The Importance Of Maclin & Jackson

When you look at last night's box score you will see that Jeremy Maclin and Desean Jackson combined for 6 catches, 85 receiving yards and just one touchdown.  Not impressive by any stretch but in order to get a real sense of how they impacted last night's game, one has to look beyond the box score.

Today on WIP, Michael Barkann and former Eagle Ike Reese were talking about how Maclin and Jackson do such a great job of stretching the field.  Reese brought up the fact that in an effort to prevent the big home run pass to either Maclin or Jackson, opposing defenses are dropping guys back into coverage and which means less guys in the box and more running lanes for Shady.  You definitely saw this last night as Vick didn't throw the ball far down the field at all and instead took what the defense gave him.

After the game Vick was asked about why he didn't throw the bomb to either Jackson or Maclin:

“Did you see how deep the safeties were playing? It was 500 yards back. Can’t throw a bomb against that. So you have to pick and choose your spots. Intermediate routes, try to get them to come up and try to put pressure on them to get what you want. Sometimes it’s tough. Each week you’re not going to see the bomb. It all depends on what you get.”

And that's exactly what the Eagles did last night.  They took what they could get both through the air and on the ground.  With safeties playing far back the whole middle of the field was wide open for quick passes to Brent Celek and Jasan Avant, and long runs for McCoy.  McCoy had 185 yards on 30 carries and took advantage of the glaring holes in the Dallas D.

Basically the box score doesn't tell the whole story.  While Maclin and Jackson may statistically have been non-factors last night, in reality they were the key to the entire offense, and the sole reason McCoy was so successful on the ground.

The Birds Are Back

Gimme the ball coach!

Last night was everything I had hoped for and more.  The offense exploded, the defense locked down, and the NBC cameramen did an excellent job of focusing in on Rob Ryan through out the game.  Directly after a big run from Shady McCoy, Rob Ryan's mug was sure to be front and center on your television set.

It truly was the game that all Eagles fans and players had hoped for.  The offense marched right down the field on the opening drive and basically every drive there after.  The Eagles absolutely attacked the heart of the Dallas run defense which before last night was the best in the NFL.  But on 30 carries Lesean McCoy racked up 185 yards while Mike Vick had 50, and the Eagles totaled 240 yards rushing.  The Eagles ran the ball right at the Cowboys and moved the ball at will.  The offensive line got great push and opened up huge running lanes for McCoy.  The Birds also did a phenomenal job of attacking the Cowboys linebackers through the air.  Vick attacked the center and utilized Brent Celek and Jason Avant for big plays over the middle.  Celek had 7 catches for 94 yards and a touchdown, while Avant had 5 catches for 74 yards.  No turnovers, clean efficient drives, and overall an outstanding performance from the offense.

While Shady McCoy broke off big play after big play, the defense seemingly went under the radar.  On the opening drive the Eagles defense got a ton of pressure on Tony Romo and made him feel extremely uncomfortable.  The defensive backs played awesome and held Miles Austin, Dez Bryant, and Jason Witten to under 100 yards receiving.  They let up a couple big plays including a touchdown pass to Laurent Robinson, but other than that they did everything they were supposed to.

Really there is nothing but positives to pull from this game.  The well rested Eagles took care of business in a crucial division game on the prime time stage and they did it in a big way.  To me, last night was a statement game for the Birds.  Last night they basically said, "We're back, try and stop us."  The key for the Eagles is to keep that drive and focus up for next week when they take on the Chicago Bears on Monday night football.  But for now, let's just enjoy this one.    

Jagr Time

Before the Flyers season began, I bought a Jaromir Jagr t-shirt jersey and most of my friends laughed at me.  They thought I was wasting money and they also thought the Jagr signing was a big joke.  But so far this year Jaromir Jagr looks great and is doing a lot to help contribute.

I have to admit that I was extremely disappointed when the Flyers signed Jagr.  I remember posting about all the possible free agents the Flyers might look to sign, and Jagr was not one of them.  But after the initial disappointment I began to read into Jagr's historic career and I was blown away.

Jagr's point totals from year to year are astounding, and so far this year he looks like he is in the prime of his career.  After playing over in Russia for a few years, Jagr has returned to NHL and seemingly hasn't missed a beat.

In 11 games this year Jagr has 5 goals and 6 assists.  I think much of Jagr's early success can be attributed to the fact that he is on a line with JVR and Claude Giroux.  They clearly have a lot of chemistry and have by far been the most productive line this year.  Jagr has also done so well in the early going due to his knowledge of the game.  He knows certain certain gaps and slots in the defense and he just knows where to be.  His feel for the game also allows him to find the open man and make great passes to his team mates.

It should be interesting to see what Jagr does this year.  For now it's just fun to watch one of the best go out there and play great hockey.

How To Stop Dez, Miles, & Witten

Unfortunately, I think we all remember this play.

Tonight the 3-3 Dallas Cowboys will come to South Philadelphia to take on the Eagles in a Sunday night matchup.  The Cowboys bring a defense led by Rob Ryan, and an offense with a number of different weapons.

Among those offensive weapons are wide receivers Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, and tight end Jason Witten.  Those are three very talented receivers to say the least.  If only the Eagles had three lockdown corners.  Oh wait, they do.  In addition to stopping Demarco Murray on the ground, the key to tonight's game will be shutting down Dallas' receivers.  How do you shut down three talented receivers?  You put your best corners on them, and you one on one take them completely out of the game.

Up until this point the Eagles have done a terrible job of playing to the strengths of their defensive backs.  Instead of utilizing Nnamdi Asomugha in one on one matchups, they have mostly sent him back in coverage where he is clearly ineffective.  Tonight the Eagles have to play more nickel and try their best to keep Nnamdi, Assante, and DRC on the field at all times.

In my opinion, Dez Bryant is a much better receiver than Miles Austin so I would have Asomugha matchup against him.  I would put Assante on Miles Austin, and as much as they can I think the Eagles should utilize DRC in the nickel and have him cover Jason Witten.  The Eagles have gotten badly burned by opposing tight ends this year.  Tony Gonzalez torched them in week 2, and Fred Davis had 95 receiving yards in week 6.  The Eagles need to take drastic measures tonight to make Witten a non-factor.

Ultimately the Eagles have the players to shut down the Cowboys offensive weapons.  Tonight it will be entirely up to the coaching staff to utilize them the right way and put them in position to make plays.     

Who Is Demarco Murray?

