The 2009 Philadelphia Eagles Season – Post Mortem

Written by Ali Afshari

After a much promised but harsh-ending of the NFL season, we can only do what is typically expected of us -as fans.  We search for answers and look for clues to how this atrocity could have transpired before our hopeful eyes.  And very much like the city coroner, we will dissect and delve into the whys and wherefores of a very abrupt and shocking ending.  We can only be left with a post mortem to our slain heroes of battle- to what could almost be considered a “homicide” of a sports team’s campaign.

Certainly the bitter taste of defeat is still swirling about in our mouths. The sting and pain of a trio of awful defeats by Dallas has just begun to heal ever so slowly. While those same Cowboys have reverted to their usual form and have now exited the playoffs to the delight of ALL diehard Eagles fans.  Their end to their season is doubly satisfying because they have been dispatched by our old coordinator, Brad Childress’s Vikings led by the ageless Favre. We can finally begin our annual acts of offseason healing- to which we have become accustomed to- as well practiced tortured Philadelphia sports fans.  And since “Change” was the tagline for the political scene for 2009, we can only wonder if it might also be what could be in store for the face of our football franchise in 2010.

The Good: Amidst, this season’s highlights, was the play of DeSean Jackson who almost single-handedly won a couple of games with his play on special teams as well as his game changing ability to receive the long ball and fearlessly run routes.    Kudos goes to Mr. Jackson, for being the first player in Pro Bowl history to be named on the team at two different positions.  He also had 8 touchdowns for over 50 yards, tying an NFL record.

The Bad:  What happened to the play of our secondary, and the offensive line?  Regardless of the Pro Bowl selections of Jason Peters and Asante Samuel, who both more than likely have been chosen on reputation versus their game to game performances, because surely their stats don’t tell the whole story…

Jason Peters single handedly brought virtually a countless number of Defensive Ends right to Donovan- causing hurries, sacks, and other offensive miscues.  The collapse of the pocket on Peters’ side was so obvious and prevalent that my jaw literally dropped at the news of his All Pro selection.

Meanwhile, Asante Samuel’s 9 interceptions belied his gambling on SO many plays where wide receivers pulled down catches and gained yardage while he fell to the ground, missing the play.  His 40 tackles can’t mask the number of times he slides off receivers with the weakest excuse for tackling imaginable.

The Ugly: While you send out a letter at the post office take a look at the wall and let me know if you have seen a photo of either of the Andrews brothers, because between the two of them they must surely be wanted for stealing every penny of their salaries this year.  To say that banking on either of them was a HUGE mistake is a major understatement.

Since the team’s management decided to extend Andy Reid’s contract midseason, we can only expect that his tenure here in Philadelphia shall continue onward in the new decade.  Much to the chagrin of some of our more vocal fan base, who might claim that the song would definitely continue to remain the same.  Andy Reid’s coaching style, with its pass-happy West Coast offense will more than likely remain intact.  We can only wonder whether or not the Eagles’ upper brass would replicate the decision to extend Reid’s contract if they knew how the 2009 season would end- when they had extended his contract.

As the marriage to Reid and the “pass first and possibly run never offense” continues: the talks of Donovan McNabb career ending in Philadelphia have begun in full force.  Since he is in the last year of his contract, could the Eagles actually be considering trading him?  Meanwhile word of Brian Westbrook’s various injuries including his ailing knees and repeating concussions may mark the end of his football career or at least his career in Philly.   Without two of the most popular players for this franchise over the past decade, “Change” could very well be coming very soon.  As if losing Brian Dawkins wasn’t enough to have to stomach over the past offseason, Eagles fans might soon have to say goodbye to a couple more mainstays.

