Eagles to face another tough tight end in 49ers' Vernon Davis

By now you know the plot: Big tight end faces the Eagles. Big tight end has a big day. Big Red says everyone needs to get better.

The actors might change, but the script doesn't. At least not yet.

The Eagles face another tight end test Sunday, this time hoping to alter the ending with the help of some new faces.

Brian Rolle, the new starting weakside linebacker, said he hopes he gets a chance to match up with the 49ers' star tight end, Vernon Davis.

Another defender to watch is Nnamdi Asomugha. Defensive coordinator Juan Castillo has said in the past that he could see Asomugha covering tight ends, and the cornerback said after the Falcons game that the game plan that week originally called for matching him up with Atlanta tight end Tony Gonzalez. The idea was scrapped because Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was hurt that week and couldn't practice at cornerback. Asomugha had to stay at that position to face the Falcons receivers instead of taking on Gonzalez.

Whoever gets the tight end assignment Sunday - and it will likely be a combination of linebackers, corners, and safeties - will have their hands full with Davis, who combines size and speed.

"They use him as a third wide receiver, so he's very explosive," said Castillo.

Davis is coming off of an eight-catch, 114-yard day against the Bengals and leads the 49ers in catches and yards: 15 for 179.

No other 49er has more than seven catches or 80 yards. In other words, stop Davis, and the Eagles can shut down the biggest weapon in San Francisco's arsenal. Of course, that's always easier said than done.

Davis hit the Eagles for five catches, 104 yards, and a touchdown last year. Two weeks ago, Gonzalez tormented the Eagles linebackers and safeties en route to seven catches, 83 yards, and two scores.

Eagles linebackers said the key to stopping Davis will be playing physical with the big man and preventing a free release from the line of scrimmage.

"You don't let him go without any disruption," said Moise Fokou, who overlapped with Davis at Maryland.

"You take away what he does best. He's big, physical and strong, he likes to go down the field vertically," Fokou said, "so you've got to jam him."

Rolle might line up on the weak side of the formation, but he could still face Davis when the tight end goes in motion. He is giving up at least five inches of height to Davis but sounded eager for the matchup.

"When you've got a fast person, [they] don't want people to get their hands on them," Rolle said, signaling exactly what he plans to do to Davis.

Asomugha could be the wild-card matchup on Davis.

"We've used him a couple different ways," Castillo said. "Atlanta might have been a little different. We had some things happen. . . . There's still some things that we'll show as the season goes on with him."

Asked specifically about Asomugha on Davis, Castillo said, "We'll see how we're going to use our different packages."

While he has a size and reach advantage over most wide receivers, the rangy Asomugha would have to rely on athleticism against a bigger tight end such as Davis.

If he can help solve the Eagles tight end woes and Rodgers-Cromartie plays on the corner, it would be one of the first examples of the team's finding a way to extensively and effectively use Asante Samuel, Asomugha, and Rodgers-Cromartie at once.

To this point, the team has largely played two cornerbacks at a time, leaving all three linebackers on the field to help against the run. At times, their scheme has made their trio of star corners seem like an unnecessary extravagance, especially with holes elsewhere on defense.

If Asomugha can help solve the tight end problems, the investment in cornerback talent will look far more prescient.