Football (NFL) USA

Collapse
X
 
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • jm1647
    An Eagles Fan, A MenuShrinker
    • Apr 2005
    • 3661

    from my local newspaper this morning
    **************************************


    Friday, January 12, 2007


    By GEOFF MOSHER
    Gannett News Service

    PHILADELPHIA
    First, they had some impressive early wins but also suffered some crushing, narrow defeats.

    When they won, they played hawkish defense and controlled the ball. When they lost, they played spotty in both areas and confounded their head coach.

    Rock bottom came against Indianapolis, when the Colts crushed them and cast doubt about their legitimacy as playoff contenders.

    Sound like the 2006 Philadelphia Eagles?

    How about the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers? You know, the world champion Steelers. See any resemblance?

    "Yeah, you can see that a little bit," Eagles linebacker Jeremiah Trotter admitted. "The Steelers got hot at the right time and every game they won, they won on the road and they were the underdogs.

    "So when a team is hot and they have some talent and they are playing together at the end, they are tough to beat."

    Whether the Eagles can complete the expedition in the footsteps of their intrastate rivals from the AFC remains to be seen. The journey continues at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, where the Eagles and Saints meet in an NFC divisional playoff game.

    When asked if the Eagles could take a page from the Steelers' book, tight end L.J. Smith took a skeptic's viewpoint.

    "Every team stands on its own merit," Smith said. "We're not the Steelers, and the Steelers aren't us."

    Fair enough, but the closer you examine the Steelers' improbable climb to their fifth Super Bowl title in team history, the harder to deny the commonalities to the Eagles' pursuit of their first.

    Last year, the Steelers toppled Tennessee and Houston before losing to New England on -- gulp -- a last-second Adam Vinatieri field goal.

    Hot starts?

    How about the Eagles' season-opening 24-10 victory, or their 38-24 romp of San Francisco, or their 31-9 trouncing of Green Bay. And take your pick of heart-breaking, last-second field goals -- John Carney's 31-yarder against New Orleans or Matt Bryant's improbable 62-yard dagger at Tampa Bay.

    The Steelers bottomed out on Nov. 26, 2005, after the Colts beat them 26-7 at the RCA Dome, dropping them to 7-5 and creating an early playoff picture painted without the colors Black and Gold.

    And here's where it gets weird.

    Less than two months ago, on Nov. 26, exactly a year to the day Indy manhandled Pittsburgh in their home dome, the Colts butchered the Eagles 45-21, seemingly hammering the nail in the Eagles' coffin.

    Losing to Indianapolis would mark the low point of each team's season. Although Pittsburgh suffered one more -- a 38-31 setback to Cincinnati -- the Steelers soon returned to their bread-and-butter tradition of power running and smash-mouth football.

    With a snowstorm pounding the Heinz Field grass, the Steelers turned to Willie Parker and Jerome Bettis, and their defense got nasty again, to power past Chicago 21-9.

    They went to Minnesota the next weekend and stonewalled the Vikings 18-3, clobbered rival Cleveland 41-0 and finished the 2005 regular-season by spanking Detroit 35-21. Improbably, they had won their last four games to steal the No. 6 seed in the AFC playoffs.

    For the Eagles?

    When the dust settled at the RCA Dome on that sobering Indianapolis night, the Eagles, having just handed the offense to Jeff Garcia, left humbled and seemed powerless to turn around their season.

    At 5-6, with three of their final five games remaining on the road, against NFC East division foes no less, a second straight losing season awaited.

    "Before the Carolina game, I was just kind of looking at the paper, people were just completely writing us off," Eagles tight end Matt Schobel said. "I remember thinking if we win tonight, I think we were mathematically in the playoffs, and we haven't lost since then. Hopefully we'll kind of follow the Pittsburgh blueprint.

    "The similarity that I see with us and Pittsburgh, both of us at some point in the season everybody kind of wrote us off."

    Schobel played on the Bengals squad that lost in the wild-card game last season to Pittsburgh 31-17.

    The Eagles? Time will tell.

    ******************************

    The whole area is going bonkers. Somebody put a Jeff Garcia t-shirt on the Rocky statue at the Art Museum.

    I too wrote the Eagles off after McNabb went down and the blowout by the Colts with Jeff Garcia in there. But what a comeback this team has made. Whatever happens the rest of the way, it's been a helluva ride this year as an Eagles fan. The Saints won the game in New Orleans early in the season on a late filed goal. All I can say is Fly Eagles Fly!

    E A G L E S Eagles

    Comment

    • jm1647
      An Eagles Fan, A MenuShrinker
      • Apr 2005
      • 3661

      Well the wild Eagles ride is over. The Saints won and what a year they are having, from 3-13 last year to going to the NFC Championship game. And Deuce McCallister what a game he had.

      I can't say we coulda, shoulda, woulda won. We just got outplayed. We gave up over 200 yds rushing again Time of possession and first downs by the Saints tells it all. We had our chances but just couldn't get it done.

      My hat is off to the Saints!!!!

