John Smallwood Eagles chat

jason: jeez if only they just kicked the field goal at the end of the first half, we wouldnt have need feely to get the job done westbrook would have been the hero again, but no,Aj deserves a lot of criticism, but once again they love leaving points on the field at the end of the half... come on coach, take the points.......... hopefully well get to see the rookie this year cause they are not making the playoffs

Big Macoob: Smallwood you are the man! Great articles great reads! It's a shame that a talent like Westbrook is wasted. Do you think heis getting frustrated?

dan: John: Will the Eagles be able to make the necessary changes to come back next year as a Super Bowl contender, or due they need to totally rebuild.

Vic: With the season all but over and although I lke McNabb, do you think it is time to let teh rookie, Kolb, get a few games under his belt in order to either replace AJ as the #2 QB next year or to be the starter next year? I still think that a healthy McNabb is a great Weapon, but if the seaon is over, play the rookie. Let McNabb start next year or maybe a team like Chicago will part with some players/picks for a pro bowl QB during the off season.

Skeets: John Why can't we EVER make good play call decisions, be CREATIVE or something,I am tired of the SAME OLD stuff.

JoeNDC: This is the same as what Feely done last week in New England, lost a clearly winable game. Take off the points from the ints and both equals eagles wins. 7 ints in two games, after being in perfect position to tie (NE) and actually win against the seahawks. This is a nightmare that needs to end. I know, I know, Lurie will never get rid of Reid - but in my opinion, it is all about the coach in these scenarios. Abyssmal game plan, and eagles are just not that good this year. That moral vicotry crap from last week was also uncalled for....philly stunk up the joint at NE, a clear win blown by Feely and Reid...common theme...Reid.

Donny D: I remember when Andy Reid started he brought in Howard Shnellenberger as offensive coordinator. I remember thinking of how prolific the Eagle offence was. How about the three headed monster. Oh those were the days.

JoeNDC: And the field goal at the end of the half meant absolutely nothing...especially after the punt return and int, he (Feely)could not even redeem himself....defense also dropped clear ints of their own, in both the NE and sehawks game. Goodness sakes - Reid snap out of it. I know you are not blocking, tackling etc. but come on....at the 14 and you expected Feely to get it done, after the first three picks???

smallwood: Hey folks, obviously another disappointing loss for the Eagles. so let's have at it. but if you're only here to make snide comments about players, coaches or media (that means me) let's not waste anyone's time. If you have legitimate thoughts and questions, i'll try to answer to the best of my ability

JoeNDC: Comments are over, frustration venting. Anyway, what cause do you attribute the collapse and incosistency at the end of the game. i.e. after the punt return?

Ken: I see that Jeff Garcia is probably going to the playoffs again this year. To bad it's not with the Eagles. Maybe the team can spend the free time thinking about all the money they saved.

Derek: How can you go for a 3rd and 1 with a 17 yard out pass in the rain and cold? It just does not make sense, although it looks like the other bloated coach on the opposite sidelines had the same game plan. Westbrook. Westbrook. Westbrook, where for art thou?!!?!?

Steve: John, Should the Eagles still try for the play-offs at 5-7 or should they consider starting Kolb the rest of the season?

deacon: Were all pass plays called for other reasons than trying to win

Andr�: I'm brazilian and I started watching the NFL years ago and I love it now. I'm an Eagles's fan. I wonder who's the main problem with this team?!?

eaglesfan: a.j. feeley is just that a backup

dan: What are the Eagles most pressing needs.

smallwood: joendc- i just don't think the eagles have enough talent, especially on offense. AJ feeley showed what he is, a career back up. that being said, how do you ask a back up to throw the ball 46 times when you've got westbrook and buckholder to run the ball.

eaglesfan: i am so sick and tired of the same bull@@@@ we never spend money to win . philly owners

smallwood: derek - i'm sure westbrook is asking that question more than you are

eaglesfan: when mc nabb retires he will always be able to say they never gave me any help at wr.

