro

by wild_eagle on Dec 22, 2009 7:02 PM EST reply actions

ahahahaha

by Stuk on Dec 22, 2009 8:44 PM EST up reply actions

A hopeful Idea

With Westbrook really struggling the past couple of playoffs and everyone saying that he was just worn down towards the end of the season could he have a chance to propel us this year? I know he’s had two concussions but he hasn’t played in 8 games? So while he’s been recooping we’ve been winning. I have a feeling that we’ll get a really fresh Westy back when it counts! Here’s to hoping!
GO BIRDS

by RossyJr22 on Dec 22, 2009 9:05 PM EST reply actions

Pay This Douchenozzle No Mind

I wrote a piece about Merril Hoge before the season started…during an NFL Live segment, the question was asked whether the Eagles were a better or worse team than last year. Hoge, of course, said they were worse and that they’d have trouble making the playoffs. Well, we’re currently 10-4, first in the division, and we’ve clinched a playoff spot. Just because we don’t run the ball every down, and who knows why else, Hoge hates the Eagles. We’re worse, huh Hogy? Up your ass with Mobil gas.

Tony Romo...why so serious?

by jaws1385 on Dec 23, 2009 8:55 AM EST reply actions