Battle of the Birds – Part 2
Posted: September 22nd, 2012 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 26 Comments »Last week the Ravens, this week the Cards.
I wrote a game preview for PE.com. I really think this is a game the Eagles should win. The key is not to look past the Cards. Since they beat us last year, I can’t imagine that will happen. Still, ya never know. I don’t get the feeling that being 2-0 is going to the Eagles heads, but we won’t know that for sure until Sunday when we see them play.
The Eagles don’t need help to win the game. I think the Cards do. They need us to make mistakes. That happened last year in the loss. I think this team is different. I know we’ve been turnover prone, but they feel different. Maybe that’s just my optimism talking. As I said, we’ll see on Sunday. The Cards are a team that gets a lot of lucky breaks. That means they are good at making things happen and then taking advantage of them when they do.
What’s the feeling on Damaris Johnson? Do the coaches mix him in a lot and surprise the Cards or does he catch a couple of passes and just have a quiet role?
Clay Harbor could be a guy to watch.
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For SB Nation Philly, I offered up some thoughts on Michael Vick.
Brian Solomon did some good All-22 work over at McNabb or Kolb.
Derek over at Iggles Blog is quickly establishing himself as the King of All-22. This is must see material. Great work.
Of course, the most important thing for you to read is FakeWIPCaller’s most recent column. Wait til you see his blast at Donovan and Twitter. Classic stuff.
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To the draftniks out there…
We’ve got a couple of new posts up at ScoutsNotebook. One is from last weekend, one for this weekend. I linked to a couple of good draft videos in my post.
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Late add … forgot to link to the newest edition of the Helmet2Helmet Show. Jimmy Bama and I discuss the Cardinals, the Eagles, and some great quilting ideas. For real. Good show.
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Mychal Kendricks will get his first interception.
I like that prediction. He does owe us a TD or 2.
I would like to see Kolb picked a couple of times by DRC, just to make sure both fanbases agree on who got the best of that trade.
Brilliant.
I think their fan base already agrees, that would just be rubbing their noses in it. I’m in favour of that.
Who did we get with the pIck? Was that Curry? Maybe. His QB pressure causes the pick to DRC. Circle of life.
We traded it and got Curry and Boykin. It’s just taking the Mickey Bliss out of them. It could be one of the best trades ever for us.
I’m actually pretty excited about this game. The way the Eagles D has been playing, I just love good defense, and ours has been a treat to watch the first 2 weeks. I just hope our refurbished OL can hold up to their defense. Time for Bell to show why we’re paying him!
You know the way the Eagles used to make that first long throw of the game to Pinkston and then you’d hardly hear from him for most of the game? That’s what I picture Demaris Johnson doing tomorrow.
I hope not, but definitely possible.
Yeah, it’s more of a feeling than a prediction
I think too many people are over looking the Cardinals. This is the team that won 9 out of their last 11 games and limited Tom Brady to under 20 points. I don’t care that Gastowski missed the game winning FG at the end of the game; holding the Patriots offense to 1 touchdown is an accomplishment.
The Cardinals have the personnel to run a nickel scheme and pressure Vick with CB and LB blitzes. They have a long defensive lineman that can bat down passes and CBs that can play press coverage. Rhodes and Wilson are two veteran safteys that can play run support, defend Celek, and provide double coverage on the Eagles WRs. Don’t forget about Daryl Washington, that guy is a rising star.
On offense, the Cardinals are unspectacular. They have a weak offensive line but that have a QB in Kolb that excels in moving the chains and making quick, short and safe throws. He’s also playing with Larry Fitzgerald, the best WR in the game and a playmaking RB with Beanie Wells. This might also be the game the Michael Floyd wakes up.
With Jeremy Maclin out for this game, Vick is going to have a hard time making plays down the field with DeSean Jackson’s speed being nuetralized by Patrick Peterson and the Cardinals S and LBs locking up Celek and McCoy. I expect a lot of turnovers from Vick since won’t be able to anticipate the blitzes and will thus struggle with making the right reads.
A good game from the Cardinals defense and a few key plays from their offense is all they need in order to beat the Eagles.
A good test for the Eagles to see where they are.
Two things that made me LOL:
“have a QB in Kolb that excels in moving the chains and making quick, short and safe throws”
and
“DeSean Jackson’s speed being nuetralized by Patrick Peterson and the Cardinals S and LBs locking up Celek and McCoy”
What’s with Eagles fans and discounting their own superstars at the expense of other teams’ players? Our offensive weapons that you so easily dismiss are among the best in the NFL.
With that said, I’m not looking past the Cards. This could certainly be a trap game. But like Tommy said, losing to them last season – you would hope – gets the players focused.
Kevin Kolb: 17/27, 222 yards
DeSean Jackson 3 rec, 43 yards
You lost me with “a playmaking RB with Beanie Wells”
Don’t get too excited by winning 9 of 11.
4 wins were in OT, and the biggest margin of victory was 4 points in those 9 victories.
Since there is little evidence supporting the concept of “clutch,” teams, a better explanation is they’ve had a great run of luck (maybe they sacrificed a cheerleader to the football gods?), but it won’t last forever.
Now some it is is fueled by very good STs, but some of it is simply the breaks going their way.
I heard Rocky Boiman doing a college game on the radio tonight. I had completely forgotten about his short time as an Eagle.
I don’t think the Cards need help to beat us as they they provide their own help. Further, we haven’t had a game where we too haven’t needed the self-assisted help of our defence (they also get help from their special teams). I can’t see this being any different, though maybe we come come up with a brilliant offensive game plan running N-S with Shady and Brown at their 2-man DL.
I think their O is by far the weaker and our D is at least as good as theirs which gives us victory. In fact, I can see Lindley ending the game for the Cards.
Am I the only one who can’t take Donovan McNabb seriously as a commentator on NFL Network?
Why?
I haven’t seen him, so I don’t know if there is something specific about him your referring to or just the current general perception of him. If Tim Hasselback (who was never more than a third QB and never played a meaningful snap) can be taken seriously as a commentator, why not McNabb?
It’s just that he was the Eagles QB for years. Nothing specific about him… he does look uncomfortable commenting on the Eagles though.
Gotcha.
Nothing is guaranteed in the NFL, but . . .
Due to last season’s game, Eagles are less likely to look ahead to the Giants game.
Keys:
D Johnson making some plays, and Harbor getting utilized, with attention on Celek, if Harbor gets matched up against Lenon or Wilson, he could have a big game.
Mathis v Campbell, watching the NE game, Campbell reminds a bit of Ratliff in that he’s very athletic but not that physical, Mankins was moving him out but struggled with Campbell on the move. Mathis may be the only LG Campbell will face that’s as athletic.
Watkins v Dockett, it’s time for Watkins to start living up to his 1st rd billing, at his age, he can’t wait for his second contract to emerge.
Herremans v Schofield, Schofield was more effective last year off the bench, Herremans has a huge size advantage and needs to use it on run downs.
Everyone against Synder & Seidlein & Colledge to bring inside pressure, NE got little inside pressure, allowing Kolb to step up and away from outside pressure, but their DTs are Love and Wilfork (13 sacks in 8 years, bull or bust), ours know how to penetrate – get a man in Kolb’s face and he can’t step up and it’s all over.
Who would you rather have starting in Maclin’s place tonight, a healthy Cooper or Johnson? I have to say I would like to have Cooper on a day like this, he has done a good job starting in the past. Johnson might do a good job but he is an unknown and then there’s the size.