Time For Tough Questions

Posted: November 6th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 73 Comments »

Many of you want to focus on Andy Reid.  Listen, the team is 3-5.  He will need a miracle finish to keep his job.  If he pulls off a miracle finish, he deserves to stay.  If he doesn’t pull off that miracle, he’s heading to San Diego (just a strong guess).

Talking about Reid isn’t a big deal for me right now.  I’m more focused on the players.  To me, that’s the tougher discussion.  Who stays?  Who goes?

Player evaluation is tricky.  Remember how excited everyone was about Dennis Kelly after last week.  Will Danny Watkins ever get his job back?  I didn’t write about that because I wanted to see a second game. I’ve been burned in the past by a guy that steps in and plays really well for a game, then disappears or flattens out significantly.

The best non-Shawn Andrews game I’ve seen a G play for the Eagles was Artis Hicks vs the Giants in 2003.  I was ready to put him in Canton.  Didn’t last.  Our buddy Brian Baldinger was ready to marry/adopt/worship Jamar Chaney after 1.5 games in 2010.  Back in 2009 Will Witherspoon made a spectacular debut as an Eagle with a sack, INT, and FF on MNF.  He then was useless for the remainder of the season.  Bobby Hoying of 1997 was good.  Hoying of 1998 was torturously bad.  (“Please, turn off the tape and waterboard me some more!!!”)

One game can give you a false-positive or a false-negative.  You need a bigger sample.  You need to see how the player performs for multiple games.  You need to see how much of his success is due to his teammates or the scheme.  You need to see how teams adjust to him and how he adjusts to the adjustments.  Just because a guy hits a home run in his first at bat doesn’t mean he’s going to be Babe Ruth.

When the season is officially over, someone will need to evaluate the roster and decide who stays and who goes.  Clearly Nnamdi Asomugha is a goner.  He’s lost a step and it sure doesn’t look like he’s consistently physical enough to play Safety.  He’s not worth big money, so he’s gone.

What about Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins?  Fans will scream loudly to cut Babin, understandably so.  The personnel guys/coaches who study him have to be a bit more careful.  They have to recognize that he had 18 sacks in 2011.  Was that the anomaly or is 2012 the anomaly?  As fans it is easy to scream the answer you want, but as a team employee your job rides on the evaluation.  Get it wrong and you can lose your job.  Much tougher.

We all love Trent Cole to death.  What is the deal with him?  Last night he had a chance for an easy sack and ran right by Brees.  That makes me think Trent is in a slump of some kind.  He’s pressing and playing out of control, not a usual trait of his.  But it could be that time has caught up to him and has robbed him of half a step of quickness.  That’s all it takes to go from sack machine to pressure machine.

There are 3 big questions on offense.  The most important for the whole team is what to do at QB.  I think there is very little shot for Vick to return.  He is due big money next year and I don’t think the organization believes in him long term.  Is Nick Foles the guy?  It really would be great to get him 4 to 6 starts this year to take a look at what he can do.  If there are legit doubts about him, you have to bring in serious competition.

The problem at QB is that the draft class looks weak.  If you cut Vick and don’t like Foles,  you need plan C.  Foles really is the logical way to go for 2013, but it will help whoever is the key decision-maker if they can watch him in action.  I don’t believe you bench Vick right now, but it’s getting closer and closer.

The other questions on offense are whether you count on Jason Peters coming back and then deciding if Jeremy Maclin is the right guy to keep.  I think Mac is an above average player.  The problem is that he doesn’t complement DeSean well.  Mac has size, but plays small.  He’s a finesse WR that runs well.  DeSean is smaller, faster, and explosive.  You’d love the guy across from him to be bigger and more physical.

It is important for the players to bust their humps in the final 8 games.  What they show can help decide who stays and who goes.  Players need to have the right attitude in the classroom, practice, and in games.  This is why it is important for Reid to keep a steady and not just start benching players en masse. You need to maintain a professional atmosphere, even if  you’re losing.  Dave Spadaro talks about the end of the Rhodes regime and how players would sit at practice and talk on their cellphones.  Reid will never let things get to that point.

