Eagles - Cardinals Takeaways
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| Fitz, Eater Of Worlds |
> S Malcolm Jenkins with the sweet run blitz and solo tackle
> Arizona ran out of a 4-WR set, proving they've learned from Chip Kelly tape
> QB Carson Palmer's 3rd and 3 conversion to WR John Brown, a perfectly executed fly, was also kind of foreshadowy
> Either both of these 5-1 teams weren't very good, or the refs just went flag-happy in this one
> The teams exchanged offsides for funsies
> The bail out call on S Nate Allen wiped out a strip sack from LB Trent Cole, and had absolutely no impact on the play
> Fifth flag in five minutes is defensive PI on CB Bradley Fletcher, and that one is refreshingly legit
> How CB Bradley Fletcher avoided a PI call in third down end zone shot, I'll never know
> Cards HC Bruce Arians elected to punt, rather than try a 53-yard figgie, and got all of 16 yards of field position from it
> Either the crew was flag happy, or Pro Bowl RT Jason Peters just commits hands to the face all the damned time
> Watching Cardinals DC Todd Bowles dial up blitzes that get picked up brought back memories
> RB Chris Polk had his first carry in forever, and looked fine doing it
> Road Eagle Fan made themselves known during a roughing the passer flag
> Foles throws a ball away for some reason, as Ertz was open on an out
> Foles to WR Jeremy Maclin for the well-run play action screen TD, with T Lane Johnson with the wipeout block
> Scoring from the 21 is a nice way to avoid the historic red zone futility shown by the Eagle offense
> That was the first time Red hadn't scored first in 2014
> When WR Larry Fitzgerald retires, Eagle Fan will not believe it, because he's just that terrifying
> Red converted a 4th and 1 that wasn't a QB sneak, which is the thing that always works
> Honestly, I can't remember an out of division opponent who has done more against my laundry
> Red got in a challenge after the next play was snapped, because rules are just LOL
> McCoy was the victim of the most obvious uncalled horse collar of the year
> Before leaving with a concussion, Red CB Patrick Peterson played as if he had one already
> WR Josh Huff is a rookie, which means that when he fumbles in the red zone and kills his team, it's just awful, rather than a firing offense
> LB Trent Cole got 15 yards for hitting Palmer a hair after he threw the football, in the legal area where you can hit the QB, on a play where he'd have be Keanu Reeves in the Matrix to not hit the QB, because that's the NFL now
> There were 80 combined yards in flags in 20 minutes, en route to 21 for 198 for the game, and yes, these refs sucked complete
> Just to get even and show the world that the refs matter more than the game, Red got dinged for a 15 yard roughing the passer flag that was also nauseating
> Arizona challenged a play where they would have given up a first down for a penalty anyway, and would up out of challenges for the rest of the game, because, um, dumbness
> Foles then underthrew Huff for the second inexcusable red zone turnover in a five minute period, because all bad things happened around Huff in this game
> This offense is going to make me abuse alcohol
> Red tries for killshot, but Palmer misses Floyd on a flea flicker where the WR was open
> Palmer and Ellington don't connect, third and long and defensive hope
> WR Jeremy Maclin got lucky with a hot shot bounce fair catch twice, and we all miss Darren Sproles a lot
> The mutual car crash with Peterson, Maclin and S Deone Buchanan was all kinds of scary
> Green should be leading this game, but when you turn it over twice deep in the red zone, nope
> Cooper back for the fair catch, with Maclin in the locker room with a (yuck) bleeding ear
> DT Calais Campbell had one of the more obvious jumps offsides you'll ever see
> Foles to Ertz had a great and absurd catch on a back shoulder catch around Buchanaon
> Foles being unable to operate against blitz pressure at the end of the first half was also forshadowy
> S Earl Wolff got hurt on K Cody Parkey's touchback, which just seems wrong
> Third and long on the first series of the second half is a slant to Fitz for 80 and the score, and honestly, I'd like to just fast forward to a future where he's only a distant painful memory
> WR Ted Ginn Jr. with the perfectly timed block/pick
> That's the longest catch in Fitz's career, because, um, of course
> McCoy for 5 as Ronde Barber fellates the defense, then Foles throws away on a single option route to Celek
> Foles to Mahel for the first, with possible YAC ruled out without replay, funsies
> Foles on long clock throws away, offense has not been with its usual zip due to, well, turnovers and lack of running game
> Boykin missed an opportunity on P Donnie Jones' 3rd quarter punt; not the STs best game
> Third and long has me cringing for the inevitable Fitz Moment, and that's something of a tell
> Backwards throw screen to McCoy for 2, and I so hate those plays, given how they are live fumbles that can be total disasters
> Parkey's connection from 54 was straight and true and awesome, and he continues to be aces
> Pressure from LB Connor Barwin forces a bailout (grounding?), and that's three and out for two straight series
