Andy Reid, the most successful coach in Philadelphia Eagles History, was fired December 31st and with that we begin a new era. If you ask ten people about Coach Reid you will probably get ten different answers. I am here to list what he did right and what he did wrong in each year of his 14-year tenure.
1999
Drafted Donovan McNabb over Ricky Williams – BIG HIT
Appoints Jim Johnson to be defensive coordinator, which helps create one of the top defenses in all of football – BIG HIT
2000
Opened up the 2000 season with an Onside Kick against Dallas, which kick-started an overachieving Eagles squad that would go on to make the playoffs that year - BIG HIT
Before the first home playoff game in 5 years, Coach Reid was spotted handshaking and pumping up fans waiting for tickets. Showed why players loved playing for him – HIT
2001
The Eagles draft Freddie Mitchell over Chad Johnson, Reggie Wayne and Chris Chambers – BIG MISS
The Eagles drop a home game to the lowly Arizona Cardinals, which begins to make us Philly diehards realize that Reid is not a fan of the running game - MISS
The Eagles are embarassed by the Redskins at home, losing 13-3 in the game where Lavar Arrington spied on Donovan and we get nothing but short two-yard passes. – Miss
The Birds defeat the Giants for the second time this season and clinch Coach’s first NFC East title – BIG HIT
Even though EVERYONE picked the Bears, the Eagles storm into Soldier Field and stomp them - HIT
Within 52 yards of the Superbowl McNabb throws an interception to Aeneas Williams and their miracle run is over. This is not considered a hit or a miss, because there is no way they would have beaten God’s team of the Patriots that year anyway – PUSH
2002
Feeley exceed all expectations, leading the Eagles to the playoffs.
In the second game of the season, Philly beats the crap out of the Steve Spurrier-led Redskins, 37-7 – HIT
Week 8 on Monday Night Football, the Eagles continue their consistent format of running and passing and defeat the Giants 17-3 – HIT
Donovan McNabb, after breaking his ankle, throws for four touchdown passes against the Cardinals but is left in the game too long and hurts himself even more – Miss
A.J. Feeley leads them to four straight wins, and actually has Eagles fans beginning to wonder if he should still be the QB once McNabb becomes healthy – BIG HIT
The Birds are stunned by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the last game at Veterans Stadium in what many fans considered the most devastating loss in Eagles history - MISS
2003
BWest breaks the Giants hearts (via NJ.com).
Coach Reid again refuses to go after a big time Wide Receiver and decides to stick with James Trash and Todd Stink—er—Pinkston – HUGE MISS
The Eagles draft Jerome McDougle - Miss
After a slow start to the season, Brian Westbrook, in the Miracle at the Meadowlands Number 1.5, returns a punt for the go-ahead touchdown and ignites the Eagles season – Hit with the assist from BWest
The three-headed monster of Deuce Staley, Correll Buckhalter and Westbrook runs over, under, around and through everyone for a 9-game winning streak, Reid continues to run the ball consistently - HIT
After the 4th and 26 game, the Birds fall again at home to the Carolina Panthers. Even though the weak receivers as mentioned earlier could not get off the line of scrimmage, Coach Reid refused to run the ball and they lost 14-3 – MAJOR MISS
2004
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Owens’ big game wasn’t enough in Super Bowl XXXIX.
Andy gambles and signs Terrell Owens finally bringing in what was supposed to be the final piece to a Superbowl – Hit for the time being
The Eagles start off 7-0 only to be rocked by the Pittsburgh Steelers 27-3, leading Andy to put Jeremiah Trotter back into the starting lineup and benching Nate Wayne. The move pays off as the defense is much better against the run the rest of the season - HIT
Terrell Owens is injured by Roy Williams; this would change everything – Push
The Birds still advance to the NFC Championship Game and finally get over the hump and defeat the Michael Vick-led Atlanta Falcons – HIT
T.O. returns and has a great game in the Super Bowl, but thanks to 3 McNabb interceptions and curious play-calling leads to a defeat – MISS
2005
T.O. and his insanity catch up to him and he begins what would be a NIGHTMARE of a season - MISS
Between Owens’ suspension, McNabb injury and the overally struggles of this year, we can call it a wash- Minor Miss
2006
Free of T.O. cancer, the Eagles trade for Donte Stallworth - Hit
McNabb is not as mobile from his previous injury and has his season ended in lopsided loss to the Tenessee Titans – Miss
Jeff Garcia takes over and resurrects the Eagles season by defeating Carolina, Dallas and New York to lead them to another NFC East Title - Hit
Behind Garcia, Stallworth, Westbrook and Akers the Birds take down the Giants in the opening round of the playoffs – Hit
This was probably Reid’s best coaching job, they ran out of gas against New Orleans but this team still overachieved – Hit
2007
The Eagles do not match the Patriots offer on Stallworth, who goes on to struggle in Foxborough - Hit
They complete a bunch of weird trades and end up drafting Kevin Kolb – Miss at the time
McNabb is not himself out of the gate and the Eagles struggle throughout much of the season.- Miss
They finish strong once Donovan gets his legs back and win their three last games giving us expectations for the next season – Hit
2008
Eagles make a splash by drafting D-Jax.
