Posts Tagged ‘LeSean McCoy’

Newer Entries »

QB Nick Foles and RB Bryce Brown Expected to Start for Philadelphia Eagles on Monday Night

Friday, November 23rd, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

Rookies RB Bryce Brown and QB Nick Foles will lead the Eagles offense on Monday Night against the Carolina Panthers.

 

Nick Foles will see the bright lights of Monday Night Football for the first time as he returns as the Eagles starting quarterback for the second straight game.  Foles’ start is expected as the Philadelphia Eagles face the Carolina Panthers this week.  Mike Vick is still struggling to recover from and pass league mandated testing for a concussion sustained in Week 10 against the Cowboys .

The rookie quarterback will have another opportunity to get used to the speed of the NFL and find his stride within it.  Following his less-than-spectacular debut against the Redskins, where he threw 21 of 46 passes for 204 yards with two interceptions, Foles has vowed to learn from the experience and improve — quickly.

“I’m not going to make any excuses.  I need to get better.  I’m going to learn from it, though.  I was able to see what I did fundamentally, maybe decision-making sometimes, and I’m going to improve on it.”

Running back LeSean McCoy is also dealing with a concussion and another rookie, Bryce Brown, is expected to get his first start in McCoy’s absence.  Remarkably, it will be Brown’s first start since 2008 when he was in high school.  Drafting Brown was a gamble but the Eagles have used him steadily this season.  Brown has so far accumulated 141 yards on 32 carries.  He will need to show that his blocking abilities have greatly improved in order to provide some help to the struggling Philadelphia offense.

On the other side of the ball, another rookie looks forward to an exciting game, as defensive end Vinny Curry will be active for the first time this season.  And why not give the hometown kid a try?  The disappointing performance of the widely touted Eagles defensive line throughout the season has been one of the many storylines attributed to the 3-7 record of the team.  The second-round pick is eager to show the fans and his teammates what he can do, but knows that being active for the game doesn’t tell him how much action he’ll see on the field.

“Patience is the key.  Face it, those guys are household names [teammates like Trent Cole and Jason Babin].  I also want to establish my name around this league.”

“That’s going to be pretty sweet being active.  But now the thing is, hopefully I get a lot of plays.”

Curry’s enthusiasm is infectious and his eagerness to give his all to the team he grew up rooting for means he plans to put it all out on the table.  Or, more accurately, on the field.  What should Eagles fans expect to see from Curry when he finally gets an opportunity to show what he can do during NFL regular season action?

“Just a guy out there who has worked his tail off.  I was brought here in the second round, and I just want to show them what I can bring to the table and let them form their own opinion about me.”

In a game that may well yield yet another bleak outcome for Philadelphia’s woeful season, that’s something to root for.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in General, NFL | No Comments »

Andy Reid Won’t Quit on Coaching the Philadelphia Eagles

Tuesday, November 20th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

(Image via USA Today)

Andy Reid’s job as head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles is safe at least through Monday night, per a report in the Daily News.  And if you’re hoping that Reid will show mercy and throw himself on the sword of unemployment, you’re out of luck.  It ain’t happening.

Reid was asked whether his own leadership has been rendered ineffective in trying to motivate his men.  As we know with our Andy, he likes to evaluate everything.  Including himself.

“Listen, I look at everything.  I’m not telling you I don’t look at that.  I think we’re not winning football games, so I take that responsibility and since I’m in that leadership spot, then my leadership right now isn’t good enough.  I’ve got to do a better job there and make sure that we play better.” (Emphasis mine)

Do you think that the phrase “we’ve got to do a better job” or any variation thereof sounds as hollow to Reid as it comes out of his mouth as it does falling onto our tired, saddened ears?

The questioning went further and Reid was asked point blank if there was a stage when he would consider stepping down from his head coaching duties.

“I’m standing in front of the team and telling them these are the things we need to do, one of which is to continue to battle.  So, I think that’d be a cop-out.  That’s not how I see things.  That’s not the way I’m wired.  We’re going to keep battling and do it as a team.  I’m not going to tell the guys one thing and then do the other.”

Big Red continues to stick up for his team, his players, and swears that there is no leadership void on the squad.  And he continues to say that the issues are fixable.  If the issues can be addressed but still are problems, then where do you go from there?  What’s the point in saying the problems are “fixable” when you have shown game after game that the team is, for whatever reason, not capable of fixing them?

