Eagles kickoff units struggle; Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie doesn't kneel; Andy Reid freezes
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Eagles kickoff units struggle; Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie doesn't kneel; Andy Reid freezes
Zach Berman, Inquirer Staff Writer
The Eagles’ kickoff coverage was a big problem on Sunday, allowed Giants kick returner David Wilson to average 36.2 yards on six returns, including a 53-yarder. The Giants’ average starting field position throughout the game was their own 30-yard line, and it was their own 33-yard line after kickoff returns.
This was significantly better than the Eagles’ kickoff returns, in which Brandon Boykin averaged 16.7 yards per return. The Eagles’ average starting field position was their 20-yard line, and their 19-yard line on kickoffs.
“There’s no reason we should be playing like we are in those spots,” Reid said.
Reid met with special teams coordinator Bobby April about the issue on Monday morning and said the Eagles must correct some issues. It also hurt that the team was missing Anderson and Jordan, two of their better special teams players. And Reid said Alex Henery’s kickoffs weren’t the issue because the Eagles had players in position around the 25-yard line at the catch.
“NOT A KNEELER”
Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie intercepted an Eli Manning fourth-quarter pass five yards into the end zone, yet still returned the ball. He ran 14 yards to the Eagles’ nine-yard line, meaning it was an 11-yard net loss from what the result would have been if he took a knee.
Rodgers-Cromartie has four career touchdowns, and whenever he can force a turnover, he is thinking about the return.
“I’m not a kneeler,” Rodgers-Cromartie said after the game.
“There’s a time and a place for everything,” Reid said Monday, “so he’ll have a chance to look at on tape and see the situation.”
FREEZING REGRETS
Andy Reid can make jokes about the spotlight on him on Sunday for trying to freeze Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes because the ploy did not backfire after Tynes missed his first and second field goal. Vick said after the game that he is not a fan of the tactic.
“For about one minute there, I wasn’t a fan of it myself,” Reid said.
Reid danced around the question when if he would like the NFL to disallow the practice, which is used by coaches around the league.
I did for a minute,” Reid said “I don’t make the rules, but there was a period of time there where it would have been a real good thing.”
they need to let someone else take control of calling timeouts. like anyone else.— gjgreen3- Vick is a Joke!— With all this talent who needs a real defensive coordinator?
- With all your posting talent who needs a brain?
- does Reid's on field game calling equate to Buddy Ryan's? Makes Buddy look like a genius, if you ask me.— ds
- andy,please stop with the icing-the-kicker timeout!!!!.you dodged a bullet last night but it was more due to the distance involved rather than icing him...these guys don't let that stuff bother them and if it did they shouldn't be playing in the nfl anyway...so stop doing it already and just let the pressure of the moment affect the kicker..— jabac
- A buddy and I are watching the game, we both said same thing, "this is great, giants are rushing the kick, they will miss" We could not believe that Andy called the time out.
On kick offs, this is 3ed year in row we have had incomplete special teams. Not so sure April is as good as advertised.— camasbud - I ave seen many college kickers that always putit out of the endzone... you have got to think it wou be worth a roster spot to have a guy that makes the other team always start at the 20 so they have to drive 80 yds for a td.— dennismithusa
- It was a ridiculous decision— stachichach
- To this day, getting rid of David Akers was a hugh mistake and still is !!! Bobby April better shore up the troops this week or the Steelers are going to have the same field position as the Giants !!!— Delaware Doc
- Folks, Bobby April has a big reputation as a special teams coach but it sure does not translate into decent, let alone great, performance by his units. If after this past Monday morning of discussion, there is no consistent big improvement, Andy ought to pull the trigger during the season and get someone else on the staff (Bowles, for example) to handle special teams.— hankhammer2
- Icing professional place kickers is a practice that should be stopped. It is fine in college when there are 20 year olds trying field goals under enormous pressure. Icing delays games and has no major impact on results. Do away with it ASAP.
— hankhammer2
