Just got back from Super Storm cleanup down at the Bay… and just got the news the Giants routed the Packers this past Sunday night. And that kinda takes the wind out of my sails on the S.S. Eagle, as a Giants' loss would have made things a lot more interesting in the NFC East math.
So we come to this—a MNF game which back in August figured to be a real showcase of just how much the Eagles had improved, and a chance for a strategic win over Cam Newton and the Panthers which would put us further ahead of the rest of our division.
Instead, this turns out to be a game for diehard football fans only…unless you simply want to tune in for the "Reid must Go" masquerade ball in the stands.
I am looking forward to Bryce Brown's debut as a feature back in the NFL. Who saw this coming back in August?
Another key angle—For Carolina, Ron Rivera has become the latest member of Eagles coach Andy Reid's coaching tree to be staring at potential unemployment. That happened the minute the Panthers (2-8) jettisoned the man who hired him, former general manager Marty Hurney, last month.
Rivera and defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, who held the same title in Philadelphia for two seasons, before Reid helped him land the job in Carolina despite firing him, both come in knowing they likely will be out in the offseason at the latest.
Six of the Panthers' eight losses have been by six points or less and have come by a total of 23 points. All those near misses make these last six games just as important as they will be to the Eagles, who almost certainly will have a new look next season as well.
"We have a group of players who have been very resilient in the face of some tough losses," Rivera said, "and it is important to win for them. … "I feel like we are doing a lot of things right, but we have to find a way to translate those things into victories."
By contrast, the Eagles have been doing just about everything wrong, leading to blowout losses in each of the past four weeks.
Hard decisions are coming on the immediate futures of, among others, quarterbacks Michael Vick and Nick Foles, tight end Brent Celek, tackle Jason Peters, defensive tackle Mike Patterson, defensive end Jason Babin, linebacker DeMeco Ryans and cornerbacks Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha. And those are just the starters with big contracts.
Safeties Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman certainly will not be guaranteed starting jobs next season. Ditto for linebacker Akeem Jordan, while King Dunlap, Dallas Reynolds, Demetress Bell, Matt Tennant, Jake Scott and Nate Menkin are among the other offensive linemen who could be gone.
Because all except Asomugha can come off the books next season with minimal or no salary cap hits, all will be under intense evaluation to see if it will be worth paying them what they're due.
Babin, for example, has a base salary of $4.2 million next season, but the Eagles would only have to eat $600,000 if they cut him. They would take a $4 million hit if they let Asomugha go, but that might be better than paying him the $15 million he's due in 2013 and the $12 million he's due in each of the years after that.
Ryans has played well, but will he be worth the $6.6 million he's supposed to make next season?
He said he hasn't been approached about adjusting his deal, which was signed when he was with Houston. But it's only a matter of time, even if he is named first team All-Pro.
Cromartie has an expiring contract and a presumed willingness to re-sign with this team. But the feeling may not be mutual. The Eagles have not made any moves, according to Cromartie.
Peters, who had his salary cut by more than $3 million after twice tearing an Achilles tendon, is due $10.4 million next year alone, and nobody knows if the 330-pounder will ever be able to play another down in his career.
Then there are the quarterbacks.
Owner Leffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman likely will want to pick the brain of the next head coach before potentially dumping Vick and either elevating interim starter Foles or starting over by using their first-round draft pick to obtain who they hope will be their centerpiece for the next decade or so. In the meantime, a big part of assessing their future is judging how the players deal with the present.
"I'm always thinking that you're never too far down in a game and never too far ahead," Ryans said. "I'm always pressing the guys and saying that we can always make a play no matter what happens. It can be the worst thing, and I may have to go over and get myself together and not show everybody else that I'm upset about it. When I'm addressing the guys, I make sure that they see something positive, see someone being positive and know that anything can happen.
"The season isn't over. From that, there is still hope that we can do what we want to do. It starts right now with winning that first game."
Celek, whose play has deteriorated to the point where Clay Harbor, at $630,000 next year, might be more viable as the top tight end (instead of Celek, at $3.25 million), knows he and so many others are on the clock — and that Reid's fate has been sealed.
"It is what it is right now," Celek said, "and all we can do is move forward and work on winning a game, play for this team, play for each other and worry about your own job. I think if we do that, you stop worrying about, `Oh, this guy's going to lose his job or this guy's going to lose his job,' you can play your football."
See you again an hour before the game with the Livefyre Pre-Game Report and In-Game Commentary from our very smart and patient Bored members…
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