smallwood: steve - i think you owe it to the players on the team to try to do everything you can to make the playoffs until you are eliminated. i don't start kolb until the team is mathematically eliminated. those guys work hard everyday, even if they lose, they deserve to know the coach hasn't quit on them

smallwood: andra - i think the main problem with the eagles is that they have not secured enough talent. bad drafts and bad free agent acquisitions are haunting this team not. that falls on andy reid and general manager tom heckert because they are the ones picking the players

eaglesfan: john do you think the eagles will ever win a superbowl ??? seriously

rayne: i think feeely is still good, he need more ractice, mcnabb is past his prime while feely just needs that chance, this season is done but during off season if we get some WR and help feely out he can come through the potential is there

smallwood: eaglesfan - yes, AJ feeley is just a back up. I know I never said he was more than that. Saying you wanted to see if the offense continued to flow under him against seattle is not saying he is better than Mcnabb. It's not even saying he's good. It's just saying you wanted to find out. We found out

Steve: John, Should the Eagles still try for the play-offs at 5-7 or should they consider starting Kolb the rest of the season?

smallwood: dan - no matter who the quarterback is next year, i think you need to upgrade the receivers. i wanted a No.1 play-making-type receiver. The need a new tight end, a young safety to replace an aging dawkins, they need gaitehr and goochong to become big playmakers at line backer, i'd like to see if tony hunt can compliment westbrook they need a lot of things, maybe even a new quarterback

Deacon: why all the pass plays?

mark: bad play calling??? your qb throws 4 ints and people wanna talk about bad play calling?? those were the 4 worst ints i have ever seen! you fans got what you wanted. aj for president

smallwood: eaglesfan - odds are the eagles will win a super bowl sooner or later, but hey, the chicago cubs are heading on 100 years without a world series

Philly Fans: Donovan we're sorry! Please come back!

Vic: With the season all but over and although I lke McNabb, do you think it is time to let teh rookie, Kolb, get a few games under his belt in order to either replace AJ as the #2 QB next year or to be the starter next year? I still think that a healthy McNabb is a great Weapon, but if the seaon is over, play the rookie. Let McNabb start next year or maybe a team like Chicago will part with some players/picks for a pro bowl QB during the off season.

Andy Reid: Anyone know of a godd all you can eat buffet?

smallwood: rayne - i really wouldn't count on feeley being anything more than he is - a back up. if you don't think kolb is ready or you want to take another shot at it next year, i'd keep mcnabb and upgrade the talent around him. if you think donovan is through, i'd go right to Kolb

Andy Reid's son: I've got some China White for sale that will blow your mind.

smallwood: deacon - because after seeing this for 9 seasons, it is clear that's what andy reid believes in and is committed to

Andy Reid's son: I've got some China White for sale that will blow your mind.

smallwood: mark - the quarterback played awful, but i think people are questioning why would you have feeley passing 46 times when you can hand the ball off to the best playmaker on your team

Tim : How about Lito Sheppard giving up plays all day? I haven't heard anybody mention that yet.

smallwood: andy reid's son - this will be the only time i address you, please stop wasting our time and go away. nobody thinks you are funny except maybe you

smallwood: vic - i just don't think that as a coach you can quit on the season when your team still has even the slightest chance. you can't preach to your players to fight to the end and then give up on them

GL: John, Who was the special teams player that was "blocking" for BWest on the punt return when BWest approached the 20-yard line. He basically quit on the play. If he would have stayed on his assignment and drove the defender into the end zone, we may be talking about an Eagles win today.

smallwood: tim - i think lito was hurt and his injury got worse as the game progressed. i don't think he quit. I just don't think he could do it

TJH: John - given your list of 'issues' are we talking 1 - 2 or 3+ years to turn this thing around?

