Castillo: LBs stay the same
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Castillo: LBs stay the same
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
Juan Castillo liked the way his linebackers performed against the New York Giants, so much so that he doesn't plan on re-shuffling the starting group.
"Yeah, looks like for this week," the Eagles defensive coordinator said.
Castillo told two other reporters in a separate interview, however, that it was too early in the week to decide on personnel changes.
Last week, Castillo moved Jamar Chaney from strong-side linebacker into the middle, Casey Matthews from the middle to weak-side and flipped Moise Fokou from weak-side to strong-side. The Giants, in their 29-16 win over the Eagles Sunday, gained 102 yards on the ground on 25 carries. New York running backs, however, rushed for 105 yards on 22 tries.
"I had a couple of blitzes where we didn't get right fits and they hit a couple of runs on us," Castillo said. "But besides that, I thought in the run game we did a decent job. I liked where the linebackers were."
Castillo did say that rookie Brian Rolle, who has mostly played in the nickel, could see his playing time increase.
"He had a couple nice plays," Castillo said. "Yeah, his role will continue to increase as we go forward."
One permanent change could come at safety. Kurt Coleman was benched and replaced by Nate Allen in the first quarter after he failed to tackle Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz on a 74-yard touchdown reception.
"They're both interchangeable," Castillo said of Coleman and Allen. "It switched before with Jarrad [Page] and Nate. We feel comfortable with all three guys."
What about Jaiquawn Jarrett? The Eagles' second-round draft pick has yet to dress.
"We'll just have to see," Castillo said. "Right now it's probably those three guys, as Jarrett continues to understand our scheme, I think then we'll see it because he's a pretty good tackler."
Coleman wasn't the only Eagles defensive player to miss a tackle Sunday. In fact, Allen had two misses himself. Overall, there were 12 missed tackles, according to one estimate, with Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw breaking out of nine would-be stops.
"Part of that is the running back, he's a pretty good running back," Castillo said. "But we got to make that those tackles and we'll continue to work on our fundamentals."
Castillo has had a rough start to his tenure as defensive coordinator. The 1-2 Eagles have allowed 25.7 points a game, and while Castillo's pass defense is ranked eighth overall, the run defense is 30th in the league heading into tonight's games.
"Things will start changing, that's just the way it happens," Castillo said. "It always has for us in the past with coach [Andy] Reid."
What if it doesn't change?
"There's no such thing in 'It doesn't,'" Castillo said. "It always has. You go through all the years. We've started even worse than 1-2 before and we stayed the course."
The Eagles have now started 1-2 four times under Reid -- in 2000, 2003, 2007 and 2011. They made the playoffs the first two years, but did not in 2007 when they also lost three of their first four.
The Eagles host the 49ers on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Since JJ left it has been the same old stuff just a different day.— NC Eagle Fan- the problem with the Eagles is that they think they are a first class organization... your a first class organization when you've won something and don't have to come out and say,' we are gold standard in the NFL'. Do you see the Pats, Steelers, Colts, Green Bay ever say anything like that? Nope... and you wanna know why? It's because they don't have to... they know it, the fans know it, everyone in football knows it... THE EAGLES ARE a JOKE. HOW CAN A FIRST CLASS TEAM GO SO LONG WITHOUT A SUPER BOWL? THEY DON'T... ANDY REID, BANNER, LURIE... 3 BORN LOSERS BROWN STANDARD, LOSERS.— Apollo Creed
- this guy is wrting his own pink slip out of town.... Another Andy Reid scapegoat
— bbewsirhc - You guys want to blame Juan because he has the title, but we all know who is pulling the strings in the puppet show. Hearing what Juan says and reading it are two different things. He's not going to go against Reid talking to the press but you can hear it in his voice that things aren't going the way he wants them but his hands are tied because he has a Head Coach who makes ALL the decisions on defense, offense and special teams. Why do you think we lost so many coaches? Our old special teams coach is now a head coach and is successful. Ever wonder why? Because now he has input and allow his co-ordinators to have input. Marty sounds just like Reid when he talks to the media. I wonder if Ray Rhodes is available, he knew how to draft and put together a defense. I bet the 9-wide wasn't in Juan's plan he's a 4-3 guy. I think Juan is just a figure head with the title and Reid pulls the string. He couldn't hire an accomplished DC because no accomplished DC would go for that bull. Quick example... Reid wants to turn mobile athletic QBs (McNabb now Vick) into status in the pocket thinking they will by a miracle turn into Payton or Tom. He wants a one on one shut down corner (Nnambe) to play cover schemes. This is craziness, maybe Andy got a hold of some of his son's weed and pills.— TNEaglesFan
- why did we waste are money on young when we should've been pursuing stephen tulloch? what are we paying young, 5mil/year for 2 years? i guess the same reason we didn't draft earl thomas last year. this defense fell apart when dawkins left.— the sichee-ation
- You are so on point with that. Christ, they could still have Stewart Bradley, who's better than virtually all the LBs currently on the roster. — beegal99
- The linebackers looked good? On Brandon Jacob's reception, Casey Mathews looked like Sammy Hagar trailing the play 15 yards. He's that slow. I thought for a long time that that there was only one skill player in the history of the Eagles I could outrun...Reno Mahe. I was wrong. I could still beat Casey Mathews in a 40 yard dash and I am 50 years old. He's that slow, slow, slow. It was hilarious. His tiny little legs were umping and flaring out to the side as he tried to generate some speed. Hilarious. Casey can't even drive 55.— PFCzar
- thanks for this. I NEVER thought I would read the name Reno Mahe again! — coloradoeagle
- Can Rendell play strong safety? BTW...doesn't he add great insight on the Eagles Post Game show? After the Rams game, he said the Eagles will likely start the season 6 - 0. Can barely watch that show anymore. Wish that guy would go away.
- Things will change he says...they always will. Want to know why....b/c Reid had a few core players to will the others around them. Dawkins, Trott, Westbrook......Who do they turn to now? Vick...what can Vick do..tell them how great his two playoff wins in Atlanta were...or should they turn to Nate Allen or Casey Mathews. Reid PLease GO— RealizticFan
- If Castillo liked the way his LB's played yesterday, he is a bigger dope than I thought he was. Matthews contiunues to prove he is practice squad material at best. Rolle should be the WILL. Chaney was better at MIKE than Matthews. Matthews is the biggest hole on this defense. Page is the second biggest. Rolle and Jarrett should start. If Jarrett isn't ready, it is another indictment on the Eagles poor drafting. I thought Jarrett, as well as everyone else, that he was a reach in the second round.— arrowamy
- @uncle stosh
@shadow - you can't start by taking out three plays that actually happened. That's silly. The best thing about your post is the Freudien slip of "from weak to weak". You're right, the defense has ambled along from weak to...well, weak; so how do you see them getting better suddenly? I think weaker and weakest come next.
The jist is that things are never as good or as bad as people make them out to be. They are 2 or 3 plays away from 3-0. These thing are fixable. It is certainly no time to panic.— shadow22 - Staying the course with this LB and Safety group looks like certain suicide. Matthews is lost, Fouku is a joke, Coleman can't tackle, Allen doesn't want to tackle and the temple kid is a Bust! Speaking of Busts; how are our 1st, 2nd and 3rd rounders for the last 2 years doing on the field? Nice job Howie!— younged
- @Younged, Roseman has ZERO input into the draft, he reports to Reid.— shadow22
- What I saw was another week where the Eagles outplayed the opponent for most of the game but turnovers and some big offensive plays by the opponent did them in. They'll get it together as the season goes along. I do think that Matthews isn't ready to play and should be replaced in the starting lineup.— MikeP
