Posts Tagged ‘LeSean McCoy’
Thursday, December 31st, 2015
by Gus Griffin
(Image via CBSSports.com)
The simple truth is that Chip Kelly never had the talent to win big in Philadelphia.
The more nuanced answer is that the Chip Kelly the talent evaluator was the primary reason he lost the very sort of talent that might have helped him avoid his fate.
Say what you want about DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy, they were both proven difference makers when Kelly committed the almost always fatal sin that befalls many coaches of thinking that his system mattered more than players.
A system/scheme is the platform through which players can shine. It is no more the performer than a stage or theater is for a play.
I suppose coaches should be expected to fall for this line of thinking that they matter more than they do, especially in football where I contend they matter most. After all, when your job is largely performed in a fishbowl and every decision is dissected and second guessed, you had better at least be able to give the appearance that you are sure of yourself…..even if you are not.
Simply put, players are most responsible for winning and winning elevates a system. Case in point: what we know today as the West Coast offense began long before Bill Walsh got to San Francisco. The Bengals, with Walsh as QB coach and Vikings used the same system throughout the 70’s. But the Bengals were an occasional playoff team and the Vikings lost 4 Super Bowls, so they were not credited by popular casual observers. The same is true in other sports. The Triangle Offense can be traced to that L.A. college basketball juggernaut….USC in the 1940’s. Nobody cared until it was the staple of Michael Jordan’s offense in Chicago.
Players matter more. Bill Belichick’s record without Tom Brady is 47-52. George Seifert after Young and Rice was 16-32.
Any coach who deludes himself to think otherwise has written his own epitaph.
Oh we love and welcome innovation. Helps a short attention span society stay engaged. That’s the exciting part. But like the sheep that breaks away from the herd, your success and failure will show more brightly.
If you are right, you’re a genius and can peacock your way forward. If you’re wrong, you are a wounded wildebeest for prey and will be fired!
Don’t believe me, ask Chip Kelly.
Gus Griffin for War Room Sports
Tags:All's Fair in Sports and War, Byron Maxwell, Chip Kelly, DeMarco Murray, Desean Jackson, Football, Gus Griffin, LeSean McCoy, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, War Room Sports, WRS
Posted in General, Gus Griffin, NFL | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 11th, 2015
by Justin Bankers
I don’t know about anyone else’s reasons for loving sports. Entertainment? Passion? Competitive nature? Living a dream that never turned out vicariously through these men/women? Everyone has their reasons. Mine lately, has been sanity.
I’m currently on the home stretch of preparing for my first physique competition. For anyone who has no idea what that’s like, I’ve dropped 23lbs in the past 8 weeks and haven’t consumed a single carb in the last 3 days. The mental determination it takes is more than I thought it would be. I have just over 2 weeks until the competition, which brings more cardio, fewer carbs, and more stress. Which brings me to the topic of this writing. Sanity.
At this moment, sports is what is keeping me sane, keeping my mind off of the stress. Start with the NBA. The storylines are wonderful, but let’s discuss the MVP race. It’s currently more diverse than it has been in years. There are 6 men with legitimate claims to that award, when in years past it’s generally been a 2 man race. Steph Curry, James Harden, LeBron James, Russell Westbrook, Anthony Davis, and creeping in the shadows (although he is highly unlikely) is Marc Gasol. I actually saw a comment on an ESPN article that made me laugh. All of the first 5 guys have different “political” claims to the award. LeBron is the “Mass Media” MVP. Curry is the “New face of the NBA” MVP. Harden is “The People’s” MVP. Westbrook and all of his controlled raging glory is the “Writer’s” MVP, while Davis is the “Real” MVP. It all fits when you think about it. My personal pick is Harden. LeBron spent too much time coasting, Curry has alot more help than most people seem to realize, Davis probably won’t make the playoffs, and Westbrook has been insanely good but hasn’t sustained it as long as Harden. Harden is taking a team that really isn’t very good (watch them play, just do it) and dragging them to the top end of a loaded Western Conference. The only way my pick changes is if the Pelicans snag the 8 seed from the Thunder, because that will mean that Anthony Davis just dragged a steaming bag of garbage into the playoffs in the most loaded conference I’ve seen in quite some time.
