Eagles have won big and dropped close ones

PHILADELPHIA — Andy Reid sees no difference in his team
whether it’s playing a close game or enjoying a blowout.

It’s just that his Philadelphia Eagles have been losing a lot of
the close ones.

Sunday night’s 20-16 loss to the Dallas Cowboys left the Eagles
at 1-8-1 in their past 10 games decided by a touchdown or less.

In the Eagles five wins this season they have outscored their
opponents 172-72, winning by an average of 20 points per game.

Two of their three losses were decided in the fourth quarter, a
13-9 setback in Oakland and Sunday’s loss.

“That’s a pretty good stat,” Reid said regarding the numbers. “I
don’t know if there is a link other than that stat. I don’t see
a tightness, or pressing in the fourth quarter. I haven’t seen
that. On the other side, maybe we’re trying too hard, because I
see a maximum effort out there.”

Just as in the loss to Oakland, the Eagles had several chances
to win against Dallas, but failed to convert critical
short-yardage plays. Philadelphia was stopped twice on 3rd-and-1
and once on 4th-and-1.

In their easy victories the team hit several plays of 50 yards
or more. There were none of those against the Cowboys.

“Short yardage has been very good over the course of the
season,” Reid said. “We were 12 for 15 on
third-and-less-than-two. That’s pretty good. We have to get back
to that.”

Safety Quintin Mikell thinks it’s a matter of focusing more when
the outcome is in doubt.

“I think at the end of the day, when it’s a game like this, we
just all got to play – I guess the word would be more focused,”
Mikell said. “A lot of times we get caught in these games. We
beat ourselves. I’m not going to take anything away from Dallas
- I mean, they made a lot of big plays – but there are
definitely some plays that we left on the field. We left some
opportunities out there. And if we would have played more
disciplined and played smarter, we probably would have been
looking at a different game.”

The Eagles, 5-3 at the midpoint of the season and in second
place in the NFC East, play four of their next five games on the
road. It starts in San Diego on Sunday against the Chargers
(5-3).

“We’re sitting here with a decent record,” Reid said. “And we
have eight big games left.”

The Eagles may start a tough stretch without another linebacker,
weakside starter Akeem Jordan, who hyper-extended his knee
Sunday night and will be limited this week.

With Stewart Bradley and Omar Gaither on injured reserve and
strongside starter Chris Gocong out last week with a hamstring
injury, the ranks are thin.

“We’ll see, Sean (McDermott) and I have to talk about that,”
Reid said. “First, we have to see how Akeem is.”

If Jordan cannot play, Reid has three options on his roster. He
can start special teams ace Tracy White, who played the final
drive of the game on Sunday but is not known as a run stopper.
If Gocong is ready, he could flip Moise Fokou, who started last
week on the strong side, to the weak side. The Eagles also could
put Jeremiah Trotter in the middle and move Will Witherspoon to
the weak side.

NOTES: Cornerback/kick returner Ellis Hobbs suffered a neck
injury in Sunday night’s game, had a MRI Monday and saw a spine
specialist. Reid said there would be further evaluation during
the week. Left tackle Jason Peters and fullback Leonard Weaver
both have sprained ankles, but are expected to play. Wide
receiver Kevin Curtis, who had arthroscopic surgery on his knee,
is expected back in town this week. Running back Brian
Westbrook, who missed the past two games with a concussion, also
had work done on his ankle, according to Reid, but is expected
back this week.

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