Onion Gets in on the Fun

Friday, November 20, 2009

CSNPhilly.com

The Onion had a little fun with the Eagles' 31-23 loss to the Chargers, writing a story titled: "Eagles Settle for Field Goal After 260-Yard Drive."

The story included a "quote" from Donovan McNabb saying: "At least we came away with three points. Those 120 yards in penalties really hurt our field position, but those conversions on third and 21, third and 64, and the fake punt on fourth and 72 showed that this team never quits."

Not running wild
“This was supposed to be the season the Wildcat evolved to the next level and swept through the NFL,” says Sports Illustrated’s Andrew Perloff, but most teams that have dabbled have also quickly retreated.

The only team that runs the Wildcat consistently, and well, are the Miami Dolphins and now Ronnie Brown’s season is over.

The Eagles were supposed to be aboard the Wildcat train and even signed Michael Vick to be a part of it. Twelve carries for 27 yards for Vick, not too impressive.

“Vick has claimed he was the "original Wildcat quarterback" in Atlanta when he ran for 1,039 yards and 8.4 yards per carry in 2006 for the Falcons,” says Perloff. “Vick could determine whether to run or pass based on how the defense lined up. He hasn't had the opportunity to do much of that in Philadelphia.”

This was supposed to be the year that the Wildcat 2.0 was unveiled with the run or pass option, but the hype has quickly disappeared.

“A bona fide passing threat would keep the defense honest, but as we've seen with Vick, that limits the Wildcat's potential in the power running game. On the flip side, NFL coaches don't seem eager to have running backs throw the ball more.”

Playoffs?
An Eagles-Cowboys playoff game – how sweet would that be?

Yahoo Sports’ Matthew J. Darnell thinks that could be a first-round matchup in the NFC in his “absurdly premature playoff picture.”

Darnell has the Eagles getting a Wild Card bid, while the Cowboys win the NFC East.

“I ended up going with Philadelphia and Green Bay, simply because of the “When in doubt, go with the best quarterbacks” philosophy,” Darnell explained. “Philadelphia put forth a game effort in San Diego; the Eagles shot their feet off in the red zone. If Brian Westbrook is out for a while (and I've got a hunch he will be), that'll hurt, but the Eagles deserve a chance to show they're prepared for his absence, which they absolutely should be.”

The other NFC playoff teams would be Green Bay (Wild card), New Orleans (Division), Arizona (Division) and Minnesota (Division).

Justice served
Winston Justice has come a long way since his 2007 debacle against Osi Umenyiora and the Giants. Umenyiora had six sacks in a regular season contest as Justice spent most of the day watching the defensive end blow past him.

That game is now a distant memory for Justice. ESPN.com’s Matt Mosley chronicles Justice’s transformation and says he’s been a source of strength on the Eagles’ offensive line this year.

“But as the ’09 season has unfolded, Justice has been the least of the Eagles’ worries,” Mosley said. “Pro Bowl left tackle Jason Peters stole all of the offseason headlines, but he’s been average at best while fighting through a series of injuries. Left guard Todd Herremans missed the first part of the season with an injury, and the projected starter at right guard, Stacy Andrews, has been a disappointment. Justice has played next to Andrews, Nick Cole and Max Jean-Gilles through nine games this season, but he’s never complained.”

Justice has had a turnaround of mammoth proportions and wants to become an “extraordinary” player for the Eagles.

Says Mosley, “Although he still has a ways to go in that area, at least he has a chance to re-write the ending to his career.”

Bring back Pedro?
Pedro Martinez’s numbers were impressive for the Phillies this season. His record was 5-1 with a 3.63 ERA and the Phillies won eight of his nine starts.

Despite all of this, however, PhinallyPhilly.com’s Kieren Kelly thinks that the Phils shouldn’t bring him back for the 2010 campaign.

“Heading into the offseason, it seems as if Pedro has done enough to at least warrant a contract for next season,” says Kelly. “At this point, the Phillies seem set in their rotation with Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, Jamie Moyer, and most likely, J.A. Happ. There is still the possibility of Kyle Drabek making the big club out of spring training as well. There just doesn’t seem to be a fit for Pedro with the 2010 Phillies.”

Kelly also notes that Martinez doesn’t seem healthy enough to pitch an entire season as he struggled some in the playoffs. “He kind of hit a wall in the 2009 playoffs though,” says Kelly.

Kelly compares Martinez to Roger Clemens in his last few years and thinks Martinez should just wait until late summer to come back.

California love
You’re not in Kansas anymore.

That’s part of the thought process for Flyers forward James van Riemsdyk as the Flyers take part in a five-game road trip on the West Coast. The Middletown, N.J. native said he has never been farther west than the state of Kansas and is excited about seeing the sights.

“I've never seen the Pacific Ocean,” van Riemsdyk told NHL.com prior to the trip. “It's pretty cool to see the whole country. It will be great to see these buildings and team atmosphere out there. It's obviously a different experience, so that will be a pretty big thrill.”

The 20-year-old’s stellar play is more than enough of a thrill for fans of the Orange ‘n Black.

Branded
Elton Brand just had his best game of the season, but was it a fluke?

Mike Santa Barbara of PhinallyPhilly.com suggests that it may not be.

Santa Barbara dismisses the argument that Brand only succeeded because the Sixers played against the Bobcats. According to Santa Barbara, the Bobcats entered Wednesday’s game ranked third in the league in points allowed per game.

“From the opening tip Brand seemed to have some pep in his step,” says Santa Barbara. “Getting to lose balls, fighting for rebounds, stealing passes and taking them coast to coast for dunk finishes. He looked like Elton Brand circa 2006.”

Brand and the Sixers alike hope that this breakout performance was a sign of things to come.

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