Eagles pass messy first test
Eagles 31, Rams, 13
Eagles pass messy first test
Rich Hofmann, Daily News Sports Columnist
ST. LOUIS -- First weeks in the NFL season are, by their very nature, untidy. First weeks after off-seasons interrupted by lockouts, as it turns out, are something worse than untidy. But even amid the clutter of their 31-13 victory over the Rams on Sunday, it was possible to see why the Eagles entered this season with a realistic hope of making a long run into January.
Yes, the offensive line, tight ends and running backs had their hands more than full dealing with the blitzing pressure of the Rams' defense. Quarterback Michael Vick was hit too often. Especially early on, the whole operation left people filled with the same dread that they had been embracing all summer, a dread that multiplied when the team began switching everybody's position in the last 2 weeks.
But here is the thing: it did get better as the game went on. The same could be said for a run defense that was gashed for a 47-yard Steven Jackson touchdown on the Rams' first play from scrimmage. All of the summer's worst fears were realized in that moment, and in the next couple of drives -- but then, like the offensive line, it pulled itself together as the game wore on. Of course, it helped that Jackson suffered a quad injury on the game's second series.
DeSean Jackson? Yes, he dropped what should have been an 88-yard touchdown pass. But he also caught 6 balls for 102 yards and a touchdown.
Vick? Yes, he was hit too often. And, yes, he made some head-scratching throws. But he also countered the Rams' blitz with his legs, sometimes to devastating effect; 8 carries and 100 yards before a couple of clock-killing kneel-downs at the end of the game. And on the touchdown pass to Jackson in the third quarter, Vick made the kind of throw that pretty much nobody else in the NFL can make -- scrambling to his left, presssure in his face, falling backward, he still got the ball to Jackson accurately, on time and with enough oomph. It really was a beauty.
Shady McCoy was excellent running the ball -- 15 carries, 122 yards and a touchdown (plus another receiving TD). On the other side of the ball, the Eagles' front four pass rush was consistent and consistently punishing. They finished the game with five sacks, two by Jason Babin.
So it was all on display, the good and the bad, all of it wrapped around the general messiness of this partticular opening game. There was plenty of fuel for both the optimists and the skeptics to feed their arguments for another week. But in the end, the skeptics are trailing, 1-0.
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We'll take it. They'll continue to improve...— Grazman- give the team time to play together, and mudd some time to teach the offensive line how to play, and this team will be unstopable.
- Rich, this article pretty much sums up the game and the Eagles' prospects for a championship this season. Things can go either way in a given game, but Vick can be the X factor that determines a game's outcome, even if he is game planned for.— DontBeFooled
- Easy first improvement, get rid of Fabio.— Astro Jones
- Wow..no Vick/Eagle haters here...must all be back in the basement banging their heads!!!LOL!!!— sarah89
- Hey DooDooFresh, did you see Vick rock out some air guitar??— TimO
- Yes he did it during the post game. Was he mocking Donnie? — AlwaysSunny215
- It seems that once they backed off the blitz late in the first and early in the second Vick was able to calm things down and get his game under control. It was amazing how our secondary went nearly unchallenged the whole game...compare THAT to last year.— PorkChopExpress
- We were lucky to win that game. One bad play by Bradford coupled with the loss of STeven Jackson and the game was given to us. Once again Andy Reid tried his best to blow it for us, and Castillo looked thoroughly lost. I still say 10-6, wild card team, out in the 1st round at best. At worst, 6-10 and no playoffs.
- Reading your post I would have thought the Eagles lost. Then I realized you were only a troll. Go back under your bridge you gnome. It was a first game, more pre-season, than in season, but a reflection of all the GOOD in this sytem. I like Eagles chances. Philly is a city of champions Solomanium, not whiners. Have some cheese you mouse with your whine. — PhillyboyinNYC
- Solomanium, if you already know the Eagles' season will end, why even watch the stinkin game. You're a disgrace to call yourself an Eagles fan. When the Eagles win the superbowl, Solomanium: " Reid got lucky, Castillo got lucky, blah blah." Unbelievable. — PhileaglyersFan
- Hey, people know how the Titanic movie will end but they still watch it. The question is what excuses are you going to make when this team chokes AGAIN? — Phillyrussian7
- Nice start and it looks like McCoy is set for a huge season. Fess up Andy, Casey Mathews was a wasted draft choice. He is NO middle linebacker. He seems lost out there and is rarely in on a play. The offensive line played better in the second half.— fanup
- D and O lines looked good, skill players were great, just don't undestand the run defence. Too much space between linebackers and D line. Linebackers need to be more aggresive, need to be attacking at snap of ball.— camasbud
- a GREAT result for week 1. This team needs time to develop continuity. It may be 4 weeks 'til they hit full stride. Nx wk @ Atl (off blow-out loss, coming home for season home opener) could be an ugly loss. I'll just sit here and watch as the bandwagon crashes & burns following that
KING~out— thee~KING
