Bye Week Assesment: Eagles don't live up to the hype
In an another post Ellick discussed the Eagles problems this year and referenced Rich Hofmann’s column in today’s Daily News. Both of them beat me to post I wanted to write on the Eagles’ problems and why, frankly, they simply aren’t an elite team. Despite coming in a distant third, I’ll still add my thoughts.
First of all, the Eagles are still a good team. They still have a bunch of weapons on offense and some very good parts on defense. And, in a weak NFC, they are still as likely as any other team to take the conference. However, they are not the team they were last year. They are not head and shoulders above the conference. Here’s why:
1. The Defensive Ends
As Ellick and I have both pointed out in previous posts, Jevon Kearse has not lived up to his elite billing. Yes he is a good player. Yes he is an athletic freak. But no, he is not an elite NFL defensive end. Elite defensive ends consistently put pressure on the QB. They consistently get sacks. Kearse does not do that.
Kearse’s lack of production is compounded by a complete lack of depth at the position. ND Kalu is not an NFL starter. He is a good situational pass rusher but he is not an every down lineman. Trent Cole, and undersized 5th round pick is our 3rd DE. Juqua Thomas is an ok backup, but that that’s it. This just does not get consistent pressure on the QB. This was apparent not only against Dallas but against Oakland as well. It’s a bad sign when you’re hoping that Jerome McDougle can come back and solidify your DE rotation.
2. Donovan McNabb
Yes the chattering classes have been effusive with praise for McNabb this year. Chris Collingsworth even dubbed him the next Brett Farve (we’ve been hearing those comparisons for years – please give it a rest). Are any of these talking heads actually watching the games? McNabb has built impressive passing numbers this year by taking advantage of three terrible pass defenses: San Francisco, Oakland and Kansas City. Against Atlanta and Dallas he has been poor. Even against the three weaker teams often did not see open receivers or missed them when they did. His accuracy was atrocious against Dallas, not only missing a wide open Greg Lewis with a deep ball that would have tied the game at 7, but consistently missing receivers short all day.
McNabb has always had problems with accuracy and with reading defenses. He has improved to an extent, but it is becoming apparent that we will never be a stellar drop back passer. A good one, yes. A great one, no. What can make him an elite QB adding the extra threat of his ability to make plays with his feet. But that extra threat is now gone, both because of his injuries (which also seem to be hurting his passing) and because he and Reid stubbornly insist on trying to make him into something he is not.
McNabb needs to have his surgery. Heal up. Come back and start playing the game the way he used to play it.
3. The Interior OL
Shawn Andrews is basically a rookie and he’s had some rookie mistakes, but generally he has been good. Hank Fraley and Artis Hicks, on the other hand, have not been. Hicks and Fraley are below average run blockers – one of the reasons the Eagles have not been able to establish the run on the few times they tried. They have also been poor is pass protection, not providing Donovan McNabb enough time.
4. The Wide Receivers
That’s right, the WRs. TO is amazing. But after him, what? Despite many people’s hatred for Todd Pinkston (including our own Ellick), the guy was a good #2 and a very good deep threat. With 21 catches, Greg Lewis has been OK, but really hasn’t take much pressure off of TO. Reggie Brown, the #3 who was supposed to be so good in training camp, has only 6 catches.
It’s obvious that after TO, the Birds’ next two options are TE LJ Smith and RB Brian Westbrook. But if this offense is going to click it needs to get more out of the #2 and #3 WRs. This was especially obvious when LJ Smith left the Cowboys game with an injury. Without Smith on the field, all of a sudden the Eagles were down to only two real weapons: TO and Westbrook.
5. Special Teams
The kick coverage is bad. The reason is simple: the talent we have on the coverage teams isn’t very good. Losing Ike Reese has hurt. We need to start inserting some starters on these units, even it means a risk of injury.
Our return game is even worse. Our kickoff returns are consistently 25 yards or less. Punt returns are no better. Dexter Wynn and Rod Hood aren’t cutting it.
There are reports that Ryan Moats will be activated to return kicks after the bye. That is an experiment I’d like to see. I’d also like to see Brian Westbrook back returning kicks and he or Lito Sheppard returning punts. If Westbrook is only going to get five carries a game, at least the Eagles can give him some touches in the return game.
6. The Coach
This is last, but certainly not least. Andy Reid is just not a very good game day coach. In every game this year except for the 49ers game, the Eagles have come out flat and fallen behind early, three times by double digits. Reid has not had his players prepared to play, and he hasn’t had a good game plan.
His play calling, of course, also continues to be dreadful. We hate to sound like a broken record, but the Eagles CANNOT win a Super Bowl throwing the ball 80% of the time, especially when McNabb is so evidently not playing at his top capability. But Reid’s poor play calling is more than just his run-pass balance. He continues to put McNabb in the shotgun even though the formation does not work for the Eagles. He continues to run play action even though defenses know there is no threat of the run. He has become predictable and easy to read. For example: on a medium length 3rd down on one of the Eagles first drives of the game they lined up in the shotgun with TO in the backfield. TO ran a quick flare to the right and caught the pass, but was immediately stopped by two Cowboy defenders. As soon as the Eagles lined up as they did, the coming play was apparent to the entire bar I was in and, quite obviously, to the Cowboys as well.
Some of these problems could be solved. Hopefully, Reid will use this bye week to reassess this team and develop a different game plan for the Chargers and the opponents after that. Hopefully two weeks of rest bring McNabb’s game up a bit. Hopefully Darwin Walker gets healthy over the bye, restoring what is a pretty good DT rotation. Hopefully McDougle does make a difference at DE.
