Not a requiem for the Eagles…but a prayer for redemption…

Ohio_State

I say these Birds can get up off the canvas after getting knocked down again… problem is the Eagles are running out of rounds.

It’s not like the Birds are getting blown out in these losses to good teams… you already know that. But the self-inflicted wounds seem to add up in the 4th quarter and suddenly it happens again— another devastating turn of events.

I like Leo Pizzini’s resilience in this matter and will do my best to model his optimism.  He sees the season breaking down into 4 quarters of subtly improving results:  1-3, 2-2, 3-1 and 4-0… or a 10-6 regular season potential based on current trending.

All I know for sure is the Birds better start stacking up W’s without any further regression, as we are now unofficially in “the season is on the line every game” mode…

Give the Bears credit… they brought their A-game … Eagles absorbed everything the Bears had to offer, though, and except for their own unforced errors should have won the game.

The Great Brizer handed out his dreaded “Bocce Balls” for self-destructive behavior in the wake of last night’s debacle…in case you missed it, here’s Brizer’s awards for knuckleheadedry:

BOCCE BALLS “AWARDS”:

1) ONO!!! HENRY,….CHOKE city…usuk!

2) Whoever was supposed to block Objingangi

3) #10,….you should be benched for half a game

4) Maclin,..too many non clutch plays

5) DRC, da Prez, Nnamdi…..a new non cover scheme?

6) trent cole,….we counted on an all pro and we gots all mediocre.

7) Cullen,….are you sleeping brother john?

8) Babin,.buried too many times

9) the zebras,…dey suked!!!!…missed numerous holds and some really lousy calls,..esp the Babin “hit”

I found item #5 on that list to be most poignant, as the alleged “best cover corners” in the league were at each others’ throats last night, both during the game and on the bench. DRC had a hideous night trying to merge slot assignments with corner presses, and completely lost track of Earl Bennett, who burned the secondary all night long. When Asante went out of the game with what I thought was a stinger, things got even worse for DRC and Nnamdi and Joselio Hanson.  I wonder if NFL Films will have the guts to show all four of these guys pointing fingers at each other and arguing on the sideline? It will make a good storyline only if the Eagles defensive coaches use the incident as a rally point to get these big-money DB’s to start playing smarter and better together. 

I don’t mind a little dissension as long as it leads to getting better… and plays a motivational role in getting the W’s to start stacking up again. 

A lot of Eagles committed their share of mistakes throughout the game – quarterback Michael Vick threw a gnarly interception in the second quarter that led to a Bears field goal, returner DeSean Jackson practically handed the Bears a touchdown with a fumbled punt just before halftime, and Bears running back Matt Forte gashed the Eagles’ defense for 133 rushing yards – but the most costly gaffes occurred in the fourth quarter. That has been a theme for the Eagles all season. They were outscored by a combined 46-10 in the fourth quarter of their five defeats.   

I’m going with Leo’s trend analysis optimism… in some way it’s an extra challenge to all Eagles fans to stay the course, and in another way it makes perfect sense. 10-6 ?…  Why not? Sure, even that guarantees nothing and would be subject to a probable host of tiebreakers.  But in Leo’s trend theory, this team is DUE to stop coming up short in finishing off big wins.  They just are.

 

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