You must be careful in talent evaluation to make sure players are done or have proven to be busts.  Justin Tuck was injured and unproductive for his first 2 seasons, but then got healthy and was a perfect fit for Steve Spagnuolo’s scheme in 2007.  The rest is history.  Roddy White was an underachiever after 2 years.  He was better the next 2, but then got better the last 3 seasons.  A proven vet like Charles Woodson left Oakland as a huge question mark.  He wasn’t signed until late April of 2006 and only Tampa and Green Bay showed interest, but he’s been a force for the Packers ever since.  A change of scenery did him a world of good.  He also got healthy and stayed healthy.

It is easy to play armchair GM and call for the Eagles to be blown up.  ”Cut ‘em all”.  The reality is that the roster has talent right now.  The trick is to figure out which players are underachieving this year and which ones just aren’t good anymore or were overrated in the first place.

The final 8 games may or may not be important to the final record, but they can have a big impact on the careers of some players, coaches, and personnel guys.

* * * * *

NFL Gimpy has a new MAQB column up.  He covers the playoff race and has his usual rookie QB update.  It really is amazing to track the careers of these young guys so far.  Amazing group.

* * * * *

In case anyone missed it, Jimmy Bama and I did a show last night after the loss.  We started off angry, but then I got Jimmy to laughing and he got me to laughing.

Just because the season is in a free-fall (or Skyfall starring Daniel Craig!!!) doesn’t mean the coverage will let up.  I’ll be doing a ton of writing.  Jimmy and I’ll do regular shows to discuss the Eagles, the draft, the impending coaching search, and so much more.

_

  • SleepingDuck

    I know a lot of people have speculated that Reid will go to San Diego if he’s fired, but what’s his connection to San Diego? Is he from there or something?

    • Ark87

      He’s from LA (I think), but he’s a West Coast guy in general. Nice weather, pleasant people, a likely job opening, franchise QB. A good fit in theory.

      • TommyLawlor

        Right on the money.

      • SleepingDuck

        I’m from L.A and I think the weather isn’t that nice. Haha. The temperature has been all of the place lately. If he goes there, I hope he succeeds since he’s taken a lot of heat in Philly.

        • Ark87

          I was referring to San Diego. Never been there but they say it’s some of the nicest year-round weather on the planet. It’s funny, with the mustache and just being a big guy and just the way he came off I always thought he was a northern mid-west sort. But i guess that was more because we got him off of the Green Bay coaching staff haha. Didn’t realize he was from the west coast until they put up that tape from the kids’ punt/pass/kick competition towering over the other kids his age in LA (he was wearing an LA Rams uni).

          But I too wish Reid all the best regardless of where he goes…sort of…killed me a little bit inside to see Vermeil go and win a superbowl in St.Louis. Great guy…we were A-holes about it…he went and got his superbowl elsewhere. I kinda wish Reid would go ride off into the sunset and live happily ever after far far away from NFL football. Or maybe a TV analyst, Reid is really great when he can be candid with you.

        • A_T_G

          You see any weather news from the east coast lately?

  • aerochrome2

    My thought on the QB is this. If the QB class is weak and Foles doesn’t look like a long term option, we will be wasting the primes of the core of a decent chunk of the team. By the time you draft someone in 2014, get them comfortable in 2015, maybe they make a run that year or the next, but then what has the wear and tear done to McCoy and Jackson by 2015/16? Will DeMeco be playing at a high level at 31/32? Etc.

    • TommyLawlor

      They need a good QB for 2013. Hope it’s Foles, but if not…they’ll need to be creative in finding one.

      • holeplug

        Matt Flynn??

        • shah8

          No, and bleep no. At this point, I’m pretty sure Pete Carrol got Flynn because the Seahawks fanbase hated TJack. And I don’t think that if Carrol had not gotten Russell Wilson, that he would have ended up starting Flynn over TJack over the majority of the season. Flynn is flat out not physically capable of being the main guy, and that’s pretty much that.

          • phillychuck

            What the hell does “not physically capable” mean, and how can you be cocksure you know he isn’t?

          • shah8

            In this case, I mean that Flynn does not have a good arm, primarily. A bit more mobile in college than Foles, but the real issue is that he almost certainly cannot make accurate throws under duress over the course of a game/year. Did not have good completion % in college, and there is every sign that he needs near college type “open” for completions.