Then you have the NFL. Holy offseason storylines. I’m not used to NFL offseasons being this crazy. McCoy traded away, the Patriots lost Revis already and are potentially losing Brandon Browner too. Big names who were the faces of their franchise for so long are no longer with those franchises, and Chip Kelly is slowly turning the Philadelphia Eagles into the Oregon Ducks. I wonder how many Red Bulls Adam Schefter is surviving on right now.
On top of those 2 monster sports, we are entering Tournament time in the NCAA with a potential perfect season on the way from Kentucky, and any wrestling fan is excited about this road to Wrestlemania with good matches lined up and finally a strong talent pool. Not to mention MLB Spring Training starting up and the NHL rolling in full force.
All of this excitement could not come at a better time for me. The next 2 weeks are going to be stressful, but I have ALOT of fantastic things to look forward to.
And Dwight Howard is a walking vagina. You’re welcome B.
Justin Bankers, for War Room Sports
Tags:Anthony Davis, James Harden, Justin Bankers, Lebron James, LeSean McCoy, Marc Gasol, MLB, MVP Race, NBA, NFL Free Agency, NHL, Physique Competition, Russell Westbrook, Sports Talk, Steph Curry, War Room Sports, WRS
Posted in General, Justin Bankers, NBA, NFL | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 4th, 2015
by Robert Williams
(Image via WhartonMagazine.com)
The Philadelphia Eagles have cut their best pass rusher and now they have traded their best running back in team history. They are about to let their best wide receiver and second best pass rusher test the open market. Eagles fans throughout the nation are completely in shock. There are two things that can come from these moves.
1.) Chip is building his team with his players. As a coach who has been in the league for two years, he has a feel for what he wants. He has assumed complete command of the front office. His director of player personnel was picked by him, who was the head recruiter for Alabama. Kelly intends to maintain the balance of power he once had when he was in college; which lead to the success of the Oregon college football program. He had success without successfully recruiting top players in the country. He believes in the motto ‘hard work beats talent if the players are willing to work hard’. The owner Jeffrey Lurie wouldn’t have given Kelly so much power if he didn’t trust him. He did the same thing with Andy Reid and that turned out well in the long run. With these moves he has freed up to $50 Million+ in cap room. The team can potentially sign more players in free agency to build around their dilapidating defense. Plus Nick Foles and Mychal Kendricks contract are up next year, so this is a great opportunity to build for the future. Those players were Andy Reid players and he simply wants to bring in his own players. Hopefully they’ll be more successful.
2.) Chip Kelly is not making conscious decisions. He hasn’t recognized the team chemistry these veterans have been building. LeSean McCoy and Trent Cole wanted to restructure their contracts for the team. Brandon Graham wants to stay here (if the price was right). He noted he still had some unfinished business with the team. Kelly needs to understand these are not only players, but irreplaceable. Trent Cole draws so many double-teams, it leaves one-on-one matchups for the other players to get sacks. We’ve seen this with Jason Babin and now Connor Barwin. Not that they are not great players in their own rights, but they wouldn’t be as effective without the presence of Trent Cole. The other Eagle that will be missed (if he is allowed to leave) will be Jeremy Maclin. He is coming off a career year in which he made the Pro Bowl and was a strong candidate for Comeback Player of the Year. His impact will be missed to a young inexperienced Wide Receiving corps. Brandon Graham is a rare player to find. He can play either as a 3-4 OLB pass rusher or a 4-3 defensive end. He proved this year he can be a three down player. He was supposed to be a replacement for Trent Cole, instead he will be allowed to test the market. LeSean McCoy has been the most productive running back since he has been drafted. He is also coming off of back-to-back Pro Bowls. It was hard for him to gain yards last season due to injuries to the offensive line and repetitious play calling. Chip Kelly ridding himself of all of these players is a dangerous move. These are not players that can be replaced in the draft and free agency; these are polished NFL players. Kelly has brought his Oregon players onto the team and they haven’t been productive at all. It is looking like the Eagles are trying to tank this season like their brethren across the parking lot. The team needs to make some key moves in Free Agency and in the NFL Draft the next two seasons. If Chip Kelly cannot develop a deep postseason team in three years, he will be known as the biggest goat in recent memory.
