Posted: Monday, September 21, 2009, 2:41 PM | 15 comments |
 

The Real Eagles: Week One or Weak One?
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It is the time of the NFL season for that kind of question, when you really don't know exactly how good your team might or might not be.

The same question, or some variation, is being asked this week in Green Bay, where the Packers followed a nice opening win over Chicago with a home loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Eww.

And it is being asked in Arizona, where the Cardinals stunk up the place in the opener against the 49ers, then went on the road to win easily at Jacksonville.

And it is also being asked in Houston, where the Texans lost the first game at home to the Jets (badly), then went on the road against a well-regarded Tennessee Titans team and grinded out a tough win.

The glass-half-full folks in Philadelphia would point out, rightfully so, that you can't take too much from the result of a game in which your quarterback is making his first NFL start. Kevin Kolb was OK, nothing special, for the Eagles, but he threw a third-quarter interception that pretty much killed them. Eventually, Donovan McNabb will return and the offense will operate more efficiently.

At the half-empty end of the table, there is the leaky play of the defense, particularly the linebackers, and the dreadful showing of the special teams and the coaching staff. All of that is undeniable, too.

The problem is that the true nature of the Eagles might not be revealed for a while. Even if McNabb returns this week, the Eagles are playing the god-awful Kansas City Chiefs and won't need much of an effort to bounce back and look good again. Then there is the bye week, followed by two more games against so-so competition -- Tampa Bay and Oakland.

By that time, McNabb will surely have returned and whatever craziness Andy Reid has in store for the use of Michael Vick will have been revealed. The offense will be a work in progress for a while, particularly if Brian Westbrook is gimping around on a bad ankle. Where the Eagles have really show a turnaround is on defense and special teams.

I would expect that if the linebackers can't cover any better than they did on Sunday, you will see a much higher percentage of nickel and dime packages in the defensive backfield. That will make it harder to stop the opponents' running games, but otherwise those opponents will take the Saints' game film and pick them apart with the tight end and backs out of the backfield.

As for the special teams, if the guys on the roster aren't smart enough to keep from blocking in the back and holding, they need to get some other guys. Or they need better coaching. Overall, they certainly need better punting from Sav Rocca, or he can be replaced, too.

