I can barely even talk about the Eagles right now.‚ I am still fuming over Sunday night’s game.‚ Every time I think about it I just see red.‚ The team’s flaws are so obvious; they have been exposed for everybody to see. The Eagles are good enough to compete against any team in the league but they certainly are not good enough to win a championship. And it is not a matter of scheme and execution as Andy Reid would like us all to believe. They are a fundamentally flawed team. ‚
You can argue that the Eagles are built too small to compete against the smash mouth teams in the NFL.‚ After all, the defense gave up over 200 yards rushing against the Giants Sunday night, and the offense got stuffed on that oh-so critical 4th and 2 play.‚ I, however, happen to be one of the few who think the Eagles aren’t too small on the defensive side of the ball. ‚ Yes, they got‚ gorged by the Giants power running attack.‚ It was painful to watch.‚ But this defense was assembled to have an identity.‚
As a defense, you are either quick and fast or big and stout. You can’t be both.‚ The Eagles chose to be the former because it’s more prone to make the big play i.e. the sack, the turnover.‚ Now, my problem with the defense, especially Sunday night, is that they are designed to be this aggressive, attacking style defense but yet they don’t attack. They don’t blitz, regardless of what the national media thinks. They don’t take risks. That’s a problem with gameday coaching, not philosophy.‚
Why didn’t they stack the line of scrimmage against the Giants? Why didn’t they call more run blitzes? Because of the threat of giving up a big play in the passing game? Well, if you’re afraid of taking these kinds of risks then they’d be better off having defensive personnel like the Patriots who are big, slow, and stout against the run with their base front seven. I hate to say this, but it seems to me that the teacher, Jim Johnson, could learn a few things from his pupil, Steve Spagnuolo.
The offensive side of the ball is another story. This is where the team is fundamentally flawed and it is this side of the ball that will ultimately keep the Eagles from being an elite team in the league this year. Football is a tough man’s game.‚ I’ve always believed that in order to be a championship caliber team there will be moments where the other team knows exactly what you are going to do and you just have to impose your strength and will onto them.‚ In these moments, you just have to be stronger and tougher than your opponent. No strategy. No fancy tricks. Just pure muscle and determination.‚
On a macro level, what this translates into is the ability to run the football in the 4th quarter with the lead. On a micro level, what this means is the ability to convert on short yardage and goal-line situations. This year, the Eagles have not had the ability to do either with any degree of success.‚ As a result, they’ve lost three very winnable games and now find themselves in the cellar of the division.
Once again, I don’t think this inherent flaw with the offense has so much to do with personnel as it has to do with the overall philosophy believed by Andy Reid of what winning football is.‚ It goes without saying that Andy Reid believes that you win games in the NFL by throwing the football. Year in and year out, the Eagles are always one of the most pass-happy teams in the league. This year, there are only three teams in the league who have rushed to ball fewer times than the Eagles.‚
On a theoretical level, I don’t have a problem with the fact that Reid calls so many pass plays.‚ If they could still effectively run the ball the limited number of times he actually called for it, then I think the Eagles’ record would be much improved, possibly even undefeated. Reality doesn’t work that way, however, and every offensive lineman will state that running the ball is a mindset and‚ repetitions‚ are needed to help create that mindset.‚
So, it’s not a matter of being too small upfront.‚ In fact, the Eagles have a huge offensive line; across the board they’re bigger than the Giants, who right now have the most dominant offensive line in the NFL.‚ Nor is it a matter of Westbrook being too small.‚ Emmitt Smith was arguably the greatest short-yardage back to ever play the game, and Westbrook is comparable in size to Smith. Also, I would argue that Adrian Peterson probably wouldn’t have been able to convert that 4th-and-2 Sunday night with how poor the blocking was on that play. ‚
The problem with the Eagles is inherent in the team’s offensive philosophy. It is this same philosophy that convinced Andy Reid to foolishly keep six wide receivers and four tailbacks on the roster while not retain a single true blocking fullback (nor a single blocking tight end, for that matter). Reid believes games are won one way from an offensive standpoint, by stringing together explosive play after explosive play. The mundane three-yard gain has no function in the overall design of an offensive game plan.‚
It seems in Reid’s mind of minds, games are won in the abstract or on the chalkboard rather than in the trenches on the field. Strategy and the ability to create favorable mismatches override the need to be mean, tough and physical.‚ Until Reid acknowledges this fatal flaw in his offensive philosophy, I fear they’re going to experience quite a few more heart-breakingly tough losses on the field this year. ‚
Sooo Jeff ? What you’re saying is , Reid stinks ? ! Last night I saw a quarterback doing the same things he was doing 8 years ago , throwing an 80 mph pass for 10 yds. throwing behind his receivers ( so they have to twist backwards or stop ) , overthrowing, underthrowing , meanwhile , back on the sidelines the coach is gaining weight by the second…..and can only worry about his cheesesteak growing cold while the game is ruining his best plans.
Donovan does much better when the running game is working , it takes that 3rd and one pressure off him and once he relaxes a bit and sees the field he is effective. When every play depends on his arm ? doomed , he isn;t that kind of a Q’back, never has been . Westbrook is still sore , why not help him out with Buckhalter every other play or at least keep both in to keep defense off balance ….there is a lot of talent just sitting on the sidelines …someone should use it .