Here’s a little nugget to ponder on this decidedly un-winter like day during the Winter of Our Discontent, Philly sports fans.
The Eagles were 3-3 with Juan Castillo as their defensive coordinator before he was summarily shown the door. If his successor, Todd Bowles, had just done the same the Birds would be one game out of first in NFC East. That’s because those upstart Redskins, with the electrifying RGIII at the helm, beat the first-place Giants in a Monday Night Football clash. That brings the Redskins and Cowboys right onto the Giants’ heels.
And the Eagles? Uh, not exactly. Since showing Castillo the door, the Eagles have lost six straight. That brings their losing streak to eight in a row all told. Bowles has not won since being elevated to defensive coordinator. Hell, the Phillies have won since the Eagles last visited the win column.
Yesterday, the vultures circling the NovaCare Center in South Philly swooped down and picked off another carcass.
Andy Reid axed defensive line coach Jim Washburn. It had become pretty apparent this year that Reid and Washburn were not on the same page. The crusty defensive line coach made it clear he was not happy last week when his protege, defensive end and pass rush specialist Jason Babin, was shown the door. Now Washburn is following him.
In a way, this is tantamount to Reid admitting one of the biggest failings of his 14-year reign. No one ever said it was going to be easy to replace the legendary Jim Johnson. Sean McDermott was given just a year before being relieved of his duties. Then came the crucial error. For some reason the Eagles saw fit to hire Washburn - and in the process his controversial ‘Wide 9’ defensive alignment - before hiring a defensive coordinator. With Washburn in place, Reid suddenly found there was a lot less interest on the part of some notable names to become his defensive coordinator. Read into that what you will. But it’s not hard now to think maybe an established coordinator did not relish the idea of dealing with the 'colorful' Washburn and his distinctive defensive beliefs.
Reid was left in scramble mode, and he turned to an old friend, Juan Castillo. And in doing so, in naming his offensive line coach to take on a role no one believed he was ready to fill - the guy hadn't coached defense since his college days - he set in motion the debacle that has been the Eagles the past two years.
Now there is only this. Could Reid’s moves to rectify the situation - albeit way too late in the game - actually be him setting the table to return with some new faces on his coaching staff next year?
Remember, Jeff Lurie owes this guy $5 million next year.
Weirder things have happened.
Like a 65-degree day in December.
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