NFL Week 12 Live Blog

The only question I have is how bad is New English going to demolish a suddenly injury plagued Eagles team?

NFL Week 12 Schedule

Thanksgiving week!  This year the games are.......actually quite good.  This is certainly one of the better Thanksgiving slates of games I can remember in quite awhile, namely because the Lions are not the laughing stock of the NFL.  But still, instead of the hapless Colts, they have been given the unbeaten Packers.  Eagles host the Patriots in a game where I reckon the first team to 50 will win. (all times ET; games I get are in bold)

Thanksgiving games

Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions  12:30 (Fox - Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, SR: Pam Oliver)
Miami Dolphins vs. Dallas Cowboys  4:15 (CBS - Jim Nantz and Phil Simms)
San Francisco 49ers vs. Baltimore Ravens  8:20 (NFL Network - Brad Nessler and Mike Mayock, SR: Alex Flanagan)

Maps of who gets what Sunday afternoon games

Fox games

Minnesota Vikings vs. Atlanta Falcons  1:00 (Fox - Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick, SR: Laura Okmin)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Tennessee Titans  1:00 (Fox - Dick Stockton and John Lynch)
Carolina Panthers vs. Indianapolis Colts  1:00 (Fox - Chris Myers and Tim Ryan)
Arizona Cardinals vs. St. Louis Cardinals  1:00 (Fox - Sam Rosen and Chad Pennington)

Chicago Bears vs. Oakland Raiders  4:05 (Fox - Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston, SA: Tony Siragusa)
Washington Redskins vs. Seattle Seahawks  4:05 (Fox - Ron Pitts and Jim Mora, Jr.)

CBS early games

Buffalo Bills vs. New York Jets  1:00 (CBS - Marv Albert and Rich Gannon)
Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars  1:00 (CBS - Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots)
Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals  1:00 (CBS - Bill Macatee and Steve Tasker)

America's Game Of The Week and other CBS late games

New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles  4:15 (CBS - Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf)
Denver Broncos vs. San Diego Chargers  4:15 (CBS - Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts)

Sunday Night Football

Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Kansas City Chiefs  8:20 (NBC - Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, SR: Michele Tafoya)

Monday Night Football

New York Giants vs. New Orleans Saints  8:30 (ESPN - Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden, SR: Wendi Nix)

Eagles Week 12 Recap: Eagles 25, Bears And Soldier Field 31

To the bullet points we go!

• The popular meme of this week will be that the Eagles "were exposed."  I would disagree with that.  Reasons why the Eagles lost not having to do with the fact they are "overrated:"  Asante Samuel, the league leader in interceptions, was out of the game had a some to do with it (more on that later).  The fact that Eagles players were slipping all over the place on a terrible Soldier Field while the Bears seemed to remain upright had more to do with it (more on that later).  The Eagles defense missing all sorts of tackles had a lot to do with it (I'd get more into that later, but I can't keep it PG-13).
• To further denounce that sure to be meme among people, the Chicago Bears had only given up 20 or more points once this season.  The Eagles got 25 on them today.
• Jay Cutler threw 21 passes today.  He threw 17 of them to the left side of the Eagles defense. What was so special about the left side of the Eagles defense?  Joselio Hanson and Trevard Lindley were filling in for the injured Asante Samuel.  All I will say is may Asante Samuel return Thursday as this would have been a completely different football game had Cutler had to deal with Samuel on one side and Dimitri Patterson on the other side.  Cutler may have been forced into one of his classic mistakes.
• For all the talk of the Bears not having a win versus a quality opponent this year, well, they have won now.  Very impressive win for them.
• Even good teams lose road games to other good teams in the NFL.  Some of the tack
• The Eagles were slipping all over Soldier Field.  The Bears were not.  If I am the Eagles, I am having a brief talk with my equipment manager after the game as he is fully responsible if the Eagles did not have the same cleats the Bears had.  Shameful.
• The equipment manager may be at fault for the Eagles falling while the Bears were not, but that does not excuse the fact that Soldier Field was in piss poor condition today.  Whomever thought it would be a good idea to play a high school game there on Friday should be fired.  Whomever cleaned that field up and thought it was even remotely playable should also be fired.  That field was an abortion and an embarrassment to football and the NFL today.  I would expect field conditions like that out of high schools, not the NFL.  Then again, it was a high school field a couple days ago, so I guess I should have seen this coming.
• It may have been at the end of the game in a loss, but that still does not change the insanity of this touchdown pass from Vick to Celek.  Not only is that a great catch by Celek in triple coverage, but a great throw by Vick as well.  I mean, it was not his best decision (there were 4 Bears in the area), but wow.  What a throw.  He put that right in there for Celek.  Incredible.  Unbelievable.  Amazing.
•  Multiple reports claim that DeSean Jackson was visibly upset in the locker room after the game and had some animated discussions with Vick.
• The Bears constantly played their safeties deep this game to prevent the long ball.  The Eagles responded in turn by dinking and dunking their way down the field for the entire game.  It also led to Jason Avant getting 8 catches for 83 yards.  Whenever a defense plays like that against the outside threats, Jackson and Maclin, the slot receiver is almost always going to have a big day.  Today was no exception with Avant.
• Michael Vick threw his first NFL regular season interception today since December 24, 2006.  The pass was tipped at the line, but it was a pass into double coverage which may have been intercepted anyway even if it was not deflected.  Some may point to the deflection and say that was not Vick's fault, but Vick's decision making on throwing that pass was very poor, a rarity for him this season.
• Aspeaking of poor decision making, when down by 3-scores in the 4th quarter and faced with 4th and goal from the 2, you do not kick a field goal.  Be aggressive, go for it, and get yourself back in the game.  And then, after having to settle for another field goal, Andy Reid kicked it deep instead of going for the onside kick.  All around stupidity and terrible clock management on Reid's parrt.
• While going to commercial break after a Chicago Bears touchdown, Fox used Chelsea Dagger as their bumper music.  Congratulations on alienating every Eagles fan who rooted for the Flyers in the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals, Fox!
• The Eagles need to have a quick amnesia as their next game is this Thursday against the Texans on Thursday Night Football.  I dread the hearing Matt Millen and Joe Theismann talking about the Eagles.
• And lastly, the win probability chart. (advancednflstats.com)

