Phase 1 of the Eagles’ next step is done: Chip Kelly has assembled his complete coaching and front office staff. Many have complained of “Oregon Bias” (especially in Kelly’s player selections) or “New Hampshire Bias” (with his recent choice of Ryan Day — Kelly’s first great QB — as the Eagles’ quarterbacks coach). Now we have a new accusation — …
We’re deep in the winter doldrums of football, unless you’re a fan of the Seahawks or the dirty, cheating Patriots. This weekend the Patriots defeated the Colts in the AFC championship game by a score of 45-7 (38-14 adjusted for inflation) — dan mentos (@DanMentos) January 21, 2015 Duck fans will remember Lane Kiffin getting caught with saggy balls too, …
For the first time ever in his head coaching career, Chip Kelly’s season ended when the regular season did. It’s got to be killing him, as proud as he no doubt is that his Ducks destroyed Florida State and are heading into the National Championship Game favored by a touchdown. As I’ve said before, he’s Moses, unable to enter the …
After a soul-crushing three-game losing streak that knocked them out of the playoffs, the Philadelphia Eagles salvaged a bit of respect by beating the New York Giants 34-26 in the season’s final game, despite Odell Beckham Jr.’s best efforts. The rookie phenom tied Michael Irvin as the only other NFL player to get 90+ yards nine games in a row, …
The Philadelphia Eagles were openly discussed as a Super Bowl contender and ranked in the NFL’s top 4 after thrashing Dallas on Thanksgiving Day. The 9-3 overachievers were led by backup QB Mark Sanchez, an NFL laughingstock since his infamous “Butt Fumble” two Thanksgivings earlier, suddenly looking like the league’s most improved player. Then they played Seattle at home, the …
“Beat Dallas” didn’t work out very well, despite Josh Huff’s epic 44 yard catch and run, and the Eagles need to draw an inside straight to make the playoffs — winning both remaining games, while Dallas loses at least one. It could happen, since Dallas faces Indianapolis Sunday and the Cowboys’ star running back, DeMarco Murray, broke his hand during …
The Philadelphia Eagles under Chip Kelly keep reaching for the stars. They encourage fans to hope for a Super Bowl run with unselfish teamwork, clever schemes on both sides of the ball, and emerging young talent. Then reality slaps them back down to earth, as the Eagles lose to the top level of NFL teams: Green Bay (at Lambeau), San …
The PAC-12 Championship between Oregon and Arizona was a battle of the babies, with both teams led by talented freshmen. Friday, the Ducklings crushed the Wildkittens, which is a great sign for Oregon’s future. Arizona’s Anu Solomon (287 yards passing) and Nick Wilson (3 TDs, 92 yards on the ground) killed Oregon in the Wildcats’ upset victory last October. Friday, …
Last week, the Philadelphia Eagles pounded out two big victories in five days. This week, they have some extra days to prepare for Seattle at home, and they are going to need it. This game is big in every way — an even match between two great and similar teams, nationally televised at 1:30 pm PST Sunday on Fox, and …
Two years ago on Thanksgiving Day, in front of 20 million TV viewers nationwide, Mark Sanchez had a game, in fact a single play so humiliating that it has its own Wikipedia article: The Butt Fumble. This Thanksgiving, he carved up the Dallas Cowboys like a slow-cooked turkey and rebuilt his legacy in front of an equally large audience. Sanchez …
Colorado came out fighting and punched Oregon in the mouth on the first play of the game Saturday, recovering their onside kickoff. Coach Mike MacIntyre said “I wanted to show our kids we came to win. We didn’t win, but we’re going to play to win. … That [onside kick] was exciting, and got ’em going. If we just went …
Going into last Sunday’s showdown between NFC division-leading teams, optimism about the Eagles was soaring like Icarus did right before his wings melted. This game against Green Bay would define how great the Eagles really were. Talk of Philadelphia as a legitimate Super Bowl contender abounded, and one moron thought the tiff might be a preview of the NFC Championship …