Eagles post.....

To the readers of Philly Sports Nation, I hope this will be good enough for you to warrant consideration to be one of your bloggers. For the year of 2011, I have been rehabbing from a TBI sustained on my primary job as a jet mechanic, and it has not allowed me to post on my site as I would have liked. I thank you for your time.


The NFL season enters its final weekend, with spots in the AFC up for grabs, and a disappointing race for the NFC title coming to a conclusion. The Bengals can end all of the drama by just winning their final game. The other teams still alive in the AFC need too many things to break just right for them, and it all seems like a long shot. The NFC East comes down to the Giants and Cowboys, which, as history has taught us, the Cowboys will probably find a way to lose, and we will be stuck with hearing all off-season how they need a "new" coach, one who can control Jerry Jones. They haven't created that man yet, so move on, Cowboys fans. I've had to defend my Eagles this past week, as I am an Eagles fan here in North Texas. All I have heard was "Well, it doesn't matter.....the Cowboys can still make the playoffs....". Spoken like someone who has, not only lost, but lost the season series in an Eagles sweep, and even lost the Pro Bowl race, making it three losses to the Eagles this season.

As the Eagles get set to host the Redskins in the season finale, many calls have been made for Andy Reid's head. OK, I will admit.....gong into this season, I questioned putting an O-line coach in charge of the defense. But then I thought, "Hey, it's Andy Reid. He knows more about this than I do...". The defense has come around in recent weeks, but not enough that it should save Castillo's job. The losses against San Francisco and Arizona were inexcuseable, and the road losses to Buffalo and Seattle were the result of the defense being unprepared. Somewhere, that has to be laid at the feet of the DC. In season's past, when a true defensive mind was in charge, the Eagles defenses were always prepared. It was the unit that carried the team on some Sundays. Troy Aikman and Joe Buck even spoke at length of the Eagles defenses of old during Saturday's game. But this defense this season has not lived up to that standard, despite a stellar season by Jason Babin. With additions like Cullen Jenkins, Babin, and Nnamdi Asomghua, this team should have been primed to take another step towards a championship. Instead, it has fallen to the middle of the draft, leaving many to question Reid's decision. I still think Reid has earned a pass or two, based on his total body of work, but if a true defensive coach, like Steve Spagnuolo, becomes available, then please, Mr. Lurie, hire him right away. Get a defensive mind that will know what to do when a 49ers team starts to come back in your own building. Get a defensive mind that will make his players understand the importance of not trying to arm-tackle Marshawn Lynch. Get a defensive mind that will put this team back on top of the NFC East.


Some people will lay the blame for this season at the hands of the lock-out. Well, I just don't buy that. All teams went through it. Some have dealt with it better than others. Will the game this weekend really make a difference if Reid plays his starters versus the young guys, who he really needs to take a good look at? Probably not. Of course, the last time a team played their starters against the Redskins with nothing to play for, they lost their all-everything back, Adrian Peterson. Not that it was a dirty hit on the part of the Redskins. But, to play someone, like Jeremy Maclin, who has battled injuries for most of the season, on Sunday seems foolishi. Let him get healthy now so the team can make better use of him later. Riley Cooper and Jason Avant will do in that position. I'm not saying for this team to lay down this weekend in the home finale.....I'm just asking them to be careful about getting guys hurt.


Go Eagles.......get a win on Sunday.....and focus on having an off-season that will put this team back in the playoffs for the 2012 season.

Armed Forces Bowl- wrap-up

The Black Knights of Army had an extra defender on their side Thursday: Mother Nature. The stiff breeze that was blowing here in Dallas Thursday limited SMU's high powered aerial attack, and helped to give Army a 16-14 win in front of over 35,000 fans. The win gave Army their first winning season in 14 years. When this pairing was first announced, many thought it would be a blowout, with SMU running the show. Add to the fact that this game was being played at SMU's home stadium due to renovations at Amon Carter Stadium, and it had all the makings of a dominating effort, similar to the one SMU put up in the Hawaii Bowl over Nevada last season. Trouble is, someone forgot to tell the men from Army. They weren't flashy. They weren't glamorous. Like true Army men, they put in a workman-like effort, and waitied for their opponent to make the mistakes. They started early, by harrassing SMU QB Kyle Padron into a fumble at the Army 30 yard line on the game's opening drive. The ball skipped across the Ford Stadium turf and landed in the hands of Army defender Josh McNary, who took it 55 yards the other way for the game's first score. The return set a new Armed Forces Bowl record for longest fumble return. Army got the ball back midway through the first quarter, and went on an eight play, eighty yard drive, with junior wide receiver David Brooks taking the ball in from 13 yards out. The extra point was blocked, and the game stood at 13-0, favor of Army. The Knights would add a 44 yard field goal just before the half, and Army went into the break, leading 16-0, bringing a hush over the fans clad in SMU's red and blue.
The second half saw Army get the ball, and go into a keep-away mode, as their initial drive of the second half burned 10 plays and just over 6 minutes off the clock. Their punt was downed at the SMU 8 yard line, and Army looked to salt it away. But, Padron and company got clicking. They went on a 13 play, 92 yard drive (a new BHAFB record for longest drive), ending in an 8 yard TD pass from Padron to Senior wideout Aldrick Robinson, to cut the lead to 16-7. Following another Army stalled drive and punt, the Mustangs went on a 10 play, 74 yard drive, with Padron finding Darius Johnson in the end zone for an over-the shoulder, 8 yard TD pass. The game now stood at 16-14, and the SMU faithful started to feel like Padron had found his stride. When Army went off on a three-and-out, many at Gerald Ford Stadium thought it was merely academic, that the Mustangs would find a way to win in front of the home crowd. Remember me talking about Mother Nature? Army's defense stiffened, and forced SMU to try a field goal from 47 yards out. It wasn't even close. The wide left attempt gave Army the ball with just over 4 minutes left in the game, and when Army quarterback completed only his second pass of the day to wideout Dayvid Brooks on 3rd and five, it gave Army the new set of downs they would need to run out the clock, and preserve the win.
For Army, senior linebacker Stephen Anderson was named the game's MVP. He finished the game with 14 tackles, 10 solo, a sack, and an interception. For SMU, Johnson was named the game's MVP. He finished with a 9 catch, 152 yard, 1 touchdown day.
Army's season ends at 7-6. SMU's season ends at 7-7.