Andre: Is Jevon Kearse done for the season? :S

mark: Will people finally realize that weve had one of the best qb's in the game for the past 9 years??There are not many good qb's out there.think of all those years dallas couldnt find a qb. Kolb could be a bust for all we know. then well long for the days of mcnabb.

smallwood: gl - i know that will james didn't clear out the PUNTER!!! that was awful, you could see Westbrook trying to set up his blocks and nothing happened. i blame the blockers for his not scoring

Rike: What about that open filed missed tackle by "24", would have saved 7 points

Bradsky: I think at a certain point it is tough to tell what team value we have because the players loose faith. Would putting in Kolb really provide a spark or just be a signal to our guys to give up and start playing not to get hurt.

admin: [ Just a reminder, joke comments under celebrities' names are likely to result in a ban from the chat. ]

Deb: Don't you think that a coach should show their team some emotion to encourage them I see Reid just standing there like dead wood,he is lifeless

Vic: John - Do you think that the Eagles would have any interest or attempt to sign a true #1 wide receiver like Chad Johnson or Larry Fitzgerald during the off season? A true #1 would open the field for the other receivers we have.

smallwood: tjh - the nfl is a funny place. if you make the right moves, you can bounce right back. If mcnabb gets fully healthy and returns to form and you add the right pieces, why can't they compete next year? If you go to kolb, you'd better find A1 playmakers to go with him or you won't go any further than you did with Mcnabb no matter how good Kolb may be.

Runs: What happened to Andy. I believe he is a good coach from the past but what happened to him?

smallwood: andre - i think kearse is pretty much done for his career, at least as a big time player

mark: yea deb, a screaming coach would have helped feeley not suck so bad

GL: John, Are you comfortable with Andy remaining in charge of evaluating players for the draft and free agency or has the time come to take the GM title away from Reid? Doi you have any sense that Lurie has wavered in his support of Reid?

Deb: Sorry

smallwood: mark - i think a lot of people realize donovan is good quarterback and a lot of people believe he will be again. remember, critics are usually more vocal than supporters. on the other hand, i don't think pointing out that donovan has had a bad season means you want to get rid of him.

Mike: Screaming would have scared him and he would have got the job done!

BMac: Down by 4 with over 1.5 quarters left to play. The Eagles ran 31 plays from that point, 23 of which were pass plays, mostly from the shotgun. To me, this is just the latest in a litany of reasons why the Eagles should fire Reid. Yet, all we here is about Feeley and his favorite target, Tatupu. John, what's your feelings on keeping or dismissing Reid by season's end?

smallwood: rike - if you go back, i think you can find a dozen players who missed plays that could've turned the game

LD: I think yesterday's play calling was absurd, given the weather conditions and Feeley's limited recent playing time. It almost seemed that the message to him was 'either make this work or you'll be the goat'. Of course he still made lousy throws. But the real problem will come when Brian Westbrook decides HE'S had enough and wants out of town. If Reid is too attached to the QB, he may pay w/his job at some point.

jason: its been a good run for McNabb but its still time to move on, this season is over lets see what they got in Kolb... oh wait why do that he might come in and play good then theyll have to trade him to keep McNabb and his MOM happy...lol...all kidding aside id rather be 5-6 with a rookie or a backup then 5-6 with 100 million dollar Mcnabb..... get rid of mcnabb and spend that money on other weapons, unless mcnabb wants to take less money to bring in other players but mcnabb is only out for himself anyway.... he can cry that he needs better weapons but i dont see him givin any money back.

smallwood: deb - i don't think at this level, the rah, rah coach makes a difference. it probably wouldn't hurt anything, but i doubt it makes that big a difference. andy is what he is, and to be fair, he's been pretty successful doing it his way

TJH: John - 'i you make the right moves' ? What lately gives you the impression this will occur? . 'if mcnabb gets fully healthy and returns to form ' ? Sub .500 record since Super Bowl? The NFL may be a funny place, but it sounds to me we're looking at chamges at the top or else 3+ years

mark: oh ok,, we'll call less pass plays because our qb sucks.

smallwood: runs - good players turn good coaches into great ones. the eagles don't have enough good players and it's reflecting on the coach. still, since he is picking the players, he has no one to play but himself

smallwood: GL - no, i think andy has been terrible at evaluating talent. i think lurie is still 100 percent behind reid

TJH: Is it ME or does a defender exist in the NFL who will BITE on a pump fake executed with BOTH HANDS on the football?

