One Giant Step Backwards – Eagles Lose Home Opener to New York

This past Sunday we were in good company. Not exactly the company we wanted to be in, however we shared the "L" column with a few other notable teams. Sadly, that is the most reassuring assessment I can come up with after a Sunday afternoon of football at Lincoln Financial Field and the dreadful defeat by the New York Football Giants.

It was the Eagles' home opener and when Philadelphia throws a football party, they do it right! There were official banners hanging from the city light posts. There were green, black, and silver balloons that decorated the subway entrances.  There were tents and tables of tailgaters that littered every inch of blacktop, concrete, grass, or gravel. There were thousands of happy people that anticipated the kickoff of the first home game of our Philadelphia Eagles. There was an optimism that resulted from shedding the skin of a loss last week to Atlanta.

It had been a year since the Linc was lit up in home opener liveliness. We had our Sunday best on the field after a saucy off season spending splurge. And we had our dreams of a Super season. Fans were relieved to know our QB Michael Vick had been cleared from a concussion that occurred last week, whether they agreed with him playing in this game or not. Yet this was the day we had all waited for.  It was another opportunity to show those New Yawkers how we do football in Philly, since we'd had a run on victories against them for the last several games.

Somehow, it just didn't turn out that way. Instead it turned into a surreal moment like in a horror movie in the woods by a lake. Yes, something went very wrong. Wrong to the point that it felt like Freddie had stabbed you clean through and cut out all your hope. Guess you can tell we took this loss kind of hard. We love hard in Philadelphia and we loose hard. That's why it's so much better when we win.  But when it's a loss to the Giants, or Dallas or Washington for that matter the loss feels much worse.

The Eagles got the ball first and did nothing with it. It didn't really hit me when NY scored their first touchdown about five minutes into the first quarter. I'll admit I was a little shocked to see Giants QB Eli Manning hook up with his RB Brandon Jacobs in the open field for a 40 yard touchdown right in LB Casey Matthews face. Ok, no big deal. That is until they kept scoring points and we again had to play catch up on the scoreboard. Giants scored another quick six when Manning and back up WR Victor Cruz (who?) showed up out of nowhere and became a major factor with two touchdowns in the game.

Watching the Eagles during this game was like watching a stand in actor play a well known character in a soap opera. Playing the part of the Philadelphia Eagles is Some Other Team. I want the REAL Philadelphia Eagles team to show up. I refuse to believe that's who I've seen thus far this season.

Our offense clearly wasn't perfect but they did give us something. Vick's numbers weren't terrible with 16 completions out of 23 passes for 176 yards but he's becoming a three quarter quarterback. We need four solid, productive quarters out of him. I get the notion of him being hit more than most other quarterbacks in the league, (only Jay Cutler has been hit more) but let’s check the offensive line and work to get the ball out a little quicker. And I’m not saying all those hits were clean hits. But if Vick is only going to play for 45 minutes maybe we need to borrow Mariano Rivera from the Yankees to add to his record number of saves because poor Mike Kafka is not getting it done. It was good to hear that the number two QB, Vince Young will be back this week. RB LeSean McCoy has become the star of the show. He rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown and is averaging over 100 yards a game rushing and receiving and has four touchdowns to his credit this season.

The defense on the other hand, I don't even want to talk about it. Eagles defense is 30^th in the league against the run and 24^th in the league with points allowed giving up 64 points in the first three games. In both games against Atlanta and New York we had the lead and our defense couldn’t do their part to ensure we kept it until the end of the game. First time Defensive Coordinator Juan Castillo is on the hot seat. Pro-bowl CB Nnamdi Asomugha was ineffective against their back up receiver Cruz. And Matthews, he just isn’t the answer.

And every fan in the stands questioned some of the decisions from the sidelines. None that were more pivotal than the play that turned the game in the fourth quarter.  We came from behind to lead 16-14 after an ugly goal line stand where Big Blue's defense only allowed us to score a field goal. We had less than a yard to go inside the one yard line. What, no LeSean McCoy? A failed quarterback sneak and two handoffs to FB Owen Schmidt? Seriously? Whose bright idea was that? Then you want to go for it on 4^th and 1 on the Giants 43 after they just held you to inches on the goal line leaving the opponent with great field advantage against a defense that has been STINKING up the joint? SERIOUSLY? Oh, ok.

Giants win. 29-16.

Fans started to leave the stands early after the 4^th and 1 debacle. I’ve never seen that happen. They stay to the end win or loose. No miracle this time though, just a lot of disgust at a poorly played and poorly coached game. However, Eagles fans are used to dusting themselves off and getting back in the stands with hope in their hearts once again and that will be the case for the next game against San Francisco.

Injuries may affect the upcoming game against the 49’ers. We are relieved to know Michael Vick’s hand isn’t broken. He is practicing this week and is expected to start. Jeremy Maclin has a hamstring injury and is questionable for Sunday’s contest against the 9’ers. But the biggest injury, bruised expectations can be healed and hopefully will be this week. This I know, that is something that we need for sure.

Helen “Love My Eagles” Little