            He *could* be better than I think he is, after all, only two games. However, the chances that it’s a Caleb Hanie style mirage is pretty good.

          • phillychuck

            Flynn in his only NFL start: 31 /44, 480 yds, 70.5%.

            Looks pretty accurate to me. And even though the season was over for GB, that was with real bullets, not in the preseason (where he’s also been pretty good). I’m not lobbying for Flynn, but don’t brush the guy off as Bobby Hoying, either.

          • BC1968

            So wait, are you trying to cover for Vick after that tweet you sent out during the game last night?

    • Ark87

      You got it right. A lot of promising careers ride on finding a franchise qb for this club next year. You wonder if those guys see that Vick isn’t going to be around forever and they are in danger being the next MJD or Steve Smith (the good one). One way or another I think you have to set one priority next season regardless with who’s at the helm: win the trenches. Both sides of the ball. Win the trenches and you will be able to run the ball, and ANY QB can look like Joe Montana if he’s wearing a clean jersey in the 4th quarter. It was frustrating that we never had any real targets for McNabb but dang we had a line, and that team won games.

      When was the last time you heard: “Here comes the blitz, Eagles pick it up” It used to be common. And when we did that we made them pay.

  • http://twitter.com/KeeepSwinging Anthony Hart

    Listening to Helmet 2 Helmet on my drive to work this morning was the only thing that kept me from being a pill at work today. When Jimmy asked “Is Dallas Reynolds the 3rd best lineman on this team?” I burst out laughing and probably looked like a nut to the others stuck in traffic. Kudos to you guys for doing such a great show even in these rough times.

    Do you think Reid has any real incentive to start Foles this year barring an injury to Vick? It seems like he’d just be doing his sucessor a favor.

    • TommyLawlor

      Andy might want to go to Foles soon. Andy has got to be going crazy at Vick’s mistakes. Veteran QB like him can’t throw RZ INTs. Think how different that game might have been at 3-0 us instead of 7-0 them on a defensive score. Vick gets this week, and maybe next. If the results are the same, won’t shock me at all to see Foles. Playing Nick vs WAS would actually make sense based on their struggling secondary.

      • shah8

        Replays does show that RZ interception was on a ball that was exactly where it needed to be. Just sheer bad luck.

        • phillychuck

          Bad luck and defensive holding. A high-risk play call, too.

        • A_T_G

          It also looked like Havili (?) was open on the sideline about 10 feet from Celek.

    • phillychuck

      After next week, if we lose, Reid’s ONLY chance to keep his job is to start Foles and show substantial offensive improvement. If Foles goes 5-2 in the remaining games, or even 4-3 with good numbers, Lurie might justifiably believe that Marty/Andy are most likely to develop Foles into a star and give him one more year. Assuming he wants one.

      • Ark87

        been saying this for weeks now, nobody seems to be of the same mind. I think an 8-8 team with a possible franchise QB on the rise has a better chance of winning Reid a job than a 9-7 team with an aging and possibly declining veteran at the helm. I don’t think the latter is a product that Lurie buys. True the ultimatum was placed on THIS year, but the contract extension is for NEXT year. If there is no reason to believe that Reid can take this team to the Superbowl in the next 2 seasons he won’t have a job next year. That simple.

  • T_S_O_P

    On the whole where will Reid go when he is fired, I think he takes at least a year off. San Diego might be a nice opening, but he will have had a shitty year a need a bit of reflection time.

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

    argh, the Eagles make me almost want to talk about that other thing goi…. no, actually I would rather talk about Demetrius Bells finer points

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

    Tommy,

    You are one of the main reasons why it’s so good to be an Eagles fan. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to bring a daily highlight on this (and other) site(s). Keep it up!

    Now that the season is all but over, I am looking forward to reading/listening to your analysis of the team going forward. Oh how fun it would be, if we had just the slightest influence on which way Lurie decides to take this franchise!

    • NoDecaf

      Agreed 110%. It will be an extremely long off-season.

