Eagles - Broncos Notes

I woke up this morning with a terrible throat and a slowly building fever and headache, so buyer beware on the coverage here. At least the death bug waited until after the holiday. And let's get on with it...

> First drive for Denver sees a disturbing third and 10 timeout, just because it's always worrisome when the team blows timeouts. At least the resulting down is pretty awesome, as Broncos QB Kyle Orton craps himself on a blitz, resulting in a defensive touchdown on a grounding that doesn't go forward. Looks like a 50-50 call, but replay challenges on seven point plays with any hope are pretty automatic. The zebras overturn it, and that's a big damn deal, really. Mitch Berger's punt for White is weak, and Green starts at their own 36.

> B Dub starts in the backfield, and QB Donovan McNabb misses WR DeSean Jackson on a fly against CB Champ Bailey; DJ was open, but the pass wasn't very accurate, and unlike most flies to DJ, Bailey was in the picture. A give to Weaver gets three, and the third down is a bad sack from the gun, with a bailout flag against White S Brian Dawkins, trying to cover TE Brent Celek. Nice to see that Dawk hasn't gotten suddenly good at that since leaving the laundry.

> McCoy with a burst for eight. Dub gets four on his first action since the concussion, and it's nice to see him well. Don throws a laser to DJ for a first down, just one of those balls that make you smile. Weaver for power on a keeper. Dub with a quickness for 9 on the right side, and wow, he looked good on that. A fresh and healthy Dub in January is downright ticklish. More from the gun as Don tries Dub on Dawk, and the old man gets away with a hold that seems to make all concerned parties giggle. Weaver for three satisfying middle yards -- he hurts people who try to tackle him -- and the tenth play of the drive is a terrible sack and fumble on pressure by Elvis Dumervil. Gahhhh. RT Jason Peters wearing the goat horns there, but if you want to give the QB some grief for not sensing the rush, I won't fight it.

> Denver gets the ugliest four yards ever on a fake Wildcat and Orton stumble before taking the checkdown in the flat. RB Knowshon Moreno gets a couple as the defensive line looks OK. On third and four, Orton from the gun is coerced by DL Juqua Parker, who is able to throw the lineman into the QB for a pinball sack and stop. First team to block wins; Berger follows up his terrible punt with another one. Useful.

> A lovely screen to McCoy goes for 40 yards, and man, he's got a quickness. He's also clearly been taking lessons from Dub on the straightarm, having shed Dawk on the play. Don finds DJ for an 11 yard angry laser. Celek can't handle the next one, which was a little off, and C Jamal Jackson goes down. Not good. Cole and Gillies in, and WR Jason Avant makes an amazing fingertip catch on a slant to get it down low; a flag takes away the catch and replaces it with a first down. From the 8, Weaver crunches it to the five. Dub takes a direct snap to the two, just to make McNabb's fantasy owners throw up. On third from the gun, order is restored on a center cross to DJ, and a defensive holding flag is declined. After the David Akers PAT, it's 7-0 Green, and the offense looks right; really good touch from Don on a fadeaway pass.

> Akers has a nice kick and gunner Tracy White takes the man down with professionalism. White goes three and out on nice tackling by CB Sheldon Brown on a bubble screen to WR Brandow Marshall. White compounds the problem with WR Brandon Stokely puling his way into an unsportsmanlike for not getting the PI call; he also contacts the zebra with a dumb hand motion, and he's tossed. Wow, that was dumb; White now only has three healthy wideouts, and only one of them is really any good (Marshall).

> The next drive is Green kill shot time; Don hits DJ, then Celek on a really nice catch by the TE. Man, I do not miss LJ Smith. At All. After another Don laser sets up second and a half yard, they don't convert and I'm tempted to go into You Crap mode... especially when the drive ends on bad Direct Snap Punt Return to DJ, who can't make five men miss and limps off. Joy. Akers from 39 is good, and it's 10-0 Green at the end of the first quarter.

