And It's Over

The Brian Dawkins saga has come to its end.  Adam Schefter is reporting the deal is done, and now we can all see and hopefully understand why the Eagles could not come to terms with their player.

Dawkins landed a 5-year deal with Denver worth $17 million, $7.2 of it guaranteed, with "escalators" that can bump the deal up to $27 million total.  While it's a shame to see him go, I for one would not be alright with giving him that length of a deal, although the contract can be voided after two years.

The eulogy was for real.  Dawkins is a Bronco.  What a world...

Comments

[Justin Evans]

The deal is really a 2 year, $9 million deal.

In the end, we still have around $44 million to play with.

We could have signed Haynesworth 3 times over.

Not saying I wanted him. We're not a team that has to worry about a cap or paying people. We paid Greg Lewis, Todd Pinkston, LJ Smith, Winston Justice, Matt McCoy, Sean Considine, etc all money in the past for no reason.

[JoeM]

Well obviously we all are gonna miss Dawkins but he is probably worth something like 2yrs 8M and that might be generous. 5 years 17M is just absurd. Obviously he wont last 5 years but 7M up front is something that no sane team would have given him,

[DCP]

Holy crap...and Denver comes to Philly this year. Tear my friggin heart out.

[Collin]

This is honestly a very sad day beyond sports. I feel like I just lost a friend...

Damn you, Eagles. You keep breaking my heart.

[Lehigh Chris]

Goodbye Dawk, I'll be sure to be at the game when we retire your number

[Liam]

I'd be interested in knowing if the front office upped their offer to more than a year, as it seemed as if Dawkins gave the team more than enough time to counter the Denver deal. I can't be upset if they upped their ante to something respectable, but if they low balled him or didn't change their offer then I'll be very upset

[Scott]

Oh no, its the end of the world!

[boobjob]

Totally agree with Liam. If they didn't upgrade their offer to 2 years, then I will be upset, but if they did and Dawk wanted to cash in one last time, that's OK with me. It's just too bad that this had to happen. This happens a lot today in the world of sports. All one has to do is look at the Farve situation. He retired a Jet, Emmit Smith retired a cadinal, Joe Montana - a Cheif..... the list goes on and on

[boobjob]

Totally agree with Liam. If they didn't upgrade their offer to 2 years, then I will be upset; but if they did and Dawk wanted to cash in one last time, that's OK with me. It's just too bad that this had to happen. This happens a lot today in the world of sports. All one has to do is look at the Farve situation. He retired a Jet, Emmit Smith retired a Cardinal, Joe Montana - a Chief..... the list goes on and on

[Alex F.]

The Denver contract looks ridiculous at first glance but it's voidable to 2/9. Absolutely no reason this cheap-ass team couldn't and shouldn't have matched that.

Fuck you, Banner. Fuck you, Reid. I will never EVER forgive either one of you assholes for this.

I just hope these two fucking douchebags are gone a couple years from now when Dawk is ready to hang it up and calls up the Eagles asking to sign a one-day deal so he can retire as a Bird. They're probably too fucking proud and stubborn to even let him do that.

Fuck you, I hope you fucking cocksuckers burn in hell.

[Phils Phan]

At least Mike Lieberthal retired a Phillie.

[boobjob]

Also, I can see it now... They will try to justify this saying that Denver offered him 5 years... but it is true, they could have gave him 2 years 8 mil. I think Dawk would have taken that. Maybe not tho, maybe Dawk thinks he has 3 or 4 season left in the tank and could earn upwards of 10 mil. You can't fault him for thinking that and if the Eagles did upgrade their offer to something like 2 years 7 or 8 mil, you can't fault them either. Something tells me they didn't. It seems like Dawk drug this out so they could....

[JF]

I don't know what to say. I'm heartbroken. I've looked up to him my whole life and now a Bronco? This isn't gonna work. I think I'd rather have something happen to him right now so that he can never play football again and we can always only see him as an Eagle.

[Alex F.]

Boobjob--he agreed in principle to the contract yesterday but waited almost 24 hours to sign it, why do you think that is?? It's blatantly obvious he wanted to stay here and gave the Eagles every opportunity to match the deal and they were too cheap to do it.

How much longer is Lurie going to keep the city of Philadelphia held hostage by these fucking losers??

[boobjob]

@ JF

No way. You have to wish him the best. He gave us everything he had for 13 years. He deserves to play as long as he thinks he can play.... I'm glad a team thought he was worth it... Just wish it was our own.

