Another nightmare for Reid’s ‘Dream Team’
The following are odds and ends from the local sports scene.
EAGLES SQUANDER
LEAD AGAINST 49ERS
Sports talk radio in and news media in Philadelphia generated plenty of negative buzz Monday, following the Philadelphia Eagles — considered a Super Bowl favorite after a whirlwind offseason of signing top free agents — dropping to 1-3 on the season after a disastrous 24-23 home loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.
“We need to do a better job, I think I’m stating the obvious, all the way around. Again, I start with myself, coaches and players,” said Eagles Coach Andy Reid, a former Glendale Community College offensive lineman, in his Monday morning press conference. “We saw some good things in the first half. What we’ve got to learn is how to carry that over into the second half, and in particular, through the fourth quarter where we’ve been terrible.”
The Eagles, once again ravaged by an opposing run game in a defeat, allowed 21 unanswered points in a borderline improbable San Francisco comeback. It was the Eagles’ third consecutive loss and fifth over the last seven games dating back to last season, when they won the NFC East title, but lost in the opening round of the playoffs.
“I don’t think that things won’t turn around,” Reid said. “I know we’ve got good enough players and good enough coaches to do it. I’ve seen enough glimpses of this thing to know what it can be when it’s operating right and it’s important that we get it there. We all have a responsibility there to do that.”
The aftermath has seen players, such as quarterback Michael Vick admit in a postgame press conference, “I’m frustrated,” and Reid taking on his share of abuse from radio callers and media.
When pressed about making coaching changes, player changes or scheme changes, he answered, “Listen, I look at everything, win or lose, I do it every week.”
“There’s some good things we’re all doing,” he added, “and there are a lot of things we need to work on, so that’s what we’re doing. I’m telling you, it’s not any one person. It’s all of us pulling this thing together and doing our jobs a little bit better.”
The Eagles, coined the “Dream Team” in the preseason, will look to right their ship on Sunday on the road against Buffalo.
“I have zero excuses,” Reid said. “We’re gonna get it right and we’re gonna continue to work hard and that’s what we’re gonna do.”
RAIDERS CAN’T KEEP
UP WITH PATS
After the franchise’s first 2-1 start to a season since 2004, the Oakland Raiders fell to 2-2 with a 31-19 home loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday.
The Raiders led early, 3-0, in the first quarter and 10-7 in the second quarter, but a 10-point Patriots barrage in the final three minutes of the first half led to a 24-3 New England run that emphasized a porous Raiders defense and an offense unable to cash in. For first-year Raiders Coach Hue Jackson, a former Glendale Community College quarterback, the offense’s inability was the key to the game.
“We didn’t play well, that’s just the way it is,” Jackson said in his postgame press conference. “We had some opportunities in the scoring zone and didn’t get it done. Up to this point we’ve been very good in the scoring zone. I take the lead on that, again, as I told you guys, it’s not about the players, it’s about Coach Jackson getting his team to do what it needs to do. Today, I didn’t get it done. I really apologize to our fans and the people in the organization.
“We had our chances and we didn’t get it done. … [The Patriots] did a good job and we didn’t. That’s what it comes down to.”
Quarterback Jason Campbell had 344 yards passing, but threw two interceptions, including one in the end zone. The Raiders also had more than 150 yards rushing as a team, but couldn’t generate the points to keep up with quarterback Tom Brady and the Patriots.
Jackson, however, was confident going forward that his team would improve.
“Ain’t no magic to it or anything like that, it’s just called work,” he said. “We’re gonna go back to work.”
The Raiders will travel to Houston on Sunday to take on the Texans.
NO ACTION SO FAR
FOR ESTRADA
Former Glendale Community College pitcher Marco Estrada was named to the Milwaukee Brewers playoff roster, but has yet to get any playing time against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the National League Division Series.
Milwaukee won the series opener, 4-1, on Saturday and followed it up with a 9-4 defeat of Arizona on Sunday.
The Brewers take their 2-0 series lead into today’s game in Arizona.
On the season, Estrada was a relief pitcher and spot starter, posting a 4-8 record with a 4.08 earned-run average and 88 strikeouts over 92 2/3 innings.
TEAMS EARN CIF RANKINGS
Eight local high school teams received CIF recognition after the CIF office unveiled its latest rankings Monday.
The Crescenta Valley football team, fresh off a 35-0 Pacific League win against rival Hoover on Friday, is ranked ninth in the Southeast Division.
St. Francis’ football team moved up a spot to fourth in the Western Division following its 35-0 nonleague home win against West Ranch on Friday.
A pair of boys’ water polo teams are ranked in Division V. Glendale is ranked fifth and Hoover is ninth.
One boys’ cross-country team is ranked, as are three girls’ cross-country squads. Flintridge Prep’s boys’ team is No. 4 in Division V. Those ranked among the girls’ teams are Crescenta Valley at No. 8 in Division I, Flintridge Sacred Heart at No. 5 in Division IV and Flintridge Prep holding the sixth spot in Division V.
QUARTERBACK CLUB SET TO MEET
The Glendale YMCA Quarterback Club will hold its fourth meeting of the year at 11:30 a.m. today at The Elk’s Lodge, 120 E. Colorado St., Glendale.
The club, which is in its 69th year, is geared to support the Crescenta Valley, Glendale, Hoover, St. Francis and Village Christian high football teams and the Glendale Community College football program.
Chuck White, the public-address announcer at the Rose Bowl and Pauley Pavilion for UCLA football and basketball games, will be the guest speaker at today’s meeting.