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Sunday, Blood Sunday – Again

By Pat Callahan, This Week in Pro Football

Get your FAQ straight:

Q: Why did the Eagles lose Sunday to Arizona?

A: It had to be preparation and coaching. It seems unanimous that Philly had superior overall talent; Donovan really didn’t play that badly (26-47-1, 325, 3TD); and while home, Arizona had not enjoyed a bye week. So what happened? Well, clearly, the Eagles were not ready defensively for what Arizona’s offensive brain trust threw at them in the first half. The D seemed completely out of sync and, if not for a very dicey call on a Rackers pooch kick at 24-6 (remember that, Eagles fans who think the Birds were robbed at game’s end on the 4th down pass to Curtis), the game could have been out of reach at halftime. Dawkins was a non-factor and the pass rush schemes did not seem to anticipate Warner’s quick releases, the slants to Fitzgerald or the effective screen passes.

Q: Has the satanic life force departed Quentin Demps’ body?

A: Yes, but not before (1) making QD look like a Mummer on a three day bender, on that flea-flicker to Larry Fitz; (2) spinning Demps’ helmet and head around, then knocking Kurt Warner down about five minutes after the play, giving Arizona a not-needed 15 free yards; and (3) causing QD to not wrap Tim Hightower up at the two yard line on that fateful screen pass late in the 4th quarter. Think about it: if Demps tackles Hightower there instead of mosh-pitting him and bouncing off, the Cards settle for a FG and the Eagles play-calling dynamic changes on the ensuing last minute drive, especially when they get to midfield.

Q: Why have they now lost four of five NFC title games?

A: The only common thread I see is (surprise) a lack of talent at WR manifesting itself in games where the defensive talent they are facing is very good. This is clearly why they lost to Carolina, partly why they lost to Tampa and again Sunday. Is Kevin Curtis a go-to guy with two minutes to go on Championship Sunday? No.


Q: Donovan?

A: Like I said, he played pretty good. But here it is: he simply can’t elevate his team to that Canton-inducing drive at the end of a Conference title game or Super Bowl. Consider:

at St. Louis – can’t convert from 1st & 10 at midfield, two minutes left,
down 29-24.

Vs. Tampa – down 20-10, he leads them on one of those clock-eating,
18-plays-of-six-yard-pass drives, then fails to find Ronde Barber (or I should say finds him easily, for a 97 yard pick six) and it’s 27-10, game over.

Vs. Carolina – never got it going.

Vs. New England – that death march, ten minute drive, down 24-14 in the
4th quarter, will never be forgotten.

Vs. Arizona – four straight incompletions, at the two minute warning.

I like Donovan. He’s a good, solid, immensely talented QB who can really
play football. But you pick your poison with Number 5. He can get you there,
but there’ll be no ring.

Q: So now what?

A: Here’s my plan for 2009:
- Redo McNabb’s deal, or else it’ll be a distraction. There is no way
the Eagles are going to release or trade him, so get it over with.
- Go hard after Giants RB Brandon Jacobs or Derrick Ward. The evidence is overwhelming that running the ball is a huge plus for this offense, so acknowledge that Brian Westbook’s best days are already played, and get ready to move on.
- If you get a healthy Westbrook for ’09, release Buckhalter and let him try to start elsewhere. There is something the Birds’ brain trust simply dislikes about the guy.
- Sign a quality, but not mentally unbalanced wide receiver. Stop pretending this hasn’t killed you over the years.
- Draft Dawkins’ replacement, or groom Demps for the job.
- Get Akers some healthy competition. That was bad Sunday, and his they-lost-it, -not-me in the locker room was worse.

Hey, catch our last show of the year, Super Bowl Saturday, from ten to noon, on 950 ESPN!