Crazy Birds
Posted: November 28th, 2013 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 148 Comments »The Cards and Eagles have one of the more overlooked rivalries/histories. The two teams used to play each other twice a year when they were NFC East rivals. That stopped in 2002 when the NFL went to 4 divisions in each conference. Here are some memorable games of the last 20 years.
1992 – The Goal Line Stand. Cards had 7 plays from the 1-yard line and couldn’t score. On a couple of those the Eagles were offside and that’s why they had to come up with 7 stops. Final score: 7-3 Philly.
1994 – The Return of Buddy. Arizona came to town with new HC Buddy Ryan, making his first trip to The Vet since his firing by Norman Braman. Fred Barnett had a huge game 11-173 and accounted for both TDs in a 17-7 win.
1995 – The End of Buddy. In the next to last game of the year the Eagles were 9-5 and fighting for a playoff berth. The Cards were trying to stop a losing streak. The Eagles led 21-20 late in the game when ARZ drove to the PHI 29. On 3rd/7 they decided to pass rather than run and that led to a sack. The ensuing FG came up short. The Eagles went to the postseason and Buddy was fired a couple of weeks later.
1996 – The Wildest Ride. After 3 quarters the game was 16-13, Arizona. The 4th quarter became a major shootout. The Cards built up a 29-20 lead with just 2:30 left in the game. Derrick Witherspoon took the KO and went 95 yards to cut the lead to 29-27. The Eagles then recovered an onside kick and marched down the field quickly. The Eagles got inside the RZ and went conservative to make the Cards burn timeouts. A FG gave the Eagles a 30-29 lead. Arizona got the ball at their 34 with :45 left and no timeouts. Boomer Esiason led a masterful drive that ended in a 24-yd TD with :14 left. That game was one of the longest, crazies non-OT games I’ve ever seen. So, so heartbreaking. It was the Eagles third loss in a row after a 7-2 start to the season.
1998 – The Stupor Bowl. At the end of 3 quarters, the score was 0-0. One announcer said that was a first in NFL history. I’ve never checked that stat out. The Cards offense “got hot” and they won 17-3. Bobby Hoying…ugh.
1999 – Heartbreak City. The Eagles led the game 24-12 in Andy Reid’s debut as coach. The lead melted away to 24-22 late. Reid called a perfect pass play to WR Brian Finneran, who bobbled the ball and had it picked off by a DB. The Cards then drove down and kicked the winning FG. So much for the hot start with the new coach.
2000 – The Running of the Birds. Darnell Autry ran for a TD. In case you didn’t hear me, I said DARNELL AUTRY ran for a TD. His long run of the day was 6 yards. FB Cecil Martin had a 13-yard run. FB Stanley Pritchett had an 11-yard run. PK David Akers had a 15-yard run. That came on a brilliant fake FG. Koy Detmer flipped the ball over his shoulder and Akers got outside for a big gain. Beautiful play. Cards WR David Boston lost 17 yards on a run play. I assume he ran out of steroids and turned human right as tacklers hit him.
2001 – Another Blown Lead. The Eagles led 17-14 late. They had 4th/short, but were in FG range. Reid decided to kick the FG and trust his defense with a 20-14 lead. Jake Plummer led the Cards down the field. He then hit MarTay Jenkins with a 35-yard pass to win the game. Even worse, Troy Vincent was the guy burned on the play. He got turned around and left Jenkins wide open. Another ugh moment. In the revenge game out in the desert (meaning Arizona), Brian Mitchell ran a KO back 94 yards for a TD. Bill Gramatica tried to tackle him. Mitchell didn’t use a move, just ran straight at him at full speed. Gramatica suffered a dislocated left shoulder on the play. Mitch ran the ball harder than any return guy I’ve ever seen. He once gave LaVar Arrington a concussion when Arrington tried to tackle him on a KOR. Mitch was a great Eagle even though he was just here for 3 years.
2002 – Donovan McTough. McNabb got hit early in the game and complained of an ankle injury, but he never came out. The injury forced him to stay in the pocket and he did just that. He shredded the Cards, going 20-25-255. He threw 4 TDs and the Eagles won 38-14. We found out later that McNabb played on a broken leg.
2008 – Opposite ends of the spectrum. We played the Cards twice. The first meeting was a Thanksgiving night blowout. We won 48-20. Kyle Eckel had plenty of touches if that tells you how much of a blowout it was. The rematch came in the NFC title game. Kurt Warner and the Cards dominated the 1st half. McNabb led us back in the 2nd, but the defense gave up a late TD drive and we lost. Ugh. Again. Another blown lead.
2011 – Won’t get fooled again (yes you will). The hapless Cards came to Philly with some guy named John Skelton at QB. He sucked for most of the game, but got hot late and led the Cardinals to a pair of 4th quarter TDs and the win. Almost half of the Cards yards for the entire game came in the 4th quarter. The Eagles fell to 3-5 and proved to be every bit as hapless as the Cards. Another blown lead. Ugh, again.