There are no words that Reid can say that any of us want to hear at this stage.  We’re beyond that.  There is nothing that can be said to begin to address the failure that has been this season.  So Reid has stopped trying to explain.  And we are no longer willing to listen.

The Eagles currently stand in 15th place in the NFC.  The team in last place?  Monday night’s opponent, the Carolina Panthers.  Does anyone truly believe that there’s a team left in the league that the Birds can handily beat?  Or just beat at all?  If it doesn’t happen on Monday then a prime time audience will have a front-row seat to the revolt of a fanbase.

Injury news

Reid  stated that Mike Vick will be the starting quarterback if healthy next week, throwing aside the conventional wisdom that the season is Foles’ to ride into the sunset.  However, Vick failed his impact test and is still at baseline so still has a way to go towards health.

LeSean McCoy is also at stage one of his concussion and is day to day.  Reid stated that, in his non-medical opinion, Shady’s injury didn’t seem as “significant” as Vick’s but added, “who am I to judge?”

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in General, NFL | No Comments »

Will the Philadephia Eagles Win Another Game in 2012?

Monday, November 19th, 2012

By Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

The Eagles were anything but a picture of confidence as they prepared to walk onto FedEx Field on Sunday.
(Image via the Philadelphia Eagles)

 

The Philadelphia Eagles may not win another game in 2012.

It’s not a statement made to be alarmist.  It’s one that may well be the reality.  I’ll still be watching/suffering through every single game.  But there are no longer any expectations from this Eagles team.

Nary a touchdown scored by the Birds in the 31-6 throttling by the Washington Redskins, who advance to 4-6 while the Eagles fall to 3-7.  Philadelphia is all alone at the basement of the NFC East.

Sunday was indeed about the quarterbacks, and the show was put on by the one not named Nick Foles.  Foles struggled, which wasn’t a surprise.  21/46 for 204 yards and no touchdowns and 2 interceptions for a 40.5 passer rating.  No one expected Foles to be a picture of polished precision after not taking reps for most of the season.  But you did hope to see some of the flashes of poise that impressed us so much during the preseason.

That’s probably hard to do when you’re in the midst of being sacked 4 times and hit many more with an offensive line who racked up penalty on top of penalty to add to their pitiful play.

Will there be cries for Trent Edwards to be the starting quarterback if Foles continues to struggle?  Perhaps.  But it would be foolish to think that a replacement at quarterback would matter at this point.  Philadelphia has to see what it has in Foles, for better or for worse.  And why not, as any hope for a meaningful run at the postseason for this Eagles team is gone.

We were treated to seeing RGIII notch a perfect 158.3 passer rating against the Eagles defense, completing 14 for 15 passes for 200 yards and 4 touchdowns.  If that wasn’t enough, Griffin III also averaged 7 yards per carry on the ground, totaling 84 rushing yards.

By contrast, LeSean McCoy averaged only 3 yards per carry getting 45 rushing yards, while Bryce Brown had 35, averaging 7 a carry.

For his troubles on Sunday, McCoy, who has for two seasons been the only consistent light for a struggling Eagles team, sustained an ugly concussion with just under two minutes left in the game.  Asked why on earth he or any of the starters were still on the field, Andy Reid stated, “Because we were trying to catch up and win the game”.

What?

A baffling remark for a confounding season.  Anyone interested in contributing to Philly Sports Muse out there?  Drop me a line.  Because I’ve run out of words.  It doesn’t just stay the same each week.  It somehow keeps getting worse.

Even Reid must realize that there is no option for him other than to leave at the end of the season.  Change is needed.  But don’t be fooled.  With regime change in our midst and no clear franchise quarterback waiting in the wings, the struggle of the past two seasons will not end when Big Red goes.  We’re in for a rough ride, but at this stage there is no other option.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in General, NFL | No Comments »

All Eyes on the Rookie Quarterbacks as the Philadelphia Eagles Prepare to Face the Washington Redskins

Sunday, November 18th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

All eyes will be on Nick Foles today at FedEx Field.
(Photo via New York Daily News)

We all know that football is a team sport and that to get a win, all phases of the game must come together to propel a group to victory.  But come Sunday, it’s going to be all about the quarterbacks.

When the Philadelphia Eagles face the Washington Redskins at FedEx field on Sunday afternoon, the storylines and excitement overwhelmingly surround the two young quarterbacks who will lead their teams.

The reasons for the QB focus are manifold.  The playoff chances for both teams are grim, as today’s game represents a fight for the very bottom of the NFC East.  That’s not very fun.

