week 7 wrapup...
week 7 wrapup...
Eagles Week 7 Wrap
October 20
Andy Schwartz
ComcastSportsNet.com
It still doesn't feel like they won, does it?
Sure, the score says Eagles 14, Giants 10, and the Eagles' record says 3-3. But that doesn't make you feel any better.
The score should read: Brian Westbrook 14, Giants 10.
Brian Westbrook runs by Giants punter Jeff Feagles en route to an 84-yard touchdown return. (AP)
Westbrook scored both Eagles touchdowns on Sunday. On the first, Westbrook turned the corner unlike any Eagle back in recent memory. His 84-yard punt return was miraculous. It was legendary. It was the second-longest in team history, behind Vai Sikahema's 87-yarder in 1992, which also came against the hated Giants. But you still don't feel too good about this team.
Nor should you.
One glance at this week's NFL stats shows why. There's one number that explains it.
32
It's finally official. In black and white. The Eagles are ranked last in the league in total offense.
That's right, the Eagles are ranked below the Bengals. Actually, Cincy is only 23rd, but they're still the Bengals. Any team beginning the season with serious Super Bowl hopes shouldn't fall below them in total offense.
But it doesn't stop there. The Eagles are also ranked below the Jeff Blake-led Cardinals (26th), the Vinny Testaverde-led Jets (27th), the Tim Couch/Kelly Holcomb-led Browns (28th), the Doug Johnson/Kurt Kittner-led Falcons (29th), the Joey Harrington-led Lions (30th) and the Kordell Stewart/Chris Chandler-led Bears (31st).
Somehow, with three-time Pro Bowler Donovan McNabb at the helm, the Eagles are dead last in total offense. Unreal.
"It's not a place we want to be," coach Andy Reid said Monday. "I think that's how we feel all the way across the board there. I think we take a lot of pride in what we do, and being last ? we don't want to be there. Most of all, I want to make sure that we're executing properly."
And as Reid continually pointed out, that's what they're not doing. Last season, the Eagles scored 415 points (25.9 average), a new franchise record. This year, they're averaging 15.8 points per game. Only the Jets and Cardinals are scoring fewer.
At this pace, the Eagles would finish with 253 points ? their lowest total since 1998, when they racked up 161, or 10.1 per game, with Bobby Hoying and Koy Detmer under center.
"We're not executing as well," Reid said. "When you're given opportunities to make plays in the National Football League, you have to make plays."
That's it, plain and simple. The players ? specifically the quarterback and receivers ? aren't making plays.
Football isn't rocket science. Quarterbacks have to throw the ball accurately. Receivers have to get open and catch the ball. Offensive lineman have to open holes for running backs and protect the passer. Running backs have to find the holes and run through them.
Throwing, catching, running and blocking. The fundamentals. The Eagles are light years from being fundamentally sound.
"We're not hitting on all cylinders," Reid said. "It's one guy at a time making a mistake."
One cylinder is working. It's the Brian Westbrook, Correll Buckhalter and Duce Staley cylinder. The Eagles' rushing offense is 13th in the league.
But the Eagles' passing offense is last, and that's why they're last in the league in yards per game (246.8). They're averaging only 125.5 yards through the air. They're also 31st, ahead of only the Bears, in sacks allowed per pass play.
"We need to improve offensively, which is very obvious," Reid said. "I'm not happy with the way we're playing offensively. It's not one particular guy. It's spread across the board, and we've got to get better.
Reid actually expressed some sense of urgency.
"We've got to get that answered, and we need to do it quick," Reid said. "We have to improve the passing game."
Offense
And the passing game begins and ends with No. 5.
What else is there to say? It's the same old story.
For the fifth time in six games, quarterback Donovan McNabb struggled mightily. But this was a new low. Nine completions, 64 passing yards, two fumbles, an ugly interception (which cost the Eagles a field goal) and a 29.1 QB rating. He had Pinkston wide open but badly underthrew him. That's got to be a TD. McNabb's QB rating for the season is 51.1 ? last in the NFL.
"I don't think they're happy with themselves. But those are the guys that we have."
?Andy Reid
McNabb actually completed his first five passes, the last of which was a 25-yarder to tight end L.J. Smith. It was Smith's only catch of the game. McNabb went 4-for-18 the rest of the way.
