Less than two weeks after the Eagles were knocked out of the playoffs in the Wild Card round for the second year in a row, it was clear that changes needed to be made. Well, changes are starting to come down, as the Eagles have fired both defensive coordinator Sean McDermott and defensive line coach Rory Segrest. The McDermott firing came a few days ago, as he's already been picked up by the Carolina Panthers to be their defensive coordinator.
While some people are questioning how McDermott went from being one of the best young coordinators with the Eagles to out of a job just two years later, there is some substance to this firing, rather than McDermott just being a fall guy. McDermott wasn't working with the best group of players out there, but the fact of the matter is that coaches and coordinators need to do the best with who is out there. It doesn't matter if you have a bunch of first round picks or undrafted free agents. A good coach can make it work. Jim Johnson was able to do that with players that weren't first round picks, and he got through injuries as well. Remember, the Eagles had Shawn Barber, Levon Kirkland and Carlos Emmons as their starting linebackers in 2002...and they only allowed 241 points. This year's group allowed 377, the most in one season by the Eagles since 1974.
Let's not even talk about the red zone defense, either. The Eagles had the worst red zone defense in the NFL, and allowed a franchise high 31 touchdown passes this season. Yes, that's the most in team history. A large part of that does come down on the players, but the fact is that some of the blame also has to go to the coordinator. Sean McDermott should have seen some of the mistakes his guys were making out there and attempted to adjust for them. The secondary wasn't that great, but we've all seen worse groups out there that have had better results.
However, a large portion of the passing and red zone defense did lie with the defensive line, and that's why Rory Segrest had to go. By the end of the season, the defensive line was getting little to no pressure on the opposing quarterbacks, and even Joe Webb looked like a solid NFL quarterback in his first career start. Trent Cole disappeared, Brandon Graham looked like a disappointment even before his knee injury, and Chris Clemons and Jason Babin each made the Pro Bowl with double digit sack totals...for teams other than the Eagles. Again, there were injury issues with the defensive line as well, but the Eagles struggled even before the injuries. The defense as a whole just wasn't that good this year. Go ahead, look back. It really wasn't. The run defense had it's moments against some of the best backs in the league, but when this team needed a stop, how many times did they actually get it?
Do I agree with firing both McDermott and Segrest? Not necessarily, but something needed to be done. You can't fire the players, but the coaches are fair game, and after the season that this defense had, just two years removed from being led by the late, great Jim Johnson, it was time to do something. The writing was on the wall, even when Andy Reid said his coaches were going to be safe. There's a lot of people that the Eagles are looking at to run the defense, from Dick Jauron to Jim Mora Jr, and honestly, they would be an upgrade from McDermott.
The Eagles had been regressing on defense over the last two years. When a team has had this much turnover with players in the last two seasons, it's somewhat clear that it's not the players that are the problem. It just might be the coaches. Giving up 377 points on the season, having one of the worst red zone defenses of the last two decades and not getting pressure on the quarterback for most of the season sounds like good enough reasons to make some changes to the defensive coaching staff. Now all that's left to do is see who comes in to replace McDermott and Segrest and hope that they can improve what is, at this moment, a very poor defensive unit.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Eagles Aftermath: NFC Wild Card Edition: Packers-21, Eagles-16
What happened?
The Eagles had their season end in the NFC Wild Card playoffs for the second straight season, as Michael Vick's last minute interception finished off any chance of a late comeback against the Green Bay Packers.
The Good:
Very little to see here.
Jason Avant did have a couple of drops, but also caught seven passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.
Jamar Chaney played well for Stewart Bradley in the middle.
Kurt Coleman didn't have a bad game at safety, recording seven tackles.
The Bad:
Michael Vick was just average in his last game of the season. He completed 20 of 36 passes for 292 yards and a touchdown, and ran for a touchdown as well, but his poor pass that led to the game ending interception will be what's remembered.
LeSean McCoy only carried the ball 12 times for 46 yards. That's a 3.8 yard per carry average. Not good enough against the 18th ranked rush defense in the NFL.
DeSean Jackson only caught two passes for 47 yards.
The defense let James Starks, a rookie who had all of 101 yards rushing during the regular season, go off for 123 yards in his first ever playoff game.
The Eagles got called for seven penalties that cost them 50 yards.
The Ugly:
Michael Vick was sacked three times and pressured a lot more than that. By the end of the game, Winston Justice was watching from the bench.
David Akers went 1-3 on field goal attempts. After the game, it came out that he was dealing with some family health issues, but this isn't the first time he's come up small in a big playoff game.
The Eagles allowed the Packers to convert eight of 13 third down attempts.
The offense only scored one touchdown in three trips to the red zone, while the Packers scored on all three of their trips.
For the second year in a row, the season has come to an end too soon.
The Breakdown:
For a season with all kinds of twists, turns and adventures, it came to an end almost the same way that it started. The Green Bay Packers came into Philadelphia and stopped Michael Vick's last minute attempt at a comeback for the second time this year. The first time, it came on a stop on a fourth down and short. This time, it was on a Tramon Williams interception in the end zone with under a minute to play and the Eagles down by five points. It wasn't a pretty game by the Eagles, but they were in it until the end, they just didn't have enough to get it done.
To be fair, that was the problem with the Eagles all season long. No matter how well Michael Vick and the offense played, there was this sense that something was going to happen, and this team would stop being able to score points at will. Late in the season, the offensive line, which had been bad all year, somehow got even worse, and that carried over against the Packers. On the first play of the game, Vick got hit hard, and that was the story for the rest of the game. Vick never got a chance to get comfortable, and he couldn't read the blitz well when it was coming. It was just a bad situation that had gotten worse as the season went on, and it reached its climax on Sunday.
This isn't going to be a retrospect on the entire season. That's going to come after the Super Bowl. For now, I just want to look at this game in the same regards that I looked at every other game the Eagles played this year. For the most part, it was the same mistakes that the Eagles made in every game that they lost that came back to bite them in the game against the Packers, and that's why their season is over now. First and foremost, LeSean McCoy didn't get nearly enough touches against the 18th ranked rushing defense in the NFL. All you have to do is look at what the Packers did with James Starks, who had all of 101 rushing yards in his career before this game, to see what the Eagles should have done with McCoy. Just establishing a running game would have kept the blitz off of Vick a bit more and made things easier for the entire offense. Instead, Andy Reid did what Andy Reid does, which is throw the ball more and more as the season moves along. This isn't the first time I've seen this from Reid in the playoffs, and the result is almost always the same.
DeSean Jackson took too long to get established as well. For someone that wants to get paid this offseason, he didn't do a whole lot to justify that. Sure, he's still going to get his money, but in five career playoff games, Jackson is averaging just 53.6 receiving yards and has just two touchdowns. That's not good enough for the biggest weapon that this team has on offense. I don't care how much he has to rely on the big play, he should get more involved than that. It's not good enough. The story is the same with Brent Celek, who had another game with next to nothing on the stat line. Yes, he had to block a lot this season, thanks to the offensive line, but he still should have been able to do more on offense than what he did in this game and during the season.
I don't even want to get into the offensive line, but I guess I have to. Gone are the days of Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan...now the Eagles have Jason Peters and Winston Justice, and Justice couldn't even finish the game against the Packers. He struggled so much, and was called for so many penalties, that he spent most of the fourth quarter on the bench, with King Dunlap out there for him. Justice just signed an extension last year, but he might have played his way out of Philadelphia with this last showing. He struggled all year against the faster rushers, which is something that's plagued him throughout his career. The one thing that the Eagles had throughout Donovan McNabb's time in Philadelphia was bookend offensive tackles. Now, they almost have turnstile offensive tackles, and it's only been two years since Tra and Jon last played here. Not good at all. That needs to get better, and fast.
