Category Archives: Sports

The 2016 Eagles: 1st Down & Wentz

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In 1989, the Minnesota Vikings, feeling that a legitimate running back threat was the only thing preventing them from making a serious Super Bowl run, traded for then Cowboys running back Hershel Walker, in what was considered a blockbuster deal at that time.

That trade eventually netted the Cowboys three first round and three second-round picks (including first-round pick Emmitt Smith) who, along with quarterback Troy Aikman and wide receiver Michael Irvin, ended up being the catalyst for their turnaround from doormat of the NFL to Super Bowl champion three times in a four year-span.

Meanwhile, the Vikings never saw the desired result they expected from acquiring an all-pro running back.  While they won the division that season, they were thumped by the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional playoff round and never made it back to the playoffs the following two years with Hershel Walker on their roster.

Hershel was eventually released and ended up signing with the Eagles in 1992, and the Minnesota trade was largely seen by many as a fleecing of the Vikings organization.

If all goes exactly as the Eagles hope, yesterday’s trade of quarterback Sam Bradford could end up being the “Fleecing of the Vikings #2”.

In a unprecedented move that saw a NFL team trade away their starting quarterback with only a week to go till the start of the regular season, the Bradford trade was the finality to a culmination of events that started with the devastating season ending injury suffered by Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater at practice last Tuesday.

The Vikings, once again hoping to go deep in the playoffs much like in 1989, were left with backup Shaun Hill at quarterback to lead them there.  Add to that the fact that they are opening a brand new stadium and starting the season at quarterback with the journeyman Hill would have been the equivalent of having your wedding at the Four Seasons or the Ritz Carlton and serving 1) Peanut butter and jelly and 2) Grilled cheese sandwiches as the main course.

It was pure luck that the Eagles were able to trade Sam Bradford to Minnesota because of the injury.  But it was skill on General Manager Howie Roseman’s part to not only receive a 1st round pick back as compensation, but an additional 2018 pick as well that will be no worse than a 4th rounder.

With the Bradford trade, Howie has, in true “Back to the Future” style, undone all of the bad moves that former coach Chip Kelly initiated last year (perhaps we should just refer to Howie as “Marty McFly”?).  Gone are DeMarco Murray, Byron Maxwell, Kiko Alonso, and now Bradford…all Chip Kelly moves that didn’t turn out to achieve the desired results.

Normally, the trading of your starting quarterback this late in the year would mean that a team is  “punting” away the season and looking to the future.  But upon further review, I don’t think this reduces the expectations for your 2016 Eagles at all.

For starters, the expectations were not that high to began with even with Bradford at quarterback.  The guy is essentially a glorified game manager and not the second coming of Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers, which is what one would expect out of a former number one overall draft pick.  The Eagles would have been fortunate to get  eight or nine wins even if they kept him.

The question is, how much does playing an inexperienced Carson Wentz at quarterback, who has a huge upside, versus an experienced, veteran quarterback who is slightly above average at best with no upside, really hurt you?  We already knew that the defense and the special teams of the 2016 Eagles were much stronger than the offense, and nothing about the Bradford trade changes that.

Wentz will naturally make some rookie mistakes early on that Bradford would not, but by the 2nd half of the season, he may be making the plays that Bradford will never make (this is assuming, of course, that he is healthy enough to play).

There are a few other reasons that I am glad to see Sam Bradford go as well:

  1. He never really wanted to be here this season anyway.
  2. I’ll stop thinking that Keanu Reeves is playing for the Eagles.
  3. That “deer in the headlights” look that he has at his postgame news conference be it win, lose, or draw.
  4. His inability to throw the ball down the field.

On the long-term, getting the ball rolling with rookie Carson Wentz at the helm sooner than later is the best thing this team could do.  And in a weak division, it would not surprise me if they won the division anyway.

Broad & Pattison turned on its heels once this trade was announced.  Hopefully, the 2016 season will turn for the better with it as well.

 

 

As Broad & Pattison Turns: Let the Eagles Preseason Began…

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The Eagles preseason began Thursday night with more uncertainty than in past years about which direction this team was heading in.  But there was no doubt as to who the faithful really wanted to see…

Eagles starting quarterback Sam Bradford started the game, but if you were in attendance and happened to miss it, who could blame you?  Sam was in the game for an entire three plays, which wasn’t even enough time for your cheese cup to be infiltrated by a single Chickie’s & Pete’s crab fry.

Enter Chase Daniels, expensive backup to the stars (or at least to the Philadelphia Eagles), who looked hesitant every time he dropped back to throw.  Perhaps his timidness in the pocket was due to being with a new team.  Perhaps it was the heat and humidity which had him shaky in the pocket.  Or perhaps it was the Seasons Pizza sign which had Chase thinking about a large pepperoni to go following the game.