  • shah8

    Dudes…

    Apparently I need to keep saying this. Nick Foles is not anybody’s QotF. If he was, he would have been drafted higher. No matter the happy burbles a TV bubblehead might emit over Foles, he really ain’t anybody but a warm body to back up the QB, like Kirk Cousins. Moreover, the main reason he’s a third rounder is pretty clearly the lack of great physical attributes, and I’m pretty sure that will be keyed on after a bit of tape gets out. Morningwheg is no Charlie Weis, you know…

    And if they do go with Foles and he proves that his preseason was a fluke (with what OL?), I’m going to tune out, because this is going to be a repeat of the McNabb saga where there’s all sorts of virulent rhetoric that leads him getting dismissed from three teams in favor of three inferior substitutes. Given how it has played out in DC and Minn, this means two years of wilderness, at least. Even in DC, they had to trade a ransom for their fix. Moreover, in both DC and Minn, talent won’t come, or won’t come for cheap if you have subpar talent at QB.

    Frankly, I will not be surprised if both Reid and Vick are back next year. Just out of sheer lack of options.

    • Wilbert M.

      Foles may not be the guy, but Vick has to go. As much as I hate to see Foles get beat up, he should play so we can see what he’s got.

      • shah8

        However, you’re just talking yourself into believing that Vick has to go. There is always a “replace with who” at the end of the construction. Do you really want Jason Campbell? Tarvaris Jackson? Matt Moore?

        When the main reason that the offense isn’t scoring is the terribad OL?

        Maybe the franchise will oblige the fragment of the fanbase that sez Vick has to go, but don’t be surprise if there’s a rather lengthy period in the wilderness as a result.

        • Wilbert M.

          Vick has shell shock. He has lost his confidence and can’t pull the trigger. He misses so many open receivers or picks the wrong option or just throws late. Even on the pick six, he should have been throwing to Harbor on the outside, not Celek. His stats don’t reflect missed opportunities. Maybe bring in Matt Flynn and let him compete with Foles.

        • 47_Ronin

          +1
          “Terribad” I just learned me a new word today.

    • TommyLawlor

      Tom Brady disagrees with you. So does Kurt Warner. And Joey Harrington and JaMarcus Russell.

      • bdbd20

        Vince Young doesn’t get your sarcasm.

      • shah8

        Tom Brady dropped because he showed up fat, flabby, and sick at the combine. He didn’t have great college tape because Henson stole ‘em.

        Tony Romo and Joe Webb played at small schools and against bad competition.

        Harrington and Leinart played in conferences where defenses were optional. The lack of arm was still pretty evident to anyone paying attention. The same for Barkley, but as you see, like Colt McCoy, nobody really wants to pay attention to that, and they want to see their favorite college stars.

        JaMarcus Russell is a legit first pick. In my mind, he was the second best QB prospect after Stafford coming out of college. A bunch of things happened, both on his part, and on part of the Raiders. In any event, if he could actually control his weight, he’d find his way back in, no problem.

        Foles is like McCoy, Stanzi, Tony Pike, and all the rest of those guys. Good college guy. Doesn’t have the tools for NFL starter.

        • shah8

          second best after 2004, I mean…

          also, I watch Minn football as well. I know bleeping well what happens when someone who has “just enough” plays.

          No.

          Just enough is Matt Ryan or Matt Schaub. A guy like Ponder who can make all the throws in shorts can’t do it in games, because you need that surplus to really do well.

          Some people just don’t understand, at a fundamental level, just how good Kolb was, and what the *actual* skill level is for an NFL QB to successful. Kolb is barely viable, and you see how hard he has it at times.

          • shah8

            Understand this:

            Guys like Rex Grossman, John Beck, Colt McCoy, and Christian Ponder can make you feel even worse after they lose games for you, because it just gets so obviously hopeless with them.

          • phillychuck

            I agree wholeheartedly with this. Darn tough to find the next Brady, Brees, Rogers, Manning, etc. And having a really mediocre QB in today’s NFL means you cannot compete for a SB unless you have a historic strength elsewhere. And, as much as I hate to admit it, Eli’s better than mediocre most days.

        • ChaosOnion

          JaMarcus Russell is a legit first pick.

          You lost me there, dude.