Then, there's the defense. You can talk about injuries all that you want, but the fact of the matter is that the players that stepped in for the ones that went down played almost as well. Kurt Coleman isn't Nate Allen, but he did well enough. The problem lies with the linebackers, who all need to be upgraded, the defensive line and the secondary, save for Asante Samuel/Nate Allen/Kurt Coleman. Against the Packers, Aaron Rodgers was able to check down time and time again to open receivers on third downs. That's why the Packers went eight for 13 on third downs during the game, and that's how good teams keep drives alive. It's another problem that the Eagles have had all season, and that goes hand in hand with the problems in the red zone. Once again, the Eagles couldn't stop the Packers in the red zone, and Green Bay made them pay with three touchdowns from inside the 20. That lies with the entire defense, and there's more than enough blame to pass around. Trent Cole seems to disappear in situations, the rest of the line is average, at best, and don't get me started on the linebackers. Once again, it was something that was brewing all season and it came to a head last Sunday.
Overall, it just wasn't a good game for the Eagles. Even David Akers, the longest tenured Eagle, had a bad game in what could be his last game in Philadelphia. There are things going around about him having a family health issue, so I can understand why his head might not have been in the game, and I hope he comes back for at least another year. He's the best kicker that the Eagles have ever had, and if it weren't for that guy in New England and Indianapolis, he would be known as the best kicker of the 2000s. That's how good he's been. For this game, and all the failures during the season, the blame lies with the entire team. Players couldn't make plays when they needed to, and even Michael Vick couldn't get it done by himself. This team tried, and was talented, but they were good, not great. Whenever they played a better team, they struggled, and it showed throughout the season. Against the Packers, everything that had been a problem during the regular season: the lack of a good offensive line, an inconsistent running game, dumb penalties, poor red zone defense, all of it, it all came tumbling down. Now, the Packers get to keep playing, and the Eagles get to resume a familiar sight...watching the playoffs from their couches.
Change has to come to this team. The only question is what will it be?
The Eagles had their season end in the NFC Wild Card playoffs for the second straight season, as Michael Vick's last minute interception finished off any chance of a late comeback against the Green Bay Packers.
The Good:
Very little to see here.
Jason Avant did have a couple of drops, but also caught seven passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.
Jamar Chaney played well for Stewart Bradley in the middle.
Kurt Coleman didn't have a bad game at safety, recording seven tackles.
The Bad:
Michael Vick was just average in his last game of the season. He completed 20 of 36 passes for 292 yards and a touchdown, and ran for a touchdown as well, but his poor pass that led to the game ending interception will be what's remembered.
LeSean McCoy only carried the ball 12 times for 46 yards. That's a 3.8 yard per carry average. Not good enough against the 18th ranked rush defense in the NFL.
DeSean Jackson only caught two passes for 47 yards.
The defense let James Starks, a rookie who had all of 101 yards rushing during the regular season, go off for 123 yards in his first ever playoff game.
The Eagles got called for seven penalties that cost them 50 yards.
The Ugly:
Michael Vick was sacked three times and pressured a lot more than that. By the end of the game, Winston Justice was watching from the bench.
David Akers went 1-3 on field goal attempts. After the game, it came out that he was dealing with some family health issues, but this isn't the first time he's come up small in a big playoff game.
The Eagles allowed the Packers to convert eight of 13 third down attempts.
The offense only scored one touchdown in three trips to the red zone, while the Packers scored on all three of their trips.
For the second year in a row, the season has come to an end too soon.
The Breakdown:
For a season with all kinds of twists, turns and adventures, it came to an end almost the same way that it started. The Green Bay Packers came into Philadelphia and stopped Michael Vick's last minute attempt at a comeback for the second time this year. The first time, it came on a stop on a fourth down and short. This time, it was on a Tramon Williams interception in the end zone with under a minute to play and the Eagles down by five points. It wasn't a pretty game by the Eagles, but they were in it until the end, they just didn't have enough to get it done.
To be fair, that was the problem with the Eagles all season long. No matter how well Michael Vick and the offense played, there was this sense that something was going to happen, and this team would stop being able to score points at will. Late in the season, the offensive line, which had been bad all year, somehow got even worse, and that carried over against the Packers. On the first play of the game, Vick got hit hard, and that was the story for the rest of the game. Vick never got a chance to get comfortable, and he couldn't read the blitz well when it was coming. It was just a bad situation that had gotten worse as the season went on, and it reached its climax on Sunday.
This isn't going to be a retrospect on the entire season. That's going to come after the Super Bowl. For now, I just want to look at this game in the same regards that I looked at every other game the Eagles played this year. For the most part, it was the same mistakes that the Eagles made in every game that they lost that came back to bite them in the game against the Packers, and that's why their season is over now. First and foremost, LeSean McCoy didn't get nearly enough touches against the 18th ranked rushing defense in the NFL. All you have to do is look at what the Packers did with James Starks, who had all of 101 rushing yards in his career before this game, to see what the Eagles should have done with McCoy. Just establishing a running game would have kept the blitz off of Vick a bit more and made things easier for the entire offense. Instead, Andy Reid did what Andy Reid does, which is throw the ball more and more as the season moves along. This isn't the first time I've seen this from Reid in the playoffs, and the result is almost always the same.
DeSean Jackson took too long to get established as well. For someone that wants to get paid this offseason, he didn't do a whole lot to justify that. Sure, he's still going to get his money, but in five career playoff games, Jackson is averaging just 53.6 receiving yards and has just two touchdowns. That's not good enough for the biggest weapon that this team has on offense. I don't care how much he has to rely on the big play, he should get more involved than that. It's not good enough. The story is the same with Brent Celek, who had another game with next to nothing on the stat line. Yes, he had to block a lot this season, thanks to the offensive line, but he still should have been able to do more on offense than what he did in this game and during the season.
I don't even want to get into the offensive line, but I guess I have to. Gone are the days of Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan...now the Eagles have Jason Peters and Winston Justice, and Justice couldn't even finish the game against the Packers. He struggled so much, and was called for so many penalties, that he spent most of the fourth quarter on the bench, with King Dunlap out there for him. Justice just signed an extension last year, but he might have played his way out of Philadelphia with this last showing. He struggled all year against the faster rushers, which is something that's plagued him throughout his career. The one thing that the Eagles had throughout Donovan McNabb's time in Philadelphia was bookend offensive tackles. Now, they almost have turnstile offensive tackles, and it's only been two years since Tra and Jon last played here. Not good at all. That needs to get better, and fast.
Then, there's the defense. You can talk about injuries all that you want, but the fact of the matter is that the players that stepped in for the ones that went down played almost as well. Kurt Coleman isn't Nate Allen, but he did well enough. The problem lies with the linebackers, who all need to be upgraded, the defensive line and the secondary, save for Asante Samuel/Nate Allen/Kurt Coleman. Against the Packers, Aaron Rodgers was able to check down time and time again to open receivers on third downs. That's why the Packers went eight for 13 on third downs during the game, and that's how good teams keep drives alive. It's another problem that the Eagles have had all season, and that goes hand in hand with the problems in the red zone. Once again, the Eagles couldn't stop the Packers in the red zone, and Green Bay made them pay with three touchdowns from inside the 20. That lies with the entire defense, and there's more than enough blame to pass around. Trent Cole seems to disappear in situations, the rest of the line is average, at best, and don't get me started on the linebackers. Once again, it was something that was brewing all season and it came to a head last Sunday.
Overall, it just wasn't a good game for the Eagles. Even David Akers, the longest tenured Eagle, had a bad game in what could be his last game in Philadelphia. There are things going around about him having a family health issue, so I can understand why his head might not have been in the game, and I hope he comes back for at least another year. He's the best kicker that the Eagles have ever had, and if it weren't for that guy in New England and Indianapolis, he would be known as the best kicker of the 2000s. That's how good he's been. For this game, and all the failures during the season, the blame lies with the entire team. Players couldn't make plays when they needed to, and even Michael Vick couldn't get it done by himself. This team tried, and was talented, but they were good, not great. Whenever they played a better team, they struggled, and it showed throughout the season. Against the Packers, everything that had been a problem during the regular season: the lack of a good offensive line, an inconsistent running game, dumb penalties, poor red zone defense, all of it, it all came tumbling down. Now, the Packers get to keep playing, and the Eagles get to resume a familiar sight...watching the playoffs from their couches.
