Interesting Test
Posted: October 25th, 2013 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 62 Comments »Sorry for the quiet day. This past week has been crazy. I haven’t been able to fully re-watch the Dallas game so that’s why there is no DGR. I’m going to watch parts of the game today and I’ll post a limited DGR that focuses on a few key players, such as Matt Barkley.
Rather than dwelling on Dallas right now, let’s go ahead and start with Giants talk.
This Giants game could be important. This is the first time a team will face Chip Kelly’s offense for the second time. The Giants get the chance to show how an NFL team can adjust to Kelly’s offense. They did a fantastic job against LeSean McCoy in the first game so that gives them something to build off.
The flip side is that this is Kelly’s first chance to show what adjustments he can make as he plays a defense for the second time in a season. Kelly was very good with adjustments at Oregon. The big test for him is to have a counter-move to the Giants line stunts that ate up Jason Kelce a few weeks back.
I’m looking forward to see what Kelly does and how it works.
One note on adjustments…I think sometimes people look for dramatic changes that are obvious to everyone. Adjustments can be subtle. Just because you don’t see them casually doesn’t mean that some changes haven’t been made. Often you need to study the tape to pick on on differences. Even then, you may need highly trained eyes and good knowledge of the scheme to see what changes were made.
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Fran shows how taking away slants can be a risky move. Bill Davis discussed this in his PC and I totally get the point. I do think the Eagles should take the risk more than they do, especially inside the 35. At that point you can’t get beat deep. The offense is already in scoring position.
Jim Johnson is known as a crazy blitzer, but that’s really not an accurate label. He believed in bend-but-don’t break defense most of the time. When JJ blitzed, it was usually a safe blitz or zone blitz. Once you got inside the Eagles 40-yard line, all bets were off. That’s when he would send everyone and play super-aggressive. JJ didn’t fear big plays since the offense was already in good position. At that point the risk-reward scale tipped to the side that said to take chance and attack.
I completely understand Davis fearing the deep ball and playing defense based on that. I do think he could mix things up a bit more, especially in the scoring zone. Davis just had his best game last week so I’m curious to see what he does this week and how the Eagles play.
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The Giants won on Monday night. Were you impressed?
To me, the Vikings looked awful. Josh Freeman could not do anything right and the Giants felt totally in control once they hit double digits in points.
It is impossible to say whether the win will suddenly give the Giants some confidence and they’ll get going. The Eagles aren’t a juggernaut, but they’re worlds better than the Vikings. The Giants can win this week, but they’ll have to earn it.
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Can the Eagles win at home? This losing streak is getting ridiculous.
I don’t see any common theme in the losses, beyond the Eagles simply not being good enough on that particular day. I don’t know if the streak is something tangible or is purely circumstantial. It does seem weird to think a team would lose 9 straight home games.
The Giants were the last team the Eagles beat at The Linc. Let’s hope they are the end of the losing streak and the start of a winning one.
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Go watch this video. You’ll love it.
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The Giants were the last team the Eagles beat at The Linc
And I was there. Unfortunately I won’t be there on Sunday…
So you’re the reason for the losing streak.
Basically… Yes. So you can blame ze German.
We will add it to the list.
Sunday will be my FIRST trip to the Linc traveling from California……I want a WIN!! GO EAGLES!
Have fun Tom! Where are you sitting? Make sure you go in at least an hour and a half early to walk around, check out the stadium. Look at the field from different levels; walk around the Ring of Honor……… check out the festivities in and around the parking lot.
Have fun man; divisional games (especially the vaGiants) are intense, and the crowd is always extra itchy.
Fair enough. I couldn’t see it in Tommy’s semi review though. 😉
German– I was there also……… but it isn’t your fault. It’s actually my wifes’ fault….. see, she married into a “football family”, but was never into football before meeting me. (Example: while we were dating, we were out visiting with her family in Michigan. The Lions game is on the radio as we drive to grandma’s house….. her dad turns off the radio, and puts on Rush (now, that’s another story all together, but wanted to give some perspective and background).
Her first game (ever) was the Eagles/Cards game November 13, 2011.Fourth quarter lead…………. loss.
Next game, following year– Eagles/Lions at the Linc. 4th quarter lead……… loss.
Here’s the warning; our next game “together” is Eagles/Skins at the Linc– November 17th. If we have a 4th quarter lead, I’m making her leave and out to the car (guess I should go too……. or maybe not).
Anyways— the point of the story is this; When my wife went to her first game, that’s when our team lost its’ confidence at home. She has one more chance for the Eagles to win while she attends; if they don’t, we’re regulating her to preseason games and tailgating by herself in the parking lot while we’re in the stadium.
Typical case of the curse of a non football wife. 😉
Noooooooooo!!!!! You CANT let HER go to the SKINS game!!!!!! I have passes to watch that game from the Eagles sideline!!!! I beg you not to let her in the building!!! Lol
Turned out alright, though. She’s turning into a “football” wife, even texts me updates when I can’t watch/listen/follow the game for some reason. I don’t deserve her 🙂
“The Giants won on Monday night. Were you impressed?”