2012 – Down and out. The 2-0 Eagles went to the desert and found out just how good Jason Kelce was. He tore his ACL the week before. Dallas Reynolds took over at C and essentially was the 12th Cardinal. They attacked the A-gap over and over and he was just overwhelmed. Michael Vick had to run for his life, but made things worse by turning the ball over. The Cards led 17-0 late in the half. The Eagles drove down to the 1 with just seconds left. Vick failed to see a wide open receiver in the end zone on one play. That was okay. There was still 3rd down and even if he had to throw that away, the team would get a chip shot FG and at least get on the board, right? Wrong, very wrong. Vick hesitated with the ball, got hit from behind and the ball came loose. James Sanders picked it up and ran 93 yards for a Cardinals TD. 24-0 felt like 10,000 to 0. I think that was the beginning of the end for Vick. At least the Eagles didn’t blow a late lead.
So as you can see, Sunday will probably be a boring, uneventful game. Nothing wild ever happens when the Birds get together. Yeah right. So let’s hear your predictions on what crazy things might happen Sunday.
Nick Foles runs for 100 yards?
Cary Williams covers Larry Fitzgerald tight for one play?
Chip Kelly runs the Wishbone?
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Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
B-Mitch was awesome. I would have loved to see him retire as an Eagle. Tough as nails.
He does a radio show here in DC and he’s still a bad-ass.
He is great on the radio..still makes appearences on philly radio..I love that he is always ripping RGme,myself and I
I loved him too, but DC really has more of a claim to him. But I bet almost every NFC East fan has memories of him.
It’s crazy when you think he played QB in the Body Bag game back when Buddy was still coaching, and then was still playing in 2003, his one year with the Giants.
Happy holidays to my brothers in green!!
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We proved that we will beat the teams that we are supposed to beat, which was an important first step in our team development…this is a chance to take that next step and beat some playoff teams and really show that we are for real. This was destined to be a physical dog fight, thankfully their dumb coach called us a college offense. Our players adore Chip, Kelce is already fired up about it…the cardinals are getting punched in hotelier mouth, or should I say….Beak.
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cardinals offense will allow us to play Nickle for most of the game which gets Boy king and Curry on the field more than the past couple of weeks
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Cardinals have some really good CBs which allows them to blitz more than any other team…as good as they are at defending WRs, they are the worst team in the NFL at defending TEs..Celek and ERTZY need to step up early, make some plays softening up the middle of the field..
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Our #1 run offense averaging 150yards a game, vs. cardinals #2 ranked run defense holding teams to 85yards per game..something has to give. if the battle ends up closer to our average than theirs, we should have a good shot at winning this game…this defense is going to be focused on taking shady out of the game, shady has to demoralize them early and often..
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This isn’t one of those games where we can win with one phase of the game carrying us…We need a team effort to win this one…I like our offenses chances against their defense, more than I like their offenses chances against our defense..I know their offense is playing well but I’m expecting our front 7 to reak havoc on Carson…
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FOles has to be sharp and burn them when they try and blitz him..the kid needs to move the chains, get into a flow early so we can rev up the tempo…we are really going to need our tempo packages to wear down a beastly front 7.
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I’m expecting a battle…we are focused, hungry and getting more confident every game. This is a tremendous opportunity for our hungry players to go out and TAKE some RESPECT!!!…hit Palmer hard and hit him often! while Folesy takes care of the ball, and we should be fine…
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If they try that disrespectful crap and line up Patterson on offense, I hope Chung or Cary knock him out the game!!!
Guys
I will be in NY the next two weeks. Can you please recommend a sports bar to watch the Eagles game on Sunday? It should be in Manhattan and ideally full of Eagles fans.
Thanks in advance!
Ever been to hooters? Lol
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Any New York strip club will have the game 🙂
Dude, I will be arriving late Saturday night, so no chance of driving down to Philly the next day.
However I will be at the Linc for the Lions game. Sitting in C40 of the Chrysler Club. Fly Eagles Fly!
Gotcha…I’ll get back to u with a good NY bar
By Googling Eagles Bar NYC I come up with Wogies and 3Sheets in Manhattan. Both appear to be in the West Village. There are probably more if you look further down the Google list.
It’s Wogies then.
Shorty’s in Hell’s Kitchen is small, but is great. It’s noisy, but it’s hard core eagles
I recently asked the same question around here when I was in NY. We decided to go to Shorty’s.
They have a great cheesesteak and the place was loaded with Eagles fans. The eagles fight song was played after each Eagles touchdown.
It was a great first encounter with sportsbars in the US. Next time I would definitely go there again.
Wow, you just caught me off-guard as I was going to head over to Wogies tomorrow. Not so sure any more.
How is the seating at Shorty’s? Did you have to get in early to get a good view or did you have to stand while watching the game? I heard it’s a rather small sports bar.