"I'm sure there are a handful of plays he would like to have back," Reid said. "But he made some great throws. It's important that it gets spread around. It's not one guy.
Once again, the Eagles' wide receivers faced man coverage and couldn't beat it consistently enough. When the receivers did beat it, either McNabb misfired or they dropped the ball. Pinkston dropped a bomb, and Thrash dropped a third-down pass.
"I saw some guys open who had opportunities to get the ball," Reid said. "We didn't take advantage of that."
Reid can say that all he wants, but you know he's probably just as bewildered as everyone else. Until this season, McNabb had improved each year. Pinkston had too. He had 10 receptions as a rookie, 42 catches and four touchdowns the next year and 60 catches and seven scores last season. He seemed poised to be a No. 1 receiver in this league. Now, he's barely a No. 2. Pinkston made the only catch by a wide receiver on Sunday and has 14 on the season, putting him on pace to finish with 37. After 16 games. Rams wideout Torry Holt leads the NFL with 45 ? and he's played only six games.
Pinkston and Thrash never reminded anyone of Jerry Rice and John Taylor, but they're not this bad, are they?
"You see guys that make a play and then miss a play," Reid said. "I've seen most of these fellows for at least two years, some three and four. I know what they're capable of doing. It's important that we step up and do a better job.
"It's the guys that we weren't complaining about at the end of last year. The guys who were making plays last year."
And as Reid pointed out, again, it's everybody. Including himself.
"The frustrating part is, it's spread all the way across," he said. "It's different things at different times. I'm talking from the offensive line all the way through he head coach and the guy calling the plays."
Reid hinted that some changes could be on the way. Minor changes. Don't expect McNabb to be benched. He might rest his bruised thumb during practice, and that's as far as Reid would take it.
"Right now, I'm looking at practice," Reid said. "That's what I originally talked about. I hadn't gotten to the game part yet."
Fortunately for McNabb, the Eagles face two struggling teams in the Jets and Falcons.
As for the receivers, Reid said they'll look into giving rookie wide receiver Billy McMullen more playing time.
OK, enough of the negative for this week. Let's look at the positive. When asked about the strengths of his squad, Reid curtly said,
"Right now, it's our defense and our kicker."
Defense
The Eagles' defense, as Troy Vincent might say, gave up chunks of yardage ? 339 in all. But once again it kept the ball out of the end zone. Tiki Barber ran for 79 yards on 19 carries, and Dorsey Levens had 64 on 16. Despite compiling 180 yards on the ground overall, the Giants managed only the one TD.
Linebackers Mark Simoneau and Carlos Emmons led the Eagles with 10 tackles apiece. Simoneau also made the defensive play of the game, knocking the ball out of Kerry Collins' hand on third and goal early in the fourth quarter. Fittingly, the ball was recovered by tackle Corey Simon, who also recorded his team-leading third sack of the season.
After the Eagles punted, the Giants got the ball back with another chance to ice the game, but they went three and out. On third and three, former Eagle Dorsey Levens gained only two yards.
After the Eagles went three-and-out and Dirk Johnson's seventh punt ? a 25-yarder ? the Giants got the ball back at the Eagles' 44 with 1:51 left. Levens ran three times for -2 yards. Jeff Feagles punted to Westbrook, and the now there's a third Miracle of the Meadowlands chapter in the History of the Philadelphia Eagles.
But it wouldn't have been possible without the defense. Reid's best off-season move wasn't trading up to select defensive end Jerome McDougle or drafting L.J. Smith or even signing Simoneau. It was re-signing defensive coordinator Jim Johnson.
If the offense played with the passion of the defense, the Eagles might actually be getting somewhere. Unlike the offense, the defense makes plays.
Bobby Taylor looked in Pro Bowl form in his first game back after missing the last four with an injured foot. He broke up Collins' final pass to end the game. N.D. Kalu recorded his first sack of the season and first by an Eagles defensive end. Linebacker Nate Wayne, with help from safety Michael Lewis, wrestled the ball away from Jeremy Shockey. Three plays before Collins' fumble, cornerback Lito Sheppard saved a TD by knocking Dorsey Levens out of bounds at the six.