Change has to come to this team. The only question is what will it be?
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Eagles Aftermath: Cowboys-14, Eagles-13
What happened?
In what was basically a preseason game for the Eagles, the Cowboys managed to score a last minute touchdown to earn a season split with the Eagles. Philadelphia finished the season at 10-6 and will host the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round on sunday.
The Good:
Jerome Harrison got the start, and finished with 99 yards on the ground on 21 carries.
Chad Hall had six catches for 84 yards and his first career touchdown.
The defense played very well against the first team of the Cowboys, giving up just 272 yards of offense and not allowing a touchdown until the last minute of the game.
David Akers went 2/2 on field goal attempts.
The Bad:
Jason Witten was able to break loose at the end of the game and catch that game winning touchdown.
The offensive line, despite being mostly backups, still gave up five sacks. The Eagles finished second to the Chicago Bears in sacks allowed this season.
Sav Rocca punted the ball seven times for an average of just 38.3 yards per punt.
The Ugly:
Kevin Kolb had a week to get ready for this game, and all he did was show Eagles fans that Michael Vick was the better option this season. He threw three interceptions and fumbled the ball late in the second quarter. The fumble was returned by DeMarcus Ware for a touchdown.
The Eagles still lost to the Dallas Cowboys. Regardless of whether the second string was playing or not, that's not a good feeling.
The Breakdown:
There honestly isn't that much to say about this game that's going to matter through the rest of the season. With their loss on Tuesday to the Minnesota Vikings, the Eagles were locked into the number three seed in the NFC, so last week, they rested most of their starters against the Cowboys. The second team defense looked impressive, holding Stephen McGee and the Dallas first team offense to just seven points, but it wasn't enough as Kevin Kolb looked every bit like a backup quarterback against a tough Dallas pass rush.
You do have to give the defense credit for going out there and playing as well as they did. Some first teamers did play, like Dimitri Patterson. He still needs to prove more after being burned by the Giants three weeks ago. Patterson is going to get the start against the Packers this Sunday, and with Aaron Rodgers having one of the better wide receiving corps in the NFC, you can bet that Patterson will be tested early and often.
The game went about as well as it could have for the Eagles, in all honesty. The starters that needed rest got to rest, and the team played the Cowboys to the limit with their second string. Sure, the Cowboys had a bad season, but it's still fun to watch the Eagles backups take Dallas to the limit and back. That never gets old. There are still some questions going into the game against the Packers this weekend, however.
Green Bay has one of the few offenses in the league that can go toe to toe with the Eagles and still come out on the winning side. Despite the lack of a solid running game, Aaron Rodgers more than made up for it with his arm. Rodgers passed for over 4,000 yards and likely would have made it to the Pro Bowl had it not been for Michael Vick. Greg Jennings is Rodgers' favorite target, but he'll likely have Asante Samuel on him all day long, so it will be up to the rest of the secondary to cover Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson and James Jones. Just because you might not know the names other than Driver doesn't mean that the Packers can't destroy you through the air. The Eagles have given up some big plays this season, and they can't afford to do too much of that on Sunday.
The Eagles also have to keep Michael Vick on his feet as best they can. The Eagles allowed more sacks this season than any team since the 1998 year, and when you have one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the NFL under center, that's not a good thing. The Packers brought a tough pass rush against the Eagles in Week 1, and it knocked Kevin Kolb out of the game and allowed Vick to get his season started. This time, they'll be prepared for Vick. The Green Bay pass defense is still one of the best in the league, but their run defense ranks in the bottom third. The Eagles have to run the ball more with LeSean McCoy and Jerome Harrison in order to keep the Packers from being able to go after Vick on every play and sit back and look for interceptions or fumbles. Charles Woodson may be older, but he's still a top defensive back. Plus, the Packers also have A.J. Hawk and Clay Matthews, as well as B.J. Raji up the middle. Matthews led the Packers with 13.5 sacks, and was the one that knocked Kolb out of the game in Week 1.
Can the Eagles beat the Packers? Of course they can. Even with Vick only playing half of the game at the start of the season, they almost were able to win. Vick said after the game that he thought the Eagles would have won had he started. Now, he's got his chance to prove it. The Packers were a trendy pick to make it to the Super Bowl when the season started, and they're looking that way again. Just remember, three weeks ago, the Eagles were almost everyone's pick to go to the Super Bowl. It only takes one game to swing everything around. These are the playoffs, anything can happen now.
In what was basically a preseason game for the Eagles, the Cowboys managed to score a last minute touchdown to earn a season split with the Eagles. Philadelphia finished the season at 10-6 and will host the Green Bay Packers in the Wild Card Round on sunday.
The Good:
Jerome Harrison got the start, and finished with 99 yards on the ground on 21 carries.
Chad Hall had six catches for 84 yards and his first career touchdown.
The defense played very well against the first team of the Cowboys, giving up just 272 yards of offense and not allowing a touchdown until the last minute of the game.
David Akers went 2/2 on field goal attempts.
The Bad:
Jason Witten was able to break loose at the end of the game and catch that game winning touchdown.
The offensive line, despite being mostly backups, still gave up five sacks. The Eagles finished second to the Chicago Bears in sacks allowed this season.
Sav Rocca punted the ball seven times for an average of just 38.3 yards per punt.
The Ugly:
Kevin Kolb had a week to get ready for this game, and all he did was show Eagles fans that Michael Vick was the better option this season. He threw three interceptions and fumbled the ball late in the second quarter. The fumble was returned by DeMarcus Ware for a touchdown.
The Eagles still lost to the Dallas Cowboys. Regardless of whether the second string was playing or not, that's not a good feeling.
The Breakdown:
There honestly isn't that much to say about this game that's going to matter through the rest of the season. With their loss on Tuesday to the Minnesota Vikings, the Eagles were locked into the number three seed in the NFC, so last week, they rested most of their starters against the Cowboys. The second team defense looked impressive, holding Stephen McGee and the Dallas first team offense to just seven points, but it wasn't enough as Kevin Kolb looked every bit like a backup quarterback against a tough Dallas pass rush.
You do have to give the defense credit for going out there and playing as well as they did. Some first teamers did play, like Dimitri Patterson. He still needs to prove more after being burned by the Giants three weeks ago. Patterson is going to get the start against the Packers this Sunday, and with Aaron Rodgers having one of the better wide receiving corps in the NFC, you can bet that Patterson will be tested early and often.
The game went about as well as it could have for the Eagles, in all honesty. The starters that needed rest got to rest, and the team played the Cowboys to the limit with their second string. Sure, the Cowboys had a bad season, but it's still fun to watch the Eagles backups take Dallas to the limit and back. That never gets old. There are still some questions going into the game against the Packers this weekend, however.
Green Bay has one of the few offenses in the league that can go toe to toe with the Eagles and still come out on the winning side. Despite the lack of a solid running game, Aaron Rodgers more than made up for it with his arm. Rodgers passed for over 4,000 yards and likely would have made it to the Pro Bowl had it not been for Michael Vick. Greg Jennings is Rodgers' favorite target, but he'll likely have Asante Samuel on him all day long, so it will be up to the rest of the secondary to cover Donald Driver, Jordy Nelson and James Jones. Just because you might not know the names other than Driver doesn't mean that the Packers can't destroy you through the air. The Eagles have given up some big plays this season, and they can't afford to do too much of that on Sunday.