Whatever it was, his ineffectiveness had caught the fans ire.  It may have only been preseason, but when it came to the natives showing their displeasure, they were in mid-season form.  A reign of boos showered down upon Daniels’ multiple times during the first half, followed by chants of “We Want Wentz” (in reference to Eagles first-round draft pick Carson Wentz).

One can only suspect that Chase Daniels, not accustomed to such treatment from the Chiefs home crowd, must have walked back to the sideline and told Doug Pederson, “Coach – I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore!”

With less than two minutes left before halftime, the fans finally got their wish.  Wonder-boy Wentz was supposed to come in at the start of the 3rd quarter, but even rookie coach Pederson must have sensed that keeping his backup in for another series was an exercise in futility, and instead put in the rookie to run the two minute offense.

To Wentz’s credit, he came in and played rather well in the time he was in the game.  The young quarterback showed pocket presence and an ability to throw the ball away when there was no play to be made, something that many young quarterbacks struggle with early in their careers.  Wentz did throw an ill-advised interception in the end zone, but considering that it was his first NFL action, not too shabby.

The question automatically becomes – how much action will Wentz see when the real games began?  Those playing the role of devil’s advocate will rightfully point out that many of the defenders chasing him on Thursday night may be slicing your deli meat at your local Acme or Giant a month from now. How will he fare against the starters and all-pros of the NFL?

That is a question that may remain unanswered for some time, but at least on this night, Wentz showed that he had the tools to play in the NFL.

On the defensive side, Jim Schwartz may turn out to be the defensive coordinator we have been searching for since Jim Johnson passed away back in 2009.  He has the experience to run a defense and has a stalwart on the defensive line in Fletcher Cox to anchor it.

But this night was all about Carson Wentz.  In a season where the expectations are not quite on par with past years, he may be the one who holds the key to this team’s future beyond 2016.

The Last Word – Perhaps this should be retitled the most RECENT word.  Carson Wentz suffered a hairline fracture in his ribs in the 4th quarter of Thursday’s game and the Eagles are hopeful he returns before the end of the preseason.  Setback #1 for Wonder kid Wentz…hopefully not a sign of things to come for your 2016 Eagles….

As Broad & Pattison Turns 2015 Week #7: Eagles at Panthers

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Through six weeks, the 2015 version of the Philadelphia Eagles can best be described as the equivalent of a bad internet dating experience.

When we first saw Sam Bradford’s “profile pictures” (his initial play in the preseason), there was reason for optimism, but after the third preseason game against Green Bay, expectations of him became heightened and we became enamored with how much of a “perfect fit” he looked to be in this offense.

Unfortunately, once the preseason ended and we saw the “real deal” (Bradford’s play in the regular season), it turns out that all those profile pictures were actually professionally done pictures…pictures that Sam looks nothing like in real life.

Naturally, we shouldn’t expect perfection, nor anything close to it, but Bradford just doesn’t look to be “compatible” in this offense, an observation that surfaced once again last Monday night when the Eagles managed to defeat the Giants in spite of the play of their quarterback.

‘Tis a rarity when your team wins by 20 points over a division opponent and the fans exit the stadium feeling more perturbed than excited, but that’s precisely the feeling that Birds fans had after Monday’s night shellacking of the Giants. Such a wide margin of victory was due to the defense, which was considered a huge question mark before the season began, but has started to jell quite well under defensive coordinator Billy Davis.

Unfortunately, the offense, which was considered to be a strong point of the team in the preseason, has been wholly ineffective at times, and inconsistent at best, mostly due to the play of their quarterback.

On the plus side, the offensive line has started to play better and open more holes for the running game, but Bradford’s three interceptions all but negated any positive vibes the offense was starting to generate.  The general consensus of the fans seems to be that if we had played an opponent like a Green Bay or New England, both teams that the Eagles hoped to emulate before the season began, we would have been the ones to be blown out by 20 or more points.

As the warmth of summer has turned to the chill of fall, the excuse that the quarterback is just “rusty” or is still getting acclimated to this offense will hold less and less water as each week goes by.  It could turn out to be that Bradford is just not compatible for this team.

But even after highlighting the struggles at the quarterback position, the Eagles find themselves at 3-3, which is a pretty good place to be when you were once 0-2 and 1-3.  With what seems to be a weak division and a number of games coming up against less than stellar opponents, the Birds have an opportunity to still make their season interesting by going on a winning streak.

That mission begins this Sunday night, when the Eagles head down to Charlotte to play the Carolina Panthers.  The Panthers are a surprising 5-0, but in this watered down NFL which seeks to reach the pinnacle of parity, they are definitely beatable.  The Panthers first five opponents have a combined record of 10-20 (tied for 3rd worst in the league), and even if you take out the five losses their opponents suffered to Carolina (under the guise that they lost to a superior team), their opponents record is still only 10-15, which translates to a winning percentage of only 40%.

