Philadelphia Game Blog

How can you lose a game in which Ladell Betts runs for a heroic 177 yards and you control the clock?

Simple: you get away from what you do best, running the ball, and call plays that put your young quarterback in a tough position. Ugh.

Some observations from the game:

1. Carlos Rogers is a bust draft pick. On the Eagles first drive he dropped an easy interception (the Skins only have 5 INT's this year, last in the league). Then when Philly was third and long and Garcia missed his receiver Rogers was called for a penalty, which gave them first and goal. The Birds converted that into 7 points. Rogers was also burned for their one big pass play for a touchdown. Is Rogers just a product of bad coaching?

Scapegoat No. 3: Rogers. He's the cornerback that was left on an island on the go-ahead touchdown Sunday against Tampa Bay's Joey Galloway. Williams blitzed and missed, costing the team the score. Afterward, Williams took public blame for the call, a rarity, but a Redskins player said, "No, he didn't. In meetings, Carlos still heard about it."

2. The D's 3rd down blitz is predictable and does not work: Just think Romo's pass to Witten oh and in the 3rd quarter it happened to us again. Here we go again:

They know he's going to come and blitz [leaving corners on an island] on third down, and none of our blitzes are getting there anymore.

3. The play calling: 5:36 left and third and two, when Betts has run for 177 yards, and you call a pass? And btw isn't that what we traded draft picks for TJ Duckett to do? The pass was incomplete in the end zone.

4. At least in Suisham we finally have a good place kicker. He was 4 for 4 and did a great job on punts.

5. Frost is also good as most of his kicks were within the 5 despite one touchback.

6. Williams finally started Rocky McIntosh in place of a very weak weak-side linebacker Warrick Holdman. Why did it take so long to start a first round pick? Even worse, I believe we traded another pick to get him. For comparison, look at the Jets, who are having a surprisingly strong season with credit to their first round picks, Ferguson and Mangold, who have started every game.