Philadelphia 13, Cincinnati 13 - F/OT
A tie.
There hasn't been a tie in the National Football League since the Falcons and Steelers' epic 34-34 battle back in 2002. This was anything but epic. This was hard-to-watch, baffling, and ultimately embarrassing.
Dave Spadaro of Philadelphiaeagles.com called this "No Way Eagles Lose Day." A tie when you're at the bottom of the most competetive division in football, and 0-3 in that division, is just as bad as a loss. Even worse is when you stack the Eagles against a terrible 1-8 Bengals team.
Donovan McNabb is infuriatiing hard-to-watch sometimes, as he threw for 3 INTs today, and admitted to not understanding the rules of how a tie works in an NFL game. Andy Reid is just as frustrating, as his press conferences are the same old, "I have to put my players in a better position. Fault is mine. Time is yours." speech is beginning to wear thin with fans.
The Eagles have enshrined themselves now in mediocracy. They have obliterated destroyed any hopes of being in the playoffs. They have damaged the psyche of their fanbase, who may be ready to embrace the World Champion Phillies, rather than their 5-4-1 Eagles team. And worst of all, by losing tying this game with an 1-8 team, they have become irrelevant in the overall hierarchy in the NFL. That means less national coverage in Monday or Sunday Night Games, less $$ on merchandise and season tickets, and less $$$ for free agents.
Management needs to do something drastic. Now. Fire Andy Reid. Fire McNabb. I know Philadelphians have been whining for this for some time, but after 10 years and a roller coaster of mediocracy, it's time to turn the page and start anew. I look at Dallas and Washington who seem reinvigorated with thier young QBs and Head Coaches, and then I look at our team, who fails to get over the hump, fails to win the close games, and breaks our hearts when they choke in the championship games. It is time for a new direction. And with our season pretty much in the dumpster, why not start now? Give the guys a 5 or 6 games to gel for 2009?
Jeffrey Laurie, time to make the heads roll.