The Washington Redskins have found their franchise quarterback in Robert Griffin III.  The hopes and dreams of a team who has been crap for years rides on the shoulders of this young man.  Is he the piece that’s been needed all along to start to turn things around for Skins?  It certainly looks that way.

As an added bit of intrigue, RG3 spoke about his meeting with Andy Reid at February’s scouting combine in Indianapolis this week.  While Reid portrayed the meeting as routine, Griffin stated that the Eagles head coach said that the Birds were “very interested” in him.  We know that the chances of Philadelphia actually getting this year’s #2 overall pick were slim.  But still, there will be an element of wistfulness at what could have been as we watch Griffin III go to work on today.

And then we have the Eagles.  Rather than being on the upswing of the curve like Washington, this is a team in decline.  If 8-8 was unacceptable to owner Jeffery Lurie in 2011, the team’s current 3-6 record is an abomination.  Two straight years of hope and hype and talent and the team has fallen apart.  It’s likely the last stand for Reid and Vick.  So that means all eyes are on third-round draft selection Nick Foles.

There is a lot riding on Foles’ young shoulders.  He will be fighting behind an offensive line that has performed so poorly that I’ve run out of adjectives to describe them.  Will Foles’ play be solid enough to give us hope that he could be the future for Philadelphia?  Or do you let him ride out the remainder of the season regardless of how he performs to better assess what you have in the rookie?

Updates on Mike Vick’s concussion reveal that, at least in the short-term, there may be no option other than to play Foles.  According to Rick Buckholder, the team’s trainer, Vick is not at all himself after sustaining a concussion last week against the Cowboys.

“He’s not very alert right now in terms of he just doesn’t have that energy.  He’s tired all the time, he’s slept a lot, and he’s not getting rid of that fatigue.  When I talk to him, he’s just not the Michael Vick I know when he’s healthy.”

At this point, Eagles fans are simply rooting for Foles to largely stay on his feet, put in a solid performance and prevent Philadelphia from falling to the very bottom of the division.

Foles, of course, will need a lot of help from his friends.  Thankfully, his first start in the NFL will be against a team that has the  29th overall defense in the league (30th in pass defense and a respectable 7th against the run).  But New Orleans was ranked dead last and we saw what happened there.  The Birds must utilize the incredible asset they have in LeSean McCoy and commit to the run to help Foles.  Defense has got get the Redskins off the field on third downs, a particular problem for the Eagles as of late.  In the last three games, opponents have converted on 17 out of 35 third down opportunities in the Bowles era of Philadelphia’s defense.  And Bobby April knows that special teams has done the Eagles no favors, this week taking full blame for the poor performance of the unit that led to a heart-stomping 78-yard punt return for a touchdown by Cowboy Dwayne Harris.

Football is a team sport, and at 1pm ET we will watch to see how — or if — the Philadelphia Eagles support Foles in his NFL debut by putting in strong performances during each phase of the game to help him succeed.  Vick certainly couldn’t do it by himself and there is no way Philadelphia’s rookie can, either.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in General, NFL | No Comments »

Cowboys vs Eagles Preview: Desperate for a Win

Sunday, November 11th, 2012

by Brandon Campbell

 

 

 

 

Today’s showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field marks a battle of desperation.  Two organizations who entered the season with high expectations now see their teams sitting at a disappointing 3-5, with already slim chances of contending for a playoff spot on the line this week.

Both Philadelphia and Dallas are teams more similar than we’d like to admit.  Two squads filled with talent that can’t seem to put it all together on the field.  Two quarterbacks in Mike Vick and Tony Romo plagued with turnover troubles whose fanbases are coming to the painful realization that they are not the ones who will lead them to the promised land of a Super Bowl ring.  And growing calls for the end of the coaching tenures of Andy Reid and Jason Garrett.

In facing the Cowboys’ 5th-ranked defense, Philadelphia’s decimated offensive line catches a slight break with the injury of ILB Sean Lee.  But they will have their hands full with the force that is DeMarcus Ware, who is tied with Clay Matthews for the most sacks in the NFL with 9.  Dallas defensive coordinator Rob Ryan will move Ware around but anywhere he goes, Philadelphia’s o-line will struggle.