Until last week, I had never even heard of Demarco Murray.  But this past Sunday he rushed for 253 yards in a victory over the Rams, and even though he is a Dallas Cowboy, I have to tip my cap to him.  253 yards is impressive enough, but when you add in the fact that he set the Cowboys single game rushing record, crushing hall of famer Emmit Smith's record of 237 yards, it makes it that much more remarkable.

But Demarco is still a rookie in this league and one great game doesn't prove anything especially when he did it against the lowly Rams.  On Sunday night Demarco will have his first real NFL test; facing a hungry, well rested  Eagles defense.  And in the Eagles last game against the Washington Redskins, I think the run defense finally began to find its stride.

The Eagles held the Redskins to just 42 yards rushing and they have finally found the right combination of linebackers.  Jamar Chaney is beginning to feel more and more and comfortable in the middle, and the Eagles will get back defensive end Trent Cole who was out with an injury.

Very plainly, Demarco Murray won't be facing a pop warner defense come Sunday night.  He will be facing a very strong and well rested Eagles defense that is finally beginning to piece it all together.  All the talent the Eagles put together during the off season is starting to click and the Eagles just need to capitalize and execute against the Boys.

In order to stop Murray, the Eagles need to get penetration and make him run east to west.  Murry is very good at running north to south, and when you give him an open lane he can really hurt you.  But if the Eagles can get into the backfield and disrupt his timing and rhythm, the Cowboys will be forced to throw the ball.

Overall the Eagles can't be afraid of Murray.  They have faced some very good backs this year and have been burned by that one big run.  Don't over pursue or try to get stops for a loss.  Keep him in front of you and hold him to one and two yard gains, and the Eagles should come out of this game victorious.    

Flyers Hurricanes Preview

Tonight at 7 the Flyers will host the Carolina Hurricanes.  After an ugly and disappointing 9-8 loss on Thursday night, the Flyers will be ready to get back out on the ice and prove to everyone that they know how to play defense.  While Thursday certainly was a disappointing display of defense, the Flyers showed that they know how to score.  The youngsters on this team got involved offensively and the stars of Danny Briere, JVR, and Claude Giroux all proved why they are so good.

For tonight's game the Flyers should have got to have a ton of confidence offensively.  Do what you did on Thursday and utilize your youth and speed.  

After losing three straight games, the Hurricanes shut out the Chicago Blackhawks last night by a final of 3-0.  They are sure to come in to tonight's matchup with a ton of confidence and the Flyers need to show them who's boss.

Overall the Flyers, who got off to such a great start, have struggled greatly in their last five games.  The Flyers allowed just 1 goal in their first two games, but in their last five have allowed 25 goals!  The offense is certainly doing its job, but now it's time for the defense, mainly Ilya Bryzgalov, to step up and keep the puck out of the net.

For tonight I hope head coach Peter Laviolette starts Bryzgalov.  The best thing to do with an athlete who's confidence is clearly shaken is to get him back out there and help him to regain his swagger.  This whole Flyers team needs to step up and rally around their goalie who clearly needs some support right now.  The Flyers can't get lazy in their own zone.  They have to be active in clearing the puck, and they can't let opponents get easy shots right in front of their own goal.  The winning goal on Thursday night came with 4 Flyers standing around and doing nothing.  Step up on defense and help out your goalie!

I think that the Flyers are just trying to put the pieces together and sooner or later they are going to find their stride.  Hopefully they put it all together tonight and can kick off a winning weekend in South Philadelphia.

Eagles Keys To Victory

I can't wait for Sunday night.  The prime time lights, the rivalry, and the overall intensity of South Philly are all going to add up to a great night of football.  But what are the keys to an Eagles victory?  The Eagles can win this game easily if they just stick to the basics and do everything listed in this article.

Shady, Shady, Shady: The Eagles have to keep giving the ball to Lesean McCoy.  I know it may sound a little redundant at this point, but in order for the Eagles to have success they have to stay grounded in the run game.  The Eagles don't have to give Shady 28 carries but they should definitely give him anywhere from 15-20 touches on Sunday night.  Also get McCoy involved in the screen game.  McCoy has just over a little over 100 yards receiving this year and the Eagles need to do a better job of opening up plays for him in the screen game.

Protect MV7: The Birds offensive line has to step up and protect Vick.  Coming off the bye, Vick will be relatively rested and refreshed and the Eagles have to keep him that way.  At the same time Vick should not be hesitant to tuck the ball in and pick up 10-15 yard on rushes through out the game.

Stretch The Field With De:  Even if you don't throw to him, send him on long fly routes through out the game.  When he goes deep, it stretches the field and opens up so many possibilities for the rest of the offense.

Pressure On Romo=Turnovers: The Eagles have to consistently apply pressure to Tony Romo which will result in turnovers.  Make him uncomfortable and force him to make lousy decisions and bad throws.

Samuel and Nnamdi:  Nnamdi Asomugha should cover Dez Bryant one on one all night long.  Dez is a monster and Nnamdi should do everything to completely take him out of the game.  That's why we pay him the big bucks right?  On the other side Assante Samuel needs to do a good job on Miles Austin.  Take them both out of the game and make the Cowboys one dimensional.

Demarco Murray:  Sure, Murray looked great last week but I think if the Eagles keep him in front and don't allow him to break off the big run, Murray won't be that much of a threat.  Plus if the Eagles can neutralize Witten, Austin, and Bryant, the Cowboys will become extremely predictable and the Eagles should be able to contain him.  

Overall the Eagles have a very good opportunity this weekend to gain some ground in the division.  If the Eagles win they would improve to 3-4 and would be very much alive in this close division race.  As long as the Eagles don't try and do too much on Sunday night, I think they will win big.  Final score: EAGLES 38 cowboys 16.     

Flyers, Where To Go From Here?

Aw crap, I let another one in?

After the Flyers 9-8 defeat tonight to the Winnipeg Jets, Flyers goalie Ilya Bryzgalov stated that he has "zero confidence" and feels "lost in the woods."  Certainly not something you want to hear from any player let alone your starting goalie.  After Bobrovsky gave up 5 goals, Ilya Bryzgalov had just 6 saves on 10 shots.  It was an absolutely crazy game in which the Flyers were actually down 5-1 at one point, and at another point led 7-6.  Eventually the Flyers would lose by a final of 9-8 and fans, players, and coaches are all left scratching their heads.  So where do the Flyers go from here?  Are there any positives to pull from such a crushing defeat?

Offensively the Flyers definitely can pull some positives.  JVR had two third period goals and Danny Briere had 2 goals and 2 points totaling 4 points.  Others scored and contributed assists as well and the Flyers got some great pressure.  But defensively the Flyers had no answers.  One can argue that they had some unlucky bounces especially when Bobrovsky was in net, but 5 goals is simply unacceptable.  And when your star goalie, the guy you cleared space for and gave the huge contract to comes in and allows 4 goals on just 10 shots, there are definitely some alarming concerns.

