Take all the time you need, Andy

A team with a 9-7 record won the NFC East. That would not be the Philadelphia Eagles. Instead, that would be the Giants, who beat the Cowboys last night.

The 'Boys are sitting there with the Birds at 8-8.

There is an 8-8 team going to the playoffs. That also would not be the Eagles. That would be that Tim Tebow and the Denver Broncos.

The Eagles are not going to the playoffs.

We repeat. The Eagles are not going to the playoffs. This despite the fact that they just might be one of the best teams in the NFC East right now.

Andy Reid's charges won their last four games - albeit against less than stellar competition - but still finished 8-8 and out of the running.

I was waiting for a compelling response from Reid after yesterday's game to explain all the problems at the beginning of the year and how those miscalculations cost the Eagles a spot in the post-season.

Silly me. I thought maybe a team that had treated their loyal fans to this kind of season might be just a tad bit humbled and try to explain what happened.

Not going to happen. Reid was his normal arrogant self.

That leaves the ball in either Joe Banner or Jeff Lurie's court. That's not going to happen either. We'll get all the same excuses about the lockout, a lack of mini-camps, an abbreviated training camp and all the new faces on both the coaching staff and the roster.

Which will not answer the question as to why the Eagles, knowing perfectly well all that was going to happen, went right ahead and made all those decisions anyhow, topped of course by the confounding choice of untested Juan Castillo to move to the other side of the ball as defensive coordinator.

Yes, the Eagles got better as the year went on. But here's a news flash: They count the first eight games of the year as well, and that streak of fourth-quarter giveaways cost the Eagles the playoffs.

So brace yourself, Eagles fans. At some point (probably not today since all eyes and ears will be on the Winter Classic), we will hear from the "gold standard" down at NovaCare Nation. The word will be we have this thing turned around. We're on the right track. We're 'all in' next year. Again.

Sure.

Time's yours, Andy.

Still.

Comments

davee said…
It will be interesting to see if the "gold standard" goes All In once again in 2012 with Andy Reid. If they do Messrs Lurie and Banner will be proving that they really don't care one whit about the success of their team on the field as long as they have a full house at the Linc. They spent a lot of money this year on new players and got nada, zip out of it. Other than, of course, the ticket sales, the parking revenue, the commissions on the food and beverage from the concession stands, etc. Pure insanity in the classic sense: Do the same thing over and over again (for the 14th year) because you just damned well know you'll get a different result the next time...