Archive for November, 2011

What do Peter King, The Philadelphia Daily News, all five experts at CBSsportsline.com and every expert at ESPN.com have in common? They all have love for the New York Giants. There is not one single “analyst” or “expert” I can find who likes the Philadelphia Eagles to travel up to MetLife Stadium and pull within two games of the Giants on Sunday night. Usually, I’d be all pissed off about disrespect and bark about showing the “haters” what’s up. I’d whine about how national media hates the city of Philadelphia and I’d inadvertently reveal my horrible inferiority complex as an [...]

Editor’s note: Staff writer Steve Fini breaks down five key players in this weekend’s Eagles-Giants showdown. Eli Manning (QB/Giants) – What a difference a year makes. Last year, Manning was throwing more interceptions than touchdowns and his team missed the playoffs. Manning followed his disappointing season by telling reporters that he is one of the elite quarterbacks in the NFL. Fans, coaches and fellow players should their heads and laughed. Fast forward a few months–now his team leads the NFC East with a 6-3, highlighted by wins in Philadelphia and a comeback win in Foxboro two weeks ago. In his [...]

I have absolutely no desire to write this. It makes me sick that the Eagles routed the Cowboys on national television only to gargle balls in their next two games and piss away any realistic chance of postseason play. But here we are. So let’s take a look at the state of the NFC East as the Eagles prepare for Sunday night’s game with the Giants. 1. New York Giants (6-3)–I’ve said numerous times that I don’t buy this team long term. Maybe I should. Yeah, the Giants fell to the 49ers last week, but Eli Manning again made several [...]

Since 1990, only three NFL teams have qualified to make the postseason after starting the season 3-6. What does this mean for the Eagles. Liklely nothing. But there is precdent. According to Playoffstatus.com, the Eagles have a miniscule three-percent chance of qualifying for the postseason. Personnel flaws, lack of character and horrendous coaching decisions have each combined to put the Eagles in this lowly spot, but perhaps the biggest culprit of all has been a hideous turnover differential. The Eagles are just too sloppy with the football and don’t force enough turnovers to compensate for it. But it is a [...]

See that headline up there? It’s sort of misleading. But it probably got those of you out there that have never heard of the site to drop by. Deception at it’s finest. As head coach Andy Reid deals with his most disappointing season to date since he came to Philadelphia in 1999, fans have become increasingly weary of Reid as the Eagles continue to compile baffling losses. Reid hasn’t be able to guide various talented rosters to a Lombardi Trophy through 13 successful, but ultimately frustrating seasons. And the masses now want restitution in the form of Reid’s job. Enter [...]

Editor’s note: ITI Staff writer Steve Fini breaks down the Eagles season-ending (yes, it was season ending) loss to the Cardinals. Michael Vick (QB/Eagles) – Looks like Michael Vick has the keys to a time machine. All you have to do is replace the green and white Eagles jersey and replace it with a red and black Falcons one because he looks like the player who would frantically run around the field looking to make plays, not the smart, composed quarterback that was nearly unstoppable of a year ago. If Monday wasn’t proof that Vick has regressed to his days [...]

In the midst of a text message conversation with my cousin during yesterday’s Eagles and Cardinals game, he offered to write this blog post for me.  His idea was short, sweet and very much to the point.  It would have read simply:  “The Eagles…they suck.  Thank you for reading.”  While I do not necessarily disagree with his assessment of the team, I thought I might expound slightly on his thoughts. Undisciplined.  Individualistic.  Unfocused.  These are the three most prominent phrases that come to mind when thinking back to the Eagles – Cardinals game yesterday, and they are meant not just [...]

Editor’s note: Below, we offer our staff picks for today’s game between the Cardinals and Eagles. Steve Fini: The Eagles have let teams with inferior talent come in and upset them several times this season. But the Cardinals are one of the worst teams in the league. This isn’t a plucky Bears team or a motivated Giants team. This is the Arizona Cardinals. With a backup quarterback. They do have some players at positions that would look nice in Eagles jerseys, and possibly the best receiver in the league. But Arizona’s defense is unimpressive and their offensive line is atrocious. [...]

Staff writer Steve Fini breaks down today’s Eagles-Cardinals game. When the Eagles have the ball: So last Monday night was another poor display by an increasingly perplexing Eagles team. It mostly centered around the defense, but the offense still had some their share of problems. One was Michael Vick. He played very poorly against a Bears defense that doesn’t have a lot of playmakers in the back seven. With two rookie safeties, Vick, along with the rest of the team couldn’t hit the big play downfield. He almost threw multiple interceptions and seemed to make more plays with his legs [...]

For DeSean Jackson, it’s one thing to grossly underperform, failing to make the signature plays that fans have grown accustomed to watching. But it’s another thing to miss, for whatever reason, a team meeting on the precipice of their absolute last gasp of resurrecting a train wreck of a season. But that’s the decision that DeSean Jackson has reportedly chosen to make. And the Eagles have wasted little time making theirs. DeSean Jackson will not play today against the Cardinals. Much will be said about Jackson’s unexcused absence and even more will be said about the Eagles’ decision to bench [...]

Editor’s Note: Staff writer Steve Fini analyzes five players who will make the difference in this week’s life-support special against Arizona. Beanie Wells (RB/Cardinals) – Unfortunately for the Eagles, he’s going to play. Is Wells great? Not by any means. Have the Eagles made average players look like they are bound for Canton? Why yes, yes they have. The good news is that the Cardinals’ offense flat-out stinks. And without Kevin Kolb playing, it’s going to be worse (despite what Dominique-Rodgers Cromartie has to say about John Skelton). I’d like to think that there are only two players on this [...]

Peter King has ‘em rolling 37-13. Paul Domowitch, usually conservative with his Eagles love, goes 38-13. Les Bowen? 37-21. As for those analysts with a crystal ball up in Bristol at ESPN, well, they each like the Eagles, too. And what does this mean? Likely nothing. When the Eagles have been an overwhelming favorite this season, that’s when they usually turn in an underwhelming performance. So before everyone calls their bookies and throws the Eagles into a teaser to make what will be a two touchdown line just a bit more manageable, remember this: the Eagles are 0-3 straight up [...]