Eagles v Lions - The Grand Final

Intro:  If you'd have asked me at the start of my search who I thought would make the final, it's fair to say that these 2 wouldn't have been my answer. But such are the vagaries of this process.  In fact, I'm happy with both of my finalists - after all they have come through some pretty tricky tests, not least surviving the "worst city to visit" round! A topic that still causes arguments in my household.

This time last Thursday I was in Madrid, sitting (well standing) with a few thousand Besiktas fans watching them lose 3-1 to Athletico - what a difference a week makes!  Anyway, it's all set for an exciting finale. The ingredients are:

* A 2nd hand Xbox
* A 2nd hand copy of Madden 07
* My bedroom
* Occasional flicks to Channel 5 to see how the Bilbao -Man U game is going on.
* And most importantly, a cpu v cpu game between the Eagles and Lions to decide who gains my loyal support for the rest of my NFL watching life.
* If anybody happens to be reading this during the match and wants to make a comment, can you do it below rather than on a forum - doubt I'll check any forums until I post the outcome later.

Just had a lovely bit of salmon for dinner, so in high spirits before kick off.  The Eagles have home advantage for what it's worth (nothing!), and I'm making them favorites given the strength of the rosters in 07, but in a one off match up anything can happen. Roy Williams may even make a couple of catches.
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PreMatch:  Andy Reid must be the easiest person ever for a game designer to replicate.  Our starting QBs are McNabb and John Kitna - which perfectly illustrates the rapid changing nature of the NFL,  as well as the rapidly expanding waist lines of the players in question.  Detroit will kick off.

0-0 Eagles have first possession, starting at their 27.  It's snowing! I find the comms annoying but it's the only way I can tell who's who. Westbrook is the Eagles RB and makes a couple of decent gains before McNabb turns into 2011 MacNabb and throws 3 dire passes. Punt goes long so the Lions start at the 20.

0-0  The Lions start with a great throw by Kitna that Brown (who he?) catches for a gain of 26.  Another decent gain and the Lions are at halfway.  Hmm, the Lions O line is woeful and Kitna gets dumped for a big sack.  Lions punt only goes 15 yards!

0-0  Now the Eagles  waste their possession and are forced into a quick punt.  McNabb is 0-5 so far!  The punt is returned for about 10 so Lions start from the 35.

0-0  Kitna throws a shocker to Williams but 3 Eagles contrive to drop an easy int.  And again, awful pass to nobody but the Eagles make a hash of the catch.  This is a terrible game!  More O Line problems and Kitna is sacked by Kearse.  Punt number 4!  I'm going to see how the football is going...on good United are still losing.

0-0  New camera angle! Side on now - the highlight of the match so far.  Westbrook makes a couple of 2 yard gains before McNabb decides to run around for a bit until he gets tackled. Punt time!
jrt5555 has found evidence of my Andy Reid video game comment http://angrybirdsgoldeneggs.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Angry-Birds-Mustached-Pigs.jpg .


0-0 Something happens!  Schlesinger fumbles after a 7 yard run, but the Lions recover and earn a 1st down. Not sure why a member of the Pussycat Dolls is playing.  An 11 yard run by Jones takes us to the end of the first Quarter and time for a football update...5-2 Bilbao! Up yours United!


2nd Quarter


0-0 Lions on halfway.  "P" reckons that Reid looks like a Swedish politician called Håkan Juholt.  I'm saying Bob Carolgees!  Juholt that is, not Reid

   

   





Back in the snow, and the Lions are stuck in midfield again.  More long garbage from Kitna and the Lions have to punt.  Fernando Torres appears to be punting for Detroit as another effort goes way off target and out of bounds for a short gain.  Lions are offering more coming forward but can't pin the Eagles back.

0-0  McNabb completes a pass!!!!  Takes the Eagles to the Det43, then reverts to type with a shocking attempt at a deep ball.  Westbrook gians 4 and it's 3-6.
Interception! Mcnabb finally pays for his ineptitude by throwing an easy pick to Kennedy.  Lions to start at the 30.

0-0  The Lions line is disintegrating but Kitna throws a great pass to Williams for a first down.  The Lions are the better team but can't get past midfield.
They can now, great catch from Rogers for a 34yd gain and up to the Eagles 31 as it's time for the 2 minute warning/Europa League check.  Sodding Rooney!

"anonymous" - only one int so far.  Just feels like more!

0-0 Great chance for the Lions to put points on the board before HT.  Kitna goes for 7 and make that 2 interceptions.  Bryan Dawkins picks it off at the 9 before Williams drills him.

0-0 For the love of Jesus H Christ! Eagles decide to run the clock down with a couple of runs and the Lions don't call any timeouts.  At this rate, there might be a replay!  The Eagles limp for a 1st down at the 18 and then just wind down to half time.