> Maclin with another terrifying bounce catch, turns it into yardage, and ends things with a Gatorade table dive that Fox set to wackity schmackity music
> Get well very goddamned soon, Darren Sproles
> S Tyrone Mathieu with the great deflect on a try to Matthews, and the Honey Badger is a player
> Boykin touched a punt to down it, which should make it dead, but Red returns it anyway and gets yards, so LOL rules
> LB Brandon Graham nearly caused spinal damage to Ellington on a loss
> Maclin with an honest to God fair catch, and then catches a lightning perfect deep ball for the lead
> Palmer somehow avoids a sack, then somehow avoids a pick, as LB Emmanuel Acho can't make the catch
> Fitz for a first down off a screen, and he makes me go into the fetal position; when he had 6 for 155, he had more than half of Red's total freaking offense for the day
> Allen stripped Ellington on a play in which he got five feet in on the replay
> Green ball on the Red 48 with a chance for margin, 19 straight games for the defense with a takeaway
> Jones drops one inside the five as Red tries the Rams' tricky wrong side return
> This defense is growing on me except for the mind-boggling and crushing mistakes
> 3rd and 11 and loud is confused, then Foles gets picked by Cromartie again on a ball that missed the WR by three yards
> If you want to tell the story of how Green can't win because Foles, this game tape is going to be high on your supporting argument list
> Third Green turnover of the day, all of them murderous
> 1st and goal from the 10 is deflected, Red's lucky for the not pick, as Ryans had read the progression
> Palmer nearly gets Brown in the end zone, but the feet are out
> Third and goal from the 10 is a Carlson drop, aided by Ryans, and phew, amazing save by the LB
> K Chandler Catanzaro hits the chip shot, and it's all tied with 9 minutes left
> Green's answering drive was a lot of running plays that should have happened in the first 51 minutes
> McCoy got the give-back horse collar
> Funny, how effective play action is when you run the damned ball
> Clock running, McCoy for four, then six more on an absurd spin out of head on contact
> Polk to the five as McCoy takes a breath
> Polk to the goal line as the clock keeps burning; somehow it's third down and inches after a terrible spot
> Would love to see a challenge of the spot there
> Third and inches, men split wide, give to McCoy, no dice
> Really bad to not execute on third down, and Red not fooled at all by men out wide from that down and distance
> Two minute warning with both teams holding full time outs
> Parkey on for the field goal, something of a validation for the defense, and connects; Green 20, Red 17
> Given the team's issues in the red zone, and how the defense has played, I agree with the decision, but still hate that they couldn't get it in on third
> Parkey had a touchback when it mattered, like just about every other kickoff
> Fitz for 5, then Carroll with a knock down on a middle try to Brown, nearly picked, two stops for a win with 1:33 left
> Third and 5 is Palmer to Brown, wide open deep, and instant score, and how the hell that happens, I have no idea
> Red's made two plays on offense in a half, and scored two touchdowns on them
> Allen, just blowing it big when it mattered most, and Williams isn't exactly covered in glory there either
> Red 24, Green 20, 1:21 left with two timeouts
> By the way, this is a tie game if Green just freaking scores on third down on the last drive, and not close at all without the two earlier red zone turnovers
> Foles to Cooper, first down and slowed tempo for what wasn't a horse collar tackle while it was
> Foles to Maclin for 8, second Green timeout to set up third and 2 at the 50
> McCoy from his fingers, first down and out of bounds and a bailout of a bad throw
> Foles throws it away, off his back foot, from moderate pressure
> McCoy for 8 off a blitz, Red just trying to force quick throws
> Third and 2 with 30 seconds left from the 38 is Foles to Ertz, pressure and no flag
> Fourth and 2 with 25 seconds left is Red timeout
> Foles keeps for the first and calls timeout, and that was kind of nuts, given that it didn't get a lot of yards and puts the entire game on the line with a slow QB
> Foles to Maclin for 19 and out of bounds, and that's as good of a throw as he's made today
> 13 seconds left from the 16
> Too tall for Matthews in the end zone, seven seconds left
> Foles to Ertz, can't win a jump ball in the end zone, one second left
> Foles to Matthews, can't keep it in bounds, but otherwise had the play... and crap
> For the first time in 2014, my team deserved to win, and didn't
> Green is now 5-2, still very likely to make the playoffs, but home field and the division or a bye is getting quite unlikely
> Red is likely to win a division, but I still can't shake the idea that the Niners and Seahawks might be better, and that the division isn't as good as was expected
> Green goes to Houston next, for what has to be considered a must game, what with Dallas having the home game bye against the Slurs tomorrow night
> All being said, great game that could have easily gone either way
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