Robert Williams, for War Room Sports
Tags:All's Fair in Sports and War, Brandon Graham, Chip Kelly, Football, Jeremy Maclin, Kiko Alonso, LeSean McCoy, NFL, NFL Draft, Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles, Robert Williams, Trent Cole, War Room Sports, WRS
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Tuesday, January 20th, 2015
by Brandyn Campbell
The Philadelphia Eagles’ Pro Bowl shuffle continues.
Last week, RB LeSean McCoy pulled out of the game due to a minor knee injury. Soon thereafter, it was announced that long snapper Jon Dorenbos and WR Jeremy Maclin were added to the Pro Bowl roster and would soon be making the trip to Arizona. Maclin was to replace the Broncos’ Demaryius Thomas; Dorenbos was selected as a need player by Pro Bowl coach Jason Garrett.
But now, that has changed.
Maclin has opted out of his Pro Bowl spot “for personal reasons,” according to CSNPhilly. One of the major snubs on the roster initially, the wideout was finally named to the roster after a career season.
Lions WR Golden Tate will replace Maclin.
After finishing the season with a 10-6 record, Philadelphia had nine players named to football’s all-star game. Jason Peters, Jason Kelce, LeSean McCoy, Darren Sproles and Connor Barwin were all named to the initial roster. Cody Parkey, Evan Mathis, Dorenbos and Maclin were alternates.
After suffering an ACL injury and missing all of 2013, Maclin cut a one-year deal with the Eagles to prove that he was truly back to form. He did exactly that. Now, Maclin is an impending free agent looking to negotiate his first contract since his rookie deal. While I’m sure the Pro Bowl recognition is appreciated, it’s not worth the risk of sustaining injury.
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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports
Tags:All's Fair in Sports and War, Brandyn Campbell, Football, Jeremy Maclin, LeSean McCoy, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Philly Sports Muse, Pro-Bowl, Sports Talk, War Room Sports, WRS
Posted in Brandyn Campbell, General, NFL | No Comments »
Sunday, December 7th, 2014
by Brandyn Campbell
The Seattle Seahawks face the Philadelphia Eagles at the Linc today for a huge NFC showdown. Who will prevail?
The NFL’s top-ranked defense will meet a soaring Eagles offense, fourth in the league and cruising at 416.2 yards per game. Philadelphia’s Thanksgiving beat down of the Cowboys showed a Birds team firing on all cylinders, ready for their most critical matchups of the season. With the o-line finally finding its footing with the return of Jason Kelce and Evan Mathis, LeSean McCoy has had back-to-back games of 100+ yards.
The Seattle D allows a stingy 285.8 yards per game. Seattle is third-best against the passing attack, allowing just under 200 yards. And against the run, they have allowed just 86.3 yards per game.
While an excellent team, unlike the 2013 iteration, the 2014 Seahawks have revealed themselves to be fallible, standing at 8-4. As much as you hear about the team’s defensive threat, their offensive weapons are limited. Seattle averages just 192 passing yards a game, as quarterback Russell Wilson doesn’t have many targets. Doug Baldwin is the team’s leading receiver, who does a solid job but doesn’t send opposing defenses quaking at the mere sound of his name. The real concern for the Eagles is on the ground, both with Wilson and running back Marshawn Lynch. Lynch’s nickname of Beast Mode tells the tale of his prowess in the rushing attack. Connor Barwin will look to continue his streak of QB sacking after receiving Defensive Player of the Month honors, and Mychal Kendricks will have something to say about Lynch running all the turf at the Linc.