      Thanks to the Eagles for another exciting year

      Comment

      • volfann
        Digital Video Enthusiast
        Digital Video Enthusiast
        • Jun 2006
        • 384

        NOW LET'S ALL RALLY 'ROUND THOSE COLTS AND WIN THE AFC AND THEN THE SUPER BOWL!!!!!!!
        sigpic


        Rent This Space



        Comment

        • jm1647
          An Eagles Fan, A MenuShrinker
          • Apr 2005
          • 3661

          Teams that have never played in a Super Bowl:
          Cleveland Browns
          Houston Texans
          Indianapolis Colts
          Jacksonville Jaguars
          Detroit Lions
          New Orleans Saints
          Arizona Cardinals

          So with who is left in the playoffs right now I would love to see the Colts and the Saints make it and being a NFC guy I gotta go with the Saints especially since they knocked my Iggles out

          Teams that have never won a Super Bowl:
          Buffalo Bills
          Cincinnati Bengals
          Cleveland Browns
          Houston Texans
          Indianapolis Colts
          Jacksonville Jaguars
          Tennessee Titans
          San Diego Chargers
          Philadelphia Eagles 0-2
          Detroit Lions
          Minnesota Vikings
          Atlanta Falcons
          Carolina Panthers
          New Orleans Saints
          Arizona Cardinals
          Seattle Seahawks

          Comment

          • doctorhardware
            Lord of Digital Video
            Lord of Digital Video
            • Dec 2006
            • 1907

            Go Bears, I think if Grossman can keep it together and the offense coach can call better plays there is a chance for them to win. It was a close and wild game.
            Star Baby Girl, Born March,1997 Died June 30th 2007 6:35 PM.

            Comment

            • jm1647
              An Eagles Fan, A MenuShrinker
              • Apr 2005
              • 3661

              I give Grossman and the Bears all the credit in the world. 3-10 and then a bomb. Then going for a 49 yard FG to win it.

              I think the Eagles forgot about FredEx and 4-26

              The Bears-Saints game should be a great one!!!!

              Comment

              • Dan
                Digital Video Master
                Digital Video Master
                • Dec 2005
                • 1029

                All of this weekend's playoff game have been soooo close, no blowouts like the old days. Shows just how competitive it is in the NFL these days.

                Makes for some great football games.


                Despite the int's Brady comes back for victory! WOW!
                Last edited by Dan; 15 Jan 2007, 11:21 AM.

                Comment

                • BR7
                  He is coming to your little town!
                  • Aug 2005
                  • 2137

                  I hear ya.I was pulling for the Chargers but deep down I knew the Pats would win it some way or another.
                  Last edited by BR7; 15 Jan 2007, 11:35 AM.

                  My Blu-ray Collection

                  Comment

                  • Dan
                    Digital Video Master
                    Digital Video Master
                    • Dec 2005
                    • 1029

                    Yep, I had that feeling too man. Gonna be a great game in Indy that's for sure.
                    Damn, I thought I took Indy in the pool too, oops!

                    Comment

                    • BR7
                      He is coming to your little town!
                      • Aug 2005
                      • 2137

                      I hope indy woops em. After seeing how they help up against the Ravens D I have high hopes

                      My Blu-ray Collection

                      Comment

                      • jm1647
                        An Eagles Fan, A MenuShrinker
                        • Apr 2005
                        • 3661

                        McCree from SD probably won't sleep good for awhile One play from the game
                        New Rngland had the ball 4-5-SD41 (6:25) (Shotgun) T.Brady pass short middle intended for T.Brown INTERCEPTED by M.McCree at SD 31. M.McCree to SD 34 for 3 yards (T.Brown). FUMBLES (T.Brown), RECOVERED by NE-R.Caldwell at SD 32. Play Challenged by SD and Upheld. (Timeout #1 by SD at 06:16.)

                        I know the adrenaline is pumping like crazy but ya gotta think too. If your lucky enuff to have a 8 point lead with under 7 minutes left in the game and you have a running back with over a hundred yards like LT, in a crowd intercept the ball then fall on the ball

                        Now Manning gets to face his nemesis again in Brady

                        Like I said I'm hoping for a Colts-Saints SB

                        Comment

                        • volfann
                          Digital Video Enthusiast
                          Digital Video Enthusiast
                          • Jun 2006
                          • 384

                          Even though I picked Chargers in the pool I was happy to see Pats win.. Now Indy can play next game at home and I think they match up better with the Pats than they would against LT and the Chargers.
                          sigpic


                          Rent This Space



                          Comment

                          • Dan
                            Digital Video Master
                            Digital Video Master
                            • Dec 2005
                            • 1029

                            Exactly! They must talk about those situations over and over. They likely hjad the game if he just goes down and covers the ball.

                            As for the SB, the Pats look awful good, but it would be nice to see Manning play for a ring.

                            I see home field being a big advantage for both games next week. Not so much for them but if the games were at the other teams home,lol.

                            Comment

                            • jm1647
                              An Eagles Fan, A MenuShrinker
                              • Apr 2005
                              • 3661

                              @BR7 - you any relation to Elliot Ness ??

                              Untouchable with 3 games left. Ya can't be beat!!!!!

                              At the top after the regular season and at the top at the end after the SB!!!



                              Comment

                              • jm1647
                                An Eagles Fan, A MenuShrinker
                                • Apr 2005
                                • 3661

                                Almost forgot Dan congrats on the Week 19 win
                                Last edited by jm1647; 15 Jan 2007, 01:54 PM.

                                Comment

                                Working...