As a die hard Eagles fan since the age of 7. I have grown my knowledge of the team tremendously throughout the years. Starting off in the end of the Mcnabb, Dawkins, Westbrook era, I found MY team. Michael Vick, Desean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Lesean McCoy, and Leonard Weaver were the players most near and dear to my heart. Under the Chip Kelly era I have learned to love again. Going from a simple young fan to a knowledgeable die hard that has taken a step in the media career area (Not to toot my own horn) did not happen over night. Going back in time, using the WAY BACK archive online that allows you to visit old websites. I dug up two sound clips of me calling into Eagles Live! Presented by Dave Spadaro in 2009, Spodaro was my inspiration to become a journalist/broadcaster, this was the first step in that movement. Take a listen!
Friday, December 5, 2014
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
Eagles face crucial four game stretch
Apologies to the consistent readers of my blog, a busy few weeks of fantasy football magic sidetracked me from performing my analysis. Well what a wild couple of weeks huh? After being absolutely man handled in Lambeau field against those hot Packers, articles and articles were released calling out the Eagles, saying that they weren't real contenders, they never beat any good teams, and that our quarterback is back to his turnover problems that he had in the big apple for his first five years. It looks like those talks have been silenced for now.
After handling a Titans team that really has nothing going for them besides a top draft pick coming to them this spring, the stage was set for a thanksgiving fight for first place in the NFC East as the 8-3 Eagles, battled the 8-3 Dallas Cowboys at "Jerry World". The Cowboys were the favorites to win that game all week and honestly, I was sick and tired of hearing about that Cowboys offensive line just as much as Bennie Logan and Fletcher Cox were. This was a game that the Eagles could finally come out and make a statement, and assert themselves as an NFL powerhouse.
The game started off exactly the way the Eagles wanted. The Eagles struck first after Lesean McCoy busted a huge run to set up a Mark Sanchez read option touchdown. Sanchez kept the defense honest all game with the read option. Being able to execute the read option gives the Eagles a new dynamic that this offense has not seen with Nick Foles under center. The offensive line was dominant all game, maybe they should have been the talk of the week. Jordan Matthews continues to impress the NFL. Scroing another touchdown as well as 54 yards receiving, there have been a lot of contributing rookie wide outs this season, but the Eagles have a special one in the making. Sanchez finally got on the same page with Maclin, say what you want about the Houston game or Green Bay in garbage time, Sanchez being on the field took a lot away from the Eagles outside attack featuring Jeremy Maclin. Matthews was getting most of the targets as the inside receiver. Sanchez likes to go over the top, this has been true his entire career. Maclin tallied 108 yards receiving including a 54 yard screen pass that was nearly taken to the house. That put Maclin over the 1,000 yard mark for the first time in his career.
By the way is Lesean McCoy the same running back? I believe he is.
Watching ESPN First Take this week got me a little more riled up about this game. After all of the hype that Skip Bayless gave the Dallas Cowboys, Bennie Logan came back with some talk saying that the Cowboys offensive line is "Nothing Special". Stephen A. Smith laughed at this and nearly picked the Cowboys against the Eagles. The Eagles backed up that talk, absolutely dominating the Cowboys run game. Murray was held under 100 yards for only the second time this season.The pass rush continued its dominance this year handing Romo his worst game of the season. 42 sacks for this defense puts the Eagles at second most in the NFL. Patience has been the key to the defenses success. The switch to 3-4 with 4-3 personnel was not easy, but so far it has been the best decision this team could have made.
At 9-3 the Eagles control their own destiny. Nothing is going to be handed to them, they know that. Match ups at home against the raining super bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, and a rematch with the Dallas Cowboys will tell us all we need to know about where this Eagles team is, and if it ready for a super bowl run. Three of the last four match ups are within the division, a sweep of New York and Washington will put the Eagles at 11 wins (Knock on wood), getting a first round bye will depend on the crucial match ups these next two weeks. With Green Bay playing as the hottest team in the NFL, and the tie breaker between Philadelphia and Arizona going to the Cardinals, the Eagles will need to win one if not both of these next two games to have the road to the playoffs come through Philadelphia.
I don't know about you, but I don't want to have to play the Packers at Lambeau Stadium again.
The key to victories against Seattle and Dalls are exactly what they did last week, limit turnovers on offense, force turnovers on defense, and Mark Sanchez allowing the offense to do its thing without doing too much. Marshawn Lynch will be a daunting task for this Eagles defensive line that has a major chip on it's shoulder. They are out to make a statement. Defensive tackle Cedric Thornton said in his Wednesday press conference on if he can tackle Marshawn Lynch one on one, "Yes". We shall see come Sunday.
The key for the offense is to establish the run game early and often. The offensive line will have a tough match up, but they have to push back the strong defensive lineman in Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett. Targeting Maclin against Richard Sherman is a tricky situation. Pat Shurmur came out and said they will go after Sherman, but they need to do it the right way. Short inside routes have caused Sherman to struggle a lot this season (See Chargers game), Sanchez's strength is passes over the middle which is why the Eagles could be the Seahawks defense's worst nightmare.
The Eagles need to take advantage of Darren Sproles more, only 3 touches on offense last week is not enough for the MVP of the team this year, yes I truly believe we would not be where we are without Darren Sproles. Depending on who is covering Sproles, he could be the key to a Eagles victory. If Earl Thomas ends up going up against Sproles, we could then take advantage of McCoy on the other side of the field, but if Bobby Wagner or a Seahawk linebacker gets the daunting task of covering Sproles, game over.
Final Prediction: Eagles 27-17 Seahawks
After handling a Titans team that really has nothing going for them besides a top draft pick coming to them this spring, the stage was set for a thanksgiving fight for first place in the NFC East as the 8-3 Eagles, battled the 8-3 Dallas Cowboys at "Jerry World". The Cowboys were the favorites to win that game all week and honestly, I was sick and tired of hearing about that Cowboys offensive line just as much as Bennie Logan and Fletcher Cox were. This was a game that the Eagles could finally come out and make a statement, and assert themselves as an NFL powerhouse.
The game started off exactly the way the Eagles wanted. The Eagles struck first after Lesean McCoy busted a huge run to set up a Mark Sanchez read option touchdown. Sanchez kept the defense honest all game with the read option. Being able to execute the read option gives the Eagles a new dynamic that this offense has not seen with Nick Foles under center. The offensive line was dominant all game, maybe they should have been the talk of the week. Jordan Matthews continues to impress the NFL. Scroing another touchdown as well as 54 yards receiving, there have been a lot of contributing rookie wide outs this season, but the Eagles have a special one in the making. Sanchez finally got on the same page with Maclin, say what you want about the Houston game or Green Bay in garbage time, Sanchez being on the field took a lot away from the Eagles outside attack featuring Jeremy Maclin. Matthews was getting most of the targets as the inside receiver. Sanchez likes to go over the top, this has been true his entire career. Maclin tallied 108 yards receiving including a 54 yard screen pass that was nearly taken to the house. That put Maclin over the 1,000 yard mark for the first time in his career.
By the way is Lesean McCoy the same running back? I believe he is.
Watching ESPN First Take this week got me a little more riled up about this game. After all of the hype that Skip Bayless gave the Dallas Cowboys, Bennie Logan came back with some talk saying that the Cowboys offensive line is "Nothing Special". Stephen A. Smith laughed at this and nearly picked the Cowboys against the Eagles. The Eagles backed up that talk, absolutely dominating the Cowboys run game. Murray was held under 100 yards for only the second time this season.The pass rush continued its dominance this year handing Romo his worst game of the season. 42 sacks for this defense puts the Eagles at second most in the NFL. Patience has been the key to the defenses success. The switch to 3-4 with 4-3 personnel was not easy, but so far it has been the best decision this team could have made.