(Inquirer photo by Yong Kim)
Posted by Bob Ford @ 2:41 PM  Permalink | 15 comments
15
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 2:55 PM, 09/21/2009
    Pick us apart? As if there are 20 Drew B's out there to do this? Jesus Bob, Tony Romo handed that thin and balky Giants secondary multiple picks. Eagles D will be fine unless the go up against the accurate passers of the world (P. Manning, Brees, and days like the NFC Champ game when Warner lit us up on the final drive with accurate passes)
    — CSpangler
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:36 PM, 09/21/2009
    For the last few years this team has had a Jekyll & Hyde personality, so why should this year be any different? They'll look dominating one week and like the worst team in the league the next. Which in the end, despite the extremes, means they are simply average. Luckily for the Eagles, in the NFL you can be average and still make the Super Bowl so all hope is not lost if the hot streak comes at the right time.
    — celtic_13
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:43 PM, 09/21/2009
    Agree Spangler. And on the flip side, Kolb was just ok against the carappy Saints secondary. Hopefully we won't have to find out how he would play against the tough defenses of the NFC East.
    — sla6yer
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 3:54 PM, 09/21/2009
    Reid may have his problems with play-calling, and the D does have a rookie coordinator, but I expect both to be better in getting the team in a position to make plays.
    — HandNik
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:00 PM, 09/21/2009
    I agree with Spangler. Brees is simply the best QB in the league right now. I read a stat that he is "averaging" 300 yards a game passing since 2007! That is nuts. The Eagles defense has had the same problems over the last few years. One, not enough pass rush WITHOUT the blitz. Cole is good, but the Eagles get nothing from the other side on consistent basis. Then, when the Eagles don't get any pressure with the front four, they sell out on the blitz. Great QBs like Manning, Brady, and Brees will pick them a part if they have even a little bit of time. Look at yesterday, our defenders always seem to be on the guy (Hanson on Colston, Brown on Henderson), yet Brees gets the ball to them in perfect position. Finally, the Eagles linebackers can't cover RBs or TEs. Last year, TEs tore this defense apart until Mikel started locking them down. How many catches out of the backfield did Bush have yesterday? You can't have average linebackers with average defensive lineman and expect to be a dominant defense. Look at the Steelers. Their ok line is overshadowed by their great linebackers. On the other hand, the Vikings ok linebackers are overshadowed by their great pass rush. The Eagles are average in both areas, thus their defense will always have some holes. Regardless, the Eagles still have a good D and can only get better from here.
    — eaglegrn21
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:04 PM, 09/21/2009
    Kolb was much better than ok when they were mixing the run with the pass in the first half. When it became a pass frenzy in the second half when they were playing catch up, you are asking for interceptions. As far as this team having a Jekyll and Hyde personality - that has more to do with the level of competition, than the Eagles. If they play against the Panthers one week, the Saints the next, and the Chiefs the next - they are bound to look good, bad, and then good again. That happens to all teams, especially those in a competetive division like the NFC East.
    — Bobphxville
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  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 4:36 PM, 09/21/2009
    Hey, Bob, it's a 16 game season. With Donovan out and Michael ineligible, I am less worried about the offense - apart from fumbles. When the defense can't hold the Saints at all, then we have to ask: were the Panthers THAT BAAAAD. Or, did the Eagles D have a letdown in the home opener. Unfortunately, we probably won't learn much against Kansas City next week. Only divisin play is really going to tell. How about that Gi"aints" Cowgirls game yesterday? Does that tell us anything about our division rivals?
    — VANDERGRAAFK
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 5:02 PM, 09/21/2009
    I think you said it Bob. These linebackers are bad and got exposed this week. Andy - next year, draft a linebacker. A good one can start and make a difference in year one.
    — dragoon6
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:34 PM, 09/21/2009
    How about we change the title of the article to read "Week One or Week Two?"
    — TheKeeper
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 8:40 PM, 09/21/2009
    LJL... I agreed with you up untill you said if it were McNabb back there... Yes Kolb has a quick release, but no feet. McNabb is a great scrambler (check his sack statistics if you don't believe me) Also with a broken Rib it cannot not get any worse. Everyone knows that with this injury it is all about pain tolerance, so yes he needs to come back, or Reid needs to tell Kolb to sit back and learn from Garcia/Vick. The team doesn't stick. We played a horrible game, but i forsee many wins, playoffs and another super bowl run!!! Go Birds.
    — TheKeeper
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  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:31 AM, 09/22/2009
    an average team in the NFL can make the superbowl? REALLY? Wrong!! It's about getting hot at the right time knuckle head, if you're in the bowl chances are you're above average, oh and by the way the "superbowl" is only in the NFL so you're comment makes no sense. Birds are fine better to have a lapse now than latter, they'll clean it up, stop hating eat some hatertots and relax
    — ratbirds44
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 12:31 AM, 09/22/2009
    an average team in the NFL can make the superbowl? REALLY? Wrong!! It's about getting hot at the right time knuckle head, if you're in the bowl chances are you're above average, oh and by the way the "superbowl" is only in the NFL so you're comment makes no sense. Birds are fine better to have a lapse now than latter, they'll clean it up, stop hating eat some hatertots and relax
    — ratbirds44


15 comments
About Bob Ford
Bob Ford has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 1981, and is still trying to figure it all out. A former beat writer covering the Phillies and the 76ers, Ford became a general sports columnist for the Inquirer in 2003, following in and occasionally falling in the deep footsteps of Bill Lyon, Frank Dolson and many distinguished others. He comes to the Philly.com blogosphere after award-winning success as designer/editor of the fabulous Pen & Pencil Club softball blog. Likes: Palestra, inside-the-park home runs, sunny days. Dislikes: phony people, cloudy days, rewrites.
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