2010 NFL Season Week 12 Live Blog

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NFL Week 12 Schedule

Huzzah! DirecTV Sunday Ticket and their NFL RedZone Channel for an hour this weekend! Then it is back to campus where I am stuck with nothing but my measly affiliates. I am still bolding the games I get up in Bloomsburg, even though I will start the Sunday home in suburban Philadelphia before spending 2 hours in a car during the early games and won't be watching much football. (all times ET)

Thanksgiving games

New England Patriots vs. Detroit Lions 12:30 (CBS - Jim Nantz and Phil Simms)
New Orleans Saints vs. Dallas Cowboys 4:15 (Fox - Joe Buck and Troy Aikman)
Cincinnati Bengals vs. New York Jets 8:20 (NFL Network - Bob Papa, Matt Millen, and Joe Theismann)

Map of who gets what CBS game.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs. New York Giants 1:00 (CBS - Greg Gumbel and Dan Dierdorf)
Tennessee Titans vs. Houston Texans 1:00 (CBS - Ian Eagle and Dan Fouts
Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Buffalo Bills 1:00 (CBS - Kevin Harlan and Solomon Wilcots)

Miami Dolphins vs. Oakland Raiders 4:05 (CBS - Gus Johnson and Steve Tasker)
Kansas City Chiefs vs. Seattle Seahawks 4:05 (CBS - Bill Macatee and Rich Gannon)

Map of who gets what Fox early game.

Green Bay Packers vs. Atlanta Falcons 1:00 (Fox - Thom Brennaman and Brian Billick)
Minnesota Vikings vs. Washington Redskins 1:00 (Fox - Dick Stockton, Charles Davis, and Jim Mora, Jr.)
Carolina Panthers vs. Cleveland Browns 1:00 (Fox - Chris Rose and Torry Holt)

Map of who gets what Fox late game.

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Chicago Bears 4:15 (Fox - Kenny Albert, Daryl Johnston, and Tony Siragusa)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Baltimore Ravens 4:15 (Fox - Sam Rosen and Tim Ryan)
St. Louis Rams vs. Denver Broncos 4:15 (Fox - Ron Pitts and John Lynch)

Sunday Night Football

San Diego Chargers vs. Indianapolis Colts 8:20 (NBC - Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth)

Monday Night Football

San Francisco 49ers vs. Arizona Cardinals 8:30 (ESPN - Mike Tirico, Ron Jaworski, and Jon Gruden)

Week 12 Live Blog

is over at Keith's Sports Journal today. I'm still not sure of what my plans are for the morning and how I'm watching/listening to the game, but I will join you once I get in. Whenever that may be.

E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!!