Demetress Bell will start at left tackle, where he will hopefully be slightly less of a disaster than he was when he stepped in for the injured Todd Herremans on the right in New Orleans.  King Dunlap will fill Herremans’ former roll at RT this week.  Dallas Reynolds will return at center, as will Evan Mathis at LG and Dennis Kelly at RG.

The Birds saw Vick sacked a season high 7 times and only managed a meager 13 points against New Orleans, the worst defense in the league.  Philadelphia must find a way to protect Vick, and the QB’s decision-making must help the line and keep him out of harm’s way as well.  For the Eagles to have any success they must involve LeSean McCoy and the run game prominently in their game plan to ease the burden of pass protection off the line.

Philadelphia, who went 0-5 in the red zone against the Saints last week, must make trips down the field count and get points on the board in order to begin to right the ship and win this game.

The Eagles D faces a quarterback in Romo who has the most interceptions in the NFL and a team that can’t get its running game going in light of an injured DeMarco Murray, who isn’t expected to play.  Wideout Dez Bryant has 42 catches this season and is a talented but inconsistent target.  Nnamdi Asomugha, who has struggled mightily since signing with the Eagles last year, was very successful against Bryant in the last meeting between Dallas and Philadelphia, so we’ll see if that success can be replicated today.

WR Miles Austin is neck and neck with Bryant with 41 catches, but Romo’s favorite weapon is tight end Jason Witten, who has 58 catches on the season.  The Eagles defense has gotten worse since changing to DC Todd Bowles.  If there is any game to step up and show improvement, it’s against the Cowboys.  The Eagles know that with Murray down the Cowboys have no option but to pass.  Romo has 10 TDs and 13 interceptions and, while throwing with 66% accuracy, he is killing the Cowboys offense with poor third down efficiency and turnovers.  Faced with a turnover machine and a decent but not fierce Dallas o-line, can the defense finally get the job done?

No predictions this time except for an ugly game between two woefully underperforming teams.  If the Eagles can’t pull this off at home we are in big, big trouble.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in General, NFL | No Comments »

Tough Questions Face the Philadelphia Eagles After MNF Loss to New Orleans Saints

Tuesday, November 6th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

LeSean McCoy ran for 119 yards in Monday night’s game but his efforts weren’t enough to help his team overcome defeat.
(Photo via the Philadelphia Eagles)

Nothing like a Monday Night Football embarrassment.  The Philadelphia Eagles could only assemble 13 points against the worst defense in the league.  The Birds notched 447 yards of offense and yet only came out of the game with 13 points.

Where do you go from here?

The Philadelphia Eagles have now fallen to 3-5  in the 28-13 loss  to the New Orleans Saints with absolutely no signs of improvement in sight.  The fourth straight lost for the Birds.

Mike Tirico called it, “The night of the red zone nightmare.”  And that about sums it up.  The turnover issues returned, and in the red zone, no less.

The offense was 0-5 in the red zone.  Mike Vick was sacked 7 times.  The offensive line got even worse when Todd Herremans left the game early with an ankle injury and Demetress Bell put in an absolutely atrocious performance at right tackle.

On defense, Eagles fans may be wondering if Juan Castillo is available to return as coordinator as things on that side of the ball were a mess once again.  Getting pressure on Brees was absolutely essential this game, so of course the D did as little of that as possible, though Jason Babin and Brandon Graham had a sack a piece.  The secondary, the unit that now-defensive coordinator Todd Bowles was brought in to the team to coach, was as it has been for much of the season – a problem.

Andy Reid said that Mike Vick would be the quarterback next week against Dallas, and why not?  Nick Foles would get killed behind that line.  Heck, it’s a miracle that Vick has lasted this long.

So what now?

The last game the Eagles won was on September 30 against the New York Giants.  More than a month without a win.  It’s astounding.

Andy Reid’s postgame presser showed a man who no longer believes his words but is desperately trying to put on a brave face.  Mike Vick seemed shell-shocked.  Brandon Graham expressed utter frustration at wanting to save his coach’s job and play a good season to honor Garrett Reid but having no idea what’s going wrong.

The Eagles’ loss rounds out a complete week of suckitude around the NFC East, with each and every team in the division suffering defeat.  That at least means that the Giants haven’t been able to increase their lead over the Eagles.  Up next for Philadelphia are the Cowboys at home, an always-intense battle.  If the Birds suffer an embarrassing loss to Dallas at the Linc, the boos heard against Atlanta in Week 8 will seem soft as lullabies.

