***
Inactives:
DT Trevor Laws
OL Mike McGlynn
WR Brandon Gibson
OL Todd Herremans
DL Jason Babin
WR Kevin Curtis
LB Joe Mays
DB Quintin Demps
Laws is out? Wow. I don't recall him being injured or even hurt. I wonder what is going on with this move.
All 3 QBs are active. We'll see 2 of them for sure.
FIVE-FO
I am curious as heck to see what Trot looks like. I'm keeping my expectations realistic, but I do wonder what we'll see. If Tampa tries to run the ball a lot it won't be shocking to see Trot play well. Between the tackles he was a force back in '06. He struggled to the outside or when in space. If his legs really are better then Trot could be a pleasant surprise. I'm looking forward to the first time that he pops Cadillac.
MCNABB
Donovan is back. I expect he'll move around pretty well and look pretty good. He's about halfway to being fully recovered. The one thing I'm watching for is how he starts. McNabb had some problems last year with playing well early on. He started a little slow in the opener vs CAR.
I want Donovan to get out to a fast start today. We're the better team. When that is the case you want to score early and put the other team on their heels. If we struggle at all that just gives the Bucs a sense of hope. We want them frustrated and discouraged early on.
Let's go win this thing.
_
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Saturday, October 10, 2009
The State of the Game
***
Time out from Eagles talk for a minute. Let's talk about the NFL in general. Last week there were a couple of really controversial calls in the BAL/NE game. On one of them the refs called a penalty on a play where Brady was lightly hit in the lower leg. To make matters worse, Brady asked for the call and the flag was late in coming out. That gave the appearance that Brady got the call be because of his request. Clearly that didn't happen. Officials know who Tom Brady is, but they don't give flags to any player or coach.
The penalty called was hitting the QB low, aka The Brady Rule. He was hit low last year and tore his ACL. Defenders are no longer allowed to hit QBs below the knee. I understand what the NFL's thinking is. QB is the key position. Those guys are normally the highest paid players on their team. You have to protect that investment. Also, a hurt QB can completely change the course of a season. Remember the 1991 Eagles?
I have real mixed feelings about all of this. The NFL is being logical in wanting to protect high priced QBs. They are also protecting the fans of those teams. Seattle was 10-6 back in 2007. They had a good team coming back in '08. Matt Hasselbeck got hurt and a slow start turned into a disastrous season. The team finished 4-12 and was painful to watch. Matt isn't healthy this year and the team is 1-3. Ask a Seahawks fan about rules that protect the QB and they'd probably be completely on board with that. Matt wasn't hurt by a cheap shot, but once you see your franchise QB go down you find out how miserable Sundays can be.
Bad football leads to empty seats. Less beer is sold. Fewer jerseys are bought. That affects the bottom line for NFL teams and vendors who live off the NFL. We're talking about millions of dollars.
Let's set aside the financial stuff for a minute and talk football. What about the integrity of the game? Football is a tough, physical sport. It is a violent sport. That is part of the legacy of the game. I understand that football is constantly evolving, but you don't want to lose a core aspect of the game like the physical style of play. That is too drastic a change. The switch from a league founded on running to a pass-happy game...I can live with that. It's a tactical change. Legislating out bone-jarring hits and punishing tackles is completely different.
I recently heard former Safety John Lynch in a radio interview. He is a big fan of Roger Goodell's attempt to clean up the league. Lynch loves the fact that the Commish is holding players accountable for their off-field behavior. That's the right kind of cleaning up the sport. Lynch is not happy with Goodell when it comes to the on-field changes. Defenders are no longer allowed to just play. They have to think before making a hit or tackle:
* don't lead with the helmet
* don't make helmet-to-helmet contact
* don't go low
* is the runner/receiver defenseless?
* is the player about to go out of bounds?
That's a lot of information for a guy to process in one second. He's also got to focus on making the hit/tackle. Lynch hates what the league is doing to defenders. He also thinks that the rules changes are affecting the integrity of the game. At some point you go from 11 players vs 11 players to a situation where it is 11 vs 11 and the rule book. Are offensive players held back in any way? I can't recall Peyton Manning being told to be less accurate. Or Chris Johnson being told not to run at full speed. Imagine if Terrell Owens was told to drop every third or fourth pass. Okay, maybe that's a bad example.
Fans also factor into things. We watch football for a lot of reasons. One of them is the violence and physical nature of the game. If we wanted just offense, big plays, and speedy skill guys the Arena League wouldn't be going out of business. Fans want to see big hits. We want to see QBs get punished. We want to see runners and receivers get knocked sideways in the middle of the field. Who's more beloved in Philly, Calvin Williams or Seth Joyner, Andre Waters, or Wes Hopkins?
I don't know if those three defenders could be effective players in today's game. They brought a brutal, physical style of play that scared opponents from the mid-80s through 1992. Eagles opponents expected to be punished, not just hit or tackled. That was part of the game back then. And it should be now as well.
I hope the league can figure out some balance between protecting QBs and skill players and not cutting violence and physical play completely out of the game. Goodell would be well advised to spend some time talking to guys like John Lynch to get their perspective. Defensive players are critical to the success of the league to this point. That needs to continue. Don't take away my slobber-knockers.
HATE
I heard another really good interview recently. Former Packer FB William Henderson, a highly underrated player, was on Jim Rome's show talking about Favre playing for MIN. In short...he hates the fact Favre is a Viking.
Good.
The NBA was a great league back in the 80s. Being a Laker, Celtic, or Sixer meant something. Dr. J and Larry Bird once got into a fist fight. They might have respected the hell out of each other, but they hated each other as well. That culture of hatred was taught by veteran players. The NBA fell apart in the late 80s with expansion and full blown free agency. The talent has been thinned out way too much and playing for a team means very little. Joe Forte was a rookie for the Celtics back about 6 or 7 years ago. He wore a Lakers throwback jersey to the game. His teammates had to explain that was unacceptable. Still, the troubling part is that he didn't know that.
Kevin McHale has openly lamented about the lack of caring in the NBA. The players switch teams frequently. They have the same agents and form buddy-buddy relationships off the court. They have enormous contracts that are all guaranteed.
I grew up in love with the NBA. Can't stand it now. I'm not sure the last time I sat down and watched a game from start to finish. As a kid I used to get up and tear open the newspaper to study the box score to see what happened the night before. The highlights always focused on the stars. What about Steve Mix or Clint Richardson or Earl Cureton? I loved the NBA and my Sixers.
Nowadays it means nothing to be a Sixer. The Lakers and Celtics games only have meaning if both teams are in 1st place. The rivalries are hollow.
Not in the NFL. Sure, we have free agency and highly paid players, but somehow the games still have meaning. Rivalries live on. GB-CHI ... SD-OAK ... PHI-DAL. Those rivalries emerged in different eras for different reasons. All 3 are going strong.
Rivalries are based on hate. Sports need hate. It has to come from fans, players, and coaches. I was really happy to listen to William Henderson talk about the Packers-Vikings rivalry. He said that Brad Childress and Darrell Bevell recruited him to come to Minnesota as a free agent. He couldn't do it. Henderson couldn't stand the thought of putting on a purple helmet. He'd been taught throughout his time as a Packer to hate the Vikings. Not just casually, either. And it stuck.