At 9-3 the Eagles control their own destiny. Nothing is going to be handed to them, they know that. Match ups at home against the raining super bowl champion Seattle Seahawks, and a rematch with the Dallas Cowboys will tell us all we need to know about where this Eagles team is, and if it ready for a super bowl run. Three of the last four match ups are within the division, a sweep of New York and Washington will put the Eagles at 11 wins (Knock on wood), getting a first round bye will depend on the crucial match ups these next two weeks. With Green Bay playing as the hottest team in the NFL, and the tie breaker between Philadelphia and Arizona going to the Cardinals, the Eagles will need to win one if not both of these next two games to have the road to the playoffs come through Philadelphia.
I don't know about you, but I don't want to have to play the Packers at Lambeau Stadium again.
The key to victories against Seattle and Dalls are exactly what they did last week, limit turnovers on offense, force turnovers on defense, and Mark Sanchez allowing the offense to do its thing without doing too much. Marshawn Lynch will be a daunting task for this Eagles defensive line that has a major chip on it's shoulder. They are out to make a statement. Defensive tackle Cedric Thornton said in his Wednesday press conference on if he can tackle Marshawn Lynch one on one, "Yes". We shall see come Sunday.
The key for the offense is to establish the run game early and often. The offensive line will have a tough match up, but they have to push back the strong defensive lineman in Cliff Avril and Michael Bennett. Targeting Maclin against Richard Sherman is a tricky situation. Pat Shurmur came out and said they will go after Sherman, but they need to do it the right way. Short inside routes have caused Sherman to struggle a lot this season (See Chargers game), Sanchez's strength is passes over the middle which is why the Eagles could be the Seahawks defense's worst nightmare.
The Eagles need to take advantage of Darren Sproles more, only 3 touches on offense last week is not enough for the MVP of the team this year, yes I truly believe we would not be where we are without Darren Sproles. Depending on who is covering Sproles, he could be the key to a Eagles victory. If Earl Thomas ends up going up against Sproles, we could then take advantage of McCoy on the other side of the field, but if Bobby Wagner or a Seahawk linebacker gets the daunting task of covering Sproles, game over.
Final Prediction: Eagles 27-17 Seahawks
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Eagles Rout Panthers; Move on to Lambeau
It's November, the weather is changing, but one thing that hasn't changed this season is that the Eagles are finding ways to win football games. This time Eagles fans just got to sit back, relax, and enjoy a shut out that has been a long time coming. Defeating the Carolina Panthers 45-21 on prime time showed the world just what this team is made of.
In Mark Sanchez's first start, he was very sharp. The best part of it all? No turnovers! Other than one bad throw that was nearly picked off (Luckily the defenders foot was out of bounds), Sanchez was comfortable in the pocket and made this offense go even faster than it usually goes under Chip Kelly. Sanchez had 332 yards and two touchdowns that were both thrown to his go to receiver Jordan Matthews. Sanchez's mobility gives the offense a different dynamic. Chip Kelly loves to utilize the read option in his offense but was unable to do this effectively with Foles. The highlight play using zone read was the first touchdown for Sanchez, reading the linebacker, Sanchez pulled the ball from McCoy and rolled left delivering a dart to Matthews who strolled into the end zone after he beat his defender on a crossing route.
Jordan Matthews continues to improve each game. He finally had his breakout performance against Carolina racking up a total of 138 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns. When people have come to question why the Eagles haven't gotten Zach Ertz more involved, well Matthews may be the reason. His long arms and size makes him a match up nightmare against most slot corners who are relatively small. He is on pass to be near the 1,000 mark in yards and already has 5 touchdowns on the year. I see Matthews taking over as the number one target with Mark Sanchez at the helm.
How about that defense huh?! What a long way the pass rush has come after Billy Davis's switch to the 3-4 scheme. Connor Barwin is at 10 sacks after his huge 4 sack performance, and is tied for second in the league for most sacks. I can tell the Eagles are allowing Barwin to be more of a pass rusher this year, where as last year he played back more, helping in coverage and focusing on the run. The secondary is starting to get into a groove. Their past two games have been the best that we have seen out of Carry Williams and Bradley Fletcher who both had an interception on Monday Night. Casey Matthews helped the Eagles seal the wound of losing middle linebacker, and team leader Demeco Ryans. On the second play of the game Matthews forced the ball out of running back DeAngelo William's hand to get the Eagle offense in great field position. I can't say enough about Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham, readers you already know how I feel about them.
One person that seems to get lost in the shuffle is slot corner back Brandon Boykin. The Eagles use a lot of different formations that tend to favor bigger players. Nolan Carrol is used as a dime linebacker with his size, but Boykin really isn't on the field all that much.
The Eagles special teams is a historically good unit. Chris Maragos, Trey Burton, and Darren Sproles are just a few players that have covered up the inconsistencies of the offense. Does anybody else think Sproles is a far superior returner than Desean Jackson? Believe it because it is true.
Next up is the Green Bay Packers who are playing some incredible football. Sanchez will be tested in the cold weather conditions at Lambeau Field.
Prediction: Eagles 31-28 Packers.
In Mark Sanchez's first start, he was very sharp. The best part of it all? No turnovers! Other than one bad throw that was nearly picked off (Luckily the defenders foot was out of bounds), Sanchez was comfortable in the pocket and made this offense go even faster than it usually goes under Chip Kelly. Sanchez had 332 yards and two touchdowns that were both thrown to his go to receiver Jordan Matthews. Sanchez's mobility gives the offense a different dynamic. Chip Kelly loves to utilize the read option in his offense but was unable to do this effectively with Foles. The highlight play using zone read was the first touchdown for Sanchez, reading the linebacker, Sanchez pulled the ball from McCoy and rolled left delivering a dart to Matthews who strolled into the end zone after he beat his defender on a crossing route.
Jordan Matthews continues to improve each game. He finally had his breakout performance against Carolina racking up a total of 138 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns. When people have come to question why the Eagles haven't gotten Zach Ertz more involved, well Matthews may be the reason. His long arms and size makes him a match up nightmare against most slot corners who are relatively small. He is on pass to be near the 1,000 mark in yards and already has 5 touchdowns on the year. I see Matthews taking over as the number one target with Mark Sanchez at the helm.
How about that defense huh?! What a long way the pass rush has come after Billy Davis's switch to the 3-4 scheme. Connor Barwin is at 10 sacks after his huge 4 sack performance, and is tied for second in the league for most sacks. I can tell the Eagles are allowing Barwin to be more of a pass rusher this year, where as last year he played back more, helping in coverage and focusing on the run. The secondary is starting to get into a groove. Their past two games have been the best that we have seen out of Carry Williams and Bradley Fletcher who both had an interception on Monday Night. Casey Matthews helped the Eagles seal the wound of losing middle linebacker, and team leader Demeco Ryans. On the second play of the game Matthews forced the ball out of running back DeAngelo William's hand to get the Eagle offense in great field position. I can't say enough about Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham, readers you already know how I feel about them.
One person that seems to get lost in the shuffle is slot corner back Brandon Boykin. The Eagles use a lot of different formations that tend to favor bigger players. Nolan Carrol is used as a dime linebacker with his size, but Boykin really isn't on the field all that much.
The Eagles special teams is a historically good unit. Chris Maragos, Trey Burton, and Darren Sproles are just a few players that have covered up the inconsistencies of the offense. Does anybody else think Sproles is a far superior returner than Desean Jackson? Believe it because it is true.
Next up is the Green Bay Packers who are playing some incredible football. Sanchez will be tested in the cold weather conditions at Lambeau Field.
Prediction: Eagles 31-28 Packers.
