I believed the Eagles win last week over the Giants bought Andy Reid another year as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles. I was wrong.
Reid has to go.
Not because the Eagles got blown out yesterday by the Patriots, 38-20. The Birds actually went out to a 10-0 lead before the Pats flipped the switch and crushed the Eagles.
Not because Reid continues to ignore the fact that he has the best running back in the NFL. LeSean McCoy carried the ball all of 10 times in the game.
Not because Reid was forced to bench an uninspired wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who dropped two touchdown passes and looks about as disinterested as the Eagles are in redoing his contract.
Not because two assistant coaches appeared to get into it on the sidelines at the start of the second half in some kind of dispute and had to be separated.
Not because the distinct sound of "Fire Andy" could be heard cascading down from the stands in the second half.
But because of something else.
I was once a proud resident of the 700 Level at Veterans Stadium. The place was a dump. But it was the best home-field advantage in the NFL. Nobody knew that more than opposing players. They hated coming to Philly, playing on that rock-hard surface, and dealing with those surly fans.
Yesterday, Reid and his minions once again turned palatial Lincoln Financial Field into a swank tomb. There's no life in the place. Part of that is because the Eagles have now lost six of seven home games this year.
Yesterday, the only reason the 'Fire Andy' chant died off is because most of the fans headed home midway through the third quarter.
By the end of the game, the views of the stands were embarrassing on a nationally televised game.
Surely Jeff Lurie and Joe Banner saw what everyone else saw. The Linc was converted into a Missing Linc. And what was missing was the fans. Their much-ballyhooed "gold standard" was more like tin.
Forget losing the game. Andy Reid has lost the fans.
That cannot continue.
Time's no longer yours, coach.
Reid has to go.
Not because the Eagles got blown out yesterday by the Patriots, 38-20. The Birds actually went out to a 10-0 lead before the Pats flipped the switch and crushed the Eagles.
Not because Reid continues to ignore the fact that he has the best running back in the NFL. LeSean McCoy carried the ball all of 10 times in the game.
Not because Reid was forced to bench an uninspired wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who dropped two touchdown passes and looks about as disinterested as the Eagles are in redoing his contract.
Not because two assistant coaches appeared to get into it on the sidelines at the start of the second half in some kind of dispute and had to be separated.
Not because the distinct sound of "Fire Andy" could be heard cascading down from the stands in the second half.
But because of something else.
I was once a proud resident of the 700 Level at Veterans Stadium. The place was a dump. But it was the best home-field advantage in the NFL. Nobody knew that more than opposing players. They hated coming to Philly, playing on that rock-hard surface, and dealing with those surly fans.
Yesterday, Reid and his minions once again turned palatial Lincoln Financial Field into a swank tomb. There's no life in the place. Part of that is because the Eagles have now lost six of seven home games this year.
Yesterday, the only reason the 'Fire Andy' chant died off is because most of the fans headed home midway through the third quarter.
By the end of the game, the views of the stands were embarrassing on a nationally televised game.
Surely Jeff Lurie and Joe Banner saw what everyone else saw. The Linc was converted into a Missing Linc. And what was missing was the fans. Their much-ballyhooed "gold standard" was more like tin.
Forget losing the game. Andy Reid has lost the fans.
That cannot continue.
Time's no longer yours, coach.
Comments
This last Pats game was a nightmare. First of all the missed calls. I saw a pass interference, face mask and horrendous offensive hold by the pat. Philly coaches should have lost their mind. Support your players and fans! Additionally, the dropped passes and inconsistent play calls make me question who we are as a team.
I started a Twitter campaign aimed at transforming the Eagles fans. It's definitely a give and take relationship. its hard to support whole heartedly when the team is fractured.