SIXERS: Two Straight Heartbreakers Puts Team at 5-10

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!! Hope everyone gets to eat plenty of turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and pie tonight. 

The Philadelphia 76ers are in a state of turmoil.  For those of you who do not know, the team is currently 5-10 and is struggling to compete with the teams regarded to be the worst among the league.  Case in point, the recent losses to the Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards.  The Wizards game was a heartbreaking 108-107 loss that the Sixers had a chance to win at the last second but fell when Lou Williams’ shot came up short.  Last night was even more disappointing.  The Sixers played what might have been their most impressive game of the year against the Boston Celtics without Williams, who was sidelined with a broken jaw.  Elton Brand also was out with a hamstring injury, which in all honesty was probably a big reason they played great.  The Sixers led for much of the game, taking a six point lead into the fourth quarter at the Garden, only to squander it late in the game thanks to a late Celtic rally led by Paul Pierce, who scored 27 points and drew a key charge down the stretch, and Rajon Rondo, who led the comeback in the final minutes with six points, including a key jumper from the baseline to seal the game.  The Sixers lost to Boston on the road 113-110.  They played their hearts out last night but it wasn’t enough.  Despite the close score it’s still a loss, something the Sixers have been doing a lot of these days.  They have now lost four in a row by a total of 15 points.  They have been in every game but cannot close them out.  Two of the losses are considered “good” losses, as there is no shame in falling to both Cleveland and Boston on the road by a total of 9 points combined.  However, you cannot lose to teams like Memphis and Washington.  There is no excuse for it. 

So while the team has shown some life in the past few days, they have nothing to show for it.  You can play well against Cleveland and Boston but all that really matters is at the end of the game do you have more points than your opponent.  And for the past four games, the Sixers have come up on the short end.  The team stands at 5-10, 3rd place in the division only because the New York Knicks and New Jersey Nets are two of the biggest joke teams the NBA has ever seen.  Coach Jordan is on the hot seat.  He came in and said this team will be better than last year under Tony DiLeo.  As much as I hate to say it, this team was better under DiLeo than it is under Jordan.  He needs to get this team back on track soon.  The good news is that it is still very early in the season.  We’ve played only 15 games out of an 82 game schedule.  The bad news is that the road is only going to get tougher when we start facing the Western Conference teams soon, and with injuries starting to pile on (Marresse Speights, out 6-8 weeks with a torn ligament; Lou Williams, broken jaw), it’s only going to get tougher, and if a turnaround doesn’t happen soon, the Sixers may be in a hole too deep for them to climb out of.

 

EAGLES: fourth-quarter drive saves Eagles season

It was not the prettiest of games, but there was one thing that truly stood out to me on Sunday night. It wasn’t the sight of Devin Hester’s backside that was broadcasted to the millions of viewers, but rather a fourth quarter game-winning drive by the Eagles. For once, the Eagles were not the victims of a late-game run. The Eagles shook off an extremely mediocre first half (where they should have been down by 21 points had Jay Cutler learned how to throw a touchdown pass) and clinched the game with a 10-yard run by LeSean McCoy.

Sorry for the delay on the post, but here are this week’s grades:

Quarterback: B

After the game, McNabb had this to say to the media, “It wouldn’t have mattered if we had won 3-2, this was a game we needed to come out and win by any means necessary.” I couldn’t have said it better myself. He didn’t make the best plays, but he showed the pose on a final drive that Eagles fans have rarely seen. One statistic that really stuck out to me after the game was McNabb’s success on play-action plays. During the game, McNabb was 9-10 for 115 yards and two touchdown passes. That’s a passer rating of 154.2. However, under the shot gun or on non-play action passes, his passer rating was only 60.6 (14-22 for 129 yards and an interception).

Is LeSean McCoy ready to be a premier back in the league

Running back: B+

After a rough week against the Chargers, LeSean McCoy responded with 20 rushes for 99 yards. He took the heavy load and answered some questions about the run game for the Eagles. Not to take too much credit away from McCoy, the Bears defense is not anything to call home about. I don’t think the running game against Chicago could be discussed without the breakout play by Michael Vick. For the first time since entering prison, Vick made a large impact on the football field when his only rush of the game resulted in a 34-yard gain. However, I’m pretty sure that I could have hit that hole created by the offensive line.