Currently the Flyers are 5-4-1 and although they are still second in their division, they have struggled greatly on defense in their last few games.  After starting out the season with some shutdown performances, the Flyers have surrendered an abnormally high amount of goals in their last few games.  Whether it's the goalie, the defense, or a combination of both, the Flyers need to figure things out in a hurry before they fall into a drastic slump.

In regards to where the Flyers go after this 9-8 defeat, I think the key is not to panic.  Although Bryzgalov is clearly shaken, he is still an elite NHL goalie and although he claims to have "zero confidence", I'm sure he will come out with a ton of fire come his next start.  Offensively the Flyers should just keep doing what they are doing.  Young guys as well as veterans are evenly contributing and they just need to stay persistent and keep getting consistent pressure.

For Saturday I would put Bryzgalov right back in net.  His interview after the game suggests to me that he is hungry to get another shot, and I think starting a hungry Bryzgalov in net on Saturday gives the Flyers the best chance to rebound from this ugly loss.

Eagles Fantasy Fix: Week 8

It's been a long time since my last Fantasy Fix posting.  I haven't posted in a while mainly because I'm fed up with fantasy football.  I have Mike Vick, Desean Jackson, Lesean McCoy, and Greg Jennings and somehow I'm still 2-4-1 in my league (I didn't even know you could tie; shout out to Dononovan.)  So at this point I'm pretty fed up with the whole concept of fantasy football especially coming off the Eagles bye week in which I lost by just one point to one of my friends.

But the Eagles are back for week 8 and I'm extremely optimistic.  Vick, De and Le are gonna do big things this week coming off the bye and under the lights of Sunday night football.  Here is a breakdown of each individual player and how I think they will do against the Cowgirls.

Mike Vick:  I drafted Vick primarily because I thought I was getting a two in one RB and QB combo.  I also foolishly thought that Vick was going to consistently put up 30 points week after week.  But after 6 games Vick is averaging just 18.2 points and is far from the 30 point stud I had predicted him to be.  Having said that I feel that Vick is going to have a strong second half mainly because the Eagles are going to run the ball more and thus less opportunities for Vick to get hurt.  Vick was pretty banged up in the first half and hopefully the extra week of rest and the re commitment to the run will result in a huge second half for MV7.  This Sunday I think Vick throws for 300 yards and 2 TD and also runs for 70 yards good enough for 27 fantasy points.

Lesean McCoy:  I just traded for McCoy and in his first week he didn't disappoint.  He rushed for 125 yards and was everything that I expected and more.  I feel that Shady is going to break out in the second half because of the shift in play.  The Eagles are going to run the ball more and as a result more fantasy points.  For this weekend I think Shady has 95 rushing yards and also 50 receiving yards and a td good enough for 20 points.

Desean Jackson: When I drafted De in the third round I knew I was taking a huge risk.  The guy will score 4 points one week and the next put up 20.  Although he is extremely frustrating he is at the same time extremely dangerous and always a threat to put up a huge lopsided number.  For this Sunday I think it's going to be the Desean Jackson coming out party.  So far he is averaging just 9.3 pts but I think this Sunday he's going to put up 20 points.

Jeremy Maclin: Maclin should put up a solid 10 points this weekend.

Jason Avant: If you have bye players and need someone to start Avant could be a solid option.

Overall I'm so confident in the Eagles this weekend for three main reasons:  they are coming off the bye, they are playing Dallas, and it's a Sunday night game.  The fact that the Eagles are 12-0 after the bye under Andy Reid, the fact that they are playing a bitter division rival, and the fact that it will be on the prime time national stage all add up for a Dallas slaughtering come Sunday night.

Shady, One Of The Best?

I love being the best!

At the beginning of the year, Eagles running back Lesean McCoy made a bold goal:  1,000 yards receiving and 1,000 yards rushing.  Although McCoy currently has only 129 receiving yards, he does have 569 yards rushing and is well on his way to not only achieving his goal but also becoming one of the most elite backs in the NFL.  But does he deserve to be up there with the likes of Adrian Peterson and Darren McFadden?  I personally believe that after this year Lesean McCoy will widely be regarded as one of the best if not the best running back in the NFL, here's why.

Statistically, Lesean is right there with the best of the best.  He is currently 7th in the NFL in total rushing yards, but you have to take into consideration the fact that he has about 40 fewer carries than Adrain Peterson and Maurice Jones Drew who are first and second in rushing yards respectively.  In terms of yards per carry, McCoy is currently tied with Darren McFadden and Matt Forte for second place with 5.4 yards per carry behind only Fred Jackson who has 5.7.

But those are just the boring statistics.  In terms of versatility Lesean is a great blocker and is probably an even better receiver.  Although his receiving yards are down this year, McCoy is still such a threat in the screen game and once he is in the open field, he is such a threat to take it to the house.  And in terms of ball security McCoy is probably the best.  In 467 career carries, McCoy has just 4 fumbles and has yet to cough up the football this year.  In Adrian Peterson's first three seasons he coughed up the ball 20 times!  Barring a tragic finish, I think it's safe to say McCoy is more safe with the football than AD.  And McCoy also has Maurice Jones Drew beat in this category as he has fumbled 6 times already this year.

Probably the biggest thing Shady has going for him at this point is his age.  McCoy is currently just 23 years old and is overall one of the youngest and most dangerous backs in the NFL.  Statistically McCoy is not at the top just yet.  But in the upcoming games and years I expect the Eagles to rely more and more on the running attack.  Against the Redskins, McCoy was given a record 28 attempts and not only did the Eagles win, but they were also able to control the game.  Running the ball does so much good for a football team and I think Andy Reid is slowly beginning to realize just how talented McCoy is.

When it looks like the other team has him for a loss, BAM he cuts on the dime and breaks open a 5-7 yard gain.  When it looks like the defensive line is collapsing in on him, he finds that little seam and accelerates through.  McCoy is such a fun and exciting player to watch and when it's all said and done I feel that he will go down in history as one of the greatest running backs in Eagles history.  And maybe in the years to come, he will be widely regarded as the best running back in the entire NFL.

