Monday, September 12, 2005

The Dawk Never Dies

Only moments after ABC’s Al Michaels tells viewers that the Eagles’ Brian Dawkins is still in the locker room being treated for dehydration, the All-Pro safety comes back on the field and thwarts a threatening Falcons’ drive.
First, Dawkins breaks up a pass in the end zone, then his sack of Falcons quarterback Michael Vick causes a fumble.
His in-game numbers: 6 tackles, 2 sacks, 1 forced fumble and 1 interception.
The Eagles, still trailing 14-7, face a crucial third and long with 9:31 to go in the game.

McNabb vs. Vick

Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb has thrown up … er, coughed up two fumbles thus far and has also thrown an interception.
Vick, meanwhile, looks like McNabb, circa 2000.

Where Have You Gone Corey Simon?

The Eagles run defense has allowed 143 yards on the ground with 4:44 left in the third quarter. Falcons running back Warrick Dunn has 108 of those yards on 18 carries, and looks like the second coming of Jim Brown. If only former Eagles defensive tackle Corey Simon hadn’t been let go and signed by the Indianapolis Colts.
Oh wait, Simon couldn’t stop run, either. Scratch that. The real reason for the hole in the Birds’ run D tonight? Middle Linebacker Jeremiah Trotter is trotting the sidelines – thanks to a pre-game ejection – instead of between the hash marks.
This just in: Eagles President Joe Banner tells Eagles owner Jeffrey Laurie, “We should have given some of Trotter’s new contract money – $15.6 million over 5 years and a $4.1 million signing bonus – to Westbrook.”
Eagles are still losing, 14-7.

Jimmy Kimmel is the worst

How does this guy have a network late night television show? Am I missing something? He just did a halftime commentary on the Donovan McNabb-Terrell Owens feud on ABC and I wanted to throw a tomato at my television screen.
This just in: Carrot Top gets his own late night talk show.

Halftime score: Falcons 14, Eagles 7

Eagles running back Brian Westbrook’s halftime numbers: 7 carries for 39 yards and 3 receptions for 28 yards and a TD.
Eagles kicker David Akers is 0 for 2 from 49 yards.
This just in: Eagles President Joe Banner is overheard in the visitor’s box at the Georgia Dome saying, “We should take the money from Akers’ next contract and give it to Westbrook.”

Falcons 14, Eagles 7

Eagles running back Brian Westbrook accounts for 48 yards rushing and receiving during the Eagles second quarter 9-play, 78-yard drive, and scores the Eagles’ first touchdown of the season.
This just in: Joe Banner calls Westbrook’s agent, Fletcher Smith, and ups Eagles brass contract offer.

Philadelphia beats Atlanta

Philadelphia 4, Atlanta 1. Oops, that was the Phils' final over the Braves. The Eagles? They're losing, 14-0.

Falcons 7, Eagles 0

Atlanta’s Michael Vick may not be a great proto-typical quarterback right now.
Heck, he may never be a great drop back, pass first quarterback. But he sure is exciting to watch. And with a little over 3 minutes left in the first quarter, he looks lightning fast on that Georgia Dome turf.
And the Eagles defense looks a step slower.And it has nothing to do with Jeremiah Trotter’s absence (see: post below).

Just Like Starting Over

An hour or so ago, I was watching an NFL Films special that aired on ESPN2 that chronicled the Eagles and their die-hard fans.
It was well done, with all the necessary talking heads, local sportswriters, WIP personalities, etc. And it did a fair job dissecting the mind of the Philadelphia fan, particularly the Eagles fan.
The show recounted the 2004 season -- the near-perfect regular season, Terrell Owens’ injury, the monkey-off-the-back NFL Championship victory and the eventual Super Bowl defeat.
Watching highlights of that 24-21 loss to the New England Patriots from last February had me thinking that most of Eagles Nation probably haven’t gotten over the hangover of that crushing end (I know what you’re saying: “Duh.”).
More specifically, though, most have probably not even reflected upon the cause of the hangover -- or even watched replays -- at least since March.
Well, with tonight’s season opener against the Atlanta Falcons, the flood of painful memories will come raging back, as ESPN’s Monday Night Countdown and ABC broadcasters Al Michaels and John Madden rehash the past.
One thing is certain; the faithful are back on the bus, willing to take the ride, no matter the conclusion.

Ejected

Eagles middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter was just ejected from tonight's game against the Atlanta Falcons. More to come ...

Sensitive new-age guy

"Once my injury occurred, I really had to endure the pain of not just physical pain," Terrell Owens told ESPN's Michael Irvin. "It was emotional pain that came with it. I had to sit on the couch and watch interviews leading up to the Super Bowl - in the playoff games.

"Guys saying that they didn't need me to win. I'm a human being and I have feelings. Going through all that, just to hear some of those players say some of those things, it really hurt me. It was more hurtful than the pain I had to endure going through rehab for six or seven weeks."

For more, go to T.O. talks at http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/sports/12620876.htm or http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/

Now, it's up to the Eagles

Well it is all on the Eagles tonight because the rest of the division won all of their games yesterday. The Giants, Cowboys and even the Skins all came out of Sunday victorious. This is not likely to be a 6-10 season for any of them.

The Eagles did not get an easy home opener.