Wide Receivers: B

Welcome back DeSean Jackson. He was nowhere to be found last week, but caught another long pass for a touchdown. He finished with his third 100-yard game and fifth game of the year with over 90 yards receiving. Even though he is so athletic, he does need to work on his bad case of the butterfingers (2 fumbles, 1 lost). Jeremy Maclin, Brent Celek and Jason Avant all contributed to a very balanced passing attack by the Eagles. Still need to use Celek and Avant more in my opinion.

Offensive Line: C+

The offensive line did a good job as far as run protection, but they still need some work with pass protection and giving McNabb more time. The Bears recorded three sacks, three tackles for losses and seven hits on McNabb. The main reason for giving a C to the offensive line has to do with penalties. Jason Peters picked up two more penalties, giving him a team-leading six on the season. Five of the Eagles’ eight penalties came on the offensive side of the football. Here is a complete breakdown of the Eagles penalties this season

 

Trent Cole seemed to be the only Eagle to show up on Sunday night

Defensive Line/Linebackers: C+

Not the strongest performance by the Eagles defensive front. They were unable to cause any turnovers and the Bears averaged 6.3 yards per carry (mostly due to Kahlil Bell’s 72-yard rush in the second half) The linebackers seemed to struggle with coverage for most of the game, especially with tight end Greg Olsen. How shocking? Olsen finished with only 42 yards, but he should have finished with about 90 yards and a touchdown. If only Jay Cutler knew how to hit a receiver that is. The Bears offensive line dominated the ‘Birds’ line for the entire game. The only sack came from Trent Cole and Jay Cutler was only hit two times the entire game. It only makes it harder on the defensive backs when the front seven don’t put pressure on the quarterback.

 

Secondary: C

Just when you thought the secondary solved their tackling woes, it took five different Eagles to take down Earl Bennett. Even though Sean Jones had an interception, I thought the secondary played pretty poorly against a terrible wide receiving core. As I mentioned twice before in the post, the Eagles are very lucky that Jay Cutler played so poorly or else the secondary could have earned a failing grade. Both Devin Hester and Johnny Knox beat the secondary for what should have been touchdowns. For how talented the secondary is individually, they really need to improve as a whole.

 

Special Teams: B+

I’m a big fan of Macho Harris as the Eagles return man. He is athletic and is not afraid to hit the holes, averaging 25.2 per return. David Akers wasn’t tested too much on Sunday as he hit his only field goal of 25 yards.

 

The win against Chicago saved the season for the Eagles. I am not convinced that the ‘Birds are a top team in the NFC because they are too young and inexperienced. However, I do believe that the Eagles are always a contender because their role players know how to win and the defense has the ability to be one of the best in the NFL.

The Eagles are going to be tested for pretty much the rest of the season. There are no more gimme’s from here on out. Up next, the Eagles take on the two-faced Washington Redskins. At the beginning of the season, the Redskins were statistically one of the worst teams in the NFL. As of late, they have won a few crucial games and they realize they are playing a divisional game. While the game is at home, this is no push-over. Happy Turkey weekend and see you on Sunday.

FLYERS: Will the Real Philadelphia Flyers Please Stand Up?

Let me preface this post with a quick point:  I COMPLETELY agree with the National Hockey League’s decision to suspend Flyers forward Danny Briere for two games after his blatant blow to the head of Avalanche defenseman Scott Hannan last night.  OK, we’re all clarified on that now, right?  Let’s move on.

Briere is suspended for two games after his cheapshot on Avs D-Man Scott Hannan

Coming into their current five game road swing, the Philadelphia Flyers were on a tear.  Winners of 5 of their last 6, they extended the achievement to 6 of their last 7 by winning the first game of the road trip in Los Angeles last Wednesday night.  However, three losses, a few injuries, and a suspension later, the Flyers are once again searching for an identity.  As the road trip comes to a close tonight in Long Island, the Flyers will boast a line up that features a full line of players who began their seasons in Glens Falls, a goaltender in Ray Emery coming off one of his worst performances as a Flyer, and oh yeah, Danny Briere riding the pine pony as a result of a two game suspension handed to him Tuesday.  The Flyers will be facing an Islanders team that – at least in the 21st century – has been almost a guaranteed two points each and every time the two sides have matched up.  This year, however, the Islanders, who are led by a scary-good young group of talent, are TIED with the Flyers and New York Rangers for third place in the Atlantic Division with 25 points.  Granted, the Flyers do have three games in hand on the Isles, but if New York was to win this evening, all the standings would show is the Flyers as the last place team in the Atlantic Division.  Yes, this Flyers team, that has arguably the best defensive unit – personnel wise, at least – in the Eastern Conference, and has at times looked like a juggernaut offensively, would suddenly be a last place team in the National Hockey League.