Henderson stays in touch with Favre and his family. He loves Brett as a person. That's okay. We don't want things getting out of hand. Rivalries do have to be kept in perspective.
I think a sport's credibility has to be at least partially based on the legitimacy of rivalries. Think about it. You the fan shell out bucks to follow your favorite team. You care about winning and losing enough to put money into it. The players better care, at least to a certain extent. I'm not naive. I know that players are loyal to their paychecks first and foremost.
I also know that professional players usually have a big competitive streak. They want to win, to do well. Players can get down if they play on a bad team or if they are caught in a nightmare season. The one thing to look at is rivalry games. Even in a down year a player or team should get up for those special games.
Think back to the '99 Eagles. The team was only 3-11 through the first 14 games. That's bad. 4 losses were by 2 TDs or more. What about rivalry games?
13-10 W DAL
20-10 L @ DAL
16-15 L @ NYG
23-17 L NYG, OT
35-28 W WAS
20-17 L @ WAS
We were 2-4 against our biggest rivals. 2 losses were in OT and another was by 1 point. The Eagles were outscored by a grand total of 10 points in those 6 games. That team wasn't good, but Andy got them ready to play and they came up big in the rivalry games. That told me that Andy and the players got it, they cared. That attitude paid off in the form of wins the next year and things have been good ever since.
I can only think of two words to sum this up...Dallas sucks. (doesn't it just feel good to say that?)
_
Time out from Eagles talk for a minute. Let's talk about the NFL in general. Last week there were a couple of really controversial calls in the BAL/NE game. On one of them the refs called a penalty on a play where Brady was lightly hit in the lower leg. To make matters worse, Brady asked for the call and the flag was late in coming out. That gave the appearance that Brady got the call be because of his request. Clearly that didn't happen. Officials know who Tom Brady is, but they don't give flags to any player or coach.
The penalty called was hitting the QB low, aka The Brady Rule. He was hit low last year and tore his ACL. Defenders are no longer allowed to hit QBs below the knee. I understand what the NFL's thinking is. QB is the key position. Those guys are normally the highest paid players on their team. You have to protect that investment. Also, a hurt QB can completely change the course of a season. Remember the 1991 Eagles?
I have real mixed feelings about all of this. The NFL is being logical in wanting to protect high priced QBs. They are also protecting the fans of those teams. Seattle was 10-6 back in 2007. They had a good team coming back in '08. Matt Hasselbeck got hurt and a slow start turned into a disastrous season. The team finished 4-12 and was painful to watch. Matt isn't healthy this year and the team is 1-3. Ask a Seahawks fan about rules that protect the QB and they'd probably be completely on board with that. Matt wasn't hurt by a cheap shot, but once you see your franchise QB go down you find out how miserable Sundays can be.
Bad football leads to empty seats. Less beer is sold. Fewer jerseys are bought. That affects the bottom line for NFL teams and vendors who live off the NFL. We're talking about millions of dollars.
Let's set aside the financial stuff for a minute and talk football. What about the integrity of the game? Football is a tough, physical sport. It is a violent sport. That is part of the legacy of the game. I understand that football is constantly evolving, but you don't want to lose a core aspect of the game like the physical style of play. That is too drastic a change. The switch from a league founded on running to a pass-happy game...I can live with that. It's a tactical change. Legislating out bone-jarring hits and punishing tackles is completely different.
I recently heard former Safety John Lynch in a radio interview. He is a big fan of Roger Goodell's attempt to clean up the league. Lynch loves the fact that the Commish is holding players accountable for their off-field behavior. That's the right kind of cleaning up the sport. Lynch is not happy with Goodell when it comes to the on-field changes. Defenders are no longer allowed to just play. They have to think before making a hit or tackle:
* don't lead with the helmet
* don't make helmet-to-helmet contact
* don't go low
* is the runner/receiver defenseless?
* is the player about to go out of bounds?
That's a lot of information for a guy to process in one second. He's also got to focus on making the hit/tackle. Lynch hates what the league is doing to defenders. He also thinks that the rules changes are affecting the integrity of the game. At some point you go from 11 players vs 11 players to a situation where it is 11 vs 11 and the rule book. Are offensive players held back in any way? I can't recall Peyton Manning being told to be less accurate. Or Chris Johnson being told not to run at full speed. Imagine if Terrell Owens was told to drop every third or fourth pass. Okay, maybe that's a bad example.
Fans also factor into things. We watch football for a lot of reasons. One of them is the violence and physical nature of the game. If we wanted just offense, big plays, and speedy skill guys the Arena League wouldn't be going out of business. Fans want to see big hits. We want to see QBs get punished. We want to see runners and receivers get knocked sideways in the middle of the field. Who's more beloved in Philly, Calvin Williams or Seth Joyner, Andre Waters, or Wes Hopkins?
I don't know if those three defenders could be effective players in today's game. They brought a brutal, physical style of play that scared opponents from the mid-80s through 1992. Eagles opponents expected to be punished, not just hit or tackled. That was part of the game back then. And it should be now as well.
I hope the league can figure out some balance between protecting QBs and skill players and not cutting violence and physical play completely out of the game. Goodell would be well advised to spend some time talking to guys like John Lynch to get their perspective. Defensive players are critical to the success of the league to this point. That needs to continue. Don't take away my slobber-knockers.
HATE
I heard another really good interview recently. Former Packer FB William Henderson, a highly underrated player, was on Jim Rome's show talking about Favre playing for MIN. In short...he hates the fact Favre is a Viking.
Good.
The NBA was a great league back in the 80s. Being a Laker, Celtic, or Sixer meant something. Dr. J and Larry Bird once got into a fist fight. They might have respected the hell out of each other, but they hated each other as well. That culture of hatred was taught by veteran players. The NBA fell apart in the late 80s with expansion and full blown free agency. The talent has been thinned out way too much and playing for a team means very little. Joe Forte was a rookie for the Celtics back about 6 or 7 years ago. He wore a Lakers throwback jersey to the game. His teammates had to explain that was unacceptable. Still, the troubling part is that he didn't know that.
Kevin McHale has openly lamented about the lack of caring in the NBA. The players switch teams frequently. They have the same agents and form buddy-buddy relationships off the court. They have enormous contracts that are all guaranteed.
I grew up in love with the NBA. Can't stand it now. I'm not sure the last time I sat down and watched a game from start to finish. As a kid I used to get up and tear open the newspaper to study the box score to see what happened the night before. The highlights always focused on the stars. What about Steve Mix or Clint Richardson or Earl Cureton? I loved the NBA and my Sixers.
Nowadays it means nothing to be a Sixer. The Lakers and Celtics games only have meaning if both teams are in 1st place. The rivalries are hollow.
Not in the NFL. Sure, we have free agency and highly paid players, but somehow the games still have meaning. Rivalries live on. GB-CHI ... SD-OAK ... PHI-DAL. Those rivalries emerged in different eras for different reasons. All 3 are going strong.
