Eagles: Week 2 Happenings and Prospects

The Eagles started out the season with a dominant defensive performance that helped to ease concerns about having a new defensive coordinator and losing Stewart Bradley and Brian Dawkins. Unfortunately, their win against the Panthers was dampened by losing Donovan McNabb to a rib injury. Most of the news and discussion since then have been about things other than "x's" and "o's."

Events of the Week

Although the Eagles won in a blowout in week 1, the immediate focus after the game was the health of their starting quarterback, and then a series of personnel moves and a couple NFL office rulings. I guess you can throw Dr. Phil's visit on top of that since his comments certainly made their way to the Eagles locker room.

By game's end on Sunday, word had already been disseminated that McNabb had suffered a broken rib on a 3rd quarter touchdown scramble. This led to a series of personnel moves and a ruling by the NFL office (see NFL Office Needs to Re-Examine Its Priorities and Logic for more on this paradoxical decision.)

The Eagles quickly signed recently released (by Oakland) Jeff Garcia to bolster the QB position and moved Michael Vick to the active roster to allow him to practice with the team. To make room, the team released wide receiver (and Hugh Hefner's rival) Hank Baskett and put former Pro Bowl player Shawn Andrews on the Injured Reserve list. The former was a mild surprise. The latter was a major surprise.

With McNabb doubtful to play this week (and probably next), Andy Reid has reinforced that Kevin Kolb is the starter "right now." This is coach speak for "Kolb is on a short leash, so don't be surprised to see Garcia or Vick next week."

Placing Andrews on IR appears to be throwing in the towel on his physical and mental health for 2009, and possibly beyond, to remove weekly distractions and uncertainties. It also would seem to be a decision made out of frustration and could come back to haunt the team against opponents with big pass rushes like the Giants or Vikings, and might limit some of their aggressiveness overall. Of course, that assumes that Andrews would have made it onto the field for at least portions of the season.

The NFL determined that no penalty or fine was in order for the late hit that injured McNabb. However, the NFL office did take extreme exception to the Eagles end zone celebration circle in the same game and handed out $60,000 in fines for this gratuitous act of elation.

Prospects for Week 2

Kevin Kolb may look fairly good against a less than stellar Saints defense, but it is probably going to take a great performance to out score the high powered Saints offense. The Saints have picked right up where they left off last year, when they were the NFL's most prolific offense, scoring 45 points in the season opener. Of course, there is a vast difference between the Eagles defense and the Lions defense that they faced last week.

Look for Brian Westbrook and LeSean McCoy to lead a strong rushing attack on Sunday, and for the Eagles to keep things short with Kolb. The Eagles pass defense will be effective, but will not be able to totally contain Brees. In the end, the Eagles will miss McNabb, give up a cheap touchdown due to a turnover and fail to be able to put together a winning drive in the 4th quarter.

Saints 27

Eagles 23

I'm Just Saying......

A weekly collection of random thoughts and observations for you to consider.

• The Astros stadium, Minute Maid Park, seems to have been designed by a bunch of wiffle ball and toy train enthusiasts. It has everything from a choo choo train carrying a load of oranges in left to a hill with a flag pole in the field of play to a balcony with a gas pump that hangs over the field of play. What, no parked car behind shortstop or a 60 yard scoreboard hovering above the field?
• Carlos Ruiz is in the midst of an extended hot streak offensively, but it would seem that he could benefit from an offseason strength and conditioning program. He hits so many warning track flies or drives that don't quite have enough juice to find the gaps, so a few more feet could translate into a big offensive season.
• Is the "Wildcat" so wild anymore? At what point does it become so common place that the defenses cover it easily and at what point does a quarterback go down with an injury?
• Donovan McNabb should not even attempt to play this week and probably next.
• Would the NFL see anything wrong with the blind side hit on McNabb taken by the IHOP waitress?
• Andy Reid seems to be using twisted logic. On one hand, he abruptly places former pro bowler Shawn Andrews on IR (who has had physical and emotional issues) to eliminate a distraction, yet weeks earlier signed a player coming out of incarceration for some highly polarizing crimes. Although maybe a little eccentric, Andrews seems to be a good guy, while Dr. Phil labeled Michael Vick a sociopath the other day.
• Did Kendra have anything to do with the Eagles picking Reggie Brown over Hank Baskett?
• What was up with Tom Brady pulling a "reverse Namath" on sideline reporter Suzy Kolber after Monday night's game?
• Rex Ryan has a little bit of Buddy in him which makes him fun, especially if the Jets can actually do what the Bills bungled away Monday night.
• With the Jets getting fined as a result of Brett Favre's comments, his actions towards the Packers and Jets make me think of that line, "hell hath no fury like a ......."
• Those orange striped jerseys worn by the referees working the Raiders/Chargers game Monday night is a case of nostalgia gone bad.