Cheers
Sorry for the late response, was offline the last couple of days.
How did you enjoy the game in NY?
Maybe for next time:
We were quite early (for the 4 pm game) and had a table in the back. At kickoff we were able to move to bar seats. It is small, but most of them were Eagles fans.
Enjoy your stay and have fun for the Lions-game.
Cheers
(Reposted, because now you actually asked for it…)
Foles lined up in a pistol set with Vick to his left, Brad Smith to his right, and Shady behind him. At the snap the four of them huddle, then all walk away nonchalantly, whistling and looking at the sky. Suddenly they all spring into action and the defense has no idea who has the ball or what he is doing with it.
The fifth consecutive time they work from this set, the time that Shady throws a TD to Foles from behind Smith and Vick blocking the camera will flash to Bowles’ head exploding.
Meanwhile, around the NFL, Mike Shannahan signs a 10-year contract with a clause that provides a financial incentive for each new family member he brings onto the staff.
Tom Coughlin has surgery to attach a large thermometer to the top of his head, like in the old cartoons, so when he gets angry, the thermometer starts to turn red and expand comically.
Dez Bryant is caught in bed with Mrs. Jones and Mrs. Goodall. They get caught when a technition accidentally plays a clip of the episode on the big screen.
“Meanwhile, around the NFL, Mike Shannahan signs a 10-year contract with a
clause that provides a financial incentive for each new family member
he brings onto the staff.”
Brilliant.
Great job, ATG.
I was sitting in the stands for that game against the Cards last year. Just torture. After the Vick fumble and Cards score right before the half, I was pretty much done with last year’s mess of an Eagles team. I walked out of the stadium at half time… partly because of the game, and partly because Cards fans are insufferable bandwagoners. I despise them. I cannot tell you how much berating myself and other Eagles fans suffered from them in that stadium. I love living here in Phoenix, but my least favorite thing here is definitely dealing with the fans.
I am very thankful for this “new” Eagles team and its current leadership. Just so refreshing to see competency and effort most Sundays. So I am very hopeful to buck the recent trend of losing to an inferior Cardinals team, and fully expect a win this Sunday. Go Eagles! And Happy Thanksgiving everyone…
Can anyone tell me if the cardinals are one of the few teams to play Dime, or are they a Nickle team? You need an Erick berry type of safety to play Dime, do they use the Honeybadger in that role or do they line him up as a Nickle?
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Who is the other CB that will be on Coop?
I think they are a 100% matchup team. They often use Honeybadger in the slot (he is the starting FS)
Also there CBs do not switch side, so we can get Jackson away from Peterson with motion, lining him up in the slot etc.
Thanks Anders…not many teams play dime anymore, as Cossell would say, you need to have that rare safety that can both Blitz and handle TEs man to man, to play Dime…berry was THAT player, Glover Quinn is that player for the lions who are coming up…seems like Honeybadger would give them that FLEXABILITY! I just haven’t watched enough Zona to know
Honeybadger will cover both TEs and slot WRs. They also have two good cover ILBs (tho Dansby cant run with the fastest guys anymore)
Statistically they are the worst team in the NFL at covering TEs…if Desean n Coop struggle, hopefully Ertz n Celek can soften up that defense
No they aint the worst, but its their weak point
Sorry, you are right, I was looking at fantasy stats!!they give up the most points to TEs. But that doesn’t necessarily make them the worst at guarding TEs….
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I also like that we are facing a defense that really likes to scheme and dial up exotic blitzes and sub packages…Kelly spread and tempo is the worst enemy to that type of defense. Those types of defenses are always dangerous, but if you are going to face a defense like that it’s nice having a coach who can make them uncomfortable
I always thought the broken leg game was proof that McNabb’s inconsistent play later in his career was mostly attributable to hesitation and over-thinking. If only they had kept him on the same drugs they used to keep him upright on a broken leg, things might have turned out much differently. McNabb on a Brett Favre cocktail was lethal.
The inconsistency was more coaching and game plan related. Also McNabb had some bad footwork habits that AR for all his brilliance never corrected
Hubris, if you ever think you’re good enough, you’re not going to get better.
I think at some point McNabb’s confidence in himself turned to hubris and made him uncoachable. The way the Eagles were going to get better was by improving the team around him, not improving himself.
Ultimately never taking that next step, never equipping himself for success for the latter years of his career, will keep him out of the HoF, not the lack of a ring.
I will NEVER forget that game…I was sitting in the ENDZONE about 10 rows back…epic performance by Donovan…I despise Dmac, but he was spectacular at times
McNabb`s issues were immaturity(ego); coaching possibly could have helped, however he`d had so many years of being in the spotlight that by the time he became an Eagle he was a finished product…
the game in which he threw 4 td`s, he did come out for ONE play, then thru 4 td`s in the 1st half–awesome…
(un)related saw an interview where an ex-Packer told his coach that he`d broken a bone and needed to come out; Vince told him that it was not a weight supporting bone so he had to finish the game
Sorry…but 6 games that look ABSOLUTELY NOTHING like the Dallas game is enough for me to call it an ANOMOLY but we can agree to disagree!!!I would be more inclined to agree with you if Dallas was actually shutting down our offense but that wasn’t the case,,.to me, that was just one of those rare games that everyone has, like when Reggie miller can’t hit a jump shot..
