Flipping the Bird: A Not So Weekly Look At the Potentially Table Running Philadelphia Eagles

Yeah, I said it. Okay, maybe I mean it starting two weeks from now. The Eagles, at 3-3, are listed as in dire straights. I predicted back in April the following:

 

Week 6: Detroit Lions at Eagles

This is the trap game of the year for them. The Lions could be off to a huge start if Stafford is still healthy. Also, it is not uncommon under Andy Reid for the Eagles to struggle before a bye. The Saints last lit up the Lions, but Detroit tried to stay with them till the end. I think in a shoot-out, Detroit takes it. In a running game, the Eagles will burn the Lions. However, the last time the Lions came to town, the Eagles killed them and made Kevin Curtis look like a star. Then two years ago the Eagles went into Detroit and killed them for 3/4 of the game, only to let them crawl back to make it closer than the rest of the game was. If Detroit does not do much with its secondary and Suh continues undisciplined football, the Eagles could pull it off. Although I don't trust King Dunlap to stop him, but perhaps Demetres Bell will be the Jason Peters lite the Eagles need. No run game for Detroit makes it easier for the Eagles to focus on stopping the explosive pass. I think it would be a true test for Nnamdi. If he can stop Calvin Johnson, then the Eagles will do great things. I just see Juan Castillo allowing his defense to collapse in this game. Sad, sad prediction. What would the Andy Reid era be without 2 miserable weeks pondering about how we lost to the Lions? Detroit 38, Eagles 27 (4-2)

Week 7: Eagles at their Homes, licking their wounds

A week of recovery where every radio host and blogger (minus me) talk about why we lost to the Lions on up to two (2) bonehead plays.

 

A couple worrisome things happened in this game - Detroit scored 17 points in the FOURTH quarter, making the Eagles look like the team through the first 5 weeks last year, giving up leads and such. Nnamdi Asomugha then went on to say in the post-game that they abandoned their plan which made the Lions look like garbage. Vick - 2 interceptions, 1 fumble (not lost but lost 6 yards on the play); Dallas Reynolds - Lost one fumble on a horrendous snap. The end result - Juan Castillo fired last Tuesday, King Dunlap back in at left tackle and supposedly Vick's performance being evaluated.

 

So, it was a long a two weeks. People on the radio think that running the ball is the answer. It certainly helps, as I have said at least a dozen times in the past here throughout this blog. But it is not the end all. Turnovers are killing the team, which seem to occur more and more frequently when the Eagles are marching down the field. Had these plays been converted and the points they would have accrued were reality, then the running game would come in to play. I did see the Eagles run nice drives, mostly with short and medium passes. Occassional running plays helped take the pressure back of their receivers. Maybe McCoy would have run roughshod over the Steelers and Lions late in the game, but alas the Eagles did not have the opportunity. The loss of Jason Peters and a player of his capacity, along with pulling blockers to help out with the center position, will never allow for the running game to take off in Philadelphia for the short term. Maybe as they play several more weeks with a winning attitude, they can pull something off.

 

Checking NFL.com's stats, The Eagles are the 13th best at total offense. They only average 17.2 points per game, and that is awful for this allegedly uber talented team. 58.9 percent passing completion, 257 yards per game, 20 plays of 20+ yards, 3 of 40+ yards, 103 total points for the year. Their upcoming opponent, the only undefeated team in the NFL the Atlanta Falcons, come to town next. They average 28.5 points per game, 171 total points, 67.8 percent pass completion, 274.8 yards per game with 17 plays of 20+ yards and 3 of 40+ yards. The Falcons have 14 touchdowns and 6 interceptions to 8 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. Atlanta has given up 13 sacs and the Eagles 17 sacks.

 

Check this out: Atlanta has 139 rushes for 519 yards, 3.7 yards per carry. The Eagles have 180 rushes for 732 yards, 4.1 per carry. Another stat to focus on - Atlanta has allowed 34 QB hits as opposed to the Eagles 53.

 

On the other side of the ball, the Eagles defense is ranked 11th through 6 games, and Atlanta at 22nd through the same. Eagles give up 20.8 points per game and Falcons 18.8 points per game. Out of 387 total plays against them, Philadelphia gives up 5.1 yards per play. Falcons with 371 plays against them, 5.9 yards per play. The Falcons stop opponents 42 percent on 3rd down and Eagles are 29 percent. The Falcons have 10 interceptions, one for a touchdown and forced 9 fumbles while recovering 7 of them. On the flip, the Eagles have 7 interceptions (with no touchdowns) and 3 forced fumbles, one of which was recovered. Finally, the Falcons have 16 sacks (15th overall) to the Eagles 7 (tied for 30th...with the Raiders).

 

So, what does it all mean? I thought I had some kind of crazy cool formula here, but no. The Falcons give up 18.8 points per game, and the Eagles average 17.2 points. That right there tells me that they have a chance to at least improve slightly on that aspect. People still say the offense should roll. I think they have potential, but you have to see it. Desean Jackson had some good games and, compared to last year, is in line for a good season. However, I see a little panic in the play. The receivers are doing well, when the ball makes it to them. The notorious non-lay-it-out-there of D-Jax has disappeared as he seems to be laying out, and Maclin is just a hustler. Celek, the TE, has yet to live up to expectations, and that hurts me saying it. He's my boy. He hurdled Ed Reed. But that is not enough.

