Andy Reid Costs Philadelphia Eagles a Chance to Steal Win Over New York Giants

Let me start by saying the Eagles had no right to be in this game as badly as the Giants defense made the Birds look.

That being said, what the heck was Andy Reid doing running the ball on back-to-back plays with under two minutes to play, when the Eagles couldn't run the ball all night long?

I mean, seriously?

The Giants allowed Philadelphia to march right down the field on the previous possession and McNabb was throwing the ball with confidence.

The third down play, I guess I could see, trying to catch Steve Spaniolo's defense napping.  But when Westbrook came up a yard short, you HAVE to throw it.  At the very least, don't run it wide.  Give it Buckhalter up the gut.  Let McNabb try a play-action pass, or a roll out, or something that has a chance of working.

The Giants defense did not let Westbrook gain the corner all night.  Why would it work with the game on the line?

Andy Reid got too cute for his own good.

Everyone in Philly gets on Reid for not running the ball enough.  This was not the position to prove us wrong.  If anything, it proves he knows so little about the run game that he doesn't know how to use it properly.

The bottom line is the Eagles were driving at midfield, with a chance to steal a win against the division leader, and they failed to put the ball in the hands of the best player that night: McNabb.

Any other night, you might want No. 36 running the ball. 

Not tonight.

Not when New York was stuffing the run all night. 

I'd have to check the stats, but I think DeSean Jackson had the biggest run of the night for the Eagles on an end-around. Even McNabb scrambling was more effective.

Of course, Reid will stand up there at the podium taking the blame—as usual—for not putting the players in the right places to win.

Gee, you think?