Rivalries are based on hate. Sports need hate. It has to come from fans, players, and coaches. I was really happy to listen to William Henderson talk about the Packers-Vikings rivalry. He said that Brad Childress and Darrell Bevell recruited him to come to Minnesota as a free agent. He couldn't do it. Henderson couldn't stand the thought of putting on a purple helmet. He'd been taught throughout his time as a Packer to hate the Vikings. Not just casually, either. And it stuck.
Henderson stays in touch with Favre and his family. He loves Brett as a person. That's okay. We don't want things getting out of hand. Rivalries do have to be kept in perspective.
I think a sport's credibility has to be at least partially based on the legitimacy of rivalries. Think about it. You the fan shell out bucks to follow your favorite team. You care about winning and losing enough to put money into it. The players better care, at least to a certain extent. I'm not naive. I know that players are loyal to their paychecks first and foremost.
I also know that professional players usually have a big competitive streak. They want to win, to do well. Players can get down if they play on a bad team or if they are caught in a nightmare season. The one thing to look at is rivalry games. Even in a down year a player or team should get up for those special games.
Think back to the '99 Eagles. The team was only 3-11 through the first 14 games. That's bad. 4 losses were by 2 TDs or more. What about rivalry games?
13-10 W DAL
20-10 L @ DAL
16-15 L @ NYG
23-17 L NYG, OT
35-28 W WAS
20-17 L @ WAS
We were 2-4 against our biggest rivals. 2 losses were in OT and another was by 1 point. The Eagles were outscored by a grand total of 10 points in those 6 games. That team wasn't good, but Andy got them ready to play and they came up big in the rivalry games. That told me that Andy and the players got it, they cared. That attitude paid off in the form of wins the next year and things have been good ever since.
I can only think of two words to sum this up...Dallas sucks. (doesn't it just feel good to say that?)
_
Friday, October 9, 2009
Strategy and Matchups - Tampa
***
We have the better team. We need to be aggressive and get a lead and go from there. We let an undermanned Tampa team stay in the game back in 2006 and they ended up beating us. Can't have that stuff this year. We're too good. We need to go out there and blow their doors off (to quote Wooderson).
I know we're playing weak teams right now. We won easily last time out. That's what you do when playing a weak team. The Eagles won't really get tested until NFC East games start in a few weeks. The test now is to play up to a standard of excellence. In the past we played down to the opponent more than I'd like. If this team has SB aspirations, they need to go out and bully lesser teams. Big Red doesn't owe Fox/CBS/NBC/ESPN a good game.
OFFENSE
This is a game where Andy's passing attack is the way to go. Tampa has given up quite a few big pass plays this year. There are some big holes in the middle of the field. They also don't tackle very well, giving you a chance for big RAC yards.
It sounds like Jeremy Maclin will start in place of Kevin Curtis once again. With J-Mac, Jason Avant, and DeSean Jackson the Eagles have 3 guys with excellent RAC ability. I'll be disappointed if we don't come up with a big play or two.
FS Tanard Jackson returns from suspension and will play this week. The Bucs coaching staff hasn't decided whether to start him or work him into the lineup. Their secondary has been brutal. I have to think Tanard starts. He is a talented player in the middle of the defense. He is a 2-year starter with 3 INTs, 3 FFs, 16 PDs, and 112 solo tackles. Without him the deep middle might as well have been I-95 with the way players ran freely all over the place.
Donovan returns as the starter this week. Frankly, I'm curious to see him play. We're a month into the regular season and McNabb has only thrown 79 passes in preseason and regular season competition. He is a veteran QB and this probably isn't a big deal, but you never know. QBs are funny. Sometimes they stay in a groove. Other times they need reps to get in rhythm.
We should be able to throw on the Bucs. Their pass rush isn't exactly clicking so far. Tampa has 6 sacks in 4 games. Their cover guys are young and talented, but we should be able to get open against them. If McNabb is on time and on target, I look for a big day out of the passing game.
I admit to being nervous about Ronde Barber. He's just one man. He's just an aging CB. But he's broken our hearts a couple of times. If McNabb is sloppy or gets too cute, Barber can still make him pay. And turnovers are the great equalizer. I don't think Donovan should avoid throwing to Ronde's side of the field. Just be careful.
Our OL will still be Peters-Cole-JJ-Max-Justice. Those guys should be able to give Donnie a solid pocket. Gaines Adams is the best pass rusher. Peters should handle him when they're matched up. Adams could give Justice some problems, but Winston is coming off the best game of his career. Let's hope he's able to build on that.
I think we should be able to run on Tampa as well. Bucs opponents average 172 yards a game on the ground. Hopefully they'll get a heavy dose of Eagles RBs in the 2nd half of the game as we have a lead to protect. Westy and McCoy will split carries. I say good. That's a wise choice. You can see how Shady's burst and fresh legs make an impact on the offense. I also hope we finally get Leonard Weaver involved a bit more.
Tampa has speedy LBs. They average 236 pounds per man. The best way to handle them is running directly at them. Bucs DTs are no longer penetrators. They now eat up blocks to let the 'backers flow to the ball. Our big bodies need to get movement on the LOS. If that happens and we run at the LBs we can have some real success.
Mike Vick and the Wildcat package will also be on display. Tampa is faster on D than the Chiefs so we may not have as much success with perimeter runs. I hope we limit some of the crazy stuff. I do like the option package. Vick does a good job with that. I'd love to get a lead and see Vick get some time to play QB. He's still rusty as heck.
DEFENSE
Attack. QB Josh Johnson played nervous last week. He didn't want to make a mistake. I'm sure he'll be more comfortable this time out, but we can get inside his head with lots of pressure. Let's blitz the kid and see if we can rattle him.
Tampa's OL is built to run block more than pass protect. Trent Cole and the rest of the DL should be able to get some pressure when we only rush the front four. That is still an area of concern. I love the blitz and attacking style, but the DL needs to win more battles on their own. Sacks are great, but regular pressure on the QB is fine. Don't let the guy get comfortable.
Trot will play MLB in the game. It sounds like he'll start in the base defense. I know I'll be focused on #54 when he's in. He doesn't have to be Byron Evans, but I also hope he doesn't look like Byron "Whizzer" White. Trot will add power to the middle of the defense. And that could be important this week.
Tampa's best hope is to run Cadillac Williams and see if he can get into a groove. If that happens, it will open up the middle of the field for passes to Kellen Winslow Jr. It would also give single coverage to the outside receivers. Maybe Antonio Bryant will remember how good he can be and make a few plays.
Cadillac is a big guy. This is the kind of runner that Omar isn't built for. Plus, the Bucs have some good interior linemen. Gaither was able to get off blocks last week, but the Chiefs have some older guys. Tampa has a couple of injured guys, but RG Davin Joseph is a very good player. Trotter will do a better job of taking on him and the Center. Let's go stuff the run and kill the QB.
The offensive X-factor for Tampa is the running of Josh Johnson. If we play man coverage he could have a big advantage when he starts running. Defenders are focused on the receivers at that point and don't focus on the ball until they realize he's off and running. We could play zone. That keeps guys looking in the backfield and makes us more aware of what Josh is doing. Zone is less aggressive and affects what blitz packages we can run. We could also spy Josh with a LB or S.