After The Bye

The Eagles may be down, but they certainly aren't out

2-4 is not all that terrible.  When you consider the amount of big plays the defense gave up, the amount of turnovers the offense surrendered, and the overall inconsistency of both the team and coaching staff in the first six games, the Eagles should consider themselves lucky to be where they're at.  And while 2-4 certainly isn't 6-0 or 5-1, the Eagles are in a position where they still have a clear and realistic chance of making the post season.  And their journey to the playoffs begins after the bye week when they begin a crucial 3 game home stand against the Cowboys, Bears, and Cardinals.

If the Eagles win all three games they would be at 5-4 and in great position to win the division.  As I've stated before, this division is up in the air and really anyone can win it.  But the Eagles have very little room for error after the bye and will have to go 7-3 or better in their final 10 games if they want to make the playoffs.  The key to the Eagles second half success will be Lesean McCoy.  In the Birds' win over the Redskins, McCoy got 28 touches and the Eagles offense really opened up.

Overall the early part of the season definitely had some games that left you scratching your head.  As Ray Didinger pointed out in the beginning of the year, the Eagles are only going to get better as the year goes on.  I think the bye will be crucial for the Eagles to not only get healthy but to also get some valuable time in the film room.  The lack of offseason clearly hurt this team's progress with so much new talent and the Birds need to capitalize and get everybody on the same page during the bye.  Let's hope that the first half was a fluke and that the Eagles are really going to start clicking on all cylinders in the second half.      

Thank God For the Bye Week

When it comes to Andy Reid and the bye week, I don't know what changes but boy does this team look different.  Under Reid the Philadelphia Eagles are perfect coming out of the bye week and they always seem to turn it up from there on out.  Who knows what happens during this time, but all I know is that the bye week is one magical thing.

It could not come at a better time either this year.  The Eagles now stand at 2-4 heading into the bye.  After coming off a big win, which definitely raised the spirits of this team the Eagles head into the bye week not satisfied, but definitely happier and motivated.  They are excited about this win and ready to enjoy some rest and get healthy.  The Eagles have been banged up and with key players like Trent Cole and Jason Peters missing time, it is good that they will have this week to get healthy and ready for the second half of the season.

This could be the most important bye week in Reid's career.  After the bye the Eagles will be taking on their rival the Dallas Cowboys in a crucial Sunday Night game.  If they are able to get better during the bye and have the same success that they always do, it will do wonders for this team.  A win against the Cowboys would not only start a two game winning streak and move the Eagles record to 3-4, but also give them a 2-1 record in the NFC East.  If the Eagles want to make the playoffs they will need to take care of their division and luckily they still have four more of those games to go.

After finally looking like a better team, the bye week is what the Eagles needed to get to and they are finally there.  If Reid can continue his success and stay undefeated this team will be flying high and ready to prove that they are good as they are on paper.  The rejuvenation process started with the Redskins and now the bye week will be the spark to this team making the playoffs.

Should Phils Follow In Footsteps Of Flyers?

The pain of the game 5 loss to the Cardinals is still fresh in my memory.  I can't watch the ALCS or NLCS, I can't talk about the Phillies without getting upset, and I just can't get over the fact there won't be a parade down  Broad Street this year.  But after a full week of digestion, I'm starting to feel a little better and slowly realizing that there will be baseball next year.  And early playoff exit aside, the Phillies still have a very bright future.  The core of Rollins (we'll see), Victorino, Howard, Utley, and now Pence will be here next year along with the fabulous pitching staff of Halladay, Hamels and Lee.  So the Phillies should just take their bruises, be happy they set the franchise record for wins this year, and just get ready for next year with the exact same core of players right? WRONG!  Case in point take a look at the Philadelphia Flyers.

Now before I go on I just want to point out that I don't think that Flyers GM Paul Holmgren is a genius by any stretch.  But I think that he has found a reasonably solid blueprint to get a contender team over the hump.  Let's go back to 2010.  For the Flyers 2010 is comparable to what 2008 was to the Phillies.  Although the Flyers came up short, they got to the Stanley Cup and put on a pretty exciting show in the process.  But then last year after an early playoff exit, the Flyers organization changed the entire look of the franchise.  They traded away core players Jeff Carter and Mike Richards to free up room for elite goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov.  They brought in new players, and the old ones that couldn't get it done were shipped out of here.  And instead of Jeff Carter and Mike Richards as the faces of the franchise, Chris Pronger and Ilya Bryzgalov now lead a fundamentally sound group followed by young stars Claude Giroux, JVR and ofcourse Danny Briere.  Now I know it's only been 3 games, and for all I know the Flyers could go 3-79 and Holmgren will look like the biggest idiot ever.  But even if the Flyers don't make the playoffs, which I don't foresee happening, at least they took what they thought were the best moves to make a contending team into a championship team.

Getting back to the Phillies, the front office can't do much more than what they have done so far.  Since 2008 they have brought in Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, and Hunter Pence all in an effort to take the Phillies back to the World Series.  But something hit me after the Phillies Game 5 loss to the Cardinals.  I was listening to Phillies analyst Ricky Botalico and he plainly stated that the current Phillies simply aren't the 2008 rock em' bop em' Phils that could win the game with one swing of the bat.  These guys are getting older and 2011 Chase Utley simply isn't the same as 2008 Utley.  2011 Ryan Howard isn't 2008 50 homerun Ryan Howard and so forth.  These guys are getting older and maybe it is time for the Phillies to, similarly to what the Flyers did this past offseason, completely change the makeup of their team.

In regards to exactly what those changes should be at this point I'm not entirely sure.  I think that first off the pitching staff of Halladay, Hamels, and Lee should remain in order.  But in regards to how the Phils should go about changing this team, I'll leave those decisions up to the Phillies brass in the front office.  If the Phils go into next year with the same Rollins, Victorino, Utley, and Howard core, I think that will be a big mistake.    This core group of players have had three years with great pitching and they have yet to bring another World Series title to this city.  It's time for some big changes.  It's time to bring in some young and fresh offensive firepower to get this team going once again.

Can The Eagles Get Back On Track?

We need a big game from MV7 this Sunday

I honestly think the answer to the title of this article is still up in the air.  Even at 1-4, the Eagles are not dead yet.  Things may look pretty dark and gloomy right now but the Eagles still have life.  Forget about the typical 11-5 or 10-6 records that are typical playoff records, because I think it's highly unlikely that the Eagles go 11-5 or 10-6.  Focus instead on what the Eagles need to do to win this division.

First off here are the standings.  Right now the Redskins are in first place with a 3-1 record.  The Giants are in second at 3-2, followed by the Cowboys in third place at 2-2.  The Eagles still have 7 division games remaining including 2 games against the first place Redskins.  Their second division game and first against the Skins will be this Sunday.  Heading into the bye week, the Eagles need to scrap and do whatever they can to get a victory.  2-4 heading into the bye week is bad but certainly manageable. I'm not even going to get into whether or not this week's match up is a must win.  I think at this point every game remaining is a must win.  So instead of looking to the schedule beyond the bye, the Eagles need to focus completely on this weekend's extremely important division game.

