I should have trusted my gut.
All week I had this suspicion that the Eagles would find a way to lose to the lowly Detroit Lions. It would be a classic Andy Reid moment, and a telltale sign of so many of his Eagles teams.
I based this belief on Reid’s record in the week leading up to the bye week in his 14 seasons as Eagles head coach. Everyone talks about Reid’s record in the week after the bye. No one seems to pay much attention to the week before. I do. Here’s a hint. Reid’s teams always struggle in the week before their off week.
And yet, as I sat down early Saturday to write my normal weekend post, “The Dreaded Saturday Eagles Pick,” I managed to talk myself out of picking against the Eagles, although I did indicate they would struggle and win a close game.
I was half right. They certainly struggled. But they lost in overtime, this despite leading by 10 late in the 4th quarter.
They now sit at 3-3 and we have two weeks to stew in the bitter bile of a loss that pretty much defines Reid’s career.
And sure enough, Reid showed up after the game to say exactly what everyone knew he would. "We have to do a better job."
What time does that start?
Before this season, Eagles owner Jeff Lurie put Reid and his staff on notice that a repeat of last year’s 8-8 mark would likely cost them their jobs. The Eagles now sit exactly at .500.
I still don’t think Lurie will pull the trigger, even with the bye week giving a new coach a two-week window to get the team ready to face the unbeaten Atlanta Falcons.
Instead, we will simmer in the frustration of watching Reid & crew fritter away a 10-point lead with five minutes left in the fourth quarter.
Anyone else get the distinct notion late in that game yesterday that we've been watching this game for 14 years?
Today I have no desire to do strategy or X’s and O’s. I don’t want to talk about how Reid uses LeSean McCoy or his timeouts, how Michael Vick gets hit every time he drops back, yet his bosses keep dialing up long pass routes and asking him to hold onto the ball. I don’t want to discuss a defense that for the second straight week could not get off the field when it mattered, and has now not recorded a sack in ages.
I don’t want to hear any more from Andy Reid. Or Marty Mornhinweg. Or Juan Castillo. Or Michael Vick.
The only person I want to hear from today is Jeff Lurie. And I want him to tell me why he does not think this team needs a change.
After 14 years, time’s yours, Jeff.
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