Wide receiver Jeremy Maclin knows that the Eagles have not played consistently at a high level throughout the course of the 2011 season. Still, the Eagles have led entering the fourth quarter in four of their five losses this season.
Needless to say, that's a frustrating trend in Maclin's eyes.
"We're not playing our A-game and yet we're still in all of these games, and that's what's frustrating. And that also says what we're capable of doing. If games were played on paper we wouldn't lose to anybody, but games aren't played on paper," Maclin said. "We have to go out there and understand that just because we're the Eagles or just because we have this guy, this guy, this guy teams aren't going to lay down for us. So we have to stay with that mentality all four quarters of the game."
On paper, Maclin is having an outstanding season. He is among the league leaders in catches (44, ninth) and receiving yards (606, 12th). In the red zone, Maclin has caught six of seven passes in his direction for three touchdowns, which ranks 10th in the NFL.
But there are a handful of plays Maclin would love to have back. In the Week 2 loss in Atlanta, the Eagles were driving for a potential game-winning touchdown. On fourth down, Mike Kafka threw a ball over the middle to Maclin that he dropped. In the tough loss at home to San Francisco, Maclin caught a pass on the potential game-winning drive and fumbled away the ball. The Eagles lost 24-23 and only needed a field goal.
On Monday night, the Eagles were driving for a potential game-tying touchdown when they faced fourth-and-10 in Chicago territory. Maclin ran a shallow crossing route and was open. Michael Vick's pass was high and Maclin made a great effort to catch it, but couldn't keep his balance and fell 1 yard short of the first down.
"I expect more out of myself, but at the same time it should never come down to that, and that's just through the course of the game. You know everybody looks at that one play or looks at something but to be honest with you every play is just as important as that last play because if you make a play before that then you're not even in that situation," Maclin said.
"So people have to realize that it's not just one play, it's not just one player. It's not the quarterback. It's not the running back. It's not the d-line. It's just a group effort, man. Every play is just as key as the other one."
With the Eagles in a must-win situation Sunday against Arizona, the team's potential will no longer cut it. The Eagles need concrete results so that what ends up on paper is another check in the win column.
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