The big story of the game will be how the Eagles’ passing game holds up against Seattle’s secondary. Earl Thomas is one of the best safeties in the league, and Kam Chancellor won’t give the Eagles an easy time of things. Jeremy Maclin is having the beast season of his career, and Richard Sherman is just waiting to shut him down. Can’t you hear him mouthing off already? But the problem with Sherman is that he has the numbers to back up the talk. He has 23 interceptions since 2011, the most in the NFL. The next closest player has 8 fewer.
It will be critical for Mark Sanchez to not do too much this game, as we know he has a propensity to turn the ball over. He needs to play smart, lean on his teammates, and not make mistakes at critical points in the game.
This is going to be a good one, ladies and gents. The kind of stressful, heart-pumping Sunday affair that makes us love football. In the end, the many weapons and dimensions of the Eagles offense will outshine Russell, Lynch, and the famed Seattle D. Eagles 26, Seahawks 21
Extra: Will Shady surpass Wilbert Montgomery as the Eagles’ all-time rushing leader this game? He’s just 48 yards away. The legend himself hopes it happens today.
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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports
Tags:All's Fair in Sports and War, Brandyn Campbell, Connor Barwin, Earl Thomas, Football, LeSean McCoy, Mark Sanchez, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Philly Sports Muse, Richard Sherman, Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks, Sports Talk, War Room Sports, WRS
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Friday, November 28th, 2014
by Brandyn Campbell
This is what we were most thankful for on Thanksgiving Day: A total beatdown of the Dallas Cowboys by the Philadelphia Eagles. The defense was unstoppable. The offense was on fire. Tony Romo and his team were in meltdown mode. And the Eagles fought their way to #1 in the NFC East. All right in Jerry’s World. And thankfully, the revolution was televised across the land for all to see.
It just doesn’t get any better than that.
We’re all still riding the joyous feeling of victory so let it continue. Here are how Eagles celebrated their big win and shared it with fans on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/BrandonBoykin2/status/538148238642008064
The king of them all, beloved Brian Dawkins, shared his Thanksgiving glee about the awesome victory as well.
There are leftovers to feast on (no, I don’t mean the Cowboys this time), it’s a holiday weekend and we have over a week to ride this high–and rub it in the face of each and ever Dallas fan that you meet. Maybe God likes Eagles fans after all.
If you’re hitting the stores today, don’t trample nobody, please!
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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports
Tags:All's Fair in Sports and War, Brandon Graham, Brandyn Campbell, Brian Dawkins, Chris Polk, Dallas Cowboys, DeMeco Ryans, Football, LeSean McCoy, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Philly Sports Muse, Sports Talk, Thanksgiving, Tony Romo, War Room Sports, WRS
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Monday, November 24th, 2014
by Brandyn Campbell
LeSean McCoy found his footing in the Philadelphia Eagles’ 43-24 victory over the Titans.
It started with Josh Huff returning the opening kickoff for a 107-yard touchdown for a franchise record. From the opening seconds of the game onward, the Philadelphia Eagles led the Tennessee Titans and never looked back, winning the match-up handily with a final score of 43-24.
The Birds quickly extended their lead to 14-0 after a rushing touchdown by Darren Sproles. But the biggest story this game was another Philadelphia running back. LeSean McCoy finally got things going and by the end of the day, accumulated 130 yards over 21 carries and 1 touchdown, including one electrifying 53-yard run.
What made the difference in the Eagles’ ground game? Shady said that everything just finally clicked.
“We just stuck to it… everybody focused in and had a terrific week of practice and we just stuck to it. I think everybody executed, they got the backs in one-on-one situations. The guys up front really, really blocked well. Even the guys outside, the wide receivers, they blocked well too so it was just all together.”
While beating the Titans by a margin of 19 points, there remains a number of concerns about the Birds on both sides of the ball. Leading Philadelphia to its second win in his three starts, Mark Sanchez demonstrated that there is still reason for concern with his propensity for turning over the ball. He finished the day 20/37 for 332 yards and a touchdown, but also hit a pair of interceptions. Heading into Dallas for NFC East supremacy on Thanksgiving Day, handing out the early holiday gifts in the form of turnovers by the Eagles has got to stop.