This Panthers team is probably overconfident after a win at Seattle last week, and is definitely due for a loss. The Eagles will face them at just the right time in my opinion, and while it will be a close, low scoring game that will still be in doubt at the start of the 4th quarter, I see the Birds prevailing, 20-14.

Meanwhile, the “courtship” between the Eagles and their quarterback still seems to be in doubt for the long-term.  Only time will tell…

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless noted otherwise):  

Jets at Patriots 1:00 PM CBS – Game of the Week

EAGLES at Panthers 8:30 PM NBC

As Broad & Pattison Turns Week #17: Eagles at Giants

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There are certain omens that occur during a football game, mostly involving the placekicker, that provide an accurate reading of whether it is going to be your team’s day or not.

When the kicker “doinks” a field goal off the uprights, but it still manages to go through, it’s a safe bet that it’s your team’s day to win.   Conversely, when that “doink” results in preventing that kick from going through, it’s likely a bad omen of things to come.

Another bad omen is when your kicker, who has been reliable for the whole season, not only misses two field goals in the game but misses one from a very makable 36 yards out, which is precisely what happened last week to Cody Parkey.

Even after the Eagles managed to claw their way back to tie the game, had the ball with 2:36 remaining, and managed to drive from their own 15 to the Redskins 48-yard line, I couldn’t help but think back to those two missed field goals and the gnawing thought that this was not to be the Eagles day.  And then it happened…

Mark Sanchez, who hasn’t done much to prove to any future employer that he’s worthy of being a starting quarterback in this league, dropped back and, under a blitz, threw an ill-advised, off the mark pass that was intercepted by Redskins cornerback Bashaud Breeland.

The interception didn’t guarantee the Redskins anything, as they were only at the 50, but any hope of stopping Washington ended for the Birds on the next play, when Pierre Garcon caught a pass and faked out Cary “toast” Williams, going 23 yards to the Eagles 35.  Add 15 yards for a Vinny Curry roughing-the-passer penalty and that was the game.  The Redskins at the Eagles 20 and, much like last year’s playoff game against the Saints, only needing to run down the clock and hit a chip shot field goal to win it, thereby putting a dagger in Chip Kelly’s sophomore season and leading to more questions than answers about which direction this team is going.

What’s remaining after all the carcass has been removed from what was a 9-3 record and a division lead is the Eagles first meaningless game in two seasons.  And while I’m okay with playing the starters, one would have hoped that Matt Barkley would have gotten the chance to start at quarterback, if only to see what he could do in a regular season game that won’t make a difference…win or lose.

Chip Kelly, in his weekly news conference, scoffed at that idea, stating that all of his starters, including Mark Sanchez, will start the final game.  Perhaps Chip thinks that he’s still coaching in college and that ten wins instead of nine will help the team receive an invite to a better named, but still meaningless, bowl game.  Perhaps Chip thinks he’s going on a recruiting trip where he can boast that his team had double-digit wins two years in a row, making it more likely that he can snag a blue-“chip” recruit (no pun intended).

Unfortunately, Chip now has all the constraints of the NFL draft when it comes to acquiring “prospects”, and nine wins instead of ten would help that cause.  However, four straight losses would leave a bad taste in the mouth of the players and extend their losing streak into next year, something the current players would probably like to extinguish before catching the next plane out of town and exiting what will surely be the “City of Sports Discontent” for possibly the next eight months and even longer.

No, the Eagles need a win if for nothing else than their psyche, but facing a Giants team that has won three straight, there is no guarantee they will get it.  I’m actually neutral either way…a win would look better, but so would a better draft pick.

Unfortunately, I think Sanchez continues his mediocre play, the Eagles continue to turn the ball over, and the secondary continues to give up big plays.  Eagles lose 30-17 and end one of the most disappointing seasons in recent history.

Amit’s Top 5 Power Rankings:

1. Patriots (2)

2. Seahawks (3)

3. Broncos (1)

4. Cardinals (4)

5. Cowboys (new)

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday):

Chargers at Chiefs 1:00 PM CBS

Lions at Packers 4:25 PM FOX

Bengals at Steelers 8:30 PM NBC – Game of the Week

As Broad & Pattison Turns Week #16: Eagles at Redskins

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After the Eagles pummeled the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day to commence the tough 3-game stretch that would supposedly define their season, many Eagles fans were having visions of a Super Bowl appearance dancing in their heads.

But after back-to-back losses against the Seahawks and Cowboys (two teams that are vying with the Birds for a playoff spot and preferable seeding), Eagles fans could find themselves with only a stack of coal in their football stocking come Christmas morning.

