Four games into the season and the Eagles defense is looking good. They are 3rd in yards allowed and 7th in points allowed. We lead the league in sacks and run defense. We lead the NFC in takeaways.
Not too bad.
The defense was tough to move the ball on and score on last year, but didn't make enough plays. The takeaways are very encouraging. We've also scored a TD and gotten a safety. Again, this is what we needed.
The odd part of all this is that the front seven is getting the job done. The secondary still feels like a work in progress. The 3 CBs are not fully clicking at this point. Asante Samuel is doing his part. He's covered well and has 2 INTs.
Lito and Sheldon are the guys who seem to be figuring things out. They are getting moved around. Lito is in and out of the lineup. Sheldon is playing both RCB and the slot. He didn't get much time in the slot last year.
Part of the problem is that we've faced teams with mediocre receivers to this point. Dallas was the only passing challenge. We shut down TO for half the game, but Jason Witten was a problem all night long.
It will be nice to face some 3 WR sets and see just what the 3 CBs can do. Neither Lito nor Sheldon has an INT or even a pass breakup to this point. If we can get them going, the defense could be even better.
The D-line is looking good. Darren, Juqua, and Trent combined for 18.5 sacks last year. They already have 8 this year. We have 2 sacks from backup DTs. We're clogging running lanes. And we still haven't gotten help from Chris Clemons and Victor Abiamiri.
The LBs are actually making some plays. Omar has played really well the last couple of weeks. If he, Bradley, and Gocong continue to improve and make plays, the defense could be dominant.
There is still work to be done. Allowing the Bears to score 24 points shouldn't happen. Our defense is better than that. These kinds of growing pains are going to happen as the players learn and grow. Also keep in mind that the coaches are still figuring out exactly what they've got.
I like what I'm seeing to this point. We're only four games in, but the signs are very positive for the Eagles defense.
_
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Flashback Time
The first time I remember hearing about flashbacks was in an episode of The White Shadow. The team's student manager had done LSD at a previous high school ( I wanna say St. Louis for some reason). The kid started experiencing all kinds of weird things and finally admitted to coach or the bossy assistant principal what the problem was. Flashbacks.
Watching the Eagles find various ways to lose last night gave me flashbacks. Peabody and I hopped in the way-back machine and set it for the year 2007. You remember the '07 Eagles, right? They couldn't score touchdowns. They missed field goals over 40 yards. They got burned for touchdowns on key pass plays. They had to deal with offensive injuries. They turned the ball over at key moments. In short, they found ways to lose.
I haven't finished reviewing the game carefully. I couldn't immediately get into re-watching it last night. The problem with night games is that you need some some time to relax after they are over. Game ends at 1130pm. You do a couple of things and veg for a while and it gets to be 1am in a hurry.
I took some notes during the game and re-watched some key plays. As disappointed as I was, it wasn't all bad. The defense was great in the 2nd half. The Bears had 2 yards and 3 turnovers in the 3rd quarter. The linebackers played great. That is what we've been waiting to see for a while. Those guys made plays and were around the ball all game long.
I thought Buck looked good when they fed him the ball. I really wish they'd get him more involved on a regular basis.
DeSean was up and down. That kid brings a lot to the table, but his muffed punt set the Bears up for points. You just have to know that rookies will make mistakes. He made enough plays to cover up for the blunder, but it did hurt us.
Trent Cole is getting hot. He's now played really well in consecutive games.
We lead the league in run defense and sacks. I do take great pleasure in that. I think that kind of stuff is in the DNA of Eagles fans.
If there is one Eagle I could throw off a bridge today it would be Matt Schobel. He dropped a pass over the middle in the 1st quarter. That pass would have given us the ball inside the 10. Luckily for Matt we still scored on that drive. He decided to go one better, though. On the 4th down run by Buck at the goal line, Matt whiffed on DE Alex Brown. My imaginary friend Roxy made a better block than Schobel. I was so angry last night that I'm sure my neighbors thought I was torturing some random hitchhiker named Matt. How the hell do you whiff on that play?
The problem I'm having with Schobel right now is that he brings ZERO to the table. He doesn't have one catch this year. Zilch. He does have at least one key drop. He isn't a good blocker. He isn't a good STs player. What the hell, man? Give me something. And he's a friggin vet. Lorenzo Booker has been disapppointing, but he's a 2nd year player in his first year with the Eagles. He's done a little bit. Schobel right now is as useful as packing some CopperTone for a voyage to the sun. I would strongly consider cutting him. Go get some street free agent who will come in here hungry to make it. Give me someone who will play with a sense of urgency in his limited snaps.
Enough ranting. We still lost the game. And I do have to give the Bears and Kyle Orton credit for playing well. They earned the win. Wish I could say the same for us.
Hopefully this flashback is a one-time deal. Let's all get back to 2008. I need to see the Eagles scoring touchdowns and winning games. Getting back 36,82, 73, and 80 would certainly be a step in the right direction.
I do have a PE.com article up on the game.
http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/Story.asp?story_id=16294
_
Watching the Eagles find various ways to lose last night gave me flashbacks. Peabody and I hopped in the way-back machine and set it for the year 2007. You remember the '07 Eagles, right? They couldn't score touchdowns. They missed field goals over 40 yards. They got burned for touchdowns on key pass plays. They had to deal with offensive injuries. They turned the ball over at key moments. In short, they found ways to lose.
I haven't finished reviewing the game carefully. I couldn't immediately get into re-watching it last night. The problem with night games is that you need some some time to relax after they are over. Game ends at 1130pm. You do a couple of things and veg for a while and it gets to be 1am in a hurry.
I took some notes during the game and re-watched some key plays. As disappointed as I was, it wasn't all bad. The defense was great in the 2nd half. The Bears had 2 yards and 3 turnovers in the 3rd quarter. The linebackers played great. That is what we've been waiting to see for a while. Those guys made plays and were around the ball all game long.
I thought Buck looked good when they fed him the ball. I really wish they'd get him more involved on a regular basis.
DeSean was up and down. That kid brings a lot to the table, but his muffed punt set the Bears up for points. You just have to know that rookies will make mistakes. He made enough plays to cover up for the blunder, but it did hurt us.
Trent Cole is getting hot. He's now played really well in consecutive games.
We lead the league in run defense and sacks. I do take great pleasure in that. I think that kind of stuff is in the DNA of Eagles fans.
If there is one Eagle I could throw off a bridge today it would be Matt Schobel. He dropped a pass over the middle in the 1st quarter. That pass would have given us the ball inside the 10. Luckily for Matt we still scored on that drive. He decided to go one better, though. On the 4th down run by Buck at the goal line, Matt whiffed on DE Alex Brown. My imaginary friend Roxy made a better block than Schobel. I was so angry last night that I'm sure my neighbors thought I was torturing some random hitchhiker named Matt. How the hell do you whiff on that play?
The problem I'm having with Schobel right now is that he brings ZERO to the table. He doesn't have one catch this year. Zilch. He does have at least one key drop. He isn't a good blocker. He isn't a good STs player. What the hell, man? Give me something. And he's a friggin vet. Lorenzo Booker has been disapppointing, but he's a 2nd year player in his first year with the Eagles. He's done a little bit. Schobel right now is as useful as packing some CopperTone for a voyage to the sun. I would strongly consider cutting him. Go get some street free agent who will come in here hungry to make it. Give me someone who will play with a sense of urgency in his limited snaps.
