Philly.com: Winter blunderland 42 -0 pasting

[tr1]

Gosh, I hope Reggie White was busy in heaven...

By LES BOWEN

bowenl@phillynews.com

FIRST, THE Eagles officially retired Reggie White's number.

Then they unofficially retired their season, and any remaining trace of the dominant team they were less than a year ago.

The final score of the 42-0 loss to the Seattle Seahawks made it the franchise's worst home loss since the Nick Skorich-coached Eagles were blasted by visiting Green Bay, 49-0, on Nov. 11, 1962. It was the worst loss overall since a 62-10 setback at the Giants on Nov. 26, 1972.

These Eagles are 5-7 and aren't going to the playoffs unless the NFL adds at least half a dozen wild-card berths in the next month, which is about as unlikely as the Birds' offense returning to any semblance of decency under the command of Mike McMahon (4-for-10, 61 yards, two interceptions for touchdowns, and a 21.2 passer rating) or Koy Detmer (13-for-29, 84 yards, two interceptions, one fumble and a 23.2 passer rating).

It's hard to conceive of a prolonged national embarrassment worse than the Terrell Owens drama, which highlighted the Eagles' decline from a three-point Super Bowl loss 10 months ago to last place in the NFC East today. But this might have been the 1-night equivalent, given that a national TV audience was watching (briefly, anyway) on "Monday Night Football,'' and an assortment of distinguished alumni had gathered to honor the late Minister of Defense. (Couldn't Randall Cunningham have just stayed on the field after the halftime portion of the tribute? Could he have done worse than McMahon or Detmer?)

Of course, most people around here started looking to next season when Donovan McNabb's year finally came to a painful and humiliating end against Dallas 3 weeks back, but until last night Eagles coach Andy Reid and his team were able to keep alive the theoretical notion of a redeeming late run and a playoff berth.

The 10-2 Seahawks, new masters of the NFC, quickly stripped away those illusions. The Eagles' rumblings about still having a chance to turn around the season turned out to be a bigger snow job than, well, the much-hyped snowstorm, which looked picturesque blowing about under the Lincoln Financial Field lights but amounted to only a dusting on the turf well into the final quarter.

"We didn't play with enough emotion on either side of the ball,'' Reid said, calling the effort "unacceptable,'' after the most lopsided loss of his 7-year tenure. "There's not a lot of good I can find out of this game... We didn't start out well and we didn't finish well.''

As the Giants lick their chops for Sunday's visit here, it's worth noting that the Eagles also lost their top remaining weapon, Brian Westbrook, to a foot sprain of undetermined severity. Reid said Westbrook, who was injured early in the game but played until halftime, would undergo an MRI today.

Getting McMahon going faster (he was 9-for-27 for 108 yards in the first halves of his first two starts) was something Reid emphasized repeatedly last week. The defensive keys were getting pressure on Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck, to curtail Seattle's potent short-to-intermediate passing game, and loading up against running back Shaun Alexander, the NFL's leading rusher.

Alexander turned out to be irrelevant, but otherwise, those plans were pretty well trashed with 3 minutes and 24 seconds left in the first quarter, and the Eagles trailing 14-0.

First, the Seahawks managed to score a touchdown on their opening drive despite needing 16 plays to move 65 yards, and five plays and a penalty to score after they managed a first and goal at the Birds' 1.

The recurring problem was third down, and the Eagles' inability to pressure Hasselbeck after doing well on first and second down. Ultimately, Hasselbeck had 8.6 seconds to stand and pat the ball, then roll right before throwing nicely back across his body, hitting Bobby Engram alone in the back of the end zone on third and goal from the 11.

McMahon then actually moved the Birds to three first downs on the Eagles' opening drive and was maybe 10 yards out of David Akers' range when he forced a first-down throw into coverage. It was picked off by Seattle corner Andre Dyson, who easily avoided intended receiver Greg Lewis' underwhelming effort to break up the pick or tackle the fleeing corner.

Dyson's return went 72 yards for a touchdown, and just like that the Birds were in a two-touchdown hole. All over the Delaware Valley, TV remote controls checked the starting time for "CSI: Miami.''

For those who hung in with ABC, the forensics exhibits from the Linc were no less gruesome.