CB4: How much longer will Eagles fans have to endure the Andy Reid era? It seems all the critism Donovan McNabb gets should really be thrown at the coaches. They are lucky to have benefitted from the skill of McNabb and Brian Westbrook. But they clearly can't manage a game clock or a balanced game plan.

Hank: I think this game showed that the answer is not getting rid of Mcnabb(I cant believe I just said that)

JoeNDC: Something is just not right with this team, there is no way to have these type of collapses week in and week out, there is some underlying issue that is causing this team to implode on the field each week...I wish they could just figure that one out.

smallwood: bmac - i don't think andy should be fired, but i can't say that it wouldn't hurt the eagles to look in a new direction either. maybe things have gotten stale. but reid certainly has earned the right to try and improve things. I would take player-personnel away from him though

mark: if andy reid is so bad people,,,, how has he been so succesful? a play here and there and the eagles are 8-4 and everyone is loving reid.

smallwood: jason - would you give any money back? it's already not a guaranteed contract as it is. even if they get rid of mcnabb, what makes you think they are going to spend that money on better receivers or skill players? they've never done it in the past

Randall: Bottom line no matter how much fans complain, season tickets are sold out, Mr. Laurie is not going to dump Reid, though it would be best to let McNabb go someplace else next season, and watch him flourish into a better quarterback, than the REID system. When this division finally got a little tougher, Andy has stopped winning!

smallwood: tjh - you could be right. i was just telling you what i thought. if i knew how to instantly turn a team into a super bowl contender, i'd be making a lot more money running a team

BMac: mark- the problem is, "a play here and there" doesn't hold water. Reid almost directly cost us the Packer game and his insistance to start a hobbled McNabb at the start of the season resulted in an aenemic offense and 1-3 record. Combine that with horrible play-calling yesterday and the Chicago game, and you can pin several losses this season directly on Fandy.

CB4: Biggie Smalls, who do you place the blame on yesterday and what would you do to fix things this season as well as next year?

smallwood: cb4 - you'll have to ask jeff lurie. it's his call on how long andy will be here. i don't think he's planning on firing him though

smallwood: hank - well it certainly isn't feeley. if you don't want donovan back go right to kolb

mark: ok people, everyone complains about reid/ mcnabb...name a better combo in eagles history. in a few years these will be known as the glory years

GL: John, Has there been a certain level of arrogance and rigidity within the Eagles organization starting at the top and filtering down to Reid that is somewhat to blame for the predicament for which they currently reside? Examples: 1) rigidity in only paying X dollars for a given position; 2) forsaking the running game in 3-down and short scenarios. From my perspective, they want to demonstrate to the rest of the NFL that there unconventional approach is the best.

LD: With Garcia last year, the Eagles consistently jumped out ahead; he made the system work, but was then told no way could he compete for the starting position. Too much coach/QB allegiance, unlike their unsentimental treatment of every other position.

CB4: So then that's it? We're stuck with Reid and his inept coaching staff until Lurie dies or sells the team since their so in-love and loyal to each other? Jerry Jones isn't afraid to tinker with things. Perhaps Lurie would benefit from a little free thinking.

smallwood: mark - andy reid's record speaks for itself, but he isn't doing a good job right now. billick won a super bowl and now is on his way out in baltimore. the question about reid is can he get it back or has his time run its course. no one knows for sure. whatever decision Lurie makes, if he is wrong, the franchise will suffer

jason_mos: well sorry, im not gonna continue to live in the past, so what they went to those championship games and a superbowl, that was 3 years ago and longer... its right there, THERE RECORD IS BETTER WITHOUT MCNABB then it is with him since they lost the superbowl... fine lets keep mcnabb for 3 more years, and when he only plays 8 or nine games a year, and say well mcnabb is great he got us to the superbowl, hell jaws got us to the superbowl maybe he could be the backup...lol i know its hard but at somepoint we need to move on, don's been a fantastic quarterback for this franchise but those days are obviously in the past.. and if i remember tom brady took less money to bring in better players, didnt peyton do the same... look at there teams.

