Showing posts with label nfc east. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nfc east. Show all posts

Philly Phriday (1.7)

Thursday, January 6, 2011 Posted by Kyle Mountain 0 comments

There's one thing on the mind of Philadelphia sports fans right now, and that's playoff football. After an exciting season the Eagles enter the playoffs after going 10-6 and claiming the NFC East. Their opponent, the Green Bay Packers, also went 10-6 and earned an NFC wild card spot. This game is between two dangerous offenses and in the end it'll most likely come down to which quarterback can make the least amount of mistakes.
The Eagles offense is notoriously dangerous, finishing the season second in the league in total offense, averaging 390 yards a game. Michael Vick has added a completely new element to the offense that makes it much more dynamic and much tougher to defend. Where the Packers are dangerous is their passing game - they average nearly 260 yards a game in the air, which is good for fifth in the NFL.
The danger of the Eagles offense is evident but their defense is quite the contrary. Only 10 teams gave up more points than the Eagles this season - 30 teams gave up more than the Packers. On paper The Packers are a more complete team so it'll be a question of whether the Eagles offense can make up for their defensive struggles - to do so, they're going to have to put up a lot of points. And although well-rounded, the Packers have a weak running game. Running back Brandon Jackson only has 3 touchdowns this year in 16 games played, so the Packers are certainly going to look to do damage through their passing game. The Eagles defense knows - Dimitri Patterson in particular - that they'll have to withstand the attacks of a pass-heavy offense. Knowing that Asante Samuel is a big time corner, especially come playoff time, the Packers will likely target Patterson and try to exploit him as much as possible.


All that being said, perhaps the most significant aspect of this game for Eagles fans is the fact that it's our first McNabb-less playoff game in 10 years. McNabb's likability got low towards the end of his stint in Philadelphia because he became known as the quarterback who couldn't quite get it done in the playoffs. He led Philadelphia to five conference championships games, winning only one. It was frustrating because he was good enough to get the Eagles into the playoffs on a consistent basis, but he wasn't able to get Eagles fans what they really wanted. Of course, you can't blame such losses on a single player, but the cornerstone of a successful playoff team is the quarterback. At this point, as for most of this season, Philadelphia has been ecstatic about Michael Vick. It's safe to say that the expectations for this team, as well as Michael Vick, at the beginning of the season were low. Yet here we sit at 10-6 preparing for the playoffs. The thing to watch for now will be whether Philadelphia fans will experience more of the "oh-so-close" result we've been subjected to and become accustomed to over past decade, or if we'll finally break through the barrier between almost winning and winning. We may not know the answer to this question for years to come, but Sunday we'll have an idea as to whether Michael Vick - the supposed savior of our team - will be able to do what Donovan never could.



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The Woes of Dallas - Don't Bet on the Boys

Monday, October 18, 2010 Posted by Kyle Mountain 0 comments
I heard a story about a guy who, prior to the 2007-2008 NFL season, placed a $400 bet in Vegas saying the Patriots would go undefeated that season and win the Super Bowl. By the Super Bowl, the bet made it's way to $12 million. That's a tough bet to make (and if you read on you'll find out what happened to that bet!), but an even tougher bet would've been to say the Dallas Cowboys would start this year with a 1-4 record. I don't know anyone who would've guessed that, especially considering the majority of people considered the Cowboys a favorite to represent the NFC in this year's Super Bowl. So what exactly is going on in the big D that has the football world scratching its head?

