Lackluster and unprepared are the first two words that come to mind after watching the Eagles 30-24 loss to the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football. For a team that analysts and fans alike believed had finally overcome the growing pains of new coaches and 
personnel, the Eagles have just taken a colossal step backward. Not to mention that any hopes of a playoff berth would require a near perfect remainder of the season and a 2007 like miracle.
The Eagles’ game plan this week was not full proof. It failed to account for the many defensive packages that the Bears utilize. This, along with well-disguised coverage schemes gave Michael Vick fits, and the offense never found a rhythm. Vick finished the game with just 213 passing yards despite dropping back thirty-eight times. Of the twenty-one passes that the quarterback threw, more than half of them (13 total) were to tight ends Celek and Clay Harbor or running back LeSean McCoy. This means that with the exception of screen passes, Vick often had to use his check-down receiver.
Absent from Monday night’s loss was Vick’s creativity and ability to execute. He along with the rest of the Eagles’ offense appeared to be tired and beaten down by the time the fourth quarter rolled around. Against a team that allows over 270 yards of passing offense per game, I fully expected the Eagles to execute a game plan that involved a talented group of wide receivers. However, when the final whistle blew Jeremy Maclin, DeSean Jackson and Jason Avant combined for just eight catches and 99 yards. Opportunities were there to be had; Vick targeted wide receivers twenty-one times.
The lone duo that did shine bright was Brent Celek and McCoy. Celek for the second consecutive game caught seven passes and made no glaring mistakes. McCoy picked up where he left off and continued his sensational season, accounting for 117 yards and his tenth touchdown.
Yet, Andy Reid failed to get his most versatile player (McCoy) the ball enough times. Shady took only sixteen handoffs as Andy Reid reverted back to his old play calling strategies. The longest tenured NFL coach called just for eighteen running plays compared to forty plus passing plays. The Eagles’ offense became simply predictable.
The worst coaching blunder of the game came when the Eagles failed to convert a fake punt in the fourth quarter with the ball at Chicago’s 42-yard line. Plainly put, it was the wrong play call. The Eagles were down by just three points at the time and had an opportunity to pin the Bears deep in their own territory. Instead, Reid gambled on a trick play with a rookie punter and failed miserably. With great field position, the Bears marched down the field on a long drive (11 plays, 5:27) and tacked on three important points.
After all of this, somehow the Eagles still had an opportunity to win the game.
Sometimes I am puzzled how a team with this much talent cannot win games on talent alone. So I often refer back to the coaching. Andy Reid still has not figured out how to distribute the ball to all of his playmakers and refuses to stick with the hot hand. This has cost the Eagles mightily in 2011.
Ultimately, the Eagles will likely not make the playoffs this season. I am not ready to give up on the season just yet, but it may be the inevitable truth. Regardless, the Eagles are a team that possesses the pieces of the puzzle that usually entail winning. In a year from now they will gain more than they will lose. Add a little chemistry and trust to the mix and the Eagles are an epiphany away from eternal glory.
You can follow Keith on Twitter @kzubrow
You said it right there, this team relies on their talent. They are not a team. They’re a bunch of overpaid, underpaid (desean) football players who obviously want to win, but don’t HATE to lose. You have to HATE to lose. These guys fold like a cheap wallet. Andy Reid doesn’t inspire. As much as I hated Bill Cower, I guarantee you would shit your pants if you lost. Andy Reid needs to be scrubbed and washed of this team along with his team of lackeys. I’ll keep Mudd and Washburn. To hell with the rest of them. It will never happen, Lurie is content with mediocrity, look no further than his movies.
Who was that telling me how the rookies’ pass blocking was so good? Who was that? I said it after the Dallas game, and I’ll say it again. They are turnstiles. Against Dallas, however, Reid called a short passing game, with plenty of runs and screens (the rookies’ strong suit). But like I also said, Reid cannot continue that trend for any period of time. He’s much too smart for that.