Last Sunday, they were repeatedly fed a stack of “Dez”, as in Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant, who ran roughshot down the field multiple times and basically treated Birds cornerback Bradley Fletcher as if he was a harmless ragdoll standing in his way.

Dallas made up for its lopsided loss at the hands of the Birds down in Dallas and let it be known that if they are to partake in another December swoon, it would not be occurring this easily or quickly.  Unlike the Eagles win down in Dallas, Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo looked healthier, had ten days to prepare as opposed to three, and showed that given time, he can tear up the Eagles secondary, which is the major component that will likely keep the Birds from obtaining any kind of elite status this season.

And of course, there is the matter of the quarterback situation, which neither the ghosts of Christmas present or Christmas future really seem to have an answer for.

While Mark Sanchez’s mobility adds another element to the passing game (an element that Nick Foles does not possess), both quarterbacks were turning the ball over more than needed to win in this league.  But to Nick’s credit, when he wasn’t turning the ball over once or twice a game, he was actually making accurate throws, a trait that Sanchez displayed in his first few starts but has now been lost over the last few weeks.

The Eagles didn’t lose last Sunday because the Cowboys possess a great defense and there was nowhere to throw.  On many occasions, Sanchez had receivers open throughout the game and simply was off target or just didn’t see them.  More and more, it is becoming evident that his tenure with the Eagles will be a short one, as he is not the kind of player who can consistently play to a high level week after week.  When Sanchez’s playing career does eventually come to an end though, he could probably become a public relations “guru” for any NFL team, as he handles the media like an all-pro quarterback should.  If only he could play like one too…

This week, the Birds get somewhat of a respite, as after facing the Cowboys-Seahawks-Cowboys over the last three weeks, they now face the lowly Washington Redskins, who seem to display more gridlock and turmoil than their capital counterparts over in the halls of Congress.  If you think our quarterback situation is uncertain for the future, the Redskins drafted two young quarterbacks in 2012 (Robert Griffin III and Kirk Cousins) with the 2nd and the 102nd overall pick, respectively, and neither of them seem to be primed to hold the job for the long term.  The Redskins also acquired Colt McCoy, who was a 3rd round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns in 2010, but he isn’t the answer either.

At this point, the ‘Skins are probably looking just to finish off their season and make plans for New Years Eve in a few weeks, so this game SHOULD be an easy one, as long as the Eagles aren’t thinking about last minute Christmas shopping deals while running around on the field.

With last week’s loss, the Eagles find themselves no longer in control of their destiny, and will need help from other teams if they are to be invited to the NFL’s playoff party which begins Jan. 3rd.  So without further ado, here are the various playoff possibilities for the team (have your abacus and calculus calculator ready):

1) Birds need to win one more game than the Cowboys the rest of the regular season.  Problem is, there are only two games remaining.  Should that happen (which could occur this week with Dallas facing the Colts), the Eagles would still win their division and host a 1st round playoff game.  This is the easiest and best case scenario.

2) If the Eagles don’t win their division, they can still get in as a wildcard team, but would need to win both of their remaining games against the ‘Skins and Giants, while one of the following three teams (Seahawks, Packers, Lions) need to lose BOTH of their last two games.

Which of these is the most likely?  The Lions and Packers face each other in the last game of the season in Green Bay, so one of them will definitely have one loss (barring a tie).  The Lions face the Bears, who will be starting Jimmy Clausen instead of Jay Cutler, on the road this Sunday, while the Packers will be facing Tampa on the road and looking to rebound after last week’s loss to the Bills.

Assuming the Packers beat the Lions in their last game of the season, we should be rooting heavily for the Bears this Sunday, but they are about as done as the Redskins, and probably have a better chance with Jimmy Dean at quarterback.

The Seahawks face the Cardinals on the road this week, but even if they lose that game to a backup quarterback, they end the season at home against the Rams, a probable win.  All said, the wildcard is a long shot, but then again, stranger things have happened before (for reference, see Eagles entrance to the playoffs in 2008).

Birds win this Saturday, 35-14, and then we sit back on Sunday and become Bears, Buccaneers, Cardinals, and most importantly, Colts fans…

Amit’s Top 5 Power Rankings:

1. Broncos (1)

2. Patriots (2)

3. Seahawks (4)

4. Cardinals (3)

5. Packers (5)

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless otherwise noted):

Chiefs at Steelers 1:00 PM CBS

Colts at Cowboys 4:25 PM CBS

Seahawks at Cardinals 8:30 PM NBC – Game of the Week

Broncos at Bengals 8:30 PM ESPN

As Broad & Pattison Turns Week #15: Eagles vs. Cowboys

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The holiday season is now in full effect, and with it, all of the various Christmas specials have started to air on television, the first of which took place last Sunday at the Linc.