Enough ranting. We still lost the game. And I do have to give the Bears and Kyle Orton credit for playing well. They earned the win. Wish I could say the same for us.
Hopefully this flashback is a one-time deal. Let's all get back to 2008. I need to see the Eagles scoring touchdowns and winning games. Getting back 36,82, 73, and 80 would certainly be a step in the right direction.
I do have a PE.com article up on the game.
http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/Story.asp?story_id=16294
_
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Gameday Thoughts
The Bears game is an interesting test for the Eagles. This is the kind of game a really good team wins, and should look good doing so. The Eagles are banged up and that could have an affect. We still don't know if Westy will play. But...
We're facing Kyle Orton.
Can you really lose to Kyle Orton if you want to be a Super Bowl team? I guess it's possible, but there better be a lot of big mistakes and oddball plays in the game. You don't want him simply outplaying you.
Nothing against Kyle. He's a solid backup and okay spot starter, but I just don't see him as a quality starting NFL QB. Maybe I'm too harsh. He doesn't have a great OL or any special skill players. I just see him as a game manager, and not exactly a great one of those.
Back to the Eagles. The price of greatness is responsibility. That was said by either Arthur Carlson or Winston Churchill. I get my famous leaders mixed up. Either way it still ties in to tonight's game. If the Eagles want to be considered one of the best teams in the league, this is the kind of game to go win. Chicago is going to be desperate. They don't want to fall to 0-3 in the NFC. That would dig them quite a hole to climb out of.
The Eagles need to match the Bears desperation with talent and greed. We're the better team. Go play like it. I mention the word greed because the best teams always want more. Score another touchdown. Get another sack. Win another game. You can't let up, you can't be satisfied.
The game doesn't mean anything in the 100% definitive sense of things, but it will give us another hint about this Eagles team. So far, so good. Another test awaits tonight.
**************
QUICK HITS
* The Bears led the NFL in fewest yards to go on 3rd down prior to the Tampa game. I'm not sure if they are still first, but that is a key stat. They need to stay "on schedule" to be effective. That means they need 2nd/6 or 3rd/3. Get them in 2nd or 3rd and long and they get uncomfortable.
* The Eagles are a first half team. Cumulative score is 61-30. The second half isn't so impressive, 29-20.
* Don't relax and assume anything on Special Teams plays. The Bears block kicks, run fakes, force turnovers, and have great return units. 4th down will be just as important as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd down in this game.
* Random prediction...Greg Lewis will catch a long TD. He'll then show his gratitude to his teammates by buying a round of Orange Whips for everyone. You can't go to Chicago without drinking an Orange Whip.
_
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Eagles at Bears - Game Preview
EAGLES at BEARS
CHI 1-2
PHI 2-1
This is a big game for Chicago. They have lost 2 games in a row after upsetting the Colts in the season opener. Normally that doesn't put you in must-win type territory, but things are tough in Chicago right now. Fans and media want blood. The SB team of 2006 seems like like a distant memory. The offense is built around a rookie 3rd round RB. The defense is starting to age a bit. Special teams remains a strength.
The game is important to Philly for other reasons. A win puts us at 3-1. That is a good start and builds even more confidence within the team. It also keeps the Eagles near the top of the NFC East. You don't want to slip much this year with the way the Giants, Skins, and Boys are playing. I don't think Washington is for real, but you never know in today's NFL. I'll certainly be pulling for them to beat Dallas on Sunday.
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Top Players
QB Kyle Orton - He's on this list by default...he's the QB. We don't know how good Kyle can be as an NFL QB, but he's never really impressed me. He did make some nice throws last week in the 2nd half and helped his team build a solid lead. Not a complete bum, but I'm also not sure this is the guy you really want as your starting QB.
RB Matt Forte - Very impressive rookie. Upright runner with size and strength. Has some elusiveness as well. Fast enough to be effective off tackle and create big plays. Had a 50-yd TD run vs Indy. Good receiver. The Bears will throw him screens. They also line him up out wide and throw to him out there and down the field. Attempted a 34-yd pass to him last week. Not a typical rookie RB. Already has 86 touches.
TE Greg Olsen - Sure-handed receiver. Limited blocker. Only has 6 catches for 59 yds this year. Has also lost a pair of fumbles.
WR Brandon Lloyd - One of my least favorite NFL players, but I give him credit for playing well this year. Leads the team with 13 catches. Made a couple of tough, clutch grabs last week to help the Bears get a lead. The best of a bad lot (WR corps, that is).
C Olin Kreutz - Still one of the better Centers in the league. Quick and mobile. Pulls very well. Starting to show some age, but is still a long way from being done.
DT Tommie Harris - 3-time Pro Bowl DT who is very quick off the ball. Normally a very disruptive force. Last year he had 8 sacks and 11 TFLs. This year he's got just 3 tackles, including 1 TFL. A knee injury is slowing his play. Missed some practice this week. Tommie had 2 sacks against us last year.
LB Lance Briggs - Aggressive WLB. Playmaker. 2nd on the team in tackles. Has a TFL, 3 PDs, and an INT already. Playing up on the LOS a lot this year.
MLB Brian Urlacher - 3rd on the team in tackles. Hasn't been much of a playmaker to this point. Did bat a ball last week that Briggs picked off. Still a good athlete and interesting problem for offenses to deal with.
CB Charles Tillman - Having a terrific season. Leads the team in tackles. That's normally not good, but CBs in the Cover 2 are supposed to make more tackles than in other schemes. Tillman is hitting everything that gets near him. He punished Colts receivers like it was personal. I loved seeing that. He's got a couple of FFs and an INT this year. There is one complaint to make. Got called for a very costly penalty last week that gave the Bucs a 1st down and may have cost Chicago the game. His toughness and aggression got the best of him at that moment.
OFFENSE
Simple. They run I-formation, Ace formation, and occasionally go 3-wide. I didn't see much innovation at all. They are all about execution and not trickery. That's great when you have top shelf players, but aside from Forte and Olsen the Bears are lacking weapons. I'd be highly frustrated if I were a Bears fan and yet...they are the 15th best offense in the league. Forte deserves a lot of that credit. He's come through for them in a big way. They're 8th in the league in rushing. The offense is averaging just under 19 points a game.
The passing game was short and controlled early last week. They struggled in that period. The offense came alive when they threw more downfield (passes of 15 or more yards). Bernard Berrian was the deep threat last year. He's now Viking. Mushin Muhammad was the big possession receiver. He's gone. His replacement Marty Booker has been banged up. Rashied Davis showed a lot of potential the last couple of years, but he's had some key drops. The long pass play all year is 32 yards.
The OL is a mixed bag:
LT John St Clair - LG Josh Beekman - C Olin Kreutz - RG Robert Garza - RT John Tait
St. Clair is a mediocre LT. He played RT against us back in 2002 as a Ram and ND Kalu beat him for 4.5 sacks. That should put things in perspective. Beekman is a young guy that I've not seen a lot of. The right side has some age, but those guys have been solid over the years.