[Will]

Come on kulp, it's a 2 year deal for 9 mil. Spare us the front office defense on this one.

[Zeke]

No one on the planet is a bigger Dawkins fan than me. No one! But everyone relax and cut the Eagles some slack. What were they supposed to do? Match the five years and then send him packing in shame after two years? Letting him go out and get this money was the best thing they could have done for him. And you feel like the Eagles betrayed you by not doing everything to keep him? The Eagles owe you nothing. They are responsible for ensuring the continued success of this franchise. Shame on the entire defense if they can not come together over this and continue to be one of the best (and youngest) in the league.

@Justin Evans
The only reason we have so much money is because we don't do stupid things like giving Haynesworth $100 mil.

@Everyone Else
It is a sad day, but get the fuck over it. BDawk is the greatest Eagle of all time, but no man is worth losing sight of the big picture. What, are you going to have a forty year old cripple on the field just because he is a legend and he gets everyone fired up? You know what happened over the past two day? The "window" just got larger. How many players on the defense are over 30? tick, tick, tick. Zero! Once Tra leaves, other than DMac, how many players on offense are over 30? tick tick tick. Zero! Stacey Andrews is a young stud in the making at OT, and the Birds are very big on Q-Demps. Lito is about to be out the door and we will continue to get younger at key positions: OL, RB, DB. Relax!

[boobjob]

Alex - I agree. That's what I meant by my last two sentences. I think Dawk drug this out as long as he could. The Eagles probably came back with some weak ass/insulting offer. He couldn't wait any longer and risk losing the $$$ Denver was shoving in his face. I just hope he plays well out there and doesn't make the Eagles front office look good. Even if they turn out to be right, from a football point of view, it doesn't matter. Totally disrespected the fans on this one. They know damn well that Dawk was THE fan favorite.

[Justin Evans]

@ Zeke, we also never won a Super Bowl.

I don't want us to be Washington, but I also do not want us to sit there constantly with our thumbs up our ass as well.

Fill the fucking holes. Win a title.

[Kulp]

@ Will

We weren't there for negotiations. I agree, they should have offered him two years. If they did and he still took Denver's offer, I have no gripes.

[boobjob]

@ zeke

Can you honestly say the Eagles D is better off without Dawk. The deal is basically a 2 year deal - which the Eagles could have matched. Who's going to replace him Quintin Demps???? Now need to worry about replacing Dawk, finding another tackle, a TE, a DE and an RB. Also, you forget that Andrews tore both is ACL and MCL in December. He's no sure thing. It is a good signing tho - maybe he can talk some sense into little bro. That being said, it in no way makes up for letting Dawk walk.

[jmp]

you know what... good for him. seriously.

[TJB]

I don't want to hear about any "window." There is no window. You win it all or you lose. It would be one thing if this organization has given us SOMETHING to cheer. But it hasn't. How many of us have to put up with Giants fans and their three trophies. Or go south and deal with the Skins and their 3 trophies. I live in Central PA and have to deal with bandwaggoner Steelers fans and their six trophies. So I don't want to hear about how this team is just managing their money. Because that's all it is to them. They don't care about the fans, don't care about respecting Philly legends, and don't care about winning it all. As long as their winning enough to keep us shmucks coming back and forking over cash for tickets, jerseys, whatever, that's good enough for them.

Screw this Eagles ownership, and screw the management.

[Zeke]

@Justin

Clearly the five NFC championship games indicate thumbs up asses. Yeah, yeah, I get it, no Super Bowl, but if you mortgage the future for one shot and miss, you are done for years to come. Talk about filling holes after free agency and the draft, not now. Relax!!!!

This sense of entitlement from all of us has to stop.

[Loqiel]

Lurie and Reid just asked McNabb to become the locker room leader. Not exactly confidence-instilling.

[MG]

Sad to see Dawkins go but man people are acting like Dawkins has a lot of life left in his legs. Was Dawkins a great play in Philly and a leader on this team? No doubt. Did he still have the ability to make the occasionable big play? Yes.

The reality is though is that he became a real liability in pass coverage this year. He couldn't cover a TE in the open anymore and quite really fufill the roll of coverage over the top on deep routes that is one of the premier responsibilites of a FS. Even his vaunted tackling prowess wasn't quite there although he did have a few nice plays this year to cause fumbles.

