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September 26, 2005
Week 3: When Eagle Fans Attack
Just when you thought it was safe to go to an Eagles bar, they strike!
Oh, what sweet, sweet justice it was yesterday! I'm sure if you were one of the smart ones who heeded my email and joined me at the bar early - you got to hear Chris, a Giant fan and Sunday's bartender (with Heather), yapping and ridiculing all the Eagle fans within earshot. Who was laughing after the game. Chris was a good sport about all the "Fly Eagle Fly" songs he had to endure.
Eagles vs Raiders wasn't a pretty game. Penalties, injuries and a near-upset wracked on every fan's last nerve. The largest crowd to date was at the bar yesterday - we may have broken a few Hoboken regulations on doing so - and we still had a line outside the bar. I'm very sorry to anyone who had to wait or was turned away.
Ok, now here are a few thoughts, observations and ramblings from me:
- "Run! Run! Donovan!", I heard one fan yell next to me. The guy has a groin injury. Abdominal or a hernia. Donny isn't running anywhere, it is extremely tender in his groin. It's like someone kicking a guy in the nuts and saying "Ok now, run!" Not. Gonna. Happen. I'm frankly amazed at how tough Donovan has been over the years. Plays on a broken ankle, busted ribs, hurt thumb, etc. McNabb gets some serious props. The latest injury this week is a shin contusion (i.e. a really bad shin bruise). Anyone think a Week 6 Bye is really going to help us? I do.
- Akers, Akers everywhere and not a kicker to kick. What can you say when a 3 time pro bowl kicker, and fan favorite, has a hamstring tear? Everyone say hello to Todd France, the new kicker we signed last week. I don't know what we were thinking not activating France for the game. That was stupid. I expect Akers will be out at least 4-6 weeks, but don't quote me on that. Don't buy into the "season ending injury" doom and gloom posters on the message boards. If that were true, Akers would be on IR.
- Run Defense looked tremendous. Pass Defense looked poor. Dear Lord, can we ever have a year where our pass rush and our defense stopping capabilities are on the same level? Either way, we just have to see Kearse start to step it up a notch at Arrowhead next week.
- Kerry Collins stats: 24 for 42, 345 yards, 2 TDs, 1 Bottle of Jack Daniels (post game). Stats are deceptive, I think the secondary did a much better job than these stats show.
- The messageboards are filled with posts saying how "we owned the Raiders". We really dodged a bullet more than anything else. If it wasn't for Janikowski's 2 missed field goals (the 49 yarder I can understand, but to miss a 30-39 yard field goal is ridiculous for someone of his caliber. 6 points off the board right there and a huge morale deflating effect it would have had at the Linc. There is something to be said about momentum, penalties and the other team beating themselves.
- The love-fest continues for Owens. 9 catches, 80 yards, 1 TD last game. Year to date, after 3 games: 21 catches, 335 yards, 3 TDs. Lets go back in time, to a more simple age, when our primary #1 receiver was: James Thrash. His stats in 2002? 52 catches, 635 yards, 6 TDs - FOR THE YEAR. Seriously, folks. Are you still saying we shouldn't pay Owens? We are the same people that ran Charles Barkley out of Philadelphia. For the love of Pete, can we just keep a superstar in our town?
- Westbrook vs Jordan. Jordan rushed 16 times for 19 yards and 5 catches for 53 yards. Westbrook? 13 rushes, for 68 yards 1 TD. 6 catches for...listen up...140 YARDS and 1 TD. We are $12-13 million under the cap this year and we are hand wringing over paying Westbrook? We know that LaMont got a 5 year deal worth 27.5 million --including a $7 million signing bonus. He will receive $11 million in guaranteed money and $17.8 million over the first three years of the contract, including $15.7 million in bonuses. I'm not an accountant, but 7 million bonus, still leave the Eagles with another 5-6 million this year to play around with to either keep Owens happy or sign someone for a long term, like Michael Lewis (Mark Eckel, of the Trenton Times, reported on Sept 4th that the Eagles are in talks with him over this).
- Talking about our corners, chew on this. We have Sheldon Brown (CB) until 2012. Lito Sheppard (CB) until 2011. Brian Dawkins (FS) until 2010. We have a crew that is locked in until 2010? 5 years of these great players shutting WRs down? That is exciting, to me. If we can just finish the last piece of the puzzle, that really can make fans breathe easier knowing that for the next 5 years, we pretty much will have a very good to great pass defense.
- We really, really, really could have used Trotter in our first game. Hands down we should be 3-0 right now.
- Just because the Eagles aren't on TV tonight, doesn't mean to not watch Monday Night Football. Chiefs, who we are playing next week, are fighting Denver in Mile High Stadium. We are going to really need our run defense to be ready for next week. Good news is that the Chiefs will have one less day of rest and preparation for us. Did you know that since the merger in 1970 (excluding post-merger entrants Baltimore, Houston, Jacksonville and Carolina), the Eagles and Chiefs have only played 4 times? I can only find the last 3 games, we won 23-10 at Arrowhead in 2001, lost 24-21 at the Vet in 1998 and lost in Arrowhead 24-17 in 1992.
That is all for this week. Great to see a full house at Dipper's. Next week the game is at 4:15pm & it is an away game - I fully expect the bar will be very packed next week, so get to the bar early if you want a seat.
Specials:
-$10 for a Bucket of 5 domestic beers (choose from Bud, Bud Lt, Miller, Coors Lt)
-$3 domestic drafts / $3.50 imported drafts ($1 off regular price)
-$8 Pitchers of Coors Lt and Bud Lt
-$5.50 for a basket of wings ($1 off regular price)
-$12 Dipper's BBQ Rib Special ($2 off regular price) - a delicious half rack of ribs with a tasty bbq sauce.On a side note, i'm talking with the owners of Philly's Cheesesteaks right now to get a special coupon for everyone in The Philadelphia Eagles Club of Hoboken - $1 off cheesesteaks! More details to follow, more than likely club members who attend Dipper's bar for the game, will get a $1 off coupon or voucher after the game. I had a cheesesteak after yesterday's game. So tasty.
Posted by Furey at September 26, 2005 12:49 AM
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