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Its especially an ANOMOLY for me when we had much better games before and after the Dallas game…..FOles not being able to accurately hit anyone…is an ANOMOLY, you don’t have to believe it now, but eventually you will!! 🙂
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EDIT: sorry this post was supposed to be in response to CAFONES “I’m not there yet” post
Throw the Dallas game out of the window! and this offense has looked really really efficient..
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FOles came in cold and led us to that big drive to end the half, struggled in the 3rd, FOles and the defense took over in the 4th..
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Surgical well oiled machine like performance against Tampa.sealing The game with that long drive pounding it down tampa’s throat in these run game with unbalanced lines.
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Then he made it rain in Oakland bouncing back from the worst game imaginable
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continued his efficient play in GB
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Was really in control against the Skins..it was Shadys turn to score, but FOles had some BIGTIME 3rd down runs, took care of the ball, and continued to make defenses pay with tempo and big plays…
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You take the Dallas game out of the equation and you are seeing an offense that’s pretty much in control, doesn’t settle for field goals, doesn’t shoot itself in the foot, and constantly keeps pressure on opponents consistently making them pay with demoralizing big plays…
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in TODAYS NFL, a good offense beats a good defense, I know philly is worried about cardinals and respects them as a tough opponent, but I doubt Arizona is too excited about playing philly,,,cardinals both at home and the road have been playing in warm weather all year. Hoping the weather drops tomorrow
I’m not there yet. The Dallas game wasn’t just an “off” game – it was a historically horrible game. I’ll take it out of the equation next season, depending on what we see the rest of the way.
I love the numbers this offense is putting up too, and Foles has looked great at times, but the numbers have also been helped by a few catches our receivers have come up with when Foles has pretty much just put the ball up for grabs. I’m usually pretty optimistic about the Eagles, but I’m not an optimist enough to see horribly underthrown TD balls and call them the “genius of Foles putting the ball where only his guy could come back and get it.”
This week will be a good test. I’m looking forward to it. But I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Foles fall back into the realm of mortals, particularly in the TD/INT ratio department.
C —
Point taken. But I’m not sure that Foles’ Dallas performance was “historically horrible.”
Back in 1970, Eagles rookie QB Rick Arrington (father of Jill and grandfather of the Fanning acting kids) got a start against a bunch of old GB Packers.
Before being pulled, Arrington went 1-6, 13 yards, 0 TDs, 3 INTs (1 returned for a TD). His QB rating was 0.0.
Hard to beat that.
Ok, maybe it wasn’t the worst QB performance in Eagles history, but it’s got to be up there.
What concerned me most about that performance was not the numbers, but the analysis from the All-22 film in the media the following week that showed receivers running all over the field wide open and Foles either not throwing to them, or not hitting them when he did.
We’ve got the rest of the season to judge Foles. I was actually one of his earliest supporters last season (though probably for the wrong reasons: I love tall QBs). I just see no reason to go all Foles crazy now when we’ve got the rest of the season to evaluate. As long as the offense keeps generating points we are winners: Either Foles is an elite talent or Chip Kelly’s offense make mediocre QBs look like elite talents.
Someone once wrote: “One who is wise is cautious . . . .”
I think your view of things is not unwise at all.
I’m still going with some sort of injury or concussion….
unless he makes a habit of it.
So if the Dallas game isn’t the exception to the rule, you are saying the giants,Tampa,Oakland!Greenbay,and Washington games are the fluke? Lol say what you want about those offenses but he made 5 NFL defenses HIS BITCH!!!…that’s a minimum of 55 NFL defenders and 5 Defensive coordinators who were what? Unlucky?
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I get Yous been burned by the Kolbs and Hoyings, but this is no fluke, no gimick…the kid is using his brain and accuracy to kick NFL ass!! Teams who lose their starting QB do NOT do what we are doing…backups might have a Flynn type game of a lifetime, but they don’t do it consistently for over a month…and it’s not like he is throwing to Randall Cobb,Jordy Nelson, James Jones and Finley….
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in 6 games this kid broke every QB record that there was to break..he isn’t satisfied, he isn’t done working, we haven’t seen his best yet….we have a QB on our hands folks..I get Yous are cautious because you don’t want to be wrong again! but your caution is what’s making you wrong lol….the kid is the truth!!!!
Foles’ performance wasn’t even the worst one that week. Josh Freeman out-horribled him the next day.
Wacky games between the Eagles and Cards?
In 1950, the Cards’ QB, Jim Hardy, throws a still-NFL record 8 INTs. The Eagles roll up 430 total yards and win 45-7.
1973, the 0-3-1 Birds under new HC Mike McCormack go on the road to face the 2-2 Cards under new HC Don Coryell. The Cards lead 24-13 with under 2 minutes to go. But Gabriel hits Carmichael for a 27 yard TD. Eagles recover the onside kick . . . but are ruled off-side. Having kept all 3 TOs, the Eagles force the Cards to punt. Taking over at the Eagles’ 20 with 43 seconds to go, Gabriel hits RB Norm Bulaich for 25 yards on a circle route. Gabriel hits Carmichael for 31 yards on a corner route to the right sideline and he slides out of bounds. With just 7 ticks left on the clock, Gabriel completes a post pattern to 1st year WR 6’3″ 195 lb Don Zimmerman — who catches the ball at the three-yard line, gets rocked by 3 Cardinals, the third hit actually keeping Zimmerman on his feet, and he falls forward into the EZ for the winning 24-yard TD as time runs out.
1978, the 1-7 Cards visit the Vet to face Vermeil’s rising Eagles at 4-4. Trailing 16-10 with less than a minute to go, Jaworski’s marched the Eagles down inside the Cards’ 20 yard line. Looking left to a streaking Harold Carmichael in the EZ, Jaws is picked off by HOF CB Roger Wehli (exactly like the Vick-to-Cooper pass in the 2010 playoffs). The roaring Vet goes silent. Game over. Three weeks later the Eagles went to the Meadowlands and left with the Victory Formation a new part of every NFL playbook
1986, in St. Louis for Buddy Ryan’s first visit as the Birds’ new HC. The Eagles give up a 10-0 lead in the 4th Q (a continuing historical problem). Needing 35 yards to win, on the last play of the game — too far out for fading PK Paul McFadden — Buddy decides to go for it. Cunningham hits Gregg Garrity at the Cardinals 10; he avoids a tackler, bounces off another more and fights his way to the . . . 1 yard line. Time expires. Game over.
Yes, some great games between these teams.
Personally, I’d rather just watch the Eagles win in a nice, relaxing blowout.
Great stuff, ACV. I knew you would add some pre-90’s games.
Thank you for always taking us down memory lane with you. Much appreciated.
Who was the cardinal QB who sucked but beat us 5 times?
The winner on Sunday?
The team that makes more “explosive plays” (20+ yards).
Simple as that.
Team that turns it over less…..
I avoided the temptation.
With Kelly’s offense, I’m not sure that TOs is a the right metric.
I do believe it’s 20+-yard plays and RZ efficiency.
But those 20+-yard plays are so key to Kelly’s offense because they can diminish the number of times the Eagles have to fight the RZ crush of too many players in not enough space.
il mio amico:
buone vacanze. essere al sicuro
Pure a Te. Spero che tu e la tua famiglia sette stati bene
I’m with you, G.
Dominating the line of scrimmage will also be paramount as usual…
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The hope is that our Oline comes out like madmen after what arians said. Olinemen are protective by nature, and our guys adore their coach…If our Oline comes out! committed to beating up a tough Cardinals front 7, we will be successful…
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our front 7 is NASTY, they don’t need motivation. Dudes are hungry and they will relish the opportunity to prey on a weak Oline and have a huge impact on this game…Carson and his 7 step drops is getting ROUGHED UP. On Sunday…
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Both teams boast a ferocious front 7..I’m banking on our Oline handling their front 7 better than their Oline can handle ours
The team that scores more points.
that’s a winner.
Point differential has a very high correlation to winning.
As long as all the people who went to the last game put their socks on in the same order we should be ok.
Re: Speaking of TG Day Games
Long, long ago — before the NFL became bigger than General Motors — college rivalry games were played on TG Day.
The second greatest football game I’ve seen, college or pro, was TG 1971.
The undefeated, top-ranked and defending (mythical) national champion Nebraska Cornhuskers went on the road to Norman, Oklahoma to play the 2nd-ranked Sooners.
The match-up exceeded its billing as the “Game of the Century.”
(Best game ever: 1971 Christmas Eve, Dolphins defeat the Chiefs in 2OTs in the longest game in NFL history to clinch a spot in the AFC title game. KC running back Ed Podolak put on remarkable 1-man performance: 85 yards rushing; 110 yard receiving; 3 KO returns for 154 yards, including a 78 yard return to start the 1st OT.)
Here’s a link to the 1st of 5 parts showing the entire game:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Rbmsg-kjxA
Here’s a link to 3.5 minute capsule:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97dEAb4KJ-Q
Darrell Royal was the coach at Texas when they developed the Wishbone. He was an Oklahoma grad. When OU called and asked if he would help teach them the offense, Royal had his OC give it to them. He later said that was a regrettable move.
That is an awesome story.
Sort of the reverse of Bobby Bowden, while at West Virginia, helping educate the new HC of Marshall after the awful plane crash that killed the team and coach. At least as depicted in the movie, “We Are Marshall.”
