We deserve more

By Jeff Glauser
The Phanatic Magazine

We deserve more than this.

At this point, very few of us have delusions of grandeur that this team is capable of something special, but come on – this is getting painful to watch. Far more so than 2005, when we expected an injured and beleaguered bunch led by the not-so-venerable Mike McMahon to lay an egg each week by this point in the season.

But this nonsense? We deserve more.

We deserve more from a defense that has had every opportunity imaginable to change the dynamics of a game by means of creating easy turnovers. Takeo Spikes and Omar Gaither no they have no excuse for not seeing the ball into their hands.

There is equally no reason for an entire unit to stare at a fumble like an invaluable gallery exhibit, luckily realizing before it’s too late that the whistle never blew!

We certainly deserve more from A.J. Feeley. As much as he was praised for his fearless choices in the pocket last week, let’s be honest: His decision-making was as much to blame for the Pats loss as it obviously was on Sunday.

So now, McNabb haters, you have your own decision to make: The live – and die – by the flame actions of Feeley, or the play it safe and play it scared routine of No. 5? Pick your poison.

Let the record show, however, that this can’t be put all on Feeley. He can’t be a season savior one week and a season killer the next. Feeley took too much credit in New England and will take too much blame for yesterday. Though he shouldn’t be let off the hook, he was ultimately not put in a position to give the team a victory.

With that the case, we – again, always - deserve more from Andy Reid, Marty Morningweig or whoever the circus monkey is who designs the offensive plays.

In tumultuous weather and super-slippery conditions and a quarterback who showed us early on that he wasn’t on his game and perhaps the best running tandem in the NFL, there are two things to instruct the Eagles to do on offense, and two things only: RUN THE BALL and, when you don’t, GET OUT OF THE POCKET.

And just one more footnote with the head coach: I’d like to think that Jeffrey Lurie views Reid like a girlfriend you’re planning to break up with, but are just waiting for the right excuse. She may cook for you and clean for you and keep you warm at night, but by golly if she’s late for everything, has an annoying laugh or snores too loudly. However, that’s typically not enough to drop the hammer without coming off as a jerk for doing so.

In turn, Reid may have been at the helm for the most prosperous period of football in Eagles’ history, but man, we sure can find a lot of fault with him, can’t we? But, considering his resume and the fact that there is no sure-fire hottie waiting in the wings (keep dreaming on Bill Cowher), Lurie could just be waiting for the other shoe to drop; something along the lines of Reid slugging a reporter or breaking his kids out of jail.

But if anyone at all deserves to snap, it’s the little engine that could in the backfield. Yes, Brian Westbrook, more than anybody else, deserves more than this.

I sincerely feel for the guy. He’s done all he can to put this team on his back. Outstanding runs and catches and 64-yard punt returns at critical junctures all tell you that the game of football requires more than one player to win. (See: “Bears, Devin Hester, Losing Record” for further proof).

For example, while Westbrook was trying to drag three defenders into the goal line, Brent Celek was standing there alone admiring the view instead of helping the push. Regardless, didn’t we draft Tony Hunt SPECIFICALLY for that purpose? You know, that healthy guy in street clothes on the sidelines?

Brian, you deserve more. And we feel your pain.