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Eagles take costly victory in Houston
When a leader goes down, who is going to step up? Who is going to be the guy that everyone looks to when "Mufasa" doesn't get up? Sunday in Houston brought those questions to the team when the Eagles lost both their quarterback on offense Nick Foles, and quarterback on defense, Middle Linebacker Demeco Ryans to what looks to be season ending injuries. Nick Foles after being hit landed on his non throwing shoulder, he was slow to get up and went to the locker room to get x rays and possibly return to the game. Low and behold bad news awaited Foles who found out that it was a collarbone injury. If broken, the injury would sideline Foles for the majority of the second half of the year. This was the news that was broken on Monday. As a harsh critic of Nick Foles, I was calling for a change after the pick six to Houston in the first half. This doesn't mean however I wished injury upon the thought to be franchise quarterback. I was still waiting for Foles to have that one big game and start to play the smart, efficient football that he did last year. We may never see that again in Philadelphia if what I am predicting comes true.
Losing Demeco Ryans should not be over looked. What he did for the Eagles not only on the field, but off the field may have turned this franchise around. Chip Kelly believes to have success you need to change the culture of the team. Well Ryans certainly changed the culture with his lead by example, motivational leadership. This however on the field is a loss that can be recovered with the great play of Mychal Kendricks who will continue to remain as the SAM linebacker where as Casey Matthews will be the play caller now of the defense. The pass rush has been fantastic lately. Connor Barwin and Trent Cole have been steady, but I have been more impressed with Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham who have overcome a lot to continue their high pass rushing productivity.
The secondary had its best performance against the Texans Sunday. Carry Williams took Andre Johnson out of the game, as for Bradley Fletcher, he continues to be up and down with a tremendous pass break up on a deep route against Johnson, but continued to struggle on his angles taken when giving up a reception. Hopefully turnovers will come with the continued improvement of the secondary. That is the key, the pass rush is doing its job. We need the secondary to start taking some risks and go for turnovers.
Now lets get to the offense shall we?
After a huge 59 yard touchdown to Jeremy Maclin, things were looking up for the offense. That was until a interception by Nick Foles that was returned for a touchdown led back to the same moans and groans of this offense this year. In comes Mark Sanchez after Foles injury. The offense didn't skip a beat with Sanchez in, on his first play Sanchez threw a 52 yard post to Jeremy Maclin that put the Eagles in the red zone which was later converted into an incredible floater to Jordan Matthews. My opinion on Mark Sanchez is a positive one.
Chip Kelly's offense is a very Quarterback friendly one if they pick up the offense. Sanchez's mobility actually made the offense even more dynamic against Houston, including the touchdown to Jeremy Maclin when the pocket collapsed, Sanchez rolled to his right and delivered a bullet on the run. He doesn't have to win the games for you, but he certainly can't lose them. The run game took a huge step forward against Houston. Lesean McCoy ran for a hard fought 117 yards, Chris Polk pounded the ball down the field on the 8 plays all running drive that led to Polk finishing the job for a touchdown. Darren Sproles broke a 24 yard screen pass as well as another for 10 yards. He ran hard and converted some crucial third and longs for the Eagles.
If Sanchez can control the offense, distribute the ball to his play makers, and not turn the football over. We will most likely not see Nick Foles again this year. I am very confident that Sanchez can lead us to a NFC East championship, and possibly more. He has won playoff games, as well as starting in two conference championships. With 202 yards and 2 touchdowns, that is the production I believe Sanchez can provide, but the 2 interceptions cannot happen if the Eagles are going to make a deep playoff run.
Nick Foles's contract is up at the end of the year. Will the Eagles bring him back into the mix? Do Kelly and Roseman still believe Foles can be the franchise quarterback? One thing is for sure, as for right now, Sanchez is the guy.
And how about Jeremy Maclin huh? He is on pace for over 1,600 yards and 16 touchdowns. If that isn't comeback player of the year statistics then I don't know what is.
Losing Demeco Ryans should not be over looked. What he did for the Eagles not only on the field, but off the field may have turned this franchise around. Chip Kelly believes to have success you need to change the culture of the team. Well Ryans certainly changed the culture with his lead by example, motivational leadership. This however on the field is a loss that can be recovered with the great play of Mychal Kendricks who will continue to remain as the SAM linebacker where as Casey Matthews will be the play caller now of the defense. The pass rush has been fantastic lately. Connor Barwin and Trent Cole have been steady, but I have been more impressed with Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham who have overcome a lot to continue their high pass rushing productivity.
The secondary had its best performance against the Texans Sunday. Carry Williams took Andre Johnson out of the game, as for Bradley Fletcher, he continues to be up and down with a tremendous pass break up on a deep route against Johnson, but continued to struggle on his angles taken when giving up a reception. Hopefully turnovers will come with the continued improvement of the secondary. That is the key, the pass rush is doing its job. We need the secondary to start taking some risks and go for turnovers.
Now lets get to the offense shall we?
After a huge 59 yard touchdown to Jeremy Maclin, things were looking up for the offense. That was until a interception by Nick Foles that was returned for a touchdown led back to the same moans and groans of this offense this year. In comes Mark Sanchez after Foles injury. The offense didn't skip a beat with Sanchez in, on his first play Sanchez threw a 52 yard post to Jeremy Maclin that put the Eagles in the red zone which was later converted into an incredible floater to Jordan Matthews. My opinion on Mark Sanchez is a positive one.
Chip Kelly's offense is a very Quarterback friendly one if they pick up the offense. Sanchez's mobility actually made the offense even more dynamic against Houston, including the touchdown to Jeremy Maclin when the pocket collapsed, Sanchez rolled to his right and delivered a bullet on the run. He doesn't have to win the games for you, but he certainly can't lose them. The run game took a huge step forward against Houston. Lesean McCoy ran for a hard fought 117 yards, Chris Polk pounded the ball down the field on the 8 plays all running drive that led to Polk finishing the job for a touchdown. Darren Sproles broke a 24 yard screen pass as well as another for 10 yards. He ran hard and converted some crucial third and longs for the Eagles.
If Sanchez can control the offense, distribute the ball to his play makers, and not turn the football over. We will most likely not see Nick Foles again this year. I am very confident that Sanchez can lead us to a NFC East championship, and possibly more. He has won playoff games, as well as starting in two conference championships. With 202 yards and 2 touchdowns, that is the production I believe Sanchez can provide, but the 2 interceptions cannot happen if the Eagles are going to make a deep playoff run.
Nick Foles's contract is up at the end of the year. Will the Eagles bring him back into the mix? Do Kelly and Roseman still believe Foles can be the franchise quarterback? One thing is for sure, as for right now, Sanchez is the guy.
And how about Jeremy Maclin huh? He is on pace for over 1,600 yards and 16 touchdowns. If that isn't comeback player of the year statistics then I don't know what is.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Eagles head into the bye on top of the NFC East at 5-1
An impressive 27-0 shutout against the division rival New York Giants puts the Philadelphia Eagles at an impressive 5-1 record. Heading into the bye week, there is a lot to like about this club, but there is a lot of work to do ahead. If you would have told me that the Eagles would be on top of the NFC East at the bye week I would have expected it to be that way, but if you were to tell me that record would only get to a tie in the East with the Dallas Cowboys at the same record of 5-1, I would have called you nuts.
A lot of fans and analysts around the NFL are pushing aside the Eagles 5-1 record and claiming that this team is not as good as it's record shows. Let me be the first to say that I am not satisifed with how everyone on the roster is playing, I believe that Nick Foles has not played up to expectations as he leads the NFL in total turnovers with 7 interceptions, I also think the two outside corners have played very poorly besides the Sunday Night bout against the G-Men. Yet besides all the trials and tribulation including two vital offensive lineman down with injuires in Evan Mathis and Jason Kelce, the team is still 5-1!
Yes they should beat the Jacksonville Jaguars and St. Louis Rams, but the agrument that the Eagles have not played contenders is not close to the truth. Wins against the Colts, Redskins, and Giants are wins that I consider to be impressive ones. The Colts since losing the Monday Night game to the Eagles have gone on to win four straight. The New York Giants before getting stomped by Philly was on a three game winning streak of their own. The Redskins are better than their record shows in my opinion.
