The
Huddle
Championship
January 14, 2004
Playoff Ticket
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Sunday
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3:00 PM, CBS at Gillette Stadium
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6:45 PM, FOX at Lincoln Financial
Field
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| |
Carolina |
Rush
|
Catch
|
Pass
|
| QB |
Jake Delhomme |
0 |
0 |
200,1 |
| RB |
Stephen Davis |
30 |
0 |
0 |
| RB |
DeShaun Foster |
80,1 |
20 |
0 |
| TE |
Wiggins/Mangum |
0 |
20 |
0 |
| WR |
Muhsin Muhammad |
0 |
50 |
0 |
| WR |
Ricky Proehl |
0 |
20 |
0 |
| WR |
Steve Smith |
0 |
80,1 |
0 |
|
| |
Philadelphia |
Rush
|
Catch
|
Pass |
| QB |
Donovan McNabb |
40,1 |
0 |
190,1 |
| RB |
Duce Staley |
40 |
20 |
0 |
| RB |
Correll Buckhalter |
20 |
0 |
0 |
| TE |
Chad Lewis |
0 |
20 |
0 |
| TE |
L.J. Smith |
0 |
30 |
0 |
| WR |
James Thrash |
0 |
40 |
0 |
| WR |
Freddie Mitchell |
0 |
30 |
0 |
| WR |
Todd Pinkston |
0 |
50,1 |
0 |
|
Game Prediction:
CAR 20, PHI 23
Line: Eagles by 4
As noted on the NE-IND page, these two teams faced off in
week 13 with the Eagles visiting the Panthers and they left
with the 25-16 win. They won largely thanks to David Akers
who kicked four field goals that week while John Kasey only
had an inexplicable 1 of 4 field goals good. The game would
have been tied had he made them as did Akers that day. That
was easily Kasay's worst game of the season - he made 20 consecutive
field goals to start the season. Kasay even missed an extra
point in the game.
So effectively that is saying that these two teams played
to a draw excluding what the kickers did - the stats from
that week 13 game below show the similarity:
|
13
|
CAR
|
RY
|
RT
|
CY
|
CT
|
Fum
|
Int
|
13
|
PHI
|
RY
|
RT
|
CY
|
CT
|
Fum
|
Int
|
|
QB
|
Delhomme J |
13
|
.
|
216
|
2
|
1
|
.
|
QB
|
McNabb D |
6
|
.
|
182
|
1
|
.
|
1
|
|
WR
|
Smith S |
-2
|
.
|
80
|
1
|
.
|
.
|
WR
|
Mitchell F |
.
|
.
|
40
|
.
|
.
|
.
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|
WR
|
Muhammad M |
.
|
.
|
79
|
1
|
.
|
.
|
WR
|
Thrash J |
.
|
.
|
27
|
1
|
.
|
.
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|
WR
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Proehl R |
.
|
.
|
24
|
.
|
.
|
.
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WR
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Pinkston T |
.
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.
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15
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.
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.
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.
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TE
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Wiggins J |
.
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.
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8
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.
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.
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.
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WR
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Lewis G |
.
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.
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7
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.
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.
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.
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TE
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Seidman M |
.
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.
|
1
|
.
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.
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.
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TE
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Lewis C |
.
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.
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29
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.
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.
|
.
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RB
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Goings N |
8
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.
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19
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.
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.
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.
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TE
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Smith L |
.
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.
|
15
|
.
|
.
|
.
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|
RB
|
Smart R |
2
|
.
|
5
|
.
|
.
|
.
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RB
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Westbrook B |
64
|
.
|
32
|
.
|
1
|
.
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|
RB
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Davis S |
115
|
.
|
0
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.
|
.
|
.
|
RB
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Staley D |
24
|
1
|
8
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. |
.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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RB
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Buckhalter C |
30
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.
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0
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. |
.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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RB
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Ritchie J |
.
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.
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9
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.
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.
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.
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So what can be different in this game?
The Eagles are without their leading rusher of Brian Westbrook
and their run defense took a hit with the loss of LB Carlos
Emmons. The Panthers, not unlike the Colts, are showing the
ability to post points in the past two weeks and bring along
their own defense which is very sound on a bad day and topnotch
on a good weekend.
Homefield for the Eagles has not been as advantageous at
Lincoln Field as it seemed at the Vet.
This game will require more out of McNabb this time as he
was forced to do last week against the Packers. The outcome
in this matchup depends on how well McNabb can carry the team
yet again. He was only sacked three times in week 13 but never
tried to establish himself as a runner.
CB Troy Vincent is still optimistic that he can play this
week after missing the first two post-season games but DE
Brandon Whiting suffered a slight MCL strain that is not expected
to keep him out but could limit him.
Stephen Davis is still bothered by the strained quadriceps
that forced him out last week and it is not yet known if he
will play. Deshaun Foster ran well last week in his place
but Davis could provide better power running that has been
the bane of the Philly defense much of this season. I am assuming
for now that Davis can play but will be limited and will share
with Foster.