Unfortunately for Eagles fans, it was appropriately titled “The Grinch that Stole a Playoff Bye”, starring Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson.  Wilson, playing the role of the Grinch, ducked and weaved his way around all night, maneuvering his way around Eagle defenders before finding an open receiver or running for a first down.   And while the Birds D-line did an admirable job of keeping him in check at times, doing so for long stretches is quite difficult against a talent like Wilson, especially when the Eagles offense just couldn’t do enough to stay on the field and maintain any sustained drives.

Another item of note that became painfully clear is that the Eagles situation at quarterback is still a murky one almost two years into the Chip Kelly era.  While Mark Sanchez might be fine as a stopgap or backup, he is not much more than just another one of the reindeers and not the “marquee” reindeer (like Rudolph) that the Eagles are still looking for.

While Chip’s offense can be high octane at times, Sanchez has the ability to play great like he did against Dallas a couple weeks back or just be plain mediocre as he was against a tough defense like Seattle’s.

Sunday’s loss also displayed the unfortunate truth that while this team is trending upward quicker than anyone thought they would after Andy Reid left, they are still not “ready for primetime” and struggle when they face an elite team.

But even with last week’s loss, the Birds remain in control of their destiny for a division title, and a win at home against the Cowboys this Sunday night will be the catalyst to win their 2nd straight division title.   And while a bye is still possible, last week’s loss only means that more help is needed from other teams to jump into that 2nd seed which affords a week off and a 2nd round playoff game at home.

While many in the Delaware Valley were hoping that the Cowboys would began their December swoon once the calendar changed months, Dallas rebounded nicely from a defeat to the Birds on Thanksgiving to take their frustrations out on the lowly Bears on the road in a game that wasn’t even as close as the score indicated.

Dallas will be looking to exact revenge for the beating they suffered at the hands of their division rival, and a repeat of that game is not likely.  However, the Eagles are still more talented on offense than the Cowboys defense can probably handle, and the Birds should do just enough to get Tony Romo hearing footsteps from the likes of Fletcher Cox, Vinny Curry, Cedric Thornton, and the Broad Street line’s most famous Monthly “Trailpass” holder, Connor Barwin.

While it won’t be as easy as last time, Birds win 30-20, and get a step closer to the playoffs with the football nation looking on on Sundayyyyyy Night Football…..

The Last Word:

The Phillies must have been seriously wheeling and dealing at the baseball winter meetings, as they just traded longtime shortstop Jimmy Rollins to the Los Angeles Dodgers.  And while it is still officially unclear as to what we are getting back, my sources tell me it is ten giant inflated beach balls.

While that might seem like an unfair trade for a player who still has a higher than average defensive prowess, if you’ve ever been to Dodger Stadium, you know those beach balls are a highly desired commodity.

I speak from experience – wear your Phillies gear to “Chavez Ravine” (where Dodger stadium is located) and you will be perfectly fine.  But take the air out of one of the beach balls being thrown around at the game and you will be treated like a Cowboys fan sitting in the 700 level at the Vet.

The Phillies didn’t stop there, continuing their clearance sale (or “cleaning house” sale depending on how you look at it) by sending lefthanded reliever Antonio Bastardo to the Pittsburgh Pirates for a box of used “Terrible Towels” from the Pirates NFL counterpart, the Steelers.

Phils GM Ruben Amaro had initially asked for a box of NEW Terrible Towels in order to help the team stay below their “self-imposed” spring training salary cap for towels, but the Pirates determined that that was just too high of an asking price for Bastardo.  They did, however, throw in a sandwich from Pittsburgh’s famous “Primanti Brothers” as a gesture of good faith.

Rumor has it that it was a grilled, and overcooked, Reuben…

Amit’s Top 5 Power Rankings:

1. Broncos (1)

2. Patriots (2)

3. Cardinals (3)

4. Seahawks (5)

5. Packers (4)

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless otherwise noted):

Dolphins at Patriots 1:00 PM CBS

Texans at Colts 1:00 PM CBS

Bengals at Browns 1:00 PM FOX

Packers at Bills 1:00 PM FOX

Broncos at Chargers 4:05 PM CBS – Game of the Week

49ers at Seahawks 4:25 PM FOX

Cowboys at Eagles 8:30 PM NBC

As Broad & Pattison Turns Week #14: Eagles vs. Seahawks

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After this past Thanksgiving, I am all in favor of one rule change for the NFL – have the Eagles and Cowboys face off EVERY Thanksgiving.

Sure, the desired result may not always be as favorable as it was this year, which could result in the carcass of a turkey being thrown at your cousin Lou, who happens to be a Cowboys fan even though neither he nor his immediate family members ever lived in or around Texas (one can only presume that such “misguided” thinking must be attributable to lack of “family values”).

But watching the Eagles “cook” the Cowboys only made the turkey taste that much better.  Watching the Cowboys on the sidelines gasping for breath with Chip Kelly’s high octane offense at full steam during their first two drives only made the pumpkin pie taste that much sweeter.

