We Just Witnessed The Worst Choke In Phillies History

I was only a few months old when Mitch Williams gave up a walk-off HR to Joe Carter to end the Phillies' hopes in 1993. So perhaps I just do not have the perspective to know how that moment felt. But as a 30-year-old man, I can say I have never witnessed a choke as bad as what we just saw with the Phillies. For the first time ever, they had a series go to 7 games. And despite having the home crowd behind them, and Ranger Suarez on the mound, they could not get the job done. They lost 4-2, and their season is over.

A week ago, they went up 2-0 in the series after beating the Diamondbacks 1o-0. 4 losses in 5 games later, they are taking an early vacation. In 5 of those games, they scored 2 or fewer runs. That includes tonight. Their so-called star players, Schwarber, Turner, Harper, Realmuto, and Castellanos, went 2 for 19. Castellanos and Turner end their postseason both on prolonged hitless streaks after both coming into the series as hot as anyone in baseball.

Last year they just ran into a better team. 2011 was bad. But they got their loss out of the way in the NLDS, and the bats had been leaking oil coming into the playoffs. In 2010 the Giants were a scorching hot team with a great rotation. And in 2009, they lost to an incredibly talented Yankees team. But this? This feels like the Sixers losing to the Hawks. It feels like the Eagles losing to the Jake Delhome Panthers. It's a team they were far more talented than, but somehow lost to.

That's no disrespect to the Diamondbacks. They fought, they clawed, and got the job done. They deserve to be in the World Series. But you compare these two rosters, and it just does not quite compare. But here we are. With them getting ready to travel to Texas, and the Phillies getting their golf clubs ready.

As much talent as this team has, as great as they looked in the NLDS and games 1 and 2, they could not get the job done. It's the type of loss you dont get over easily. The type of thing we will still be talking about 10 years from now. Like 1 bloody nil, the Kawhi Leonard quadruple bouncing game-winning shot, or Ronde Barber's pick 6. Phillies fans gave this team nothing but love. But now? A loss like this is hard to overcome.

For now, we are just left in stunned silence. The Phillies season is over. There will be no return trip to the World Series. No chance of redemption. It is on to the next big thing. We will put all our hopes in the Eagles. But we will be feeling the pain of this choke for a long time.

For all the complaining and worrying we have done about the Eagles this year, they are now alone atop the NFC heading into week 8. They took care of their business in week 7, while both the Niners and Lions lost. In the 49ers' case, it is their second loss in a row. So at 6-1, the Eagles currently have the best record in the NFC. They are also tied for the best record in the NFL.

The Eagles are coming off their most impressive win of the season. Their defense held the number one offense in the league to just one TD. The Dolphins scored 17 points, but 10 came off turnovers. One literally on a pick 6, and another after a fumble that started the Dolphins in field goal range. The Tyreek Hill TD on their final drive of the first half was the one time the defense let the Dolphins get the best of them. And on the back of that great performance, they just added All-Pro Safety Kevin Byard to the mix. Instantly filling their biggest hole with the best player available.

And the offense looked mostly good too, apart from the two turnovers. The Dolphins defense is nothing too special, but they still hung 31 points on them. And apart from the first drive of the game, they finally looked good in the Red Zone, scoring a TD on 4 of 6 trips. Yes, the turnovers have become a concerning trend, but otherwise, the Eagles are in the top 5 of both yards and points per game.

But is that all enough for them finally to get some respect? Or are the National Media types around the NFL still putting the Eagles down because of their slowish start?

There was a lot of concern that the Eagles would miss Javon Hargrave. But while Hargrave has still been great with the Niners, Carter has filled that hole. He has not only been great as a pass rusher but maybe even better against the run. Last year the Eagles got after the QB at a historical rate, but at times struggled against the run. This year, they are still getting after the QB, but are also the best run defense in the league. They just shut down Breece Hall and Raheem Mostert two weeks in a row.  

ESPN Power Rankings

Thank you. Finally, some sense. The people whining and crying about the Tush Push have no good reason for why it should be banned. We have seen it is not an unstoppable play when other teams run it. The Vikings botched it in the Red Zone on Monday Night. You don’t ban plays just because one team is really good at it.

The Athletic's Power Rankings

Last year it was the mid-season signings of Linval Joseph and Ndamukong Suh to fix the Eagles' run defense. In 2017 it was the Jay Ajayi trade. Howie can always be counted on for midseason moves to fix the team's biggest issue. And now he has done it again by getting an Elite NFL steal for two day 3 picks and the guy they may have cut to make room for him anyway. Thank you, Howie.

Yahoo Sports Power Rankings

Brown was great last year. This year he is somehow even better. 5 straight games now with at least 125 yards by him. He is right up there with Tyreek Hill as one of the elite WRs in the league.

Sports Illustrated- 1 (Previously 3)

“They could QB push their way to the Super Bowl, again.”

At least for once, Mike Florio is being positive when he puts zero effort into his power rankings. It’s better than him taking some random imprecise shot at them like he usually does with his one sentence. The pun is lame though.

Pro Football Talk’s Power Rankings

If everybody could do it, everybody would. It’s not unfair, the Eagles are just good at it. Is it unfair that the Dolphins are so good at getting the ball to Tyreek Hill for deep shots? Was it unfair when Darrelle Revis was pretty much a lock to shut down the opposing WR? No? So why is it unfair that the Eagles have an elite Center and QB combo who can run the play without fail?

USA Today’s Power Rankings

Is this defense actually really good? There were valid concerns early on. But now with the addition of Kevin Byard, they have an elite D-Line and a damn good secondary. In 4 of the last 5 games, they held the opposing team under 300 total yards. Sean Desai deserves endless credit for the job he has done. He is an upgrade over Jonathan Gannon.

Bleacher Report’s Power Rankings

Yeah Hurts has not been as perfect as he was last year. And the turnovers have been a major issue the last two weeks. But he is also throwing much better. And even in that Jets game, he was making some incredible plays before his awful mistake that cost them the game. So there is no need to hit the panic button yet.

CBS Sports Power Rankings