Dallas Sucks + Some 2013 Stuff

Posted: November 10th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 33 Comments »

As crappy as things have been in the recent 4-game losing streak (can you believe we were once 3-1?), life would be fun for a few days, maybe even a whole week, with a win over Dallas.

I don’t know about you, but Dallas is my biggest enemy.  I detest the Cowboys.  Being 4-5 would still be no fun, but reality can take a few days off if you get to enjoy watching Dallas go down, especially since they would fall to 3-6 and be all but out of it.  A blowout win would be friggin awesome, but at this point I’ll take whatever I can get.  Beggars can’t be choosers.

My preview hasn’t posted yet.  I’ll link to that when it does.  One interesting note in Dave’s column…he says that we may play a lot of Clay Harbor in this game and go with 2 TE sets.  I wrote about this the other day and think it would be smart to do.  If Andy starts listening to me, he’ll have more Super Bowl rings than I have empty pudding cups.

* * * * *

Jimmy Bama did a good post on the TE-trap/windback play that we’ve run on Dallas a lot recently.  Jimmy isn’t so sure it will work great this time around, mainly due to the backup OL.  Excellent work by Jimmy, but please don’t tell him I said that.

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We got into a discussion the other day about 2013 and QBs.  I decided to write about that for SB Nation Philly.  It would really help us a lot to get a look at Nick Foles at some point to get a better idea if he is the guy for the future.

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Howard Eskin recently tweeted that Jon Gruden could be an Eagles candidate if Big Red is let go.  I have my doubts.  Gruden is a masterful coach, but he struggles with the personnel side of things.  He is much more comfortable with veterans than young players.  Check out the ages of his skill players from his 2 best teams.

2001 Raiders

QB Rich Gannon – 35
RB Charlie Garner – 29
TE Roland Williams – 26
WR Tim Brown – 35
WR Jerry Rice – 39

2002 Bucs

QB Brad Johnson – 34
RB Michael Pittman – 27
RB Mike Alstott – 29
TE Ken Dilger – 31
WR Keenan McCardell – 32
WR Keyshawn Johnson – 30

Gruden would be great if you only wanted a guy for one year.  He’s smart.  Tough. Can motivate.  He just hasn’t shown that he knows how to build and sustain a program.  I don’t think Jeff Lurie wants to sell out for glory in 2013 since there will be a question about the QB situation.  Gruden might want to keep Mike Vick around.  That’s an expensive gamble.  I also wonder how Vick would deal with the high pressure coaching of Gruden.  He’s never been around anyone quite like that.  Could be an expensive disaster.

Here is Domo’s take on Gruden.

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Sam found an interesting article where Joe Banner talks about what he and Lurie looked for in a head coach.  As Sam pointed out on Twitter, you would think the Eagles would have a similar mindset this time around.

Follow Sam on Twitter.  If you’re not on Twitter…why not?

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  • http://twitter.com/corry_k Corry Henry

    Either McManus or Kapadia talked about Gruden as a head coach and probably wanting 100% personnel control. They quoted Jaworski as saying that he may not need the control if he can trust the GM to provide him the type of talent he’s looking for. I don’t really believe that Gruden could back off that demand given the fact that I think most coaches are control freaks to varying degrees, but if he could work with Roseman and allow him to do his job, does Gruden then become more desirable?

    Here’s the article: http://www.phillymag.com/eagles/2012/11/10/coaching-buzz-gruden-kelly-and-arians/

    • TommyLawlor

      Gruden would only want a GM who would do exactly what he wanted.

      • austinfan

        Not so sure. Gruden was humbled in Tampa Bay after a string of accomplishments, and three years off, watching other teams, gives you time to consider your faults.

        Think Belichick after Cleveland, back to DC, time to think about how he screwed up, did a little better the second time around.

        I think Jon Boy may be more mature, less impetuous, more patient. I think he’d accept a partner relationship with a GM he trusted, though he could never accept a big ego GM. And he may be ready to concede that winning in the long-run means player development, not loading up on veterans.

  • kaninfaan

    gruden doesnt have to be a “modern” headcoach who does everything himself. and hes brilliant with playcalling. If we had him instead of Marty we wouldnt have grown ulcers the last seven years…

    If they win both this seasons games against the cowboys, the season will have been good, not great, even if we dont make the playoffs. ;)

    • TommyLawlor

      I’d kill for Gruden as OC, but that’s not an option. He’s a HC. As for personnel, he wants part of that. Gruden is an alpha type. He wants things done his way.

  • http://www.facebook.com/salmonofcapistrano Mike Roman

    Tommy,

    Wouldn’t it be more economical if you made the pudding instead of purchasing the cups? Yes, it takes more time, but not all that much more if you make instant pudding. And if you wanted to go balls out and make it on the stove, I’d buy your pudding skin singles.

    • TommyLawlor

      Nothing beats fresh pudding, but there isn’t always time.

      • http://www.facebook.com/jamie.parker.1044 Jamie Parker

        Maybe you could hire Vince Young to stir it for you.

        • TommyLawlor

          I’ll pay him with TGI Friday’s gift certificates.

  • shah8

    Run the ball, Andy.

    Seriously, the only way we win this game is we can consistently get yards on the ground. Wring one ounce of decent run-blocking performance, and we can distill a few grams of explosives for the passing game.

