Unwritten

Posted: October 4th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 24 Comments »

Let’s talk about a team. Got off to a 3-1 start. Beat a pair of AFC teams. Beat an NFC East rival in a close game. The early loss was on the road against an NFC West team. Had to deal with some OL injuries.

So who is this?

The 2014 Eagles. And the 2012 Eagles.

You remember how things went in 2012. The 3-1 start turned into a 3-3 record with close, painful losses to Pittsburgh and Detroit. Then came the bye week. Andy Reid fired Juan Castillo and named Todd Bowles the defensive coordinator. Reid hoped Bowles experience would pay off in some close games. Instead, the Eagles fell apart. They went 1-9 the rest of the way and turned a promising season into an utter disaster.

Oddly, the Eagles have 2 more games this year and then the bye week. It is kind of eerie how 2014 mirrors 2012.

There are some huge differences, of course. Reid was at the end of his tenure and while the players still loved him they had started to tune him out. Chip Kelly is just in Year 2 and everyone is paying attention to everything he says. Reid’s coaching staff had serious issues. Kelly’s staff so far has been nothing but harmonious.

While I don’t know how the 2014 season will turn out, I feel pretty safe in saying the team won’t go 4-12. I am interested to see how this Eagles team responds to last week. That was a highly frustrating loss. The worst thing the Eagles can do is press. I hope they come out and try to run the ball. I do not want the first play to be a deep ball to a WR. I know the offense will be jonesing to score, but the focus should be on moving the ball. Move the chains and the points will follow.

I wrote about the run game and how that might get going this week for PE.com. I will be a happy camper if the first play of the game is a 5-yard run. The Eagles need to get LeSean McCoy going and to build some confidence for the O-line.

Sunday isn’t going to be a defining game for the Eagles any more than last Sunday was. But it is important for the team to play well and get back to winning. The Rams are a talented, but somewhat dysfunctional team. The Eagles are at home. This is the kind of game you need to win.

* * * * *

ILB Jake Knott was released the other day. He got an injury settlement so obviously he got hurt at practice. Man, 2014 is just not his year.

The Eagles have an opening on the practice squad.

* * * * *

Could the Eagles have any interest in Thompkins?

He started for the Pats in 2013, but fell out of favor this year. The Pats have made some odd decisions in the past couple of years so you can’t just say “he didn’t work out for them so no thanks”.

I think a WR-needy team like the Jets or Jags could claim him off waivers. If no team ahead of the Eagles does claim him, it will be interesting to see if the Eagles claim him. Thompkins has some size at 6-1, 195. He is a good, but not great athlete.

Thompkins is eligible for the practice squad, but it seems like some team is going to put him on their roster. The biggest hindrance to the Eagles having interest in him might be Thompkins lack of Special Teams ability. Chip Kelly likes his backup players to be good STers. That is one of the reasons that Jeff Maehl has a job. In order to cut Maehl and grab Thompkins, you’d have to be comfortable that Thompkins could be an effective role player. There is no question that Thompkins is more talented, but the guys at the bottom of the roster need more than talent.

In the end, this is likely much ado about nothing. Some other team will claim Thompkins and we’ll be on the lookout for the next player to replace Maehl.

_

24 Comments on “Unwritten”

  1. 1 Mitchell said at 12:14 AM on October 5th, 2014:

    Good ‘ol Washburn calling Castillo Juanita….. I remember all that stuff. 2012 was probably the worst year of my life and that season didn’t help it AT ALL, lol. Happy to say I am in a much much better place in 2014!

  2. 2 Maggie said at 1:25 AM on October 5th, 2014:

    The worst thing to happen under Reid. An assistant coach dissing another coach in front of the players. No organization could survive that type of B.S. for long.

  3. 3 Media Mike said at 6:02 AM on October 5th, 2014:

    Quite true. And there were persistent rumors that other candidates offered the DC job refused to take it because Washburn was already hired to run the d-line his way.

    What a bad overraction to McDermott having no clue how to use quality personnel on the D-line to rush the passer.

    If they really wanted Washburn to run the D-line that badly, they needed a guy from the Titans / Fisher / Gregg Williams coaching tree to be the DC.

  4. 4 Media Mike said at 5:37 AM on October 5th, 2014:

    Sooooooooooooooo stupid in retrospect that Dick Jauron wasn’t named DC.

  5. 5 SteveH said at 9:30 AM on October 5th, 2014:

    I’m amazed Reid allowed that kind of insubordination to go on as long as it did. What a mess.

  6. 6 suthrneagle said at 1:15 AM on October 5th, 2014:

    these two seasons are only similar in that after 4 games the records are the same… Feel that Reid was in a desperation mode long before the season started, as evidenced by the hiring of Castillo as the DC,then even more so by the firing of him after 3-1 record. That led to his downfall more than hiring him. The backfield of the defense suffered since Bowles could no longer devote his attention there and the D as a whole suffered because of it. By telling the world he`d made mistake with JC, the players lost confidence in his leadership…This season could be equated with Reid`s second year.Still a new, creative, innovative coach,great attitude by all, new qb at the helm. Obviously.different style of doing things, but similar energy among the players…Think that Foles will be more accurate,will spread the ball around(will not have any passes dropped):} and that will take the D`s focus off the run, which will free up McCoy to break a few runs; the pass rush will combine getting to the qb with 3rd down stops,(let last week be the start of a weekly trend-sacks)and the special teams will continue to dominate.