BMac: amen, jason_mos

smallwood: cb4 - i'd get better players for next season. i don't think the eagles have enough great players

mark: so you guys are sure kolb is gonna be good??

TJH: I hear 'ya Smalls . . .looking like 3+ years from here, BUT I will check back next year and gladly eat my words if need be!!

CB4: Thanks, Smalls. I agree. Aside from Westbrook is there any position that really doesn't need any upgrading?

smallwood: gl - i think andy reid sets the tone for the organization. i think he is supremely confident in himself and sometimes that has prevented him from admitting mistakes and moving in a different direction. I think he believes completely in his system, sometimes to a fault

smallwood: LD - that could be true

mark: hell, lets bring back rich kotite and bobby hoying. lmao

jason_mos: mark theres only one way to know if kolb is good, he needs time with the starters on offense.. peyton manning was terrible for the first 2 or 3 years.. so was there team but still his carrer wasnt looking to promising...

smallwood: cb4 - lurie isn't jerry jones. he believes in what he is doing - doesn't mean everyone is going to agree with him. he's not selling.

BMac: All I can say is, Marty/Fandy put the game on Feeley's shoulders yesterday, essentially rendering their best playe to a blocking role. This was a must-win game at home in poor weather where they had already scored on two long TD runs. Plain and simple: that's bad coaching.

LD: Going to Kolb is risky for Reid, because if it isn't McNabb or Feeley, and Kolb (a Reid pick) doesn't work out, there isn't anyone else to go to or to blame. But I agree w/jason_mos, you have to give a young QB the time. Isn't that about what we now have?

smallwood: mark - i have no idea if kolb is going to be good. he might be, but i do know that if i had a chance to draft tim tebow after next season, i'd probably do it.

CB4: Well to all the fans who say this system can flourish with anyone at QB head's up: Garcia was/is a talented starting QB with Pro Bowl credits on his resume. Feeley got LUCKY the year he rode out some wins with us. Plus that Eagles team had more talent than the one now. McNabb is the BEST QB we have ever had and gives this team the best chance of winning for as long as he's around. It's the players around him that suck and the playcalling. Can I get a witness?!!!

BMac: I think John Marshall just added Marty Mornhinweg to his Christmas list :)

smallwood: bmac - i certainly know i would've put my season in westbrook's hands instead of feeley's

mark: maybe feeley is colorblind!!

smallwood: cb4 - i think donovan probably gets too much blame, but he still has not played well this season

BMac: CB4- when 5 is healthy, he is a winner, no matter the supporting cast. The problem with Dono is, it appears that a hangnail somehow affects his throwing. I love the guy, but he's just not right any longer.

Bradsky: Tatupu made AJ look worse than he is. They game planned us well. A lot of the underneath stuff we used the week before wasn't there because of Tatupu.

jason_mos: right on smalls thats why the kid needs to play now, he looked prommising in the preseason but how can you get a good read on him playing with the 3rd string against the other teams third string, but he looked like he could read the defenses and made strong accurate throws, the only thing they have to worry about is Mcnabbs feelings... if we dont see kolb at all thats a sure sign mcnabb will be back next year.... and andy reid's poor descioins... had they kicked the field goal at the half after westbrooks punt return at the end the score should have been 28-27 with the eagles in field goal range, and all the mistakes could have been forgotten... new coach new quarterback new direction..

BMac: One thing positive I will say about Feeley is, at least he gives his receivers a chance to make a play. Too-conservative Dono doesn't throw the picks, perhaps, but he takes too many sacks.

