If you wished for a terrible football game for Christmas this year, you got it. The Eagles won 19-10 Monday night against Oakland in windy, frigid temperatures down at the Linc. A week after the Eagles defense looked bad against the woeful Giants, the Eagles offense look horrendous against the Raiders defense that had to fly across the country to play a game on Christmas night after their season has been officially over for weeks.
Yes, the Eagles offense put out one of the worst collective efforts in recent memory in a game where a win would clinch home field advantage against a team that came to town with a 6-8 record and the 23rd ranked defense in the NFL.
Nick Foles was terrible, completing 19 of 38 passes for 163 yards, one touchdown on a screen pass and one interception, also on a screen pass. The Eagles mustered 216 yards of offense in the game, including just 78 on the ground. They had two turnovers. The Raiders had four. If not for the defense constantly managing to get the ball back in the fourth quarter, the game would have gone to overtime and might have never ended.
This should have been a blowout. Instead the Eagles managed to win and lock up home field advantage in the NFC playoffs. Not like it will matter if the offense plays the way it did Monday. This team does not look like a Super Bowl contender without Carson Wentz. But, hey, they have three weeks to figure it out now.
The defense scored a touchdown on the final play of the game when the Raiders were in “lateral until we lose the ball or get tackled” mode to make the final 19-10 and they kicked a field goal with less than a minute to play after Ronald Darby’s last-minute interception gave the Birds the ball back on the plus side of the 50 yard line. The Raiders did everything they could to hand this game to the Eagles. Alas, Philly is 13-2 headed into the final week of the season in a game that will not matter against Dallas, before a week off, and then a home playoff game. And then we’ll see what happens after that.
Here are some tweets about the game. Remember, this was a win. Merry Christmas.
Fans actually booing on Christmas
— Derrick Gunn (@RealDGunn) December 26, 2017
Just heard some boos as Eagles missed on 3rd down. They are 12-2.
— Martin Frank (@Mfranknfl) December 26, 2017
This game is gross
— Dave Zangaro (@DZangaroNBCS) December 26, 2017
This is painful football to watch
— drew (@Dcorrigan50) December 26, 2017
Carson Wentz on one leg is better than this
— Bleeding Green Nation (@BleedingGreen) December 26, 2017
#Eagles Biggest issue without Carson Wentz are broken plays, 3rd down scrambles, and making something out of nothing. Which Wentz did brilliantly all season. #Eagles
— Emmanuel Acho (@EmmanuelAcho) December 26, 2017
Watching this game with the esteemed Ray Didinger, qoute “What a ?game!”
— Seth Joyner (@sethjoyner) December 26, 2017
“if you like watching football then you like watching this game” – says nobody…except Gruden who just said that.
— Karen Travers (@karentravers) December 26, 2017
man Foles rolling out of a pocket is not a pretty sight
— Jamie Lynch (@jelynchjr) December 26, 2017
Foles almost gets Ertz killed. Fans blame Doug Pederson and not Foles pic.twitter.com/cvGvkG8HUC
— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) December 26, 2017
This isn’t a knock on Ertz, just the inability of Foles to place the football in a catchable area.
— Bleeding Green Nation (@BleedingGreen) December 26, 2017
Foles is not throwing the ball well, Bill. Been low and/or behind open receivers regularly. https://t.co/ap6kVOe8Z2
— Tom Moore (@TomMoorePhilly) December 26, 2017
That’s the difference between a franchise QB vs a regular NFL QB. https://t.co/gPxD5RaTlJ
— Kevin Negandhi (@KevinNegandhi) December 26, 2017
“Hey, Carson…you sure you can’t play? Even in, like, 3 weeks?” pic.twitter.com/pHS4lXIp2y
— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) December 26, 2017
I can only imagine what the Rams, Vikings, Saints and Panthers are thinking while watching this Nick Foles led offense. pic.twitter.com/18xAKwAg7z
— Don Bell (@DonBellonCBS3) December 26, 2017
Eagles offense with Wentz vs. Eagles offense with Foles. pic.twitter.com/IHfocSzdur
— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) December 26, 2017
I’d prefer Wentz in a wheelchair at this point
— Marco Anskis (@MarcoAnskis) December 26, 2017
Can we trade Foles for Sam Bradford again?
— FakeWIPCaller (@FakeWIPCaller) December 26, 2017
How is this even possible? pic.twitter.com/6z0WTkMjkf
— Dan Levy (@DanLevyThinks) December 26, 2017
Foles throws high on short pass to Ertz, ball goes off the tight end’s hands, Raiders intercept it.
Foles is freaking terrible. #Eagles
— Brandon Lee Gowton (@BrandonGowton) December 26, 2017
Wow, Foles throws it too high for Ertz, Raiders intercept it. A high-percentage pass, and defense goes right back on the field.
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) December 26, 2017
Foles had thrown 170 consecutive passes without an interception, longest current streak in the NFL.
— Reuben Frank (@RoobNBCS) December 26, 2017
And by the way… I know this is obvious, but there’s a reason Nick Foles has been a journeyman backup the past few years. He is NOT the same guy who threw 7 TDs vs. the #Raiders in 2013
— Jamie Apody (@JamieApody) December 26, 2017
Foles overthrows wide open Ertz for a pick. Gruden: “Got to give the Raiders credit”
— Kevin Cooney (@KevinCooney) December 26, 2017
Punt Nick Foles into the sun
— Joseph Murray (@PPDJoeMurray) December 26, 2017
Is there anyone on this earth worse at what they do than Nick Foles is at QB?
— ⓙⓐⓦⓝ (@jawnes12) December 26, 2017
Haven’t felt so blah about a win since . . . Last week. Foles was awful, defense was solid. Take the homecoming field advantage and pray the team plays better in the playoffs.
— Glen Macnow (@RealGlenMacnow) December 26, 2017
There were people that didn’t think the Eagles would miss a beat without Carson Wentz.
— Bleeding Green Nation (@BleedingGreen) December 26, 2017