The Eagles have gotten a huge boost from their special teams and defense since the match up against the Redskins. 3 blocked punts, 2 for touchdowns, 1 kickoff return touchdown, 1 punt return touchdown. That is just on the special teams side. The defense has recorded 2 fumbles recovered for touchdowns as well as 3 interceptions from Malcolm Jenkins. The defense had a league high of 8 sacks last game including 3 from Connor Barwin, 2 from Vinny Curry, and 1 from Trent Cole, Brandon Graham, and Brandon Bair. This defensive front is 9 players deep and is sneekely the deepest position on the roster. Vinny Curry continues to make plays when he is on the field. Already having 4 sacks in the snaps he gets. He and Graham have made huge contributions on the pass rush which seemed to be lost after the first three weeks. Brandon Boykin continues to impress completely shutting down Victor Cruz before #80 suffered a season ending injury in his leg.
As for the offense. You would think it is the strongest link on the team with how dominant they were last season, well they rank 20th among total offense in the NFL. That doesn't mean everyone has under played though. Darren Sproles has been absolutely phenominal this year not only returning and receivng the ball, but actually running the football! Yes a running back that is running! Lesean McCoy rebounded against the Giants posting 149 yards rushing. Maclin, Cooper, and Jordan Matthews have provided consistency at the receiver position with some big contributions from tight end Zach Ertz as well in the passing game. The offensive line has improved each week with backups Matt Tobin and David Molk in the lineup. They have held opposing defenses to 0 sacks in the past two weeks against what seemed like two formadable pass rushes.
As for Nick Foles, I am a skeptic. I believe Chip Kelly's system is plug and play. Foles is built from the system not vise versa. Yes he has had his bright spots this year, just look at the Washington game. Yet week in and week out he continues to make the costly mental errors of forcing throws and hanging onto the football too long which tend to coinside with each other. When he is on, don't get me wrong he is stellar. The first half against the Giants was nearly perfect for Foles including a perfect ball in the end zone to Ertz. Even with all these mistakes, Foles still is 5th in the NFL with 1,628 passing touchdowns and 10 touchdowns. Turnovers are costly though, if Foles can fix these mistakes which he even says are very fixable, this team can get to the next level which we know they can do with how well they are playing under some tough injuries and bad Quaterback play.
A lot of fans and analysts around the NFL are pushing aside the Eagles 5-1 record and claiming that this team is not as good as it's record shows. Let me be the first to say that I am not satisifed with how everyone on the roster is playing, I believe that Nick Foles has not played up to expectations as he leads the NFL in total turnovers with 7 interceptions, I also think the two outside corners have played very poorly besides the Sunday Night bout against the G-Men. Yet besides all the trials and tribulation including two vital offensive lineman down with injuires in Evan Mathis and Jason Kelce, the team is still 5-1!
Yes they should beat the Jacksonville Jaguars and St. Louis Rams, but the agrument that the Eagles have not played contenders is not close to the truth. Wins against the Colts, Redskins, and Giants are wins that I consider to be impressive ones. The Colts since losing the Monday Night game to the Eagles have gone on to win four straight. The New York Giants before getting stomped by Philly was on a three game winning streak of their own. The Redskins are better than their record shows in my opinion.
The Eagles have gotten a huge boost from their special teams and defense since the match up against the Redskins. 3 blocked punts, 2 for touchdowns, 1 kickoff return touchdown, 1 punt return touchdown. That is just on the special teams side. The defense has recorded 2 fumbles recovered for touchdowns as well as 3 interceptions from Malcolm Jenkins. The defense had a league high of 8 sacks last game including 3 from Connor Barwin, 2 from Vinny Curry, and 1 from Trent Cole, Brandon Graham, and Brandon Bair. This defensive front is 9 players deep and is sneekely the deepest position on the roster. Vinny Curry continues to make plays when he is on the field. Already having 4 sacks in the snaps he gets. He and Graham have made huge contributions on the pass rush which seemed to be lost after the first three weeks. Brandon Boykin continues to impress completely shutting down Victor Cruz before #80 suffered a season ending injury in his leg.
As for the offense. You would think it is the strongest link on the team with how dominant they were last season, well they rank 20th among total offense in the NFL. That doesn't mean everyone has under played though. Darren Sproles has been absolutely phenominal this year not only returning and receivng the ball, but actually running the football! Yes a running back that is running! Lesean McCoy rebounded against the Giants posting 149 yards rushing. Maclin, Cooper, and Jordan Matthews have provided consistency at the receiver position with some big contributions from tight end Zach Ertz as well in the passing game. The offensive line has improved each week with backups Matt Tobin and David Molk in the lineup. They have held opposing defenses to 0 sacks in the past two weeks against what seemed like two formadable pass rushes.
As for Nick Foles, I am a skeptic. I believe Chip Kelly's system is plug and play. Foles is built from the system not vise versa. Yes he has had his bright spots this year, just look at the Washington game. Yet week in and week out he continues to make the costly mental errors of forcing throws and hanging onto the football too long which tend to coinside with each other. When he is on, don't get me wrong he is stellar. The first half against the Giants was nearly perfect for Foles including a perfect ball in the end zone to Ertz. Even with all these mistakes, Foles still is 5th in the NFL with 1,628 passing touchdowns and 10 touchdowns. Turnovers are costly though, if Foles can fix these mistakes which he even says are very fixable, this team can get to the next level which we know they can do with how well they are playing under some tough injuries and bad Quaterback play.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Eagles Round Up: The Fight to 4-1
If your completely comfortable with the way the Eagles have gotten to 4-1 so far then this article isn't for you. I am not saying that I am unhappy with the Eagles who are atop of the NFC East, but in no way am I comfortable with where the team is considering the Dallas Cowboys are right with the Eagles at 4-1, as well as the Giants who have now won three straight to get to 3-2. Of course this is perfect timing as the Eagles take on the Giants next week on Sunday night football. The defense and special teams have been a sight for sore eyes the past three weeks. Scoring six touchdowns that are not from the offense in the past three match ups is a recipe for success, that is of course if the offense is doing their diligence as well which you can say as of late the Eagles are not doing.
The Eagles defeated the St. Louis Rams 34-28 in what was, but should not have been a close outing. After the Eagles got off to a rocking start, blocking a punt for a touchdown in the first 23 seconds of the game, it looked like the Eagles were going to finally handle a team without any trouble. That was not the case. Nick Foles threw for 207 yards on 24 completions of which two of them were touchdowns to Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper. Foles again was inconsistent with his footwork and decision making down field throwing a unnecessary interception down the middle of the field. He also got away with a few other risky lobs down the middle that were thrown off his back foot. Even though the Eagles offensive line held the Rams to 0 sacks, Foles did not look comfortable like most of this season. Is it safe to say Jason Kelce and Evan Mathis are two of the biggest pieces on this team? Another costly turnover from Foles almost gave the game away late in the second half. After scrambling for an 11 yard first down, instead of sliding on his feet ruling him down, Foles dove head first into the ground and fumbled the ball on his own. The Rams recovered and immediately scored on a Austin Davis to Brian Quick touchdown that put the Rams within two scores. Turnovers will be the life or the death of a team and for the Eagles, they got on the lucky end of the stick.