Finally a playmaker is drafted in the form of DeSean Jackson – Hit
This season’s first half has mixed results with the low point being the tie against Cincinatti and the loss to the Ravens – Miss
Reid benches McNabb for Kevin “Captain Checkdown” Kolb against Baltimore the next week; this only seemed to fire up the entire team as they go on to win their last four games – Hit
With a playoff spot on the line, the Eagles trounce the over-hyped Cowboys, 44-6 – Hit
This is starting to feel like the year, as they defeat the Vikings and shock the defending Super-Bowl Champion Giants to advance to the NFC Championship Game – Hit
In a wild game which I never thought the Eagles would lose, Kurt Warner leads a last-minute drive to give the Cardinals the lead and what would turn out to be the last chance for the Eagles - MISS
2009
Many veterans, including Brian Dawkins, Correll Buckhalter, Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas do not return to the team, leaving a huge leadership void – Miss
Legendary Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson passes away, and as we know now Andy Reid was never able to replace him – Miss
Fresh from his release from prison, Michael Vick is signed which shocked everybody – Hit
Behind DeSean Jackson’s All-Pro season, the Eagles are in position to win the NFC East - Hit
A quite frankly better Cowboys teams beats the birds two weeks in the row ending their season and the Donovan Mcnabb era.-Miss
2010
Eagles trade up to snag Brandon Graham, miss out on Jason Pierre-Paul and Earl Thomas in 2010 draft - MISS
Donovan is traded within division to the Redskins, which turns out to be a big mistake for the Skins – Hit
The first game of the season is not going well, Kevin Kolb is knocked out of the game, which would lead to the Michael Vick era – Surprising Hit
Vick is oustanding and even when he is hurt, Kolb provides great relief leading the Eagles to a 10-6 record and Andy’s FINAL NFC EAST TITLE – Hit
Despite a weak offensive line,sub-par defense, and a lack of calling running plays for LeSean Mccoy, the Eagles still have a chance to defeat the upstart Green Bay Packers.- Hit
In case you do not know, Reid calls a pass play even though there were gapping holes for McCoy to run through and Vick throws an interception, season over in Wild Card round – Miss
2011
The Eagles make explainable mistake of signing Asomugha (via Philly.com).
The Birds uncharacteristically go hard in free agency, brining in Nnamid Asoughma, Cullen Jenkins, Jason Babin and Vince Young – Miss
Andy hires Jim Washburn to coach his defensive line – Miss
He also promotes Juan Castillo to Defensive Coordinator - Miss
They are able to trade Kevin Kolb to Arizona for a second round pick and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie – Hit
From the get go you can tell this team is not the same, the cant stop anybody on defense, Vick is thinking too much and turning the ball over and their offensive line is still struggling – Miss
Despite the warning signs that they sucked, the Birds finish the strong on a 4-game winning streak, giving us hope for 2012 - Hit
2012
The Eagles trade for DeMeco Ryans, filling their much needed middle linebacker position – Hit
The first four games start off rocky, but the Eagles manage a 3-1 start with victories over Baltimore and New York – Hit
The problems catch up to them, Vick isnt the same electryfying player he was two years ago, the receives disapper in games, the defense does not get better even after the Castillo firing, Jim Washburn is a douche, the offensive line is somehow worse than last year – Miss
Injuries, benchings, firings, player regressions and out right releases lead to Coach Reids dismissal. What is more disheartening about this honestly it should have been done last year and we may have RG3 or Russell Wilson I kid you not – FINAL MISS
As you can see there are many hits and misses through the Coach Reid Era, if only he had brought one superbowl title then more people would appreciate him. I will always appreciate Andy because he brought us back from irrelevance. Who remembers the Rich Kotie and Ray Rhodes years? Who remembers the Buddy Ryan playoff winless teams(13)? Andy Reid brought the Eagles back to respectability and leaves in a much better situation than Ray Rhodes did. I have no doubts that he will be successful wherever he lands next. Farewell Coach Reid soon enough you will be appreciated!