So, what changes have to be made in order for the Flyers to right the ship?  Well, obviously the injury situation has loomed all season and is finally taking its toll on this squad.  The Flyers’ injury report that flashes up on the screen before games looks more like a roster itself than a list of the walking wounded.  In short, the Flyers need to get healthy.  With key role players like Blair Betts and Darroll Powe battling set-back injuries, and the concussion issues that have affected Simon Gagne, the Flyers have been playing without important players for most of the season.

Mike Richards and the Flyers need to find their identity. Quick.

However, beyond injuries, or even certain players needing to pick up the slack (CLAUDE GIROUX I’M LOOKING AT YOU), there is one glaring need in this club that has been with the team since the ’06-’07 season – the year Ken Hitchcock was sent packing as Flyers Head Coach and John Stevens assumed the role.  For about three years now the Flyers have struggled to do what is perhaps the most self-explanatory element that goes on in the course of a game: play a full 60 minutes.  Each NHL game, barring no overtime periods, consists of 3 periods that are 20 minutes each.  In order to be successful as a hockey club, a supreme effort is needed for those full 60 minutes.  Seems elementary, right?  That’s because it is.  However, the Flyers haven’t been able to do it for some time.  Now, I can understand the mental lapses that come from time to time both throughout the course of a game and a season.  These lapses last 3, maybe 4 minutes.  What I can’t understand is how these lapses by the Flyers sometimes last 19, maybe 20 minutes – an entire period.  Take the last game against Colorado, for example.  The Flyers didn’t show up in the first ten minutes of the first period, the last ten minutes of the second, but, hey, they were there for the whole third period!  All in all, that amounts to two periods of hockey against a very good – albeit surprising – Colordao Avalanche team.  The Flyers need to somehow overcome the extended mental breakdowns that occur far too often and focus on playing the full 60 minutes of the game.  To be honest, even with the injuries and the additions of players like Jared Ross, Andreas Nodl and David Laliberte, when this team plays a full 60 minutes with the talent they have, they will have a chance to be victorious night in and night out.  The hardest part’s going to be getting them to believe in that philosophy.

Looking ahead for the Flyers, they finish out November with three winnable games – including the Islanders tonight – that should help to get the club back on track as they head into December.  Along with the Islanders, the Flyers close out the month with a struggle – but winnable contest – against the Buffalo Sabres, and then end November with a matchup against the Atlanta Thrashers.

The next week or so will give us a clearer idea as to the identity of this squad.  Will they be content with coasting through the dog days of the season, or will this team step it up and prove their serious about playing hockey into June this year?

For the sake of my emotions, let’s hope it’s the last option.

EAGLES: second straight loss puts eagles in hole

Losing is never easy, especially when you know that you can capture first place after the Cowboys loss. There were two different Eagles teams that showed up on Sunday. There was a team that I would give almost F’s for in every category, and then there was an Eagles team that showed promise in the second half. However, football is all about playing four solid quarters to win a football game against the 6-3 Chargers in San Diego.

The largest concern after the game was not the performance, but the health of the Eagles most explosive player, Brian Westbrook. He suffered his second concussion of the season, and it does not look promising that he will return this season. The biggest question mark for the rest of the season is not the offensive line or the play calling, but how LeSean McCoy will respond to being a premier back in the National Football League as a rookie. I’m still very shocked that Andy Reid did not make a quick push for free-agent Larry Johnson before he sided with the Bengals, but that’s for another blog post.