Passaholics Anonymous – Andy should attend a meeting, soon!
Not so fast Keith,
A couple of things I wuestion in your article
#1) TE B Celek did make a bone-head play when catching a ball before halftime for a 1st time and should have ran out out bounds leaving 8-10-12 seconds on the clock for another play or two.. Instead, he turns upfield with 2 defensers coming and gains one more yard and gets clocked and takled in bounds using the rest of the clock.. Maybe not a big deal to most people, but just another example of this team not being very smart and attentive to game situations..
#2) Worst Coaching Blunder on the Fake Punt.. I am not so sure about that,
The Gunner were 15-20 yards wide open from the closes Bear.. All the Punter has to do is throw the ball out there and not only is it a 1st Down, but that play could have gone for 30-40 yards…
The Real issue to me is what happens afterwards..
on a 3rd and 8 play, Eagles Amso/DCR run deep with 1 Receiver leaving the flat wide open for a 15 yard gain which could have stopped the Drive right theree.. then on another crucial 3rd Down, Asmo gets caught with his back to the QB and really has no idea where the ball is in flight, causing him to get an interference call down at the 5 Yard linel.. Does you want to blame the Coaching for this, Asmo has a tendancy to face the receiver only and never know when the ball is coming and you cannot play like this.. You as a CB have peek back from time to time to see what the QB is doing and when the ball is in flight so you make a play on it.. Asmo has very poor technique and I am very much disappointment in his play and I am not sure it’s all that correctible, He doesn’t turn his hips and back-pedal well at all and he makes no plays on the ball while in the air which sperates the good CB’s from the Great, True Shut down CB’s
SO I do agree that the fake Punt was a risky call, it’s not what lost the game. The iniability for the Vick & Eagle WR’s to make any big plays and the inability for the Eagles Defense to make any stops on 3rd Down plays..
I counted at least 3-4 3rd and longs that the Bears converted on during the game and 1 was a 3rd and 18 with a 20 yard pass to Bennett.. Inexcusable
You know what. It was funny after chicago scored there first td. My buddy looked at me and said and i quote “here we go again, now andy reid is going to keep passing and forget about running the football.” I mean there were periods of the game where he put runs in but mccoy did not have enough touches period. The guy had 16 carries half of what he has had the past 2 games. I mean come on reid open up your eyes here!!! Can one man be so blind. Can the people around him be so blind that no one says anything to him. Mccoy should always have 25 plus carries period. Honestly i disagree about the fake punt call though. I will give andy credit here, i thought it was a great call. Im just wondering didnt that punter used to play qb some where? Are you kidding me you cant make that 20 yard throw? really???? The guy was wide open. I like when andy goes balls to the wall. And he was last night in the sense that he went for it on fourth down, he called a fake punt. The guy makes that throw, its a touchdown period. The defense hadnt stoped much of anything all night (despite the 2 turnovers). So he was trying to take the game in his hands. I cant hate the guy for that. Witch brings me to the defense. I know we dominated dallas, but demarco murry still averaged 9 yards a carry. Again i say it 9 yards a carry. Thats no small chunk. This team cant stop the run period. They will go through a stretch where they do a great job but they cant do it consistantly all game. I said it once ill say it again ASANTE SAMUEL IS NOT A SAFTEY. Why do they insist on lining the guy up back there on multiple plays. DRC is lazy period. I thought this guy was the man when he came over but i was definatley mistaken. For any of you that didnt see, the guy swipes at the ball misses and is busy worry about how he missed the swipe and the guy runs another 5 yards. Weve seen his lazyness before against other teams. ok enough of my rant, bottom line is the season is pretty much over, the giants due have a tough road but the way the eagles are playing i just dont see it happening. Defense cant stop the run at all (linebackers just cant do it they are not good enough period) Look at all the best defenses around the league they have very good linebacker play. A 7th round pick in chainey will never be a Ray Lewis, and Andy just keeps on passing. Passaholics anonymous is halarious!