While Carolina has been the surprise team for the NFC, they
were only 5-3 on the road this season and already lost to
Philly by nine points in week 13. In order for the Panthers
to win, they need Davis healthy or at least for Foster to
gain enough yards to free up Delhomme to pass.
Defense wins championships and the Eagles do not have the
better overall defense here but they have good secondary players
(more so if Vincent returns) and are at home. A close game
but one the veteran Eagle crew should take as their much anticipated
final step to reaching the Super Bowl.
| Team Comparisons - Current team
rankings (1-32) for FF points scored or allowed
by position |
| Rank (1-32) |
QB
|
RB
|
WR
|
TE
|
PK
|
DEF
|
| CAR Scores |
17
|
18
|
13
|
29
|
10
|
19
|
| PHI Allows |
23
|
26
|
12
|
29
|
26
|
5
|
| CAR AP |
6
|
8
|
-1
|
0
|
16
|
-14
|
|
| Rank (1-32) |
QB
|
RB
|
WR
|
TE
|
PK
|
DEF
|
| PHI Scores |
6
|
1
|
21
|
15
|
2
|
14
|
| CAR Allows |
19
|
6
|
4
|
11
|
8
|
23
|
| PHI AP |
13
|
5
|
-17
|
-4
|
6
|
9
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|
Offensive ranks = #1 gains most points, Defensive
ranks = #1 allows least points
AP = Advantage Points, the net difference between a positional
rank gained or allowed by the teams.
|
CAR
|
PHI
|
2003 Game Averages
|
PHI
|
CAR
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Gains
|
Allows
|
QB's
|
Gains
|
Allows
|
|
226
|
222
|
Pass yards
|
250
|
165
|
|
1.2
|
1.2
|
Pass TDs
|
1.5
|
0.8
|
|
1.2
|
0.8
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Interceptions
|
0.7
|
1.0
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|
4
|
34
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Rush yards
|
17
|
36
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|
0.2
|
0.2
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Rush TDs
|
0.2
|
0.3
|
|
---
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---
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RB's
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---
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---
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|
94
|
150
|
Rush yards
|
114
|
77
|
|
0.5
|
0.8
|
Rush TDs
|
1.7
|
0.7
|
|
37
|
29
|
Receive yards
|
75
|
25
|
|
0.5
|
0.3
|
Receive TD's
|
1.0
|
0.0
|
|
---
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---
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WR's
|
---
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---
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|
177
|
144
|
Receive yards
|
145
|
111
|
|
0.5
|
0.5
|
Receive TD's
|
0.3
|
0.7
|
|
---
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---
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TE's
|
---
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---
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|
12
|
49
|
Receive yards
|
30
|
29
|
|
0.2
|
0.3
|
Receive TD's
|
0.2
|
0.2
|
|
---
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---
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PK's
|
---
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---
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|
1.8
|
2.0
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Field Goals
|
2.0
|
1.2
|
|
1.8
|
1.8
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Extra Points
|
3.5
|
2.2
|
|
---
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---
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DEF/ST
|
---
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---
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|
0.7
|
0.5
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Fumbles
|
0.8
|
1.2
|
|
1.0
|
0.7
|
Interceptions
|
0.8
|
1.2
|
|
0.2
|
0.0
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Touchdowns
|
0.2
|
0.5
|
|
2.5
|
2.3
|
Sacks
|
2.5
|
0.8
|
|
0.0
|
0.0
|
Safeties
|
0.2
|
0.0
|
|
|
Panthers
(11-5) |
|
Score |
Opp. |
| 24-23 |
JAX |
| 12-9 |
@TB |
| Week 3 |
BYE |
| 23-3 |
ATL |
| 19-13 |
NO |
| 23-20 |
@IND |
| 17-37 |
TEN |
| 23-20 |
@NO |
| 10-14 |
@HOU |
| 27-24 |
TB |
| 20-17 |
WAS |
| 20-24 |
@DAL |
| 16-25 |
PHI |
| 14-20 |
@ATL |
| 20-17 |
@ARZ |
| 20-14 |
DET |
| 37-24 |
@NYG |
|
|
Eagles (11-4) |
|
Score |
Opp. |
| 0-17 |
TB |
| 10-31 |
NE |
| Week 3 |
BYE |
| 23-13 |
@BUF |
| 27-25 |
WAS |
| 21-23 |
@DAL |
| 14-10 |
@NYG |
| 24-17 |
NYJ |
| 23-16 |
@ATL |
| 17-14 |
@GB |
| 28-10 |
NYG |
| 33-20 |
NO |
| 25-16 |
@CAR |
| 36-10 |
DAL |
| 34-27 |
@MIA |
| 28-31 |
SF |
| 31-7 |
@WAS |
|
* Fantasy point rankings calculated using standard Huddle
fantasy points |
