Column: Moving Forward

Nick Foles could not get anything going on Sunday against the Cowboys (Photo: Philly.com) 

Philadelphia sports fans like to overreact. We all know this. When anything in sports happens, there is instant and intense reaction from the fans of the city. Now that all the dust has settled from the Eagles 17-3 loss, it is fair to analyze the game.

In this case, the fans were right.

Foles was awful.

Barkley was worse.

The defense did an outstanding job given the circumstances.

“I don’t know if surprised is the word,” Chip Kelly said. “I think disappointed is the word. We’ve got to do a better job. It takes everybody to win a football game.”

The fans were right on Sunday afternoon when they took to Twitter, Facebook, or made their boos rain down at the Linc to complain about the Eagles. September 30 of last year is ages ago. In that time period, every single Philadelphia big four pro sports coach has been relieved of their duties. There has been a presidential election. The Phillies had hope.

Oh how long it has been.

The fans have every right to be mad. They pack the graveyard that Lincoln Financial Field has become week in and week out, just to be disappointed when the clock hits 0:00.

“(The fans) paid their hard earned money to watch this team perform and do well,” LeSean McCoy said. “We haven’t done well at home at all, starting last season and continuing into this year. We have to fix that.”

It is easier said than done. With the quarterback situation the way it is, it could be longer than expected before the Eagles organization is hoisting a Lombardi trophy. Next week against the Giants seems to be a win or else situation after giving up a chance to take the lead in the NFC East. The disappointment that swirled around the locker room Sunday afternoon has a week to vanish.

“No matter if it is for first place or not, to come out and play the way we did is disappointing,” Jason Avant said. “You don’t want to go out all week, practice hard, watching extra film and come out like this. It looked like we didn’t prepare right, which was not the case. It was certainly sad for us to come out and okay like that at home.”

It is not the first time they have come out and played like that at home. Next week’s all important NFC East showdown is at home as well. That should not have to be a concern for the Eagles, but apparently it is. They have laid eggs over and over when they step on the natural grass in South Philadelphia. They are playing the Giants, which bodes well for them. The game will not be for first place. Nor will it be against a team that is even remotely close to first place.

The Eagles organization wants to get back to the days when NFC Championship games were almost a given year after year in the 2000’s. When they would not have to worry game by game. Where they were respected around the league. Where they could hang with anybody. The guys who lace up the cleats know it is on them now.”

“We have to prove it,” DeMeco Ryans said. “Me saying we can hang with whoever is not going to mean anything unless we go out and prove ourselves against the top teams in the NFL.”

They have to start with one of the bottom teams, first.