McMahon completed a 27-yard pass to tight end L.J. Smith, briefly cheering the snow-flecked crowd, but two plays later McMahon somehow failed to see linebacker Lofa Tatupu standing in front of Smith, and threw a perfect strike to Tatupu that the rookie from USC ran back 38 yards for another touchdown, making it 21-0.

"I think they did a nice job kind of sitting on some of the routes,'' McMahon said. "I just can't throw the ball there.''

Before long, Detmer emerged from a mysterious little black plastic tent at the end of the bench and promptly threw his first pass off the hands of Tatupu to safety Michael Boulware, who returned the pick to the 2. Alexander scored his 21st rushing touchdown of the year on the next play. It was 28-0.

Then, somehow, it got worse. The Eagles went for it twice on fourth and 1 and only moved the chains once, and when Seattle got the ball back on its 47 with 1:49 left in the second quarter, the Seahawks needed just four plays to make it 35-0 at halftime.

When the second half began, just to give the quarterbacks a break from turning the ball over, rookie running back Ryan Moats fumbled it away to Dyson, who took off for a 25-yard touchdown ramble.

"The defense was trying to do the best they could,'' Detmer said, after six turnovers led to the Eagles losing by six touchdowns despite allowing just 194 total yards, which might be some sort of record.

It seemed curious to see Reid, not terribly tolerant of such mistakes, stick with Moats when the Birds got the ball back. The mystery cleared as Westbrook's foot sprain was announced. Lamar Gordon (who fumbled last week) was deactivated and Reno Mahe was the only other running back available. Since fullback Josh Parry was playing with an ankle sprain, Reid opted to dress reserve tight end Steve Spach, who also is the backup fullback, instead of Gordon.

Detmer was asked about Reid's contention that his team didn't show enough emotion.

"When the score ends up like that, you can say a lot of things,'' he said. "It was not our best effort by any stretch. Guys were out there trying, but we didn't put it together tonight. It was frustrating and it was tough, it was all those things.''

Defensive end Jevon Kearse said the defense wouldn't point fingers at the offense, and that he didn't think the team would quit.

"We're going to finish up playing Eagle football. We're not going to let the tent down and call it a season,'' Kearse said. "It was embarrassing and everything else that goes bad with that.''

Middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter said after the game, he and other leaders told teammates: "Guys got to take more pride in their work... Ain't no excuses, we ain't making excuses about guys being out. Whoever's on the field got to perform... If [the Seahawks' defense] can get turnovers and score, so can we. It's embarrassing.''

Birdseed

In their last two visits to Philadelphia, the Seahawks have outscored the Eagles, 80-0... Well, at least Sean Landeta had plenty of work, as he got a late start on his 21st NFL season, punting eight times for a 37.1 average... Eagles strong safety Mike Lewis left the game briefly with a hip pointer but returned... The Eagles have lost four Monday night games in a row, three this season.

© 2005 Philadelphia Daily News and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.

http://www.philly.com

[redphoenix]

Gosh, I hope Reggie White was busy in heaven...

By LES BOWEN

bowenl@phillynews.com

FIRST, THE Eagles officially retired Reggie White's number.

Then they unofficially retired their season, and any remaining trace of the dominant team they were less than a year ago.

The final score of the 42-0 loss to the Seattle Seahawks made it the franchise's worst home loss since the Nick Skorich-coached Eagles were blasted by visiting Green Bay, 49-0, on Nov. 11, 1962. It was the worst loss overall since a 62-10 setback at the Giants on Nov. 26, 1972.

These Eagles are 5-7 and aren't going to the playoffs unless the NFL adds at least half a dozen wild-card berths in the next month, which is about as unlikely as the Birds' offense returning to any semblance of decency under the command of Mike McMahon (4-for-10, 61 yards, two interceptions for touchdowns, and a 21.2 passer rating) or Koy Detmer (13-for-29, 84 yards, two interceptions, one fumble and a 23.2 passer rating).

It's hard to conceive of a prolonged national embarrassment worse than the Terrell Owens drama, which highlighted the Eagles' decline from a three-point Super Bowl loss 10 months ago to last place in the NFC East today. But this might have been the 1-night equivalent, given that a national TV audience was watching (briefly, anyway) on "Monday Night Football,'' and an assortment of distinguished alumni had gathered to honor the late Minister of Defense. (Couldn't Randall Cunningham have just stayed on the field after the halftime portion of the tribute? Could he have done worse than McMahon or Detmer?)