The Eagles also have to keep Michael Vick on his feet as best they can. The Eagles allowed more sacks this season than any team since the 1998 year, and when you have one of the most mobile quarterbacks in the NFL under center, that's not a good thing. The Packers brought a tough pass rush against the Eagles in Week 1, and it knocked Kevin Kolb out of the game and allowed Vick to get his season started. This time, they'll be prepared for Vick. The Green Bay pass defense is still one of the best in the league, but their run defense ranks in the bottom third. The Eagles have to run the ball more with LeSean McCoy and Jerome Harrison in order to keep the Packers from being able to go after Vick on every play and sit back and look for interceptions or fumbles. Charles Woodson may be older, but he's still a top defensive back. Plus, the Packers also have A.J. Hawk and Clay Matthews, as well as B.J. Raji up the middle. Matthews led the Packers with 13.5 sacks, and was the one that knocked Kolb out of the game in Week 1.
Can the Eagles beat the Packers? Of course they can. Even with Vick only playing half of the game at the start of the season, they almost were able to win. Vick said after the game that he thought the Eagles would have won had he started. Now, he's got his chance to prove it. The Packers were a trendy pick to make it to the Super Bowl when the season started, and they're looking that way again. Just remember, three weeks ago, the Eagles were almost everyone's pick to go to the Super Bowl. It only takes one game to swing everything around. These are the playoffs, anything can happen now.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
The Top Ten Philadelphia Sports Moments of 2010
It really was a good year for Philadelphia sports, wasn't it? Despite there not being a parade down Broad Street, fans had a lot of reasons to celebrate this past year. There were historic moments left and right, miracle finishes and a nice early Christmas present to close out the year. That being said, with 2011 now here, let's look back at what I thought were the top ten moments in Philadelphia sports this year.
Honorable Mentions:
Donovan McNabb is traded to Washington (April 4), Roy Halladay pitches a complete game to win the NL East for the Phillies (September 27), Roy Oswalt is called upon to play left field (August 24), The 76ers get the second overall pick in the NBA Draft (May 18), Jamie Moyer becomes the oldest pitcher in baseball history to throw a shutout (May 7).
Now, on to the top ten!
#10: The Philadelphia Union are born (March 25)
For those of you that don't actually know me that well, let me make this clear. I do not like soccer. I'm not sure why. It might have something to do with being forced to play it when I was younger and being horrible at it, but the same thing happened with baseball, and I love that. Regardless, when I first heard the news that Philadelphia was getting an MLS franchise, I wasn't that thrilled. Then, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Soccer clubs have some of the most passionate fans in the world, and where better to put a team than in Philadelphia?
The Union were founded back in 2008, but didn't play their first game until this season. While they had their ups and downs, just like any expansion team, they showed a lot of promise. Sébastien Le Toux was one of the top goal scorers in MLS, putting 14 shots in the net, and PPL Park is absolutely beautiful. The Union already have the support of Philadelphia fans, who didn't really need another reason to go to a sporting event, but have one now anyway. A seventh place finish in the Eastern Conference wasn't great, but the future is already looking bright for this young franchise. The first season for the Union, and the support that they got from the fans, was certainly one of the better moments of 2010.
#9: The Flyers beat the Rangers in a shootout to make the NHL Playoffs (April 11)
Don't let this current season fool you. The 2009-10 Philadelphia Flyers were, for most of the season, an average hockey team. They fired coach John Stevens 25 games into the regular season, and still only finished the year six games over the .500 mark. Philadelphia picked Michael Leighton up from Nashville, and somehow, Leighton became the starting goalie, only to be injured in March. Brian Boucher took over and led the team to the last two games of the regular season against the New York Rangers. All the Flyers had to do was win one of the two games. If they did that, they would clinch a spot in the playoffs. If they lost both, New York would go to the playoffs, and the Flyers would be sitting at home.
So, what did the Flyers do? They lost the first game of the home and home against the Rangers and then went into a shootout in the last game of the regular season, with the playoffs on the line. Danny Briere and Claude Giroux each scored for the Flyers in the shootout, leaving the pressure on Boucher as he faced Olli Jokinen. Jokinen made a move, but Boucher was ready, keeping the puck out of the net and sending the Flyers back to the playoffs for the third straight season. The regular season wasn't always pretty, but the playoffs were, and without this shootout win, none of it would have happened.
#8: Michael Vick is named the starting quarterback of the Eagles (September 21)
After the trade of Donovan McNabb, Eagles fans were expecting the Kevin Kolb era to begin in Philadelphia. After all, Kolb took the majority of the snaps during the preseason, and when Michael Vick got out onto the field during the preseason games, he still looked like the average player that he was back in 2009. There was no way that Vick was going to take over for Kolb.
Fast forward to the first game of this NFL season. Kevin Kolb lasted all of one half against the Green Bay Packers and was concussed, leaving the Eagles with no choice but to bring Vick into the game. Not only did Vick play well, but he almost led the Eagles to a come from behind win against a preseason Super Bowl pick in the Packers. Vick started for Kolb in Week 2, a 35-32 win against the Detroit Lions, and two days later, Andy Reid named him the starting quarterback for the rest of the season. While Vick did miss two games with a rib injury, his play this year more than justified Reid's starting of him. Yes, I have to eat some crow on this one. Vick has passed for over 3,000 yards with 21 touchdowns and just six interceptions while rushing for 676 yards and nine touchdowns. He was also elected as the starting quarterback for the NFC in the Pro Bowl later this month. Plus, the Eagles won their first NFC East title since the 2006 season. Overall, I'd say it was a good move.
#7: The Monday Night Massacre (November 15)
One week after defeating the Indianapolis Colts, the Eagles were making their first trip to Washington D.C. without Donovan McNabb in over a decade. Instead, McNabb was waiting for them as a member of the Washington Redskins, who, just five weeks before, had defeated the Eagles in Philadelphia and injured Michael Vick. McNabb got his revenge against the Eagles in that game, and the Eagles would get theirs on Monday Night, with the entire country watching.
It didn't take long for the Eagles to strike. In fact, it happened on the first play of the game. Michael Vick rolled out and hit DeSean Jackson for an 88 yard touchdown pass that set the tone. The rest of the first half was more of the same. The Redskins would punt the ball to the Eagles, or McNabb would turn the ball over, and the Eagles would march down the field and score. Philadelphia led 28-0 after the first quarter and 45-14 at the half. It was the most points scored by a road team against the Redskins in the first half in Washington history. The Eagles would score twice more in the second half to finish the game with 59 points. Michael Vick had insane, video game numbers, passing for four touchdowns and 333 yards while rushing for 80 yards and two more touchdowns. The 59 points were the most scored by a single team in Monday Night Football history, and Michael Vick became the first NFL quarterback to throw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for over 50 yards and two touchdowns. This game set the stage for the rest of the season for the Eagles, and while it's not over yet, this win sure was fun.
#6: Flyers win the Eastern Conference Finals (May 24)
The 2010 NHL Eastern Conference Finals might have been the most unlikely in NHL history. Not only were the Flyers there as the seven seed, but they had home ice advantage, due to the Montreal Canadiens making it there as the eight seed. In a conference with Washington, Pittsburgh, Boston and Buffalo, the Flyers and Canadiens were going to face off to see who was going to the Stanley Cup Finals. Michael Leighton had returned from injury and was starting in goal again for the Flyers. He didn't waste his chance, recording back to back shutouts in Games 1 and 2 to give the Flyers a 2-0 lead in the series. Montreal took Game 3 back in Canada, but Leighton responded with his third shutout of the series in Game 4, putting the Flyers one win away from their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals since 1997.