Macho Harris owes us a play. Is this the week? While he has been quiet this year, that isn't entirely a bad thing. He hasn't been getting burned. The deep middle has been pretty well covered this year. Still, I want a sack or pick or something. C'mon Macho Man...give us something.
MISC
* Ronde Barber blocked a PAT last week. Gotta watch for him off the edge.
* Tampa has allowed 6 pass plays of 40 or more yards. 5 went for TDs.
* Clifton Smith is a dangerous RS. He did fumble at RB last week.
* Tampa has a new PK, Shane Andrus. Can he kick 62-yard FGs?
* Their punter is an old friend...former Eagle Dirk Diggler, aka Dirk Johnson.
_
We have the better team. We need to be aggressive and get a lead and go from there. We let an undermanned Tampa team stay in the game back in 2006 and they ended up beating us. Can't have that stuff this year. We're too good. We need to go out there and blow their doors off (to quote Wooderson).
I know we're playing weak teams right now. We won easily last time out. That's what you do when playing a weak team. The Eagles won't really get tested until NFC East games start in a few weeks. The test now is to play up to a standard of excellence. In the past we played down to the opponent more than I'd like. If this team has SB aspirations, they need to go out and bully lesser teams. Big Red doesn't owe Fox/CBS/NBC/ESPN a good game.
OFFENSE
This is a game where Andy's passing attack is the way to go. Tampa has given up quite a few big pass plays this year. There are some big holes in the middle of the field. They also don't tackle very well, giving you a chance for big RAC yards.
It sounds like Jeremy Maclin will start in place of Kevin Curtis once again. With J-Mac, Jason Avant, and DeSean Jackson the Eagles have 3 guys with excellent RAC ability. I'll be disappointed if we don't come up with a big play or two.
FS Tanard Jackson returns from suspension and will play this week. The Bucs coaching staff hasn't decided whether to start him or work him into the lineup. Their secondary has been brutal. I have to think Tanard starts. He is a talented player in the middle of the defense. He is a 2-year starter with 3 INTs, 3 FFs, 16 PDs, and 112 solo tackles. Without him the deep middle might as well have been I-95 with the way players ran freely all over the place.
Donovan returns as the starter this week. Frankly, I'm curious to see him play. We're a month into the regular season and McNabb has only thrown 79 passes in preseason and regular season competition. He is a veteran QB and this probably isn't a big deal, but you never know. QBs are funny. Sometimes they stay in a groove. Other times they need reps to get in rhythm.
We should be able to throw on the Bucs. Their pass rush isn't exactly clicking so far. Tampa has 6 sacks in 4 games. Their cover guys are young and talented, but we should be able to get open against them. If McNabb is on time and on target, I look for a big day out of the passing game.
I admit to being nervous about Ronde Barber. He's just one man. He's just an aging CB. But he's broken our hearts a couple of times. If McNabb is sloppy or gets too cute, Barber can still make him pay. And turnovers are the great equalizer. I don't think Donovan should avoid throwing to Ronde's side of the field. Just be careful.
Our OL will still be Peters-Cole-JJ-Max-Justice. Those guys should be able to give Donnie a solid pocket. Gaines Adams is the best pass rusher. Peters should handle him when they're matched up. Adams could give Justice some problems, but Winston is coming off the best game of his career. Let's hope he's able to build on that.
I think we should be able to run on Tampa as well. Bucs opponents average 172 yards a game on the ground. Hopefully they'll get a heavy dose of Eagles RBs in the 2nd half of the game as we have a lead to protect. Westy and McCoy will split carries. I say good. That's a wise choice. You can see how Shady's burst and fresh legs make an impact on the offense. I also hope we finally get Leonard Weaver involved a bit more.
Tampa has speedy LBs. They average 236 pounds per man. The best way to handle them is running directly at them. Bucs DTs are no longer penetrators. They now eat up blocks to let the 'backers flow to the ball. Our big bodies need to get movement on the LOS. If that happens and we run at the LBs we can have some real success.
Mike Vick and the Wildcat package will also be on display. Tampa is faster on D than the Chiefs so we may not have as much success with perimeter runs. I hope we limit some of the crazy stuff. I do like the option package. Vick does a good job with that. I'd love to get a lead and see Vick get some time to play QB. He's still rusty as heck.
DEFENSE
Attack. QB Josh Johnson played nervous last week. He didn't want to make a mistake. I'm sure he'll be more comfortable this time out, but we can get inside his head with lots of pressure. Let's blitz the kid and see if we can rattle him.
Tampa's OL is built to run block more than pass protect. Trent Cole and the rest of the DL should be able to get some pressure when we only rush the front four. That is still an area of concern. I love the blitz and attacking style, but the DL needs to win more battles on their own. Sacks are great, but regular pressure on the QB is fine. Don't let the guy get comfortable.
Trot will play MLB in the game. It sounds like he'll start in the base defense. I know I'll be focused on #54 when he's in. He doesn't have to be Byron Evans, but I also hope he doesn't look like Byron "Whizzer" White. Trot will add power to the middle of the defense. And that could be important this week.
Tampa's best hope is to run Cadillac Williams and see if he can get into a groove. If that happens, it will open up the middle of the field for passes to Kellen Winslow Jr. It would also give single coverage to the outside receivers. Maybe Antonio Bryant will remember how good he can be and make a few plays.
Cadillac is a big guy. This is the kind of runner that Omar isn't built for. Plus, the Bucs have some good interior linemen. Gaither was able to get off blocks last week, but the Chiefs have some older guys. Tampa has a couple of injured guys, but RG Davin Joseph is a very good player. Trotter will do a better job of taking on him and the Center. Let's go stuff the run and kill the QB.
The offensive X-factor for Tampa is the running of Josh Johnson. If we play man coverage he could have a big advantage when he starts running. Defenders are focused on the receivers at that point and don't focus on the ball until they realize he's off and running. We could play zone. That keeps guys looking in the backfield and makes us more aware of what Josh is doing. Zone is less aggressive and affects what blitz packages we can run. We could also spy Josh with a LB or S.
Macho Harris owes us a play. Is this the week? While he has been quiet this year, that isn't entirely a bad thing. He hasn't been getting burned. The deep middle has been pretty well covered this year. Still, I want a sack or pick or something. C'mon Macho Man...give us something.
MISC
* Ronde Barber blocked a PAT last week. Gotta watch for him off the edge.
* Tampa has allowed 6 pass plays of 40 or more yards. 5 went for TDs.
* Clifton Smith is a dangerous RS. He did fumble at RB last week.
* Tampa has a new PK, Shane Andrus. Can he kick 62-yard FGs?
* Their punter is an old friend...former Eagle Dirk Diggler, aka Dirk Johnson.
_
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Know Your Enemy - Tampa
***
Tampa is 0-4. The good news is that they appear to be balanced...bad on offense and bad on defense. The problem is that former coach Jon Gruden put off rebuilding for so long that too many parts of the team got old at the same time. There is some talent in place, but the foundation isn't what it needs to be.