Personally, I still want to believe in Donovan McNabb.  I still want him to lead the Eagles.  He didn’t have a banner year by any stretch of the imagination.  Moreover, his performance in the two Dallas losses still lingers in my memory.  But, in my humble opinion, he is still FAR better of a choice to continue to lead this team versus either of his understudies.  Considering how long the wait between finding another franchise Quarterback is, I am not quite ready to move on.  Or did you forget the number of Quarterbacks the team had gone through between Cunningham to McNabb?  Just to refresh those who have forgotten, the list includes: Bobby Hoying, and the two Detmer brothers.  Still believe it’s a good idea to give up on a franchise quarterback?  Just ask the fans of Miami , Buffalo , or even a Dallas fan (if you can actually stomach talking to one), how many quarterbacks they went through since their last Franchise or Hall of Famer.  I will definitely choose the devil I know.  McNabb is still arguably one of the top ten quarterbacks in the entire league-possibly even in the top five for our conference.  If I had to choose between the two options of either keeping McNabb or Reid, I would choose McNabb.  Before the team extended Reid, I contended that the Eagles should consider modeling their team’s future similar to what transpired in Denver with Elway and Dan Reeves, who like Reid, seemed to level off after a while- and possibly took the team as far as it could go.  The introduction of Shanahan and Davis at the running back equated to two Super Bowl victories late in Elway’s career.  What would a coaching change and a commitment to the run equate to Donovan?  Just some food for thought.

If the team and management have decided to scapegoat McNabb in an effort to place the blame of this past season’s disappointing end on his shoulder pads, we might very well be in store for a tumultuous beginning of the Kevin Kolb era.  Or conversely, could we possibly expect the gritted teeth and continued protests of dog lovers all over the Delaware valley as Michael Vick takes his place under center?  I will put my money against that possibility and predict that the team will more than likely trade Vick, who more than likely is expecting to be starting for some other team, and with his current salary-expect it to be, so.  Vick definitely displayed flashes of his old self, over the course of the season.  More than half of the teams around the league without franchise quarterback could do better with him, than who they currently have on their rosters.  The good assumption is a trade in the offseason for Vick.  And hopefully an end to the whole Wildcat offense is also around the corner.

Personally, I am not ready to accept Kolb as my starter.  I will not allow myself to be wowed by his second half performance against the Saints, nor will I consider his start against a lowly Kansas City team to anoint him the future QB for our team.  While we evaluate Kolb, we would be remiss to look over the vaunted pedigree of quarterbacks who have come from the University of Houston- Andre Ware , anyone?   But we must also consider the fact that there have only been less then a handful of quarterbacks who were selected in the second round of the NFL draft in recent years, who have actually have had good careers. For every extremely rare second-round jackpot selection of a player like Brett Favre or Drew Brees, there are a ton of quarterbacks in the ilk of Tony Sacca or Quincy Carter. Sadly, the success rate of second-round quarterbacks chosen, have been awful- at best.  On the whole, the recent history and odds seem very stacked up against Mr. Kolb.

While watching the afore-mentioned game against the Chiefs, I had the uneasy feeling that I was possibly seeing a preview of what the Eagles’ roster could potentially look like in the very near future.  We could very well soon have no players left from the team that went to the Super Bowl in 2004.  Does that leave us with a team that can make it to another NFC championship like they did in 2008, or will this be the team that finished the season with two losses to the Cowboys just six days of each other and cut our hearts out- over and over again? I don’t know if I could imagine another season ending like it did this year for the Eagles faithful: Sports Hell-indeed.

Though the team had its share of injuries at key positions, including Stuart Bradley’s ACL right before the season and Jamal Jackson’s right before the season had ended, the number of injuries weren’t an excuse for the team’s woes-overall.  In fact, it should be noted that the injuries for the Eagles can’t be an excuse for the team’s finish considering that injuries happened to all the teams around the league.  The Eagles number of injuries wasn’t that much greater than the average number for teams around the league.

For some Eagles fans it’s not whether you win or lose but how you often you beat the Cowboys.  The 2009 Eagles season won’t be remembered for its eleven victories, but instead by its 3 defeats by Dallas .  The worst defeat of all was the one to end our season. And in the NFL, your last performance is the benchmark to which you will be defined.  So, here we are in January already wondering about the future of our team and just how its fortunes will be determined by their choices over the next couple of months.  Well, at least the Cowboys are out of the Playoffs, right?

Misery loves company.

-Al Afshari is a Diehard Philadelphia sports fan and resides in the Philadelphia suburbs.  He is the author of, “A Letter to My Future Children”.


The Green Shadow of Doubt

Written by Ali Afshari

While a week where our Beloved Philadelphia Eagles play their (and our) most HATED rival would typically and expectedly be filled with revelry and excitement, the Sports week leading to the 2nd rubber match and the ultimate showdown in Big D has been decidedly muted.  Even a self proclaimed dyed in the wool, bleed Green hardcore Eagles fan such as myself can admit it. It’s there, just beyond our usual possible “Stepford” allegiance to the Green and Silver.  A dark cloud hovers overhead, and it’s not the one that might be bringing the inch or two of snow to the throes of the panicked in Philadelphia.  Can we bring ourselves to admit it?