Plus, he was largely a non-factor in the playoffs this year (including getting abused in coverage in the Cards game).

I will miss Dawkins a lot but reality is that things move on and this team is better off using those dollars/resources on other areas.

BTY - I am amazed at all of the idiots calling WIP today and yelling about how the Eagles' always let go of veteran players. Name me the last real veteran play that the Eagles let walk (TO doesn't count) who really performed at a high level on his new team for at least a few seasons during the Reid era.

W. Thomas? - No
Vincent? - No
Douglas? - No
Taylor? - No
Mitchell? - No
Staley? - No
Emmons? - No
Reese? - No

The only guy you could really make an argument for is Trotter because he still was in his prime at 25. Eagles just misjudged the market and didn't believe in paying LBs big money.

[BrianS]

Just speculating here, but I'm guessing the Eagles opened with an offer that Dawk felt was an insulting low-ball offer.

He then decided to test the market. The Eagles underestimated what he'd be offered, and Denver took advantage with an offer the Eagles wouldn't match.

[Zeke]

I love Philadelphia, and Philadelphia sports more than anything in this world.

However, most of the time the people in this city have bigger hearts than brains.

I love the passion and loyalty from everyone. It is what makes us unique.

But here is the deal: The "idiots" in the front office know more about how to run a football team more than you do.

Anyone who would trade places with the Buccaneers (one Super Bowl and relative mediocrity before and since) is lying! This team will be in the mix for many many years to come.

[boobjob]

We are entitled to something - a lot actually. The fans are the reason these guys are rich assholes, instead of just assholes. They owe us a lot. Without the fans there is no Philadelphia Eagles.

Also, it is NOT management's fault we have no titles. They have fielded some good teams that have not come through. I mean getting to 5 NFC titles and winning no Superbowls is not all managements fault. Sure they could have done a little more to push this team over the proverbial hump, but players gotta play/execute and coaches gotta coach.

[Phils Phan]

If McNabb is the locker room leader, he better learn to QUIT FUCKING SMILING after a loss.

Dawkins was as much a fan as he was a player. He lived for each win and pained in each loss. You never saw him smile after a loss. He brought his same desire and intensity every game.

The idea of McNabb being the leader of this team is a joke.

[boobjob]

I would trade 5 NFC titles games and would agree to go 0-16 for the next 3 years in exchange for 1 title. I would rather be in the Bucs' situation.

If a leprechaun said he could guarantee a title this comings season but the birds wouldn't win a game for the 3 years following... I say done deal.

[Alex F.]

Phils Phan, well said.

Dawk was one of us...if he had grown up in the area and didn't have the God-given talents to play the game at that level he'd be up there in the stands screaming and yelling as loud as anyone there.

I like McNabb, and I'll usually defend him when people bash him....but he isn't a fiery locker room leader type.

And this is even worse given the fact that our other primary locker room guy (Runyan) is also gone.

Who the hell is going to lead this team?? It isn't going to be McNabb. Sheldon?? Bradley?? Gocong??

[MG]

Anybody who watched the Eagles' knows it is their offensive that really needs tweaking especially the O-line, TE, viable backup RB, and another decent complimentary WR (Avant and Baskett are really just depth guys on a good team and not starters).

If the defense needs anything, it is another situational DE who can rush the passer. Clemons was a bust last year and I don't know how much Howard has left in the tank. Market for FA DEs end though is pretty slim and it is going to be incredibly expensive.

[boobjob]

Also, we are all acting like the man was washed up. He was 1 of 2 probowlers on this team last year. Oh and the Phillies, the guys across the street, the ones w/ rings, gave a 46 year old pitcher 2 years when they didn't want to. But they did it anyway.

[Zeke]

Boobjob, come on cuz!

If this "leprechaun" said you could win a title but go 0-48 over the following three seasons you would chose that over being a legit contender and have a chance to win it all every year for the next 5+ years?

Frankly, this change over might have even happened one year too late. Where was the outpouring for Dawkins after the first two games when he looked done?

Dawkins maybe has two years left. Maybe. It all will become clear that once again the front office made the right move with an aging player. Thank you MG for pointing this out. Can anyone name one aging player that we should not have gotten rid of during this regime? Anyone?

[MG]

Zeke - Agreed. Eagles' FO under Reid & Modrak/Banner have had some notable shortcomings including some mixed draft results (especially with WRs) and FA signings but they have been almost 100% in knowing when to let a play go & managing the cap well to give themselves pretty of flexibility.