Now for the grades:

Andy Reid: D –

Redzone woes were the main reason for the Eagles loss

Eldra Buckley?! On third and goal you go with Eldra Buckley? Not Leonard Weaver? I would even be ok with Mike Patterson carrying the ball on the goal line. This was yet another poor coaching performance by the big man Andy Reid. There is no excuse for how poor the Eagles were on goal line and within the red zone. I understand that the players are expected to convert those plays, but Reid needs to adjust and not be so predictable. The schedule is only going to get harder Andy, get your act together.

Quarterback: B+

Under no circumstance should a quarterback throw 55 times in a game. I know the Eagles were playing catch-up for most of the game, but it’s not fair to Donovan McNabb to force plays and make bad throws. He did a good job down the stretch to bring the Eagles back in the game, but he still threw 20 incomplete passes in the game.

Runningback: D

I know I referenced it in the coaching section, but the running backs need to be able to gain a single yard on several different occasions. The team averaged 2.2 yards per carry and gained 29 yards on the ground the entire game. Not much more to say. Let’s hope McCoy is the real deal.

Wide Receivers: B +

If Jason Avant’s one handed grab was not enough to prove that he is the real deal, then I don’t know what else to say. He finished with 156 yards in the game and averaged just under 20 yards per catch. Give him the ball more Andy. DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, and Brent Celek all had solid games as well.

Offensive Line: B +

I was very impressed with the offensive line on Sunday. They didn’t allow a sack in the first half and gave McNabb a good amount of time to throw 55 times. Despite giving up five tackles for losses, it looks like things might finally be coming around for the offensive line. I mean, they can’t get much worse than they were earlier this season.

Defensive Line/Linebackers: C

A couple of years ago, the Eagles held LaDainian Tomlinson to under 30 yards in his prime. On Sunday however, the Eagles let L.T. run all over them for his best game of the year (I know because I put him on my bench in fantasy football). The defensive front only recorded a total of two sacks and three tackles for losses. To take a positive from the defensive line, Juqua Parker finally decided to wake up this season and recorded a sack, a tackle for a loss and a hit on Philip Rivers.

Secondary: D +

The secondary didn’t really do anything against the Charges. No interceptions, no sacks, no tackles for losses. Nada. All they did was blow coverage’s and allow two touchdown passes Legedu Naanee and Mike Tolbert. Not Vincent Jackson or Antonio Gates, but those two.

This run could be the last time Brian Westbrook sees the field this season

Special Teams: B

David Akers was 3/3 on the night and Rocca averaged 40 yards per punt, landing two inside the twenty. Maclin got some reps at kick returning and did a pretty solid job, averaging just under 20 yards per return.

 

This next stretch of games is going to dictate the rest of the season for the Philadelphia Eagles. They play at Chicago this weekend and then play a rough stretch of conference and non-conference teams. Without Westbrook, it’s going to be interesting to see how the running game develops because McNabb is already asked to do enough on the offense

PHILLIES: Movin’ On

It may have taken just under two weeks, but I think I finally got over the fact that the New York Yankees are the current world champions of baseball, as the late Harry Kalas would say.

Before I view it as just water under the bridge, first, a moment of clarity.

As hard as it is to say, the Yankees deserved it. They were the best team in baseball, something that they paid a lot of money to ensure. Nonetheless, they didn’t let the names on the roster define their play, but their performance on the proved it, and A-Rod, Tex, Jeter and company will be sporting some new jewelry come opening day 2010.

Now, onto the Phillies. Tremendous run this year, and that’s not something I would have said moments after Shane Victorino grounded out weakly to first after he was jammed by a historic Mariano Rivera cut-fastball. Plagued by injuries, bullpen issues, and inconsistent play, there were times throughout the season that I truly believed that the Phillies would be watching the playoffs from the bar on the golf course. That obviously wasn’t the case. The credit to get the Phillies two game shy of back-to-back championships goes all around the organization. However, there are two people (besides of course the players) that are mainly responsible for making this past postseason run back to the fall classic possible.

1. Ruben Amaro: Pulling the trigger on a trade that gave the Phillies an ace (Cliff Lee) and a solid utility outfielder (Ben Francisco) for essentially four minor leagues backed up Amaro’s creditability as a general manager. He didn’t let the Blue Jays J.P Richardi bully him into giving up too much for Roy Halladay, and instead “settled” for Lee, who not only was the ace of the Phillies staff down the stretch, but also pitched worlds better than Halladay in the second half of the season. Also, signing Pedro Martinez midway through the season when so many people, even within the organization, questioned the decision, was a good move. Martinez surpassed all his individual expectations, and also bolstered the teams’ pitching staff and overall intimidation level.

