Professional Football Researchers Association Forum

Looking Back Almost 20 years-See how Mistakes really Hurt the Team

006-Dallas at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Eagles were leading 31 to 24 late in the game.  Dallas had the ball fourth and a half a mile inside their 30 with less than one minute left to play.  The Eagles had sacked quarterback Drew Bledsoe on the two preceding plays.   Bledsoe uncorked a desperation pass to Terry Glenn at the Eagles five yard line.    Defensive Back Michael Lewis interfered with Glenn.  I had visions of Sudden Death  Overtime and maybe a loss.  The Eagles would be wasting seven sacks for 49 yards in losses; two pass interceptions; and two fumble recoveries

This of course did not happen.  After one incompletion,  Lito Shepard  got his second interception of the game and went 102 yards for a touchdown.  The Eagles won 38 to 24.  Michael Lewis went to the San Francisco 49ers the next year.

2008-Philadelphia at Arizona

This game ranks as the biggest disappointment in my time of following the Eagles-56 years.  The Eagles could not move the football in early going.  Midway through the first quarter, Greg Lewis dropped a pass from McNabb that went 50 yards to the Cardinal 18.  The Eagles lost 32 to 25.  Lewis went to New England the following year.

2009-There were three games where one player made victory much more difficult

New York at Lincoln Financial Field

The Giants kicked at field to make the score 33 to 10, in the Eagles' favor.   This was in the third quarter. On the ensuing kickoff, Jason Babin fielded poorly and the Giants covered the ball around the Eagle 30. Eli Manning threw for a touchdown cutting the lead to 33 to 17.  Shady McCoy made a big touchdown run early in the fourth quarter to seal the game.   The Eagles won 40 to 17 but it should have been even easier.  Babin make a big block of a field goal in the game with Bears.   Even so, he was not with the team in 2010.

New York at the Meadowlands

In the second quarter, the Eagles were leading 14 to 0 but the Giants were driving at the Eagle 30.  Jerimiah Trotter juggled an interception; actually the play wound up as a completed pass.  The Trotter from three years ago would have run that ball down the sideline and a three touchdown lead.  The Eagles won 45 to 38.   The Eagles did not resign Trotter.

Denver at Lincoln Financial Field.

This is a first time I have seen one player almost give a game in 40 some years.  With eight minutes left in the game,  Asante Samuel intercepted and ran to midfield.  The Eagles at the time were leading 27 to 13.  I thought it was time to relax.  Unfortunately, Macho Harris was clipping on the play. It was a 48 yard penalty, Eagles moving from midfield to the two.  The pass interception was the equivalent of a well placed punt.  Denver held, got great field position, and scored a touchdown.  Eagles 27 Broncos 20.  Macho Harris now fumbled the kickoff return and the Denver Broncos tied the game.  The Eagles got the win with a field goal on the last play.  The Eagles won 30 to 27. Macho was cut after season.

In some games there really isn't. Two involving the 49ers stand out to me. One was an NFC championship game against the Giants (I believe it was the last time Los Gigantes won the S.B.) when, on a late Gigantes punt, the ball just barely grazed a 49er's leg; a Giants player recognized that (when the 49er didn't) and recovered the ball giving Los Gigantes GREAT field position late in the game. To me that play was pretty much the one that won Los Gigantes the game.

Then there was (as I mentioned in another thread) that absolute dead duck pass by Matthew Stafford near the end of the NFC title game last year that floated its way straight into the hands of 49ers safety Jaquiski Tartt who promptly dropped it (and you know the rest).

I don't know about the 49er who had the ball graze his leg but I know that Jaquiski Tartt was later sent to the "Iggles" (personally, I would've sent Jaquiski Tartt on his way immediately following the loss to the Rams. I found his lack of "clutch" play to be absolutely inexcusable) whom he was later cut by (I don't believe that he is currently employed by any team in the league).