        • teltschikfakeout88

          Brady had enough good tape such that there were people/advisers projecting him as a 3rd rounder. Getting picked in the 6th is not big news for a QB with very little success in college (due to a lack of PT) and even if he was lights out at the combine, its not like it would of vaulted him as a first round pick. The best it would do is maybe get him drafted in the 3rd. Personally, I think he got picked in the 6th because that it is where people valued him not because of a poor combnine showing or limited playing tape. It is uncommon that you see a starting QB that is a late round pick and very rare that they are elite like Brady. That being said, the odds are very much against Foles being a franchise guy…..however as eagles fans….hope springs eternal allowing us to do what we do best…..dreaming of next year that is better than the current year.

    • Ark87

      Lost track of what you’re ranting about. You’re upset about…..what…we aren’t screaming to cut Nick Foles? He’s obviously bad, why bother keeping him on the Roster? Then you bring McNabb into the picture. It’s absurd to compare Foles to McNabb in any way so I’m going to assume you meant to introduce Mike Vick into your argument at this point.

      Here’s the key. In Washington and Minnesota they were right to bench McNabb in favor of “inferior” quarterbacks. While a successful veteran, McNabb was not a great match for the systems (he refused to be coached up in any way) and personnel he was with, nor was he a long term solution at the position. He was neither the short term, nor the long term fix, so teams moved on. Maybe it wasn’t his fault that he didn’t fit, but it just didnt work.

      I get you’re a Vick fan. The failure of the offense in no way squarely falls on Mike Vick’s Shoulders. BUT the combo of this O line, this QB and these coaches are simply dysfunctional. They don’t work. We have to deal with the O line, there is no help coming, and the coaches can’t fire themselves. The only interchangeable part left is Mike Vick. Nobody says Nick Foles will work out. But what we do know is it isn’t working with Mike Vick.

      I don’t think it’s his fault and I believe he can flourish elsewhere, but Mike Vick’s skills sets don’t match well to the types of challenges he faces here on this team.

      • shah8

        Tom Brady’s skill sets don’t match with this team, either, you realize…

        • Ark87

          No offense is without flaws. Teams must find ways to function in spite of them. Brady has had to find ways to win with porous O-lines and no running game in the past. And maddeningly he has done so.

          One of Brady’s strengths is pre-snap recognition. I believe Brady would be much better equipped to handle these issues than Vick.

  • Wilbert M.

    This team needs coaching. When you see how undisciplined they are, combined with lousy play calling and the inability to make adjustments, the problem is coaching. Get rid of all the coaches and let Gruden or Cowher instill heart and discipline in this team.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Steven-DiLeo/100000156792866 Steven DiLeo

      ugh.

      This team sucks because they lack a pass rush, the have an injured o-line, a shaky secondary and a QB that isn’t built for the quick strike offense.

    • phillychuck

      Gruden and Cowher aren’t upgrades. Each of them has had many more bad years than good. If you let Reid go, you need to know, or at least strongly suspect, the replacement will be an upgrade. I don’t want to blow things up and then suck for the next 10 years, which is a strong possibility.

      • Wilbert M.

        If not Gruden or Cowher, then who?

        • phillychuck

          I’d like to see the Eagles either stay with Reid but change his circumstances (new assistants, new QB, etc.) or go for one of the top assistants that have been mentioned ad nauseum in the “fire Andy” threads. Or a college guy who was also a successful pro assistant. Do the Harbaughs have another brother?

          • Wilbert M.

            Maybe Bill O’Brien from Penn State?

        • tag1555

          A young coordinator-type with cutting edge ideas, much like Andy was when he first arrived. Gruden and Cowher are retreads. Plus, this is going to be a long-term reconstruction: we are *not* going to be a playoff team next year no matter who’s in charge, too many problems with the roster to fix quick.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Steven-DiLeo/100000156792866 Steven DiLeo

    If they miss the playoffs these people are locks to go:

    Andy Reid
    Mike Vick
    Nnamdi Asomugha
    Demetress Bell
    DeMeco Ryans

    Whether Babin, Cole, or Jenkins leave is determined by what system the new DC will run.