Contrast this to the 'Skins who continue to make stupid FA signing after FA signing. Yeah Haynesworth improves their middle but he is overrated. Hasn't played 16 games since his rookie season. Motivation/attitue are also a big issue at times with him. As for the Hall signing, I just laughed. How he ever made the Pro Bowl twice, I don't know. Fast as anybody in the league but no instinctive feel for the ball/incredibly poor techniques.

Nobody is saving it much but the NFC East is going to be wide open next year as the Giants have come back to the pack, 'Boys continue their descent to mediocrity, and Skins look like they have another 8-8 or 9-7 seasons in their future.

[TJB]

Zeke, what counts is championships. Don't get me wrong, this past bunch of seasons have given a lot of great memories. But the Vince Lombardi trophy count remains at ZERO. That's what ultimately count. And until that number changes, I don't necessarily know that this front office IS better at running a football team than any of us.

[boobjob]

Dawkins was player of the month in December!!!!! He is represents 1 (represented) HALF of the pro bowlers on this team! (1 of 2)

And yes. I would trade in 3 competitive seasons for 1 title and 3 winless seasons following the title.

[TJB]

I would take a guaranteed Super Bowl win following by three winless years as well. It would be different if we already had won one, but we haven't.

[boobjob]

***Corrections

Dawkins was player of the month in December!!!!! He represents (represented) HALF of the pro bowlers on this team! (1 of 2)

And yes. I would trade in 3 competitive seasons for 1 title and 3 winless seasons following the title.

[MG]

TJB - That is an absurd statement to make. More criticism should fall on Reid and McNabb than the front office for the shortcomings in the NFC championship games. Reid has just been flat out outcoached at times (Carolina game and this year come to mind right away) and McNabb has struggled in the big games generally.

[Tony]

It is not essentially a 2yr deal, because if he plays well he still can get those extra 3 so even if the eagles did match 2yrs/8mil he still probably would have taken the longer offer

[FrontRanger]

AlexF,

Totally right. Look, when you cut Dawkins, you're saying: forget emotions, it's about results. Well, we have no SUper Bowl, so don't expect any good will from us when you give none to your players.

Second, the Eagles are presumably going to replace Dawk with Demps. Why lose Dawk when you're $45 mil under the cap and the replacement is already on your team - it's not like you need to go and sign someone else. In reality, this is a 2-year $9 mil deal to the soul of your team and one of two Pro-Bowlers. Are we really a better team starting next season with Demps?

And I too would take the Super Bowl over consistent winning. Not even a question.

[boobjob]

MG - agreed... but management still shares a little of the blame for not bringing in more guys when this team was so close (TO doesn't count).

Tony - No way. Dawk wanted to come back here, he said it multiple times. The Eagles offer him 2 for 8 mil, hes in midnight green.

[Morricone]

BDawk is gone, I never thought I'd see that, and he signed with an 8-8 team in the worst division in the NFL. If he went to a team was far and away better than us, ok go for the championship, good for him, but to go to a team that we were better than. They fired their coach and now have quite a few new players who don't have any chemistry.

I don't know, I can't figure anything out anymore. I wish him well, and I still wish he was an Eagle.

[FrontRanger]

One last thing I"m sick of: according to Les Bowen, Reid forbade Dawkins questions at the press conference.

Would it kill him just to say, "we thought we could sign him but couldn't. He's been such a great players for years. Thanks...etc."? It's like they think they can actually prevent the rest of us from talking about it if they ignore it in the press.

[Matt P.]

Dawk presser on NFL Network

[Jason]

Sadness. Seriously, D Mac could leave, Westbrook could leave, Utley and Howard could leave, and I wouldn't feel the same as I do right now. Dawkins was the city of Philly personified. NOBODY ever gave him shit and he put his heart out on the field every game. He was supposed to retire an Eagle. He was supposed to win a championship as an Eagle. I guess I can take minor satisfaction in knowing he'll always be remembered as being an Eagle and will enter the hall of fame that way.

[Chase Mutley]

From DenverBroncos.com:

"That ends the press conference, and now he’s taking photos with his family. His kids are all wearing Broncos gear, and Dawkins just put on his orange No. 20 jersey."

Cold.

[Phils Phan]

Just caught the Comcast Black History Month spot with B-Dawk.