Of course, most people around here started looking to next season when Donovan McNabb's year finally came to a painful and humiliating end against Dallas 3 weeks back, but until last night Eagles coach Andy Reid and his team were able to keep alive the theoretical notion of a redeeming late run and a playoff berth.

The 10-2 Seahawks, new masters of the NFC, quickly stripped away those illusions. The Eagles' rumblings about still having a chance to turn around the season turned out to be a bigger snow job than, well, the much-hyped snowstorm, which looked picturesque blowing about under the Lincoln Financial Field lights but amounted to only a dusting on the turf well into the final quarter.

"We didn't play with enough emotion on either side of the ball,'' Reid said, calling the effort "unacceptable,'' after the most lopsided loss of his 7-year tenure. "There's not a lot of good I can find out of this game... We didn't start out well and we didn't finish well.''

As the Giants lick their chops for Sunday's visit here, it's worth noting that the Eagles also lost their top remaining weapon, Brian Westbrook, to a foot sprain of undetermined severity. Reid said Westbrook, who was injured early in the game but played until halftime, would undergo an MRI today.

Getting McMahon going faster (he was 9-for-27 for 108 yards in the first halves of his first two starts) was something Reid emphasized repeatedly last week. The defensive keys were getting pressure on Seahawks QB Matt Hasselbeck, to curtail Seattle's potent short-to-intermediate passing game, and loading up against running back Shaun Alexander, the NFL's leading rusher.

Alexander turned out to be irrelevant, but otherwise, those plans were pretty well trashed with 3 minutes and 24 seconds left in the first quarter, and the Eagles trailing 14-0.

First, the Seahawks managed to score a touchdown on their opening drive despite needing 16 plays to move 65 yards, and five plays and a penalty to score after they managed a first and goal at the Birds' 1.

The recurring problem was third down, and the Eagles' inability to pressure Hasselbeck after doing well on first and second down. Ultimately, Hasselbeck had 8.6 seconds to stand and pat the ball, then roll right before throwing nicely back across his body, hitting Bobby Engram alone in the back of the end zone on third and goal from the 11.

McMahon then actually moved the Birds to three first downs on the Eagles' opening drive and was maybe 10 yards out of David Akers' range when he forced a first-down throw into coverage. It was picked off by Seattle corner Andre Dyson, who easily avoided intended receiver Greg Lewis' underwhelming effort to break up the pick or tackle the fleeing corner.

Dyson's return went 72 yards for a touchdown, and just like that the Birds were in a two-touchdown hole. All over the Delaware Valley, TV remote controls checked the starting time for "CSI: Miami.''

For those who hung in with ABC, the forensics exhibits from the Linc were no less gruesome.

McMahon completed a 27-yard pass to tight end L.J. Smith, briefly cheering the snow-flecked crowd, but two plays later McMahon somehow failed to see linebacker Lofa Tatupu standing in front of Smith, and threw a perfect strike to Tatupu that the rookie from USC ran back 38 yards for another touchdown, making it 21-0.

"I think they did a nice job kind of sitting on some of the routes,'' McMahon said. "I just can't throw the ball there.''

Before long, Detmer emerged from a mysterious little black plastic tent at the end of the bench and promptly threw his first pass off the hands of Tatupu to safety Michael Boulware, who returned the pick to the 2. Alexander scored his 21st rushing touchdown of the year on the next play. It was 28-0.

Then, somehow, it got worse. The Eagles went for it twice on fourth and 1 and only moved the chains once, and when Seattle got the ball back on its 47 with 1:49 left in the second quarter, the Seahawks needed just four plays to make it 35-0 at halftime.

When the second half began, just to give the quarterbacks a break from turning the ball over, rookie running back Ryan Moats fumbled it away to Dyson, who took off for a 25-yard touchdown ramble.

"The defense was trying to do the best they could,'' Detmer said, after six turnovers led to the Eagles losing by six touchdowns despite allowing just 194 total yards, which might be some sort of record.

