Making Plays

How different is last Sunday’s game if the Eagles just make a play or two? DBs had multiple chances for interceptions, but didn’t hold onto any of them. Carson Wentz had a chance to hit Mack Hollins for a big gain, but the throw was off target. Nelson Agholor had a chance to catch a TD, but couldn’t hold onto the ball.

Failing to make these plays made all the difference in the world. And this has happened a lot this year.

The same thing happened in 2007.

at GB – Greg Lewis muffed a punt and Takeo Spikes dropped an easy INT. Eagles lost by 3.

vs WAS – The Eagles got to the Skins 6-yard line or deeper on four different drives and never got in the end zone. Lost 20-12.

vs CHI – The Bears drove 97 yards in 1:37 to score a TD and win the game. They had no timeouts. Torturous loss.

at NE – The Eagles had numerous chances to make key plays. They made a few, which kept the game close, but the Eagles didn’t make the crucial plays and lost 31-28.

vs SEA – Brian Westbrook took a punt back 64 yards late in the game, but he couldn’t get into the end zone. He did set the Eagles up at the SEA 14-yard line. AJ Feeley was picked off on third down and the Eagles lost 28-24.

The Eagles finished the season 8-8. They were a couple of plays from going 10-6 (or better) and going to the playoffs. That team never could put it together for more than one game until things were out of reach. After dropping to 5-8, they won the final three games of the season and finished .500.

That team was tough and competitive. They battled everyone. But they just couldn’t make the important plays. They didn’t know how to win games.

It is hard not to see the similarities to the current Eagles. This team could have won in Atlanta if Agholor makes a catch. They could have beaten the Lions if JJ Arcega-Whiteside made a catch. There were a handful of plays that would have made the difference last week.

Instead, the Eagles didn’t make those plays and this team is 5-5.

It doesn’t have to stay that way.

The 2006 Eagles started 5-6. There were some brutal losses. The Eagles blew a 24-7 lead over the Giants and lost in OT. There was a tough loss to the Saints, 27-24. The Giants beat the Eagles 36-31 in a huge game. And there was the horrific loss to Tampa on the 62-yard FG, 23-21. Ugh.

That team did right the ship. They went 5-0 down the stretch, making some critical plays in tough games.

The 2008 Eagles started 5-5-1. There were some close games that did not go well. The lowlight may have been the 13-13 tie with a bad Bengals team. The Eagles looked hopeless after a loss to the Ravens, but turned things around and went 4-1 down the stretch. That team came a few plays from making the Super Bowl.

I don’t know if this team will turn things around. Sunday’s performance by the offense sure wasn’t encouraging. The performance by the defense was encouraging.

You never know what will turn things around. The 2006 team saw Donovan McNabb tear his ACL. He was replaced by Jeff Garcia and that seemed to get the other players to step their game up. When the star QB went down, everyone else had to play better.

The 2008 team just seemed to hit rock bottom. That woke them up and the players and coaches responded in the right way.

Even after 10 games, I don’t have a good feel for the 2019 Eagles. I don’t know what to expect from this bunch.

It will be really interesting to see how these guys respond on Sunday. The offense needs to bounce back in a big way. The defense needs to play well for a fourth straight game. If those things happen, the Eagles will go to 6-5. That could also lead to a good stretch run.

This only happens if the players make plays.

Effort isn’t enough. Battling isn’t enough. Catch the ball. Make the tackle. Break the tackle. Make the block.

Players have to start making plays or pretty soon we’ll be focusing on the draft.

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