John Madden on the radio out here this AM called that Vikings-Giants game the worst regular-season game he’s EVER seen. Now that’s saying something!
Wow. That is something. Hadn’t heard that comment.
The Giants have been a “so bad they’re good” team to watch this year.
Freeman was insanely bad…he made FOles look accurate lol. Like dude couldn’t complete swing or screen passes lol….but I doubt that was the worst game ever….especially with the slop we see on Thursday nights…Sunday we find out just how bad the Giants really are. Are they this bad, or did they just need to get the monkey off their back?
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if Dallas losses, and the Giants win, the giants are legitimately back in the division hunt at 2-6 lol….wrap your minds around that. Playing in This division is starting to become embarrassing
Off topic, but definitely worth sharing:
Breaking Madden: The Buccaneers and their 44 Greg Schianos
http://www.sbnation.com/2013/10/23/4862062/greg-schiano-breaking-madden
That is awesome.
Eagles lost the last 9 games at home, Giants lost their last 8 games on the road,..something’s gotta give..
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Doubt the Dallas situation was a fair representation of Matt Barkley so I’m confused as to why a limited DGR would focus on him, instead of the best defensive performance of the year?
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Im much more confident in your defense going into the Giants game then I am our offense. Expecting this defense to continue to improve like it has been doing for the past month, and really shut down the Giants offense. We are forcing ATleast two turnovers this week…Don’t have much confidence in our offense, especially with Braniac Vick running 100 yard sprints today. Shady got embarrassed last week, so I think we can count on him to have a big game. The Defense will do it’s part on Sunday, and if Vick isn’t going to have a good game, he has to not let it spiral out of control with the typical horrific Vick TO’s…it’s been so relaxing these past few weeks not seeing Vick under center….let the ROLLERCOASTER continue..
McCoy’s just taking heat. Trying to be a leader. You can’t run where there’s no room.
No no no….McCoy was plenty at fault!!!! He didn’t have great blocking, but Westbrook said it best…in games like that when your QB is struggling so much and your line is struggling, you can’t try to create and bounce..you have to put your chin down and take the two, three yards at a time, and shady clearly didn’t do that Sunday….yes he tried to take the heat by calling himself selfish but I don’t begrudge him for trying to make something happen When we couldn’t get anything going…but clearly he wasn’t making the right decisions, even if the right decisions wouldn’t have provided much more…
How many home games have the Eagles lost with THIS year’s team and coaches and schemes?
Too many.
I was at the last giants win…i will be there this week with my fiance and my dad who just survived and beat cancer…thus we HAVE to WIN!!!! GO BIRDS!
I’m pulling for the team and you. Go Eagles!
I think I speak for a majority of your audience when I say that I did not miss the Dallas DGR at all. I really didn’t need to rehash that one, so thanks.
As for Sunday, games like this can be a little disappointing. No matter how good we look, there is a legitimate argument that any win is more about how bad NYG is than how good we are.
every single week we devalue performances because of the he quality of our opponent…Guess what? WE friggin SUCK!!!!! We were 4-12 last year, thus we are playing a 4-12 schedule and are below 500….we haven’t won at home in over an entire calendar year. WE are NOT good!! WE are at the ground floor!! We aren’t just learning our new teammates, we aren’t just learning all our new coaches, we aren’t just learning the new schemes and the new techniques that those schemes require…We are Learning how to win!!!
we are learning how to claw, scratch, keep your head up and not quit during the tough times and overcome the bad…we are the last fanbase that should be scoffing at any wins regardless of who we are playing against. Every single win this group gets is HUGE for us going forward. I don’t care if it comes against. Jaxonville, the 1-15 giants lol, a rookie QB..whatever, a win is a win, especially for where we are at and what we have gone thru the past 2.5 years
Every single win is HUGE? That’s only if next year, the team improves from this year. Better players. Better QBing. Better coaching. Otherwise, it’s just wishful thinking.
We have NO shot at winning a Super Bowl this year…if in my wildest imagination I can’t fathom us even having a chance at winning multiple playoff games then it’s safe to say that every single regular season game that you win is huge…crawl before you walk
Truth GEagle, just the damn truth. Something that I need to remember during the Giants game. Although, some how and some way, the Eagles will win. At home finally.
At this point I’m just hoping the team looks even vaguely competent.
Common. Vick is back. Even on 1 leg he’s gotta be better than Foles last week. Plus Chip can get his running game going again now that the Giants face the possibility of a running QB, because Vick jogging is faster than Foles. This game’s in the bag.
I’m worried. Even with two legs Vick could only complete 43% of his passes and could barely get into the end zone against the Giants. That isn’t going to cut it if they keep scoring on us like they did last time. We can’t count on turnovers bailing us out every time we play them…
We were winning when Vick went out and we didn’t have turnovers to rely on.
