Sunday, September 13, 2009

Quick Post Game Thoughts

***

Great defensive showing. We had 5 sacks and 7 takeaways. We forced Jake to the bench and then knocked Josh McCown out of the game. We got big plays from every level of the defense. Very exciting stuff. Sean McDermott called a great game and better get a game ball.

You can see the potential this group has. We can rush the passer. We can cover. We can play the run. One big difference today was the LBs making plays. That is what we lacked last year. Great start.

The offense was pretty good. We ran the ball well and executed in the Red Zone. That's all that was needed. There are some definite issues to work on. The big story is Donovan's health. Andy just said that he's got a fractured rib. Andy won't rule him out for next week, but Donnie sure looked to be in a lot of pain as he walked around.

Kevin Kolb had a bad day today. He didn't look ready to play and was sloppy. The playcalling didn't help him and the blocking was sloppy, but Kevin wasn't good. I'm a fan of his. I've liked him for years. Kevin gave his critics plenty of ammo with that showing.

Westy and Shady did look good. Brian had some pep in his step. LeSean is fast. He gets to the edge in a hurry.

Peanut showed just what a dynamic guy he can be. He didn't do much as a receiver, but his runs and PR TD had a big impact on the game. He is a weapon.

Special Teams was all over the place. Too many mistakes. They'll get worked on. You have to remember that this group didn't play together on STs in the preseason. Today was their first live showing. I did love DeSean's TD and Akers 48-yard FG. You like it when STs can deliver impact plays.

I'm gonna watch some football and then get started on the Game Review. Fun day.
_

13 comments:

Cliff said...

Much easier to do a game review when we win like that, huh?

If the defense plays like that next week, we might be able to get by with a gimpy Donovan or a *practiced* Kolb. Andy sounded like he half-expected Kolb to be sloppy because he "didn't get many reps" during the week. Hopefully, the coaches can determine fairly early in the week whether or not Donny will play so next week's starter can get plenty of practice.

Adam S. said...

Damn 5 why you gotta play us like that...it was that big #92 that came in at the end while Mcnabb was on the ground and slammed his helmet into his side that did it.

Cliff said...

Yeah, there's speculation that it should've been a personal foul. I didn't really notice it when the play was live.

Andy said during the PC that Donovan actually asked him if there was a flag on the play.

T_S_O_P said...

I noticed on Dave's sideline cam, that Dixon got snaps with the D before Sheldon's second int. They must be very impressed to give him game time so soon all things consideredn (UDFA who has played his whole preseason elsewhere)

Adam S. said...

It was pretty close, I got a PVR so I watched a good 6 or 7 times. He was definitely on the ground but tough to call for the refs at full speed. His legs were tied up with another guy and as he was rolling #92 flys in with a helmet to the lower back/side.

kaninfaan said...

Which writer will be first to claim that Donovan didn't take the slide: "just to show all the Vick-lovers" and therefore the addition of Vick creates the injury to Don?
Personally I think that angle is bullshit but I can feel it coming...

I know you like Kolb and it feels like the umpteenth time Ive read something like;"-Kevin Kolb had a bad day today"

When did Kolb have a good day? Other than getting paid a lot of money to play football and all that. When did Kolb produce "the goods" in a situation when the team needed it? eg. NFL live game situation.
Has he ever?

Ive been tremendously impressed by Bunkley, Patterson and Laws. Especially the first two but imho Laws is coming on nicely.
Why arent they getting more love from "the media"?
Is my opinion of the awesomeness so misdirected? ;)

Looking forward to your game review.

/k

Cliff said...

Bunkley and Patterson don't get attention from the media because they don't get sacks. Period. And honestly, that might be fair, to an extent.

I'm sure Donovan will take a talk radio beating this week (and next, if he misses the NO game). That just perpetuates the reality that Philly sports-talk radio is terrible. The injury was in no way McNabb's fault. He was fighting for a touchdown!

What I'll be interested in is the fan reaction. For a few years now the rap on Donovan has been that he "has no heart." Well, trying to truch a defender to get an extra couple inches for the score is a very visual display of "heart." If stubborn fans still whine about his "lack of effort and emotion" then we'll know the truth, which is those fans are just idiots.

Baloophi said...

Anyone get a good feel for The Weave?

I watched at a friend's place so I couldn't steal the remote and re-watch plays looking for blocks. I did make him go back to watch Macho drop his touchdown - that would've been an awesome first NFL game...

Unknown said...

It was tough to see #5 go down on the tail end of a blowout like this one, it really put a damper on the excitement to an extent. It was great to blow out a team that was supposed to be really tough but losing Donovan for the Saints and Chiefs games could be costly for us.

I know a lot of people will be clamoring for Vick but I have serious doubts about him as a full time QB at this point.

Hopefully Donny can get the situation under control enough to play effectively, but he definitely looked like he was in a lot of pain today.

Adam S. said...

It appears as though we should finally find out what we have in Kolb. The should get a full week of prep for the Saints team that allowed Detriot to put up 27 points, Detriot people. I know they aren't that terrible on Offense but take away each teams starting QB and evaluate the O. The only player they have that's better than any of ours is Calvin Johnson.

The Saints are very much so beatable with Kolb at the helm and it would finally allows us to see what we have in Kevin with a full week of prep. I for one would like to see him play this week and allow 5 to recover, he is far to important to this season to risk him getting even more injured.

Unknown said...

I have to agree with Adam. It is still early in the season, and as much as it sucks to have McNabb injured, I would much rather have him recover fully now than risk him getting a worse injury. Ideally, I would like McNabb to be available to play, but Kolb starting. If Kolb struggles and we are losing, put McNabb in, but if we can keep it reasonably close with Kolb, I think letting McNabb get the rest would be better for us in the long run.

Unknown said...

If 5 can go and there is little to no risk of further injury, I'm all for it, but only if he can play effectively. Turns out it may be a blessing in disguise that our bye week is week 4, hell I wish now that it was week 2.

izzylangfan said...

Pressure up the middle.
Disruptive plays from the linebackers.

My dreams for the Eagles defense have come true. Too bad about McNabb, though.

Tommy,

Some questions.

In the first series it looked like the linebackers were playing a bit more bunched up in the middle than usual. The Panthers were able to score on that drive, albeit with the help of a big penalty. But they were successful in attacking the edges. Later on the Eagles kept the linebackers bunched but Carolina instead of continuing to attack the edges they attacked the middle mostly. The Eagles were stout - as they say. Gaither was quoted on the Eagles website as saying that McDermott made adjustments after the first drive to solve the problem on the edges. But the linebackers still appeared to be in the same bunched formation to me.

Were the linebackers actually cheating towards the middle as it seemed? Was this to help Gaither? What were the adjustments that McDermott made after the first drive?

By the way, when you see what Adrian Peterson did yesterday it makes you realize how good the Eagles defense was last year (and still should be this year) to be able to contain him and win that playoff game.