So I went to the Linc last night (as I do every year) and as miserable a game as it was to watch and attend (the weather was not great), I do like to go watch the live game on occasion so I can watch and generate my own thoughts about what I see vs. having some broadcaster telling me what's happening.
First the vibe:
I said the same thing last year, the Eagles fans have softened since winning a Super Bowl. I went with a bunch of buddies and half of us were Eagles fans and the other half were Giants fans. Everyone wore a jersey. NO ONE gave any of us wearing our Giants jerseys a hard time. As a matter of fact, a couple Eagles fans in our section made some positive comments about my #10 jersey and were secretly rooting for Eli to do well. In general, there was a fair amount of Giants fans in attendance - I was impressed given the circumstances.
In the parking lot and before the game started, you would have thought the Eagles were the 2 win team. Eagles fans had nothing good to say about Peterson, Schwartz and especially Wentz.
The Game:
-Julian Love played a hell of game - he was everywhere
-A. Bethea is always near the ball, but only because it seemed like he was a step late getting where he was supposed to be
-Giants DBs are young and inexperienced, but the WR crew the Eagles were throwing out there were a bunch of nobodies and they struggled to covered them in the 2nd half. They were running free most of the time. I don't know if it was scheme or player talent, but the score could have been way worse had it not been for the DL.
-X-man looked like he had himself a game and, on the whole, the DL played very well for most of the game. They were gassed come the 4th quarter and OT due to the anemic offense.
-Even Eagles fans in the stands were laughing at Shurmur's stupidity in the 2nd half when he just forgot about Barkley being a part of the offense.
-Eli is still Eli. Slayton is unbelievably fast and ran by his guy A LOT and either Eli didn't see it, or didn't think he could let it fly to get the ball to him, or the play wasn't designed to go that way - either way - that's not good if Eli wants to continue to play. Kudos to him for throwing the one - but they could have gone to the well more often from what I saw.
-This Eagles team reminds me a lot of the Giants after their 2nd Super Bowl run. The Eagles made a tremendous SB run 2 years ago, but had a lot things go their way. Now their building around a core of players that are really struggling to put it back to together and staying healthy. Those core players are also getting expensive.
-Doug Peterson is struggling. For the Eagles to come out and completely stink in the 1st half needing this game as badly as they did is a coaching problem - and the Eagles fans in the stands were very vocal about it...but still wouldn't trade him for Shurmur ;)
During the second half we saw what has happened all year when the OL is porous and the D gets little to no pressure on the QB.
Fix the OL and find a few players that can consistently pressure the QB, and next year you will see this team improve by leaps and bounds.
During the second half we saw what has happened all year when the OL is porous and the D gets little to no pressure on the QB.
Fix the OL and find a few players that can consistently pressure the QB, and next year you will see this team improve by leaps and bounds.
Back in the days of the Vet and the early days at the Linc it didn't matter what you're record was or what visiting team's colors you were wearing or what the current streak of W and L was against the Eagles.
You wore green or you were being harassed (at the very least). It's just the way it was.
it was the worst of times
I was at the 2005 game at the Linc - Eli to Plax in OT. I've never seen anything like the hate thrown my way. Entire sections chanting asshole at you as you walked to your seat. I was legit scared being there in a Giants jersey leaving after that win. I had grown women spit in my face, people nose to nose with me screaming, beers thrown on me. and oh yeah, I was only 16
I was at the 2005 game at the Linc - Eli to Plax in OT. I've never seen anything like the hate thrown my way. Entire sections chanting asshole at you as you walked to your seat. I was legit scared being there in a Giants jersey leaving after that win. I had grown women spit in my face, people nose to nose with me screaming, beers thrown on me. and oh yeah, I was only 16
I've got some buddies that are Cowboys fans and now they wear their Cowboys jerseys to the Linc and they say they catch some stuff from Eagles fans - but it's nothing like it used to be.
Meanwhile on the Giants sideline - Riley Dixon and the long snapper were getting some practice in.
Not sure if it's an NFL etiquette thing or not - but that's what I saw.
it was the worst of times
Oh, I like that. :)