Not to mention the bears offensive line is not very good what happen to the pass rush??? Did the bye week help them all that much
I dropped alot of periods in my rant lol
Say what you want about the Bears OL
Their RT (Louis #60) just abused DE Babin all game long..
Eagle Defenders who played poor games
Babin, Cole,Fokou,Asmo,DCR, & Samuel..
Offensive players who played poor games
Vick,Herremans,D-Jax, Maclin
These are supposed leaders and some of the Eagles best players and they all were outplayed by the players across from them..Eagles have no shot if some of their most talented and biggest playmakers are not playing well
This is not a Coaching issue, this is a players issues in my opinion…
The first to words that come to my mind is STUBERN AND STUIPID…Why did we have to give up the season showing that the wide 9 SUUUUUUCKS….It is the worst defensive scheme I ever saw. You only have the 2 def tackles playing the run…The ends are completely taken out of the play on the run. Juan needs to be run out of town…Thanks for ruining the season.
This team wasn’t ready to play. There was no intensity and we had no one fired up to get the Birds up to play their best ball. Andy Reid and MM play calling was horrible and our defense gave Cutler to much time. I don’t think we will make the playoffs. The Giants now have a three game lead so even if we beat them we only make up one game. We would have to go 7 and 1 and I personally don’t think we can’t since we only won 3 out of the first 8 games. We should play Steve Smith because DJax play isn’t the same during this contract dispute period. Someone please tell me why he can’t create separation from the defensive backs like he use to do. Not to mention how he fumbled right before the half. I always thought when you want a big contract let your play on the field do the talking, however, not in his case. The line is going to get Vick hurt he definitely took to many hits which probably took something out of him in the 4th quarter. Fired Reid today and lets me on the fix the problems now whether to wait to the end of the season. Its clear that he has lost this team. When you can’t win at home then the writing is on the wall. Time Yours!!!!!
I still dont understand all the zone, they kept in extra protection and ran 3 man routes. When we started blizting there right before half cutler was getting flustered big time, then we went back to zone.
And one more thing what is it with them leaving guys like julius peppers unblocked coming off the edge. Every year we play the bears this guy comes off unblocked. Look at demarcus ware 4 sacks. Its like they can care less how good a guy is, they just let him run free and run there game plan. You have to chip block guys like peppers.
Kevin, you meant foolproof and not full proof.
Everybody all up on lesean mccoy that he leagues in rushign but its a bad thing.. only time the eagles run is when they cant pass… the eagles need a giant reciever we should have when after burress instead of steve smith.. and cooper never sees the field .. only big target that sees the field consistantly is celek and hes a tight end
There’s so much evidence pointing to planning and coaching flaws.
I could see if only one of our recent all-pro additions was playing poorly, but ALL of them? There’s no way in heaven that each of their play has declined that rapidly, that much, and simultaneously. Where’d Cullen Jenkins disappear to?
Even if a guy like Nnamdi can be used in only one way, it’s Reid’s job to have scouted the player and know him inside out. Okay, let’s say he dropped the ball there. Then, at least he should have quickly had the common sense to use him in the way that he’s been successful.
When Reid says that he must put his players in “a better position,” it’s true. The game dictates that he must adjust constantly. What worked last year, may not work this year (especially if you’ve had great success). A good example of that would be Vick’s 7-game showing last year. He was great, but eventually teams began to force him to his right, then they began to spy him, then they they began to blitz him, all of which took away the deep ball.
The unfortunate part is that Reid continued (and still continues) to call the deep routes, despite the fact that the pass rush was/is killing Vick before he can/could even set up.
To this very day, Reid still thinks he can throw the bomb on the first play of the game. Is any team not expecting that? Is there a housewife in the Delaware Valley who’s not expecting it?
Then there’s the wide 9. Why on every down? How long did it take before Reid realized that he couldn’t use it all game long?
What about all the success Reid has enjoyed when he ran the ball, not just this year, but in year’s past? It’s as if that success meant nothing to him.
