Eagles @ Vikings Game Day Discussion Thread -- Week 15

[S197]

I want a coaching change too but anyone could see that this team has not quit playing for him and I see zero credit for the job he did today pulling this team along with several starters missing and beating a very good Eagles team handily. All rhetoric will be about all the mistakes he made with Ponder and that will/has been mentioned a 100 times already.

Coaching certainly deserves credit for the gameplan today, it was well planned. What I'm curious about is what brought it about. It seems like either being eliminated from the playoffs, not having AD as a crutch, or the combination of the two allowed them to open up the offense. Clearly Cassel was a big factor here too but they really went away from the typical calls we're used to seeing. They went five wide on the missed screen to Webb near the goalline and they also had a gutsy call to go long to Patterson near the 2-minute warning (that drew the PI).

I think Cassel gets more guys involved (Jennings and Wright) which helps to open up the plays a little more. As was mentioned in the thread, the lack of a run blitz also may have contributed. I think the Eagles underestimated Cassel's ability to pick apart their coverage and to the line's credit, he had time on most of his throws. Cassel also went deep multiple times stretching the field. I think for the most part everyone did their jobs, which led to a decisive win over a good football team. If we can see that carry through the next two games, next seasons prospects will look a lot better.

[thatguy]

Being from out here in stupid Eagles country, there's nothing better than when the Vikes help to spoil the Eagles' postseason hopes. This was by no means a finishing blow on Philly's season, but it's awesome to hold that over their obnoxious heads! SKOOOOL

[yezzir]

Being from out here in stupid Eagles country, there's nothing better than when the Vikes help to spoil the Eagles' postseason hopes. This was by no means a finishing blow on Philly's season, but it's awesome to hold that over their obnoxious heads! SKOOOOL

Nice! Maybe rock a Vikings jersey and make a few casual stops around town?

[Purple Reign]

I wouldn't say that, just ask Flynn after the Lions game a few years ago. he got lots of $$$$ for that one.

Exactly my point - it won't happen again.

[PurpleKoolaid]

That was such a nice win. I really thought they would blow it at the end, but the offense still put up points. And the D bent but didn't break. So tired of all these tank threads and who is the draft pick we need. We don't even know our coaching staff for next year. The only thing we really lost was a shot at Teddy. I hope an AFC team gets him.

[thatguy]

Nice! Maybe rock a Vikings jersey and make a few casual stops around town?

Absolutely!

[yezzir]

That was such a nice win. I really thought they would blow it at the end, but the offense still put up points. And the D bent but didn't break. So tired of all these tank threads and who is the draft pick we need. We don't even know our coaching staff for next year. The only thing we really lost was a shot at Teddy. I hope an AFC team gets him.

The "only thing"? He is more than likely a franchise QB. That would be a big miss. But now that we are out of contention for one of the top 2 picks, I agree with you.

[yezzir]

Derek Wetmore @DerekWetmore

Simpson on taunting call:

""That right there I can't understand. I was patting the guy on the butt and telling him good job... (cont.)


...then he pushed me and I fell. They huddled there for a minute and called it on me. ... I really don't know how that was called on me.


I was definitely surprised. And there was some questionable things that the refs said to our players." Simpson declined to elaborate.

[Purple Reign]

Derek Wetmore @DerekWetmore

Simpson on taunting call:

""That right there I can't understand. I was patting the guy on the butt and telling him good job... (cont.)


...then he pushed me and I fell. They huddled there for a minute and called it on me. ... I really don't know how that was called on me.


I was definitely surprised. And there was some questionable things that the refs said to our players." Simpson declined to elaborate.

Oh-oh - more evidence that the refs are out to get us.

[yezzir]

Andrew Krammer @Andrew_Krammer

Prater explains his success today by "being a little gnat" at practice. "Asking the coaches everything."