DEFENSE
The Bears run a 4-3. They gang tackle and fly to the football. You can normally count on the Bears to come up with at least one sack and one turnover a game. Last week was interesting. They forced 4 turnovers, but didn't get a sack. And that came in a game where Tampa threw 67 passes. 67! Chicago was aggressive with blitzing. Tampa used extra blockers a lot of the time and also threw quick, underneath routes. The Bucs noticed the Bears looked tired in the 2nd half. They went to more of an up tempo attack and scored 13 points in the 4th Qtr and OT after having only scored 7 offensive points in the first 3 Qtrs. The Bears also blew a lead the week before. Apparently they are wearing down this year.
The Bears are blitzing more this year than I've seen in the past. It isn't working in terms of sacks (only 5), but they are tied for 2nd in the league with 6 takeaways. Briggs and Urlacher have been lining up over the C a lot this year.
The DL seems to have slipped a little. DEs Ogunleye, Brown, and Anderson have only 2 sacks combined (both by Alex Brown). That's unusual for this group.
SLB Hunter Hillenmeyer has come under some attack. He's struggled with covering TEs the last couple of weeks. Hunter has never been a playmaker, but he's always been the reliable guy. His struggles have led to increased playing time for backup Nick Roach. That may not mean game time for Nick, but I'm sure it got Hunter's attention.
The secondary still looks solid to me.
SPECIAL TEAMS
P Brad Maynard is off to a semi-slow start. PK Robbie Gould missed a 49 yd'er last week, but has been a good kicker for a few years.
Devin Hester is the wildcard. He is hurt, but wants to play. He's obviously a game-changing kind of player. I'm not too worried about him as a punt returner. Sav Rocca has been brilliant this year with his directional kicking. He's getting good length on his punts, but is also pinning guys along the sideline. The Eagles have only allowed 14 punt return yards all year. Kickoff coverage is another story. The guys have been up and down. A strong effort is needed no matter who the returner is to force the Bears to go a long field.
Danieal Manning has filled in at KOR with Hester out. He averages 27 yds per return. No matter who is back there, I'll be nervous when kicking off.
Nathan Vasher is the PR. He's solid, but Rocca is the key in that matchup.
The Bears blocked a punt and scored a TD off it vs CAR.
They ran a fake punt for a 38-yd gain last week.
THE GAME
The key for our offense is who's going to play. I think McNabb will start. He practiced on Friday. It seems like Tony Hunt will play, but I haven't read much about that. I think LJ, Shawn, and Westy will sit. I'd love to see Brian try to play, but why risk anything if the reward isn't great. I want 36 healthy for the season, so I can live without him for a game.
How will the Eagles approach the Bears D? This is going to be tough for Andy. He likes to stretch the field and attack vertically. The Bucs showed last week that you can work the middle and underneath and drive the Bears crazy. Will Reid and Donovan be patient enough to do that? Also, we tend to struggle with scoring TDs when playing small ball.
I think DeSean Jackson will be a key in this game. If the Bears blitz and play man coverage, they don't have anyone who's a good matchup with DeSean. We can burn them deep if the blocking is good. If they play zone, I think DeSean will be sent deep to stretch the zone and open the middle of the field for other guys.
We should be able to at least have moderate success with running the ball.
One concern will be how Max handles the Bears blitzes up the middle. We don't want 54 or 55 coming free on Donovan.
Tampa used TEs very effectively last week. No LJ means Celek and Schobel get a chance to shine. We'll use them as blockers quite a bit, but also get them some chances. You may remember that last year Schobel had a TD vs Chicago and just missed on a couple of other passes. We need those pass plays this year.
I'm sure the Bears will hope to confuse Donovan with mixing blitzes and coverages. I think they know that turnovers will be crucial to them stopping our offense.
Don't expect to see Jim Johnson attack like he did last week. I'd love to see Jim come with another super-aggressive gameplan, but I doubt that will happen. The Bears offense fits perfectly into what he believes in. They play small ball and move the chains. He is willing to give up that kind of stuff so long as big plays aren't mixed in.
Jim will likely give the DL chances to get to Orton. We'll mix in some blitzes, but not nearly as much as last week.
I think Quintin Mikell will be huge this week. We need him to play the run well ... to be the 8th man up in a hurry. If we can stop Forte and force Orton to throw, the game really tilts our way.
Orton did get sacked a couple of times by the blitz last week. A slot DB got him once. He also panicked on one play and threw a pass to DE Gaines Adams that was picked off and run back for a score. Kyle can be rattled. Give him some credit, though. After a slow start, he didn't quit. He kept battling on and got better in the 2nd half. QBs have to be resilient.
I'll be very interested to see how we play Matt Forte when he lines up wide. I'm sure the Bears would love to isolate him on Stewart Bradley.
We must get to Forte and shut him down. We have the #1 run D in the league. We can beat the Bears OL and control the LOS. I'll be highly disappointed if the Bears can run the ball well on us. They have to try and stick with the run as long as they can, but we need to eliminate any runs of 10 or more yards and come up with some plays in the backfield that puts Chicago into 2nd/long and 3rd/long situations.
Cole better get good pressure when facing St. Clair. I don't expect 4.5 sacks, but that is a favorable matchup for Trent.
MISC
* The Bears defense that helped its team go 26-1 when leading after three quarters during the three seasons Ron Rivera was defensive coordinator has blown fourth-quarter leads in five of the past six losses under Bob Babich.
* WR Brandon Lloyd's 100-yd game vs Tampa was only the 9th 100-yd game by a WR in Lovie Smith's 5 years.
* We've gotten at least 2 turnovers in each of the past couple of games. Let's hope that continues.
* Reggie Brown is slated to play more this week. Let's see if he can contribute with a catch over the middle. Reggie does have good RAC ability. Be nice to have him come in and help us on a scoring drive.
* The Bears-Bucs game last week was very chippy from the beginning to the end. The Bears got the short end of a few calls. I wonder if Lovie will have them tone things down or if the guys will be just as spirited this week.
_
CHI 1-2
PHI 2-1
This is a big game for Chicago. They have lost 2 games in a row after upsetting the Colts in the season opener. Normally that doesn't put you in must-win type territory, but things are tough in Chicago right now. Fans and media want blood. The SB team of 2006 seems like like a distant memory. The offense is built around a rookie 3rd round RB. The defense is starting to age a bit. Special teams remains a strength.
The game is important to Philly for other reasons. A win puts us at 3-1. That is a good start and builds even more confidence within the team. It also keeps the Eagles near the top of the NFC East. You don't want to slip much this year with the way the Giants, Skins, and Boys are playing. I don't think Washington is for real, but you never know in today's NFL. I'll certainly be pulling for them to beat Dallas on Sunday.
-------------------
Top Players
QB Kyle Orton - He's on this list by default...he's the QB. We don't know how good Kyle can be as an NFL QB, but he's never really impressed me. He did make some nice throws last week in the 2nd half and helped his team build a solid lead. Not a complete bum, but I'm also not sure this is the guy you really want as your starting QB.