The key to an Eagles victory this week is going to be the big play home run threat that enabled the Eagles to win big time against the Skins last year.  While this current Redskins team is clearly a different team, the Eagles still need to resort back to utilizing Desean down field.  Offensively the Eagles also need to do a better job of not only getting Shady more carries but also clearing lanes for him to run as well.  The run opens up the pass, and I think Shady is due for a big touchdown run.

The real key to victory this week is going to be the Eagles defense.  They need to fill the gaps on the line and the linebackers need to step up and stop the run.  I really hope that the Eagles get away from the wide 9.  While I know that it's highly unlikely that they will completely eradicate it, they need to get back to running the majority of defensive plays with a traditional defensive front.  In the secondary, Castillo needs to utilize the talent he has and not try to place them in situations where they won't succeed.

Most importantly the Eagles HAVE to limit their turnovers.  The Eagles turned the ball over 5 times last week!  You simply can't expect to win when you are handing your opponent the ball 5 extra times.  Take care of the ball, and don't give the Redskins any extra chances.

This weekend's game is very winnable for the Eagles.  I think right now their biggest problem is they are trying to win the season back in one big play.  The Eagles need to focus not just on taking this season game by game, but more specifically play by play.  On offense move the chains and hang onto the ball.  If you have to settle for a field goal, that is better than forcing a bad throw and having it picked off.  Run the ball, set up the pass, and get back to the basics.  On defense don't go for the big sacks, interceptions, or tackles for loss.  Keep the offense in front of you and focus on forcing 3 and outs and field goals.

This season is far from over.  At 1-4 the Eagles still have a chance to turn things around especially with a schedule with 7 division games remaining.  The key to the turn around will be a victory against the first place Redskins this Sunday.  

What The NBA Lockout Means For The Sixers

Since the NBA lockout is still going on and the two sides do not seem very close at all we have to expect the worse, which is, no 2011 NBA season. This is not good news for the Sixers because they are such a young team and ready to be somewhat of a contender in the East. While the Heat, Celtics, and Bulls still are the top 3 in the Eastern Conference, I believe the Sixers could be good enough to possibly get that 4th seed if everything was to go right this season. That's if there is one. In this article I am going to look at 5 Sixers players and what a locked out season would mean for each of them.

Elton Brand- Having no NBA season would be devastating for Elton because he is getting up there in age and only has so many years left in the NBA. He was terrific last year and was probably the Sixers best player during the season averaging 15 points and 8 rebounds per game. After a couple of underperforming and injury riddled seasons for the Sixers he finally produced at a high rate last season and played every single game but one. Elton Brand is currently 32 years old and I think can probably produce those same kind of numbers as last year for the next 3-4 years. No NBA season would be bad for Elton because I think he is hungry to have another great season and be the veteran leader for this Sixers team as they look to take the next step and compete for the 4th seed in the Eastern Conference.

Jrue Holiday- Simply put this kid is ready to become a star. His magnificent season last year has everyone wondering what Jrue Holiday can do in the future. Last season he averaged 14 points and 7 assists per game at the age of 20. He was the starting point guard for a playoff team at the age of 20. He was arguably the Sixers best player along with Elton at the age of 20. You probably get it by now, but Jrue Holiday is doing all this while being 20 years old. All young guards have problems with turnovers in their first couple of years in the league, so Jrue has some time to work on his turnovers and learn how to protect the ball better. The NBA lockout would kill a whole season for Jrue as he ready to become one of the best point guards in the league. Part of me wants an NBA season this year just to see what he can for this team. If a season is played this year I would expect him to average at least 16 points and 8 assists per game which is not bad for a guy in his third year.

Evan Turner- This is the only player on this Sixers team that I can think of who isn't totally hurt by a season that gets locked out. In his rookie season Evan looked uncomfortable at times and really didn't show the agressiveness that he displayed at Ohio State. If no season is played I think the time off would give Evan more time to develop confidence in his game in the NBA and really work on his new jump shot which he has been working on during the offseason. As long as he is continuing to put in the work with his new shot, he can only become a better player as he would now be able to make shots from the wing and top of the key more consistenly. This would go well with his already established ability to score by driving to the basket. Obviously no NBA season would hurt Turner somewhat because he is not getting a chance to improve on his rookie season, but the time off to work on his jump shot and game all around might be better for him in the long run.

Andre Iguodala- I am still somewhat surprised that Andre is still on this team after all of the trade rumors that were going around in the month of June. It seemed like he was fine with getting dealt to another team. He spoke on the idea of being traded and he didn't really mind it. Now that it looks like he is committed to being on the Sixers at least for the near future, I'm going to talk about why the lockout hurts him. Andre is in his prime and probably at this point in his career is as good as he is going to ever be. Whether you like him or not he is a pretty efficient player and arguably the best on ball perimeter defender in the league. So simply put a locked out NBA season would be taking away one season during the prime of his career.

Thaddeus Young- His energy and effectiveness off the bench is not something that every sixth man brings to the table. In fact he is pretty much better than any other sixth man in the league. A missed season would not only hurt him because he is missing out on his 5th season in the league after coming off of a great season and playofs, but the lockout also hurts him because he does not know where he will be playing the next time there is a season. Currently he is a restricted free agent so this lockout does not give the Sixers an opportunity to sign Young. If I were Thad i would want to know where I am playing next year and not have to worry about signing a new deal. Eventhough a locked out season would be bad for Thad because he is starting to really play some good basketball, it would be worse to have the locked out season because he does not know what team he will be playing for during the next actual season.

Wide 9 Has To Go

Right now, I really don't know who is calling the shots on defense.  It should be newly appointed defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, but something tells me that new defensive line coach Jim Washburn is the man in charge.  As a veteran defensive coach, Washburn probably thinks that he has authority over Castillo who is new to the defensive side of the ball.  What other explanation could there be for the Eagles sticking with the wide 9 formation?  Through 5 games it's clearly not working.  There are just way too many gaps, and the Eagles don't have the talent at linebacker for the wide 9 to be effective.

In the 4th quarter today, the Eagles veered some what away from the wide 9, filling the gaps, and stacking the line with linebackers.  This was extremely effective as the Bills had nowhere to run.  The gaps were completely filled and the Eagles were able to force 3 and outs.  It forced the Bills to be a one dimensional team and the Eagles had the talent in the secondary to shut down the Bills' receivers.  Someone is being way too stubborn right now on the defensive side of the ball.  When you look at the amount of talent the Eagles have on defense, there is no way they should be 1-4.