Take WR for example. In the last 4 years the Eagles had a young player like Reggie Brown and mixed in rookies like Jason Avant, Hank Baskett, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, and Brandon Gibson. Free agent Kevin Curtis was also added to the mix.
Tampa had a duo of Joey Galloway and Michael Clayton to build around. What did they do? Gruden used early picks on Maurice Stovall and Dexter Jackson, but stifled their development with veterans like Ike Hilliard and Antonio Bryant. Fast forward to 2009. Galloway and Hilliard are gone. Jackson was cut. Bryant has come back to reality after an amazing '08 season. Stovall is completely unproven with only 24 career catches. Gruden kept putting band-aids on the problem instead of keeping an eye to the future as well as the present.
The defense is what transformed Tampa Bay from pretender to contender back in the mid-90s. They built a dynamic unit that lasted for more than a decade. They lost players to free agency or age, but always found someone to fill in. The defense does have some talent, but no special playmakers.
The Tampa defense has been dreadful this year. They are 31st in the league in yards allowed. I’m not sure if they got better last week or the Washington offense is so bad that the Bucs just looked better. Tampa came up with four takeaways, including three interceptions by cornerback Aqib Talib. There are two major problems for Tampa, covering receivers and making good tackles in the open field.
In the first 3 weeks Dallas, Buffalo, and the Giants had guys running free. When they did catch the ball no one was going to make a clean tackle. I think Dallas had 3 TDs of more than 40 yards. The Bills offense, with all of its problems, put 30 points up on Tampa. Ouch.
One word of caution before we all definitely count this as a W. Safety Tanard Jackson was suspended for the first four games. His absence really hurt the defense. Also, Tampa is learning a new scheme. The Tampa 2 is gone (shouldn't that be illegal or something?). They are learning a 2-gap scheme and adjusting to a new style of play. Every week the defense should get a little better, as they know their roles and have a better feel for what is going on. Let's just hope they wait to master the scheme until say...next week.
One of the reasons I've been so down on the Bucs this year is that I don't think rookie coach Raheem Morris is the right man for the job. I like Morris and I've been a fan of his since I watched him coach in the Senior Bowl several years ago. I could tell he'd be a HC some day. I just think he's a bad fit for a rebuilding team with so many questions. Young coaches tend to do better when there is a strong infrastructure in place (think of Mike Tomlin & Bill Cowher in PIT or John Harbaugh in BAL for example).
PLAYERS
* QB Josh Johnson --- He started last week and will lead the offense against us. He is talented, but is only a second year player and is only making his second start. Johnson came from a small college, San Diego (not to be confused with San Diego State), and his transition to the pro game is a work in progress. He played well last week for most of the game, but was really playing the role of game manager. He only threw for 106 yards. Wide receivers caught just five passes. Running backs had six catches. Young quarterbacks like to throw to running backs because those are shorter, safer passes. Johnson threw for one touchdown. He was picked off once and fumbled on the Bucs final drive of the game. I came away impressed with his potential, but Johnson has got to be more aggressive as a passer. He can’t be reluctant to throw out wide or downfield. He is a good athlete. Johnson ran 7 times for 41 yards. That’s something we’ll have to account for.
* RB Cadillac Williams --- Extremely talented runner who is one of the few guys that can compare medical problems with Correll Buckhalter. Cadillac is healthy now and averaging more than 5 yards per carry. The problem is that you can't feed him the ball when you trail by 20 points. Great combination of power and speed. Has good vision and can be elusive. Good receiver.
* LT Donald Penn --- Solid LT. Not an ideal pass protector. He's been credited with allowing 17 sacks in his first 32 NFL starts. Pretty good run blocker.
* RG Davin Joseph --- Very good OL. Outstanding run blocker. Powerful enough to battle DL and athletic enough to be very good on the 2nd level. He and Mike Patterson will be a fun battle to watch.
* TE Kellen Winslow --- Sarge is as talented a TE as there is in the NFL. He just doesn't always play to that talent. He's got 17 catches and 2 TDs so far this year.
* DE Gaines Adams --- He has been somewhat of a disappointment in his young career. The Bucs spent the 4th overall pick on him expecting an impact player. They haven't gotten that level of play. He had 12.5 sacks after his first 32 games. Numbers aside, he hasn't been a difference maker. Adams certainly isn't a bad player, but you want a guy taken that highly to be special.
Sunday he looked like a stud DE vs Washington. He had 4 solo tackles, a TFL, a batted pass, and a sack in the game. He looked like the guy I saw at Clemson that could do special things. There were a couple of plays where Adams just threw the TE out of his way and blew up runs. He got a TFL on one and disrupted the other. He played both LDE and RDE. He got pressure on 3rd downs. He batted the pass away on 3rd down. Top DL make their living on 3rd down. That is the money down in the NFL and Adams played accordingly on Sunday.
The question now becomes...what's next? Will Adams build on that or will he let up? The problem so many young players have is understanding that consistency is what makes guys special. You have to play the same way all the time. If you do, the results will show up. You can't have a sack every week. But you can have significant impact. Gaines was quick off the ball. He mixed in inside moves with his speed rushes. He played strong and physical. He didn't do anything that can't be repeated. Now it is up to him to play like that on a regular basis.
* DT Roy Miller --- He is playing well for Tampa. Miller has the upper body strength to handle the new 2-gap scheme. He's also quick enough to get penetration and be disruptive. He drew a penalty on an OL when trying to get to the QB Sunday. For the year, he's got 9 solo tackles and a sack.
* MLB Barrett Ruud --- Very good young player. Leads the team in tackles. Also has some coverage ability. The leader of the defense. Last year had 3 sacks and 2 INTs.
* LB Geno Hayes --- Only in his 2nd season. Active, aggressive 'backer. Leads the team with 4 TFLs and is 2nd in tackles.
* S Sabby Piscitelli --- Big guy (6'3, 224) who can really run. I am not a fan, though. Poor instincts and a bad tackler. Size/speed guys are overrated at Safety. Give me a guy who has a feel for the game and who will make sure tackles.
* CB Ronde Barber --- I don't seem to recall him having much success against the Eagles. Or maybe I'm forgetting the last dozen years.
* CB Aqib Talib --- Had a career game Sunday with 3 picks. Big time potential. Will also take chances and get burned. Good size/speed combo. Has 7 INTs and 15 PDs in 19 career games. If he can keep his head on straight, Talib could be an outstanding playmaker for a long time to come.
_
Tampa is 0-4. The good news is that they appear to be balanced...bad on offense and bad on defense. The problem is that former coach Jon Gruden put off rebuilding for so long that too many parts of the team got old at the same time. There is some talent in place, but the foundation isn't what it needs to be.
Take WR for example. In the last 4 years the Eagles had a young player like Reggie Brown and mixed in rookies like Jason Avant, Hank Baskett, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, and Brandon Gibson. Free agent Kevin Curtis was also added to the mix.
Tampa had a duo of Joey Galloway and Michael Clayton to build around. What did they do? Gruden used early picks on Maurice Stovall and Dexter Jackson, but stifled their development with veterans like Ike Hilliard and Antonio Bryant. Fast forward to 2009. Galloway and Hilliard are gone. Jackson was cut. Bryant has come back to reality after an amazing '08 season. Stovall is completely unproven with only 24 career catches. Gruden kept putting band-aids on the problem instead of keeping an eye to the future as well as the present.