That’s true, but then the Giants scored two touchdowns and pulled ahead. I just hope we can keep up offensively if the defense breaks down like that again.
If they are going to play us in man coverage, which they certainly will after the success they had and him having a bad leg….Shady has to shred them as a WR. You saw FOles last week couldn’t connect on wheel routes…
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If Vick can’t exploit the man coverage with his legs, the he has to exploit it with shady as a receiver out of the backfield. we will have the advantage because they don’t have LBs and safeties that can run with shady. Hopefully Vick can do what FOles couldn’t, complete passes to shady, in stride…
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Re: Big Receivers Dominate
Two WRs, one at 6’3 and the other 6’7″
A TE at 6’4″.
And a QB at 6’5.
Size matters.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5ZlVLH5-WQ&app=desktop
“that’s what she said,,”
Geez, Cooper is 6’3, Avant and Maehl are 6’1, Celek and Ertz are 6’5, how much bigger do you want them to get. Bryce Brown is a big fast target out of the backfield with good hands.
DeSean and D Johnson (who never plays) are the only small receivers on this team.
It’s not about size but ability. Avant, Maehl and Cooper are what they are. They won’t ever start for a team.
A bunch of talented receivers could be coming out of this draft. A majority of the WRs that could go from round 1-3 are 6ft plus. Now could be the time to draft one.
Exactly
Marquis Lee is not a big receiver but he is slipping as he got injured and his QB is lousy. Had he been eligible for the draft last year, he could have been a top 10 (maybe top 5) pick. He would look good across from DJax also. The way it is going he’ll be available in the middle of the 1st round now.
I have nothing against Lee and I think he’ll be real good. I just think the Eagles need a bigger physical receiver. Even Chip has that mindset. I haven’t watched a lot of breakdowns yet but there’s a lot of guys that are big, fast, can block and catch coming out.
Do you really need me to tell you the difference between Mike Evans and Jeff Maehl or Riley? Lol
Bring back the uniforms. Penn State in Kelly green. But they need black shoes.
I bet Kelly would love that, problem is they are hard to find.
A . . .
What do think’s happened to all the big receivers who used to populate the NFL in the late ’60s to early ’80s? Those guys had size and speed.
My guess is, in HS, they’ve migrated to basketball.
Thoughts?
I think the changes on offense. I think the WCO and the 5 yard rule change changed what you needed out of a WR.
Also there is plenty big WRs in the NFL right now, but smaller guys have had a lot of success lately (I do wonder how Tommy McDonald managed to dominate to well with his size under the old rules)
Re: Tommy McDonald.
Think of Wes Welker with DeSean Jackson speed and Jason Avant hands.
McDonald played much bigger than his size. Fearless going over the middle (TMc played without a facemask periodically through his career, which ended in ’67).
Also McDonald played HB in college, so contact was never his problem.
So Steve Smith from the Panthers?
Smith’s more stout.
And McDonald more nimble.
But a great comparison.
I heard on a YouTube video (history of the Philadelphia Eagles, maybe?) that he was the last guy to play without one.
Hey ACVIKING…when you get a minute, do me a favor and talk a little about “Turkey” Jones…Kevin Reilly is a big Vinny Curry fan and compared him to Jones the other day, and I’m sure you can provide some interesting nuggets..thanks man
I wish writers wouldn’t harp on that “9 game losing streak” going back to last year. How many things have CHANGED since last year. Only THIS year counts. And yes, this year’s losing streak at home must end.
Does anybody know how Vick’s 100 yard run go???
Test Passed.
Seriously? Where did you hear this?
Giants are really hurting, they get Joseph back but Rogers is questionable, Jacobs is doubtful and Wilson is out, does anyone fear Peyton Hillis – nickel defense most of the game. Webster, Thomas and Hosley all questionable in the secondary.
And they’re coming off a Monday night game (which means you only get a couple games to practice and miss a couple days to recuperate).
There are no excuses, this is the kind of game you must win.
Yea that’s what we said when Damascus Ware and Demarco Murray were hurt last week
I discussed the Eagles loss this week with a newly surfaced ‘Girls fan and one point I raised was whether Foles concussion was cumulative. #9 looked as accurate as #5 on a bad day and to complete the numerical equation, like #4 in pocket presence and not seeing the field. Kelly made the point that Foles’ performance wasn’t indicative of anything he’d seen in College or the pros. So what turned Nick Foles into Donnie Kolb? Therefore as well as looking at #2 during your limited DGR, could you look to see if any of those first quarter hits could of caused the clear haze the Foles seemed to be under.
The “Love Hurts” video was spectacular. I haven’t enjoyed 42 seconds that much since I lost my virginity
And the draft pick the Eagles saved was used for . . .
LeSean McCoy? Yes, if KC wanted a 2nd in 2009 — which is what ATL traded.
But if KC would have taken 2010 1st Rd pick? In hindsight, “you make the deal, Sonny.”