I was at the Linc Sunday afternoon for the Eagles' 23-21 loss to Minnesota. Here are my impressions..
- Number of key moments and plays determined the ultimate outcome. for instance..the Eagles played a lousy, sloppy, ugly first half. Their offense looks out of sync. Sure they have injuries. Yes, Carson Wentz is still getting adjusted to being back. They are not the same team as last year. Different coaches, different players. Add the Super Bowl hangover to the recipe for disaster.
After deferring the opening kick-off, just as in last January's NFC Championship Game, the Vikings took the ball downfield, only to miss a short field goal. Momentum swings back to Philadelphia. But because the offense is in such a funk, they missed field goal, leaving points on the field, didn't matter.
- Why not run more? It's obvious that LaGarrette Blount is missed. Jay Ajayi is OK, but his fumble a the Minnesota 6-yard line at the end of the beginning second half drive was a killer. Score there, after being down 17-3 at halftime, and now you are one score closer and have some momentum.
Sproles and Clement have been hurt. Smallwood has been fine. but Blount is missed. He was the hammer near the goal line and the guy to pick up the tough first down yardage.He was never replaced and that is GM Howie Rossman's fault.
- The Eagles can't seem to ever get off to a fast start. Then again, they did have a 17-3 halftime lead last week in Tennessee and blew it.
- Another crucial situation was when the Eagles finally got the quick turnover they needed in their comeback attempt. A backwards lateral pass that the Eagles recovered set them up at the Minnesota 30. Instead of taking a shot into the end zone to snowball the growing momentum, penalties cost the offense, which actually went backwards.
At the end of the sequence they didn't try an extra-long field goal, punting instead. They did pin the Vikes inside their own 5-yard line,hoping the defense would force a three-and-out and get great field position for Wentz. Only the defense allowed Minnesota to march down the field, eat up clock, and kick a 52-yard field goal to secure the game.
- The Birds played like Super Bowl champs yesterday- and thatw as the problem. Are they hungry enough? Suddenly the bull's-eye is on the Eagles' back. And the schedule is due to get even harder.
-Jalan Mills continues to get beat and give up big plays at cornerback. He should not start. Even during the playoff run and Super Bowl, the defense was giving up yards and points.
- Tennessee beats the Eagles last week, then goes into Buffalo and loses to the awful Bills, who blasted the Vikings recently.
- Our special teams aren't what they used to be. Without Sproles there is no dangerous punt return threat. Nor on kick-offs. Speed kills. WR Sheldon Gibson made a great play, catching a 48-yard bomb. Not having a pure speed rece3iver who can take the top off the defense, is starting to hurt.
- The refs blew the phantom roughing the passer call. It's not the reason why Philly lost, but it a factor.I never heard the Linc so loud with boos. Hard tot ell what is sack anymore. The NFL is getting too soft. Fans will get frustrated as they did with the catch- no catch rule.
- It was a muggy but dry October afternoon. The fans seemed psyched. But as the weather was a bit unusual, so was the overall atmosphere. Not hungry anymore, both players and fans?
The Phillies' ballpark has better food than Lincoln Financial Field. The hot dogs were just OK, No popcorn to be found anywhere.
We left home 4 hours before the game, had little traffic on the expressway, got a parking spot at the Phillies' lot. We spent time a tthe WIP radio booth, I met the great Ray Didinger again ( great guy, as always) and strolled thru the Eagles Pro Shop.
The fans were cool, even the drunk ones. A few purple-clad Minnesota fans were sprinkled in the crowd. No fights were seen in the crowd.
- So, what does it all mean? The Eagles are 2-3. They play on Thursday night in New York against the 1-5 Giants. A must-win. They haven't played any division games yet. The season is still early. But if playoffs are In the cards, it will be winning the awful NFC East. The Vikings have a tie-breaker now ( although, with the Viking tie vs the Packers, it will be hard to be involved in tie-breakers.
Home field advantage went very far in helping the Eagles to the Super Bowl last season. Not his year. let's face it- the Birds have already lost 3 games. The Rams are a perfect 5-0. Plus Philly needs to play in Los Angeles in December.
So, if a Super Bowl repeat is on the horizon it will likely have to come on the road. That was the result of yesterday's loss to Minnesota.
The Eagles have a short turnaround by playing the Giants on Thursday Night Football. The Vikes return home to play Arizona next week.
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