Philadelphia Eagles players simply were not “ready for some football” – regardless of the day.  That’s the only conclusion from the Philadelphia Eagles’ 24-14 loss to Minnesota Tuesday night. Two days late and a listless lineup short, the Birds made a mockery of the NFC East championship they were handed without suiting up on Sunday.

The Eagles looked like a team that expected to win simply by making it to the stadium in time for kickoff and got what they deserved from that approach.

That they led 7-0 in the final minute of the first half before a Michael Vick fumble set the loss in motion demonstrates just how winnable this game was if the home team had bothered to show up.

They can talk about the Super Bowl all they want. But as safety Quintin Mikell bluntly pointed out in a grim locker room early Wednesday morning, the guys who played Tuesday night won’t be in Texas on the first Sunday in February.

“Not that team that was out there today,” Mikell said when asked if the Super Bowl remains the goal. “That was embarrassing.”

Andy Reid said his coaching performance was “absolutely pathetic.” The phrasing was a bit harsher than usual, but Reid was just following his worn script in taking the blame after a loss. Always has, always will.

There are larger issues at play here, and quarterback Michael Vick — who hobbled to his seat behind a microphone after absorbing a season-high six sacks — put it succinctly.

“Us players have to go out and do what we’re coached to do,” said Vick. “We know how to play football. We do this week in and week out.

“We had a game plan. We had a good game plan, and we didn’t go out and execute it. We have to fix it as players. The coaches can’t get out there and play for us.”

All true. Part of the problem could be the makeup of the roster. Outside of its kicking specialists, this is a very young team. That means many of the players haven’t been in the type of situation they faced Tuesday, going against a team with nothing to play for but pride. Philadelphia was the team that played as if the outcome didn’t matter.

There are more tangible issues, too.

The offensive line must do a better job of protecting Vick, who under duress has recently resembled something much closer to the Atlanta version of himself than the improved Philadelphia model. After going seven games without an interception, Vick has thrown six in the last seven. He also lost two fumbles Tuesday.

The defense remains a study in inconsistency. They’ve given up too many yards and points all season, but have gotten away with it because of turnovers. But when they don’t take the ball away, they seem incapable of making a third-down stop or keeping a team out of the end zone when it gets within sight of the goal line.

The Eagles have gone on the road and won before, most recently in 2008, when they took out division winners Minnesota and the Giants on the way to the NFC Championship Game.

That they lost any possibility of earning a top-two seed and a first-round bye isn’t the point here. That they gave themselves no hint of a chance to attain the bye when they knew the stakes is what matters. If they play the way they did Tuesday, it won’t matter who they play, when they play or where they play.

“The locker room is upset,” said Mikell. ” Everyone’s hurt right now. It’s embarrassing. We’re all embarrassed with the way we played. We’ve still got a lot to play for. We’re not going to sit here and say that it’s all over and panic.

“But guys need to get their (stuff) together. We’ve got to put it together, and that’s everyone.”

 

Philadelphia Eagles players simply were not “ready for some football” – regardless of the day.  That’s the only conclusion from the Philadelphia Eagles’ 24-14 loss to Minnesota Tuesday night. Two days late and a listless lineup short, the Birds made a mockery of the NFC East championship they were handed without suiting up on Sunday.

The Eagles looked like a team that expected to win simply by making it to the stadium in time for kickoff and got what they deserved from that approach.

That they led 7-0 in the final minute of the first half before a Michael Vick fumble set the loss in motion demonstrates just how winnable this game was if the home team had bothered to show up.

They can talk about the Super Bowl all they want. But as safety Quintin Mikell bluntly pointed out in a grim locker room early Wednesday morning, the guys who played Tuesday night won’t be in Texas on the first Sunday in February.

“Not that team that was out there today,” Mikell said when asked if the Super Bowl remains the goal. “That was embarrassing.”

Andy Reid said his coaching performance was “absolutely pathetic.” The phrasing was a bit harsher than usual, but Reid was just following his worn script in taking the blame after a loss. Always has, always will.

There are larger issues at play here, and quarterback Michael Vick — who hobbled to his seat behind a microphone after absorbing a season-high six sacks — put it succinctly.

“Us players have to go out and do what we’re coached to do,” said Vick. “We know how to play football. We do this week in and week out.

“We had a game plan. We had a good game plan, and we didn’t go out and execute it. We have to fix it as players. The coaches can’t get out there and play for us.”

All true. Part of the problem could be the makeup of the roster. Outside of its kicking specialists, this is a very young team. That means many of the players haven’t been in the type of situation they faced Tuesday, going against a team with nothing to play for but pride. Philadelphia was the team that played as if the outcome didn’t matter.

There are more tangible issues, too.

The offensive line must do a better job of protecting Vick, who under duress has recently resembled something much closer to the Atlanta version of himself than the improved Philadelphia model. After going seven games without an interception, Vick has thrown six in the last seven. He also lost two fumbles Tuesday.

The defense remains a study in inconsistency. They’ve given up too many yards and points all season, but have gotten away with it because of turnovers. But when they don’t take the ball away, they seem incapable of making a third-down stop or keeping a team out of the end zone when it gets within sight of the goal line.

The Eagles have gone on the road and won before, most recently in 2008, when they took out division winners Minnesota and the Giants on the way to the NFC Championship Game.

That they lost any possibility of earning a top-two seed and a first-round bye isn’t the point here. That they gave themselves no hint of a chance to attain the bye when they knew the stakes is what matters. If they play the way they did Tuesday, it won’t matter who they play, when they play or where they play.

“The locker room is upset,” said Mikell. ” Everyone’s hurt right now. It’s embarrassing. We’re all embarrassed with the way we played. We’ve still got a lot to play for. We’re not going to sit here and say that it’s all over and panic.

“But guys need to get their (stuff) together. We’ve got to put it together, and that’s everyone.”