EAGLES 14 – Bengals 32

WHILE watching this game, at times I felt like I had more at stake than some of our players. There were a few players out there clearly dogging it, but with a little luck we won’t be seeing some of those faces in 2017. Speaking of luck, we seemed to have had as much bad luck as we did poor execution. A couple of the turnovers we surrendered were more bad luck, than real skill by the Bengals. It was just not going to be our day. Sometimes that happens. Sometimes it’s Pittsburgh, sometimes it’s Cincinnati. Gotta take the good and the bad equally. 

On a day when the Offensive Line couldn’t protect QB Carson Wentz (36/60 – 60.0% – 308 – 1 – 3), the play-calling dialed up 60 passes compared to a team-wide 19 rushes. In the second half, starting RB Wendell Smallwood (8 – 19 – 2.3 – 0 – 0) didn’t see the field as we instead opted to lean on an undersized, 33 year old, with a broken rib. Our leading WR was Paul Turner (6 – 80 – 13.3 – 0), proving once again that many fans here have a better feel for our receiver situation than the Head Coach. (Remember the days of fans holding up“I’m a moron, I want a WR!” signs? We went and got a real WR (Terrell Owens) and went immediately to the Super Bowl, didn’t we? Maybe us fans shouldn’t be ignored so much.) Turner was targeted 7 times and snagged 6 passes for real yardage. And he’ll probably be benched/inactive again next week.

Defensively, I couldn’t help but notice the utter lack of pride that some of our players have. Later in the game there was an incident that threw a spotlight on it. When the Bengals allowed the TD to our TE, a couple of their defensive players jawed at each other over the blown coverage. It’s been weeks since our Secondary has shown that much pride. Our CB’s (Carroll/McKelvin) seem resigned to being sub-par to average players, who are happy enough to draw a check. For that reason, I hope that neither returns next year. We don’t need that attitude to contaminate our young, in-coming players.

Due to large cushions, free releases, and (let’s be honest) just downright shitty fucking coverage, yet another opposing QB was able to constantly get rid of the ball quickly. Our Secondary has effectively neutered our pass rush. Defensive Co-ordinator Jim Schwartz has to be ultimately held responsible for the decline of this unit, due to him not having any answers for how to fix the Secondary.

Did you notice?

How you and I seem to care more than certain players at this point.