The defense allowed a team averaging just under 17 points a game to score 24. They allowed Zach Mettenberger, a rookie quarterback and the backup of a backup, to rack up numbers better than the Eagles’ own signal caller: Mettenberger was 20 for 39, totaling 345 yards on the day with two touchdowns and an interception. That, very simply, is not okay.
In positive play on defense, Connor Barwin continues to be a sack-racking beast, adding two more to his count on Sunday, as did Trent Cole. And kudos to the D for forcing three turnovers by the Titans, a needed counterbalance to an offense that truly needs some help for it’s addiction to giving the ball away.
While he missed a field goal, Cody Parkey continues to be an incredible pickup by the Eagles. On the season he is 23 of 25 FGs, and yesterday made 5 of 6 attempts, including a 50-yarder.
There have been no write-ups of this Eagles team this season, now 8-3, that hasn’t commented on the various areas of concern for the team. But all of it said, discussed and analyzed, you still have a team with a great record. They find ways to win, even when it appears that they are looking for every way they can to undermine that. But for this Philadelphia team to go the distance, they’ve got to start doing it against winning teams, a test that they’ll face over the next three games.
Next stop for the Eagles is Dallas on Thanksgiving Day. Chants of “We want Dallas” were heard throughout the Linc on Sunday. Those chants will grow ever-louder across the Philadelphia region as the big game on the big day gets closer.
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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports
Tags:All's Fair in Sports and War, Brandyn Campbell, Dallas Cowboys, Darren Sproles, Football, LeSean McCoy, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Philly Sports Muse, Sports Talk, Tennessee Titans, War Room Sports, WRS
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Sunday, November 23rd, 2014
by Brandyn Campbell
After the beating the Philadelphia Eagles received from the Green Bay Packers last Sunday, the Titans are the sort of opponent the Birds hoped to see. It’s no secret that 2-8 Tennessee isn’t a very good team. 7-3 Philadelphia should beat them handily. They need to get another win in the books to fully shake off what happened in Green Bay, and then focus all attention on their next task: Beating the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day.
But there is another game to be played between now and then. Offensively, there is no comparison between the teams. The Eagles average 406.8 yards per game, fourth best in the league, while the Titans put up almost 100 yards less with 309 per game. There’s only one team in the league worse than that, and it’s the Oakland Raiders. Tennessee puts up just 16.8 points per game, as opposed to the Eagles’ 29.9 points.
The Eagles will face Zach Mettenberger, the Titans’ third signal caller this season. The rookie is completing almost 62% of his passes and has 5 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. The most targeted receiver on the squad is Kendall Wright, who has 43 catches for 473 yards. However, tight end Delanie Walker tops Tennessee with 512 receiving yards. The likes of Connor Barwin and Vinny Curry will bring the pass rush, which should be too much for Mettenberger and the Tennessee offense to bear.
In the running game, rookie Bishop Sankey is the go-to man. Though averaging just 3.5 YPC, he’s rushed for least 50 yards on the ground in four of their last five games. Bennie Logan, Fletcher Cox and Cedric Thornton will continue to be strong defenders against the ground attack.
Defensively, the matchup is far more comparable between the teams, much to Philadelphia’s chagrin. Tennessee is ranked 21st in the league overall, allowing 370 yards by opponents, while the Eagles have an even worse 26th defense overall, allowing 378 yards each game. The Titans are decent against the passing attack, ranked 9th in the league. And that’s not just on paper: Tennessee can and will bring the pressure, so Sanchez must adjust accordingly.
In the ground attack, the only team with a run defense worse than the Titans are the Giants (ha!). Much of the season has been filled with statements like, “the Eagles have got to get LeSean McCoy going. This team isn’t very good against the run, surely he’ll gain traction.” And yet, it rarely happens. Shady said this week that, “ I feel like we’re almost there.” Well, if you are, then a fine time to debut the fully completed feat would be against the 31st run defense in the league. Currently averaging a meager 3.7 YPC, no one knows better than McCoy that he is long overdue for a breakout performance.