Depressing.

[boobjob]

http://www.denverbroncos.com/page.php?id=334&storyID=8862

I was just about in tears

[TJB]

MG: When was the closest we were to winning it all? 2004. What happened before the 2004 season? Management brought in a stud receiver. "The missing piece." Maybe they should try that more often.

[Deano]

Somehow they can pay Reno mahe,matt mccoy,jerome mcdougle,winston justice,ryan moats,reggiw brown and f--ing Greg lewis who give you absolutely NOTHING!!YET they cant find a way to keep Dawkins who was more the face and heart of this franchise than choke artist Mcnabb will ever be.
Unbelievable.Well I am now rooting against this team every game (except for Dallas) until this whole front office crew of idiots is gone.
Top to bottom these guys just dont get the fans in this town.

[Matt Kwasiborski]

This is truly a sad day for Eagles fans. Dawkins was the best saftey in the history of the franchise. Yes, his skills were diminishing but he could still play! I mean he could have become more of a part-time player but his locker room presence is what will be sorely, sorely missed.

We all know that NFL contracts aren't guaranteed. Only recently have teams been guaranteeing a portion of the money. But if it is true that the Eagles only offered him a 1 yr deal, well, no one, accepts that offer because it is insulting. Usually, guys coming off major injuries will take such an offer but that is it.

Dawkins for 2 years at 7.2M? How could they not match that offer? I mean the Phils clearly were looking for a better option than Moyer but still signed him to a reasonable deal because of what he brings to the pitching staff and Dawk brought that to the entire D. And Joe Torre left the Yankees because they only offered him a 1 yr deal. Come to think of it, it shows this is only a business.

I am perplexed they let him walk especially with all of the cap room. And they missed out on Brown who probably would have taken the Eagles offer if they called first. But outside of Brown I don't think the Eagles would have done much else. So, when Andrews was signed and Brown didn't take the offer, why not spend money on the 2nd or 3rd greatest defensive player in franchise history?

I do think the Eagles have a way better plan and are willing to spend money compared to Braman, so this makes me think some MAJOR moves are going to be made. Unless we can get Boldin or Gonzalez, I think McNabb will be in AZ or TB next year.

[PhiPhan5648]

To all of the guys here, trying to tell us fans that are upset by this, that we're being irrational, and that we don't know football. That this was the smart move from Eagles Front Office Managment. That being emotionally attached to a player like Dawk, is a bad business decision.

That Eagles Front Office Management just let the only remaining, viable Hero the team had. The one player whom all of us could get behind, and who would unite us as a fanbase. McNabb can't do that. Westbrook can't do that. Our Wide Receivers can't do that. No one on this team, is a viable Football Legend, the way Dawk is.

Superman just left Metropolis.

[boobjob]

@Matt K - Who is Brown?

@PhilPhan - Ditto cuz

[PJ]

in reading this, it is amazing how people get fooled by nfl contracts.

He got a 2 year deal for 9 million dollars.

I don't think that is ridiculous.

Good for Brian Dawkins and a resounding "F*** You" to the Philadelphia Eagles. I can't wait until Reid, Lurie and Banner are all gone.

[slowski]

so what happens when dawk sacks mcnabb in the linc this yr?

cheers or boos?

[Danny]

Definite cheers. That'll be an emotional game.

Still in shock. I can't blame him though.

[WeaponX20]

I have never felt so broken hearted in my life... I feel like a part of me left today, my mom called me with the news while I was at work and cried the whole way home

[danny-o]

It sounds ridiculous, but the fans of this city should have boycotted this team a long time ago. Especially now that we have a championship caliber team right across the street that's proven it will do what it needs to do to win.

I implore fans to blacklist everything Eagles. Don't buy the merchandise, cancel your season tickets, watch something else on television. Save your hard earned money or spend it at Citizen's Bank Park where you know the revenue is going towards a conscious effort toward a championship and a parade.

The fans need to unite and rise up against this necessary evil. The arrogance, the complacency and the excuses all need to end.

I would soon rather see the fans of Philadelphia spend their money on Phantoms tickets. They may be an irrelevant minor league hockey team but at least they've won something.

You are disillusioned if you continue to support this team.

[danny-o]

PS - I can't wait to see the reaction Brian gets when Denver comes into town this year. Or better yet, the reaction to when he takes McNabb's head off and lights up their depleted offensive line.

