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.