While the offense isn't exactly exploding for points, they are doing a reasonably good job of scoring.  They are doing what they can, but it becomes increasingly difficult to win games when the defense is getting badly burned on every other play.  The wide 9 simply has to go.  Casey Matthews wouldn't look so bad if he were going up against running backs that had to fight their way past the Eagles defensive line. Instead, linebackers like Matthews and Jamar Chaney are trying to stop running backs like Fred Jackson who are exploding through the gaps on this defensive line.  It's hard enough to stop a guy like Michael Turner, but it's even more difficult when he has a big wide open gap to run through.

Stack the line, and get back to Eagles defense which involves blitzing.  The Eagles are relying way too heavily on the front four to get pressure on the quarterback.  Think about how much more effective the defensive line would be if they had an extra pass rusher every once in a while.

Also the Eagles should start playing more nickel.  The nickel is a defensive formation that involves 5 defensive backs.  Put Nnamdi Asomugha on the opponent's best reciever, put Assante on their second best reciever and let them play man to man coverage.  Then drop DRC, Nate Allen, and Page back in coverage.  Then with a regular defensive line formation, stack 6 guys in the box.  Rotate between Chaney, Fokou and Rolle and have them step up and fill the gaps on the line and also help stop the run.  It's really not rocket science.  The Eagles need to utilize the talent they have at secondary and up front, and not isolate their weakpoint at linebacker.  

The old expression goes if it ain't broken don't fix it.  Well the Eagles defense, primarily the wide 9 formation, is clearly broken and they need a big time fix before it really is too late.  

One Game At A Time

With the Phillies season over,  the Eagles are going to have to step up big time tomorow and help lift the spirits of Philadelphia sports fans.  The Eagles season is truly not a lost cause, and as we stated earlier, if they can somehow find a way to win their next 2 games, the Birds will be very much alive.

First the Eagles will have to beat the 3-1 Bills tomorrow in Buffalo.  The Bills have had some early success this year including a last minute win against the New England Patriots.  But the Bills defense is in no way intimidating, and the I think the offense is finally going to break out.  The Bills have the fewest sacks in the league, and Vick is going to have a ton of time to pick apart the defense.

Defensively the Eagles haven't been as bad as people would like to think.  The Eagles just need to stay away from giving up the big plays and try to keep the game in front of them.  Juan Castillo needs to figure things out in a hurry.  There is way too much talent on this defense for them to be getting burned this badly.  If the Eagles continue to give up long runs, it may be time for Castillo to step up and eradicate the wide-9 implemented by Jim Washburn.  The wide 9 formation only works on teams that have linebackers, and the Eagles clearly have no talent in the middle of the defense.

The Eagles have looked awful thus far, but hopefully tomorrow will be different.  Hopefully the Eagles can begin their comeback, and give this heartbroken city something to cheer about.      

End Of The Road

It wasn't supposed to end like this.

The Phillies weren't supposed to lose in the first round.

With this pitching staff, they were supposed to be unbeatable and win another World Series.

 When Ryan Howard made the final out last night, the pain of yet another disappointing season started to settle in.  For the real fans that watch from all the way back in spring training, the loss is extremely painful.  The Phils had such big expectations, and for it to end like it did in a 1-0 loss in the first round, it's just a lot to take in.

The only thing I can say is that at least the Phillies did it the right way.  In the final series of the regular season, they very easily could have laid down to let the struggling Braves into the playoffs instead of the surging Cardinals.  But they didn't, they played hard and ended up facing the Cardinals who would eventually beat them.  I know it doesn't make things any better but the Phillies are a respectable team who would never cheat or take a short cut into the playoffs.

Really what can be said?  The Phillies let us down big time.  They got shutout in what was arguably the biggest game in franchise history.  They didn't support Roy Halladay who pitched an absolute gem.  Our star Ryan Howard didn't come through.  Role players like Utley, Pence, and Victorino didn't come through.  The bottom of our order took an early vacation the entire series.  Our big time pitcher Cliff Lee squandered a 4 run lead in Game 2.  And now we are on the outside looking in.

This loss is like Eagles 2004 Super Bowl bad.  You just sat there after the game absolutely shocked, wondering where it all went wrong.

The only thing I can say is that maybe the Flyers and Eagles can help pick us up.  Maybe the Flyers can go on an early run to start their season, and maybe the Eagles can turn things around starting on Sunday.  And for the Phillies, maybe they will win it all next year.  

Do Or Die For Doc

With the season on the line tonight, Doc Halladay will be on the mound in what could turn out to be one of the biggest games in franchise history.  And quite honestly, there is nobody else I would want on the mound with such big implications.  Doc is the unquestioned ace of this staff and is one of the best pitchers in the game.

But I think that it's safe to say that as of right now, Halladay has yet to earn the title of big game pitcher.  Aside from his no hitter in the NLDS last year, Halladay had a sub par NLCS in which he went 1-1 with a 4.15 ERA.  In game 1 against the Giants, Halladay pitched 7 innings allowing 4 earned runs.  In game 5 Halladay came through pitching 6 and only allowing 2 runs.  But in game 1 of the NLDS this year, Doc gave up a costly 3 run homer that could have crushed the Phils chances of winning the opening playoff game.

Halladay needs to come through for the Phils tonight with a gem.  The bats are struggling big time, and with Chris Carpenter on the mound properly rested, Halladay has little room for error.

I really think that Halladay is going to rise to the occasion.  He knows better than anyone that he has been decent in the postseason so far, and he wants to earn that reputation of a big time pitcher.  I think Halladay will pitch 8 innings and allow a run and the Phils will be able to turn it over to Madson for the save.  But it won't shock me if Halladay goes the distance and pitches a complete game shutout.    

The Eagles Need To Work On Ball Security

It seems like an obvious statement when it comes to football, but the Philadelphia Eagles are one of the worst teams when it comes to ball protection.  It has been obvious throughout the beginning of the season as they have made crucial turnovers in key spots during ball games.  Turnovers and fumbles happen once in awhile, but the bigger picture is that they seem to not care about holding the ball.

When any Eagles player is running in the open field or at anytime, they all run with the ball away from their body and it is being exposed mightily through the first four games.  It is understandable why the Eagles fumble so much when you see how they hold the ball.  They need to work on this and they need to improve on this now.