> White's next drive gets their initial first down on an open spot in the zone to reserve WR Brandon Lloyd, and Moreno slops it up the middle. Another nice throw by Orton to Gaffney pulls in another big chunk as CB Asante Samuel is surprisingly off the ball. Very bad coverage of the bubble screen to Marshall gets another nine yards, setting up third and one. FB Patrick Hillis doesn't get much on a dive, and the measurement is just short. On fourth and inches from the 16, it's another huge play... and White does the smart thing by trying Moreno off right for the conversion. TE Tony Scheffler and CB Brown can't control a dart, with S Quentin Mickell making a nice play in coverage. A dumb three yard out to Marshall works perfectly for three yards. On third and seven, Gaffney shakes off a couple of bad skill shot hits as Mickell, Brown and Joselio Hanson all go for concussions rather than containment, and gets the touchdown. Gahh. I was not expecting Vengeance to be Jabar Gaffney's. Green 10, White 7. and it's a game.

> S Macho Harris runs it out of his own end zone badly, but McNabb connects with Celek as Dawk doesn't get there, and that's a thirty yard honk. Dub wakes up the echoes with a nifty spin move en route to a six yard gain; the Eagle skill players are just making White miss right now. A tip ball stops a play to DJ where the wideout is wide open; damn. On third and four, Celek is as open as a TE will ever be, and he finishes the 47 yard touchdown on a pass that he could have called a fair catch on. Wow, White looked terrible on that play. 17-7 Green, and have I mentioned that the offense looks good? It does.

> White goes three and out as the CBS heads talk about how the defense is playing too conservatively. Small note: the defense has forced four three and outs and has given up one touchdown in 22 minutes. In other news, toilets flush downward and Phil Simms is an idiot. Berger's first decent punt of the day shows continuing justified cowardice of DJ -- I wouldn't punt it to him either -- and another killshot opportunity.

> Celek and Dawk engage in a public display of affection, then McNabb keeps the chains moving on his usual underwhelming sneak. The TE already has 121 yards; ye gads. Shady McCoy getting a little too cute with the feet on plays that don't have a lot going for them. WR Jeremy Maclin goes for a lot on a center zone pass, and Too Many Weapons is playing in your mind; that's five plays of more than 20 yards from scrimmage. Weaver gets the edge, and there might not be another little-known power back in the league that moves the sticks there. A laser to Avant, and it's Live Surgery time for Green. This isn't a stat that usually matters much in Eagles games, but they are up 17 to 11 in time of possession, with over a three to one edge in yards from scrimmage. I'm trying not to overstate the case here, as White isn't a real contender, but um, still. Wow.

> The first ugly screen in many a game loses two yards to Dub, as the team lets the clock run. A shovel to Dub doesn't fool Dawk, and on third and five with the clock getting short, ugliness prevails on a false start and a fumbled snap by Don. Fah. Teach me to say nice things about them. Akers from 45 nails his 30th of the year, the most in the league, and it's 20-7 Green, in a game that feels a lot less close than that.

> On the next kickoff, Buckhalter hobbles off, and it just breaks your heart. The man's 31 now, which is to say probably just one more ding away from being over, and CBS points out that White's lack of depth at wideout -- thank you, Brandon Stokely -- made him take the field on that play. With 21 seconds left, Orton's hand is hit on a surprising pass attempt, and it's almost picked by special teams gunner Tracy White for a coup de gras. They try again on second down, with White eating Moreno, and White coach Josh McReynolds waves the flag. That's it for the first half.

> Green ball to start the second as Harris takes a learning knee for the touchback. Don finds Maclin for 25 on a slant that I suspect DJ would have taken to the house. With all day to throw, McNabb makes a bad decision towards CB Champ Bailey, who takes it away from DJ, and that's bad all over.

> White ball and Broderick Bunkley goes off, not helping anyone's mood. A slow blitz gives up an out to Marshall, who makes Samuel miss -- really not one of Asante's better games here -- for a first down. The run defense has been good today, and stops Moreno for a loss, but a face mask on Trent Cole adds 15. Brown takes down Marshall on a throwback screen; nice tackle by the corner. The White offense becomes Every Play To Marshall, and I'm not sure I'd do anything differently, really. Buck returns in time to see a tip ball fall in front of Hanson, and dammit, that has to be caught. Mickell covers a third down screen beautifully, and White settles for a figgie try on fourth and 13 from the 15. The 32 yarder is good, and it's Green 20, White 10. The offense is going to have to put this away.