2. Charlie Manuel: He will never be the most well-spoken manager in baseball, but based on success and overall approval by his team, Manuel has to be considered among the best skippers in all of baseball after this season. While he may over-manage at times (something that all managers are guilty of), a majority of the major decisions Manuel made over the course of the season were correct. Some of those decisions included benching Jimmy Rollins for a three-game stretch in June, sending both Raul Ibanez and Brad Lidge to the D.L against their will, and sticking with Lidge as a closer in the playoffs (yes, this was the right decision). He’s a tremendous presence in the clubhouse, and should be with this team for a long time. 

As I said before, a great run it was. We got to see Ryan Howard and Chase Utley have tremendous seasons and historic postseasons, solidifying their status as perennial stars in the world of baseball. We got to see the birth of one of arguably the best outfield tandems in all of baseball, as Raul Ibanez, Shane Victorino, and Jayson Werth all had career years, with Victorino and Werth seeming to be just entering their prime. With pitching, we got to see Cliff Lee prove he wasn’t a fluke Cy Young award winner, Pedro Martinez resurrect his career, and a rookie in J.A Happ flourish into one the organizations bright young stars.

Needless to say, the future is bright for the Philadelphia Phillies organization.

Now, the show must go on, as the first step to repeating as NL champs is already about to begin.

Free Agency.

In the next post, we will talk about those who may join the Phillies through free agency, along with those who will surely leave the club because of the process.

FLYERS: Checking Line Provides Contender Label

For as long as I can remember, the Philadelphia Flyers have been a physical team.  In that sense, they’ve been a severely undisciplined physical team, which has sent them packing many a time in the early days of summer.  However, this year the Flyers have something in their locker room that no team in recent memory has truly effectively possessed before them.  This Flyers team has a checking line, and this Flyers team has a damn good checking line.  The three some of penalty box mainstay Dan Carcillo, witty agitator Ian Laperriere, and face-off and penalty killing guru Blair Betts are three players that likely wouldn’t be many teams first selections if they were to build a Stanley Cup contender.  Perhaps it’s for good reason: the three of them combine for a mere 180 goals over their careers.  None are new-comers to the league, but Lappy and Betts are newcomers to Philadelphia.  And boy, have they ever brought a jolt.

Carcillo and Laperriere have restored the old Flyer mantra of a dominant checking line

 

It’s something that doesn’t really get talked about until the playoffs roll around.  We saw it with Pittsburgh’s Max Talbot and Tyler Kennedy a year ago, the steady checking forwards that a team features on the back-end of their lineup that aren’t by any means the most talented players on the team, but end up commanding so much attention that their opponents at times lose focus of the stars on a lineup’s front-end.  What Talbot and company were to the Penguins last year, the Flyers checking line has been to the Orange and Black this year.  In bringing a guy like Lappy in to the Flyers dressing room, so much more than a player was added.  A leader, a well-respected individual, and a guy that likes to keep his teammates loose brings a whole other dimension to this club, one that I believe they sorely lacked the past few seasons.  In adding Blair Betts, the Flyers made a move that, as Flyers announcer Keith Jones put it, “Is the type of move made by a championship team.”  Jones says this – and I wholeheartedly agree with him – because of the fact that a guy like Betts is a master at face-offs, and an excellent Penalty Killer.  Last year, Mike Richards and Jeff Carter were noticeably worn down physically from all the time they spent out on the PK.  Get my gist?  With Betts in the line-up, he automatically spells Richards and Carter on the Kill, and thereby gives the Flyers another dependable body to assist what was already one of the league’s stronger penalty killing units.