RB Matt Forte - Very impressive rookie. Upright runner with size and strength. Has some elusiveness as well. Fast enough to be effective off tackle and create big plays. Had a 50-yd TD run vs Indy. Good receiver. The Bears will throw him screens. They also line him up out wide and throw to him out there and down the field. Attempted a 34-yd pass to him last week. Not a typical rookie RB. Already has 86 touches.
TE Greg Olsen - Sure-handed receiver. Limited blocker. Only has 6 catches for 59 yds this year. Has also lost a pair of fumbles.
WR Brandon Lloyd - One of my least favorite NFL players, but I give him credit for playing well this year. Leads the team with 13 catches. Made a couple of tough, clutch grabs last week to help the Bears get a lead. The best of a bad lot (WR corps, that is).
C Olin Kreutz - Still one of the better Centers in the league. Quick and mobile. Pulls very well. Starting to show some age, but is still a long way from being done.
DT Tommie Harris - 3-time Pro Bowl DT who is very quick off the ball. Normally a very disruptive force. Last year he had 8 sacks and 11 TFLs. This year he's got just 3 tackles, including 1 TFL. A knee injury is slowing his play. Missed some practice this week. Tommie had 2 sacks against us last year.
LB Lance Briggs - Aggressive WLB. Playmaker. 2nd on the team in tackles. Has a TFL, 3 PDs, and an INT already. Playing up on the LOS a lot this year.
MLB Brian Urlacher - 3rd on the team in tackles. Hasn't been much of a playmaker to this point. Did bat a ball last week that Briggs picked off. Still a good athlete and interesting problem for offenses to deal with.
CB Charles Tillman - Having a terrific season. Leads the team in tackles. That's normally not good, but CBs in the Cover 2 are supposed to make more tackles than in other schemes. Tillman is hitting everything that gets near him. He punished Colts receivers like it was personal. I loved seeing that. He's got a couple of FFs and an INT this year. There is one complaint to make. Got called for a very costly penalty last week that gave the Bucs a 1st down and may have cost Chicago the game. His toughness and aggression got the best of him at that moment.
OFFENSE
Simple. They run I-formation, Ace formation, and occasionally go 3-wide. I didn't see much innovation at all. They are all about execution and not trickery. That's great when you have top shelf players, but aside from Forte and Olsen the Bears are lacking weapons. I'd be highly frustrated if I were a Bears fan and yet...they are the 15th best offense in the league. Forte deserves a lot of that credit. He's come through for them in a big way. They're 8th in the league in rushing. The offense is averaging just under 19 points a game.
The passing game was short and controlled early last week. They struggled in that period. The offense came alive when they threw more downfield (passes of 15 or more yards). Bernard Berrian was the deep threat last year. He's now Viking. Mushin Muhammad was the big possession receiver. He's gone. His replacement Marty Booker has been banged up. Rashied Davis showed a lot of potential the last couple of years, but he's had some key drops. The long pass play all year is 32 yards.
The OL is a mixed bag:
LT John St Clair - LG Josh Beekman - C Olin Kreutz - RG Robert Garza - RT John Tait
St. Clair is a mediocre LT. He played RT against us back in 2002 as a Ram and ND Kalu beat him for 4.5 sacks. That should put things in perspective. Beekman is a young guy that I've not seen a lot of. The right side has some age, but those guys have been solid over the years.
DEFENSE
The Bears run a 4-3. They gang tackle and fly to the football. You can normally count on the Bears to come up with at least one sack and one turnover a game. Last week was interesting. They forced 4 turnovers, but didn't get a sack. And that came in a game where Tampa threw 67 passes. 67! Chicago was aggressive with blitzing. Tampa used extra blockers a lot of the time and also threw quick, underneath routes. The Bucs noticed the Bears looked tired in the 2nd half. They went to more of an up tempo attack and scored 13 points in the 4th Qtr and OT after having only scored 7 offensive points in the first 3 Qtrs. The Bears also blew a lead the week before. Apparently they are wearing down this year.
The Bears are blitzing more this year than I've seen in the past. It isn't working in terms of sacks (only 5), but they are tied for 2nd in the league with 6 takeaways. Briggs and Urlacher have been lining up over the C a lot this year.
The DL seems to have slipped a little. DEs Ogunleye, Brown, and Anderson have only 2 sacks combined (both by Alex Brown). That's unusual for this group.
SLB Hunter Hillenmeyer has come under some attack. He's struggled with covering TEs the last couple of weeks. Hunter has never been a playmaker, but he's always been the reliable guy. His struggles have led to increased playing time for backup Nick Roach. That may not mean game time for Nick, but I'm sure it got Hunter's attention.
The secondary still looks solid to me.
SPECIAL TEAMS
P Brad Maynard is off to a semi-slow start. PK Robbie Gould missed a 49 yd'er last week, but has been a good kicker for a few years.
Devin Hester is the wildcard. He is hurt, but wants to play. He's obviously a game-changing kind of player. I'm not too worried about him as a punt returner. Sav Rocca has been brilliant this year with his directional kicking. He's getting good length on his punts, but is also pinning guys along the sideline. The Eagles have only allowed 14 punt return yards all year. Kickoff coverage is another story. The guys have been up and down. A strong effort is needed no matter who the returner is to force the Bears to go a long field.
Danieal Manning has filled in at KOR with Hester out. He averages 27 yds per return. No matter who is back there, I'll be nervous when kicking off.
Nathan Vasher is the PR. He's solid, but Rocca is the key in that matchup.
The Bears blocked a punt and scored a TD off it vs CAR.
They ran a fake punt for a 38-yd gain last week.
THE GAME
The key for our offense is who's going to play. I think McNabb will start. He practiced on Friday. It seems like Tony Hunt will play, but I haven't read much about that. I think LJ, Shawn, and Westy will sit. I'd love to see Brian try to play, but why risk anything if the reward isn't great. I want 36 healthy for the season, so I can live without him for a game.
How will the Eagles approach the Bears D? This is going to be tough for Andy. He likes to stretch the field and attack vertically. The Bucs showed last week that you can work the middle and underneath and drive the Bears crazy. Will Reid and Donovan be patient enough to do that? Also, we tend to struggle with scoring TDs when playing small ball.
I think DeSean Jackson will be a key in this game. If the Bears blitz and play man coverage, they don't have anyone who's a good matchup with DeSean. We can burn them deep if the blocking is good. If they play zone, I think DeSean will be sent deep to stretch the zone and open the middle of the field for other guys.
We should be able to at least have moderate success with running the ball.
One concern will be how Max handles the Bears blitzes up the middle. We don't want 54 or 55 coming free on Donovan.
Tampa used TEs very effectively last week. No LJ means Celek and Schobel get a chance to shine. We'll use them as blockers quite a bit, but also get them some chances. You may remember that last year Schobel had a TD vs Chicago and just missed on a couple of other passes. We need those pass plays this year.
I'm sure the Bears will hope to confuse Donovan with mixing blitzes and coverages. I think they know that turnovers will be crucial to them stopping our offense.