Montreal scored just a minute into Game 5, but Mike Richards would answer back with the goal of his season, getting a shorthanded breakaway three and a half minutes later. Jaroslav Halak came out to play the puck and collided with Richards and Roman Hamrlik. Somehow, Richards got up first with the puck on his stick and put it in the net. You could feel the energy get sucked from the Canadiens at that point. It was an amazing goal that was one of the best moments of the year for the Flyers. Arron Asham and Jeff Carter each scored in the second period, and when Carter added the empty netter at the end of the third period, the dream that had just gotten past the Flyers year after year since 1997 was finally a reality. They were headed back to the Stanley Cup Finals. The end result wasn't what everyone wanted, but let's be honest. It was one hell of a ride.
#5: Cliff Lee returns (December 15)
As the 2010 MLB offseason began, there was one big player that everyone was talking about. It wasn't Carl Crawford or Jayson Werth, but Cliff Lee. While Crawford and Werth were rumored to sign just about everywhere, Cliff Lee was apparently down to two teams. Either the Texas Rangers, who Lee had helped guide to the World Series with victories in the ALDS over Tampa and the ALCS over New York, or the New York Yankees, who Lee always seemed to beat when the spotlight shined brightest. The Philadelphia Phillies weren't given much of a chance at all, since they already had most of their pitching budget spent on Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels. With the winter meetings winding down, and Jayson Werth signing with the Nationals, Phillies fans were just about to resign themselves to having a winter without a major splash in the baseball market.
Then came the news that a third, mystery team was in the running for Lee. The news came fast at that point. The Yankees were out of the running, and it was down to Texas and this other team. Rumors were flying around. Was it the Red Sox? Could the Nationals really make another big free agent move? If it was the Phillies, where did they find the money? It turns out, it was the Phillies, and just hours after the news about the mystery team broke, Cliff Lee had decided to come back to a city where he had spent just one half of one year, but fell in love. It wasn't the Phillies that got in touch with Lee, it was the other way around. Lee had asked his agent to talk to the Phillies and see what it would take for him to come back. Ruben Amaro got clearance from the owners to make the offer, and this time, Cliff Lee is staying for the next five years. The $120 million contract he signed doesn't hurt, either. Now, the Phillies have Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee. Go ahead, pick a pitcher you want to hit against.
#4: Roy Halladay's playoff no-hitter (October 6)
The Phillies brought in Roy Halladay for the sole reason of winning big games when it mattered the most. As this past season went along, Halladay did that more and more, finishing his regular season with a complete game shutout against the Washington Nationals that gave the Phillies their fourth straight National League East championship. His next start wouldn't be until Game 1 of the NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds, who won the National League Central for the first time in over a decade and boasted an offense that was one of the best in baseball. Halladay had already thrown a perfect game during the regular season, so there was no way that he could top that in the playoffs, right?
He sure came close. In his first ever playoff start, Roy Halladay pitched just the second no-hitter in playoff history. He struck out eight and walked just one batter on a full count in the fifth inning. Aside from that, the Reds couldn't figure out Halladay, and the Phillies scored four runs in the first two innings. That was all Halladay needed. He wasn't quite perfect against the Reds, but he was damn close. Just like the Flyers, the playoff run for the Phillies didn't end how they wanted it to, either. A sweep of the Reds was still nice, and having one of two pitchers in baseball history to throw a playoff no-hitter didn't hurt. There's one more moment from Halladay on this list. I bet you know what it is.
#3: The Miracle at the New Meadowlands (December 19)
The last moment to happen this year came when the Philadelphia Eagles staged that remarkable comeback against the New York Giants just two weeks ago. I really don't have anything new to write about it, so here's part of the recap from the game.
You have to give love to the special teams as well. First came the onside kick with the Eagles down 31-17. The Giants weren't prepared for it, and Riley Cooper did a great job making sure that the ball went ten yards before he touched it. The Eagles would score on that drive, cutting the lead to 31-24. Then came the last play of the game. This one falls more on the Giants than the Eagles, because, thanks to a high snap and a poor kick, the ball came right to DeSean Jackson, which was pretty much the one place that Tom Coughlin didn't want the ball to go. The kick was so bad that Jackson had time to fumble it, pick it up and find a hole to run through before the Giants even made it down the field to try and tackle him. Jason Avant had a huge block at midfield, and that was all Jackson would need. Did he have to start celebrating at the 25 yard line? Of course not, but with the smack that the Giants were talking during the week and for most of the game, I don't blame him. This game was a likely once in a lifetime comeback, so it's fine to showboat a little bit.
What else can be said? It was literally the most improbable ending to a game that I have ever seen in my life, and I'm sure it ranks right up there with just about any ending to any NFL game ever. When you get the first ever walk off punt return for a touchdown in NFL history, it's something amazing.
How can this just be number three on the list? Well, there was a little more history that was made this year in Philadelphia.
#2: Roy Halladay throws a perfect game (May 29)
At the end of May, the Phillies were going through some struggles that they usually reserve for the start of the baseball season. Coming into their series with the Marlins, the Phils had been shut out for an entire series against the New York Mets, and while they had won the first game of the series against Florida, with Josh Johnson going against Roy Halladay in the second game, it was going to take an even bigger effort to make sure the Phillies would win their first series since the middle of the month.
Roy Halladay had come close to pitching a no-hitter before, but he had never been able to get to the end. On this night, he would do just that. Halladay worked just the 20th perfect game in major league history, recording 27 straight outs against the Florida Marlins. Wilson Valdez scored the only run of the game on a Chase Utley fly ball that was misjudged by Cameron Maybin, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that Roy Halladay was able to pitch the second perfect game in Phillies history, and that all the hype surrounding Halladay when he came to Philadelphia was legit. Halladay was a big game pitcher that could make history on any night, and he would do it again in the playoffs against Cincinnati, as I already discussed. There's a reason Halladay won the Cy Young Award this season, and the perfect game was the cherry on top of one of the best pitching seasons in recent Phillies history.
How can this not be number one? Well, at the same time Halladay was throwing his perfect game, the Flyers were playing Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks. Two weeks before that...this happened.
#1: The Flyers come back from an 0-3 hole to beat the Bruins (May 14)
Being down three games to none in a best of seven series is the worst feeling for any team. Not only does your opponent only have to win one more game to knock you out, but for you to win, you have to do something that's only been done a handful of times in sports history. You have to win four straight games, with at least one or two of them coming on the road. Not only is is next to impossible, it's damn near improbable. Only twice in the NHL before last season had teams come back from an 0-3 hole to win the series, and it hadn't happened in over 30 years. That was the task in front of the Philadelphia Flyers after they lost Game 3 at home to the Boston Bruins by a 4-1 score.
Going into Game 4, they had two things going for them. First, they were still playing at home, and the fans were behind them every step of the way. Second, Simon Gagne was able to return from injury. Gagne's return proved to have the biggest impact in the series, as he scored the game winner in overtime to force a Game 5 back in Boston. The Flyers had a tiny flicker of hope still there. Game 5 went even better for the Flyers as they won 4-0, but lost Brian Boucher to injury, meaning that Michael Leighton would find himself back in goal for the Flyers almost two months after his injury. Leighton made the most of his chance, stopping 30 shots in Game 6 as the Flyers won 2-1 to force a Game 7 back in Boston with the chance of an historic comeback.
Things didn't start out that well in Game 7 for the Flyers. By the time most fans were getting comfortable to watch the game, Boston had already built a three goal lead. Flyers fans had seen this before and figured that their nice little run was about to end, but not with this team. James van Riemsdyk scored his first playoff goal late in the first period to give the Flyers life again, and then came the second period. Scott Hartnell scored two and a half minutes in, and Danny Briere scored on a wraparound goal six minutes later. Just like that, the game was tied heading into the third, where Simon Gagne would strike one more time. Boston was called for having too many men on the ice, and on the ensuing power play, Gagne managed to fire a shot into the back of the net. The Flyers had a 4-3 lead that they would hold onto, making them just the third NHL team to come back from being down three games to none and win the series, and they were the first team to ever complete the feat after being down 3-0 in Game 7.