 

The Eagles give up 20 points per game and Atlanta scores 28 per game. So, that discrepancy could be beneficial. Or horrible. There is an 11 point difference in average scoring here, with Atlanta more likely to take a dip. However, the Eagles secondary coach, Todd Bowles, is now the new defensive coordinator. This happened early in the bye week for the Eagles, and people are expecting a massive change in the defense. People say that the hiring of Jim Washburn and his "wide nine" philosophy is atrocious...now. Everybody loved him last year as Babin and Cole and the backups played out of their minds all year long. Now we are tied with fucking Oakland on sacks. Pathetic. So, will the facelift help the Eagles? Perhaps.

 

What worries me is not the Eagles general performance, but rather the fact that their opponents are coming off a bye, too. This is the third straight team the Eagles will play coming off their bye. The first two teams - Stealers and the Lions - found a way to come back on the Eagles and take the win. The Falcons have had two weeks as well to evaluate them. However, Todd Bowles is supposedly responsible for the parts of the defense that worked in 3/4 of those previous two games and Castillo is responsible for the last 1/4 of said games, when the Eagles lost. I think the Eagles have the personnel that can adjust to some plays and alter the scheme of attack.

 

This is what I wrote back in April about this game:

 

Week 8: Atlanta Falcons at Eagles

The Eagles are 2 and 2 against the Matt Ryan led Falcons. And by this point, I have them 2 and 0 on the Angry Birds revenge tour. Make that 3-0. I think that Atlanta is starting to slide after their dismal playoff showing and what I assume would be a "below-expectations season" thus far. The last time they came to Philadelphia, the Eagles waxed them, not without casualty, though, as Dunta Robinson (one of my all-time scumbag players) killed DeSean Jackson after he had already scored two touchdowns. Ultimately knocking him out of the next couple games, including a loss to the Titans two years ago. Also, under Reid, the Eagles are 13-0 off the bye week. Say what you want, but two weeks to study your opponent and design Falcons-specific formations will lead to a victory. I like streaks. The Undertaker is 20-0 at Wrestlemania, so don't tell me a longer time to prepare is a bad thing. The Eagles will win this, in similar dominating fashion as that of the NY Giants in the playoffs last season. And for a couple weeks we hear national pundits declare Reid a genius while the local guys give him grief for needing two weeks. Eagles 38, Falcons 14 (5-2)

 

So, the Eagles are 1-1 on the Angry Birds revenge tour and the Falcons are undefeated. First three sentences of this are wrong. I do believe I still hate Dunta Robinson. He is still a scumbag. If Todd Bowles is responsible for keeping the Stealers receivers and Megatron useless for 3/4 of a game, perhaps he can have decent success against Julio White. That combo is menacing on paper. Roddy White is matchup proof and Jones is boom to some times bust. Add Tony Gonzalez and the Eagles have a headache. I think just plain old good coverage from the corners can do well against them plus Boykin in the slot has been exceptional. Michael Turner is the type of back that has field days on the Eagles, but the additions of Demeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks make them look like the Great Wall of China compared to past linebackers. They may be able to actually tackle him once he gets slowed down by the rotating defensive line.

 

Yes, the Undertaker is undefeated at Wrestlemania. I haven't seen wrestling in years, but I would think the year he loses is the year he retires. The year Reid loses after a bye is probably the year he leaves Philadelphia. Much like the Undertaker, though, there is no next big thing to take his place. Neither is there for Andy Reid, whether you like it or not. Unless you get some uppity college coach and take your learning curve lumps, but I know the fans in Philadelphia won't like that either. It would take a whole locker room of heels to beat the Undertaker at Wrestlemania. Andy Reid's heel is Vick. He can make a choice for the rest of the year - play the way the coaches tell him or play the way he did to win our hearts in 2010. Yes, your offensive line is a problem. Ultimately, they don't put the ball in the defender's hands (maybe Dallas Reynolds did, but that was one time, and McCoy had a bad fumble too). Michael Vick, you can run down that aisle, look at the UnderReid, holding that steel chair. You can unfold the chair, take a seat, and cheer him on and inspire him, or you can fake to hit the opponent, only to smack your coach clear in the face. Choice is yours. Just remember you are not the next big thing, either.

 

So, that was a dumb soliloquy. The Eagles are staring at 3-3. They are currently 9th in the NFC. There are 11 teams at 4-3 or worse. Eight of these teams range from 4-3 to 3-4. They have a chance, whether the fans want to admit it or not. They had a chance with four games left in the 2011 season, and they did what they could with where they had put themselves in. I hope that desperation comes in again like last year, as that level of play looked easy for them to maintain.

 

"C'mon Duba...tell me what will happen already!"

 

Well, the Eagles will still not run the ball enough, but the defense will stand out. The crowd at home after a bye after a loss will be going banans by 12:45 p.m. and the Eagles will finally show some fire and some punch. Eagles 23, Falcons 21. It will be tight, but I think the score doesn't reflect how the Eagles will dominate this game. Yes, I am a "homer", but not a "homer sexual." Go Eagles! You have to!