It’s clear that no one knows how to fix the problems with the Eagles because if they did, the issues wouldn’t keep reappearing.  They would be fixed by now.  Maybe there won’t be the dramatic wave of changes this week as many have predicted if the Eagles lost in New Orleans.  Perhaps the team is resigned to the reality of their woeful and habitual under-performance.  And maybe we all have to face the fact there are no more excuses – this is just not a good football team.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in General, NFL | No Comments »

Falcons – Eagles Preview: Defeating the Undefeated

Sunday, October 28th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

Key to victory: Give Shady the ball.
(Image via Philly Sports Central)

The Atlanta Falcons look pretty beatable for an undefeated team.

Their six wins have come against nary a winning team, .500 being the best record of an opponent they’ve faced this season.  A 30-28 win in Week 4 against the Panthers or a 23-20 victory in Week 6 over the Raiders can’t exactly be described as impressive or dominating.  Yes, the Falcons have come out with wins in every game but are they a commanding team?  That is what the Falcons seek to prove on Sunday.  The Philadelphia Eagles plan to show that the mighty can and will fall, particularly when the Falcons travel to the Linc and have failed to secure a victory in four previous trips to Philadelphia’s stadium.

Sunday’s contest promises to be a great game, with the stakes high for both birds facing each other on the field.  The Philadelphia Eagles are fighting for their very future.  With a coordinator already gone, each and every player and coach has been put on notice.  The time to talk a good game is over.  It’s time to go play it.  But Philadelphia never does things the easy way, proving themselves at the very moment their backs are against the wall.

Well, the wall has appeared and it can’t be much higher.

Quarterback Matt Ryan has been stellar this season with 14 touchdowns and 6 interceptions with a passer rating of 98.8.  But Ryan threw 3 interceptions in Atlanta’s game against Oakland making ball security a concern for quarterbacks of both teams this week.

The Eagles D is tasked with trying to neutralize Ryan and his tremendous offensive weapons.  Roddy White, Julio Jones and Tony Gonzalez are all dangerous players and Ryan spreads out his throws successfully to all three.  This means that Philadelphia’s defense must bring pressure to Ryan and Atlanta’s pass-heavy offense.  Gonzalez gave Philadelphia fits in last year’s meeting and this time will be covered by Mychal Kendricks and Nate Allen.  We know that Kendricks is good but the rookie will face an incredible challenge in trying to contain Gonzalez.  With a new DC, Philadelphia can inject an element of surprise to Ryan and the Falcons with the addition of some blitzing plays to keep the pressure coming.

The same concerns that existed prior to the bye for the Eagles offense are still there, first among them the turnover issue.  Andy Reid and Mike Vick were not able to find an effective solution in their bag of tricks before the break but their futures depend on ending the giveaways.  The shaky offensive line was dealt another blow with rookie Dennis Kelly likely getting his first NFL start on Sunday to replace RG Danny Watkins, who is suffering from left ankle issue.  King Dunlap is back as the starting left tackle, which should provide some solace for this line as Demetress Bell has continued to underwhelm with pass protection.  The o-line has been ravaged by injury this season but quite simply has to make it work this game and for the rest of the year.

Atlanta’s secondary thrives on takeaways and former Eagle Asante Samuel would just love to get a pick this game to prove to his old team that he is not damaged goods and they made a mistake in trading him.  Samuel has one 76-yard interception return for a touchdown this season and the Falcons have gotten a total of 17 takeaways.  Safety Thomas DeCoud has four interceptions alone, tied for the lead in the NFL.

Where can the Eagles get an edge against an aggressive Falcons defense?  By getting the running game going and sticking with it.  LeSean McCoy has struggled in the two weeks prior to the bye but Atlanta’s defense against the run is 28th– worst in the league, allowing an average 143.8 yards per game on the ground and allowing 5.2 YPC.  When Shady is your running back and you’re going against a team with such poor run defense, you run the ball.  Period. Philadelphia found success when it dialed up more rushing than passing attempts as it did in its victories against the Ravens and Giants.  They have the talent to do it and the more Vick is asked to throw the more potential for problems.

The intrigue of the Mike Vick-as-former-Falcons quarterback has faded but there is plenty to make this game a must-see matchup as well as a must-win contest for the Eagles.  Hurricane Sandy will likely make the weather a mess, not a comforting fact given concerns about ball security.  Todd Bowles makes his debut as the team’s DC and needs to prove that he can dial up the right plays at the right time for the Eagles defense.  The implications of 3-4 versus a 4-3 record are entirely different for Philadelphia and this team cannot afford to dip below .500.  There is no more time for excuses.  And if it’s another messy outing for Vick, things will get even more dramatic for Philadelphia.