The defense was a force all game minus the end of the 4th quarter where they gave up 3 touchdowns. Connor Barwin had a pair of sacks as well as a pass deflection, Trent Cole had a strip sack, Vinny Curry had a sack again continuing to show why he needs to be on the field, and Brandon Graham had a strip tackle on Zac Stacy that end Cedric Thornton picked up and ran for the score. Thornton had two fumble recoveries including a 40 yard scamper that he nearly took to the house. Almost 2 touchdowns for a defensive end! Crazy. I have said this all along, I don't care how much Curry and Graham don't fit the traditional 3-4 scheme, just get these guys on the field. Curry is one of the most efficient pass rushers in the NFL with is limited reps according to Pro Football Focus. Together Graham and Curry have combined for 3 sacks and 3 forced fumbles in the limited work they have had, not to mention their 20 tackles between the two. Those may not look like flashy numbers, but if you go back and look at these two, all they do is make plays. The corner position continues to be an issue. Carry Williams and Bradley Fletcher were beaten bad by Kenny Britt and Brian Quick. It isn't the fact that both weren't there to make a play on the ball, it is that they simply didn't turn around. The lack of adjustment in the secondary makes me question the situation with Brandon Boykin who again saved the day with a last second pass breakup to end the Rams final drive. How much worse could Boykin and Carrol do on the outside? It is almost impossible to do worse than Williams and Fletcher have. The special teams continues it's historic run, Chris Maragos, James Casey, Trey Burton, and Darren Sproles have been absolutely huge signings for the team this year in that area.
At 4-1 things are looking good for the Eagles, but there is a lot of work to be done. With a huge prime time match up next week, expect the Eagles offense to come out swinging. I expect a wide variety of play calls by Chip Kelly to get McCoy and Sproles more involved in the offense. As of late it has been all Jeremy Maclin who is on pace to surpass Desean Jackson's career high numbers of last season. Maclin had 76 yards and another touchdown this week putting him already at 4 scores.
Is this team on the downfall and are getting plain lucky? Or is this a powerhouse with a boat load of talent that is finding ways to win and yet they just aren't clicking yet? Time will tell.
The Eagles defeated the St. Louis Rams 34-28 in what was, but should not have been a close outing. After the Eagles got off to a rocking start, blocking a punt for a touchdown in the first 23 seconds of the game, it looked like the Eagles were going to finally handle a team without any trouble. That was not the case. Nick Foles threw for 207 yards on 24 completions of which two of them were touchdowns to Jeremy Maclin and Riley Cooper. Foles again was inconsistent with his footwork and decision making down field throwing a unnecessary interception down the middle of the field. He also got away with a few other risky lobs down the middle that were thrown off his back foot. Even though the Eagles offensive line held the Rams to 0 sacks, Foles did not look comfortable like most of this season. Is it safe to say Jason Kelce and Evan Mathis are two of the biggest pieces on this team? Another costly turnover from Foles almost gave the game away late in the second half. After scrambling for an 11 yard first down, instead of sliding on his feet ruling him down, Foles dove head first into the ground and fumbled the ball on his own. The Rams recovered and immediately scored on a Austin Davis to Brian Quick touchdown that put the Rams within two scores. Turnovers will be the life or the death of a team and for the Eagles, they got on the lucky end of the stick. The defense was a force all game minus the end of the 4th quarter where they gave up 3 touchdowns. Connor Barwin had a pair of sacks as well as a pass deflection, Trent Cole had a strip sack, Vinny Curry had a sack again continuing to show why he needs to be on the field, and Brandon Graham had a strip tackle on Zac Stacy that end Cedric Thornton picked up and ran for the score. Thornton had two fumble recoveries including a 40 yard scamper that he nearly took to the house. Almost 2 touchdowns for a defensive end! Crazy. I have said this all along, I don't care how much Curry and Graham don't fit the traditional 3-4 scheme, just get these guys on the field. Curry is one of the most efficient pass rushers in the NFL with is limited reps according to Pro Football Focus. Together Graham and Curry have combined for 3 sacks and 3 forced fumbles in the limited work they have had, not to mention their 20 tackles between the two. Those may not look like flashy numbers, but if you go back and look at these two, all they do is make plays. The corner position continues to be an issue. Carry Williams and Bradley Fletcher were beaten bad by Kenny Britt and Brian Quick. It isn't the fact that both weren't there to make a play on the ball, it is that they simply didn't turn around. The lack of adjustment in the secondary makes me question the situation with Brandon Boykin who again saved the day with a last second pass breakup to end the Rams final drive. How much worse could Boykin and Carrol do on the outside? It is almost impossible to do worse than Williams and Fletcher have. The special teams continues it's historic run, Chris Maragos, James Casey, Trey Burton, and Darren Sproles have been absolutely huge signings for the team this year in that area.
At 4-1 things are looking good for the Eagles, but there is a lot of work to be done. With a huge prime time match up next week, expect the Eagles offense to come out swinging. I expect a wide variety of play calls by Chip Kelly to get McCoy and Sproles more involved in the offense. As of late it has been all Jeremy Maclin who is on pace to surpass Desean Jackson's career high numbers of last season. Maclin had 76 yards and another touchdown this week putting him already at 4 scores.
Is this team on the downfall and are getting plain lucky? Or is this a powerhouse with a boat load of talent that is finding ways to win and yet they just aren't clicking yet? Time will tell.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Eagles Round up: What to take from 3-0 start
Wow wow wow and wow. Can this season get anymore exciting, controversial, nerve racking? I don't
think so. Battling injuries, defensive struggles, and slow starts the Philadelphia Eagles have managed
to get to an undefeated 3-0 record to start of what has been a incredible start to the season. After what
was just a hard fought battle against the Indianapolis Colts, the media was all over how this team was
winning and if it could last. Well the winning continued Sunday after noon with a incredible 37-34
victory over the NFC East rival Washington Redskins who featured a returning Philadelphia Eagle by
the name of Desean Jackson. The winning however continued the way it has throughout the 3 weeks
of the season which has been close, gritty, and a come from behind type win. What stuck out in week
3 from both the offense and defense, and of course the special teams.
As for the offense I thought that Nick Foles was the MVP of this game. Plain and simple. After Jason Kelce went down with what is now being called a sports hernia, Foles had to stick in the pocket and deliver some tough throws while taking a couple big licks from the Washington defense. Foles finished the game for the third time with over 300 yards and recorded 3 touchdowns with no interceptions. He looked a lot more comfortable with his feet and how he was delivering throws. Foles said in his press conference "I'm going to get up not out of pride but to show the guys that I am fighting for them so they will do the same". As for Desean Jackson he finished the game with 117 yards and a touchdown but was restricted for most of the game besides one 81 yard touchdown grab. He got into a scuffle with Jenkins and Nate Allen early but was not flagged. It really got the crowd going. But then when it was time for a brawl, Desean didn't seem interested as Emmanuel Acho called #11 out on twitter today.
If you doubted Foles as a leader and as the Eagles quarterback, I believe you have been proven wrong or will be soon with the way Foles is leading this offense without most of his starting offensive line. A late play that seemed to be a turnover spurred up some heat at the end of the game when Nick Foles overthrew his target and appeared to be intercepted. While returning the play, Foles seemed to have thought the play was over and slowed down when out of nowhere he was blind sided by defensive tackle Sam Baker. Jason Peters immediately went after Baker repeatedly punching Baker in the helmet which began an all out brawl on Washington's sideline. Jason Peters was thrown out of the game which then left Todd Herremans as the last starting offensive lineman while David Molk, Andrew Gardener, Dennis Kelly, and newly signed Wade Smith tried to give Foles enough time to lead the Eagles back to victory.
Jeremy Maclin and Jordan Matthews also had big games as #18 finished with 154 yards and a touchdown and #81 finished with 59 yards and 2 touchdowns on the day. It was a change from where the offense was getting points from the last two games where Foles was relying heavily on the tight ends and running backs, week 3 was a different scenario. The Redskins took out both McCoy and Sproles who had 20 yards rushing a piece. Zach Ertz only had one catch for 14 yards so the Eagles took what they could get and attacked that weak Washington secondary.