Don't expect to see Jim Johnson attack like he did last week. I'd love to see Jim come with another super-aggressive gameplan, but I doubt that will happen. The Bears offense fits perfectly into what he believes in. They play small ball and move the chains. He is willing to give up that kind of stuff so long as big plays aren't mixed in.
Jim will likely give the DL chances to get to Orton. We'll mix in some blitzes, but not nearly as much as last week.
I think Quintin Mikell will be huge this week. We need him to play the run well ... to be the 8th man up in a hurry. If we can stop Forte and force Orton to throw, the game really tilts our way.
Orton did get sacked a couple of times by the blitz last week. A slot DB got him once. He also panicked on one play and threw a pass to DE Gaines Adams that was picked off and run back for a score. Kyle can be rattled. Give him some credit, though. After a slow start, he didn't quit. He kept battling on and got better in the 2nd half. QBs have to be resilient.
I'll be very interested to see how we play Matt Forte when he lines up wide. I'm sure the Bears would love to isolate him on Stewart Bradley.
We must get to Forte and shut him down. We have the #1 run D in the league. We can beat the Bears OL and control the LOS. I'll be highly disappointed if the Bears can run the ball well on us. They have to try and stick with the run as long as they can, but we need to eliminate any runs of 10 or more yards and come up with some plays in the backfield that puts Chicago into 2nd/long and 3rd/long situations.
Cole better get good pressure when facing St. Clair. I don't expect 4.5 sacks, but that is a favorable matchup for Trent.
MISC
* The Bears defense that helped its team go 26-1 when leading after three quarters during the three seasons Ron Rivera was defensive coordinator has blown fourth-quarter leads in five of the past six losses under Bob Babich.
* WR Brandon Lloyd's 100-yd game vs Tampa was only the 9th 100-yd game by a WR in Lovie Smith's 5 years.
* We've gotten at least 2 turnovers in each of the past couple of games. Let's hope that continues.
* Reggie Brown is slated to play more this week. Let's see if he can contribute with a catch over the middle. Reggie does have good RAC ability. Be nice to have him come in and help us on a scoring drive.
* The Bears-Bucs game last week was very chippy from the beginning to the end. The Bears got the short end of a few calls. I wonder if Lovie will have them tone things down or if the guys will be just as spirited this week.
_
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Some Interesting Numbers
* The Eagles have the #6 offense and #4 defense. They are #1 overall against the run, and that is after facing Steven Jackson, Marion Barber, and Willie Parker.
* Creating turnovers was a huge problem last year. The defense had 10 INTs and 11 forced fumbles. This year things are looking up. There are only 2 INTs (about the same pace as last year), but the defense already has 5 FFs.
* How much has Sav Rocca improved? His average is up from 42 a punt to 46.9. Even more impressive...his net was 36.4 last year and is up to 44.1 this year. His directional kicking is incredibly good. Sav is pinning guys along the sideline and allowing his coverage to really help him out. Through 3 games opponents have a total of 14 punt return yards.
* After Quintin Demps 37 yard KOR vs PIT, he now has 2 returns longer than what the team got all last year (47, 37 vs only 35).
* The LBs are off to a good start. Last year...3 sacks all season. This year already 2.5. The cover skills also look better. Stewart Bradley and Omar Gaither did a good job last week of covering the middle on plays when they didn't blitz. Chris Gocong looks much more comfortable in coverage this year.
* Last year backup DL had a total of 5.5 sacks. That number is at 3.5 already. Darren Howard is in good shape and finally won't be just getting pressure. Let's just hope the good play continues. Chris Clemons, Victor Abiamiri, and Trevor Laws have yet to contribute, but all have the ability to get to the QB.
* Rookie DeSean Jackson is off to a great start with 17 grabs for 256 yards and almost 1 TD. To put those numbers in perspective, let's compare them to future Hall of Famer Freddie Mitchell's rookie year. Freddie had 21 catches for 283 yards and a TD. His long play was 29 yards. Looks like Peanut will pass Fredex this week or the next. By the way...Freddie's hands bribed me to throw in the HOF comment.
* David Akers has yet to miss a FG (why jinx him then?). He's also getting good depth on his KO's. Maybe the extra weight of the mustache was slowing him down last year. Somebody shave Dawk's stache before Sunday night!!!
* Hank Baskett finished last year with 16 catches for 142 yards. He's already got 12 catches for 197 this year. Glad to see Hank getting worked more into the offense.
* Get Correll Buckhalter more touches. Period. He's too good to touch the ball a couple of times a game. Just ask the Steelers...
_
* Creating turnovers was a huge problem last year. The defense had 10 INTs and 11 forced fumbles. This year things are looking up. There are only 2 INTs (about the same pace as last year), but the defense already has 5 FFs.
* How much has Sav Rocca improved? His average is up from 42 a punt to 46.9. Even more impressive...his net was 36.4 last year and is up to 44.1 this year. His directional kicking is incredibly good. Sav is pinning guys along the sideline and allowing his coverage to really help him out. Through 3 games opponents have a total of 14 punt return yards.
* After Quintin Demps 37 yard KOR vs PIT, he now has 2 returns longer than what the team got all last year (47, 37 vs only 35).
* The LBs are off to a good start. Last year...3 sacks all season. This year already 2.5. The cover skills also look better. Stewart Bradley and Omar Gaither did a good job last week of covering the middle on plays when they didn't blitz. Chris Gocong looks much more comfortable in coverage this year.
* Last year backup DL had a total of 5.5 sacks. That number is at 3.5 already. Darren Howard is in good shape and finally won't be just getting pressure. Let's just hope the good play continues. Chris Clemons, Victor Abiamiri, and Trevor Laws have yet to contribute, but all have the ability to get to the QB.
* Rookie DeSean Jackson is off to a great start with 17 grabs for 256 yards and almost 1 TD. To put those numbers in perspective, let's compare them to future Hall of Famer Freddie Mitchell's rookie year. Freddie had 21 catches for 283 yards and a TD. His long play was 29 yards. Looks like Peanut will pass Fredex this week or the next. By the way...Freddie's hands bribed me to throw in the HOF comment.
* David Akers has yet to miss a FG (why jinx him then?). He's also getting good depth on his KO's. Maybe the extra weight of the mustache was slowing him down last year. Somebody shave Dawk's stache before Sunday night!!!
* Hank Baskett finished last year with 16 catches for 142 yards. He's already got 12 catches for 197 this year. Glad to see Hank getting worked more into the offense.
* Get Correll Buckhalter more touches. Period. He's too good to touch the ball a couple of times a game. Just ask the Steelers...
_
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Detailed Game Review - Defense vs PIT
DEFENSE
DE
COLE – Terrific game. Cole spent most of the game in the Steelers backfield. He went hard outside at times. He used inside moves with good success. They used a double-team on him several times. Even that didn't always work. There was one play when Cole got hit by a running back and just spun off the block to get pressure on the passer. He "only" had one sack. He just missed several others. The safety should have been a sack. Roethlisberger's knee was on the ground before he threw the ball. Beat TE with an inside move and got Parker in the backfield for a short loss. Used a hard inside move to flush Ben outside. Got his sack when he bull-rushed the LT and moved him backward, then released inside and got the QB. Unfortunately got the facemask on the play. Just missed getting his 2nd sack when he got Ben down from behind in the 4th Qtr. He was able to gain about a foot on the play. Just missed a couple of sacks on their final drive.
