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It's all falling apart for Eagles, Reid
By Scott Garbarini, Associate NFL Editor
(Sports Network) - Last year the Philadelphia Eagles overcame a mediocre first half and rallied their way into the playoffs by winning their final five regular season games. It looks as if it's going to take a similar late surge to get this beleaguered club back in the postseason this year, and the chances of such a comeback taking place seem to be even less likely than the one staged last December.
Sunday's deflating 38-17 home defeat to the Dallas Cowboys showed the Eagles have significant ground to make up, and not just in the NFC East standings. The team that has ruled the roost in the division for the majority of this decade was both outclassed and outperformed by the first-place Cowboys, who opened up a four-game advantage on Philadelphia with just eight to play.
While Dallas' performance was indeed impressive, the Cowboys also didn't face a whole lot of resistance from an Eagles squad that appeared unprepared for the challenge of a crucial divisional showdown. That really wasn't much of a surprise, considering head coach Andy Reid had to spend part of the week in an area courtroom watching his two troubled sons get sentenced to jail and receiving a scathing tongue-lashing from the residing judge for his parenting skills.
I'll reserve judgement on Reid as a father, but his past history of success gives him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his team's lack thereof in 2007. Whether anyone associated with the organization will admit it or not, the never-ending legal saga involving Reid's sons Garrett and Britt has to have been an unwanted distraction to the Eagles' weekly preparation. However, that still doesn't completely account for Philadelphia's 3-5 record and lackluster play over the season's first two months.
Sunday's loss painfully proved that the window has officially closed on the Eagles' reign of excellence within the NFC. Quarterback Donovan McNabb, who contributed to the lopsided final outcome by committing three costly interceptions, will be 31 this month and isn't the playmaker he once was due to a string of debilitating injuries. He also hasn't received much help from a underachieving offensive line which features two bookend tackles, Jon Runyan and William Thomas, who turn 34 and 33, respectively, in November.
The defense has been better able to withstand the losses of key veteran members over the years by bringing in young talent such as end Trent Cole and middle linebacker Omar Gaither. Fifth-year pro Quintin Mikell has done a solid job at free safety in the games 34-year-old Brian Dawkins, another cornerstone player during Philadelphia's remarkable run who's nearing the end of the line, has missed this year with a neck injury. Dawkins' passion and invaluable leadership skills will likely be a much harder void to fill, however, when the energetic six-time Pro Bowler eventually does decide to walk away from the game.
Reid's personal tribulations still have had at least some impact on the team's so-far disappointing campaign. The Eagles have reached the playoffs in six of the last seven seasons, with a forgettable 6-10 mark in 2005 the only blemish. That year was also marred by a great deal of internal strife, the majority of which was caused by the tiresome antics of former wide receiver and current Cowboy Terrell Owens.
Owens, incidentally, did his part to make Sunday's setback an even more bitter pill to swallow for the Philadelphia faithful. The controversial wideout burned his former team for 174 yards on 10 receptions, including a 45-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown in the third quarter.
DAWKINS BACK, SHEPPARD LEAVES
A Philadelphia secondary that has been ravaged by injuries all season long was finally back at full strength, albeit briefly, when Dawkins returned to action after a five-game absence. However, two other starters in the defensive backfield were forced to the sidelines before the final whistle sounded.
Cornerback Lito Sheppard left the game in the third quarter after aggravating an injury to his left knee that caused the two-time Pro Bowl honoree to miss four straight contests earlier this season. In addition, strong safety Sean Considine sat out most of the second half because of a sprained shoulder.
Sheppard did record his first interception of the season before exiting, stopping a Dallas scoring drive late in the first half with a pick of quarterback Tony Romo deep in Philadelphia territory. It was his seventh interception in 10 career games against the Cowboys.
Reid said in his Monday press conference that Sheppard's knee was just sore and that he expected to have the standout defensive back in the lineup for this Sunday's game at Washington. The news is less certain on Considine, who's rookie season in 2005 was cut short by a dislocated shoulder. He underwent an MRI on Monday.
On the offensive side, wide receiver Jason Avant was inactive for the Dallas game with a groin strain and is considered day-to-day.
GO WEST
Sunday's loss overshadowed another splendid game for running back Brian Westbrook, who tied a franchise record with 14 catches accounting for 90 yards. That mark had stood since 1940, when Don Looney hauled in 14 passes against the Washington Commanders on December 1 of that season. Westbrook's reception total also matched the fourth-highest output by a running back in NFL history and was the most since St. Louis' Marshall Faulk had 14 grabs at Denver on September 8, 2002.
Westbrook added 65 rushing yards on 16 carries and scored the Eagles' first touchdown with a three-yard run in the first quarter.
HEADING TO WASHINGTON
The Eagles visit the division-rival Commanders this Sunday at FedEx Field in what has shaped up to be a crucial contest for both teams. Philadelphia enters this week's play three games behind the New York Giants and Detroit, the clubs currently occupying the two wild card spots in the conference, and is 0-3 against fellow members of the NFC East. Washington is 5-3 after this past Sunday's overtime win over the lowly New York Jets, but is presently looking up at both the Giants and Cowboys in the division standings.
The Commanders handed Philadelphia a 20-12 loss at Lincoln Financial Field back in Week 2, but the Eagles have emerged victorious in six of their last seven trips to FedEx Field.
