What Game?

Would it bother anyone if we just pretended the Miami game never happened?  I guess the defense should be happy about the faux-shutout.  And Westbrook had a career day in the sense that he played exactly the same way he always does but Andy/Marty actually let him carry the ball as many times as he should.  But beyond that, anyone else?  Nabby?  LJ?  Kearse?  The fans?

We're all losers for being a part of that mess.

Believe me, I understand the value of a win, any win, in the NFL.  If we hadn't wasted two prime chances for easy victories earlier in the season, this team would be 7-3 and still in semi-contention for the division title.  That would all be a mirage, of course, since the Cowboys are a good team and the Eagles are not, but we wouldn't know that right now. 

Wisdom came early this year.

Beyond the victory, however, there was nothing redemptive about that cold, ugly, stuttering mess of a game.  I'd be happier never thinking about it again.

On the other hand, the Patriots are coming to town this week.  And despite the sudden optimism of everyone's favorite commenter -- probably due to McNabb's qustionable status for the game -- the rest of us are a lot more realistic.  There's about a 99 percent chance the Eagles are going to lose this weekend and an 80 percent chance that it's going to be really, really ugly.  Not sure what else there is to say beyond that.

The unfortunate reality of the game passed and the game upcoming is that there's nothing that we really want to talk about.  Both games suck in their own ways. 

Therefore, to prevent a conversational quagmire for the next seven days ("McNabb YES!!" / "McNabb NO!!"), your trusty blogger is here to help.  Here's a list of 10 fresh-off-the-shelf issues to discuss so we don't have to talk about the Dolphins, the Patriots, or why McNabb will never win a Super Bowl until he gets traded to Chicago.

1)  How bad does this draft look right now? 

2)  Did even the boo birds at the Linc seem kind of listless this afternoon?  Frankly, I expect more than that when there are so many bad plays. 

3)  Is Tony Romo far, far less likable than Brett Favre was back in the day simply because Romo plays for the Cowboys?  Or is it something else?

4)  Could Inquirer writer Ashley Fox be any more transparent in her efforts to make people forget she chaired the committee that left Brian Westbrook off the Eagles' 75th Anniversary Team?

5)  If you could pick only one, would you kneecap Tony Romo or Tom Brady?

6)  Can someone at Fox please show Troy Aikman the tape of all the Dallas games he's done this season where he's said things like, "I really think you just have to let the players play there," (for penalties on the Cowboys) or "To me, that's an obvious penalty," (for infractions committed -- or not -- by Dallas opponents)?

7)  Would it be strictly legal for the judge in the Reid kid's cases to set as a condition for early parole a 50-50 run-pass balance in their father's game-planning?

8)  Shouldn't the Eagles hire some patsy to wear a Patriots' cap and stand on their sideline this weekend with a video camera?  Who's the league going to believe?  Belichick?

9)  Not to have a bad attitude or anything, but if next week the Pats said, "Hey, we feel bad about that whole cheating in the Super Bowl thing -- here's a list of all the plays we're going to run tonight, in the order we plan to run them," would it make any difference?

10)  Shorts, spikes and a fast track, Rocca's running what -- maybe a 5.5-second 40?  For all the Aussies who stop by on a weekly basis to check on Sav, this is why Americans don't take it all that seriously when fans from other countries, who don't realize how good these athletes are, talk about how American football players are just overweight slobs:

Now obviously, the play itself wasn't Sav's fault.  He boomed a 46-yard punt with a hang time of of 5.1 seconds.  That's a fantastic kick that should be easy to cover.  He just didn't look that good when everything else broke down :-) 

Comments

[svalovec]

didn't I hear sav saying something about how the fitness requirements of the NFL were a lot less demanding than the AFL? woops. let himself go a tad methinks. =P overall a pretty good game by sav though, apart from the TD

[Paul]

Anyone else notice the freakish similarity between last year and this year? Not to jinx anything but consider this...

McNabb goes down a year (almost to the day) after he does last year. Which was also a week before visiting the eventual Super Bowl champions (which it appears New England has a 80% chance of accomplishing this year). After losing (badly) to said champions, we go on to win 5 games in a row and make the playoffs. The biggest win of that streak being in Dallas, which would be required this year in order to get a wild card.

Right before the big game in Indy last year, a lot of people were calling for AJ to get the start over Garcia. This week, I'm sure we'll be hearing plenty of "if McNabb can't play, Kolb should start" talk.

Of course lets hope McNabb's ankle isn't a season long injury. Although I'm starting to think this team plays (and is coached) better when McNabb isn't playing and Westbrook becomes the focal point...he is (by far) the Eagles best player.

[BrianS]

My responses in CAPS

1) How bad does this draft look right now?

WORST. DRAFT. EVER.

2) Did even the boo birds at the Linc seem kind of listless this afternoon? Frankly, I expect more than that when there are so many bad plays.