 

Like I said, Betts, Laperriere, and Carcillo aren’t going to light up the scoreboard.  In fact, here are their season stats to this point:

Betts: 10 Games Played, 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 2 Points

Laperriere: 17 Games Played, 1 Goal, 3 Assists, 4 Points

Carcillo: 17 Games Played, 2 Goals, 1 Assist, 3 Points

Betts has been everything the Flyers expected when they signed him as a Free Agent late in the Preseason

 

…Not much to cheer about offensively.  But, as I mentioned, the Flyers rely on these guys in other ways to impact their hockey club.  They provide a spark each and every time the Flyers are on the ice, and are a big reason why they’ve won 6 of their last 7 games as a team.  Laperriere is teaching Carcillo to control his aggression and use it to his advantage, not as a detriment to the team.  Betts has provided the calming 4th line center influence the Flyers have so desperately lacked.  This group nearly ran a regular shift last night against New Jersey, and the Devils had no answer.  If they continue their aggression and in your face style of play, the Flyers checking line will be a big reason why the Flyers should reach unprecedented heights this April, May, and – hopefully – June.

EAGLES: ‘BIRDS lose crucial game to Cowboys

It’s never fun to see the Eagles lose, but it’s even worse when that loss comes to the Dallas Cowboys.

Coming off of their best game of the season and clinching first place of the division, the Eagles threw it all away at home on Sunday night. Last week it seemed as if the ‘Birds were flawless. They proved they could win without running back Brian Westbrook, the offensive line actually resembled that of a professional football team, the young talent was dominant, and quarterback Donovan McNabb had one of his best performances of the year.

The Cowboys were also riding high going into Sunday night’s game. They got off to a rough start on the season, but were able to bounce back and remain in contention for the division. Because of a disheartening performance by Philadelphia, they are on cloud nine at the moment. And it’s the worst feeling that any Eagles fan could have at the moment.

This week’s grades:

Andy Reid is struggling winning the close games

Andy Reid: D-

I wanted to add Andy into this week’s report card because of the team’s inability to convert on third downs and win close games. While it is the player’s responsibilities to convert the plays that are called, the problem really begins with Reid’s decisions on third downs. On the eight third down plays on Sunday night, the Eagles converted just two of them. Four of them were runs and three of them were passes. Why can’t the Eagles run the ball on all third and short downs? Wasn’t that the reason that Leonard Weaver was such a great addition to the team?

When reading up on the Eagles on Philly.com, I came across a baffling statistic. In the last ten games decided by six points or less, the Eagles are 1-8-1. Late game management has always been my main criticism of Reid’s coaching and this statistic really worries me moving forward.

Quarterback: D+

Last week, McNabb’s quarterback rating was an impressive 146.7. This week, he was less than half of that, going 16 for 30 with one touchdown, two interceptions, and a rating of 61.4. The Giants defense was one of the top ranked defenses in the league heading into last week’s game and the Cowboys sit at number 19. Seem a little odd that McNabb struggled so much? His main criticism as a quarterback is his tendency to under throw receivers, and he played right into that criticism. A few drops here and there don’t excuse his inability to find receivers on third down.

Running backs: C –

The Eagles couldn’t really get anything going with the running game. Even though both LeSean McCoy and Leonard Weaver both averaged over 4 yards per carry, the third down troubles and short yardage situations really got to me. The Eagles failed to convert three different third and one’s and a game-deciding fourth and one. Even though they did it without Westbrook last week, his health really dictates the running game for the rest of the season.

Wide Receivers: C –

It says a lot about the wide receiving core when LeSean McCoy leads the team in receptions and receiving yards. Aside from that, the wide receiving core had a case of the butter fingers against a weak Cowboy’s secondary. The dropped passes were a direct result of poor and lazy route running.

Offensive Line: D +

The Dallas defensive line made the Eagles offensive line look like a high school team. McNabb was forced to scramble and throw on the run, adding to his lack of accuracy. Donovan was sacked four times and there were four tackles for losses, two ongoing problems with the Eagles offense. Not to mention, the loss of Jason Peters only adds to the weary offensive line.

Defensive line/linebackers: C+

Jason Witten is going to get the ball on a short yardage situation. He faked a block and did a quick out route and the Eagles were two steps to slow. That was the dagger in the game. I hope that I can eventually stop writing about how poor of a job the Eagles do at covering tight ends. IT boggles my mind. Outside of that issue, I actually was relatively impressed with the 4 sacks and 6 tackles for losses against the Cowboys.

One breakdown in the Eagles secondary was the difference maker on Sunday

Secondary: C +

One big play is all that it takes to win a game, and Miles Austin proved that with his game-winning catch (and his only catch of the game). The secondary broke down and Sheldon Brown got beat. Brown had an interception earlier in the game, but it all backfired with that single reception by Austin. Little mistakes can end up to bite you in the long run.