It seemed curious to see Reid, not terribly tolerant of such mistakes, stick with Moats when the Birds got the ball back. The mystery cleared as Westbrook's foot sprain was announced. Lamar Gordon (who fumbled last week) was deactivated and Reno Mahe was the only other running back available. Since fullback Josh Parry was playing with an ankle sprain, Reid opted to dress reserve tight end Steve Spach, who also is the backup fullback, instead of Gordon.

Detmer was asked about Reid's contention that his team didn't show enough emotion.

"When the score ends up like that, you can say a lot of things,'' he said. "It was not our best effort by any stretch. Guys were out there trying, but we didn't put it together tonight. It was frustrating and it was tough, it was all those things.''

Defensive end Jevon Kearse said the defense wouldn't point fingers at the offense, and that he didn't think the team would quit.

"We're going to finish up playing Eagle football. We're not going to let the tent down and call it a season,'' Kearse said. "It was embarrassing and everything else that goes bad with that.''

Middle linebacker Jeremiah Trotter said after the game, he and other leaders told teammates: "Guys got to take more pride in their work... Ain't no excuses, we ain't making excuses about guys being out. Whoever's on the field got to perform... If [the Seahawks' defense] can get turnovers and score, so can we. It's embarrassing.''

Birdseed

In their last two visits to Philadelphia, the Seahawks have outscored the Eagles, 80-0... Well, at least Sean Landeta had plenty of work, as he got a late start on his 21st NFL season, punting eight times for a 37.1 average... Eagles strong safety Mike Lewis left the game briefly with a hip pointer but returned... The Eagles have lost four Monday night games in a row, three this season.

© 2005 Philadelphia Daily News and wire service sources. All Rights Reserved.

http://www.philly.com

:applause: :applause: :applause: :applause:

[Dead Money]

"The Eagles will win the NFC East"

Pick your favorite mediot, they all said it and nobody saw the trainwreck around the corner. :whoknows: Theres always next year!

[ntotoro]

Defensive end Jevon Kearse said the defense wouldn't point fingers at the offense, and that he didn't think the team would quit.

The Defense did give up three TD's... :laugh:

[zoony]

It will be very, very interesting to see how the philly fans finish out this season.

they've told the rest of us ( ) that they are the best for years now... I guess we'll see. Although until they lose consistently for 13 straight years we won't really know. Oh wait. That was back in the 80's... when they didn't sell out the stadium. :laugh:

..........

[TerpsEagles]

"The Eagles will win the NFC East"

Pick your favorite mediot, they all said it and nobody saw the trainwreck around the corner. :whoknows: Theres always next year!

And a few picked the Skins in '04 too.... go figure.

How will it feel, for all the sh!t the Eagles have gone through this year... and as horrible as they've been, to finish w/ the same record, or perhaps only one game ahead ? In Gibbs' second season no less.

That has to be somewhat worrisome deep, deep down inside..... you know it.

But that's okay, the Skins have a sh!tload of draft picks and tons of cap space to work with next year. :cool:

[Y100Rocks]

Really. The giants are the only other team in the nfc east that looks like they could be scary down the road. Only team with a proven good young qb.

[redphoenix]

i just heard that the eagles havent lost like that in 43 years,irving fryar just reported it with a grin on his face.....httr

[dockeryfan]

And a few picked the Skins in '04 too.... go figure.

How will it feel, for all the sh!t the Eagles have gone through this year... and as horrible as they've been, to finish w/ the same record, or perhaps only one game ahead ? In Gibbs' second season no less.

That has to be somewhat worrisome deep, deep down inside..... you know it.

But that's okay, the Skins have a sh!tload of draft picks and tons of cap space to work with next year. :cool:

Give it up, dude. You're like the fat girl drawing attention to herself by having a tantrum. It's not pretty to watch.

edit spelling

[TheREALJBird]

And a few picked the Skins in '04 too.... go figure.

How will it feel, for all the sh!t the Eagles have gone through this year... and as horrible as they've been, to finish w/ the same record, or perhaps only one game ahead ? In Gibbs' second season no less.

That has to be somewhat worrisome deep, deep down inside..... you know it.

But that's okay, the Skins have a sh!tload of draft picks and tons of cap space to work with next year. :cool:

Well when the end of the year comes around and the skins are in the playoffs and the Eagles are all having a sleepover at donovan's eating campbell's chunky new england clam chowder....remember this post you put :laugh: