"INDYFENSIBLE" was the headline in the Daily News and I think that sums up last night as well as anything. The Eagles' defense was pushed around up front like it was Rowan playing USC. As expected, the local media saw the same stuff we all did...
Rich Hoffman had a great line
Losing is one thing. Emasculation is another. Last night at the RCA Dome was emasculation, and it was total. The Colts have Manning and a very good offense, and all of that is true. But the manner in which they were able to dominate the Eagles' defense in a 45-21 victory was stunning. Never have so many done so little to keep from getting blocked so completely. They looked pathetic. Again.
In the same article Trotter offered a possible explanation...
"Obviously, everybody knows we're not a big defense. I think I'm bigger than every last one of our defensive ends. I don't think that's good."
Bob Ford cracked me up with this line...
Now it is true that the Colts, particularly running back Joseph Addai, were not playing fairly. They repeatedly used cutback moves against the Eagles defenders instead of running straight into their arms. That was dirty pool on their part, and there is no excusing it. But if the officials weren't going to call it, the Eagles should probably have tried to adjust.
Kevin Roberts had some very interesting thoughts about the personell on this team in his brilliantly titled article "Obviously, Eagles aren't a playoff team"
There are some young guys up and down the roster who could start to see more time -- if only they'd do something to earn it and stop messing up. First-round draft pick Brodrick Bunkley had just about disappeared from the defense, and there had been some questions floating around the locker room about why the kid was getting buried.
Then Bunkley went and missed the team flight Saturday, and answered those questions nicely. At least Reid deactivated Bunkley Sunday. At least there was some accountability. This season has seen Trent Cole kick a Giants player to mess up a game in Week 2, start the next week, and then get a contract extension. Jerome McDougle's only significant contribution is to mess up a game against Tampa Bay, and yet he continues to hold down a roster spot.
Les Bowen wrote about the headscratching way Bunkley missed the team flight
Bunkley, who wound up taking a commercial flight late Saturday afternoon, had attended the team walkthrough Saturday morning at the NovaCare Complex. The walkthrough ended maybe 2 hours before players had to be at the airport for the charter. An Eagles spokesman said he had no explanation for how Bunkley could manage to attend the walkthrough and still miss the charter.
Phil Sheridan reveals a shuddering truth...
Count Bunkley (six years, $17.5 million), Cole (five, $26 million), Patterson (seven, $32 million), and free-agent pickup Darren Howard (six, $30.5 million) and the Eagles have signed $106 million worth of contracts along their defense line in 2006.