Special Teams: C –

Ellis Hobbs finally had a breakout performance. However, it was all taken away by a rookie linebacker, Moise Fokou, making a bonehead play that brought the superb run back. That run back could have been the difference maker for the Eagles and sent them atop to division. Akers did a good job knocking down his field goals, especially the 52-yarder in the fourth quarter. I did agree with the call to kick that field goal because the Eagles offense couldn’t get anything going that drive and their numbers on third and fourth down speak for themselves.

 

It’s just really upsetting to see how two-faced the Eagles football team can be. I feel as though every week I change from giving them all good grades to all terrible grades. When you look at it, the Eagles are arguably the shakiest team in the top half of the NFC right now. Aside from the Giants’ woes as of late, the Eagles have struggled with consistency and seem to show up differently each game. I am not counting the Eagles out in any aspect, but it does worry me to see how inconsistent they can be because that it something that can hurt them going down the stretch.

SIXERS: Williams, Iguodala Guide Sixers to Win Over Nets

Lou Williams and Andre Iguodala both had good games for the Sixers tonight in a 97-94 win over the New Jersey Nets tonight at the Wachovia Center.  After a horrendous performance the other night against Boston, the team shot the ball well tonight, including going 8 for 16 from 3 point range.  In what was a pretty close game throughout the entire contest, the Sixers needed a late 3 pointer from Iguodala to secure the win in front of a crowd of just 10,054.  The team had some trouble keeping the Nets from scoring down low, especially Center Brook Lopez, who had a game-high 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets, who are still looking for their first win of the season.  It certainly did not help that Thaddeus Young, Elton Brand, and Samuel Dalembert all failed to reach double digits.  Lou Williams had a great game, scoring 18 points to go along with 9 rebounds and 6 assists.  Williams has been one of the biggest surprises so far this season, averaging 17 ppg along with about 5 assists.  His play tonight may have very well saved the game for the Sixers since they got no production from their frontcourt.  Along with good play from Iguodala and Jason Kapono (4-6 from 3 point range), the team was able to scrape out a very forgettable win against New Jersey.  It is becoming clear that so far this season the Sixers are nothing more than an average team who are able to win close games against the inferior teams, and are being thoroughly dominated by the best of the East.  However, a win is a win, and hopefully they will find their stride soon.  Next game is Sunday afternoon against the Detroit Pistons at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

PHILLIES: Back To The Bronx..

Well, at least they sent it back to New York.

Facing elimination on Monday night after two crushing losses at home, the Phillies, led by an herculean effort by Chase Utley, barely held on to a 6-run lead against the Yankees, winning game 5 by a score of 8-6.

First of all, let me just say that if the Yankees blow this series, it will be one of the biggest collapses ever in all of professional sports. A team who has been regarded as the “best team in baseball”  and has the likes of Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Mariano Rivera (all who are going to be first-ballot HOF’s) on the roster has no business not being able to partake in a victory parade when they are up 3 games to 1 in the World Series. 

However, if any team can shock the world, and send Bud Selig into a tantrum, it’s the Phillies. They are the only team in all of baseball who can go punch for punch with the Yankees in both a battle of the bats and a pitchers duel, something that they’ve proven in their two wins so far in this fall classic. In addition to that, the Phillies have been there before, shown by their title as the defending World Series Champs. 

In order to keep that title though, the Phillies now have their work cut out for them, as they will have to beat the Bronx Bombers in New York, twice, the team with the best home record in all of baseball in 2009.

However, there are some issues that need to be addressed before the start of game 6.

First, Ryan Howard needs to get out of his slump, and he needs help doing it.  Since the Yankees are most likely going to be reluctant to pitch to Chase Utley, as his five homeruns in the 2009 WS have reached legendary status, they will probably take their chances with Howard going against a left-handed pitcher in Andy Pettitte.

Here’s an idea to neutralize this.

