PHILLY SPORTS CORNER- EAGLES

My thoughts on the Eagles' season-ending loss to Seattle, 17-9..

- I was at the game. The fans knew of DT Clowney's late hit on QB Carson Wentz and booed him every time Clowney's name was announced. It's a disgrace he wasn't flagged for the spear. Clowey clearly lowered his head to contact Wentz' helmet, thus banging his head into the hard ground. Wentz suffered a concussion from the blow.

The refs missed at least two other Settle penalties against the Birds. In one, a Seahawk defender had his arms wrapped around TE Dallas Goddard as he was attempting to catch a pass. In another, a Seattle secondary player pushed Greg Ward out of bounds after a catch- a really late hit for unnecessary roughness.

Yet, this same crew called a late hit against the Birds against QB Russell Wilson inside the Philadelphia five yard line. The head referee, Shawn Smith, is in his second year. Why give such an inexperienced guy a big playoff game like this?

- Apparently NBC either ignored the Wentz concussion or missed it completely. Michele Tufoya, the sideline reporter was clueless and giddy when she interviewed Clowney after the game. Giggling, she never asked him about the late hit on Wentz.

We all know that Cris Collingsworth has an agenda against the Eagles after his Tom Brady and the Patriots lost the 2017 Super Bowl.

_ I agree with Ray Didinger that with a healthy Wentz, the Birds would've won the game and moved on to Green Bay next Sunday. The Seahawks will get stomped on in Green Bay. Seems like the NFL wanted a Russell Wilson vs Aaron Rodgers showdown.  It's not sour grapes to say the refs greatly effected the outcome of the game.

- Maybe because of the playoffs..?? Pre-game introductions by the Eagles were limited. Usually they introduced individually the offense or defensive. We git neither. Nor did we get fireworks before the game and at kickoff. The league is trying to take all the fun out of their games.

- Circle the Seattle game on the calender when the schedule comes out in April. If Clowney is still on the Seahawks, the Eagles should seriously think of targeting Clowney with something like a chop-block. If not him, then take a cheap shot at Wilson.

You hate for your team to play dirty. But if that's what the NFL wants, by all means.

It was cold and windy at the Linc but not as harsh as the New England game I was at on November 17th.

The Eagles really need to upgrade stuff once inside the gates. Other than food trucks, the WIP booth, the Lite beer tent, and the Pro Shop, there really isn't much to do once inside the grounds.

- I say the Eagles overall had a successful season. Were they Super bowl contenders starting the season? Yes. But due to injuries they went from a 5-7 squad with little hopes to having a playoff game. They played with former practice squad players and gave it a good run. They have work to do in the off-season, including getting younger and faster, but Carson Wentz came into his own and is a building block for years to come.

Shame for Wentz, to finally make it to a post-season game, only to be taken away because of a cheap shot by a dirty player. Now the "what ifs' will linger from the Wentz haters until next year, when hopefully Wentz and the Eagles get another shot at glory.

The Eagles will have to play against the odds, as no team since 2003-04 has won the NFC East in consecutive years.

Like last year, 3 of 4 winners in the Wild Card Weekend were road teams. Too many were influenced by officials, never a good thing for professional football.