    • Ark87

      I think DeMeco has been a fine addition to our team. Switch Babin and DeMeco and on the list and I’m right with you. I’d throw Landry onto that list of wait and see. I think Jenkins is safe from a scheme change, as he’s an experienced and productive 3-4 end. His real danger is his age, any drop off in production will be perceived as being age related from which there is no return, and he is gone.

      • ChaosOnion

        Letting go of DeMeco Ryans would be foolish.

    • Mac

      Man, after a year of building up Cred with the guys… I would hope this team builds off whatever Ryans can get going in terms of cohesion on defense.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Steven-DiLeo/100000156792866 Steven DiLeo

    Juan Castillo might have been a defensive guru after all. For the past two weeks, I knew the game was lost once the opposing team had their lead. It seems like those two teams scored on every possession.

  • ACViking

    Re: Missing “It” is Jason Peters

    The defensive starters include 5 veterans from other teams: Jenkins, Babin, Nnamdi, DRC, and DeMR. Until last week, the number was 6 (Landri).

    Is there another *talented* team whose defensive starters include so many veterans with less than 2 years with their team?

    Point: So many veteran mercenaries are not the way to win. Hasn’t happened since the 1972 Washington Redskins’ “Over the Hill Gang”.

    (Joe Banner’s management approach was wholly rejected 18 months ago. Maybe that’s why he left.)

    ________________

    On offense, the O-line has sunk the team. I’d argue that even if JKelse hadn’t been injured, the O-line would still be no better than mediocre.

    Is there anyone on the opening day O-line who’s an All Pro or Pro Bowl caliber player . . . without Jason Peters? Could be that the answer’s “no” and the Eagles just badly misjudged what they had up front.
    ________________

    Last year, the Colts lost P-Manning and proved he was the NFL’s MVP.

    This year, the Eagles lost Jason Peters and proved he may well be the most valuable player in the NFL.

    No question, he’s the Eagles’ MVP.

    • tag1555

      Not saying Kelce was an All-Pro, but when he got hurt all the experience/continuity he gained last year went with him. He is also very good at pulling for screens and getting to LBs on the second level, something that’s just not possible with Reynolds because of his athletic limitations.

      • Mac

        I agree that you can’t undersell the importance of Kelce to this team’s o-line.

    • Ark87

      I’m wondering what would happen if he came back suddenly at 100%. The rest of our line is now ravaged…you have to wonder how much better we would be. I figure you slide King over to RT and maybe Kelly is a little better with anybody but Bell to his right. At the very least would have a wicked left side to run behind.

  • MichaelFloyd84

    “I think Mac is an above average player. The problem is that he doesn’t
    complement DeSean well. Mac has size, but plays small. He’s a finesse
    WR that runs well. DeSean is smaller, faster, and explosive. You’d
    love the guy across from him to be bigger and more physical.”

    Exactly. Just the reason we all wanted Hakeem Nicks instead of Maclin to begin with. Its precisely failures like this that makes me want all the decision makers gone. Such an easy decision that i know you would have made, yet the bozo’s we have making decisions overthink crap and get it wrong WAY to consistently.

    • A_T_G

      “Such an easy decision that i know you would have made…”

      I think that is what they call a backhanded compliment.

    • ChaosOnion

      If the Eagles had selected Hakeem Nicks in that draft, we would all be complaining about how injured he is all the time.

  • Michael

    If/when Andy gets fired I was wondering who you have as your top coaching candidates? Also what do you think of guys like Kirby Smart and Willie Taggart?

  • P_P_K

    The single biggest reason I’ve reached the end of my support for Andy is the way he and Marty continue to under-utilize LeSean. The dude is clearly one of the best rbs in football and he still doesn’t get his touches. Gruden made a comment during the game which my buddies and I have said before, McCoy reminds one of Barry Sanders. An athlete like this come along once in a blue moon. I’m ready for a coach who can help our stud rb fulfill his potential.