No matter Banner, Lurie, Reid, Spadaro, or Eskin want to spin it.. Philadelphia has lost one of it's own. This team is out of touch with it's players, it's fans and it's city.

BOYCOTT!

[John]

There is no way the Eagles even came close to matching the offer Dawkins received from Denver. I just listened to the interview with Derrick Gunn and Dawkins could barely hold it together. And then to read Lurie's bullshit statement. Man I hope the whole front office gets swept clean.

[PhiPhan5648]

I just heard Derrick Gunn's phone interview with Dawk, and listening to that man, clearly broken up about this, just got me so utterly pissed off, and depressed about the direction the FO just took.

Dawk is a Philly a Legend. He is our Superman.

[Phillies # 1]

Where was the uproar when Pat Burrell left? He was an homegrown phillie. The difference with Burrell and Dawkins is that Burrell is a champion!!

[Ian]

Dawk was my favorite Eagle and I'm sad to see him go, but this looks like a rational move by the team which is well coached defensively.

In the end, we don't know whether Dawk will be such an increasing liability on coverage that he's not worth a starter's pay for 2 years. But that's what the Eagles bet and I think the Eagles probably bet right.

The outrage directed at the front office will hopefully prompt the Eagles to spend more money in ways that improve the team, including depth at FS.

[PhiPhan5648]

@Phillies #1

The uproar was there for Burrell too, you fuck-face.

[Theawesome1@]

that idiot shaun young is on my last nerve he sux he needs to get a life him crying in channel six makes me embarassed to be an eagles fan

[JD]

Dawk is the epitome of leaving it all on the field. That's what he did this past year. He noticeably lost a step LAST year (2007) that made the Eagles draft an heir-apparent, who got quite a bit of playing time as a rookie.

It hurts, sure. We all want to see his veins popping out in all the Eagles promos and get our testosterone flowing when he crawls out of the tunnel, but the fact is that right now Quinton Demps has a much higher upside than Brian Dawkins and that's what business men look at. Are you going to not go to eagles games now? Are you going to not watch? Are you going to not buy an Eagles jersey, vanity plate, window flag, sideline cap, polo, women's cut long sleeve shirt? Of course you are. You might not buy a Dawkins jersey, but that will just spike the sales of Westbrook jerseys.

The fact that anyone even said "5 year deal" in negotiations with Dawk is ridiculous, but this is coming from the team that lost it's last three games to miss the playoffs.

He will always be an Eagle. This isn't Reggie leaving us to embrace Wisconsin. Dawk needs to find a nice quite place to die (professionally) and take care of his family and the Eagles need someone with a better upside.

This year Dawk was a microcosm of the Eagles organization. We all see in our minds the team, or player, that functions at 100%. As a team it looks like the Thanksgiving night Cardinals game, everything hitting on all cylinders and essentially over at halftime. As a player, it looks like Dawk in the season finale Cowboys game, all over the field causing havoc and backing us into the playoffs. We all love to romanticize the team and player because it's our escape from an economy that lost 6,000,000,000,000 jobs last night (at least that's how it feels, the numbers might be SLIGHTLY inflated). But at the end of the day the eagles re-signing Dawk is a move most suited for all of you who play Madden '09 on rookie and create yourself as the answer to our WR woes and run up the score. If the '09 game doesn't retire him at the end of your first season, that is.

I've been making the same point as MG for the past week. The Eagles very rarely miss on letting players go. They miss on first round WRs all the time and they might not hit on every replacement, but they do know when to let people go out to pasture with the Bills, Falcons, Jaguars, and now Broncos.

To the guys signing the checks, this is a business. I feel like a therapist, but don't mourn that he's gone, celebrate the great times he had, and he will never truly leave you.

[Thomas Dzomba]

No doubt we will all miss Dawk. But if you are the Eagles, you can't give him this deal, even 2 years and $4.5 million.

The most telling thing to me was how they had to change the defense around to protect him and make him effective last year. How did that compromise the rest of the defensive scheme? We will never know of course, but it was the D that cost us the Title game.

I wish Dawk the best, and I know he will retire an Eagle. But what MG wrote is telling. None of the name veterans the Eagles released in the past amounted to much with their new team, even Trotter. And I wonder how Dawk will do with a defense that is not designed to protect him.

[Alex F.]

Yes, the D cost us the title game....but the D also got us to the title game and the playoffs in the first place.