The defense is what transformed Tampa Bay from pretender to contender back in the mid-90s. They built a dynamic unit that lasted for more than a decade. They lost players to free agency or age, but always found someone to fill in. The defense does have some talent, but no special playmakers.
The Tampa defense has been dreadful this year. They are 31st in the league in yards allowed. I’m not sure if they got better last week or the Washington offense is so bad that the Bucs just looked better. Tampa came up with four takeaways, including three interceptions by cornerback Aqib Talib. There are two major problems for Tampa, covering receivers and making good tackles in the open field.
In the first 3 weeks Dallas, Buffalo, and the Giants had guys running free. When they did catch the ball no one was going to make a clean tackle. I think Dallas had 3 TDs of more than 40 yards. The Bills offense, with all of its problems, put 30 points up on Tampa. Ouch.
One word of caution before we all definitely count this as a W. Safety Tanard Jackson was suspended for the first four games. His absence really hurt the defense. Also, Tampa is learning a new scheme. The Tampa 2 is gone (shouldn't that be illegal or something?). They are learning a 2-gap scheme and adjusting to a new style of play. Every week the defense should get a little better, as they know their roles and have a better feel for what is going on. Let's just hope they wait to master the scheme until say...next week.
One of the reasons I've been so down on the Bucs this year is that I don't think rookie coach Raheem Morris is the right man for the job. I like Morris and I've been a fan of his since I watched him coach in the Senior Bowl several years ago. I could tell he'd be a HC some day. I just think he's a bad fit for a rebuilding team with so many questions. Young coaches tend to do better when there is a strong infrastructure in place (think of Mike Tomlin & Bill Cowher in PIT or John Harbaugh in BAL for example).
PLAYERS
* QB Josh Johnson --- He started last week and will lead the offense against us. He is talented, but is only a second year player and is only making his second start. Johnson came from a small college, San Diego (not to be confused with San Diego State), and his transition to the pro game is a work in progress. He played well last week for most of the game, but was really playing the role of game manager. He only threw for 106 yards. Wide receivers caught just five passes. Running backs had six catches. Young quarterbacks like to throw to running backs because those are shorter, safer passes. Johnson threw for one touchdown. He was picked off once and fumbled on the Bucs final drive of the game. I came away impressed with his potential, but Johnson has got to be more aggressive as a passer. He can’t be reluctant to throw out wide or downfield. He is a good athlete. Johnson ran 7 times for 41 yards. That’s something we’ll have to account for.
* RB Cadillac Williams --- Extremely talented runner who is one of the few guys that can compare medical problems with Correll Buckhalter. Cadillac is healthy now and averaging more than 5 yards per carry. The problem is that you can't feed him the ball when you trail by 20 points. Great combination of power and speed. Has good vision and can be elusive. Good receiver.
* LT Donald Penn --- Solid LT. Not an ideal pass protector. He's been credited with allowing 17 sacks in his first 32 NFL starts. Pretty good run blocker.
* RG Davin Joseph --- Very good OL. Outstanding run blocker. Powerful enough to battle DL and athletic enough to be very good on the 2nd level. He and Mike Patterson will be a fun battle to watch.
* TE Kellen Winslow --- Sarge is as talented a TE as there is in the NFL. He just doesn't always play to that talent. He's got 17 catches and 2 TDs so far this year.
* DE Gaines Adams --- He has been somewhat of a disappointment in his young career. The Bucs spent the 4th overall pick on him expecting an impact player. They haven't gotten that level of play. He had 12.5 sacks after his first 32 games. Numbers aside, he hasn't been a difference maker. Adams certainly isn't a bad player, but you want a guy taken that highly to be special.
Sunday he looked like a stud DE vs Washington. He had 4 solo tackles, a TFL, a batted pass, and a sack in the game. He looked like the guy I saw at Clemson that could do special things. There were a couple of plays where Adams just threw the TE out of his way and blew up runs. He got a TFL on one and disrupted the other. He played both LDE and RDE. He got pressure on 3rd downs. He batted the pass away on 3rd down. Top DL make their living on 3rd down. That is the money down in the NFL and Adams played accordingly on Sunday.
The question now becomes...what's next? Will Adams build on that or will he let up? The problem so many young players have is understanding that consistency is what makes guys special. You have to play the same way all the time. If you do, the results will show up. You can't have a sack every week. But you can have significant impact. Gaines was quick off the ball. He mixed in inside moves with his speed rushes. He played strong and physical. He didn't do anything that can't be repeated. Now it is up to him to play like that on a regular basis.
* DT Roy Miller --- He is playing well for Tampa. Miller has the upper body strength to handle the new 2-gap scheme. He's also quick enough to get penetration and be disruptive. He drew a penalty on an OL when trying to get to the QB Sunday. For the year, he's got 9 solo tackles and a sack.
* MLB Barrett Ruud --- Very good young player. Leads the team in tackles. Also has some coverage ability. The leader of the defense. Last year had 3 sacks and 2 INTs.
* LB Geno Hayes --- Only in his 2nd season. Active, aggressive 'backer. Leads the team with 4 TFLs and is 2nd in tackles.
* S Sabby Piscitelli --- Big guy (6'3, 224) who can really run. I am not a fan, though. Poor instincts and a bad tackler. Size/speed guys are overrated at Safety. Give me a guy who has a feel for the game and who will make sure tackles.
* CB Ronde Barber --- I don't seem to recall him having much success against the Eagles. Or maybe I'm forgetting the last dozen years.
* CB Aqib Talib --- Had a career game Sunday with 3 picks. Big time potential. Will also take chances and get burned. Good size/speed combo. Has 7 INTs and 15 PDs in 19 career games. If he can keep his head on straight, Talib could be an outstanding playmaker for a long time to come.
_
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Around the League
***
* WAS --- Let's start in the nation's capital. Washington can pull off a pretty unique feat. After 4 weeks they have yet to face a team with a win.
NYG 0-0
STL 0-1
DET 0-2
TAM 0-3
The first week is a given because it's the opener, but that's pretty crazy to keep going for a month. But...it gets even better. This week the Skins take on winless Carolina. That pushes the streak to 5 games. And next up? KC in Week 6. Unless they pull off a major upset and beat Dallas, the Chiefs will be winless. Washington after 6 weeks is likely to have not faced a team with a win under their belt. That's got to be a very rare feat.
Another note of interest. Jim Zorn was a star QB in the NFL. His training is on offense. He coached under Mike Holmgren. He's now been in Washington for 20 games. They have yet to score 30 points in a game with Zorn in charge. I was shocked when I heard that. Sure, they are more of a ball-control offense, but they still have Portis, Betts, Moss, Randle-El, and Cooley. Reid had us above 30 points 3 times in 20 games.