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By Scott Garbarini, Associate NFL Editor
(Sports Network) - Last year the Philadelphia Eagles overcame a mediocre first half and rallied their way into the playoffs by winning their final five regular season games. It looks as if it's going to take a similar late surge to get this beleaguered club back in the postseason this year, and the chances of such a comeback taking place seem to be even less likely than the one staged last December.
Sunday's deflating 38-17 home defeat to the Dallas Cowboys showed the Eagles have significant ground to make up, and not just in the NFC East standings. The team that has ruled the roost in the division for the majority of this decade was both outclassed and outperformed by the first-place Cowboys, who opened up a four-game advantage on Philadelphia with just eight to play.
While Dallas' performance was indeed impressive, the Cowboys also didn't face a whole lot of resistance from an Eagles squad that appeared unprepared for the challenge of a crucial divisional showdown. That really wasn't much of a surprise, considering head coach Andy Reid had to spend part of the week in an area courtroom watching his two troubled sons get sentenced to jail and receiving a scathing tongue-lashing from the residing judge for his parenting skills.
I'll reserve judgement on Reid as a father, but his past history of success gives him the benefit of the doubt when it comes to his team's lack thereof in 2007. Whether anyone associated with the organization will admit it or not, the never-ending legal saga involving Reid's sons Garrett and Britt has to have been an unwanted distraction to the Eagles' weekly preparation. However, that still doesn't completely account for Philadelphia's 3-5 record and lackluster play over the season's first two months.
Sunday's loss painfully proved that the window has officially closed on the Eagles' reign of excellence within the NFC. Quarterback Donovan McNabb, who contributed to the lopsided final outcome by committing three costly interceptions, will be 31 this month and isn't the playmaker he once was due to a string of debilitating injuries. He also hasn't received much help from a underachieving offensive line which features two bookend tackles, Jon Runyan and William Thomas, who turn 34 and 33, respectively, in November.
The defense has been better able to withstand the losses of key veteran members over the years by bringing in young talent such as end Trent Cole and middle linebacker Omar Gaither. Fifth-year pro Quintin Mikell has done a solid job at free safety in the games 34-year-old Brian Dawkins, another cornerstone player during Philadelphia's remarkable run who's nearing the end of the line, has missed this year with a neck injury. Dawkins' passion and invaluable leadership skills will likely be a much harder void to fill, however, when the energetic six-time Pro Bowler eventually does decide to walk away from the game.
Reid's personal tribulations still have had at least some impact on the team's so-far disappointing campaign. The Eagles have reached the playoffs in six of the last seven seasons, with a forgettable 6-10 mark in 2005 the only blemish. That year was also marred by a great deal of internal strife, the majority of which was caused by the tiresome antics of former wide receiver and current Cowboy Terrell Owens.
Owens, incidentally, did his part to make Sunday's setback an even more bitter pill to swallow for the Philadelphia faithful. The controversial wideout burned his former team for 174 yards on 10 receptions, including a 45-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown in the third quarter.
DAWKINS BACK, SHEPPARD LEAVES
A Philadelphia secondary that has been ravaged by injuries all season long was finally back at full strength, albeit briefly, when Dawkins returned to action after a five-game absence. However, two other starters in the defensive backfield were forced to the sidelines before the final whistle sounded.
Cornerback Lito Sheppard left the game in the third quarter after aggravating an injury to his left knee that caused the two-time Pro Bowl honoree to miss four straight contests earlier this season. In addition, strong safety Sean Considine sat out most of the second half because of a sprained shoulder.
Sheppard did record his first interception of the season before exiting, stopping a Dallas scoring drive late in the first half with a pick of quarterback Tony Romo deep in Philadelphia territory. It was his seventh interception in 10 career games against the Cowboys.
Reid said in his Monday press conference that Sheppard's knee was just sore and that he expected to have the standout defensive back in the lineup for this Sunday's game at Washington. The news is less certain on Considine, who's rookie season in 2005 was cut short by a dislocated shoulder. He underwent an MRI on Monday.
On the offensive side, wide receiver Jason Avant was inactive for the Dallas game with a groin strain and is considered day-to-day.
GO WEST
Sunday's loss overshadowed another splendid game for running back Brian Westbrook, who tied a franchise record with 14 catches accounting for 90 yards. That mark had stood since 1940, when Don Looney hauled in 14 passes against the Washington Commanders on December 1 of that season. Westbrook's reception total also matched the fourth-highest output by a running back in NFL history and was the most since St. Louis' Marshall Faulk had 14 grabs at Denver on September 8, 2002.
Westbrook added 65 rushing yards on 16 carries and scored the Eagles' first touchdown with a three-yard run in the first quarter.
HEADING TO WASHINGTON
The Eagles visit the division-rival Commanders this Sunday at FedEx Field in what has shaped up to be a crucial contest for both teams. Philadelphia enters this week's play three games behind the New York Giants and Detroit, the clubs currently occupying the two wild card spots in the conference, and is 0-3 against fellow members of the NFC East. Washington is 5-3 after this past Sunday's overtime win over the lowly New York Jets, but is presently looking up at both the Giants and Cowboys in the division standings.
The Commanders handed Philadelphia a 20-12 loss at Lincoln Financial Field back in Week 2, but the Eagles have emerged victorious in six of their last seven trips to FedEx Field.
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