Emory Bellard . . . that was Royal’s assistant who invented the ‘bone then gave away the formula.
Great piece of history, T-Law.
Thanks!!!
You guys and your history lessons are awesome
What do you think of the name Kelly gave to this offense? the “See Coast” offense. Will it stick?
Kelly: “I don’t know how things are done. I try to say this all the time. Here’s our offense: We run the See Coast offense. If we see something and we like it and think it fits, we’re going to run it. So the Philadelphia Eagles run the See Coast offense. Let’s run with that today and we’ll go from there.”
I like how when they see a weakness, they attack it. I don’t like it so much in the second half when they start to coast…
Watching Ziggy Ansah beasting for Detroit, he was #1 on my draft wishlist. Wonder who is going to be the better player in the long run, Ansah or Johnson.
If Evan Moore doesn’t drop that 3-yard slant pattern at the goal line for the winning score in the second Washington game last year . . . we may have found out.
Several commenters have remarked, when the subject is Graham and Earl Thomas, that DEs > Safeties.
Is it likewise true that DEs > OTs . . . especially a DE who can play OLB?
I don’t know. But I’d love to hear the community’s view.
I feel obligated to go with DE purely out of respect for Reggie White, not that there will ever be another Reggie White. I can’t help but think that many of us may be unconsciously swayed toward DE for that very reason.
Between Reggie White and the hated Lawrence Taylor, I agree with you.
Entire offensive schemes were thrown out to block those guys. I don’t think defenses are worrying about how to eliminate an OT from a game.
Jaworski still sleeps with a teddy bear because of what Taylor did to him.
Hmm..after some thought, Ansah, Thornton, and Cox would look like a pretty ferocious dline. I wonder who we would have taken with the Bennie Logan pick if we drafted Ansah?
Ansah can’t play NT.”.actually had we drafted Ziggy, there is a good chance we would use him at OLB instead of on the line…so I don’t think drafting him meant we wouldn’t draft Logan
Why would you even assume Ansah would play NT? He would be taking the DE role that Thornton has while Thornton slides over to NT.
Why would you assume he would play 3-4 DE? He plays DE in a 4-3….typically THAT converts to 3-4 OLB. NOT 3-4DE…so what does drafting an OLB have to do with our NT Logan?
Ansah would have been a horrible 34 OLB. He would be as lost as BG in coverage. Ansah could bulk up and play a role in the 34 like JJ Watt does. I’m just saying that if we drafted Ansah, there might have been a different player picked with last years 3rd round pick. Was that too hard to understand?
They’re both valuable, I think probably almost equally because they face off against each other, the DE is trying to get past the OT to get sacks, the OT is trying to stop the DE from getting sacks. I guess which is more valuable is probably dependent on which position is worse on your team.
Consider the Eagles offense scheme and the way the NFL is moving. A great athletic OT who looks like a TE might be more valuable.
Definitely
Ansah will be good. Lane will be ALL PRO. Think Lane will be one of the top 3 players from his draft class….the kid held his own thru rough times early in the season, and already he is now playing dominant football….that’s friggin incredible considering his lack of experience…the guy will be a serious cornerstone for this franchise…like Ziggy, but you can’t ask for more than lane
What’s the over/under on Sconces pass interference and defensive holding calls vs Fitzgerald? I’m thinking 3 1/2, since Fitzgerald won’t line up on his side the entire game.
The wide nine:
Detroit runs the wide kind and are ranked 4th in rushing defense. Why are they so much better at it than we were last year? It’s not like they are facing terrible rushers either. The lions D have gone up against the Redskins, Vikings, and Bucs. Did Washboirne learn a lesson or do Suh and Farley make the difference?
Suh and Fairly definitely help. It’s probably also something to do with how their LBs average twice as many tackles per game as the Eagles LBs did in Washburn’s time here.
Personnel.
If memory services, T-Lawlor wrote a post on your question during the off-season, after Washburn moved to Detroit.
Better LBs and overall personnel.
And do remember that the Eagles got much better vs the run last year and at the end of 2011.
Yeh I forgot about that. Although I have pretty much tried to forgot 2011 and 12 all together lol.
Lions are no joke. That is going to be another really hard game.
I get a warm & fuzzy feeling every time Troy Aikman mentions the 11 sack game from ’91.
I feel like the Cardinals and the Bears are our secret Kryptonite. Not excited for this game at all.
We are home against the Bears. So we do not have to play on the “field” the Bears call home field.
I think “field” is an accurate term. Pasture would also work.
Personally I refer to it as a “contemptible midden”.
Yikes. Its good to not be a packers fan eh boys? That was tough to watch. HAPPY TURKEY EVERYBODY!!
The Dallas game just started, and so far, I like what I’m watching!
Thanksgiving day miracle, make it happen oakland!
Nothing quite like vegging out on the coach after a turkey and sparkling cider overdose and watching the cowboys lose. This is the life.