    • Anders

      and people say Bryce Brown reminds them alittle bit about Bo Jackson. So we could have the greatest RB tandem ever :P

  • GFF

    Re: OL backups. Is the problem mainly physical (no talent, wrong body type) or mental (odd scheme, poor preparation for reserves)? First from GCobb, second from Les Bowen:

    “Everybody talks about how he did a poor job as a defensive coordinator, but the truth of the matter is that Castillo is being missed most of all at his offensive line spot. He was tireless in his work with journeymen backup offensive linemen. We used to joke that Castillo would be putting his offensive linemen through drills in the airport when they go on a road trip or in the bathroom during their lunch break.Castillo was passionate about working the backups so that they were ready when called upon.”

    “The Eagles are so thin on the o-line because they got rid of a bunch of guys who didn’t fit [Mudd’s] system. Austin Howard, Winston Justice, Mike McGlynn and A.Q. Shipley all are playing elsewhere. That’s incredible, when you look at where the Eagles’ line is now.”

    • 47_Ronin

      RE: OL and Mudd
      This goes back to the GM. The GM has to go out a get the groceries, if Mudd thought the previous collection of OL were stiffs, then Roseman, Reid and crew need to find bodies that can perform in Mudd’s system.

  • teltschikfakeout88

    Tommy keep fighting the fight but I am looking for more productive things to do this Sunday……Its Dallas week and I just don’t care…..I can’t even think about the fact that I don’t care about beating Dallas….how crazy is that….you know what I changed my mind because I don’t want to be like a Dallas fairweather fan. I hope we whoop em….Go EAGLES. On another note, this season of Walking Dead has been crazy good. Not to spoil the latest episode but I had to fly from Victoria BC to Seattle on a small sea plane. On the plane was Sarah Wayne Callies (actress playing Ricks wife) flying to Seattle to meet with someone which got me wondering as to what was going on….now I know….If you are not watching this show you should be…..Gimpy agrees on this point.

  • Jason Feldmann
  • Mac

    Philip Thomas back on PS?!

    • http://twitter.com/theguyotc the guy

      I’d be happier about that if any other team had showed interest in him.

  • Skeptic_Eagle

    Reid’s really got no good reason to put Foles in. If the die isn’t cast yet, it’s rolling around in Lurie’s cupped hand. Putting Foles in helps the *franchise* to see whether or not the kid was a pre-season mirage, or true NFL talent, but doesn’t help Reid very much at all. It may help him prove his case that he can find NFL-level QBs in the draft–which is a huge asset to any team that would be interested in hiring him–but the possible destabilizing effect on the locker-room could tarnish his reputation for order, and make his exit less graceful. There’s also the added angle of what seems like a very personal bond he shares with Vick. I guess Lurie could always just instruct Reid directly, but that doesn’t really strike me as his style, and would be a weird way to end such a long relationship.

    Like you mentioned, it’s really a terrible year to need a QB from the draft. Barkley is mainly asked to dink-and-dunk at USC, and looks like a low-ceiling player. There is no one at the level of Luck or Griffin to even trade half the franchise for. Prospects are better for the top of the draft in 2014, with guys like Marquise Lee, Teddy Bridgewater, & Jadeveon Clowney.

    Nnamdi has been one of the most disappointing free agency signings I’ve seen, and it didn’t start this year. He was ill-suited for Castillio’s absurd zone schemes, but was also beaten by the likes of Brandon Gibson and 46 year old Plaxico Burress, when playing man. He was consistent in drawing PI penalties at the worst times. His play against Calvin Johnson for 3 quarters was the highlight of his time as an Eagle. He seems like a great civic-minded citizen, but he’s a below-average NFL CB right now; he’ll probably head back to the Bay area and get involved in politics.

    I think you’re being a bit generous to Maclin, too. I’d say he’s average, at best. Very questionable hands and lack of RAC ability outweigh his ability to get open in the redzone. Think of his best plays as an Eagle: were they about his ability as as WR, or some very creative play design? He’s not a #1 WR anywhere in the league, and you don’t use #1 picks on #2 WR’s.

    The team does have some talent, but there is a lot of dead wood that they paid top dollar for. I like what they did in the 2011 draft, but Roseman should be held accountable for all these failures in talent evaluation.

  • Miami_Adam

    I know it doesn’t change anything, but watch the play Herremans got hurt. DL kicked Herremans after getting knocked over and took his legs out. Pretty dirty, very unfortunate.

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=856345056 Dave N

    what makes maclin an ‘Above average Wr?