Even last night, they enjoyed a stretch of good play when they were running (and by running, I also mean 3-step drops, screens, etc.) I’m referring to plays that slow the pass rush and keep his QB from getting beat down. No QB can take an extended beating and still perform. Despite all the success he’s had in running that type of offense, he insists on going to 5-step and 7-step drops.
Common sense eludes Reid. Rarely are the fans more knowledgeable than the coach, but in Reid’s case, that rule doesn’t always hold true.
What idiot can’t deduce that if I throw more passes than any other team that I should have the best receivers in the game? Only one.
Then there was the lack of size on the defensive side, for years. Teams ran the ball all over us, but it took Reid too long to understand that he needed a MLB with some size.
And who calls pass after pass despite lack of success, injury, personnel, weather, etc. I know. I’ve said it all before, countless times, but Reid still disregards these things. Rather than be tired of me pointing it out, it would seem that some of our “fans” would be tired of watching Reid make the same mistakes.
There’s also the promotion of Castillo. The Steve Smith pick-up. Personally, I had hoped they’d have given Plaxico a look-see.
Then there’s the employment of new schemes on both sides of the ball.
Most importantly, if you look at Reid’s recent body of work (in the past 5 years), you’ll see that the decline has been steady and progressive, despite the addition of more top free-agents and high draft picks.
We did better when we were trading down.
How long has this team focused on red-zone play, improved pass rush, clock management? We all know that this is only the short list.
Okay, I digress.
arrwd
I was typing the Plaxico Burress thing at the same time.
Change to Penn State… the acts that took place were atrocious… My question is: does Marty still allow his son to go play QB there>>>
Paul
Let me ask you a question.
If, on each and every play, Vick lines up 30 yards deep and the receivers run 50 yards sprints, what type of success do think they’d have.
Next question:
If that’s what Reid calls, who’s at fault?
Obviously, that’s a great exaggeration, but the point remains the same. It’s very easy to say Vick didn’t do this or that, but were the right plays being called for him to have success?
In my opinion, they were not.
Last year, how many times did I read (right here on this site), that Vick wouldn’t throw short passes? The fact of the matter is that Reid was sending his receivers intermediate and deep, all the while, Vick was getting his head knocked off. Then, against Dallas, Reid calls a “sweet” game, and Vick looks like an all-pro again.
Then Reid goes right back to his old-self and Vick is getting hammered, throwing picks and running for his life (the fumbles will soon follow).
Who’s really at fault here?
raypetralia
You meant, “Kevin, you meant ‘foolproof’ and not ‘full proof.'”
Nothing worse than correcting someone’s grammar with poor punctuation.
Playoffs are out the question for this 2011 Team
Paulman’s Weekly Rankings for NFC Teams after Week #9
#1) Packers (9-0) – Best Offense and QB in the NFL, Defense is a little shaky and their pass rush is not the same without C Jenkins
#2) 49ers (7-1) – Scoring points is not their strength, they pound the rock, wear Defenses down and let Gore take over in the 2nd half.
#3) Giants (6-2) – Eli putting up a very good season, Offense missing their top RB, their top WR and Starting Center and still beat the Pats on the Road
Solid Coaching and players repsonding to play as a team
#4) Lions (6-2) – After a fast start, the schedule gets hard in the 2nd half, how will they respsond to expectation and they need some sort of Running attack to finish the season strong… Stafford/Calvin Johnson a lethal combo
#5) NO Saints (6-3) – A balalnced and dynamic Offense, Defense is up and down. Rookie DL Cameron Jordan is really coming on, but injury to LB Vilma is something to keep an eye on ..
#6) Bears (5-3) – 3 Wins in a row, QB Cutler playing well and confident, Forte having All-Pro Season and have wins over NFC Counterparts Falcons & TB Bucs and now the Eagles
#7) Falcons (5-3) – 3 Wins in a row and have beaten the Lions & Eagles and have 3 games in a row at home (NO Saints,Titans & Vikings) coming up to soliidy their postion for at least a Wild Card)
#8) TB Bucs (4-4) – Up and down all Season, good 1 Week, not so the next week, Next 5 games versus the Texans,Packers,Titans,Panthers, Jaguars and have beaten the Falcons and Saints so they will be in the Wild Card mix..