* NYG --- The team is 4-0 and playing well, but injuries have to be a concern. LBs Bryan Kehl and Michael Boley had surgery on Tuesday. Only minor stuff, but you never like to go under the knife in the middle of the year. The big story is QB Eli Manning and his Plantar Fasciitis. That injury requires rest more than anything. Eli won't get that in the middle of the season. He's going to try and play vs OAK on Sunday, but we'll see how that situation goes. The Giants are a very good team this year, but one thing that can derail them is injuries.
* DAL --- I don't understand this year's Cowboys. Last year they lacked heart, toughness, and togetherness. This year the team is running the ball much better and seems like more of a team. But something is off. They are 2-2, with both wins against winless teams (TAM, CAR). They played the Giants tough and lost. Dallas somehow found a way to lose at Denver on Sunday. I'm still not sure how they pulled that off. The recent Dallas teams played well until December and then fell apart. Is this team starting slow, but will finish hot? Or will this team be up and down all year and then really fall apart in December? Clearly I prefer option number two, but I can't figure this bunch out. Maybe I'll have a better feel after we play them.
* MIN --- God's gift to football. At least for the week. They thoroughly outplayed GB on Monday, but the game was still close at the end. And MIN got lucky to win the week before against SF. The Vikings are another team I'm not sure what to make of. Adrian Peterson was held under control on Monday, but Favre had a great night. Aside from Antoine Winfield, the rest of the secondary isn't great. Way too often Packers were running free in the middle of the field for big plays. There is a lot to like, but this team still is figuring out how to be good. We haven't seen anything close to dominance so far.
* NO --- The Saints seem like the most complete team in the NFC. And they have had quite a few injuries to deal with. They've started the #3 LT a couple of times. They've used a slew of RBs. New Orleans is just finding a way to win. The offense was dynamic for a couple of weeks and then the defense took over. Let's talk about the defense for a minute. Gregggg Williams is getting a lot of pub. He's done a nice job, but no one wants to talk about the obvious.
Gm 1 - Matt Stafford's first NFL game ever
Gm 2 - Kevin Kolb's first NFL start
Gm 3 - Trent Edwards - some experience, but a struggling young QB
Gm 4 - Mark Sanchez's 4th NFL start
That isn't exactly murderer's row. The Saints D is beating up on some young QBs. That's what a good defense is supposed to do, but I want to see what they do against Eli Manning, Tom Brady, and Matt Ryan. Those guys are all coming up in the next 6 or so weeks. I'll begin to really believe in that defense if they can shut down quality veteran passers.
* DEN --- Speaking of soft schedules...how 'bout them Broncos? They've beaten Cincy with a fluke play, CLE, OAK, and Dallas. The Cowboys may seem like a good team, but remember what I always say about the schedule. Who you play is important, but also factor in when and where. Dallas was on the road after a Monday night game. Stats show that teams going on the road on a short week are much more likely to lose. I am impressed with Denver, but this is still not a strong team. The 4-0 record is good. They're finding a way to win each week. I don't see this team as making any serious postseason noise. Remember how Miami went from 1-15 to 11-5 and won the division? Then they faced the Ravens and got dominated in the playoffs. Denver has the Miami feel from last year.
*** I've got some extensive Around the NFL notes over at ScoutsNotebook. Scroll down below the college section. I was able to watch a bunch of games and enjoyed not having to worry about the Eagles for a day. The notes are more about players, but should still be of interest. I'll begin writing on Tampa tomorrow.
ScoutsNotebook
_
* WAS --- Let's start in the nation's capital. Washington can pull off a pretty unique feat. After 4 weeks they have yet to face a team with a win.
NYG 0-0
STL 0-1
DET 0-2
TAM 0-3
The first week is a given because it's the opener, but that's pretty crazy to keep going for a month. But...it gets even better. This week the Skins take on winless Carolina. That pushes the streak to 5 games. And next up? KC in Week 6. Unless they pull off a major upset and beat Dallas, the Chiefs will be winless. Washington after 6 weeks is likely to have not faced a team with a win under their belt. That's got to be a very rare feat.
Another note of interest. Jim Zorn was a star QB in the NFL. His training is on offense. He coached under Mike Holmgren. He's now been in Washington for 20 games. They have yet to score 30 points in a game with Zorn in charge. I was shocked when I heard that. Sure, they are more of a ball-control offense, but they still have Portis, Betts, Moss, Randle-El, and Cooley. Reid had us above 30 points 3 times in 20 games.
* NYG --- The team is 4-0 and playing well, but injuries have to be a concern. LBs Bryan Kehl and Michael Boley had surgery on Tuesday. Only minor stuff, but you never like to go under the knife in the middle of the year. The big story is QB Eli Manning and his Plantar Fasciitis. That injury requires rest more than anything. Eli won't get that in the middle of the season. He's going to try and play vs OAK on Sunday, but we'll see how that situation goes. The Giants are a very good team this year, but one thing that can derail them is injuries.
* DAL --- I don't understand this year's Cowboys. Last year they lacked heart, toughness, and togetherness. This year the team is running the ball much better and seems like more of a team. But something is off. They are 2-2, with both wins against winless teams (TAM, CAR). They played the Giants tough and lost. Dallas somehow found a way to lose at Denver on Sunday. I'm still not sure how they pulled that off. The recent Dallas teams played well until December and then fell apart. Is this team starting slow, but will finish hot? Or will this team be up and down all year and then really fall apart in December? Clearly I prefer option number two, but I can't figure this bunch out. Maybe I'll have a better feel after we play them.
* MIN --- God's gift to football. At least for the week. They thoroughly outplayed GB on Monday, but the game was still close at the end. And MIN got lucky to win the week before against SF. The Vikings are another team I'm not sure what to make of. Adrian Peterson was held under control on Monday, but Favre had a great night. Aside from Antoine Winfield, the rest of the secondary isn't great. Way too often Packers were running free in the middle of the field for big plays. There is a lot to like, but this team still is figuring out how to be good. We haven't seen anything close to dominance so far.
* NO --- The Saints seem like the most complete team in the NFC. And they have had quite a few injuries to deal with. They've started the #3 LT a couple of times. They've used a slew of RBs. New Orleans is just finding a way to win. The offense was dynamic for a couple of weeks and then the defense took over. Let's talk about the defense for a minute. Gregggg Williams is getting a lot of pub. He's done a nice job, but no one wants to talk about the obvious.
Gm 1 - Matt Stafford's first NFL game ever
Gm 2 - Kevin Kolb's first NFL start
Gm 3 - Trent Edwards - some experience, but a struggling young QB
Gm 4 - Mark Sanchez's 4th NFL start
That isn't exactly murderer's row. The Saints D is beating up on some young QBs. That's what a good defense is supposed to do, but I want to see what they do against Eli Manning, Tom Brady, and Matt Ryan. Those guys are all coming up in the next 6 or so weeks. I'll begin to really believe in that defense if they can shut down quality veteran passers.
* DEN --- Speaking of soft schedules...how 'bout them Broncos? They've beaten Cincy with a fluke play, CLE, OAK, and Dallas. The Cowboys may seem like a good team, but remember what I always say about the schedule. Who you play is important, but also factor in when and where. Dallas was on the road after a Monday night game. Stats show that teams going on the road on a short week are much more likely to lose. I am impressed with Denver, but this is still not a strong team. The 4-0 record is good. They're finding a way to win each week. I don't see this team as making any serious postseason noise. Remember how Miami went from 1-15 to 11-5 and won the division? Then they faced the Ravens and got dominated in the playoffs. Denver has the Miami feel from last year.