If Charlie Manuel wants Utley to see more pitches in this game, why not make a small lineup change, with Jayson Werth hitting cleanup, and Ryan Howard moving back to the 5-spot? Splitting up the lefties with Werth, who hit 2 HR’s in game 3 with Pettite pitching, will either allow Utley to see more strikes, or will give Werth an opportunity to see good pitches against left-handed pitching, which he has dominated throughout the season. Also, if Pettitte is reluctant to pitch to both of them, then he faces Howard, the reigning RBI champion (tied with Prince Fielder) in the NL, with an automatic two runners on base.

Just a thought.

Secondly, in response to reports questioning if  Shane Victorino is going to play in game 6, there is no question. Shane Victorino needs to play. Now I’m not one to say how painful or destructive a 95 mph. fastball to the fingers can be, but it’s the World Series. I’m sure that Victorino is opting to play because that’s the type of player he is, but this is on the Phillies medical staff. If Victorino doesn’t play, the season is over. Take that for what it’s worth.

Lastly, it’s time for Pedro Martinez to prove why the Phillies were so eager to sign him in July. I have to say this though. At this time, hours before game six of World Series, facing elimination in the Bronx against the Yankees, I don’t think there is a person I’d rather see on the field in Phillies uniform (besides Cliff Lee and Chase Utley) than Pedro Martinez. Three Cy Young awards, and 250+ wins, and a sure-fire hall of fame career, and a new lease on life should account for something, right?

Hopefully, they will Wednesday night.

 

Sixers: Celtics-Sixers Preview

Tonight’s game:  Boston Celtics (4-0) at Philadelphia 76ers (2-1) 7pm from the Wachovia Center.  Line:  Celtics -7

Key Players

For Boston:

PF Kevin Garnett:  There is no doubt the Sixers focus on this game is going to have to be defending the perimeter.  With sharpshooters Paul Pierce and Ray Allen, along with Rasheed Wallace off the bench, the Celtics can light it up from down town.  The Sixers have never been the best at defending the 3-pointer, so they must key their concentration on limiting Boston’s shooters.  This will mean that the Celtics will need Kevin Garnett to shine for them.  If Garnett is on tonight, it could be a very long game for the Sixers.  He has the ability to neutralize any defense with his inside game, combined with his excellent mid-range jumper.  He is coming off a serious injury and is still trying to get used to playing every game again.

PG Rajon Rondo:  Rondo is the X-Factor for the Celtics.  He is their most underrated player by far, and is quietly becoming one of the best point guards in the game.  Always a threat to put up a triple-double, the Sixers cannot allow Rondo to dictate the game.  He is at his best when he has control of the offense, weaving in and out of lanes to get Pierce and Allen their open shots from the outside.  If they can force Rondo to take shots rather than distribute the ball, their chances of winning will improve.

For the Sixers:

PG Lou Williams: Williams has had a tremendous first three games for the Sixers.  Now his biggest test arrives tonight, where he will be asked to step up on both sides of the court.  Offensively, he must keep the Sixers transition game moving, getting the easy buckets off turnover as well as working the Princeton offense effectively.  This will be a talk task considering the Celtics are allowing just 81.4 points per game this season.  Defensively, he will be charged with the job of shutting down Rajon Rondo, not an easy task.  How well Williams plays Rondo may very well be the determining factor in the game.

C Samuel Dalembert:  Sammy needs to stay out of foul trouble and control the point.  When he is in there, the Sixers are much better at preventing second chance opportunities for their opponents, something they cannot give the Celtics if they hope to come out on top.  He can also provide some scoring down low, along with offensive rebounds, something the Sixers will also need if they hope to pull off the upset tonight.

What the Sixers must do to win:

A lot.  They need to be able to contain the Boston offensive game.  They can’t let them get any easy points, nor allow them any open looks from 3-point range.  Play physical but play smart, they can’t afford to get in foul trouble.  Offensively, they need to be very efficient every time they have possession.  Boston is a great defensive team, so the Sixers must have good shot selection throughout the entire game.  They also must get some points via the fastbreak by forcing turnovers.

Prediction:

The Sixers will have their hands full tonight.  Boston is undefeated and looks very much like the team that won the NBA Championship two years ago.  However, the Sixers have played well recently against them at home, losing both games last year by a total of 3 points.  If they execute on offense, and play very strong defensively, they will have a shot.  Unfortunately, I don’t think they will be able to do enough to get it done tonight, although I do expect this game to be close for the majority of the game.

Celtics by 8.