> Shady through a big hole for a first. A less than thrilling pass execution sets up second and ten. More Shady dancing gets five. On third and six with all day to throw, McNabb airs it out 50 yards on a rope, and DJ adjusts while Bailey does not for a huge flag. Dub for five feel good yards to the left, and the running game now has 19 carries for 68 yards, compared to the passing game's 23 for 267. On third and six from the gun, McNabb is flushed out and throws it away, but the laundry is against the defense to move the chains. Another big flag, and to be honest, it's kind of ticky-tack on the linebacker trying to cover Celek. It sets up a laser tip drill that's collected by Avant for seven, and I suspect that CB Reynaldo Hill is going to have a broken finger to go with the seven points. Green 27, White 10, and we've got 22 minutes to keep people healthy here.

> Green has now scored the most points in a year in their history, and White is looking like they are packing their bags for the airport with false start penalties. Orton turtles up for a train wreck sack from DL Darren Howard, and that was Good Times. A perfect bubble screen to Buck stops the bleeding for a huge gain and a first; ouch. Scheffler hauls in a 26 yard seam route that Green fan has seen all year long to the TE. My headache isn't getting any better. Orton throws it away more than any other QB in the league, and it finally draws a grounding call as Brown writhes on the ground; not good, again. Week 17 might be send in the practice squad, folks. Samuel redeems his day with his ninth pick of the year, just a great break and leap on the ball, and Green takes 45 yards in celebration flags just, really, for the hell of it. You've never heard a stadium more angry while up 17; turns out they were right.

> Green starts at the one with a fumbled snap, and Don recovers for no gain. Aii. Don misses DJ on an open out, as well as an open center wideout, and this game is still in play thanks to the flags. Sav Rocca's punt of the day is craptastic, and a flag puts it on the Green 25. This game is way too close for what's happened on the lines.

> Moreno is devoured by LB Akeem Jordan; Green defense is playing angry. Gaffney gets six yards to set up a big third down, since there is still, somehow, 18.5 minutes left in this hairpull. Lloyd avoids a tackle on a slant for the first; man alive, the Denver offense is dull. Marshall for a few more, then a vanilla bubble screen to Gaffney that leaves Brown stationary. He needs time off, folks. Immediately. With the PAT, it's Green 27, White 17, and back to the offense to put it away. Writing that is getting dull.

> And, well, just that fast, we have a game again... as Harris continues his bad day of returning kicks by putting it on the ground. I think I'm going to be sick, really. Third turnover of the day. Marshall for yet another bubble screen is stopped by Jordan. Then Moreno for an easy center zone, with MLB Will Witherspoon getting roasted on the play. That's 14 White points in 49 seconds, and if you have any faith in this defense to overcome adversity, you are better than me.

> Harris sits, to the relief of the fans. A screen fools no one and is blocked. Big momentum to White here. Don takes a bad sack as CBS's Jim Nance notices that the home crowd isn't happy. In other news, Jim Nance is an idiot. Third down is another terrible sack. and that's a three and out. The third quarter finally, mercifully, ends. Green 27, White 24, and I''m having a hard time remembering a worst five minutes of Eagles football.

> Rocca gets into one for 60 yards, but the return is 21, so it's the same as always. Cole shows some pride and racks up a sack. Three men cover the bubble screen to Lloyd, with Cole stopping the play. On third and 18, Green needs a stop and the laundry flies, with the refs nicking Howard for a neutral zone infraction. Still third and long, and Brown makes the play of the day by shaking off the injury to knock down a long attempt to Marshall. Cagey play. After the Berger punt and DJ fair catch, there's no flag for incidental contact on the returner, and Eagle Fan is still less than thrilled. One more time on the offense to eat clock and win.

> Weaver into the line for a couple. Good protection but a bad ball from McNabb, and the wideout was not open at all. DJ can't bring in a ball that Bailey gets a finger on, and that's another deadly three and out, with no time off the clock. Forget everything I said about the offense. Bailey limps off; that might be helpful. Rocca's punt is good, but the coverage is high, and that's going to be 15 gift yards from the refs. Gahhhh.

> Buck starts the drive with three to midfield. Gaffney gets five on the same out they've been running all game. On third and two and a huge down, Orton takes it from the gun, avoids pressure and misses Marshall. McReynolds sends in Berger, and doesn't get that much from it, as DJ collects it at the 19. A little less than 11 minutes left now.