Defensively the Eagles gave up 427 passing yards in Kirk Cousins first start this season, and really seemed to struggle on the power runs from Alfred Morris. Yet with those struggles comes resiliency as when the game was on the line in a 4th and 10 situation for Washington who was trailing by 3 with under 2 minutes left, the secondary made a play when they had to as the puss rush couldn't get to Kirk Cousins who threw up a pass to a what seemed to be open Pierre Garcon but threw it behind him. So yes maybe the defense caught a break and yes they need to improve, but the interception from Malcolm Jenkins late in the game shows the true character of this team and that when it is time to make a stop. This defense is fully capable of doing it.
A big week 3 victory puts the Eagles at an undefeated 3-0 as they fly out to San Francisco next week to take on the surprising 1-2 49ers team at the new Levi Stadium. It will be a tough battle of two teams who are suffering through a lot of injuries and controversy. A quick note is that I am getting tired of seeing the white on white jerseys. Who is ready to see some midnight green? Get to it Nike!
think so. Battling injuries, defensive struggles, and slow starts the Philadelphia Eagles have managed
to get to an undefeated 3-0 record to start of what has been a incredible start to the season. After what
was just a hard fought battle against the Indianapolis Colts, the media was all over how this team was
winning and if it could last. Well the winning continued Sunday after noon with a incredible 37-34
victory over the NFC East rival Washington Redskins who featured a returning Philadelphia Eagle by
the name of Desean Jackson. The winning however continued the way it has throughout the 3 weeks
of the season which has been close, gritty, and a come from behind type win. What stuck out in week
3 from both the offense and defense, and of course the special teams.
As for the offense I thought that Nick Foles was the MVP of this game. Plain and simple. After Jason Kelce went down with what is now being called a sports hernia, Foles had to stick in the pocket and deliver some tough throws while taking a couple big licks from the Washington defense. Foles finished the game for the third time with over 300 yards and recorded 3 touchdowns with no interceptions. He looked a lot more comfortable with his feet and how he was delivering throws. Foles said in his press conference "I'm going to get up not out of pride but to show the guys that I am fighting for them so they will do the same". As for Desean Jackson he finished the game with 117 yards and a touchdown but was restricted for most of the game besides one 81 yard touchdown grab. He got into a scuffle with Jenkins and Nate Allen early but was not flagged. It really got the crowd going. But then when it was time for a brawl, Desean didn't seem interested as Emmanuel Acho called #11 out on twitter today.If you doubted Foles as a leader and as the Eagles quarterback, I believe you have been proven wrong or will be soon with the way Foles is leading this offense without most of his starting offensive line. A late play that seemed to be a turnover spurred up some heat at the end of the game when Nick Foles overthrew his target and appeared to be intercepted. While returning the play, Foles seemed to have thought the play was over and slowed down when out of nowhere he was blind sided by defensive tackle Sam Baker. Jason Peters immediately went after Baker repeatedly punching Baker in the helmet which began an all out brawl on Washington's sideline. Jason Peters was thrown out of the game which then left Todd Herremans as the last starting offensive lineman while David Molk, Andrew Gardener, Dennis Kelly, and newly signed Wade Smith tried to give Foles enough time to lead the Eagles back to victory.
Jeremy Maclin and Jordan Matthews also had big games as #18 finished with 154 yards and a touchdown and #81 finished with 59 yards and 2 touchdowns on the day. It was a change from where the offense was getting points from the last two games where Foles was relying heavily on the tight ends and running backs, week 3 was a different scenario. The Redskins took out both McCoy and Sproles who had 20 yards rushing a piece. Zach Ertz only had one catch for 14 yards so the Eagles took what they could get and attacked that weak Washington secondary.Defensively the Eagles gave up 427 passing yards in Kirk Cousins first start this season, and really seemed to struggle on the power runs from Alfred Morris. Yet with those struggles comes resiliency as when the game was on the line in a 4th and 10 situation for Washington who was trailing by 3 with under 2 minutes left, the secondary made a play when they had to as the puss rush couldn't get to Kirk Cousins who threw up a pass to a what seemed to be open Pierre Garcon but threw it behind him. So yes maybe the defense caught a break and yes they need to improve, but the interception from Malcolm Jenkins late in the game shows the true character of this team and that when it is time to make a stop. This defense is fully capable of doing it.A big week 3 victory puts the Eagles at an undefeated 3-0 as they fly out to San Francisco next week to take on the surprising 1-2 49ers team at the new Levi Stadium. It will be a tough battle of two teams who are suffering through a lot of injuries and controversy. A quick note is that I am getting tired of seeing the white on white jerseys. Who is ready to see some midnight green? Get to it Nike!
Monday, September 8, 2014
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Eagles Secondary A Major Concern
Friday night told us a lot about the Eagles. Offensively they look as strong if not stronger than last season. Zach Ertz seems to have taken his game to another level this year. Showing off his strong hands in the end zone where Foles hit Ertz on a comeback route for a touchdown. Although the offense seems to be progressing, the defense still seems to be struggling to defend the pass game. Carry Williams had the highlight of the game intercepting Tom Brady and taking it all the way for a 77 yard touchdown. Williams had been in the headlines the entire week because of his comments about the Patriots being "Cheaters". The first team defense had its ups and downs, a lot of yards given up like last year, but when opportunities struck to turn the tide of the game, the defense always seems to be able to grab that. When the opposing offense gets things going though, the defense looks catastrophic. Curtis Marsh and Roc Carmichael got a lot of reps with the first team due to injuries to Brandon Boykin and Nolan Carroll. They did little to comfort the Eagles that there is depth in the secondary. Marsh struggled to stay with the receivers after press coverage, he was way to grabby and had very sloppy technique. Carmichael has been a disappointment this preseason after having a strong few games starting last year when Bradley Fletcher was injured. He just seems to lack the athleticism to say with some of the receivers. The Eagles need Nolan Carroll more than we know. If there is more than one injury to the corners, the Eagles will most likely have to go to a player that isn't on the team now, that is of course if rookie Jaylen Watkins doesn't continue to progress and surprise some people this season.
Jaylen Watkins did not play against the Patriots due to a injury he suffered at practice. His first game against the Bears Watkins recorded his first interception after getting beat by a 72 yard touchdown. He showed great poise and confidence after what was just a beat down of a play for Watkins. He has shown improvement within each practice and has gained the respect of veterans such as Carry Williams and Brandon Boykin.
Point is I have all the confidence in this defense which has a lot of upside, but all realistic fans know there is still a long way to go and it starts in the secondary. Watkins and Boykin are the building blocks to the future starters where Carry Williams and Fletcher may just be stops in the road.
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Eagles Roundup: Bears Recap/Patriots Joint Practices
The Eagles started their first live action of football last Friday night when they took on the Chicago Bears at Solider Field and suffered a loss 34-28. Now their were some really good things from the starting defense.....as for the offense it was a little bit different to start it off. Nick Foles struggled early, throwing two interceptions after forcing passes to Ifeanyi Momah and Brent Celek. Momah looked good catching a pass for 12 yards with the first team, Brent Celek also was involved heavily in the offense. If there is any recollection of the type of formations Chip Kelly is going to run, you didn't get any idea. Mostly the first team offense was running triple receivers and a single tight end. Sproles and McCoy did not go out on the field at the same time. The offense has already seemed to start its rebound today when they had a great practice against the Patriots. Nick Foles was sharp on 7 on 7's including a spectacular throw to Maclin who beat Revis over top for the touchdown. Dave Spadaro of PhiladelphiaEagles.com said on twitter how well the defense looked compared to last year when the Eagles joined up with New England for practice #Eagles defense far better vs Pats this summer. No comparison to 2013 summer.