During the past four games I have probably screamed at the TV to protect the ball more almost every play.  Whether it is LeSean McCoy running with the ball away from his body, Michael Vick running with one hand on the ball, Jeremy Maclin barely protecting it, and other players as well.  It is not just one player it is all of them.

In order for the Eagles to start winning they have to start protecting the ball better, and one simple way is to just protect the ball like you should.  If they would be able to do this almost all of their fumbles would have been prevented.  It is time to start going back to basics and this is one area where they really need to improve.

Do Or Die

The famous words of Hugh Douglas "It's do or die baby, it's do or die," will certainly ring true this Friday night as the Phillies return home for a decisive game 5 vs the Cardinals.  Over a month of spring training, a 162 game regular season, and it all comes down to one game.

Doc Halladay will be on the mound for the Phils and he will have to come up huge.  He is the ace, he is the stopper, and it will be his time to shine.  There is no room to give up a solo shot here or a couple runs there.  Doc will have to display the same dominance that he showed in Game 1.  Mow em down, and don't let the Cardinals batters get comfortable.  Get ahead in the count, pound the strike zone, and ultimately frustrate them to no end.

At the plate, Ryan Howard has to put the team on his back.  He has to return to his 2008 playoff form in which he had the mentality of "just get me up there and I will take care of it."  In addition other guys have to stop making excuses and start excuting.  Utley, Victorino, and everyone really just has to play with a sense of urgency.

I hate to say this but I don't really sense that this team wants it that badly.  There are a lot of veterans like Lee and Halladay who are desperate for a ring, but there are some guys who seem too relaxed and need to wake up on Friday.

As soon as the Phillies signed Cliff Lee it truly was World Series or bust.  When they traded for Pence it was "we go this."  But now the Phillies are on the ropes and everything that they have played all year for comes down to one game.  The Bank will certainly be electric come Friday night, and I know that the Phillies can and will get the job done.

In Roy we trust, lets do this thing.

Veterans Still Seeking Ring

Last month when the Phillies were about to clinch their 5th straight NL East title, I thought about whether or not they would partake in the usual champagne spraying celebration.  After all it was the 5th straight time they had won the division, and it was the first step of their ultimate goal of winning another World Series.  But after I saw newcomer Hunter Pence running through the clubhouse like a mad man it hit me; every year there is a new guy who has yet to taste the postseason.  Last year it was Halladay, this year it's Pence, and reaching the postseason should and always will be a huge deal.  And while the Phillies have already reached October baseball, there utlimate goal is to win the World Series and there are a lot of  players on this team who are still looking for their first title.  Let's take a look at some of the key guys who are still looking for a ring.

Cliff: Wow, a World Series Ring would be awesomeeeeee.
Roy: Yes it would Cliff, yes it would.

Cliff Lee:  Lee, a 10 year pro, has played in the last two World Series but each time he has come up short.  If Lee makes it back this year, it will be his third consecutive season and you have to believe that he is extremely hungry for another shot at the title.

Roy Halladay:  Halladay, a 14 year pro, got his first taste of the playoffs last year but the Phillies came up short against the Giants in the NLCS.  Although Halladay pitched a no hitter against the Reds in the NLDS, Halladay is still looking for that ring.

Roy Oswalt:  Oswalt, a, 11 year pro, has a bad taste in his mouth from the 2005 World Series in which he started and pitched in one game allowing 5 earned runs to the Chicago White Sox who eventually went on to win it in 4.

Placido Polanco:  Polanco a 14 year pro, made it to the playoffs twice with the Cardinals, and in 2006 lost to the Cardinals in the World Series.  Polanco needs a ring.

Raul Ibanez:  Ibanez has been in the league for 16 years and he is perhaps the most intriguing guy on the Phils who doesn't have a ring.  With Domonic Brown and John Mayberry Jr. rising to the big league level, the Phillies are not going to re-sign Ibanez so he knows that this is in all likelihood his last shot at the title.  Ibanez still has the bad taste of 2009 and 2010 in his mouth and he is going to give it his all for this team.

Hunter Pence:  Pence is still a youngster but this is his first taste of the postseason.  He is a competitor and is going to go all out for the crown.

Although a lot of guys like Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, Shane Victorino, and Cole Hamels all have their 2008 rings, a lot of the guys on this current team have never won a World Series title.  The Phillies will stay motivated through out this month not just from the guys who are still looking for their first title, but also from the 2008 veterans who want to go down in history as the best Phillies team ever.  The mix of guys who have been there and won it and the guys who have not won it will be huge for the Phillies down the stretch.

Phils Win, Francisco Comes Through

Benny Boy, Matt Stairs stlye, yessirrr

First off, that was the most painful game I ever watched.

But somehow, someway, the Phils managed to edge out a 3-2 victory and take a 2-1 series lead against the Cardinals.  From the get go it was a pitcher's duel.  Jaime Garcia was absolutely dealing, and although Hamels pitch count was high, he was getting guys out and managed to pitch 6 scoreless innings.  It was a 0-0 game in the top of the 7th until the Cards walked Carlos Ruiz to get to Ben Francisco who hit a 3 run bomb, Matt Stairs style.  Absolutely unexpected clutchness.

From there the Phils went with Vance Worley who gave up a run in the bottom of the inning.  Worley then came back into the game in the 9th and after he allowed the lead off base runner aboard, Ryan Madson entered the game in search of a 5 out save.  Madson came in and got an inning ending double play and the end was in sight.  In the 9th Madson allowed a run, but he somehow found a way to get the save and the Phils won by a final of 3-2.

For the Phillies the win is absolutely huge.  The win guarantees that worse case scenario the series will head back to Philadelphia.  It also ensures that worse case scenario Roy Halladay will get another crack at the Cards.

It truly was an agonizing game to watch.  It was scoreless for the majority of the game, and you just had this sense that the game would be changed drastically with one swing of the bat.  I honestly felt like I had been watching the game for days, and I was so relieved when Chase Utley made the final out.

The Phillies are so dangerous because they have so many guys who can hurt you and tonight was a prime example of that depth.  Ben Francisco came up huge, and now the Phillies are in complete control of this series.

Eagles Next Two Games Are Critical

The Philadelphia Eagles have been a huge disappointment, but it is not time to call it quits on the season just yet.  These next two games will be critical in the Eagles getting their acts together and becoming a team everyone thought they were going to be.  They have a chance to be 3-3 heading into the bye week, which is not where they wanted to be.  If they can win two in a row heading into the bye I think this team will be able to make the playoffs.  First it starts with Buffalo, then a key division matchup against the Redskins; both will be on the road.