> From the gun, Dub runs for two. They need a first down in the worst way, really. Again from the gun, he goes long to Maclin, who can't bring it down, and that's what drives you crazy about this offense; allergic to grinding it out. Third and 8 from the 21 is something like the fifth straight three and out, and just to prolong the agony, they can't get the play called on time. This game has now gone past three hours of Real Time, and it's even money who ends first -- me or it. After the commerce, McNabb from the gun connects with WR Reggie Brown, but the ball is marked a yard short with a pretty bad call, and for once Reid doesn't challenge. Rocca's punt is terrible, and it gets 28 yards out of bounds. Gahhhh.

> I don't really want to watch anymore, between the illness and the game, but the job is the job. Moreno on a screen almost gets a lot, but is tripped for five. From the gun, Moreno gets two, and it's another big third down. From the gun, Orton calls time; neither team is really impressing me right now. 8:40 left. From the gun again, Orton avoids pressure and finds Gaffney for 18 yards. I'm kind of numb right now. The 187th bubble screen goes through Samuel's hands to Lloyd for two. The 188th bubble screen to Marshall is stopped by Hanson for a loss of four. Orton barely escapes a sack to get it to Buck for five, and it's figgy time. Matt Prater hits from 46 yards, because long field goals are never missed by the team going against my laundry. Gahhhhhhh. White 27, Green 27; 17 unanswered by White. A little more than six minutes left.

> Dawk doing Spasmodic Dance on the sidelines. Harris puts it on the ground again, but it's miraculously recovered, and I'm really ready to see anyone else return these. Don takes a terrible sack by Dumervil, and this is not a rerun. It's the end's 17th of the year, and a 10 yard loss. The offense then moves all over pre-snap, because they've been replaced by the preseason team in the last four series. Second and twenty five sails through Maclin's hands; the wideout was very open. Third and twenty five changes the game, as Don channels 1993 for a 27 yard scramble for the first. He's also grabbing the hamstring, of course, because even the good plays in this game are bad.

> Dub for three. An out to Maclin is ruled incomplete, and it's not reviewed, wisely. Another huge third down from the gun goes to Maclin, and he's tripped a yard from the sticks. Oh dear.

> From the 49 with 3:08 left, Reid chooses to avoid You Crap and punt, and it would be nice if Rocca makes the play seem smart. It's caught at the 8 with no return, and the Broncos can win it.

> From the gun, Orton gives to Buck; Jordan meets him the hole for a yard gain. With the clock running, Orton pulls it down and complete to Lloyd, but a hold brings it back. Second and 14 from the five. Gaffney gets it to the nine on a middle zone, and we'll have third and nine from the ten after the two minute warning. Big noise from Green Fan. Orton from the gun, of course. He avoids a near safety sack, and there's a hold that brings it back but isn't a safety. For a moment, the penalty is accepted, but sanity prevails, and White punts from the 17 on fourth and two. Reid's decision to punt works out. Berger finally gives DJ a ball to return, and he's taken down at the White 42 with 1:41 left.

> A give to McCoy for two and the clock runs; Reid is going to win this or take overtime. From the gun, Don throws an absolute laser to Maclin at the 13, and we're going to have a booth review or a riot. Game in the balance here, and I think Maclin's got a 70-30 chance of getting the call. The zebras reverse it, and that's just beyond huge. Fifty nine seconds left, ball on the Bronco 13, and two timeouts left for White.

> Dub moves the pile to the right for no gain and a White timeout. Weaver to the ten and centers it; that's White final timeout. With CBS fellating Akers (stop your freaking reverse jinx, you bastards), Green needs to run a third down play to get the clock down; Don sits forward for a yard, and Akers comes on with seven seconds to go for the go-ahead figgie. It's a 27 yarder, and it's only five feet to the left from perfect. We'll all take it. Green 30, White 27.

> Squib time for the win, as well as the likely Stanford drill for White. I'm not calling it a win yet; it has been that kind of game, really. Akers keeps it in bounds, and two laterals later, it's over. Phew.

Well, thirty minutes of great play, followed by twenty five minutes of pretty terrible play, and it's kind of the 2009 year in microcosm. Enough talent to dominate, enough big plays to make it easy, but not enough focus to be what they could be. One more game to see if they can get the division, and maybe even the #2 seed, in a conference in which the top teams have looked very mortal in the last month. We've had worse years.