    As far as the rest of the season is concerned, it won`t be as easy as I had anticipated since our division is good(who knew?),but I look forward to a
    minimum of 1 playoff victory,preferrably after a 1st round bye.

  7. 7 BobSmith77 said at 1:27 AM on October 5th, 2014:

    Defensive coordinator coaching game is always highlighted as if it was the key reason on why the ’12 season became a flaming shit turd. Castillo was in completely in over his head as the defensive coordinator. Since he was moved back to an OL coach with the Ravens he has been okay. Bowles has done incredibly well as the DC of the Arizona Cardinals since.

    More a matter of ‘Andy the GM’ shortcomings especially in the draft finally come home to roost and ‘Andy the Coach’ having to rely upon a turnover, error-prone machine at QB and a horrible OL.

  8. 8 Media Mike said at 5:59 AM on October 5th, 2014:

    Andy the GM not having enough talent on this team along with Andy the motivator of men failing to keep good football discipline with the locker room were sad to see.

  9. 9 BobSmith77 said at 1:43 AM on October 5th, 2014:

    I’d be stunned if the Eagles lose this game tomorrow. Offense might have hiccups yet and I don’t expect a stellar game from McCoy either because the interior line even with Herremans back at G is quite subpar including Herremans.

    Division leaders though don’t lose a home game against a team with a rookie QB, no real standouts at the skill positions, mediocre special teams, and a decent but not great defense.

    It will be an ugly win that will have people around here grousing about the same old cr@p (bench Foles) but a ‘W’ nevertheless which is all that matters.

  10. 10 Media Mike said at 5:58 AM on October 5th, 2014:

    Benching a young QB mid-season is just about the dumbest move ever. I understand if the fans feel an aging and ineffective vet needs to be sat in order to evaluate the future potential of a young QB, but this isn’t one of those situations.

    But you’re 100% right that some idiots will call for Sanchez each and every time Foles makes a mistake.

  11. 11 Media Mike said at 5:36 AM on October 5th, 2014:

    Won’t need to worry about 3-3 issues after blasting the Rams and Giants back to back heading into the bye.

  12. 12 GermanEagle said at 8:16 AM on October 5th, 2014:

    @GEAGLE
    I will be at the game and at the xfinity bar before kickoff if you want to meet up for a beer?!!!

  13. 13 P_P_K said at 11:39 AM on October 5th, 2014:

    Two of my favorite posters. Wish I could buy you guys a round.

  14. 14 GermanEagle said at 10:33 PM on October 5th, 2014:

    Why didn’t you?! 😉

  15. 15 P_P_K said at 7:10 PM on October 6th, 2014:

    1. I’m about 360 miles north of Philly.
    2. Saving my cash so I can buy you guys champagne after the Super Bowl win.

  16. 16 GermanEagle said at 9:08 PM on October 6th, 2014:

    I will take you up on that. 🙂

  17. 17 P_P_K said at 12:07 PM on October 7th, 2014:

    Back in 2000, I bought a bottle of champagne in anticipation of a Super Bowl victory. I practically had the cork popped at halftime when the Eagles were leading. I ended up opening it in 2008 when the Phillies won the World Series.
    Went right back out and bought another bottle dedicated to the Eagles. It’s been sitting in the ‘frig since. Hope it doesn’t age too much…

  18. 18 GermanEagle said at 2:24 PM on October 7th, 2014:

    Nice one. Bubbles never grow too old my friend. 😉

  19. 19 P_P_K said at 10:44 AM on October 8th, 2014:

    Cheers. Here’s to you, and if I remember right, your young child.

  20. 20 GermanEagle said at 5:14 PM on October 8th, 2014:

    Thanks buddy. It’s twins though. 😉 cheers!

  21. 21 P_P_K said at 1:33 PM on October 9th, 2014:

    Twins?! Hope you and Mrs GE are getting some sleep and staying sane. Wonder if the Eagles give a 2 for 1 deal on kids jerseys?

  22. 22 GermanEagle said at 5:09 PM on October 9th, 2014:

    All good in GE’s hood, despite no 241 deals for Eagles twins… What a disgrace! Lol

  23. 23 SteveH said at 10:44 AM on October 5th, 2014:

    Something to keep in mind is Chip loves guys who practice well, could be a factor in pursuing Thompkins.

  24. 24 SteveH said at 10:54 AM on October 5th, 2014:

    This weeks Wulf’s Den, for those that enjoy his particular brand of madness:

    http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/article-1/Wulfs-Den-A-Special-Start–A-Shakedown/0081ceb5-3c4c-464e-a4df-625f6dfbe23a