TRUSTS CHOOCH IN A PINCH
Before we get to the post, Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all the MTC readers out there.
Hope you're enjoying time with friends and family today.
However, if you need a break from friends and family, MTC has you covered (you can tell them you're checking on some e-mails for work).
The question has been asked many times this week: How will Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg incorporate Brian Westbrook into the offense when he gets back on the field?
And what about Jeremy Maclin? What kind of role will he assume on Sunday against the Broncos?
I decided to take a detailed look at the Eagles' personnel packages and schemes from Sunday's win over the 49ers.
Maybe this can give us some clues as to what they'll have in store against Denver.
Against San Francisco, the Eagles used 16 different personnel packages. The most popular one was: Leonard Weaver, LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, Reggie Brown, Brent Celek (2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE), which they used 18 times.
The others:
10 times - McCoy, Jackson, Brown, Jason Avant, Celek (1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE)
9 times - Weaver, Jackson, Brown, Avant, Celek (1 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE)
7 times - Weaver, Jackson, Brown, Celek, Alex Smith (1 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE)
6 times - Weaver, Brown, Avant, Celek, Smith (1 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE)
5 times - Weaver, Jackson, Avant, Celek, Smith (1 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE)
4 times - McCoy, Jackson, Brown, Avant, Curtis (1 RB, 4 WR)
3 times - McCoy, Jackson, Brown, Celek, Smith (1 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE)
2 times - Weaver, Jackson, Brown, Avant, Curtis (1 RB, 4 WR)
2 times - Jackson, Brown, Avant, Curtis, Celek (4 WR, 1 TE)
1 time - Weaver, Michael Vick, Jackson, Brown, Avant (2 QB, 1 RB, 3 WR)
1 time - Weaver, McCoy, Vick, Jackson, Celek (2 QB, 2 RB, 1 TE, 1 WR)
1 time - Weaver, Vick, Jackson, Avant, Celek, Smith (1 RB, 2 WR, 2 TE)
1 time - Weaver, McCoy, Jackson, Avant, Celek (2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE)
1 time - Weaver, McCoy, Brown, Avant, Celek (2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE)
1 time - Weaver, McCoy, Avant, Celek, Smith (2 RB, 1 WR, 2 TE)
What stands out here? The Eagles had two running backs on the field for 22 of 72 snaps (30.5 percent).
The Eagles had three or four receivers on the field for 28 of 72 snaps (38.9 percent).
Kevin Curtis was on the field for eight plays.
So much remains up in the air this week. At running back, we can only assume that Westbrook will be eased in, and the team will have special packages to get him in the game.
At wide receiver, how healthy are Curtis and Maclin? What is Brown's role going forward?
And of course, Vick, who had been seeing an increased role, was the only Eagle who didn't practice.
Keep an eye on the personnel shuffled in and out of Sunday's game. We'll take another detailed look next week to see how Reid and Mornhinweg utilize all their weapons down the stretch and in the postseason.