#9) Cowboys (4-4) – Another up and down team, with their next 4 games versus the Bills at home, at Washington, Thanksgiving versus the Dolphins and then at Arizona which could catapult them into contention in the NFC East if the Giants would falter
#10) Eagles (3-5) – Another inconsistent team having a hard time winning at Home anymore (5-8 over their last 13 Home games), the next 4-5 opponents are Arizona, NY Giants,Patriots, Seattle & Dolphins which are all winnable,but this team has head to head NFC Conference losses to the Falcons,Bears,49ers already and a head to head NFC Division loss with the Giants
The remaining 6 NFC teams really don’t have any chance to make the 2011 Playoffs and will pbe playing young players as they proepare for the future (Redksins,Vikings, Panthers,Seahawks,Cardinals, & Rams)
So in a nutshell, You have 10 Teams in the NFc fighting for 6 Playoff Spots and the Eagles rank 10, so in reality, they won’t make the Playoffs unless They would have to go 7-1 and win all NFC Divsional/Conference Games left on the schedule in their final 8 games.. Is it possible, yes, everything is possible, but is it likely, no it is not very likely at all, for as inconsistent as this Team has been all Season and that’s the reality of this 2011 Eagle Team
This team has no toughness. No fight. No teeth. They are flat, soft, unmotivated and have an utter lack the “killer instinct”, “eye of the tiger”. Up 24-17 after being down 10-0? No excuse not to put them away. Last nail has to go into the coffin and seal the deal. I believe that to a large extent, teams take on the personality of their coach, and Andy is just not what this team needs. I think he’s a good coach, despite his well documented flaws (as mentioned by many commenters on this site), and there’s no questioning what he has achieved in Philly, but I think he’s not the right coach for this team, for these players, for this city. He is an excellent QB coach (see players like McNabb, Kolb, AJ Feeley, and how he has developed Vick), but not a suitable head coach.
When they were down 30-24 and got the ball back on the last drive, their body language told you already they didn’t revel in the opportunity to come back for the win, they almost looked hesitant to go out there and face the Bears D. Shameful show.
I have one last rant. DeSean, at the beginning of the season, I was hollerin along with a lot of others for you to get paid. The truth? I have totally changed my tune now. You don’t deserve to get paid. Didn’t you have more drops than catches yesterday? Fumbling the punt return after B Rolle just tied the game up to give us the momentum? That was a real momentum killer. How can you put yourself in the class of Larry Fitz or Megatron, Andre Johnson, etc? I mean you pretty much disappeared from that game yesterday… the Bears absolutely ERASED you. And I thought you were supposed to take the top off of a defense opening up everything underneath? Didn’t see any of that. And while the game was over by the end, that last pass of the game went right off your hands. Like I said, probably hook and lateral show wouldn’t have won it for us… but wow… really? Do you think Fitz, Megatron, Andre Johnson, etc. drop that ball? Shame DeSean. SHAME. You don’t deserve to get paid.