The Eagles should handily come out the victors in this contest, unless, of course, they beat themselves. Which they’ve come close to doing far too many times this season. Philadelphia is currently in sole possession of a title that no one wants – they lead the league in giveaways with 25. The number for the entire 2013 season was 19. The Birds must stop giving away the ball in order to have the best chance to win.
Tennessee comes to Philadelphia facing a home team eager to put the humiliation of a game gone awry out of the minds and memories of the itself and its fans. They want momentum heading into their huge contest with the Cowboys on Thanksgiving, and they want to show that they can fire on all cylinders even with injuries taking their toll. Prediction: Eagles 34, Titans 20
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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports
Tags:All's Fair in Sports and War, Bishop Sankey, Brandyn Campbell, Connor Barwin, Dallas Cowboys, Delanie Walker, Football, Green Bay Packers, Kendall Wright, LeSean McCoy, Mark Sanchez, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Philly Sports Muse, Sports Talk, Tennessee Titans, War Room Sports, WRS, Zach Mettenberger
Posted in Brandyn Campbell, General, NFL | No Comments »
Sunday, November 16th, 2014
by Brandyn Campbell
Can the Philadelphia Eagles put an end to Aaron Rodgers’ streak of perfection at home?
The Philadelphia Eagles face a massive test in playing the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field this Sunday. Can the Birds challenge the conventional wisdom that the Pack just doesn’t lose at home when Aaron Rodgers is under center?
It will be tough, to say the least. Rodgers is the picture of perfection at home. He has gone 286 consecutive passes without an interception at Lambeau. That means that the last time it occurred was in 2012, Week 13. And because of Rodgers’ flawless play in Green Bay, the team has a home winning streak of 15, which dates back to their 2012 season opener.
Then there is this nugget:
The Packers average just under 42 points per game at home, tops in the NFL, and they’ve outscored opponents at Lambeau by 101 points, also the NFL’s largest home win margin.
The Eagles are coming off of their incredible 45-21 defeat of the Panthers on Monday night. With the way Philadelphia is putting points on the board even with a backup QB leading the way, they’ve proven that they are one of the best in the league. And today, on the frozen ground of Lambeau Field, they will matchup against another one of the best.
The potent offenses of both Philadelphia and Green Bay are quite comparable on paper. They are fourth and fifth in the league, respectively, in points per game, with the Eagles averaging 31 to the Packers’ 30.8. Philly has 389.6 pass yards per game (5th), while the Pack has 256.4 (10th).
The Eagles D meant business and stole the show from Sanchez’ debut in the routing of the Panthers. Cam Newton didn’t stand a chance against the Philadelphia pass rush. The Eagles will bring the pressure to Rodgers, but as he can do just about anything as well or better than any other QB in the league, including escape pressure, will it be enough?
Then there is the matter of Green Bay’s defense, who, with 18 takeaways, ranks second in the NFC. While Sanchez had a strong showing for his first full game as the Eagles’ signal caller, going 20 of 37 for 332 yards and two touchdowns, he has a history of turnovers. The Packers D has likely heard this as well, and will do everything in their power to force some takeaways. How will Sanchez fare?
All this considered, this is a perfect game for Philadelphia to try to get back on track with its ground attack. They certainly have the tools – LeSean McCoy, are you there? – but they rank just 20th in the league with the rushing game. With the Packers ranked 30th in the NFL against the run, giving up an average of 142.6 yards per game, you’ve got to get things going on the ground to increase your options.
The Eagles have the enviable ability to score points in a number of different ways. That will be important as it’s still too early to know what to expect from Sanchez. Even with that uncertainty, the fact remains that this battle between two of the best in the NFC will be a fight to the finish. A sure bet for Green Bay? Not really. But it’s going to be close.