JUQUA – Played LDE and The Joker. Parker had a terrific game from the left defensive end spot. He led the team with 2.5 sacks and also forced a fumble, which led to a field goal. Stats aside, Parker had a big game. There were a handful of plays when Roethlisberger was forced to throw the ball because Parker was bearing down on him. With four quarterback hits, Parker got to Big Ben more than any other defender. He also made several hustle plays, chasing the ball from behind and getting in on the tackle. Parker was also used as "The Joker." That's when he lines up like the middle linebacker on certain passing downs. Sometimes he drops into coverage. Sometimes he blitzes up the middle. On Sunday, he seemed to be shadowing Roethlisberger so that Ben couldn't take off and run for the first down. Got pressure on an early 3rd down from Joker spot. Got his first sack when Ben was flushed over to his side. Got off his block and put Ben on the ground. Got badly held by a blocker on one pass play, but drew no call. Was imploring the officials to throw a flag. Got his second sack when Ben was driven toward him. Juqua knocked the ball loose and we got it. Looped inside on a pass play and got 1/2 a sack. Got pressure on final 3rd down of the half. Patt flushed the QB and Parker flew upfield to hit him just as he threw the ball. Beat a block on a running play to his side and just grabbed Parker by the jersey for a TFL. Hustled to tackle Ward from behind on a WR screen. Limited the gain to only a couple.
HOWARD – Good game. Drew a holding call when he rushed from DT and flushed Ben. Got his sack while playing LDE on 3rd/7. We used a 3-man line and only rushed the 3 guys. Darren got under and around the RT and just engulfed Big Ben. That sack knocked PIT out of FG range. Took a hard inside move from LDE and got Parker in the backfield. Got half a sack on the final drive when he cleanly beat the LG and got into the backfield.
CLEMONS – Played some LDE. Showed some burst off the ball. Ben scrambled on one play and Chris dove 4 yards to get a shot on him in the pile-up.
DT
PATTERSON – Good game. Only had an assisted tackle, but got a lot of penetration and caused problems for the Steelers. Disrupted a running play by getting penetration and completely clogging the running lane. Exploded off the ball on one snap and almost got Ben for a TFL while he was handing the ball off. Got pressure on 3rd down pass just before the half. Lined up at NT and took a hard angle to his left. Got by the RG and just missed a sack. Chased down the FB when PIT gave him the ball on a running play. Good speed, hustle. Only gave up a yard.
BUNKLEY – Good game. Shed Kemo and helped stuff Parker on a run up the middle. Hit Ben on a passing play just after he got rid of the ball. Got a sack on a 2nd Qtr pass play. Ben tried to scramble up the middle and Brod shed his blocker to tackle him. Used a good move to get off a block on a pass play. The ball was already thrown or he would have lit Ben up. Recovered a fumble after JP knocked the ball loose from Big Ben. Got a shot on Ben on a 4th Qtr pass play.
LAWS – Played in the 2nd half. Didn't stand out or make any plays. He was in the game with 5 minutes to go, so you know the coaches trust him.
KLECKO – Played a decent amount. Was used at NT as well as DT. We lined him up as the Nose in some of our 3-man D-line packages. Got half a sack late in the game. Looped around the other DT and came free up the middle. He worked well as part of the blitz package because of his ability to get penetration. Didn't do much damage himself but helped to keep the PIT O-line scrambling.
LB
BRADLEY – Good game. Had 6 solo tackles, 3 of them for a loss. Solid job in coverage. Grabbed Holmes jersey momentarily and helped to force an early incompletion. That's the kind of subtle holding that you can get away with. Slammed Parker down from behind for early TFL. Got another TFL by blitzing and driving the C backward, then shedding him and tackling Parker. Came free on a blitz up the middle. Started to chase Ben and didn't see the RT. Willie Colon put Stew on his butt with a big time block. Hustled to get downfield and in on tackle of WR after completion. Solid tackle of Parker on running play that came right at him. Got penetration on a run play to the right and got Parker down for a short loss. Flowed to the football and made a tackle on a 3rd Qtr Parker run up the middle.
GOCONG – Quiet game. Shed a block and tackled Parker on a run that came right at him. Had a solid game in coverage. No throws came his way.
OMAR – Good game. Had 7 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and broke up a couple of passes Came free on a blitz up the middle. Forced Ben to slide to his right, and into a sack. Blitzed up the middle late in the half and fought through RB block to get 1/2 a sack. Hustled to get in on tackle of Ward after short completion. Shot the A-gap just before the half and was able to sling Ben to the ground for a sack. Made a good, physical tackle of Parker after a short run. Made a good tackle on Parker when he tried to cutback on a run. Omar was right there in the hole to shut that down for a gain of one. Got into the passing lane and deflected a 3rd Qtr pass. Ball fell incomplete. Came free on a late drive in the game. Got his hands on Ben, but couldn't get him down.
S
DAWK – Good game. Made a good tackle on Washington after he caught a pass and got away from Samuel. Had good downfield coverage on the deep pass that Sammie picked off. Had the receiver covered from the inside. Good tackle on draw play before the half. Blitzed off the edge and hit Parker in the backfield when we had PIT pinned deep. Finished the game with 7 tackles, a sack, FF/FR, and a TFL. Showed he can still be an impact player around the line of scrimmage.
MIKELL – Another week, another good game. Led the team with 8 tackles. Came up quickly to tackle Parker on a run play. Came free on a blitz and got a hand on Ben, but overran him. Flushed Ben out wide and led to INCL. Pounced on Parker on a draw play up the middle. Came free on a delayed blitz. Overran Ben, but forced him to move into a sack. Came upfield on another delayed blitz and made a terrific tackle of Ben as he started to scramble. Stopped him for a short gain.
CONSIDINE – Didn't seem to play much. PIT used a lot of base sets and running sets.
CB
SAMUEL – Solid game. Made a beautiful pick on a downfield throw. Was running stride for stride with the WR and just went up and made a good play on the ball. Really has good hands. Had tight coverage on a pass to Heath Miller. Broke up a pass in the endzone. Got his hand up when the receiver went to catch the ball. Asante will give up some underneath throws. He's not a "shutdown" type of CB.
BROWN – Quiet game in terms of tackles. Only had 1. Did come up in run support and just miss a TFL on Parker. Blew up a WR screen play by getting into his receiver and driving the guy backward into the passing lane. Ben wasn't able to even attempt the pass because of that. Almost got a pick on a throw away late in the game. Ben basically lobbed a ball in his direction. Brown and the receiver jumped up for it, but neither guy could make a clean catch.
LITO – Hines Ward pushed off on him to get open on an early 3rd down play. Had 3 tackles. I'm not sure how much Lito played. As I mentioned above, the Steelers used a lot of 2 and 3 TE sets.
HANSON – Had one tackle on defense and one on STs.
___________________________________________________
SPECIAL TEAMS
AKERS – 2 of on FGs. Pretty good depth on his kickoffs. KO to open the 2nd half was 5 yards deep in the endzone.