The Eagles got off to a quick 14-0 lead and never looked back, and their defense surprisingly played very well, putting constant pressure on Tony Romo.  But while I am not usually a “Debbie Downer” type, the lack of effectiveness in the red zone is a cause for concern.

During Mark Sanchez’s first few weeks as the Eagles quarterback, the Eagles were 7 for 7 in the red zone, but against Dallas last Thursday, the Birds could only manage to go 1 for 5 in the red zone, and while that did not come back to haunt them against the Cowboys, it is something that will need much improvement if the Eagles are to go far in the playoffs.

On the season, the team is ranked 29th in converting red zone opportunities into touchdowns, with a success rate of less than 44%.  The good news is that while Seattle has one of the best defenses in the league, they are somehow one of the worst when it comes to allowing their opponents to score touchdowns in the red zone (64.5%).  So something has to give.

Now that we find ourselves in December, another factor that could come into play is the weather.  And while skies should be clear, the winds could be whipping, which could have an effect on the kicking game.

While I still have the Seahawks ranked higher than the Eagles due to their tougher schedule and more quality wins, the homefield advantage will aid the Birds this week, as they go to 10-3 on the season, winning 27-14.

The Last Word:

If you were to walk into the Phillies corporate offices these days, you will most likely find David Bowie’s “Changes” playing over the intercom.

– Cole Hamels is likely to be traded (along with a pound cake from Stock’s Bakery) for a package of prospects from most likely either the Dodgers or Red Sox.

–  A “deeply discounted” Ryan Howard will be available for less than that 60-inch television on December 26th.

– Rumor has it that Jonathan Papelbon was offered as a charitable donation to the 1) Salvation Army, 2) Goodwill and 3) Purple Heart, but they all politely declined.

If anything, changes with the Phillies are long overdo.  Longtime part owner John Middleton desires to be the majority owner, and will become so in time.  Middleton, who made billions in the cigar business, will put the right people in place and light a fire under them (no pun intended) to turn the Phillies back into a winner, something that never seemed to be a priority with David Montgomery as president.

While the Phillies will probably not become winners for at least a few years, just watching new and young players will be a welcome change from the old and standard “over the hill” gang, which the team trotted out over the last few years.

Ch-ch-changes….turn and face the strange….

Amit’s Top 5 Power Rankings:

1. Broncos (2)

2. Patriots (3)

3. Cardinals (1)

4. Packers (5)

5. Seahawks (new)

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless noted otherwise):

Steelers at Bengals 1:00 PM CBS

Ravens at Dolphins 1:00 PM CBS

Colts at Browns 1:00 PM FOX

Bills at Broncos 4:05 PM CBS

Chiefs at Cardinals 4:05 PM – Game of the Week

Seahawks at Eagles 4:25 PM

Patriots at Chargers 8:30 PM

As Broad & Pattison Turns Week #13: Eagles at Cowboys

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The Eagles followed the script as expected on Sunday, winning easily, but what no one quite scripted was the start, as rookie Josh Huff took the opening kickoff and managed to run it back 107 yards for a touchdown, giving the Eagles a 7-0 lead before many of the fans had even settled into their seats.

The touchdown not only set the record for the longest kickoff return in Eagles history, but jump started an Eagles team that needed a win, not only to forget last week’s drubbing at the hands of the Packers, but to keep pace with the Cowboys, who defeated the Giants on Sunday night in comeback fashion.

And much like the previous two home games against the Panthers and Giants, the game was over before the “beerman” called last call, with many heading to the exits by the end of the 3rd quarter.   With their 43-24 win, the Eagles have now won ten straight at home, ironically after losing ten straight at home, a feat never accomplished in the NFL.

The win sets up a HUGE showdown this week against the Cowboys, which will determine who holds the lead in the NFC East with only a month left to play in the regular season.  And just to add some flavor and “seasoning” to the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry, the game will be played on Thanksgiving Day, which is about as rare as a white Thanksgiving in these parts (which we may just have as well).

For Eagles fans, most Thanksgivings revolve around enjoying the turkey and all its trimmings and sides in a “slow and steady” manner; chilling on the sofa talking to your peeps while hopefully watching the Cowboys lose.  But this year, an Eagles-Cowboys Thanksgiving showdown will most likely alter plans for most Birds fans.

Much like Chip Kelly’s fast-paced, no-huddle offense, many in the Delaware Valley will be operating a fast-paced, no-huddle turkey food orgy, with the goal of wrapping up in time to absorb every play of the Eagles game.

I can see it now – much like the Linc crowd was chanting “We Want Dallas” on Sunday, the crowd at your house will be chanting “We Want Turkey” just as the ugly bird is placed on the table for carving purposes.  While being carved, the crowd begins to shout, “Go, go, go!” as if the first slice was the equivalent of a Darren Sproles punt return.