At first glance it's tough to see why the Cowboys are struggling so much so far this season. After all, they're in the leagues top 5 in total offense, (400 YPG - *all stats as of week 6*) total defense (281 YPG) passing (305 YPG) and passing yards against (180 YPG). They seem to be getting production from the places they're expected to get production from, however some key aspects have made all the difference for the struggling Cowboys. Only 5 teams have been penalized more times so far this season (and the Cowboys have only played five games), and the teams turnover margin is -4 - 27th in the league. Compare that to the Jets who have a +11 margin. Needless to say, it's hard for the opposing team to score if they don't have the ball. The team has got to be frustrated because they know that their record is a reflection of their own careless mistakes and missed opportunities. Wide receiver Roy Williams told Sports Illustrated, "We're 4-0. The Dallas Cowboys are 4-0. Our losses are because we beat ourselves. We can't turn the ball over, and make all these mistakes. I'm tired and I'm frustrated, because we're better than what we're doing.'' So while they've had the ability to win many games they've lost, the Cowboys have learned first-hand that little things done wrong add up, and ultimately lead to being unsuccessful. All four losses this year have been by 7 points or less, so it's clear that they've been in every game, but with that being said it's evident - as cliche as it is/sounds - that little mistakes and blown chances can be the difference between a winning and losing record. Between being the team you should be and the team you are.

It's clear that the Cowboys have all the talent a football team could want, so it's certainly conceivable that they could turn things around and maybe even find themselves in the playoff hunt, but it won't be easy at all for them. If they want to make the playoffs they're going to have to win at least eight or their remaining eleven games, but with two against the Giants, two against the Eagles, one against the Colts, one against the Saints and one against the Packers, they had better figure some things out soon or they're going to be hitting up the golf courses early this year instead of playing for the Super Bowl on their home turf like everyone expected them to.

In the midst of all the disappointment and frustration going on in Dallas, they seem to be sticking with what they have. Jerry Jones made it clear that Wade Phillips' job is safe (for now at least) which may not be a popular decision in Dallas but it does tell you that the organization seems to trust their original plan, and they see what they have as being adequate. Speaking of adequate, I (as promised) have to explain what happened with that Patriots bet. Before the Super Bowl the place the man made the bet with told him the bet had been raised from the original $400 to $12 million. They said he could back out before the game and they'd give him $6 million on the spot, or he could stay in and go for the $12 million. Perhaps not seeing the $6 million as adequate or maybe being blinded by the Patriot's overwhelming status as favorites and shoe-in's for the Lombardi Trophy, he stuck in there, going with his original plan (much like the Cowboys are doing now) and ended up -$400. Come to think of it, maybe Dallas shouldn't stick with Wade Phillips...



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Showing posts with label nfc east. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nfc east. Show all posts

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Philly Phriday (1.7)


There's one thing on the mind of Philadelphia sports fans right now, and that's playoff football. After an exciting season the Eagles enter the playoffs after going 10-6 and claiming the NFC East. Their opponent, the Green Bay Packers, also went 10-6 and earned an NFC wild card spot. This game is between two dangerous offenses and in the end it'll most likely come down to which quarterback can make the least amount of mistakes.
The Eagles offense is notoriously dangerous, finishing the season second in the league in total offense, averaging 390 yards a game. Michael Vick has added a completely new element to the offense that makes it much more dynamic and much tougher to defend. Where the Packers are dangerous is their passing game - they average nearly 260 yards a game in the air, which is good for fifth in the NFL.
The danger of the Eagles offense is evident but their defense is quite the contrary. Only 10 teams gave up more points than the Eagles this season - 30 teams gave up more than the Packers. On paper The Packers are a more complete team so it'll be a question of whether the Eagles offense can make up for their defensive struggles - to do so, they're going to have to put up a lot of points. And although well-rounded, the Packers have a weak running game. Running back Brandon Jackson only has 3 touchdowns this year in 16 games played, so the Packers are certainly going to look to do damage through their passing game. The Eagles defense knows - Dimitri Patterson in particular - that they'll have to withstand the attacks of a pass-heavy offense. Knowing that Asante Samuel is a big time corner, especially come playoff time, the Packers will likely target Patterson and try to exploit him as much as possible.