It’s a beautiful day, let’s call for an Eagles defeat of the Pack in Lambeau to put an end to that home winning steak. Prediction: Eagles 31, Packers 28
Tags:Aaron Rodgers, All's Fair in Sports and War, Brandyn Campbell, Football, Green Bay Packers, Lambeau Field, LeSean McCoy, Mark Sanchez, NFL, Philadelphia Eagles, Philly Sports Muse, Sports Talk, War Room Sports
Posted in Brandyn Campbell, General, NFL | No Comments »
Monday, November 10th, 2014
by Brandyn Campbell
As with any game, there are many important aspects of the Philadelphia Eagles on which to focus this Monday night. But who are we kidding?: Tonight’s game against the Carolina Panthers is all about Mark Sanchez.
Every step he takes, every move he makes, we’ll be watching him. Every throw. Every decision. Can Sanchez ably lead the Birds for the six to eight weeks that Nick Foles is expected to be out with a broken collarbone? If so, is he the quarterback on which we should hitch our trailers for an even longer stretch of time? If Sanchez can avoid the turnovers that became an all-too prevalent part of Foles’ performance this season and turn in a series of consistent performances, the answer could be yes. But those are big “ifs”. Sanchez has his own history of turning the ball over to overcome. Since entering the league in 2009, the former USC quarterback has thrown for more interceptions (71) than touchdowns (70) in his career.
Evan Mathis’will return to the o-line just as Todd Herremans exits for the season due to torn biceps. The Eagles have finally found some footing with their running game and would do well to take advantage of the 131.9 yards the Panthers have allowed on the ground each game. With a healthy Chris Polk added to the already powerful mix of LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles, the Birds could have a dynamic game on the ground tonight. The run needs to be a prevalent part of tonight’s game to allow Sanchez time to adjust to the role of signal caller for Philadelphia.
There is another important story to watch as the Eagles take the field at the Linc tonight and for the remainder of the season. How will Philadelphia fill in for the loss of DeMeco Ryans? Defensive coordinator Bill Davis plans for Casey Matthews and Emmanuel Acho to take over Ryans’ middle linebacker responsibility as far as making calls. On the field, the defense will use a combination of Acho, Matthews, and Mychal Kendricks to make up for the loss of Ryans. It’s a similar solution as to when Kendricks was sidelined for several weeks, Davis said last week.
“[Linebackers] Coach Rick Minter does a great job of teaching the concepts of both so we can move multiple guys to the MIKE or the WIL depending on what we need”, Davis said. “Whether we’re in dime or nickel or anything like that. Right now it’s the same rotation as when Mychal [Kendricks] was down. It’ll be [Emmanuel] Acho and Casey [Matthews] handling first and second down duties at the DeMeco spot instead of the Mychal spot. They’re cross-trained and they’ll be fine.”
While the Panthers defense features Luke Kuechly, last year’s Defensive Player of the Year at MLB, it is struggling this season. They have already given up 236 points this season. They gave up only 241 in all of 2013. They are missing Pro Bowl DE Greg Hardy. Their struggles will be a nice complement to an Eagles team adjusting to key losses on both sides of the ball.
Cam Newton and the Panthers’ offense aren’t doing well on any front this year, putting up just 19.7 points per game, 25th in the league. By comparison, the Eagles average 29.2 points per game (5th in the NFL). Newton is completing just 57% of his passes, and Carolina’s receiving corps’ top producers are Greg Olsen, Kelvin Benjamin and former Eagle Jason Avant. Love Avant as we do, that is hardly a stellar lineup. The Panthers are also putting together just 94.7 rushing yards per game, which leaves them with no clear answers for getting points on the board.
A Panthers team with significant issues facing an Eagles team adjusting to key losses on both sides of the ball may make for a more competitive Monday night matchup than we’d like to see. But the Eagles will still prevail.
Prediction: Eagles 24, Panthers 14
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Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports
Tags:All's Fair in Sports and War, Bill Davis, Brandyn Campbell, Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers, Casey Matthews, Chris Polk, Darren Sproles, DeMeco Ryans, Emmanuel Acho, Football, Greg Hardy, LeSean McCoy, Luke Kuechly, Mark Sanchez, Monday Night Football, Mychal Kendricks, NFL, Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles, Philly Sports Muse, Sports Talk, War Room Sports
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