Without the traditional fanfare of a relaxed sit down dinner, the basket of rolls wrapped in foil is thrown across the kitchen table, hopefully not being intercepted by the family dog as if it was another ill-advised Mark Sanchez or Nick Foles pass.

But let’s be careful to “chew-chew-chew” Eagles fans (as we always say to my two year old niece), or that extra helping of stuffing may end up bottled up somewhere like the 2014 edition of LeSean McCoy behind a makeshift offensive line (somehow Darren Sproles never seems to have that problem).

No, this Thanksgiving, instead of listening to Uncle Jerry asking goofy questions or sharing the same story for the 42nd time, you will hopefully be able to watch your “Iggles” put up 42 points while the other “Uncle Jerry”, owner of Jerry’s world down in Irving, Texas, looks on as if he ate some bad cranberry sauce.

Instead of listening to your Aunt Mildred ask you when you’re gonna “settle down”, you can settle down in front of the tube and watch Tony Romo choke in the closing minutes of the game, as the “Romo-sexuals” look on in stunned disbelief.

Much like the turkey after dinner, there will only be a carcass left in Big-D, as the Eagles win 42-30 and take control of the division.

The Last Word:

Since the Birds will be playing on Thursday this week, I figured it was a good time as any for an edition of “Throwback Thursday”.

The year was 1989, which was the last time that the Eagles played the Cowboys on Thanksgiving.  The Birds defeated what was then a still up-and-coming Cowboys dynasty handily, winning 27-0, in a game known to many as the “Bounty Bowl”.  In that game, Eagles coach Buddy Ryan placed a bounty on Cowboys kicker Luis Zendejas, who was a former Eagles kicker and was cut earlier in the season.

The night before, five inches of snow fell on the Philadelphia area, which resulted in a white Thanksgiving.  Ironically, that was the last time we had measurable snow on Thanksgiving, which seems to occur only when we play the Cowboys on Turkey Day.

Thanksgiving morning, George Washington and Archbishop Ryan high school played to a 0-0 tie in the snow in their annual “Turkey Bowl”, the first time that had ever happened.

So there you have it…this year we have one bird on the table and another on the television.  Happy Thanksgiving and go Birds!

Amit’s Top 5 Power Rankings (same ranking as last week for all teams):

1. Cardinals

2. Broncos

3. Patriots

4. Chiefs

5.  Packers

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless noted otherwise):

Eagles at Cowboys 4:30 PM FOX (Thurs)

Seahawks at Niners 8:30 PM NBC (Thurs)

Browns at Bills 1:00 PM CBS

Chargers at Ravens 1:00 PM CBS

Patriots at Packers 4:25 PM CBS

Broncos at Chiefs 8:30 PM NBC – Game of the Week

As Broad & Pattison Turns Week #12: Eagles vs. Titans

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If it’s not over “till the fat lady sings”, she was singing at just about the time that Eagles backup receiver Josh Huff appeared to give a half-hearted effort to make a tackle on Packers kick returner Micah Hyde.  Had Huff actually made the tackle, Green Bay would have had the ball at its own 25.  Instead, Hyde juked and jived and ended up in the end zone, giving the Packers a 17-0 lead with two minutes still left in the 1ST QUARTER.

Unfortunately for Birds fans, the game for all intents and purposes was sealed then, and wives/girlfriends who have no interest in football were surprised to find that their significant others were actually conversing with them during the whole second half.

But sorry ladies, while you might have thought that your plan to “change” your man was actually working, it was more a result of a rather boring one-sided contest being played out on the television…something the Eagles have not seen since last year’s 52-20 blowout loss to Denver in the Mile High City.

That game took place very early in the Chip Kelly era, and the Eagles rebounded from a 1-3 record after that shellacking to go 9-3 the rest of the way and win their division, something no one expected.

This team is better than last year’s edition, and while a Super Bowl may be a reach, there is no reason the Birds should not be playing in January for more than just one weekend.  While a blowout loss is never a good mark on your resume, the Packers are this year’s Seahawks when it comes to home-field advantage, and had beaten their previous three opponents at home by an average of 31 points.

The lesson learned for the Birds is to avoid a rematch with the Packers at Lambeau Field in January, and the first step in doing so would be to win their division, which at a minimum would give them a playoff game at home in the 1st round.

Both the Eagles and the Packers currently sit with a record of 7-3, and while many permutation combinations still exist for playoff seeding with six weeks left in the regular season, the most simplified way for the Birds to avoid playing the Packers on the road again is to win more games than Green Bay the rest of the way.