All that being said, perhaps the most significant aspect of this game for Eagles fans is the fact that it's our first McNabb-less playoff game in 10 years. McNabb's likability got low towards the end of his stint in Philadelphia because he became known as the quarterback who couldn't quite get it done in the playoffs. He led Philadelphia to five conference championships games, winning only one. It was frustrating because he was good enough to get the Eagles into the playoffs on a consistent basis, but he wasn't able to get Eagles fans what they really wanted. Of course, you can't blame such losses on a single player, but the cornerstone of a successful playoff team is the quarterback. At this point, as for most of this season, Philadelphia has been ecstatic about Michael Vick. It's safe to say that the expectations for this team, as well as Michael Vick, at the beginning of the season were low. Yet here we sit at 10-6 preparing for the playoffs. The thing to watch for now will be whether Philadelphia fans will experience more of the "oh-so-close" result we've been subjected to and become accustomed to over past decade, or if we'll finally break through the barrier between almost winning and winning. We may not know the answer to this question for years to come, but Sunday we'll have an idea as to whether Michael Vick - the supposed savior of our team - will be able to do what Donovan never could.



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Posted by Kyle Mountain at 2:29 PM 0 comments
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Monday, October 18, 2010

The Woes of Dallas - Don't Bet on the Boys

I heard a story about a guy who, prior to the 2007-2008 NFL season, placed a $400 bet in Vegas saying the Patriots would go undefeated that season and win the Super Bowl. By the Super Bowl, the bet made it's way to $12 million. That's a tough bet to make (and if you read on you'll find out what happened to that bet!), but an even tougher bet would've been to say the Dallas Cowboys would start this year with a 1-4 record. I don't know anyone who would've guessed that, especially considering the majority of people considered the Cowboys a favorite to represent the NFC in this year's Super Bowl. So what exactly is going on in the big D that has the football world scratching its head?

At first glance it's tough to see why the Cowboys are struggling so much so far this season. After all, they're in the leagues top 5 in total offense, (400 YPG - *all stats as of week 6*) total defense (281 YPG) passing (305 YPG) and passing yards against (180 YPG). They seem to be getting production from the places they're expected to get production from, however some key aspects have made all the difference for the struggling Cowboys. Only 5 teams have been penalized more times so far this season (and the Cowboys have only played five games), and the teams turnover margin is -4 - 27th in the league. Compare that to the Jets who have a +11 margin. Needless to say, it's hard for the opposing team to score if they don't have the ball. The team has got to be frustrated because they know that their record is a reflection of their own careless mistakes and missed opportunities. Wide receiver Roy Williams told Sports Illustrated, "We're 4-0. The Dallas Cowboys are 4-0. Our losses are because we beat ourselves. We can't turn the ball over, and make all these mistakes. I'm tired and I'm frustrated, because we're better than what we're doing.'' So while they've had the ability to win many games they've lost, the Cowboys have learned first-hand that little things done wrong add up, and ultimately lead to being unsuccessful. All four losses this year have been by 7 points or less, so it's clear that they've been in every game, but with that being said it's evident - as cliche as it is/sounds - that little mistakes and blown chances can be the difference between a winning and losing record. Between being the team you should be and the team you are.

It's clear that the Cowboys have all the talent a football team could want, so it's certainly conceivable that they could turn things around and maybe even find themselves in the playoff hunt, but it won't be easy at all for them. If they want to make the playoffs they're going to have to win at least eight or their remaining eleven games, but with two against the Giants, two against the Eagles, one against the Colts, one against the Saints and one against the Packers, they had better figure some things out soon or they're going to be hitting up the golf courses early this year instead of playing for the Super Bowl on their home turf like everyone expected them to.

In the midst of all the disappointment and frustration going on in Dallas, they seem to be sticking with what they have. Jerry Jones made it clear that Wade Phillips' job is safe (for now at least) which may not be a popular decision in Dallas but it does tell you that the organization seems to trust their original plan, and they see what they have as being adequate. Speaking of adequate, I (as promised) have to explain what happened with that Patriots bet. Before the Super Bowl the place the man made the bet with told him the bet had been raised from the original $400 to $12 million. They said he could back out before the game and they'd give him $6 million on the spot, or he could stay in and go for the $12 million. Perhaps not seeing the $6 million as adequate or maybe being blinded by the Patriot's overwhelming status as favorites and shoe-in's for the Lombardi Trophy, he stuck in there, going with his original plan (much like the Cowboys are doing now) and ended up -$400. Come to think of it, maybe Dallas shouldn't stick with Wade Phillips...



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Posted by Kyle Mountain at 12:20 AM 0 comments
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