[yezzir]

Andrew Krammer @Andrew_Krammer

Frazier said when Patterson drew that PIF near endzone in 4Q, he came off field and said. "Throw me 9's all day, they can't stop me."

[PurpleKoolaid]

Oh-oh - more evidence that the refs are out to get us.

Do you have a point to make? Just trollin? All your posts are about calls the Vikes got, that they usually don't. Or when they got a bad call, you like being sarcastic about it.

[yezzir]

Andrew Krammer @Andrew_Krammer

Frazier said when Patterson drew that PIF near endzone in 4Q, he came off field and said. "Throw me 9's all day, they can't stop me."

Frazier and Musgrave then discussed how to minimize Patterson next week.

[Purple bruise]

Glad you said that and not me

You would not know sarcasm if it slapped you upside your head

I can't get over this rhetoric about "tanking games". Of course the fewer wins the better position in the draft and I do get that BUT.... This is a business where coaches, players and the GM are all struggling to keep their jobs. They need as many wins as possible to do so. They need to put the best "product" on the field week in and week out regardless of their record.
Another important aspect to this are the season ticket holders and fans that attend and watch the games each week. Would anyone like to go to a game, spend money on expensive tickets knowing that "their team" is going to tank the game. How about the sponsers? Do they want to pour their dollars into a team that is intentionally trying to lose game...hell no.
Gambling is a multi-billion dollar business in pro sports and like it or not teams cannot intentionally lose games. It is unethical and in some circumstance illegal. Staying on that thought how do you intentionally lose a game? Do you have your kicker botch a field goal, your running back fumble, tell you players to "miss" tackles, have your QB throw intentional interceptions. If that were to happen the team would surely get fined, lose draft picks and yes even maybe lose their franchise.
As it turns out this team is doing all of those things anyway but are not doing them on purpose. All of the close losses that have happened to them are not a result of tanking games. In fact, many knowledgeable people have commented on how this team HAS NOT QUIT and plays hard every week. Kudos to them!
Some players have performance clauses based on number of games played, number of receptions, rushing yards, tackles, sacks etc. if they are healthy enough to play does anyone suppose that they would not want to? Would they want to give another player the chance to take their job away from them, hell no. Again I would remind people that this is not only a game but a business.

[saint33]

You would not know sarcasm if it slapped you upside your head

I can't get over this rhetoric about "tanking games". Of course the fewer wins the better position in the draft and I do get that BUT.... This is a business where coaches, players and the GM are all struggling to keep their jobs. They need as many wins as possible to do so. They need to put the best "product" on the field week in and week out regardless of their record.
Another important aspect to this are the season ticket holders and fans that attend and watch the games each week. Would anyone like to go to a game, spend money on expensive tickets knowing that "their team" is going to tank the game. How about the sponsers? Do they want to pour their dollars into a team that is intentionally trying to lose game...hell no.
Gambling is a multi-billion dollar business in pro sports and like it or not teams cannot intentionally lose games. It is unethical and in some circumstance illegal. Staying on that thought how do you intentionally lose a game? Do you have your kicker botch a field goal, your running back fumble, tell you players to "miss" tackles, have your QB throw intentional interceptions. If that were to happen the team would surely get fined, lose draft picks and yes even maybe lose their franchise.
As it turns out this team is doing all of those things anyway but are not doing them on purpose. All of the close losses that have happened to them are not a result of tanking games. In fact, many knowledgeable people have commented on how this team HAS NOT QUIT and plays hard every week. Kudos to them!
Some players have performance clauses based on number of games played, number of receptions, rushing yards, tackles, sacks etc. if they are healthy enough to play does anyone suppose that they would not want to? Would they want to give another player the chance to take their job away from them, hell no. Again I would remind people that this is not only a game but a business.

I think your taking the term "tanking" too literal. I would be surprised if there were a fan out there that wants/expects our team to just quit and actually try to lose games. It's more from a fan's perspective, either being ok with a loss because of the draft position, or in some cases hoping for a loss for draft position.