Half Time 0-0 - That was a shocking half.  I'd been looking forward to this and it's been a damper squib than a saturated squib.  Off to tell my girlfriend how rubbish it's been.  Second half in ten minutes.

0-0  Detroit start at the 19 but Kitna is picked off from the first play!  Short pass down the middle is easily picked off by Lewis.

0-3  More McNabb dross, but at least the Eagles get some points on the board thanks to a kick from Akers.  Akers doesn't do his trademark FG celebration.  Possibly because this isn't real.  I did try and get Andy Reid and Jim Schwarz to play an off season game for my services but they weren't up for it.

0-3  Oh dear, the Lions turn the ball over again on their first play.  This time Jones fumbles and Dawkins recovers.  Dawkins appears to be playing a different game to everybody else.

0-6  McNabb rating is 4.9! He's 2 from 12 with a pick. Westbrook is at least doing his bit with a 4.9 average but it's not enough for a first down.  Akers kicks a 37 yarder and the Eagles have a small cushion.

0-6 At least they didn't turn it over! However it is a quick 3 and out from the Lions.  Eagles will start from the 35 as Harris finally keeps a punt on the island.

0-13  This is unraveling for the Lions, a big heave from McNabb draws a flag for pass interference.  No idea you'd bother interfering with a McNabb pass!  Eagles are down to the 18 ...Touchdown Eagles!!!
Finally McNabb finds his range and finds the completely unmarked Pinkston.  Akers does the PAT and I start wondering how I'd look in dark green.

End of the Third Quarter - The Lions need 2 scores and given that they've barely reached the Eagles half it looks unlikely.  However the Eagles were even worse before HT so anything could happen. It may help if the Lions can keep the ball for more than 10 seconds!

0-13  Kearse is challenging Dawkins for MVP here, another huge hit on Jones results in a loss, before he plants Kitna for another sack.  Harris comes in for about the 50th time today and takes us to halfway.

0-13 12 yard run from Westbrook and it's looking bad for Detroit. Westbrook picks up another 1st down  and the Eagles are back to the 20.  jrt5555 is putting the champagne on ice, I'm about to open a Spitfire.
Westbrook dives for another 1st and is down to the 10.

2 Minute Warning.  Detroit have actually defended well apart from the TD drive but their offence has been dire.

0-20  Touchdown! What a catch from Reggie Brown! Completely ignoring the fact that I've never heard of him he catches a hopeful pass from McNabb and somehow manages to get his feet down in bounds despite being double teamed by the Lions.  Akers kicks the PAT and the Lions need Tebow Times 2.

0-20  Surely in real life, Kitna would have benched, released and banned from Detroit by now.  Actually he'd be happy about the last bit!  Finally, Roy Williams does what he does best and drops an easy catch with nobody near him.  To be fair to Kitna, he's not been helped by either his receivers or his joke of an O Line.
4th and 15..but Kitna is sacked by Howard and that is surely that. Just 1 minute 37 to go and the Eagles and Westbrook has been solid with the ball.  Hats off to Craigus89 who predicted an easy Eagles win.
0-20  Westbrook makes a couple of nice gains to take it to the 2.  Dawkins wins the MVP award (sponsored by Snickers..."Snickers satisfies") for his interception, fumble recovery and not allowing a catch. Into the final minute now and the fat man is singing.

0-23  Detroit call a time out with 20 seconds remaining after a decent goalline stand.  Akers kicks a short FG and the Lions get the ball for the last rites.

0-23  Kitna gets sacked for the 8th time, so next play he decides to throw a quick hail mary....it goes out of bounds.  Hail Mary 2 is equally as poor and that will be that!

Detroit Lions 0  Philadelphia Eagles 23


Which means I am now officially an Eagles fan!  Andy Reid trudges off the field looking like he's lost his dinner money whilst McNabb jumps around with more athleticism then he manged to show during the game!
Not the classic I hoped for but the Eagles were worthy winners thanks to great defensive displays from Kearse and Dawkins plus some solid running by Westbrook and a brilliant catch by someone called Reggie Brown!  The Lions were completely inept, largely thanks to a flimsy O line, an awful QB and not much of a running game.

Back in the real world, I'm happy with the outcome.  It's been a long journey, but one I've greatly enjoyed and it's given me a real thirst for blogging about the NFL.  I'm going to have a few days off from writing before recommencing next week.  I've decided to split my blogs between general pieces about aspects of supporting NFL teams with timely pieces on what's going on in the league - for example next week I may write about the recent history of the league and something about Free Agency. It wont be Eagles heavy so you can still read it even if they aren't you team.  But I will be mentioning the Eagles pretty regularly.

I've already had my first invite to an Eagles Fan Club  (Britich Eagles), thanks James, Ill check it out in the morning.
Meanwhile, I'm all NFLed out for one evening so time for a beer!