Watching Rod Streater and Andre Holmes, just high pointing balls against the Cowboys CB. I really want a big WR (not sold on Cooper yet) who can do that
Dallas is terrible, looking at this game. Can’t win too many games playing like this…
Yeah Dallas is awful, but I wasn’t impressed by the Lions either. Their DL dominated the Packers, but the packers haven’t got a single decent OL man and that team sucks without Rodgers. Stafford isn’t that good a QB, their OL is still questionable and I’m confident we can stop their rushing attack much better than the pack.
I give the lions game a 40-40 win percentage to each team and 20 percent chance that the lions fuck it up for themselves(remember when that was us?good times i guess).
I don’t necessarily buy into the fact that we’re a good team and a playoff team just yet, I see a lot of questions, but the NFC have some awful teams competing for the wild cards and the NFC East is just embarrassing. We should be a PO team this year.
What ever you say, winning 40-10 and keeping a team under 100 yards is impressive.
The end of the first and the second half was much better.
Stupid raiders prevent. Dallas went right down and scored
C’mon Oakland, stop making Romo look like Foles.
By the time i got done reading the column, thought it was AC…actually scrolled up to see what the topic was……feelin like I won’t be able to eat for a week…..Happy Thanksgiving all, even though Dallas won.
Chip Kelly Runs the Wishbone right after thanksgiving…you just don’t go pounding on irony’s door that hard.
Somehow this game has turned into old school vs new school. What a strange thing for Arians to say, whether he meant any harm or not. So who knows, maybe we really are in for a crazy game.
Funny thing is that option ball and shutgun snap is older than the 4 vertical scheme Arians uses 😛
Back in the 50’s and 60’s, they called it Short Punt. Shotgun is the newer term.
Didnt knew that. Just knew back then taking snaps under center was thought as crazy.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7357/11116642724_25920d7ecc.jpg
Here’s what I unfortunately remember about the Cardinals (besides the 2008 NFC Title Game):
Jake “The Snake” Plummer earning his reputation as a 4th Quarter Comeback Kid mainly at the Eagles expense.
I just looked it up at Pro Football Reference: He led 15 4th Quarter Comebacks as a Cardinals QB, with a full 1/3 (5) of them coming against the Eagles.
But even worse, 4 of the 5 came in back-to-back years (1998 and 1999). So, yes, in 4 freaking straight games he beat the Eagles via 4th Quarter Comebacks. I gotta believe that’s the record for something like that!
Good thing Phil Simms never played RB
http://cdn.nextimpulsesports.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/phil.gif
As dumb as he sounds these days, he was one tough SOB of a QB. He would take horrendous hits, a la Vick, to get a pass off at the last second. No chuck and duck like Eli or Romo.
True, but look how he is holding that ball and he might the dumbest play by play guy on TV.
Did tomlin even get flagged for being in the way?
He should, but didnt. Will most likely get fined and I bet refs will have an eye out for it now.
tbh Jones should just have bowled him down, that way he had 100% gotten a flag and 15 yards extra.
I can’t believe tomlin ends up in front of the running ref and no flag. Yes he should have bowled into him. He starting cutting back inside, which you wouldn’t do otherwise. Is it only 15 yards? If a coach stops a td it should be an ejection and a td.
They talked about that they could award the TD to him if Tomlin had stopped him.
For ACViking:
Regarding finding the next Chandler Jones or Aldon Smith. Guys who can play both DE in 4-3 front or 3-4 OLB.
Enter Jackson Jeffcoat, 6-5 250 DE from Texas.
Guy is just coming of his best game where he dominated against the Texas Tech with 3 sacks. Guy even lined up as MLB in some defensive packages.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000289533/article/texas-de-jackson-jeffcoat-wr-mike-davis-star-on-senior-night
He also has 10 sacks, 19 TFLs and 1 int. Is big enough to anchor against the run, quick and fluid enough to explode outside the LT and athletic enough to drop in coverage and just like Jones and Smith is primly a 4-3 DE. Guy is also young at only 21 (will be 22 december 26th)
That’s an awesome name. Sounds like he should have been a Civil War general.
How many can claim they have a last name as first name and sounds like a Civil War general?
A —
That’s impressive. Thanks for the tip!
He’s the kind of player the Eagles would seem to want to welcome with open arms . . . even though he’s a UTexas product, which has produced some high-1st round duds under Mack Brown.
Also, JaxJeff is the son of Cowboys DE Jim Jeffcoat . . . who survived the purge after Jimmy Johnson took over. So I’m betting — though only an interview would help show — that JaxJeff is not your typical talented-but-All About Me jock that UT’s produced too often. His father, I’d hope, has taught him that being a 1st Rd (or high round) pick guarantees you nothing in the NFL.
2. Regardless of the UT 1st-Rd disappointments, one guy who’s played well — though too often injured — is DE/OLB Brian Orakpo. Maybe that’s a position immune from the Mack Brown virus.