*** I've got some extensive Around the NFL notes over at ScoutsNotebook. Scroll down below the college section. I was able to watch a bunch of games and enjoyed not having to worry about the Eagles for a day. The notes are more about players, but should still be of interest. I'll begin writing on Tampa tomorrow.
ScoutsNotebook
_
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Eagles Audit
***
Finally got the self-scouting report posted.
-- Link --
READERS QUESTIONS / COMMENTS
RE: Will Wade Phillips last the year?
Yes, unless things go really bad. Jerry could fire Wade, promote Dave Campo to run the team for the final few games, and then go sign a big time coach. I think Mike Shanahan would be an ideal fit for the Cowboys. I hope, pray, that he doesn't go there.
Wade was a good coach and a good football guy. He sold his soul to run the Cowboys and it has hurt his reputation. Is there anything more annoying than watching him celebrate on the sidelines?
The loss to Denver revealed a few things. Dallas is talented, but not good enough to just show up and win. They need good coaching this year. I have serious doubts about whether they are going to get it. I'm also curious about what's up with Tony Romo. I think he gets too much flak, but I'm starting to wonder about him.
RE: How good are the Giants?
Very good. They are built solidly along both lines. Eli is a good QB. Steve Smith has emerged as a good WR, maybe very good. He's playing lights out right now. He can't keep up this kind of production (8.5 catches a game), but Smith is showing that he is a quality player.
The best thing about them is that they're 2-0 in the division and they've had to deal with some injuries. Odd note. As good as they run the ball, the Giants only have one rushing TD this year. The schedule has been soft, but NY is beating those teams pretty solidly.
RE: Tuck Rule
Worst rule in history. I'd never heard of it until the Pats/Raiders game of '01. I just knew that was a fumble. And then the ref changed the call. The rule was applied correctly.
Any time a QB's arm is coming forward the refs consider it to be a pass. We've seen several plays over the years when the QB was clearly not going to throw the ball, but the tuck rule was still applied. That's the right call. It drives me crazy. Horrible rule. For the life of me I cannot understand why they won't change it or get rid of it entirely.
_
Finally got the self-scouting report posted.
-- Link --
READERS QUESTIONS / COMMENTS
RE: Will Wade Phillips last the year?
Yes, unless things go really bad. Jerry could fire Wade, promote Dave Campo to run the team for the final few games, and then go sign a big time coach. I think Mike Shanahan would be an ideal fit for the Cowboys. I hope, pray, that he doesn't go there.
Wade was a good coach and a good football guy. He sold his soul to run the Cowboys and it has hurt his reputation. Is there anything more annoying than watching him celebrate on the sidelines?
The loss to Denver revealed a few things. Dallas is talented, but not good enough to just show up and win. They need good coaching this year. I have serious doubts about whether they are going to get it. I'm also curious about what's up with Tony Romo. I think he gets too much flak, but I'm starting to wonder about him.
RE: How good are the Giants?
Very good. They are built solidly along both lines. Eli is a good QB. Steve Smith has emerged as a good WR, maybe very good. He's playing lights out right now. He can't keep up this kind of production (8.5 catches a game), but Smith is showing that he is a quality player.
The best thing about them is that they're 2-0 in the division and they've had to deal with some injuries. Odd note. As good as they run the ball, the Giants only have one rushing TD this year. The schedule has been soft, but NY is beating those teams pretty solidly.
RE: Tuck Rule
Worst rule in history. I'd never heard of it until the Pats/Raiders game of '01. I just knew that was a fumble. And then the ref changed the call. The rule was applied correctly.
Any time a QB's arm is coming forward the refs consider it to be a pass. We've seen several plays over the years when the QB was clearly not going to throw the ball, but the tuck rule was still applied. That's the right call. It drives me crazy. Horrible rule. For the life of me I cannot understand why they won't change it or get rid of it entirely.
_
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Funday
***
It was nice to have the day off, so to speak. I was able to flip around and watch a bunch of different games. I'll be writing up some thoughts on them later in the week.
Seeing Denver beat Dallas 17-10 was really great. The Cowboys didn't play well and Denver was able to make them pay for it. Dallas did drive to the 2-yard line late in the game, but they weren't able to get in the end zone.
Dawk had a solid game for the Broncos' D. His highlight was a typical Dawk kind of play. Romo had hit a WR late in the game and the guy got loose in the middle of the field. It looked like the guy might score. Dawk took a good angle and made a sure tackle to get him down at the 20.
Buck had a good game, but got hurt. I hated to see that. He ran well and also had a good game as a receiver. Hopefully his ankle injury isn't too serious.
I hope the Eagles fans who were so hard on Kolb for his picks against the Saints saw what happened to Sanchez and the Jets. Sharper had a pair of INTs, including a 98-yard pick 6. A CB picked off a pass late. I'm not fully sold on the Saints D, but they are really good when playing with a lead.
HOW GOOD
Our records since 2006.
2006 ... 10-6
2007 ... 8-8
2008 ... 9-6-1
We're winning. We've got playoff wins in 2 of the 3 years. What we need to see now is the team take the next step and win 11 or 12 games. A division title would be nice (we did that in 2006), but I want to see us play at a consistently high level. Winning 11 or 12 games would certainly show that. 2-1 is a good start. The next few games are very winnable. Gotta post some W's.
Winning the Super Bowl is also acceptable, of course.
_
It was nice to have the day off, so to speak. I was able to flip around and watch a bunch of different games. I'll be writing up some thoughts on them later in the week.
Seeing Denver beat Dallas 17-10 was really great. The Cowboys didn't play well and Denver was able to make them pay for it. Dallas did drive to the 2-yard line late in the game, but they weren't able to get in the end zone.
Dawk had a solid game for the Broncos' D. His highlight was a typical Dawk kind of play. Romo had hit a WR late in the game and the guy got loose in the middle of the field. It looked like the guy might score. Dawk took a good angle and made a sure tackle to get him down at the 20.
Buck had a good game, but got hurt. I hated to see that. He ran well and also had a good game as a receiver. Hopefully his ankle injury isn't too serious.
I hope the Eagles fans who were so hard on Kolb for his picks against the Saints saw what happened to Sanchez and the Jets. Sharper had a pair of INTs, including a 98-yard pick 6. A CB picked off a pass late. I'm not fully sold on the Saints D, but they are really good when playing with a lead.
HOW GOOD
Our records since 2006.
2006 ... 10-6
2007 ... 8-8
2008 ... 9-6-1
We're winning. We've got playoff wins in 2 of the 3 years. What we need to see now is the team take the next step and win 11 or 12 games. A division title would be nice (we did that in 2006), but I want to see us play at a consistently high level. Winning 11 or 12 games would certainly show that. 2-1 is a good start. The next few games are very winnable. Gotta post some W's.
Winning the Super Bowl is also acceptable, of course.
_
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