Lessons for Eagles from Super Bowl
Since I cover the Eagles, and the Super Bowl, I'm always interested in what the latter can tell me about the former. This year's lessons were not all that clear.
Lessons for Eagles from Super Bowl
Les Bowen, Daily News Staff Writer
Since I cover the Eagles, and the Super Bowl, I'm always interested in what the latter can tell me about the former. This year's lessons were not all that clear.
* If you were hoping to find evidence that Andy Reid should commit more to the running game, this was not the contest for you. The team that ran most effectively lost by two touchdowns. The team that couldn't convert third or fourth and 1 at the goalline won. I could almost hear the late Jim Johnson chuckling somewhere when Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams explained afterward that he wanted the Colts to run the ball to their hearts' desire - killing the clock and cutting down on Peyton Manning's ability to put up points with long strikes.
* I'm not sure Drew Brees' performance teaches us much, either. Sure, it would be great to have a quarterback who completes 82 percent of his passes. No, you're not likely to see Donovan McNabb do that. But would Kevin Kolb or Michael Vick? Sure.
* Probably the biggest Eagles lesson I took out of the game is that you really need to get that o-line functioning as a seamless unit. There was one sack in the Super Bowl, by Dwight Freeney, early, before his ankle stiffened up. After that, both passers were able to go deep into their progressions, sometimes waving blockers out into dump-down routes. I can see McNabb being effective in that type of game.
*The Saints' defensive model in the last two playoff games - you can give up yards and even points, as long as you produce the killer turnover when it matters - might make me look more charitably at Asante Samuel.
*I have to say, the Colts' vulnerability underneath might have cooled my ardor for potential free agent linebacker Gary Brackett, though I didn't go back and study his snaps closely.
*All in all, maybe the Saints teach us that a couple of key free agent signings can make a defense championship-worthy, and that you don't have to be perfect to win, you just have to be able to seize the moment.
Someday, maybe we'll be able to say the Birds did that.
*
To read our earlier post about Joe Banner, click here.
Comment removed.
The one thing that you can take away from the Super Bowl is that to get there it can't hurt to have a couple great QBs. I like Donavan, but he is no Brees, or Manning. The other key point is both the Saints and Colts have really excellent O-Lines. I have never seen so much passing, and so little pressure.— Bobphxville- Pretty easy lesson, hire a good coach.— franky
- The lessons that I have from the super bowl are that if you have a quarterback that can make throws and complete 68%-70% of their passes all season, you will have a shot at the super bowl. Brees 70%, Manning 68%, Farve 68%, Warner 66%, McNabb 60%. McNabb's completion percentage ranks right up there with Alex Smith, Jay Cutler, David Gerrard and Chad Henne. McNabb is not elite. He is average at best and certainly not suited for the west coast offense. While the defense did play well, to their credit, they are on the field. The Eagles were 26th in time of possession. There was only one team with a winning record that had a worse time of possession, the Bengals. The only reason everyone is clamoring for Reid to run more is because McNabb is not accurate enough to sustain drives. Do you hear anyone saying that the Colts lost because they did not run more?— chrisrr
- Here we go! With inferior talent this year, Mcnabb's YPA (yards per attempt) was higher than Manning's, and the Eagles scored more points this season. Care to explain, or refute? You know, Peyton (who played a fairly good game) almost never took a shot downfield Sunday, and the one he threw was about 10 yards short - for whatever reason. There's more than one way to win a championship. And, for the McNabb bashers, no his style is not 3 steps and out, but how many plays does he still keep alive, and how many sacks (with our porous line) does he still fight off. And yes, he throws the slant and the out pretty darn well at this point, but see what you want to see, and keep repeating the same tired refrains.— MG44
- Did anyone notice with 4 minutes left in the 4th quarter both teams had all 3 timeouts? Eagles are great at managing money, cap and do pretty well at draft- Managing the game, umm not so much. Get what you can for mcnabb, draft linebackers and dont waste money on Peppers for one year— fman727
- how about the great pass Peyton made from his own end zone to the rb on his own goal line? what did the RB do? turned it into a 9 yard gain. our RB likely would have been tackled, due to poor blocking, and an inability to make a play on that call and McNabb would be crucified for throwing it in the first place. that play taught me an awful lot about the difference between the colts and the eagles.— birdfannnj
- Do you think once the Birds finally win a Super Bowl, we'll spend February talking about how they could have scored more or kept the other team off the board? I'm thinking we will. If we ever get the chance. watch castle (HTML deleted)— ziaur
- watch castle (HTML deleted)— ziaur
- Even if the O-line was healthy through the year - I just do not see #5 being that much more effective. The guy misses throws, especially crucial 3rd downs and does not run anymore. #5 is a good QB but will not get the championship ring unless the defense is a top 2 unit.— cheesefry
- Sean Peyton got a lot of credit for the win. And during the game, I felt like I was watching Andy Reid. The difference is that the Saints, on this day, executed. When the Saints went for it, and failed on fourth down with a run, that's something Andy would do. However, the defense held the Colts to a 3-and-out (execution), Saints got the ball back and Saints went down and got three points (execution). Saints started the second half with a onside kick. Remember Andy and the first Dallas game. The difference, the Saints executed (the ball coincidentally bounced off former Eagle Hank Baskett, who did not execute). I know Peyton Manning has a Super Bowl win, but that pick was bigger than Donovan's in the NFL title game against Tampa Bay. McNabb is 9-7 in the postseason; Manning is 9-9.— Slovs
- Comment removed.
- A lesson that's very obvious is that the Colts D-line, small and quick, cannot generate any pressure on the pocket. Another lesson was that "bend but don't break" doesn't always work. How many passes did Brees make that were of the 5-7 yard variety, to receivers split out? The Eagles rely on the big play, N.O. just took what was given to them. Of course, as indicated, the two QBs were the most accurate passers in each league. We know that will never be McChoke.— 4thand10
- Sean Peyton got a lot of credit for the win. And during the game, I felt like I was watching Andy Reid. The difference is that the Saints, on this day, executed. When the Saints went for it, and failed on fourth down with a run, that's something Andy would do. However, the defense held the Colts to a 3-and-out (execution), Saints got the ball back and Saints went down and got three points (execution). Saints started the second half with a onside kick. Remember Andy and the first Dallas game. The difference, the Saints executed (the ball coincidentally bounced off former Eagle Hank Baskett, who did not execute). I know Peyton Manning has a Super Bowl win, but that pick was bigger than Donovan's in the NFL title game against Tampa Bay. McNabb is 9-7 in the postseason; Manning is 9-9.— Slovs
- We are a lot of players away. We will compete, and it takes some luck, but we are not a top 10 team as of now.— hawk18