________________
A —
Is JaxJeff draft-eligible?
Do you expect him to come out?
If so, where do you expect him to get picked?
Last . . . he’s exactly the kind of player Jerry Jones would love to jump ahead of the Eagles to select if he’s ranked high and the Birds miss the playoffs. Jones loves a good story, like “Dallas drafts son of former Cowboys great”.
Jeffcoat is a senior, so he is 100% coming out.
For me he is a late 2nd, early 3rd, so if we wants him it should be in the 2nd based on where we pick.
A guy like Jeffcoat is a guy who with a great senior bowl and combine could put im self in the early 2nd or even late 1st because there simply isnt that many good 4-3 DEs this year.
Jeffcoats biggest problem is simply his hands usage and lack of counter move, but that are 2 of the easiest thing to correct in pass rusher as you cant teach size or speed the same way.
Agreed. He really only has one move, the dip and rip. I’ve seen tackles time and time again just ride him to the outside, which also leaves him vulnerable to the run. If he could just couple a spin move with his rush, it would take him to another level. I wouldn’t see contributing a ton the first year but definitely someone to develop and make stronger. I would say third round although he does have 10 sacks this year, I just dnt see how he has gotten so many. Help me out here Anders.
From the little I have seen of him, he has an explosive first step, so he has simply been able to beat LTs to the corner.
I think a guy like Jeffcoat, been only a nickle pass rusher while learning from Cole would be a great scenario. Remember, in his first season Aldon Smith was only a nickle rusher and Chandler Jones “only” had 6 sacks.
As long as you have that first step, you’re in good shape. The other things (size and technique) can be learned. Is it bad I’m already excited for the draft?
how do you teach size? 😛 Agree, as long as you got the size, speed and athletic ability, technique can be learned if the head is right.
Im trying not to get to married in certain prospects, because 99% chance we wont draft them.
As in muscle lol. He has good height and frame. Looked at Gilbert again and his tackling is not as bad as advertised. Nothing an nfl coach can’t fix.
True. Tho Im not sure how much heavier you want him at OLB. Maybe 10 pounds.
http://draftbreakdown.com/players/justin-gilbert/
Watch some more videos and you might change your mind.
Exactly. I watched all those videos and he isn’t the greatest tackler I have ever seen but definitely not the worst. I think he is aggressive but needs to wrap up better.
Regarding Gilbert. You are right it is nothing a coach cant fix if he has the attitude. The question is then, does he have the right attitude and willingness to learn to tackle?
Since the NFL has to make a buck off of everything:
The Eagles’ offense will be sponsored by Comcast and known as the “Xfinity WIFI Offense”.
Wifi?! Wifi?! This is the Fios offense.
Could be Fios, but it would probably be more specific: the “Fios Quantum Offense”
Who provides the fastest internet in USA?
Probably Google Fiber, wherever it’s available
Then it will be the “Google Fiber” offense 🙂
Only if that ever gets to Philly (right now it is only in the Kansas City metro area)
yea by that note, xfinity makes the most sense consider they already sponsor the Eagles 🙂
Hopefully, the Slowskys won’t be featured.
That would be the Giants offense.
http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/article-1/Wulfs-Den-Going-For-Four-Straight/08650d3a-5aed-4d03-804f-bb87001d72f6
Wulf is just great 😛
One of the 59 (out of 441) teams that had a 4-game winning streak but *did not* make the playoffs in that season?
Rick Kotite’s 1994 Eagles team — his last — which blew out of the gate 7-2, including a 4-game winning streak, then lost its last 7 in a row.
I didnt really read that. I was more focused on his interview 😛
It gets better when Dorenbos takes over after Donnie Jones tells Wulf that these were some of the worst questions he’d ever been asked.
Got it.
Rofl, Wulf is my new is my new sports journo hero. The way he segues from the serious questions to the goofball ones slowly but surely is fantastic.
Tommy – I’m curious about how the bye will come into play here. Some loss of momentum but to me, fresh legs is going to be critical when we want to run the most up-tempo offense that we have all year.
Andy Reid was — until 2012 and 2013 — dominant in the post-bye week competition.
Here’s Kelly’s first chance to etch the first letters of his name in that class of coaches who turn the bye week into a winning edge.
I think the bye week magic is random tbh. Take this year, KC faced Denver after the bye week, had they instead faced the Raiders, there would be no doubt they would have won.
I’m not so sure KC would have beaten the Raiders.
I said I thought KC would finish the second half 2-6. They’re 1-2 now so we’ll see.
The Raiders is a bad team. KC even tho they have lost two straight (they would have won over SD if they hadnt lost both Houston and Hali), they are still a much better team.
Bill Barnwell had a tidbit in a recent article about Andy Reid and the bye (this was before the Denver game):
Very telling:
http://preview.tinyurl.com/kqrc5wq
I’ve been looking for film of B-Mitch’s KR in 2001, and can’t find it. Any help?