Expectations for Maclin; Saints' coordinator knows Birds
The Philadelphia Daily News - Eagletarian
Expectations for Maclin; Saints' coordinator knows Birds
Les Bowen and Daily News staff
The expectations are high for Jeremy Maclin because he was the Eagles' first-round pick. They grew even higher because of DeSean Jackson's success last year, suggesting that the team's reluctance on large roles for rookies might no longer be a factor.
Offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg didn’t want to venture a guess as to how many snaps from scrimmage wideout Jeremy Maclin got at Carolina in his NFL debut. No passes were thrown to Maclin.
“He got some plays,” Mornhinweg said. “Now, every game will be different, but hopefully, as we go over a big space of time, that will keep picking up just a little bit for him.”
Was Maclin surprised to have a minimal role?
“A little bit,” Maclin said. “Not really ‘surprised,’ but I kind of expected to play a bigger role. It’s a long season, man. We’ll see.”
WHERE IT STARTS
Since realignment in 2002, 48 of the league’s 84 playoff teams (57.1 percent) opened the season 1-1 or 0-2. Four of the past eight Super Bowl champions started 1-1 or 0-2.
In case you were wondering, in Andy Reid's 10 previous seasons, the Eagles have started 2-0 once (on the way to the Super Bowl), 1-1 six times and 0-2 three times.
MAN BEHIND THE SAINTS' D
Gregg Williams knows what it is like to face the Eagles' offense and he knows what it is like to play in Philadelphia.
Williams, in his first year as the Saints' defensive coordinator, was the Washington Redskins' coordinator from 2004 to 2007. During his tenure, the Redskins went 3-5 against the Eagles, and allowed an average of 21 points per game. Williams' defenses in 2005 and '06 were ranked in the top 10 in the league.
Of course, that is not the case with the Saints, which is why Sean Payton essentially hand-picked Williams to come in and take over the defense. Williams spent one season in Jacksonville as the coordinator after getting let go in Washington.
"It’s very hard-fought, back and forth," Williams said when asked to describe his track record against the Eagles. "We’ve had to win games at the very end of the season to go to the playoffs. When we’ve done that. We’ve had to win games and not done that too. It’s a tough matchup."
Williams went on to compliment just about every facet of the Eagles' offensive approach, as defensive coordinators are wont to do before games.
"They have a good, talented football team that allows them to take shots down the field that allows them to throw the intermediate game, allows them to make plays in space and allows them to hammer the ball at you," Williams said. "When you’re saying that, their system of offense encompasses everything an offense wants to do. I think every single time, a guy splinters off that family tree and Andy’s on that west coast family tree, every time one of those guys splinters off that tree and goes his own way, they kind of do their own little thing. They kind of add their little niche and I think Andy has added a little bit more of a physical approach in that niche that some of the other guys that have been pass happy. They throw the ball a bunch but they have the ability to physically get after you and they draft these kinds of guy."
GETTING HIS KICKS
Among the marquee games this weekend is the Sunday nigher between Dallas and the Giants that is the first regular-season game at the Cowboys' new stadium.
One of the things people will be watching is the 162-foot long video boards that hang 90 feet above the field, because the Titans punter plunked it during the preseason.
Giants punter Jeff Feagles, the former Eagle, is not worried.
“It might take me two kicks to hit it at my age (43),” Feagles said. “Obviously, if you do hit it, it’s probably a pretty good punt and a shame that you have to do it over. But I am not going to go out there and try and hit it. You just go and do what you normally do. I think what happens with my experience with things like this is you try and not do something you’re normally not used to in the game or even in pregame. I think you have to go out and go through your regular routine and if it happens, it happens .... I can tell you that if I do hit it, it will be a heck of a punt because our practice facility is 80 feet and I’m rarely hitting the top of that, so another 10 feet is pretty high.”
To read what Paul Domowitch is watching is Sunday's game, click here.
To read today's DN Eagles Playbook, click here.
REMINDER: Vegas Vic chats college and pro football today at 1 p.m.
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Does anyone know AR's Win/Loss record the week after McRib gets hurt? Mcrib has been hurt so much over the last ten years...someone shouldd have tracked this stat....My guess is they win after McRib goes down....but I'm guessing...need some real info. Please help— SkipinWV- Maclin will be fine. Rookie receivers take a few games to get adjusted, even the greats didn't always produce much their first year. Probably wouldn't hurt to go to camp with Jerry Rice either, which is what DJack did.— dansdigs
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- For the first time I couldn't agree with these comments more. He is playing very timid and it clearly shows. The physical ability is there but he has to get tougher mentally. Maybe with the extra money he held out for he can buy himself some heart.— stupidgurl
- Everyone knew he would take a little time. It's game 2, we won't know what we've got til the end of the season at least.— FKD215
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- If DJack was afraid to get hit, he wouldn't be returning punts. That's just BS. And by the way, what are receivers supposed to do, just take hits for the heck of it. You try to avoid the hit at the end so that you can live to play another game.— nicknichols
- Maclin hasn't earned a bigger role yet and his holdout didn't help his development. Speaking of pass-happy coaches. Brady throws the ball 50 to 55 times per game. However, that Pats don't ever seem to get labeled as pass-happy.— JimG
- stupid is an apt user name. Maclin has no heart? Really? This is why I don't get along with the majority of Eagles fans. The guy graduated high school in 2006 and played 2 years of college. He is young, he has potential, he isn't expected to contribute this year. Can you wrap your head around that?? It would be reasonable to expect his break out season to be year 3. I know, I know, reasoning isn't our strong suit in the comments section.— sla6yer
- nicknichols, nobody said that DJack was afraid to get hit bro, we're talking about JMac (has he even earned that name yet?) DeSean is probably the most fearless receiver we've got. If he stays healthy I absolutely see him getting some pro bowl looks. Maclin? Well, not everybody can come out the gates like DeSean did. We've only played one meaningfull game. Let's give him some time. Hopefully he'll develop quickly and become at least our #2 guy.— rabbititus09
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- When the average career is what, about 4 years, I don't know if Maclin has 3 years to develop. I don't think the staff would have picked him #1 if they thought they had to wait 3 years to see a return on their investment. I think by mid season he better be producing— Clem