These type of moments don't normally happen to Philadelphia sports teams. That's why this was the best moment of 2010 in Philadelphia sports. Hopefully, 2011 can provide us with just as many good memories, as well as a parade or two.
Honorable Mentions:
Donovan McNabb is traded to Washington (April 4), Roy Halladay pitches a complete game to win the NL East for the Phillies (September 27), Roy Oswalt is called upon to play left field (August 24), The 76ers get the second overall pick in the NBA Draft (May 18), Jamie Moyer becomes the oldest pitcher in baseball history to throw a shutout (May 7).
Now, on to the top ten!
#10: The Philadelphia Union are born (March 25)
For those of you that don't actually know me that well, let me make this clear. I do not like soccer. I'm not sure why. It might have something to do with being forced to play it when I was younger and being horrible at it, but the same thing happened with baseball, and I love that. Regardless, when I first heard the news that Philadelphia was getting an MLS franchise, I wasn't that thrilled. Then, the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Soccer clubs have some of the most passionate fans in the world, and where better to put a team than in Philadelphia?
The Union were founded back in 2008, but didn't play their first game until this season. While they had their ups and downs, just like any expansion team, they showed a lot of promise. Sébastien Le Toux was one of the top goal scorers in MLS, putting 14 shots in the net, and PPL Park is absolutely beautiful. The Union already have the support of Philadelphia fans, who didn't really need another reason to go to a sporting event, but have one now anyway. A seventh place finish in the Eastern Conference wasn't great, but the future is already looking bright for this young franchise. The first season for the Union, and the support that they got from the fans, was certainly one of the better moments of 2010.
#9: The Flyers beat the Rangers in a shootout to make the NHL Playoffs (April 11)
Don't let this current season fool you. The 2009-10 Philadelphia Flyers were, for most of the season, an average hockey team. They fired coach John Stevens 25 games into the regular season, and still only finished the year six games over the .500 mark. Philadelphia picked Michael Leighton up from Nashville, and somehow, Leighton became the starting goalie, only to be injured in March. Brian Boucher took over and led the team to the last two games of the regular season against the New York Rangers. All the Flyers had to do was win one of the two games. If they did that, they would clinch a spot in the playoffs. If they lost both, New York would go to the playoffs, and the Flyers would be sitting at home.
So, what did the Flyers do? They lost the first game of the home and home against the Rangers and then went into a shootout in the last game of the regular season, with the playoffs on the line. Danny Briere and Claude Giroux each scored for the Flyers in the shootout, leaving the pressure on Boucher as he faced Olli Jokinen. Jokinen made a move, but Boucher was ready, keeping the puck out of the net and sending the Flyers back to the playoffs for the third straight season. The regular season wasn't always pretty, but the playoffs were, and without this shootout win, none of it would have happened.
#8: Michael Vick is named the starting quarterback of the Eagles (September 21)
After the trade of Donovan McNabb, Eagles fans were expecting the Kevin Kolb era to begin in Philadelphia. After all, Kolb took the majority of the snaps during the preseason, and when Michael Vick got out onto the field during the preseason games, he still looked like the average player that he was back in 2009. There was no way that Vick was going to take over for Kolb.
Fast forward to the first game of this NFL season. Kevin Kolb lasted all of one half against the Green Bay Packers and was concussed, leaving the Eagles with no choice but to bring Vick into the game. Not only did Vick play well, but he almost led the Eagles to a come from behind win against a preseason Super Bowl pick in the Packers. Vick started for Kolb in Week 2, a 35-32 win against the Detroit Lions, and two days later, Andy Reid named him the starting quarterback for the rest of the season. While Vick did miss two games with a rib injury, his play this year more than justified Reid's starting of him. Yes, I have to eat some crow on this one. Vick has passed for over 3,000 yards with 21 touchdowns and just six interceptions while rushing for 676 yards and nine touchdowns. He was also elected as the starting quarterback for the NFC in the Pro Bowl later this month. Plus, the Eagles won their first NFC East title since the 2006 season. Overall, I'd say it was a good move.
#7: The Monday Night Massacre (November 15)
One week after defeating the Indianapolis Colts, the Eagles were making their first trip to Washington D.C. without Donovan McNabb in over a decade. Instead, McNabb was waiting for them as a member of the Washington Redskins, who, just five weeks before, had defeated the Eagles in Philadelphia and injured Michael Vick. McNabb got his revenge against the Eagles in that game, and the Eagles would get theirs on Monday Night, with the entire country watching.
It didn't take long for the Eagles to strike. In fact, it happened on the first play of the game. Michael Vick rolled out and hit DeSean Jackson for an 88 yard touchdown pass that set the tone. The rest of the first half was more of the same. The Redskins would punt the ball to the Eagles, or McNabb would turn the ball over, and the Eagles would march down the field and score. Philadelphia led 28-0 after the first quarter and 45-14 at the half. It was the most points scored by a road team against the Redskins in the first half in Washington history. The Eagles would score twice more in the second half to finish the game with 59 points. Michael Vick had insane, video game numbers, passing for four touchdowns and 333 yards while rushing for 80 yards and two more touchdowns. The 59 points were the most scored by a single team in Monday Night Football history, and Michael Vick became the first NFL quarterback to throw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns while rushing for over 50 yards and two touchdowns. This game set the stage for the rest of the season for the Eagles, and while it's not over yet, this win sure was fun.
#6: Flyers win the Eastern Conference Finals (May 24)
The 2010 NHL Eastern Conference Finals might have been the most unlikely in NHL history. Not only were the Flyers there as the seven seed, but they had home ice advantage, due to the Montreal Canadiens making it there as the eight seed. In a conference with Washington, Pittsburgh, Boston and Buffalo, the Flyers and Canadiens were going to face off to see who was going to the Stanley Cup Finals. Michael Leighton had returned from injury and was starting in goal again for the Flyers. He didn't waste his chance, recording back to back shutouts in Games 1 and 2 to give the Flyers a 2-0 lead in the series. Montreal took Game 3 back in Canada, but Leighton responded with his third shutout of the series in Game 4, putting the Flyers one win away from their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals since 1997.
Montreal scored just a minute into Game 5, but Mike Richards would answer back with the goal of his season, getting a shorthanded breakaway three and a half minutes later. Jaroslav Halak came out to play the puck and collided with Richards and Roman Hamrlik. Somehow, Richards got up first with the puck on his stick and put it in the net. You could feel the energy get sucked from the Canadiens at that point. It was an amazing goal that was one of the best moments of the year for the Flyers. Arron Asham and Jeff Carter each scored in the second period, and when Carter added the empty netter at the end of the third period, the dream that had just gotten past the Flyers year after year since 1997 was finally a reality. They were headed back to the Stanley Cup Finals. The end result wasn't what everyone wanted, but let's be honest. It was one hell of a ride.
#5: Cliff Lee returns (December 15)
As the 2010 MLB offseason began, there was one big player that everyone was talking about. It wasn't Carl Crawford or Jayson Werth, but Cliff Lee. While Crawford and Werth were rumored to sign just about everywhere, Cliff Lee was apparently down to two teams. Either the Texas Rangers, who Lee had helped guide to the World Series with victories in the ALDS over Tampa and the ALCS over New York, or the New York Yankees, who Lee always seemed to beat when the spotlight shined brightest. The Philadelphia Phillies weren't given much of a chance at all, since they already had most of their pitching budget spent on Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels. With the winter meetings winding down, and Jayson Werth signing with the Nationals, Phillies fans were just about to resign themselves to having a winter without a major splash in the baseball market.