The Eagles still can get to Detroit. But they aren’t going to waltz through the NFC as they did last year. If they want to win this year, they need to take a serious look at this team. And they need to fix it.
First of all, the Eagles are still a good team. They still have a bunch of weapons on offense and some very good parts on defense. And, in a weak NFC, they are still as likely as any other team to take the conference. However, they are not the team they were last year. They are not head and shoulders above the conference. Here’s why:
1. The Defensive Ends
As Ellick and I have both pointed out in previous posts, Jevon Kearse has not lived up to his elite billing. Yes he is a good player. Yes he is an athletic freak. But no, he is not an elite NFL defensive end. Elite defensive ends consistently put pressure on the QB. They consistently get sacks. Kearse does not do that.
Kearse’s lack of production is compounded by a complete lack of depth at the position. ND Kalu is not an NFL starter. He is a good situational pass rusher but he is not an every down lineman. Trent Cole, and undersized 5th round pick is our 3rd DE. Juqua Thomas is an ok backup, but that that’s it. This just does not get consistent pressure on the QB. This was apparent not only against Dallas but against Oakland as well. It’s a bad sign when you’re hoping that Jerome McDougle can come back and solidify your DE rotation.
2. Donovan McNabb
Yes the chattering classes have been effusive with praise for McNabb this year. Chris Collingsworth even dubbed him the next Brett Farve (we’ve been hearing those comparisons for years – please give it a rest). Are any of these talking heads actually watching the games? McNabb has built impressive passing numbers this year by taking advantage of three terrible pass defenses: San Francisco, Oakland and Kansas City. Against Atlanta and Dallas he has been poor. Even against the three weaker teams often did not see open receivers or missed them when they did. His accuracy was atrocious against Dallas, not only missing a wide open Greg Lewis with a deep ball that would have tied the game at 7, but consistently missing receivers short all day.
McNabb has always had problems with accuracy and with reading defenses. He has improved to an extent, but it is becoming apparent that we will never be a stellar drop back passer. A good one, yes. A great one, no. What can make him an elite QB adding the extra threat of his ability to make plays with his feet. But that extra threat is now gone, both because of his injuries (which also seem to be hurting his passing) and because he and Reid stubbornly insist on trying to make him into something he is not.
McNabb needs to have his surgery. Heal up. Come back and start playing the game the way he used to play it.
3. The Interior OL
Shawn Andrews is basically a rookie and he’s had some rookie mistakes, but generally he has been good. Hank Fraley and Artis Hicks, on the other hand, have not been. Hicks and Fraley are below average run blockers – one of the reasons the Eagles have not been able to establish the run on the few times they tried. They have also been poor is pass protection, not providing Donovan McNabb enough time.
4. The Wide Receivers
That’s right, the WRs. TO is amazing. But after him, what? Despite many people’s hatred for Todd Pinkston (including our own Ellick), the guy was a good #2 and a very good deep threat. With 21 catches, Greg Lewis has been OK, but really hasn’t take much pressure off of TO. Reggie Brown, the #3 who was supposed to be so good in training camp, has only 6 catches.
It’s obvious that after TO, the Birds’ next two options are TE LJ Smith and RB Brian Westbrook. But if this offense is going to click it needs to get more out of the #2 and #3 WRs. This was especially obvious when LJ Smith left the Cowboys game with an injury. Without Smith on the field, all of a sudden the Eagles were down to only two real weapons: TO and Westbrook.
5. Special Teams
The kick coverage is bad. The reason is simple: the talent we have on the coverage teams isn’t very good. Losing Ike Reese has hurt. We need to start inserting some starters on these units, even it means a risk of injury.
Our return game is even worse. Our kickoff returns are consistently 25 yards or less. Punt returns are no better. Dexter Wynn and Rod Hood aren’t cutting it.
There are reports that Ryan Moats will be activated to return kicks after the bye. That is an experiment I’d like to see. I’d also like to see Brian Westbrook back returning kicks and he or Lito Sheppard returning punts. If Westbrook is only going to get five carries a game, at least the Eagles can give him some touches in the return game.
6. The Coach
This is last, but certainly not least. Andy Reid is just not a very good game day coach. In every game this year except for the 49ers game, the Eagles have come out flat and fallen behind early, three times by double digits. Reid has not had his players prepared to play, and he hasn’t had a good game plan.
His play calling, of course, also continues to be dreadful. We hate to sound like a broken record, but the Eagles CANNOT win a Super Bowl throwing the ball 80% of the time, especially when McNabb is so evidently not playing at his top capability. But Reid’s poor play calling is more than just his run-pass balance. He continues to put McNabb in the shotgun even though the formation does not work for the Eagles. He continues to run play action even though defenses know there is no threat of the run. He has become predictable and easy to read. For example: on a medium length 3rd down on one of the Eagles first drives of the game they lined up in the shotgun with TO in the backfield. TO ran a quick flare to the right and caught the pass, but was immediately stopped by two Cowboy defenders. As soon as the Eagles lined up as they did, the coming play was apparent to the entire bar I was in and, quite obviously, to the Cowboys as well.
Some of these problems could be solved. Hopefully, Reid will use this bye week to reassess this team and develop a different game plan for the Chargers and the opponents after that. Hopefully two weeks of rest bring McNabb’s game up a bit. Hopefully Darwin Walker gets healthy over the bye, restoring what is a pretty good DT rotation. Hopefully McDougle does make a difference at DE.
The Eagles still can get to Detroit. But they aren’t going to waltz through the NFC as they did last year. If they want to win this year, they need to take a serious look at this team. And they need to fix it.
posted by ahb at 12:51 AM
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