Who has the edge in Sunday’s game?  I’d say it’s the team who has the most at stake.  In this case, it is hands-down the Philadelphia Eagles.  Expect them to come out swinging, seeking to prove to their detractors and to themselves that they can hand Atlanta their first loss this season.  It doesn’t hurt that the Falcons are 0-4 at the Linc, either.  Prediction: Eagles 27 Falcons 21

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in General, NFL | No Comments »

Philadelphia Eagles: Was Juan Castillo Used As a Scapegoat?

Wednesday, October 17th, 2012

by Brandon Pemberton

 

 

Yesterday the Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid, fired defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, making him a scapegoat for the teams mediocre 3-3 start.  In the Eagles last two games, the defense gave up leads in the fourth quarter and Sunday’s collapse forced Reid to make changes.  But this is more of a indictment towards Reid and the reason why, if they don’t somehow turn it around and make a trip to the Super Bowl, he and this whole regime must go.

There is plenty of blame to go around when you break down why this team with all this “so called” talent is 11-11 in their last 22 games.  We can start on defense if you like.  It all started when Andy Reid hired Juan Castillo as the defensive coordinator when he has never coached defense in the NFL, let alone college.  He had been the franchise’s offensive line coach since Ray Rhodes was here, and was one of the league’s best.  He made a constant habit of taking late-round picks and undrafted free agents like Jamaal Jackson, Artis Hicks, and Hank Fraley, and turning them into serviceable starters in the league.

Moving a lifetime offensive coach to the defensive side, let alone in charge of the defense was unprecedented and downright foolish.  It showed me that Reid thought and knew he was teflon and wasn’t going anywhere.  The defense in 2011 was horrible, probably the worst I’ve seen in 27 years of watching Eagles football.  After the play of last year’s defense, which was for the most part a direct result of Reid giving Castillo the job, they all should have been fired.

The players on defense also need to be held accountable for their play.  Juan Castillo can call the right defense for a certain situation, but if the players don’t execute out there on the field, there is nothing he can do.  The defensive line has been a flat-out disgrace, 7 sacks in 6 games (on pace for 18 for the season), after leading the league with 50 last year.  They weren’t able to pressure the QB with the down four, so Castillo was left no choice but to blitz.  Trent Cole, Jason Babin, and Cullen Jenkins have been complete no-shows vs the pass this season.

Okay an obvious target is Mike Vick and the offense as a whole.  He’s turned the ball over 13 times in just six games, often costing the team points and constantly putting the defense on the field and in tough spots.  The Eagles rank 31st in the league in scoring at 17.2 ppg, but is ranked 11th in total yards, which tells me that obviously Vick’s carelessness with the ball is a huge problem, and two, the red zone offense stinks and hasn’t gotten any better since last season. 

The offensive line is a glaring problem, losing the best left tackle in football and your starting center is going to leave you short handed.  I’ve watched the coach’s film and they aren’t as bad as most say they are, but the line definitely isn’t playing to the level that they were in 2011.  Guards Evan Mathis and Danny Watkins, honestly have been mediocre at best this season and I don’t expect much from backup center Dallas Reynolds. 

Finally, Andy Reid, the one who has put this team together.  He picks the players, he picks the coaches, and he has final say scheme-wise as well.  The bad play calling, his inability to adjust on game day, not using Shady McCoy (who is one of the top 3 running backs in all of football), and the fact that he had the gall to appoint an offensive line coach as the defensive coordinator, should have been grounds for dismissal at the end of last season.  Instead, owner Jeffrey Lurie brings him back and we have more of the same mediocre play from last season.

It’s no coincidence that the Eagles are 11-11 over their last 22 games, but a win in two weeks over Atlanta could give the Eagles confidence, momentum, and start a winning streak, but the downside of it is that it could also give Reid another year.  We will see how it plays out.  Football is a funny game. 

 

Brandon Pemberton of Sports Trap Radio, for War Room Sports

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in General, NFL | No Comments »

Lions-Eagles Preview: Taming Detroit’s Roar

Sunday, October 14th, 2012

by Brandyn Campbell

 

 

 

 

 

 

What happened to last year’s Detroit Lions team?  You know, the one that seemingly came out of nowhere to finish the season with a 10-6 record and make it to the playoffs?

