OT??? O NO!!!

So did anyone else waste almost four hours of their Sunday afternoon watching the pathetic display of professional football that went on between the Cincinnati Bungals and the Philadelphia Eagles??? It was almost if both teams were purposely trying to tie, just so Woody Paige would have something to talk about on "Around the Horn".  The game dragged on so much that the Jacksonville/Tennessee game was near halftime when the final heave from McNabb fell incomplete.  

First off, if your Andy Reid and the Eagles coaching staff, here's an idea: RUN THE FOOTBALL!  The Bengals have a mediocre run defense and you have a gigantic offense line.  Did I mention you have an explosive Mr. Brian Westbrook in the backfield.  18 rushing attempts.  58 passing attempts.  PRETTY GOOD BALANCE if you ask me!  And who was throwing these 58 passing attempts?  Donovan "can't tell the difference between bright orange and that ugly shade of green" McNabb.  3 picks, a lost fumble, and a handful of other passes that would've been picked off by the majority of good teams in the league = a pretty rough day at the office.  You would've thought he was high on some of Ricky Williams "cush".  Wait!  Maybe he was.  McNabb after the game admitted he had no idea a NFL game could end in a tie.  Really D-MAC... You've been in the league for over 10 years now, so the rookie excuse doesn't cut it.  In that time you may remember in 2002 (when you were in the league) a game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Atlanta Falcons ending in.... you got it, A TIE!  You probably spend hours upon hours of your freetime playing that video game Madden 09.  Never seen a simulated game in your franchise season end in a tie??? I think this is absolutely ridiculous and still can't fathom how a proven, veteran, QUARTERBACK had no idea a NFL game could end in a tie.

Now we must address the other team that found 5 quarters not enough time to either win or lose the game.  O yeah I forgot that's what professional sports is all about.  Winning or losing.  "You play to win the game" were the words made famous by head coach Herm Edwards.  Nowhere does he proclaim "you play to not lose the game".  So Marvin Lewis, Bob Bratkowski can we please have some answers for those daring play calls down the stretch???  Did we forget that stellar 1-8 record going into the game???  After a horrendous 15-yard personal foul call the Who-Deys get the ball on the opponents 34 yard line.  We see two runs for minimal gain and a half ass attempt at a 5 yard slant.  Wow!  Very crafty there gentlemen.  Sure Shayne Graham, a top five kicker in the league, has to make that 47 yard game winner.  But I give fault to the two cowards that put all the pressure on the kicker, instead of going out and trying to win the game before it came down to that kick.  

Phew... glad I got that off my chest.  Obviously, there is a simple answer to avoid this travesty from ever happening again.  And all the big bad boys of the NFL have to do is look down at their smaller counterparts playing on Saturdays.  Who liked the idea of basing winning overtime on a damn coin toss anyways?!?

-The Turk