Back to the Bears game, the defense came out flying against Jay Cutler and the first team. After a big stop on third down, Bears kicker Robbie Gould attempted a kick that was blocked by Damion Square! So turnovers to start it off for the defense was something I loved to see. Now I don't need to recap exactly what happened all game but the defense looked better than the offense. Which isn't what you may have expected. Mark Sanchez looked sharp also leading two drives to touchdowns courtesy of Matthew Tucker in the red zone. Sanchez looked comfortable in the pocket and had precision on his throws including a impressive deep pass to tight end Zach Ertz. Some of the standouts against the Bears were rookies Marcus Smith and Jaylen Watkins. Smith played the JACK linebacker role and excelled in it getting to the quarterback twice and almost intercepting a pass he batted down from Jordan Palmer. He looked very comfortable in the scheme and signs point to the Eagles having a really deep linebacker core. Jaylen Watkins is a guy I am very intrigued with. Drafted in the fourth round this year out of Flordia playing both safety and corner in college, the Eagles were excited about getting him, well his first NFL game is what you can call a bit of a roller coaster. After getting beat badly on a 70 yard touchdown pass where Watkins failed to wrap up the receiver on press coverage. Watkins instead of getting discouraged got right back to it and intercepted a pass that really showed how great of an athlete he is. This is very early for me to say something like this, but I truly believe Watkins is going to turn out to be a very good defensive player and Billy Davis is going to use him a lot in nickel packages. The rookie receivers had what it seemed to be unexpected performances for both Josh Huff and Jordan Matthews, only it wasn't the way you thought it would have been.
Josh Huff comes out of the end zone, breaks a couple tackles, quickly hits a whole, stiff arms Robbie Gould.....gone touchdown! First time the Eagles had a return touchdown in what feels like an eternity. Huff showed a explosive next step and did what recent return men of the Eagles couldn't do, and that is finish. Jordan Matthews was a disappointment in his first every NFL action. Dropping passes isn't something that is familiar with Matthews. Well he dropped two against Chicago and could have caught another. He did have 4 receptions which shows that the Eagles are getting him involved in the offense. Its just that total, he racked up a measly 14 yards. The great thing about this is that it is just the preseason. So nothing needs to be blown out of proportion, but we know it will. The only thing I am a little concerned about is what I saw from how Nick Foles through those interceptions. Although Foles only had two interceptions last year, he was sacked a lot due to not throwing the football away or to a player. Well that was something Chip Kelly said he wanted to correct. Well if you look at it here in this picture, 
he is clearly throwing the football, forcing a pass as he is hit. This is something Foles said he can correct and is why he is optimistic for this weeks match up.
he is clearly throwing the football, forcing a pass as he is hit. This is something Foles said he can correct and is why he is optimistic for this weeks match up.
The Eagles will be tested Friday night when they take on the Patriots and Tom Brady. Hopefully Nick Foles will rebound as well as some of the receivers that didn't play to their best last week.
Friday, August 8, 2014
Who To Watch vs Bears
Finally it has arrived! Eagles football is among us in the form of the first week of the preseason. Lets talk about some of the players to keep a close eye on not only in the starting lineup, but for those second half players battling for a spot not only on the Eagles, but in the entire NFL.
5 Players to watch on O:
1. Allen Barbre RT: With Lane Johnson suspended for the first four weeks of the NFL season, Barbre will have to fill in at right tackle and play some tough pass rushing teams. In a few starts last year at left tackle Allen Barbre really impressed. With all the athleticism at the O-line that made the offense so dynamic last year, will it be the same without Johnson?
2. Jordan Matthews WR: The second round pick has more pressure than any other rookie. With Cooper and possibly Maclin not playing tonight, expect to see Matthews get a lot of reps with Nick Foles and the first team. Lets see how Foles and Matthews chemistry is coming along from camp. If he can excel on the outside, maybe the Eagles can be more flexible putting Maclin, Ertz, Sproles, and others in the slot if they have more options on the outside.
3. Ifeanyi Momah WR: The 6'7 phenom has come along way from last year at camp. His routes are much more crisp, and hes finally using that size to his advantage. With probably only 5 receivers being kept, and we can assume Maclin, Cooper, Matthews, and Huff are all locks, there is one spot for Momah, Benn, Smith, and a few others. Can Momah earn a spot through the preseason? We will find out tonight.
4. Darren Sproles RB: Of course we have to see how Chip Kelly uses Sproles. Will he be on the field with McCoy? Is he going to be used more in the slot or at RB? Honestly probably both and more. Kelly is going to use Sproles and McCoy a lot of different ways because he can! McCoy can line up at receiver too if Sproles runs a better route at RB. One play to keep an eye out for is a double screen to both backs.....this is going to be fun.
5. Mark Sanchez QB: Sanchez has not played since Week 3 of last year's preseason. In the heat of a QB competition, can Sanchez hold off second year Matt Barkley? So far at camp Sanchez has been impressive and has really made a connection with rookie Jordan Matthews. Lets see how Sanchez runs this no huddle offense. Limit the turnovers and he should win this backup job and the Eagles should be comfortable with him at the #2 gig.
5 Players to Watch on D:
1. Marcus Smith III: The first round pick has everyone talking. A complete 3-4 outside linebacker with incredible speed and athleticism. What has the Eagles even more excited is he has been only playing defense for a few years. Billy Davis has told the media that Smith has been lining up at the JACK position on defense which is where Connor Barwin starts. Does that mean Barwin will come off on pass rushing situations to let Cole and Smith hunt? I doubt it, expect to see a rotation entirely between the 3. Most of the time though you will see Cole and Barwin. During pass rushing situations you will probably see all three on the field.
2. Nolan Carroll II: Carroll has looked solid in camp so far. He has shown that he can do many things that Bradley Fletcher can't do with his athleticism. If Carroll locks down his assignments tonight including getting some looks against Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, you may just see Carroll knock out Fletcher for the other outside corner job.
3. Earl Wolff: The secondary is the only spot on defense that is in a competition for starting spots. Other than Malcom Jenkins at safety, and Brandon Boykin in the slot, nobodies spot is safe. Earl Wolff is coming into his second year and looked good when in last year. He will be in a full out battle with Nate Allen for the other safety job. If Wolff can show some signs of improvement and being able to make plays on the ball that Nate Allen really didn't do last year, Wolff may have a chance to beat out the solid veteran in #29.
4. Beau Allen: The rookie nose tackle has made some noise at training camp so far. Allen is a strong, low centered player that can help out a lot in run stopping. Bennie Logan is the starter now at NT, but if Allen impresses during the preseason, the Eagles may go to the more traditional NT.
5. Jaylen Watkins: This pick of a player to watch is mostly because of how interested I am in Watkins. A athletic specimen that has shown that he can play both corner and safety is something Chip Kelly will love on defense. The more Watkins has played during camp, the more comfortable he has been according to fellow corner Brandon Boykin. Watkins makes this secondary one of the deepest spots on the roster.
As for the return men, expect to see Darren Sproles and Brad Smith on punt return duties, I don't expect Sproles who is so talented at returning to not be used. On kickoffs Nolan Carroll has looked good at camp with his speed, he and either Brad Smith or Sproles will get kickoff duties as well. The Eagles have a lot of options on returns including Josh Huff and Brandon Boykin as well so we will see where the Eagles go in that aspect.
5 Players to watch on O:
1. Allen Barbre RT: With Lane Johnson suspended for the first four weeks of the NFL season, Barbre will have to fill in at right tackle and play some tough pass rushing teams. In a few starts last year at left tackle Allen Barbre really impressed. With all the athleticism at the O-line that made the offense so dynamic last year, will it be the same without Johnson?
2. Jordan Matthews WR: The second round pick has more pressure than any other rookie. With Cooper and possibly Maclin not playing tonight, expect to see Matthews get a lot of reps with Nick Foles and the first team. Lets see how Foles and Matthews chemistry is coming along from camp. If he can excel on the outside, maybe the Eagles can be more flexible putting Maclin, Ertz, Sproles, and others in the slot if they have more options on the outside.