Then came the news that a third, mystery team was in the running for Lee. The news came fast at that point. The Yankees were out of the running, and it was down to Texas and this other team. Rumors were flying around. Was it the Red Sox? Could the Nationals really make another big free agent move? If it was the Phillies, where did they find the money? It turns out, it was the Phillies, and just hours after the news about the mystery team broke, Cliff Lee had decided to come back to a city where he had spent just one half of one year, but fell in love. It wasn't the Phillies that got in touch with Lee, it was the other way around. Lee had asked his agent to talk to the Phillies and see what it would take for him to come back. Ruben Amaro got clearance from the owners to make the offer, and this time, Cliff Lee is staying for the next five years. The $120 million contract he signed doesn't hurt, either. Now, the Phillies have Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee. Go ahead, pick a pitcher you want to hit against.
#4: Roy Halladay's playoff no-hitter (October 6)
The Phillies brought in Roy Halladay for the sole reason of winning big games when it mattered the most. As this past season went along, Halladay did that more and more, finishing his regular season with a complete game shutout against the Washington Nationals that gave the Phillies their fourth straight National League East championship. His next start wouldn't be until Game 1 of the NLDS against the Cincinnati Reds, who won the National League Central for the first time in over a decade and boasted an offense that was one of the best in baseball. Halladay had already thrown a perfect game during the regular season, so there was no way that he could top that in the playoffs, right?
He sure came close. In his first ever playoff start, Roy Halladay pitched just the second no-hitter in playoff history. He struck out eight and walked just one batter on a full count in the fifth inning. Aside from that, the Reds couldn't figure out Halladay, and the Phillies scored four runs in the first two innings. That was all Halladay needed. He wasn't quite perfect against the Reds, but he was damn close. Just like the Flyers, the playoff run for the Phillies didn't end how they wanted it to, either. A sweep of the Reds was still nice, and having one of two pitchers in baseball history to throw a playoff no-hitter didn't hurt. There's one more moment from Halladay on this list. I bet you know what it is.
#3: The Miracle at the New Meadowlands (December 19)
The last moment to happen this year came when the Philadelphia Eagles staged that remarkable comeback against the New York Giants just two weeks ago. I really don't have anything new to write about it, so here's part of the recap from the game.
You have to give love to the special teams as well. First came the onside kick with the Eagles down 31-17. The Giants weren't prepared for it, and Riley Cooper did a great job making sure that the ball went ten yards before he touched it. The Eagles would score on that drive, cutting the lead to 31-24. Then came the last play of the game. This one falls more on the Giants than the Eagles, because, thanks to a high snap and a poor kick, the ball came right to DeSean Jackson, which was pretty much the one place that Tom Coughlin didn't want the ball to go. The kick was so bad that Jackson had time to fumble it, pick it up and find a hole to run through before the Giants even made it down the field to try and tackle him. Jason Avant had a huge block at midfield, and that was all Jackson would need. Did he have to start celebrating at the 25 yard line? Of course not, but with the smack that the Giants were talking during the week and for most of the game, I don't blame him. This game was a likely once in a lifetime comeback, so it's fine to showboat a little bit.
What else can be said? It was literally the most improbable ending to a game that I have ever seen in my life, and I'm sure it ranks right up there with just about any ending to any NFL game ever. When you get the first ever walk off punt return for a touchdown in NFL history, it's something amazing.
How can this just be number three on the list? Well, there was a little more history that was made this year in Philadelphia.
#2: Roy Halladay throws a perfect game (May 29)
At the end of May, the Phillies were going through some struggles that they usually reserve for the start of the baseball season. Coming into their series with the Marlins, the Phils had been shut out for an entire series against the New York Mets, and while they had won the first game of the series against Florida, with Josh Johnson going against Roy Halladay in the second game, it was going to take an even bigger effort to make sure the Phillies would win their first series since the middle of the month.
Roy Halladay had come close to pitching a no-hitter before, but he had never been able to get to the end. On this night, he would do just that. Halladay worked just the 20th perfect game in major league history, recording 27 straight outs against the Florida Marlins. Wilson Valdez scored the only run of the game on a Chase Utley fly ball that was misjudged by Cameron Maybin, but it didn't matter. All that mattered was that Roy Halladay was able to pitch the second perfect game in Phillies history, and that all the hype surrounding Halladay when he came to Philadelphia was legit. Halladay was a big game pitcher that could make history on any night, and he would do it again in the playoffs against Cincinnati, as I already discussed. There's a reason Halladay won the Cy Young Award this season, and the perfect game was the cherry on top of one of the best pitching seasons in recent Phillies history.
How can this not be number one? Well, at the same time Halladay was throwing his perfect game, the Flyers were playing Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks. Two weeks before that...this happened.
#1: The Flyers come back from an 0-3 hole to beat the Bruins (May 14)
Being down three games to none in a best of seven series is the worst feeling for any team. Not only does your opponent only have to win one more game to knock you out, but for you to win, you have to do something that's only been done a handful of times in sports history. You have to win four straight games, with at least one or two of them coming on the road. Not only is is next to impossible, it's damn near improbable. Only twice in the NHL before last season had teams come back from an 0-3 hole to win the series, and it hadn't happened in over 30 years. That was the task in front of the Philadelphia Flyers after they lost Game 3 at home to the Boston Bruins by a 4-1 score.
Going into Game 4, they had two things going for them. First, they were still playing at home, and the fans were behind them every step of the way. Second, Simon Gagne was able to return from injury. Gagne's return proved to have the biggest impact in the series, as he scored the game winner in overtime to force a Game 5 back in Boston. The Flyers had a tiny flicker of hope still there. Game 5 went even better for the Flyers as they won 4-0, but lost Brian Boucher to injury, meaning that Michael Leighton would find himself back in goal for the Flyers almost two months after his injury. Leighton made the most of his chance, stopping 30 shots in Game 6 as the Flyers won 2-1 to force a Game 7 back in Boston with the chance of an historic comeback.
Things didn't start out that well in Game 7 for the Flyers. By the time most fans were getting comfortable to watch the game, Boston had already built a three goal lead. Flyers fans had seen this before and figured that their nice little run was about to end, but not with this team. James van Riemsdyk scored his first playoff goal late in the first period to give the Flyers life again, and then came the second period. Scott Hartnell scored two and a half minutes in, and Danny Briere scored on a wraparound goal six minutes later. Just like that, the game was tied heading into the third, where Simon Gagne would strike one more time. Boston was called for having too many men on the ice, and on the ensuing power play, Gagne managed to fire a shot into the back of the net. The Flyers had a 4-3 lead that they would hold onto, making them just the third NHL team to come back from being down three games to none and win the series, and they were the first team to ever complete the feat after being down 3-0 in Game 7.
These type of moments don't normally happen to Philadelphia sports teams. That's why this was the best moment of 2010 in Philadelphia sports. Hopefully, 2011 can provide us with just as many good memories, as well as a parade or two.
Eagles Aftermath: Vikings-24, Eagles-14
What happened?
The Eagles and Vikings played the first NFL game on a Tuesday since 1946, and the Vikings completely outplayed the Eagles. Michael Vick turned the ball over three times as the Eagles locked themselves into the number three seed in the NFC playoffs.
The Good:
It took him all season, but Brent Celek finally showed up, catching ten passes for 97 yards. Of course, most of those catches came because Vick was busy running for his life from the Minnesota pass rush.
The Bad:
LeSean McCoy carried the ball 13 times for 44 yards. That's not good enough.
Michael Vick completed 25 of 43 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw an interception and fumbled the ball twice. He ran eight times for 63 yards and a touchdown.
DeSean Jackson had two catches for 32 yards.
Adrian Peterson rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown, and was a big reason why the Vikings were able to kill the clock in the fourth quarter.
The Ugly:
The Eagles lost to a rookie quarterback, making his first career start. Joe Webb only passed for 195 yards, but he ran for 31 more and a touchdown and the Eagles didn't have an answer for him.
The Eagles had less penalty yards than Minnesota, but got called for 12 penalties. That's very, very sloppy football.
Michael Vick was sacked six times, including twice by Antoine Winfield, who completed the play with a strip and fumble recovery for a touchdown late in the second quarter. That play turned the entire tide of the game.