To Drummer,
I have to disagree with you.. I don’t recall Vick throwing any 30-40-50 Yard Deep Routes at all last evening .. I was hoping they take some shots since the Bears did not stay in a Deep Cover 2 all game like they did last year (and like the COboys did follishly all game long last week)
The Diffenrece is the Bears have good Coaching where thy move LB up and back as well as their Safeties depending on the down and distance (this is what good Coaching is all about) I believe Vick overlooked some open WR in the flats and middle of te field and chose to throw the more intermediate routes which in some cases was the wrong receiver to throw to which I already stated in a earlier post.. This game was on Vick and the WR’s in my opinion, Vick for making some bad reads and poor throws and the WR’s who are too chicken shit to run across the middle on 8-15 Yard intermediate routes.. I have also Stated that the Young Guns lack heart and desire and stand by it for whenever the go against physical, agressive secondaries, they sheepishly disappear and I think they are Average as a group and have stated so for the last 2 years.. Their is a lack of toughness on this entire squad in my opinion, which is a reflection of Coach AR/MM and their flawed philosophy as well as some questionable Draft picks on players by GM Roseman who fit more of the Small and Fast players that AR likes as opposed to some real Physical, knock you in the mouth type of players that the Eagles Defense used to have and went after.. Those days are long gone under this AR regime and will continue to be so until a new apporach, a new staff is in place which would occur until after the 2012 Season in my opinion
This entire Coaching Staff will be back next season, no doubt in my mind..
this team has a knack of making certain players look like legends…who the hell is earl bennett???? he’s ok but not all that…isreal idonije???
I told you all about Idonije, he’s a fierce competitior who brings it on every play.. Herremans really struggled to keep him off a or close to Vick all game long..
Paul
I didn’t say he threw them. I said they were called. He never had time to throw them. That’s my point.
I agree that Chicago is much more physical than Philly.
reed, earlier we made Alex Smith look like Joe Montana and last night Cutler look like Brett Favre in his early days. He was falling down and getting up and throwing shovel passes for 12 yard completions. How many 3rd and longs did they convert? Just sad. I was at the game last night and it was truly miserable. No sacks on Jay Cutler? Really? We didn’t blitz enough. He is exactly the QB that you want to blitz a lot. Still can’t stop the run (never could), DBs looked bad as usual. Nnamdi out there playing center field, DRC running next to defenders and Samuel trying to jump routes in one on one coverage in the endzone. That great pass rush was MIA. At least if you’re not going to get sacks, stop the run. They did neither. Offense was inconsistent as usual. Andy back to Andy with 16 carries for your best skilled position player. DJack short arming passes, Maclin whining about non-calls, Vick forcing passes, etc. Just a poor showing.
I mean just watching the speed and power of Peppers, Urlacher and Briggs was incredible. Briggs ran down Vick like he was chasing Owen Schmitt. They were not going to let Vick get outside the DEs and when he did the field was too short to make a play. Just a great gameplan by them. Andy is undefeated after a bye but under .500 after the bye win. That’s what happens when you don’t have 2 weeks to prepare. Castillo still a joke. This was not Rex Grossman and I’m convinced the only reason Romo couldn’t hurt us was because his defense couldn’t stop our offense so he became to predictable. It was just such a poor game and makes me sick I spent my birthday was that game in the stadium.
P.S. Avant got booed when he caught a pass. And he deserved it.
Remember Cutler threw 4 TD’s versus the Eagles last year and is not intimidated by the Defense at all..
to Drummer, On almost every pass play, there are multiple reads and progression that Vick would go thru, It’s up to Vick to decide on who to throw to and where to to to based on who i open, time to throw, the match-up,etc,etc.. Why is it so hard for many posters on here to simply state the obvious… QB M Vick stunk last night and had evert opportunity to put this game away and even lead them to a comeback and he simpley failed to do so or to elevate his game to overcome whatever happened earlier in the game.. I saw other QB’s Eli Manning and even Joe Flacco acomplish this on the road against strong opponents (Pats & Steelers) than the Bears when it counted the most..(And this was after BBrady and Big Ben had just led their teams to short lived leads.. .
This will be Avant’s final Season in Philly, he was defintiely affected by the Booing and really went into a shell last night and hardly played in the 2nd Half.. I believe Coach AR/MM even noticed his limpy body language and lack of focus and replaced him with WR Riley Cooper in many of the 3 WR’s sets in the 4th Quarter and in crunch time..
The fake punt was looking good until the noodle arm delivery. But Reid makes that call down by three cause for obvious reasons he has no faith in his D at this point and like the rest of us is hoping for a miracle.