I THINK IT WAS TOO BAD EVEN FOR THE BOO BIRDS -- ESPECIALLY WHEN MCNABB'S CAREER FLASHED BEFORE OUR EYES. I WAS THERE AND IT WAS A MISERABLE COLD, RAINY DAY -- THE ENERGY LEVEL WAS NOT WHAT IT USUALLY IS IN GENERAL.

3) Is Tony Romo far, far less likable than Brett Favre was back in the day simply because Romo plays for the Cowboys? Or is it something else?

I THINK IT'S MOSTLY THAT HE PLAYS FOR THE COWBOYS, AND THAT IF HE CONTINUES TO PLAY THIS WELL, ROMO ACCOLADES WILL FAR OUTSTRIP THE CONSTANT FLUFFING OF BRETT FAVRE. THAT SAID, ROMO SEEMS TO HAVE THIS SMUGNESS THAT I JUST CAN'T STAND, BUT I THINK IT'S BECAUSE HE PLAYS FOR THE COWBOYS.

4) Could Inquirer writer Ashley Fox be any more transparent in her efforts to make people forget she chaired the committee that left Brian Westbrook off the Eagles' 75th Anniversary Team?

IT DOESN'T MATTER. MCNABB'S ON THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY TEAM AND ANDY REID IS THE COACH. THEY'LL THROW 75 PERCENT OF THE TIME, ANYWAY.

5) If you could pick only one, would you kneecap Tony Romo or Tom Brady?

ROMO, JUST BECAUSE HE PLAYS FOR THE COWBOYS. IF THEY WIN A SUPERBOWL WHILE T.O. IS ON THE TEAM, I'LL BE SICK.

6) Can someone at Fox please show Troy Aikman the tape of all the Dallas games he's done this season where he's said things like, "I really think you just have to let the players play there," (for penalties on the Cowboys) or "To me, that's an obvious penalty," (for infractions committed -- or not -- by Dallas opponents)?

I THINK AIKMAN'S OK, HE JUST SHOULDN'T BE ALLOWED TO CALL DALLAS GAMES. THEISMAN'S WORSE IN GENERAL, BUT HE'S A COMPLETE HOMER WHEN DOING A 'SKINS GAME.

7) Would it be strictly legal for the judge in the Reid kid's cases to set as a condition for early parole a 50-50 run-pass balance in their father's game-planning?

EAGLES COURT IS NOW IN SESSION, THE HONORABLE JUDGE BRIAN WESTBROOK PRESIDING

8) Shouldn't the Eagles hire some patsy to wear a Patriots' cap and stand on their sideline this weekend with a video camera? Who's the league going to believe? Belichick?

I'LL DO IT FOR FREE.

9) Not to have a bad attitude or anything, but if next week the Pats said, "Hey, we feel bad about that whole cheating in the Super Bowl thing -- here's a list of all the plays we're going to run tonight, in the order we plan to run them," would it make any difference?

IT WON'T MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE AT ALL.

10) Shorts, spikes and a fast track, Rocca's running what -- maybe a 5.5-second 40? For all the Aussies who stop by on a weekly basis to check on Sav, this is why Americans don't take it all that seriously when fans from other countries, who don't realize how good these athletes are, talk about how American football players are just overweight slobs.

GOOD POINT, BUT IT'S NICE TO SEE SAV HAVING A PRETTY GOOD SEASON.

[whoismariowilliams]

Tony Romo sucks because he's constantly compared to a legendary great when, at best, he's a guy with a decent arm running around behind a great offensive line and throwing the ball to a hall of fame receiver and a pro bowl tight end.

[BenZ]

Stat check:
Brodrick Bunkley, 20 tackles, 2 sacks at DT
Anthony Spencer, 24 tackles, 2 sacks at DE

Spencer, of course, being the DE that Dallas chose with Philly's spot in the 07 Draft.

Woops.

[Chris]

To be fair, even in the Aussie league Rocca was never known for his speed and frankly has the turning circle of an aircraft carrier.

Speed is definitely helpful in Aussie Rules, but unlike in the NFL there are some positions where you can get away with having average speed.

We do have players who are very close in speed to the fastest in the NFL (maybe not quite there because there is a huge emphasis on fitness in our game which cuts down your top-line pace....some players run upwards of 20 kms a game)

If I was going to pick someone from Aussie Rules to tackle another player, it wouldn't be Sav Rocca, nor anyone who plays in his position in Australia. Too slow and no closing speed whatsoever.

[Me]

I wasn't meaning to bash Aussie Rules. People just showing up to check on Sav may not realize I've written before about how much I enjoy the game, despite having to stay up until 3 a.m. to finish the telecast.

It's just that on that play I thought: "Oh crap, there he goes" -- "Oh sweet, here comes our badass punter" -- "Whoops."

(The way the Patriots are playing, there's a decent chance our Super Bowl could look a lot like your Grand Final.)