    • TommyLawlor

      Let’s hope Andy does use Shady and Bryce a lot.

      • Anders

        Isnt that like wishing for you to end up with Megan Fox in a hot tub with unlimited PBR and pudding?

      • miked718

        Flea flickers, fake punts, statue of liberty, go for it every 4th down. Let’s see Andy be Mega Andy for the rest of the year.

        • A_T_G

          I think we should start every play with our wide receivers laying on the ground. It worked once, almost, so more of it must be better.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=565087931 Jeppe Elmelund van Ee

    I’m starting to get really anxious as to the future of my beloved Eagles. We (Lurie) have so many team-altering decisions to make in the next few months. And so much can go wrong. I’ve written this before, but if he chooses the wrong HC (I think Gruden would be a major mistake) or if the new HC chooses the wrong QB we will be looking at a minimum of 3-4 years at the bottom of the division.
    If this tragedy should happen, we would have wasted the prime of one of the elite RBs in the league, and DeSean wouldn’t be the same player as well.
    Maybe the best hope for us is to find the right HC this off-season, have a bad year in 2013 with a band-aid QB and find the new franchise QB in 2014?
    We have a loong road ahead of us as fans…

    • TommyLawlor

      Or maybe we go 8-0 this year, win the SB, and Reid gets a 5-yr extension.

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=565087931 Jeppe Elmelund van Ee

        I almost wrote that as well – but it just seems dilusional at this point. With this O-line I think 5-3 is the best case scenario for the remaining part of the season. And 8-8 won’t get us in the playoffs or keep Reid around. Hopefully I’m wrong, there’s nothing I would want more!

        • miked718

          The rest of the schedule is not too scary, and Reid usually brings his A game for NFCE games, of which we have five. I’m no expert but I’m just gonna pencil in 7-1, possible showdown for the NFCE crown against the Giants and then a loooong discussion of Reid’s future. I just can’t see Andy making it this easy to fire him, there’s a winning streak coming, O line or not.

  • ACViking

    Re: T-Law . . . The Coach Whisperer

    If Reid’s gonna follow your ACE advice, then I remain hopeful (if AR’s relieved) that Lurie will likewise follow your advice regarding the next coach.

    No to Jon Gruden.

  • ACViking

    Re: Banner article

    T-Law:

    Is Joe Banner suffering from “Jerry Jones Syndrome” . . . caused by hubris catalyzed by the Eagles’ 2012 struggles?

    • TommyLawlor

      Could be. He’s on cloud nine right now, seeing us struggle and being part of a new team. Joe is brilliant, but even smart guys are vulnerable to ego and emotions. That’s how my nephew beats me at Chutes ‘n Ladders.

      • SteveH

        I don’t see what he has to smile about, its not like the Browns are heading anywhere fast. Last I checked they have a 57 year old rookie QB who’s the worst out of all the rookie QB’s in the draft class.

        • TommyLawlor

          Banner didn’t do that. He just got there a month ago.

          • SteveH

            He’s still inheriting the situation. The Browns are just such a culture of failure, I think Banners going to regret taking that job.

  • ACViking

    Re: Stanford’s David Shaw

    Back in 1999, when Lurie, Banner, and Modrak were looking for Rhodes’ successor, one of the ass’t coaches they interviewed was Willie Shaw.

    Now, almost 15 years later, the Eagles may again be looking for a new coach . . . and it may be Willie Shaw’s son, David.

    The NFL really is a family experience.

    • http://www.facebook.com/jamie.parker.1044 Jamie Parker

      I’d be all for that. That would make me happy.

  • Eagles_Fan_in_San_Fran

    Buried in Domo’s piece on Gruden:

    An NFL pro personnel scout on the Eagles: “That team has fallen so far.
    It’s hard to believe. The disorganization. The blown coverages. Not
    lining up right. The intensity you need to play with.”

    • Cal Setar

      I say this with all the possible respect in the world…but is this possibly a symptom of the unfortunate happenings in training camp? I feel like there’s got to be some element of trickle down here in terms of Andy’s focus and preparedness, and this team just not looking or acting like an Andy Reid team.

      Obviously in terms of the overall failings of the team there’s more at work here than just Andy, but I refuse to believe that hasn’t played a major part in how the team has functioned up to this point.

      “The disorganization. The blown coverages. Not lining up right. The intensity you need to play with.”
      Nothing about this year or this team says “Andy Reid” to me.

  • http://www.facebook.com/jamie.parker.1044 Jamie Parker

    I have the Cowboys defense for both my fantasy teams so the Eagles offense should be rocking tomorrow.

    • http://www.facebook.com/matthew.verhoog Matthew Verhoog

      I’ve considered just trying to get the Eagles opponet for my fantasy team Def.

  • TommyLawlor

    Oregon plays at 1030pm on Espn for those who want to watch Chip Kelly’s team in action.

    • Anders

      I havnt watched em live yet this year. Sucks that 1030 pm is 4:30 am over here

  • SteveH

    aaand I finally got my internet back today. Hurricane Sandy was a bitch.
    TBH I think if we’re going to commit to the Nick Foles era I’d actually rather have Andy back to oversee the start of it, even if he totally bombs the rest of the year. I don’t know why but I trust Andy with young QB’s more than I’d trust any other coach around the league. We don’t have to keep Andy past 2013 but I’d love to see him there to get him started.