That team is now 1-3 and are seeking an answer to that question themselves.  More importantly, they want to stop giving people reason to ask it.

For the second week in a row, the Philadelphia Eagles will face a team coming off of its bye and seeking to reclaim its season.  The Lions have arrived in Philadelphia rested and ready to roar, and it’s up to the Eagles to quiet their bite at the Linc.

The Lions are third in the NFL in total offense, averaging 412.2 YPG  but have little to show for it in terms of their record.  Detroit is averaging 25 points a  game, though, as compared to Philadelphia’s next-to-bottom of the league 16.  Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has struggled this season, notching more interceptions (4) than touchdowns (3) with 1,183 yards after coming off a 2011 season where he tallied 41 TDs and 16 INTs for over 5,000 yards.

While we are all wondering what happened to all of the sacks we expected to see out of Philadelphia’s defensive line (they haven’t had a single one in two games and only have 7 this season), they have done well with the pass defense and have held opposing QBs to an average rating of 67.1.  Expect them to continue with the pressure but it would be nice to add some good, old-fashioned quarterback sacks to the mix.

Calvin Johnson, has 29 catches for a total of 423 yards this season but only has one touchdown, which interestingly did not come from Matthew Stafford but rather backup quarterback Shaun Hill.  The  elite receiver is still trying to find the chemistry to match the magic of last year with his quarterback and the Eagles must ensure that that does not happen on their watch.

It’s been no secret this season that the Eagles have struggled mightily in covering the best receivers of the game (I don’t even want to mention the Cardinals and Larry Fitzgerald, lest you have flashbacks.)  Megatron is as good as they come, matching physicality (he’s 6’5 and 236 lbs) with speed.  The Eagles have not gone into detail about their plans for covering Johnson but going one-on-one should not be an option.  All hands need to be on deck to limit the damage that Megatron can inflict.

The Lions have struggled to find a consistent running game this season with RB Jahvid Best out of action.  Mikel Le Shoure, however, is a significant threat,  running for 100 yards and a touchdown in his Week 3 NFL debut.  He was quiet the following week with just 26 yards but his potential is there and needs to be stifled.  MLB DeMeco Ryans and DT Fletcher Cox have been very successful at stopping the run and their efforts should be helped by the return of Akeem Jordan to the weakside.

The Eagles offense will see a similar look on the Lions defense, as Detroit also utilizes the Wide-9.  One of the team’s standouts on defense, tackle Ndamukong Suh, has recently received heavy criticism from an unnamed GM in the league for being overhyped, and it’s true that Suh has not dominated as he has in previous years.  He is still a force and the Eagles will face a pissed-off and slightly embarrassed Suh due to the comments and yet another off-field incident from Thursday.

I’m hoping he doesn’t get mad enough to stomp somebody again.

Detroit middle linebacker Stephen Tulloch has helped the Lions to limit the traction of opponents’ running  games, keeping them to 4.1 YPC this season.  LeSean McCoy had just 53 yards on 16 carries in Pittsburgh but the Eagles have tried to use the run steadily the past few games (hurray!).  For Shady to have any success the Eagles o-line has to find a way to fight a boy named Suh up front, meaning that he will keep Evan Mathis and Dallas Reynolds’ hands full all day.

It’s been well-documented what Vick needs to do today in order to lead the Eagles offense–hang on to the ball.  If he can do that and get the ball to playmakers like DeSean Jackson, Brent Celek, and perhaps Jeremy Maclin will want to make some noise in an otherwise quiet season, we will see an end to the low number of points the Eagles have been able to tally this season.  The offense needs to strike first and strike often to show that they’re being all they can be.

Like Philadelphia, Detroit is struggling on special teams, with the Lions’ unit having allowed 2 kickoff and 2 punt returns for touchdowns already this season.  Will the Eagles decide to shake things up on their own return game and finally oust Damaris Johnson in favor for Jackson on punt return duty?

A young  Lions team on the road facing a mountain of criticism from folks ranging from their fanbase to executives of another team faces another young team in Philadelphia that seeks to start its bye with a 4-2 record that makes it harder to question the possibilities for their long-term success.  The Eagles last home game was a rousing win against the Giants and the fans will be hyped.  Prediction: Eagles 33 Lions 17

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and onFacebook.

 

Brandyn Campbell of Philly Sports Muse, for War Room Sports

Tags:, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in General, NFL | No Comments »

Newer Entries »