A Year Later, Matthews Looks to Learn
Linebacker Casey Matthews was expected to do the impossible as a rookie last season. A year later, he is where he should have been all along -- backing up and learnign from a polished vet in DeMeco Ryans.
A Year Later, Matthews Looks to Learn
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
It's too bad this can't be Casey Matthews' rookie year. Early in the 2012 offseason, Eagles strength coach Barry Rubin started working to get the 2011 fourth-round pick from Oregon up to 250 pounds, from 232, to give him more strength for grappling with linemen. Then the Birds traded for DeMeco Ryans, a two-time Pro Bowl middle linebacker, who will start, and can teach Matthews a lot about the position in a less pressured situation.
A year ago, because of the NFL lockout, Matthews had little access to Rubin. The Eagles' window for doing something with a vet at MIKE was much tighter, and they ended up doing nothing, installing Matthews as the rookie starter at Lehigh, in his first day lining up in their defense.
It was breathtakingly unfair, a projection far beyond anything Matthews' career would have suggested, other than the fact of his famous bloodlines -- he is the sixth member of his family to play in the NFL, and older brother Clay is a star LB with the Packers. Turns out, bloodlines mean considerably less when you're running down running backs than when you're running at Churchill Downs.
Matthews as a rookie starter was a looming train wreck that just about everybody except Juan Castillo and Andy Reid saw coming. The most unfair part was that Matthews, who by all accounts worked hard and did the best he could, took the brunt of it. Matthews looking so badly overmatched in the middle seemed to be the perfect early season embodiment of the Eagles' confused, crushingly disappointing start to 2011.
Family members were heckled in the stands. After some sharp exchanges, Matthews withdrew from social media and, though generally still available to reporters in the locker room, he tended not to linger, answering questions as quickly as possible, looking haunted and gaunt.
Matthews started two games in the middle, one on the strongside, then pretty much disappeared from the linebacking rotation for a long time. By the end of the season, when the Eagles were winning games too late to salvage a playoff berth, Matthews was playing situationally again, not that badly, but he had become a punchline for the angry fan base.
Public perception is going to be a deep hole for Matthews to climb out of, and the worst part has to be that he didn't really dig the hole, his coaches chucked him into it.
"It was something that blew up over nothing. I think it was all just misinterpreted. I have no problem with the fans," Matthews said Wednesday after the Eagles' second day of full-team OTAs. "They're one of the most passionate [fan bases] in football, or in all sports, actually ... That's just how the attitude is, they're very passionate, they love you when you're winning. They'll get on you, or they'll let you know when you're not doing right."
Matthews said he doesn't feel he faces an insurmountable task.
"There's still some fans out there that question you, but there's still plenty that support me," he said. "They'll have my back. It's like that on every team. If you work hard, if you go out on the field and perform, there's no reason why they're not going to love you."
Matthews called playing behind Ryans, a two-time Pro Bowl player, "a win-win."
"I still feel quick" after the weight gain, he said. "I feel better now than I have in a while. A full offseason workout, not having to worry about the combine or the Senior Bowl and all that, it does have its perks."
He's in the same position as Brandon Graham. If you ignore the fact that every NFL team should have been screwed equally by the labor unrest and accept that the lack of workout and teaching time hurt the young guys, then this year is put up or shut up time. Graham and Matthews have to be in beast mode from the first day of training camp and never let up if they want to win over the hearts and minds of the fans. It's that simple.— Doctor D- He stinks and will never start in the NFL unless it's for some 2 and 14 team.Did you ever see him next to his brother,it's like a man beside a 14 year old boy.And putting on 18 pounds means nothing if you don't have NFL ability and he don't.— sewell guy
- His play on the field will dictate my reaction in the stands. Hey nugget...how's my dictate?— dragoon6
- Nice article, mostly lousy comments. Without the lockout last year, Matthews might have turned out ok. As for Castillo, by the end of the season I had far more respect for him than for Morningweig. Kafka goes in for injured Vick, and MM calls a deep ball, which of course isn't Kafka's strength: INT. That ridiculous "lateral" at the goal line that smeared RB whatzisname for good was a CALLED PLAY.
I wish Matthews success.— rad205 - Look Andy Reid didn't put Matthews in good position to make the plays. He just will have to do a better job.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
— Here I am - Yeah, all the Eagles talk about Line Backers this year...and I see absolutly nothing about Mathews. He may have to fight for a job!— pevans1
- It would be nice if the NFL had a minor league...for kids like Matthews. He is not NFL caliber.— kelprod2
- Our defense will be so good this year. Been awhile since i felt this good about our D before the season starts. The lack of a full offseason effected the young starters i agree with that but what about on Offense. This was the 49ers coach first year with a new team and ownership and he was 1 game from a superbowl. If Reid and Morningweig dont get the ball out of Vicks hands quicker. I dont think i remember Vick ever throwing a clutch back shoulder pass. Running the ball really does extend drives and wears a defense down. Two TEs can help keep your QB upright and get those first downs when you need them. If Vick slides he will be more durable and may even last a full season. Plax is still out there and could help in short yards situations too. We need to focus on Offense not matthews.— Yes_General
- He will eventually be an All Pro. Hands down.— oakmontleo
- Just get out there and make some plays man.— SeenGreen
- watching footage of the OTA's he doesn't look undersized anymore....and he does still look fast. Who knows? He might be able to challenge Rolle for the weakside spot. If not he might be a decent special teams guy. Give him credit for keeping a positive attitude and getting his body as ready as possible. I don't get people getting so pissed off at young, mid-round players who don't turn out to be amazing right away. oh and uh 10, 9, 8, 76ers!!!— murdock101
- Hope he succeeds with full off season and weight gain. He looked good at Oregon and he has the family background. Maybe he was "thrown to the wolves" and needed more time.
we'll soon see— connorjr - A classic case of Reid "not putting players in the the best position to make plays." That's on Reid.— El Tel
- please put the wide nine in the garbage heap and install a buddy ryan defense.— mwright252
- I didn't think he was any worse than some of the other stiffs who played linebacker in philly after seth joyner left. stop exaggerating, it's not as if philly fans recognize top linebacker talent. we don't have a lot of experience watching a top flight linebacker perform. The kid will be ok once he picks up the speed of the game and other experiences only achieved by playing.— Dexter