The Breakdown:
This was a typical let down game by the Philadelphia Eagles. Coming into a game that was postponed due to snow, the Eagles had what most people thought was going to be an easy victory in front of them. They were facing a rookie quarterback making his first career start, and the conditions were perfect for the offense to come out and take care of business, especially with another day of rest thrown in to the mix.
Well, that wasn't the case on Tuesday night. Joe Webb showed that he could be a decent NFL quarterback, while the Minnesota defense did what they needed to do and beat up Michael Vick and the offense, moving the Eagles down to 10-5 on the season and putting them in the number three spot in the NFC playoffs, meaning that Philadelphia now has to play three straight weeks to make it to the Super Bowl.
The game was another by the Eagles where they looked like they were completely out of it from the start. After their second drive of the game resulted in a touchdown, the Eagles seemed to expect the Vikings to roll over and give the game up. After all, Minnesota had nothing to play for, save for maybe getting Leslie Frazier the full time coaching job next season. As is so often the case in the NFL, the teams that have nothing to play for are the most dangerous. Minnesota had the same game plan that the Bears and Giants used against the Philadelphia offense, and they worked it just as well as those two teams did. Just like Chicago and New York, the Vikings played their coverage back deeper, preventing the long passes to DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, while blitzing either a corner or a safety most of the time. Antoine Winfield did most of the damage, picking up two sacks and getting pressure on Vick for most of the game.
The Eagles had no answer for the Minnesota pass rush, and it's not a good thing to have something like that happen just before the playoffs are going to start. It's not like the other NFC playoff teams don't know how to play the Eagles, but it's not good for Michael Vick to be getting hit like he did on Tuesday over and over again. It's likely that Vick is going to sit out tomorrow's game against the Dallas Cowboys, especially now that it doesn't mean anything for the Eagles. Whether they finish 11-5 or 10-6, they're going to host a first round game against the Giants or Green Bay Packers, and if they win that, then they go on the road for at least one game. It's not an ideal schedule, especially when there was a good chance for a bye week just a week ago.
That's the biggest problem with Eagles teams under Andy Reid. It's not the clock management, or the two minute offense. It's coming into games and thinking that they should win, just because they're the Philadelphia Eagles. It happened last year against the Oakland Raiders, and as it turned out, that game cost the Eagles the NFC East championship and a potential first round bye. Would last season have turned out any different? Probably not, but it's still something to look back on. Now this season, the Eagles have had their big let down game. You could have expected something, what with the team coming off of that win against the Giants and then having the game pushed back two days because of snow, but it's nothing to be proud of.
The offense came out flat and was unable to respond to the Minnesota blitz, and while the defense wasn't that bad, they continually let Joe Webb complete short passes on third downs that resulted in first downs. Webb had very few deep throws, but his underneath passing picked the Eagles apart and cost them time and eventually the game. It was just a sloppy game on both sides of the ball, and these guys really need to get their act together as the playoffs are now just a week away.
Tomorrow's game against Dallas doesn't mean much, save for it being against the Cowboys. Kevin Kolb will likely start for Michael Vick as the Eagles close out the regular season. After that, the real fun begins. Next week, the NFL playoffs start, and the Eagles will be involved. Can they make another run towards the Super Bowl? Right now, I have no idea, but the bandwagon just got a whole lot lighter.
The Eagles and Vikings played the first NFL game on a Tuesday since 1946, and the Vikings completely outplayed the Eagles. Michael Vick turned the ball over three times as the Eagles locked themselves into the number three seed in the NFC playoffs.
The Good:
It took him all season, but Brent Celek finally showed up, catching ten passes for 97 yards. Of course, most of those catches came because Vick was busy running for his life from the Minnesota pass rush.
The Bad:
LeSean McCoy carried the ball 13 times for 44 yards. That's not good enough.
Michael Vick completed 25 of 43 passes for 263 yards and a touchdown, but he also threw an interception and fumbled the ball twice. He ran eight times for 63 yards and a touchdown.
DeSean Jackson had two catches for 32 yards.
Adrian Peterson rushed for 118 yards and a touchdown, and was a big reason why the Vikings were able to kill the clock in the fourth quarter.
The Ugly:
The Eagles lost to a rookie quarterback, making his first career start. Joe Webb only passed for 195 yards, but he ran for 31 more and a touchdown and the Eagles didn't have an answer for him.
The Eagles had less penalty yards than Minnesota, but got called for 12 penalties. That's very, very sloppy football.
Michael Vick was sacked six times, including twice by Antoine Winfield, who completed the play with a strip and fumble recovery for a touchdown late in the second quarter. That play turned the entire tide of the game.
The Breakdown:
This was a typical let down game by the Philadelphia Eagles. Coming into a game that was postponed due to snow, the Eagles had what most people thought was going to be an easy victory in front of them. They were facing a rookie quarterback making his first career start, and the conditions were perfect for the offense to come out and take care of business, especially with another day of rest thrown in to the mix.
Well, that wasn't the case on Tuesday night. Joe Webb showed that he could be a decent NFL quarterback, while the Minnesota defense did what they needed to do and beat up Michael Vick and the offense, moving the Eagles down to 10-5 on the season and putting them in the number three spot in the NFC playoffs, meaning that Philadelphia now has to play three straight weeks to make it to the Super Bowl.
The game was another by the Eagles where they looked like they were completely out of it from the start. After their second drive of the game resulted in a touchdown, the Eagles seemed to expect the Vikings to roll over and give the game up. After all, Minnesota had nothing to play for, save for maybe getting Leslie Frazier the full time coaching job next season. As is so often the case in the NFL, the teams that have nothing to play for are the most dangerous. Minnesota had the same game plan that the Bears and Giants used against the Philadelphia offense, and they worked it just as well as those two teams did. Just like Chicago and New York, the Vikings played their coverage back deeper, preventing the long passes to DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, while blitzing either a corner or a safety most of the time. Antoine Winfield did most of the damage, picking up two sacks and getting pressure on Vick for most of the game.
The Eagles had no answer for the Minnesota pass rush, and it's not a good thing to have something like that happen just before the playoffs are going to start. It's not like the other NFC playoff teams don't know how to play the Eagles, but it's not good for Michael Vick to be getting hit like he did on Tuesday over and over again. It's likely that Vick is going to sit out tomorrow's game against the Dallas Cowboys, especially now that it doesn't mean anything for the Eagles. Whether they finish 11-5 or 10-6, they're going to host a first round game against the Giants or Green Bay Packers, and if they win that, then they go on the road for at least one game. It's not an ideal schedule, especially when there was a good chance for a bye week just a week ago.
That's the biggest problem with Eagles teams under Andy Reid. It's not the clock management, or the two minute offense. It's coming into games and thinking that they should win, just because they're the Philadelphia Eagles. It happened last year against the Oakland Raiders, and as it turned out, that game cost the Eagles the NFC East championship and a potential first round bye. Would last season have turned out any different? Probably not, but it's still something to look back on. Now this season, the Eagles have had their big let down game. You could have expected something, what with the team coming off of that win against the Giants and then having the game pushed back two days because of snow, but it's nothing to be proud of.
The offense came out flat and was unable to respond to the Minnesota blitz, and while the defense wasn't that bad, they continually let Joe Webb complete short passes on third downs that resulted in first downs. Webb had very few deep throws, but his underneath passing picked the Eagles apart and cost them time and eventually the game. It was just a sloppy game on both sides of the ball, and these guys really need to get their act together as the playoffs are now just a week away.
Tomorrow's game against Dallas doesn't mean much, save for it being against the Cowboys. Kevin Kolb will likely start for Michael Vick as the Eagles close out the regular season. After that, the real fun begins. Next week, the NFL playoffs start, and the Eagles will be involved. Can they make another run towards the Super Bowl? Right now, I have no idea, but the bandwagon just got a whole lot lighter.
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