Buffalo is where the turnaround starts.  Surprisingly the Bills are 3-1 heading into this game and it will be a tough battle to win this one.  It will be good for the Eagles to head on the road get away from all the distractions and focus on getting that second win.  Not only will it be a win that could build confidence for a team that seems to be in shambles, but it will be a good win against a very good Bills team.  It will be a gut check for this team, but if they are able to get this win they will be heading in the right direction as they head into Washington for a crucial NFC matchup.

If they are able to pull of a win at Buffalo and head into Washington 2-3, the Eagles will be flying high.  After playing so poorly just one win could turn around a dismal season for them.  As of now the Redskins are tied for the division lead, so this will be a key matchup.  After a win at Buffalo maybe the team is starting to put things together and look like the team they were supposed to be.  The Redskins and Eagles always battle no matter how good or bad each other are.  The Eagles will need to win this game to officially pull themselves out of the rut they put themselves in.  When you look at playoff teams the key is winning in your division and that is what the Eagles will have an opportunity to do.  A win in Washington which I think will happen will officially bring this team together as they head into the bye week.

This is where the Eagles become the team they were supposed to be.  They head into the bye week 3-3, not where they wanted to be, but they will be coming off two huge wins against two very good teams.  Pieces will start to fall in place and this team will look like one of the best in the league.  The best thing about this is that the Eagles will be heading into the bye week red hot.  We all know that the bye week does wonders for Andy Reid and his team and he will be able to get his players rested and have extra time to fix the final kinks in his team.

Reid always wins after the bye week and if they can be 4-3 with 9 games to go I believe this Eagles team will be destined for the playoffs.  These next two weeks are crucial for the Eagles and with all of these questions surrounding them I think this team pulls it together and becomes the team everyone thought they would be.

Heartbreak City, Say It Aint So

Tilting your head isn't going to help once you've
already kicked the ball.  

To preface this article I would first like to point out that this isn't really an article.  I'm not going to proof read it or spell check it, what's the point?  When your sports world is crumbling around you and the teams you love are giving up leads left and right, who cares about an article with proper grammar?  Let's begin our recap of yesterday with the Birds crushing defeat to the 49ers.

Right from the get go I could tell that the Eagles didn't come to play their best.  On the first play of the game, Vick tossed one up to Desean, and D-Jack couldn't find a way to reel in the long throw.  Although the ball was clearly under thrown, Desean could have and should have made a play on the ball.  The early miscue really set the stage for the rest of the game.  From there the Eagles attacked through the air and Vick came up with some big plays including a near sack that he turned into a touchdown pass to Clay Harbor.  The Eagles continued to use the long ball to make their way down the field, and aside from a few big plays, the defense was holding their ground.  With the help of a blocked punt and a few forced turn overs, the Eagles held on to a pretty comfortable 20-3 halftime lead.  But in the second half the wheels started to fall off.  The defense showed glaring holes and the secondary forgot how to tackle and quickly it became a 23-17 game.  Rookie kicker Alex Henery missed two field goals and after Jeremy Maclin fumbled in the fourth and the game ended, the 49ers winning by a final of 24-23. 

I sat staring at the TV absolutely stunned.  Even though the Eagles weren't playing great you still assumed that they were going to scratch out a victory.  I really thought that Vick's magical touchdown pass to Clay Harbor in which he made 2 guys foolishly miss was going to be the turning point of the entire season.  The offense would start clicking on all cylinders and things were going to get better.  The fact that they lost after what I thought was the turning point was a crushing blow to say the least.  The only thing that gave me any comfort was the fact that the Phillies were playing that night.

If you had told me that the Phillies would score 4 runs and lose with Cliff Lee pitching I would have slapped you in the face and called you a nut job.  The game got off to a quick start as the Phils piled on 3 runs in the first inning against Cardinals "ace" Chris Carpenter.  Ryan Howard hit a sharp ground ball off the mound that scored 2 runs.  Raul Ibanez then singled to score Hunter Pence.  It looked like it was going to be another easy relaxing Phillies playoff victory.  In the second inning the Phils took a commanding 4-0 lead thanks to a Hunter Pence single that scored Jimmy Rollins.  But in the fourth inning, just like earlier at Lincoln Financial Field, the wheels started to come off.  Cliff Lee gave up a surplus of singles in the inning and the Cardinals came within one run of the Phils.  Lee then allowed the tying run in the 6th and the go ahead run in the 7th.  Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa used about a million relievers and the Cardinals eventually won by a final of 5-4 and this series is now tied at 1.

Sorry about that buddy

I really thought after the first inning that the Phillies were going to sweep all the way through the playoffs.  They were going to sweep the Cardinals, sweep the Brew Crew, and sweep any unlucky opponent that made it out of the AL.

It really was a heart breaking day.  Not only did both teams lose but they lost in ugly fashions in which they surrendered the lead.  They built a sizable leads early and then foolishly sat on those leads hoping the defense would save them.  When the day finally ended at around mid night, I stumbled up to bed glad that the day was over.  I really think that it was one of the most crushing days in Philadelphia sports history.  The Phillies game wasn't all that detrimental as they are still very much alive in the series, but the Eagles loss was a crushing blow.  The Birds are now 1-3 and are fading fast in the NFC East.

Really not much more can be said about yesterday.  Feel free to comment and vent and let out any angers or frustrations you have.  Bonus points if you know the number of times the tbs announcers said the "It sucks to be a Philadelphian, the Eagles and Phillies both lost."

Maturity

A couple weeks ago, Ryan Howard stated in an interview that the biggest difference between the 2008 World Series team and the present day 2011 team is "maturity."

Led by a group of veterans like Jimmy Rollins, Chase Utley, Shane Victorino, and of course Ryan Howard, this present Phillies team knows when to "flick the switch." All through out the terrible 8 game losing streak, I honestly wasn't phased because I knew of this team's ability to turn it on when it matters.  Before the losing streak, the Phils went through a pretty tough stretch in which they faced both the Atlanta Braves and Milwaukee Brewers.  It was meaningful baseball, and the Phillies swept  the Braves, took 3 out of 4 from the Brew Crew, and overall finished that stretch with a 6-1 record and solidified their spot as they best team in baseball.  And this past week when the franchise win record was on the line, the Phillies dug deep and found a way to sweep the Braves and finish out the season with a four game winning streak and a record 102 wins.

The point that I'm trying to make is this team knows how and when to win.  Forget about how hot the Cardinals are or how in the end the Phils finished their season 4-8.  Focus solely on the fact that this team is  without question the most mature team in baseball and will make the Cardinals wish they had never even made the playoffs.