The bungle versus the Bengals

A tie?

The Philadelphia Eagles actually tied the lowly Cincinnati Bengals. How did this even happen? Even hockey doesn't have ties anymore!

"I didn't even know it was in the rule book," said Donovan McNabb after the game. "I guess we're aware of it now. In college, there are multiple overtimes, [and] in high school and in Pop Warner."

Notwithstanding our quarterback not knowing that a game could end in a tie, there are so many things wrong with this team right now that it would take a dissertation to fully analyze them all, but here is brief attempt to figure it all out.

At this point, I have only have one problem with the Eagles' defense, but the Eagles' offense played so poorly that nobody is exempt from criticism today.

Starting with defense, why do the Eagles' cornerbacks play predetermined positions? Asante Samuel only covers the opponent's number one receiver when that guy steps in front of him before the snap. All game, the Bengals had T.J. Houshmandzadeh line up in the slot so he would go up against Joselio Hanson instead of Samuel or Sheldon Brown. How could Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson not make an adjustment so that Houshmandzadeh didn't end up with 12 catches, 149 yards and a touchdown?

Forgetting about the defense, the Eagles' offense is turning into a joke. The offensive line can't run block, the wide receivers drop passes, our inaccurate quarterback can't throw a timing route to save his life, and our head coach spends the entire first quarter calling plays out of a script of only passing plays that require pinpoint accuracy and perfect timing. Other than that, this offense is firing on all cylinders!

So with six games left, what can the Eagles do to make a run at the playoffs, which, seems unlikely, but are not out of reach, as the Eagles are just half a game out of a wild card spot?

The lazy answer is for Andy Reid to say, "I'll figure it out," or they could get back to playing Eagles football, which means digging out tapes of the non-T.O. teams of 2003 and 2006.

Why those years? The Eagles offense was dominant in those years without a star wide receiver, and Reid displayed the type of creativity with both Donovan McNabb and Brian Westbrook, turning them both into MVP candidates.

The problem with the offense isn't the players, it is that they are running the same plays over and over again. Sitting in front of the television, you can guess what plays are coming, but in previous seasons, teams had no idea what we would do. Our play-calling was so fresh each game that the Eagles won division titles despite having Todd Pinkston and James Thrash at wide receiver.

This season, when Westbrook lines up in the backfield, teams know that he is mostly a blocking back, but in previous seasons, he would get handoffs, catch screens, or move outside to the wide receiver spot and exploit slow linebackers and safeties.

Even Reid's usage of DeSean Jackson has become predictable, and he has only played 10 games! On Sunday, the Bengals knew exactly when he was going to get the ball on an end around, and held him to just three yards on two carries.

To further beat the dead horse, the Eagles had 18 third down plays against the Bengals, and didn't run the ball once! That is complete, 100 percent predictability! Back in 2003, the Eagles offense had worse weapons, but was able to move the chains because they kept defenses honest by running consistently running the ball. In 2003 and 2006, the Eagles ran for more than 100 yards in 21 of their 32 games, but this year, they have only topped the century mark in five of their 10 games, and can't pick up a measly yard in crunch time.

Now I know that the easy thing to do would be to give up on this season, and blame Andy Reid, Donovan McNabb, the offensive line and poor play-calling, but this team has far better weapons than the 2002, 2003, and 2006 offenses that consistently moved the ball and won the NFC East.

The division is obviously out of reach, but with Washington's loss, the Eagles are right in the thick of things despite their short-yardage ineptitude, so let's hold off on talking about our two first round picks in this year's draft, and about who should stay and who should go until after the season.

Of course, even if the Eagles completely open up the play book, it might not work, but with six games left in a crowded playoff race, the season isn't over yet.

I know it seems hopeless after a tie with the Bengals, but the Eagles' losses are all by less than a touchdown, so a little creativity could turn the season around, but it needs to happen, and it needs to start this week against the Baltimore Ravens.

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Like the "On the Edge" Blog? Hear more of my opinions about Philadelphia sports every Friday at 3:30 p.m. on WBCB 1490 AM during the Coffee with Kahuna show, where, this week, we will recap the bungle versus the Bengals, and look ahead to the Eagles/Ravens battle. The Kahuna and I will also analyze all of baseball's offseason wheelings, dealings and rumors.