It’s called Doubt, my fellow Philadelphia fans.

We would be remiss to actually verbalize it to our fellow fans around the stadiums and water coolers, but we have to admit that it’s there.

After a long season which has been highlighted by the ups and downs which marked the 2009 NFL campaign for the Birds. The same  season which included losses to a lowly Oakland team and twice to Dallas, one a heartbreaker where the referees stole the game on two questionable 4th down plays and the other a shocker where our team didn’t score…one…point.  We stand on a very uncertain precipice.

Here we stand only so many hours from a fated 3rd meeting with the Most Hated.  Something is definitely amiss.  Where is the electricity of the perennial Eagles playoff experience?  Where are those puffed chests of pride of our city’s usually most outspoken inhabitants?

As a fellow fan who answers call after call asking to gauge what my feelings are before this game, I can only say that I am truly concerned.  What is going on here?

It is as if the nerve centers of my usually unwavering and downright total delusional optimism for my team’s chances have been turned off completely or replaced by the sickening fear which should never be a part of my fandom.

Could it be?  Would the same season where the team went on a six game winning streak be joined with the Absolute Disgust of back-to-back losses to the Demons of Big D?  Dare I even say it?  It must be the fan-equivalent of a Mortal Sin to even consider it.  If that be so, then…Forgive me.  I have sinned.

I stand in the long dark Green shadow of doubt, haunted by images of a VERY dark future.  In a form of self healing, my mind drifts back to how I felt some weeks ago…

After the sixth win in the row, I was drinking a sixty-four ounce Big Gulp of the proverbial fan kool-aid and basking in the fantasy of standing on Broad Street celebrating the city’s first Lombardi Trophy.  I felt that we were definitely the team to beat.  I had my theory of how we would accomplish it, and it was a thing of beauty.  A storybook ending brought on with a 4th quarter comeback by Mr. McNabb followed by an overtime victory by the Birds in the Bowl against the Colts. It makes you almost become glassy-eyed just thinking of it, doesn’t it?  I had all but picked my spot on Broad & Pattison.  The bandwagon was rolling and we were ALL ready…and then last weekend, it fell apart.

Could it be? I clench my eyes and shake the horrible images away.

We must steel ourselves and envision the possible positives.  Surely the thoughts that Andy Reid and company haven’t lost a first round playoff game yet, should give us hope, right?  Those old adages of triple revenge in one season should definitely help our cause, correct?  Or, what about the perennial demise of those stinkin’ Cowboys in December and their quick exits ‘out of the playoffs?  Can we bank on the possibility of  the usual flubs of Tony Romo and the ‘Boys? Would any of this, give us a jolt of confidence? You gotta’ believe…right?

If two losses in one season to the Dallas Cowboys, constitutes a bad season in the eyes of the Birds Brethren, then surely a 3rd loss (and one which would end our team’s hopes for a Super Bowl victory) would place all of us in Philly in -SPORTS HELL.   Wow, those feelings of Merriment of years past wished upon us by Mr. Garcia in Big D, and even last year’s downright thrashing of the ‘Boys by the gang in Green at the ‘Linc’ to bring us a surprise Playoff run-feels SO far away now.

Quick, someone throw up a “Hail Mary”!

The hushed masses, the Philly Phaithful want to believe.  We look for a sign.  We call our friends.  We listen to the talking heads in the media.  We read the news.  We just want something to believe in.  After all, having an almost religious commitment to your sports teams requires an unyielding faith.  Or would that be Phaith, for us?   And as you may already know, there isn’t always logic attached to faith.

We want to believe.

And like Conan calling to Crom in a hearty plea before the big battle.  I ask the Football gods to grant us one thing:  Grant us-REVENGE!

One Victory could wipe out our fears, our doubts, and the long agonizing offseason of questions, criticism and embarrassment from fellow fans and rivals around the league.

One Loss…Abandon all Hope all ye who will have entered…Welcome to Sports Hell in Philadelphia.

Say it isn’t so.

Ali Afshari is the author of “A Letter To My Future Children”, resides in the Suburbs of Philadelphia – and is a Die Hard Philadelphia Sports fan.