CB4: Jason Avant? Hank Basket? Greg Lewis? Kevin Curtis? "Downtown" Reggie Brown? LJ Smith? THESE GUYS ARE NOT RIGHT! I don't hear anyone criticizing them. McNabb plays through pain the same way Iverson did yet shoulders the blame way more than he ever did. Eagles Upper Management should see the Sixers as a case study in how not to model your franchise and get some quality players other than Westbrook and McNabb who can still shake most players in his 80% healthy state.

smallwood: bradsky - hey, i supported AJ starting this week, but he was bad. those were some of the worst interceptions i've ever seen

mark: smalls, ok, heres the big question.. who do you want as qb next season..mcnabb or kolb? with kolb its rebuilding for a few years , with mcnabb its a chance to win now

CB4: BMac I'm sure we could find something positive to say about every player on the Eagles team if you try hard enough. But I'll take 3 sacks and possession of the ball anyday over three lousy picks. Come on. Get real, son!

mark: whoever supports aj for qb after that game is a stone cold idiot/ he is a career backup fora reason

BMac: CB - you don't hear anybody criticising them? Huh? Maybe it's because they have no earthly right to be starting WR's and that's Reid's fault. My point was this: Freddie Mitchell, Todd Pinkston, James Thrash, Na Brown.

CB4: Feeley sucks. He's a backup at best and has proven that over the years along with the last two weeks trying to pilot the Eagles. Smalls is right: Lurie needs to spend more $$$ on getting quality PLAYMAKERS in the hizzy, fo shizzy my nizzy.

BMac: CB- Take it for what it was worth. The Curtis TD yesterday and Lewis' TD last week are throws McNabb would not have made because those guys were covered. Tell me I'm wrong, pops.

smallwood: mark - honestly, i'd go with McNabb. I think if he's healthy he can still be a winning quarterback. If you have Westbrook and runyan and William Thomas and even the corners, you don't have time to wait on Kolb. I think a healthy Mcnabb with some additional weapons makes you a contender next season. Just my thought, and maybe I'm looking to far back at mcnabb, but I don't think he's done.

CB4: BMac, you're right. But weak argument. McNabb is SMART and doesn't throw those passes to guys who are covered unless their name was TO or Stallworth.

jason_mos: feely should have taken mcnabbs post game route when asked about the interceptions he should have said, WELL IM NOT THE ONLY QUARTERBACK WHO THROWS INTERCEPTIONS.

JoeNDC: BMac, Feely made those throws, but topped them off with the ints, DIRECTLY to the opposing team.

BMac: Just remember, CB: the only reason I wandered here is because I want Reid gone immediately.

ADMIN: : Okay folks, 5 more minutes. Get those questions in.

mark: smalls. i agree

JoeNDC: BMac, okay good, but he should take Feely with him

smallwood: okay, guys it's getting close to finishing time. anymore questions?

Bradsky: At this point what do you see as our #1 in teh draft or free agency?

CB4: Smalls, what is your sense of the writers' feelings about Lurie, Reid and McNabb.

jason_mos: well never have a valid number one reciever cause they make to much money? are we still makin fun of the cowboys for getting terrell owens... who's laughin now

mark: hey wait!! a football just landed in my hands..oh, here you go aj, you can have it back.

BMac: Joe NDC - absolutely correct. I'm not here to advocate Feeley, okay fellas? I'm merely pointing out a difference in McNabb vs. another QB. Nabby holds the ball too long, takes too many sacks and doesn't give his mediocre receivers an opportunity to make plays. That's in contrast to Feeley... nothing more or less.

BMac: Thanks, Smalls!

smallwood: cb4- i think just like fans, each writer has his/her own feelings. i just think the writers are a little more objective in thinking because we don't have the emotional investment that fans do. it's easier for us to look at things more objectively

smallwood: bmac - and everybody else, thanks for participating

CB4: Ok thanks John. Have a great day. Good luck. Go Eagles.

jason_mos: feely threw the int's on purpose, he wants to make sure he still has a job next year, if he played well the eagles would have to give him the jeff garcia treatment

Steve Holloway: If the Eagles can't see that their current and previous plans aren't working and don't want to change them, then they will be with me watching the playoffs. The defination of insanity is doing things over and over the same way expecting different results, Wake up Reid

mark: jason hes already signed dummy

smallwood: bradsky - i've wanted a play-making receiver every year since they drafted donovan, and after the got T.O. i wanted 2. i think great receivers help quarterbacks become better

ADMIN: : The chat is now over. Thanks for participating.