3. Ifeanyi Momah WR: The 6'7 phenom has come along way from last year at camp. His routes are much more crisp, and hes finally using that size to his advantage. With probably only 5 receivers being kept, and we can assume Maclin, Cooper, Matthews, and Huff are all locks, there is one spot for Momah, Benn, Smith, and a few others. Can Momah earn a spot through the preseason? We will find out tonight.
4. Darren Sproles RB: Of course we have to see how Chip Kelly uses Sproles. Will he be on the field with McCoy? Is he going to be used more in the slot or at RB? Honestly probably both and more. Kelly is going to use Sproles and McCoy a lot of different ways because he can! McCoy can line up at receiver too if Sproles runs a better route at RB. One play to keep an eye out for is a double screen to both backs.....this is going to be fun.
5. Mark Sanchez QB: Sanchez has not played since Week 3 of last year's preseason. In the heat of a QB competition, can Sanchez hold off second year Matt Barkley? So far at camp Sanchez has been impressive and has really made a connection with rookie Jordan Matthews. Lets see how Sanchez runs this no huddle offense. Limit the turnovers and he should win this backup job and the Eagles should be comfortable with him at the #2 gig.
5 Players to Watch on D:
1. Marcus Smith III: The first round pick has everyone talking. A complete 3-4 outside linebacker with incredible speed and athleticism. What has the Eagles even more excited is he has been only playing defense for a few years. Billy Davis has told the media that Smith has been lining up at the JACK position on defense which is where Connor Barwin starts. Does that mean Barwin will come off on pass rushing situations to let Cole and Smith hunt? I doubt it, expect to see a rotation entirely between the 3. Most of the time though you will see Cole and Barwin. During pass rushing situations you will probably see all three on the field.
2. Nolan Carroll II: Carroll has looked solid in camp so far. He has shown that he can do many things that Bradley Fletcher can't do with his athleticism. If Carroll locks down his assignments tonight including getting some looks against Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, you may just see Carroll knock out Fletcher for the other outside corner job.
3. Earl Wolff: The secondary is the only spot on defense that is in a competition for starting spots. Other than Malcom Jenkins at safety, and Brandon Boykin in the slot, nobodies spot is safe. Earl Wolff is coming into his second year and looked good when in last year. He will be in a full out battle with Nate Allen for the other safety job. If Wolff can show some signs of improvement and being able to make plays on the ball that Nate Allen really didn't do last year, Wolff may have a chance to beat out the solid veteran in #29.
4. Beau Allen: The rookie nose tackle has made some noise at training camp so far. Allen is a strong, low centered player that can help out a lot in run stopping. Bennie Logan is the starter now at NT, but if Allen impresses during the preseason, the Eagles may go to the more traditional NT.
5. Jaylen Watkins: This pick of a player to watch is mostly because of how interested I am in Watkins. A athletic specimen that has shown that he can play both corner and safety is something Chip Kelly will love on defense. The more Watkins has played during camp, the more comfortable he has been according to fellow corner Brandon Boykin. Watkins makes this secondary one of the deepest spots on the roster.
As for the return men, expect to see Darren Sproles and Brad Smith on punt return duties, I don't expect Sproles who is so talented at returning to not be used. On kickoffs Nolan Carroll has looked good at camp with his speed, he and either Brad Smith or Sproles will get kickoff duties as well. The Eagles have a lot of options on returns including Josh Huff and Brandon Boykin as well so we will see where the Eagles go in that aspect.
Tuesday, July 29, 2014
Vinny Curry Stat
According to Pro Football Focus, Beside JJ Watt, Vinny Curry was the second most efficient pass rusher in the NFL last season. Cedric Thornton gave little pass rushing ability, maybe a rotation is coming? We shall see but I have made it clear how big a fan I am of Curry.
Takeaways from the Eagles first practices
The Eagles have completed three full practices including one open practice at the Lincoln Financial Field where United States Armed Forces were honored. Before I discuss how I feel some of the players are progressing I would like to give my props to the Eagles for what they are doing every year for the armed forces. Being in the armed services is something that takes extreme guts, guts that people like me writing this article would only dream of possessing. Chip Kelly has gained the respect of the entire NFL and the nation not only because of his stellar coaching, but because of the kind of leader and example he sets for younger coaches and just people growing up. He is a leader of men and knows how to run a team, he also knows when to put football below something more important like the army.
At outside linebacker, I can't really say how Marcus Smith is doing because quite frankly there is no tackling. What I can say is that Billy Davis is using him at the jack linebacker spot behind Barwin, what this says to me is that the Eagles would like to use Smith as a pass rusher on third downs with Trent Cole. Does this mean Barwin will be taken off the field though? Possibly. Barwin of course will be the outside linebacker the Eagles rely on but in specific situations Smith may rotate in. In the end though I still see Marcus Smith rotating with Trent Cole and not Barwin, Connor Barwin is just too good to take off the field. Unless maybe Cole and Smith are playing jack and Barwin switches over.....just thinking out loud here so stay with me. I will do a podcast this week so you can all listen to these thoughts. Now that we are deep into this article how does the offense look? Well a few that standout are for one Darren Sproles and the running backs, they will be catching a lot of passes this year as Kelly has featured the wheel route so far at camp. Ifeanyi Momah has come a long way but is a long shot to make the team. Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff have been solid so far, but what I am most excited about is the progression of Zach Ertz who Nick Foles has gone to a lot so far at Camp. Expect to see a lot of different formations this season with the offense, I've seen Kelly go with two tight ends out wide, two running backs on the field, Matthews in the slot in a basic three man wideout with one tight end. But my favorite formation I have seen is Maclin and Cooper out wide, and Sproles and McCoy in the slot with Ertz at TE. I can't even name all of the possibilities the offense has, and the Eagles are trying all those out at camp so far. Its gonna be exciting so lets get ready Eagles Nation, we are in for one heck of a start of the season.
Alright lets talk about the practices shall we. Some good things have come out of these early practices. We are learning the defense is on a mission this year to show they aren't one of the most profoundly inconsistent defenses that networks and analysts are proclaiming they are. Billy Davis has this defense playing with tenacity and attitude. They aren't taking any crap from the offense (Pardon my French). The secondary although not recording one interception yet, has been playing great coverage and are making plays on the ball. Nolan Caroll, Malcolm Jenkins, and of course Brandon Boykin have been the standouts with their man on man coverage in drills. Jenkins is finally going to bring some stability to the safety position. Nolan Caroll may start this year Eagles fans, he is a sneaky good signing for the Eagles and is going to push Bradley Fletcher. Caroll is a more athletic corner than Fletcher, and shined in limited plays last year with Miami. For now Fletcher is starting but during the preseason watch out for Caroll to make some really good plays. Fletcher though has also been solid, even getting into a fight with Jeremy Maclin. Showing some emotion and grit is good for Fletcher who I didn't really think was that type of player. Carry Williams likes it that is for sure. Fletcher was great on the ball last year but lacks the physical ability to match up with some of the leagues best receivers. Corner isn't the only player with a position battle, safety next to Jenkins is at full competition with Nate Allen and Earl Wolff. Although right now it seems Kelly is favoring Allen, Wolff is learning this defense and seems to be progressing great after last years injury that sidelined him for most of the second half of the season. I would personally like to see Wolff start, he has come a long way from last year and has shown flashes of greatness. As for the defensive line and line backing core, it is deeper than you expect. Cox-Logan-Thorton make a great potential starting line, but Vinny Curry, Beau Allen, and Taylor Hart make me even more excited. Curry in this third year should make the leap and last year I couldn't stress enough that Curry get more reps, because when he was on the field, he was dominant. At linebacker Demeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks have played great in coverage at practice so far, Demeco Ryans said after practice Monday "We expect big things, and we're pushing ourselves to reach those goals"-PhiladelphiaEagles.com".
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