ROCCA – Great game. Rocca came up huge in the second half after not having to punt at all in the first half. His first punt only went 28 yards, but it had excellent touch and put the Steelers at the 10-yard line. His next one involved a slightly off-target snap. Rocca got the ball off, but it only went 39 yards and gave the Steelers good field position. The defense bailed him out. After that Rocca came alive. His next punt went 64 yards and flipped the field, putting the Steelers at their own 30. He launched a 54-yard punt that pinned them down at the 6-yard line the next time around. His next kick only went 37 yards, but again put Pittsburgh deep, this time at the 7-yard line.
Had the best game by an Eagles punter in a long time. 3 of his punts landed inside the 20, 2 inside the 10. Another punt flipped the field. That's impact from a guy you don't normally expect it from.
PR – Had one okay return. Used burst and a stiff arm to get wide to the right side, but only got 9 yards because he initially ran backward. Got a chance to return the free kick after the safety, but didn't get much of a return.
KOR – Demps had 2 returns for 58 yards. The first KO went for 37 and the second for 21. Greg Lewis caught a couple of KOs as well (short kicks).
COVERAGE/BLOCKING –
* Q Mikell made tackle in KO coverage.
* Dorenbos had an off target snap to Rocca, threw off the punt.
* Demps and Considine combined to down a punt inside the 10.
___________________________________________________
* Blitzes *
They get a special section this week. I charted every play I considered a blitz (more than 4 rushing). I included plays with penalties as the penalties were due to the guys showing a blitz look. COMP means completion. INCL means incompletion.
3rd/2 - got pre-snap penalty
1st/10 - quick pass...COMP...no hit
3rd/4 - short pass...COMP...1st down...Roeth hurried by 75
1st/10 - run to right...TFL -1
2nd/11 - pass right...COMP...1st down
2nd/4 - run up middle...TFL - 1
3rd/4 - pass right...INCL...led to FG
1st/10 - sack
3rd/4 - pre-snap penalty...1st down
2nd/10 - short pass to right...COMP
3rd/3 - sack, FF
1st/10 - sack
1st/10 - false start penalty
1st/10 - short pass to left...COMP
1st/10 - sack
2nd/17 - pass to left...COMP
-----------end half-----------
2nd/6 - pass over middle...INCL
3rd/6 - false start penalty
3rd/11 - false start penalty
2nd/8 - run right...TFL
3rd/10 - QB scramble up middle for 1
3rd/6 - QB scramble up middle for 2
1st/10 - downfield pass to the left....INCL
3rd/10 - pass over middle...COMP...1st down
1st/10 - run right...gained 4
2nd/6 - run right...TFL
3rd/6 - QB scramble up middle for maybe a foot
1st/10 - run right...TFL
1st/10 - forced throw away
2nd/10 - false start penalty
3rd/15 - sack, FF...we got the ball
2nd/10 - pass over middle...COMP...1st down
1st/10 - pass into endzone...INCL
The Eagles racked up nine sacks. They had 6 (by my count) tackles-for-loss. They came up with two takeaways and a safety. The turnovers led to a pair of field goals. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was knocked out of the game with a hand injury and the Steelers gained only 180 net yards.
The gameplan was very aggressive and very successful. I hope we see more of it as the season goes along.
_
DE
COLE – Terrific game. Cole spent most of the game in the Steelers backfield. He went hard outside at times. He used inside moves with good success. They used a double-team on him several times. Even that didn't always work. There was one play when Cole got hit by a running back and just spun off the block to get pressure on the passer. He "only" had one sack. He just missed several others. The safety should have been a sack. Roethlisberger's knee was on the ground before he threw the ball. Beat TE with an inside move and got Parker in the backfield for a short loss. Used a hard inside move to flush Ben outside. Got his sack when he bull-rushed the LT and moved him backward, then released inside and got the QB. Unfortunately got the facemask on the play. Just missed getting his 2nd sack when he got Ben down from behind in the 4th Qtr. He was able to gain about a foot on the play. Just missed a couple of sacks on their final drive.
JUQUA – Played LDE and The Joker. Parker had a terrific game from the left defensive end spot. He led the team with 2.5 sacks and also forced a fumble, which led to a field goal. Stats aside, Parker had a big game. There were a handful of plays when Roethlisberger was forced to throw the ball because Parker was bearing down on him. With four quarterback hits, Parker got to Big Ben more than any other defender. He also made several hustle plays, chasing the ball from behind and getting in on the tackle. Parker was also used as "The Joker." That's when he lines up like the middle linebacker on certain passing downs. Sometimes he drops into coverage. Sometimes he blitzes up the middle. On Sunday, he seemed to be shadowing Roethlisberger so that Ben couldn't take off and run for the first down. Got pressure on an early 3rd down from Joker spot. Got his first sack when Ben was flushed over to his side. Got off his block and put Ben on the ground. Got badly held by a blocker on one pass play, but drew no call. Was imploring the officials to throw a flag. Got his second sack when Ben was driven toward him. Juqua knocked the ball loose and we got it. Looped inside on a pass play and got 1/2 a sack. Got pressure on final 3rd down of the half. Patt flushed the QB and Parker flew upfield to hit him just as he threw the ball. Beat a block on a running play to his side and just grabbed Parker by the jersey for a TFL. Hustled to tackle Ward from behind on a WR screen. Limited the gain to only a couple.
HOWARD – Good game. Drew a holding call when he rushed from DT and flushed Ben. Got his sack while playing LDE on 3rd/7. We used a 3-man line and only rushed the 3 guys. Darren got under and around the RT and just engulfed Big Ben. That sack knocked PIT out of FG range. Took a hard inside move from LDE and got Parker in the backfield. Got half a sack on the final drive when he cleanly beat the LG and got into the backfield.
CLEMONS – Played some LDE. Showed some burst off the ball. Ben scrambled on one play and Chris dove 4 yards to get a shot on him in the pile-up.
DT
PATTERSON – Good game. Only had an assisted tackle, but got a lot of penetration and caused problems for the Steelers. Disrupted a running play by getting penetration and completely clogging the running lane. Exploded off the ball on one snap and almost got Ben for a TFL while he was handing the ball off. Got pressure on 3rd down pass just before the half. Lined up at NT and took a hard angle to his left. Got by the RG and just missed a sack. Chased down the FB when PIT gave him the ball on a running play. Good speed, hustle. Only gave up a yard.
BUNKLEY – Good game. Shed Kemo and helped stuff Parker on a run up the middle. Hit Ben on a passing play just after he got rid of the ball. Got a sack on a 2nd Qtr pass play. Ben tried to scramble up the middle and Brod shed his blocker to tackle him. Used a good move to get off a block on a pass play. The ball was already thrown or he would have lit Ben up. Recovered a fumble after JP knocked the ball loose from Big Ben. Got a shot on Ben on a 4th Qtr pass play.
LAWS – Played in the 2nd half. Didn't stand out or make any plays. He was in the game with 5 minutes to go, so you know the coaches trust him.
