Some other observations and game notes:
Not all turnovers were created equal. The fumble by Jacobs gave the Eagles life and put them back in the game. Eagles went up 7-0 and on the next 3 possessions, Giants stopped them twice and forced a fumble on the kickoff return in between. Giants had scored on all three possessions that they got and they were marching down field. Jacobs fumble gave the Eagles a short field which they converted and trailed by only 17-14. If Jacobs had not fumbled, Giants, who were moving the ball, could have put some more points on the board and would have had a comfortable lead at halftime. Jacobs fumble was huge.
McNabb and Reid are terrible in the clutch and terrible game and clock managers. Yesterday, Eagles got the ball back from the Giants for their last try to win at 3:14 left in the 4th quarter. They completed one pass for 17 yards and the clock now showed 2:43. Next play was an interception by Terrell Thomas that got called back because of a questionable holding call on Pierce. 2:35 left. McNabb throws an incompletion. 2:29 left. McNabb scrambles for 7 yards making it 3rd and 3 with 2:23 left. Instead of hurrying in another play, Reid and McNabb let the clock run down to the 2:00 minutes warning. They could have gotten off at least one and maybe two more plays in that 23 second span. Bad clock management. The play selection of running Westbrook twice to the right would have been fine if it had been the Giants - with Jacobs and Hedgecock leading the way. But the Eagles FB flopped down and didn't block anybody and Chase Blackburn made the tackle... btw it was his only tackle of the night.
Eli seemed a little jumpy in the pocket at times and wasn't as sharp on some throws as he could have been.
Giants pass rush didn't get to McNabb, but I think they were trying to be very disciplined in their rush lanes and make sure McNabb didn't get out of the pocket where he is a more dangerous passer and can hurt you with a run.
Desean Jackson looks like a great player for the Eagles. Westbrook did not look good at all. It wasn't just that Giants were handling the Eagles OL and not giving him space, but Westbrook did not make anybody miss all night and did not use his speed to outrun anybody either.
Toomer did not drop anything but he looks slower and slower. Giants have to get Hixon and Moss in the game more often, on other than a 4 wide or 5 wide receiver personnel package.
Rushing for 200 yards in a game is supposed to be a very rare event. A team should get it once every year or so. Giants have done it 4 times in 9 games this year.
Giants dominated the Steelers, Cowboys and Eagles on consecutive weeks and, in my opinion, they haven't put it all together yet and have not played one of those perfect games where nearly everything is working and firing on all cylinders.
The reason Eli gets no respect is that he doesn't look like a mean, physical player like Roethlisberger or McNabb; he doesn't pile up lots of stats like Brady, Brees, Peyton because the Giants run the ball so well; he does not have that cute smile and doesn't go out with divas and movie starts like Romo; he is not loud and blustery, does not talk trash like... hmm .. like nearly everyone else in the NFL. He's not good copy, because he has this aw shucks, Opie Taylor kind of attitude and always says the politically correct thing. That's ok - he's going to win us some ball games and win us some playoff games too. Let the other guys get fawned over by the press. I still would not trade Eli for any qb in football.
1 comment:
Eli doesn't get respect along with the rest of the Giants team. Last year was considered a fluke. 8-1 is being called a fluke. Granted, they played some garbage teams as well as a depleted Steelera and quarterback-less Cowboys teams AND the Eagles I think showed their true colors last week (chicken neck yellow); all that being said, 8-1, defending champs, where's the respect? As a fan though, I wouldn't want it any other way...
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