If the Eagles win their division and end up in a 2-way tie with EITHER the Arizona Cardinals or the Packers for conference seeding, they would lose the tiebreaker since they’ve lost to both of those teams.  But should they end up in a 3-way tie with BOTH of those teams, the fact that they lost to both won’t matter since the Cardinals and the Packers don’t play each other this season.  In that case, the tiebreaker would be based on the conference record of each of the three teams.  Got that???  I may need an expert in calculus or statistics to figure all this out.

The one thing we can figure out is that the Birds need to win this week against a lowly Titans team and keep pace with the Cowboys, who are tied with the Eagles for the division lead.  Tennessee almost beat Pittsburgh at home last Monday night, but the Steelers seem to have a tendency of playing down to the level of their opponent.

Some have called this a “trap” game for the Eagles (in between playing Green Bay last week and Dallas on Thanksgiving) but the trap factor would have only come into effect had the Eagles actually won last week and come into this game overconfident and on a high.

The Birds should be angry after last week’s debacle and will take their frustrations out on the Titans, winning 38-20.  And then it’s onto Dallas for a friendly Thanksgiving feast with the Cowpokes…

Amit’s Top 5 Power Rankings:

1. Cardinals (2)

2. Broncos (1)

3. Patriots (3)

4. Chiefs (4) Pre-Raiders game

5. Packers (new)

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless noted otherwise):

Lions at Patriots 1:00 PM FOX – Game of the Week

Cardinals at Seahawks 4:05 PM FOX

Dolphins at Broncos 4:25 PM CBS

As Broad & Pattison Turns Week #11: Eagles at Packers

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Once upon a time, not so long ago, not in a galaxy far, far away, but just a few blocks from Broad & Pattison, there was a football team that could not win a game at home.

It was not for lack of trying, or because the home crowd was not as intimidating as they were in their former stadium known simply as “The Vet”.  No, the football team couldn’t win simply because they were bad.  They were so bad, in fact, that they had lost ten straight games at home, and had to fire their longtime coach of fourteen seasons because of it.

Their new coach had started his first year 1-3, but had rebounded by the middle of the season to get his team to 5-5. But yet, that team still could not manage to capture a victory at home for whatever reason.

And then it happened.  At home, against the Washington Redskins, the Eagles beat the ‘Skins to go to 6-5 and finally snap a 10-game losing streak at home.  That was almost a year ago (Nov. 17, 2013) and since then the Eagles have not looked back.

The 2013 Eagles finished the second half of their season 7-1 en route to a division title and have started their 2014 campaign at 7-2.  In addition, the team that could not win at home now cannot lose there, with their home winning streak at nine games after pummeling the overrated Carolina Panthers last Monday night.

While the marketing gurus over at Miller beer would have you believe that it was due to the “throwback” Miller Lite cans being served over at the Linc, it is clearly more than that.  Eagles coach Chip Kelly not only has his team on the right track, but much like vampires, they seem to be quite adapt at sucking the blood out of their opponents at home during night games.

During the Birds last three home night games, they have gone 3-0 and have defeated their opponents by a combined score of 126-32, with much of the 32 coming in garbage time when the fans were headed to the exits and the backups were in mop-up duty.

While the other Philadelphia teams continue to try to find an identity, the Eagles know theirs and are a force to be reckoned with.  The only question is, how far can they go?

This week provides a good test as the Eagles head to Lambeau to face the Packers.  The Birds were fortunate to play there last year and not have to face quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was out with an injury, but this year will be quite different.

The Packers are 6-3, only a game behind the Eagles when it comes to the conference standings, and are almost impossible to beat at home.  The Eagles are coming off a short week and have to travel on the road, which is a disadvantage for any team off the bat.  So conventional wisdom dictates that the Eagles will understandably lose.

But this team, following the lead of their coach, is anything but conventional.  Chip Kelly is like mad scientist “Bunson Huneydew” from the Muppets, sitting in a lab somewhere with his sidekick Beaker (played by defensive coordinator Billy Davis), conjuring up a gameplan from the “Kelly method” to defeat the cheeseheads and their loyal “Wis-can-sin” faithful.

My predictions:  1) Birds win on Sunday in frigid Lambeau field, 34-31, with Cody Parkey getting the game winning kick.  2) On the plane ride back, the Birds are listening to T-Pain’s “Can’t Believe it”.  No need to buy me a “mansion in Wiscansin” though…

Amit’s Top 5 Power Rankings:

1. Broncos (2)

2. Cardinals (1)

3. Patriots (3)

4. Chiefs (4)

5. Lions (new)

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless noted otherwise):

Bills at Dolphins 8:30 PM NFL Network (Thurs)

Seahawks at Chiefs 1:00 PM FOX

Lions at Cardinals 4:25 PM FOX – Game of the Week

Eagles at Packers 4:25 PM FOX

Patriots at Colts 8:30 PM NBC