Sunday, November 9, 2008

Andy Reid Got to Go


I have never been a person who believed Andy Reid should be fired. He has the most victories in Eagles history. He has averaged 10 wins a season, led to Eagles to the Super Bowl, and had the Eagles the class of the NFC East for years. 

With that said, is the Eagles don't advance to the playoffs this season, Reid has to go. I say this now, because after watching Reid cost the Eagles a chance to pull to within one game of the Giants, it has never been more evident. How did he cost them the game? Lets start at the beginning.

1) LJ Smith should not have started. Brent Celek has the second most yards receiving for a tight end in Eagles history last weekend. How does Reid repay him? By sending him to the bench. Why bench him? Smith has the skills, but over all has been dissapointing. He fumbles and is always hurt. He also is on the Franchise Tag, which means he will be a free agent at the end of the year. Celek is a promising young rookie, coming off his best game. Why delay the growth process and bench him? Then, not only does Reid bench him, he then forces the ball to LJ Smith on the second drive, causing a three and out. 

2) The Starting Offense. The Eagles did score on their first possession, but that touch down was handed to them gift wrapped from the Eagles defense. In the first quarter, the Eagles held the ball a total of 90 seconds. You can blame that on the defense as well, and thats more then fair. But if the offense didn't go three and out every time at the beginning of the game, the other team wouldn't have the ball as much. The Eagles fell behind last week, and fell behind 17-7 in this game. Last week they cold overcome it, but this week (like most), they could not. 

3) Challenges. In a tight game, challenges are huge. Not only because you might need them to over turn a call, but use them and lose, you lose a time out. Tonight, Andy Reid challenged a call that was clearly correct. The call was whether or not Brandon Jacobs was down before the ball came out as the Giants were driving close to the goal line. The replays shown on TV, right after the play, were not even close. Yet there was Andy Reid, throwing the challenge flag. He lost, and it cost the Eagles a time out. This would come back to kill them.

4) Clock Management. How many times do we have to watch the Eagles lazily walk up to the huddle, slowly get to the line, and waste precious time off the clock? Did he not learn his lesson in the super bowl. With the Eagles down 5 with the ball, they ran a play, then waited 20 seconds to the 2 minute warning. Why would you not try to run a play before the two minute warning? You already only have wasted one timeout from challenging that one play, and you wasted another one on a seperate challenge. Yet still, you don't hurry up. It makes no sense. 

5) Play Calling. Play calling has always been a black mark on the Andy Reid legacy here in Philly. But tonight was typical of the Reid Era. First, Westbrook only rushes 13 times in the game. While the run game was not successful, Reid needs to stick with it. Westbrook is one of the best running backs in the league. He needs to commit to the run more often at the beginning of the game. Because tonight the end of the game, with McNabb getting the Eagles back in the game, the Eagles faced a crucial 3 and 3 with 1:55 left on the clock. Next play: A sweep run for a one yard gain. Next play? A sweep run for a 1 yard gain. Why run it then? Why all the sudden feel the need to have a power house running game, when you didn't create it for the first 58 minutes of the game? Those two play calls most likely cost the Eagles the playoffs. 

6) Andy Reid the GM. Its hard to be a head coach in the NFL. Countless hours and tasks. So to be the GM and a head coach, it takes a special person. And I think its now fair to say, Reid is not that special person. There have been first round draft busts like Jerome McDougle, Freddie Mitchell and Winston Justice. And that was when he drafted in the first round. The last two years, he has traded out of the first round. He drafted a quarterback with his first pick two years ago. The draft is where you build your team, and as the Eagles start to fade in the division, the lack of good draft picks is starting to show. 

With all that said, the Eagles can not make the change now. But when the season ends, and the Eagles don't make the playoffs, people will be calling for McNabbs head. And while I can see the reason to want to rebuild, I don't think throwing a rookie Kevin Kolb into the lineup next year will be the answer. Westbrook dosn't have many years left. Other team leaders like Asante Samuel, Sheldon Brown, and Kevin Curtis are ready to win now. The team has a better chance with McNabb at the helm then Andy Reid. That is why it is time to hire a new coach. 

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