• The NFL subscribes to the policy that it is all good until someone breaks a rib...oh, that's right....according to the NFL, that's good, too.

  
  

Many Unanswered Questions on the Eagles Remain

As the Philadelphia Eagles prepare for their third pre-season game tomorrow night against the Jacksonville Jaguars, many questions still linger regarding the team and how they will fare in the upcoming season. By most accounts, the team had a very productive off season after a run to the NFC Championship Game in January, so on paper, the Eagles appeared to be a Super Bowl contender before training camp opened.

Now that a few weeks have passed, that assessment seems a bit more tenuous as several question marks still persist, while others have arisen. The biggest concerns surround the health of the team's offensive line. After all, as the NFL coaching fraternity tends to say, everything starts up front- and this is particularly true with the pass heavy Eagles offensive approach.

Concerns are not limited to the front line, though. Obviously, several emanate from a recent team addition as an hour does not pass without a TV or news blurb on the topic. Depending on how these lingering issues unfold, the fate of the team could vary widely. As testimony to the high competitive balance in the NFL, the Eagles season could range from disappointing to conceivably competing for the Super Bowl title.

Here are some, but surely not all, of the questions surrounding the 2009-2010 edition of the Eagles:

▪ Can Stacy Andrews and Jason Peters fulfill their advance billing and measure up to the team's commitment to them? At this point, even more pressing is whether they will see the field?
▪ Will Shawn Andrews find his way back onto the field on a regular basis? If so, will he return to the Pro Bowl form of the past?
▪ Can rookies Jeremy Maclin and LeSean McCoy make the adjustment to the NFL well enough to contribute similarly to DeSean Jackson last season? Both show flashes of wonderful potential that needs to be consistently present as the team is probably relying on their contributions more than any rookies in previous seasons in the Andy Reid era.
▪ Will Bryan Westbrook come close to the form that he showed in the 2007-2008 season, or will he be last season's part-time, limited performer?
▪ Will Michael Vick add enough to the offense to compensate for the distractions and make his signing worthwhile? On a more basic level, will he fulfill his commitment to the team in regard to conduct and behavior?
▪ Can Donovan McNabb continue where he left off in January? Will he prosper or falter through the almost inevitable quarterback controversies that will ensue?
▪ Can Joe Mays or Omar Gaither step up to fill the big hole created by MLB Stewart Bradley's season ending injury?
▪ Will a true leader emerge on the defense to fill the vacated shoes of the former Eagles icon Brian Dawkins?
▪ Will the players and coaches respond well to the Michael Vick experiment by not allowing the distractions to disrupt team chemistry or game preparation?
▪ Can the secondary come together to once again become a team strength needed to make their defensive scheme work?
▪ Can Sean McDermott come close to replacing one the NFL's best and most beloved defensive coordinators, Jim Johnson?

Tomorrow night, Reid and his coaching staff hope to gain some valuable insight and possibly gather some answers. Certainly, other questions will remain that will only be answered under the spotlight of the network cameras, when the games count in the regular season. All teams have question marks as they head into each campaign, but this Eagles team would seem to have more than its fair share, particularly considering that they are widely viewed as Super Bowl contenders.

Eagles Should Re-sign Jon Runyan Now

Watching the Eagles game Thursday night, you didn't need to see anything beyond the graphics displayed during the the team's opening offensive series to know that they have a problem. Only one member of their starting offensive line was in uniform. Missing were Todd Herremans and all three of their high profile lineman, namely Jason Peters, Shawn Andrews and Stacy Andrews.

To say that this trio is instrumental to their plans for and success in 2009 is a large understatement at best. The Eagles offense under Andy Reid has always been built on the foundation of a strong front wall that enables an unbalanced pass to run ratio. As witnessed last night, the whole offensive scheme breaks down if the QB does not have time to throw.

This leads me to my point. The Eagles need to sign Jon Runyan right now before he gets scooped up by another team. At the minimum, he would provide important insurance. Judging by the current state and previous history, though, it is likely that he would be taking a lot of snaps throughout the season.

Runyan knows the system like the back of his hand. He also lives in the Philadelphia area and would seem more inclined to consider remaining with the home town team despite not being guaranteed a starting role. Of course, he can also see the same things we do to project a great deal of playing time.

On paper, the Eagles starting offensive line has the potential to be one of their best ever as well as a top unit in the league. Unfortunately, the only thing that counts is how they actually do on the field. Getting them onto to the field is one challenge. Having them play to their potential when they get there is another. Although players tend not to highlight it, lingering injuries keep them from peak performance. Additionally, limited practice time together keeps the players from jelling as a unit, which is essential for them to function well in the complex world of the NFL.

Sign Jon Runyan before it is too late. If the Eagles need to free up some salary space to make that happen, I could make some suggestions there, too.