KLECKO – Played a decent amount. Was used at NT as well as DT. We lined him up as the Nose in some of our 3-man D-line packages. Got half a sack late in the game. Looped around the other DT and came free up the middle. He worked well as part of the blitz package because of his ability to get penetration. Didn't do much damage himself but helped to keep the PIT O-line scrambling.
LB
BRADLEY – Good game. Had 6 solo tackles, 3 of them for a loss. Solid job in coverage. Grabbed Holmes jersey momentarily and helped to force an early incompletion. That's the kind of subtle holding that you can get away with. Slammed Parker down from behind for early TFL. Got another TFL by blitzing and driving the C backward, then shedding him and tackling Parker. Came free on a blitz up the middle. Started to chase Ben and didn't see the RT. Willie Colon put Stew on his butt with a big time block. Hustled to get downfield and in on tackle of WR after completion. Solid tackle of Parker on running play that came right at him. Got penetration on a run play to the right and got Parker down for a short loss. Flowed to the football and made a tackle on a 3rd Qtr Parker run up the middle.
GOCONG – Quiet game. Shed a block and tackled Parker on a run that came right at him. Had a solid game in coverage. No throws came his way.
OMAR – Good game. Had 7 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and broke up a couple of passes Came free on a blitz up the middle. Forced Ben to slide to his right, and into a sack. Blitzed up the middle late in the half and fought through RB block to get 1/2 a sack. Hustled to get in on tackle of Ward after short completion. Shot the A-gap just before the half and was able to sling Ben to the ground for a sack. Made a good, physical tackle of Parker after a short run. Made a good tackle on Parker when he tried to cutback on a run. Omar was right there in the hole to shut that down for a gain of one. Got into the passing lane and deflected a 3rd Qtr pass. Ball fell incomplete. Came free on a late drive in the game. Got his hands on Ben, but couldn't get him down.
S
DAWK – Good game. Made a good tackle on Washington after he caught a pass and got away from Samuel. Had good downfield coverage on the deep pass that Sammie picked off. Had the receiver covered from the inside. Good tackle on draw play before the half. Blitzed off the edge and hit Parker in the backfield when we had PIT pinned deep. Finished the game with 7 tackles, a sack, FF/FR, and a TFL. Showed he can still be an impact player around the line of scrimmage.
MIKELL – Another week, another good game. Led the team with 8 tackles. Came up quickly to tackle Parker on a run play. Came free on a blitz and got a hand on Ben, but overran him. Flushed Ben out wide and led to INCL. Pounced on Parker on a draw play up the middle. Came free on a delayed blitz. Overran Ben, but forced him to move into a sack. Came upfield on another delayed blitz and made a terrific tackle of Ben as he started to scramble. Stopped him for a short gain.
CONSIDINE – Didn't seem to play much. PIT used a lot of base sets and running sets.
CB
SAMUEL – Solid game. Made a beautiful pick on a downfield throw. Was running stride for stride with the WR and just went up and made a good play on the ball. Really has good hands. Had tight coverage on a pass to Heath Miller. Broke up a pass in the endzone. Got his hand up when the receiver went to catch the ball. Asante will give up some underneath throws. He's not a "shutdown" type of CB.
BROWN – Quiet game in terms of tackles. Only had 1. Did come up in run support and just miss a TFL on Parker. Blew up a WR screen play by getting into his receiver and driving the guy backward into the passing lane. Ben wasn't able to even attempt the pass because of that. Almost got a pick on a throw away late in the game. Ben basically lobbed a ball in his direction. Brown and the receiver jumped up for it, but neither guy could make a clean catch.
LITO – Hines Ward pushed off on him to get open on an early 3rd down play. Had 3 tackles. I'm not sure how much Lito played. As I mentioned above, the Steelers used a lot of 2 and 3 TE sets.
HANSON – Had one tackle on defense and one on STs.
___________________________________________________
SPECIAL TEAMS
AKERS – 2 of on FGs. Pretty good depth on his kickoffs. KO to open the 2nd half was 5 yards deep in the endzone.
ROCCA – Great game. Rocca came up huge in the second half after not having to punt at all in the first half. His first punt only went 28 yards, but it had excellent touch and put the Steelers at the 10-yard line. His next one involved a slightly off-target snap. Rocca got the ball off, but it only went 39 yards and gave the Steelers good field position. The defense bailed him out. After that Rocca came alive. His next punt went 64 yards and flipped the field, putting the Steelers at their own 30. He launched a 54-yard punt that pinned them down at the 6-yard line the next time around. His next kick only went 37 yards, but again put Pittsburgh deep, this time at the 7-yard line.
Had the best game by an Eagles punter in a long time. 3 of his punts landed inside the 20, 2 inside the 10. Another punt flipped the field. That's impact from a guy you don't normally expect it from.
PR – Had one okay return. Used burst and a stiff arm to get wide to the right side, but only got 9 yards because he initially ran backward. Got a chance to return the free kick after the safety, but didn't get much of a return.
KOR – Demps had 2 returns for 58 yards. The first KO went for 37 and the second for 21. Greg Lewis caught a couple of KOs as well (short kicks).
COVERAGE/BLOCKING –
* Q Mikell made tackle in KO coverage.
* Dorenbos had an off target snap to Rocca, threw off the punt.
* Demps and Considine combined to down a punt inside the 10.
___________________________________________________
* Blitzes *
They get a special section this week. I charted every play I considered a blitz (more than 4 rushing). I included plays with penalties as the penalties were due to the guys showing a blitz look. COMP means completion. INCL means incompletion.
3rd/2 - got pre-snap penalty
1st/10 - quick pass...COMP...no hit
3rd/4 - short pass...COMP...1st down...Roeth hurried by 75
1st/10 - run to right...TFL -1
2nd/11 - pass right...COMP...1st down
2nd/4 - run up middle...TFL - 1
3rd/4 - pass right...INCL...led to FG
1st/10 - sack
3rd/4 - pre-snap penalty...1st down
2nd/10 - short pass to right...COMP
3rd/3 - sack, FF
1st/10 - sack
1st/10 - false start penalty
1st/10 - short pass to left...COMP
1st/10 - sack
2nd/17 - pass to left...COMP
-----------end half-----------
2nd/6 - pass over middle...INCL
3rd/6 - false start penalty
3rd/11 - false start penalty
2nd/8 - run right...TFL
3rd/10 - QB scramble up middle for 1
3rd/6 - QB scramble up middle for 2
1st/10 - downfield pass to the left....INCL
3rd/10 - pass over middle...COMP...1st down
1st/10 - run right...gained 4
2nd/6 - run right...TFL
3rd/6 - QB scramble up middle for maybe a foot
1st/10 - run right...TFL
1st/10 - forced throw away
2nd/10 - false start penalty
3rd/15 - sack, FF...we got the ball
2nd/10 - pass over middle...COMP...1st down
1st/10 - pass into endzone...INCL
The Eagles racked up nine sacks. They had 6 (by my count) tackles-for-loss. They came up with two takeaways and a safety. The turnovers led to a pair of field goals. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was knocked out of the game with a hand injury and the Steelers gained only 180 net yards.
The gameplan was very aggressive and very successful. I hope we see more of it as the season goes along.
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