Eagles Use Big Plays to Sink the Sherman's

The Eagles must be spending some time watching their brothers in red pinstripes across the street. They hit a few home runs early to build a lead and hung on to win, bouncing back from last week's disappointing loss. Meanwhile, the Redskins new Sherman Brothers offensive scheme proved to be more of the same, laden with turnovers and unfortunate plays.

DeSean Jackson and recently acquired Will Witherspoon were the stars, scoring touchdowns on big plays to stake the Eagles to a 27-7 first half advantage. Jackson got things started on the first series, by taking the ball on an end around and racing past Redskins defenders for a 67-yard touchdown. Witherspoon added to that lead at the end of the quarter when he slid under a tipped pass and shot into the end zone from 9 yards out.

The new Eagles linebacker was at it again on the 3rd play of the Redskins ensuing series, sacking Jason Campbell and forcing him to fumble. Quinton Mikell recovered at the Redskins 36, but after a 3 and out, the Eagles settled for a David Akers 47-yard field goal to make it 17-0.

Campbell and Rock Cartright led Washington to get on the board. The Redskins got great field position when Cartright returned the kickoff 42 yards and Macho Harris was penalized an additional 15 yards for an illegal block. The team quickly drove 45 yards, with Cartright contributing an 11-yard run and Campbell going 4-4, including a 2-yard scoring pass to Devin Thomas.

The Eagles tacked on a field goal after another Redskins fumble to make it 20-7. Immediately after the 2-minute warning, Donovan McNabb found a wide open Jackson deep down the left sideline on a 3rd and 22 play, who bounded into the end zone for a 57-yard scoring play. The Skins mounted a short drive that resulted in a field goal at the end of the first half.

Both teams took turns sputtering on offense in the second half, trading punts back and forth. Campbell strung together some good passes late in the game, tossing his second TD of the contest with 1:38 left on the clock to close out the scoring at 27-17.

Although the Eagles won, Brian Westbrook was knocked out at the end of the first quarter when he took a knee to the head, and left the game with a concussion. With two important division games against the Giants and Cowboys coming up, his absence would be a big blow. Additionally, Jackson sprained a foot on his scoring reception, but it is anticipated that he will play next week.

If Jim Zorn were a fan, his sideline view and having access to listen into the play calls would have been exciting. Unfortunately, Zorn is still the head coach, and seemed to be struggling to figure out what to do and how to act. He looked on helplessly as the Sherman's led the offense to a number of turnovers, penalties and ineffective plays. Apparently that was the intent of the Redskins executives, perhaps so he could experience what they have in watching the struggling team.

Overall, the Eagles used Jackson's explosiveness and the defense's attacking style to hit a few home runs, but were not able to put together any consistency or sustained drives. The team's offensive personality has definitely shifted to reflect the big play abilities of young receivers Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, so this might be expected, but in order to fulfill the team's Super Bowl expectations, they will also need to be able to develop more consistency on offense. Losing Westbrook, who looked spry and elusive early on, would certainly make that objective more difficult as back-up LeSean McCoy has not demonstrated the same explosiveness or ability to turn 3 yards into 5 or 6.

A win is a win, especially in hostile territory against a team that has had their number of late. Also, the Redskins do have a solid defense, so lets credit the team more for the long scoring strikes as opposed to bemoaning their lack of offensive continuity. Washington is a team that has been embarrassed by their play and the actions of their front office, so the bright lights of Monday night and extra adrenaline to save face served as additional motivators. And, the Redskins defense has been impacted less as their coaches have been afforded the opportunity to still call the shots.

The win allowed the Eagles to keep pace with the Cowboys at 4-2, and move to within 1/2 game of the Giants, who dropped to 5-2 with their loss yesterday to the Cardinals. Sunday has the potential to be a red letter day in Philadelphia with the Big Apple teams visiting the Linc and the Bank for an afternoon, evening football, baseball doubleheader with huge import. Needless to say, successful days by the Eagles and Phillies could make for one of the most memorable days in Philadelphia sports history. Although a few early long balls might be enough to propel each team to victory, both would prefer to sustain their offensive attacks throughout the game.

Eagles Seek Return to Form After Lost Week

Tonight is an opportunity for the Eagles to begin putting last week's painful loss in Oakland behind them. To add insult to injury, the New York Jets visited the Raiders yesterday and left contrails all over the field on the way to a 38-0 whipping- a game so easy that the Jets QB snacked on a hot dog during the game. The lopsided game helped to reinforce that the previous week was more about the Eagles futility and less about the Raiders resurgence.

Besides using the memory of last week's game as motivation to play to their potential going forward, the best thing the team can do is chalk up the big upset loss as a poor performance that sometimes happens to good teams and get back on track with a strong showing in Washington tonight. Similar to the Raiders, the Redskins have had a less than satisfying season thus far, so much so that the front office made the decision to give Coach Jim Zorn's play calling responsibilities to a consultant.

Sherman Lewis, the consultant, will relay plays from the press box to another Sherman (Smith) on the sideline, while Coach Zorn gets to observe. It is not clear whether this is to enhance Zorn's enjoyment of the game, help him learn how it is done or allow him to send in two tight ends for a quarterback sneak, but it would seem to make for a dysfunctional situation. Additionally, starting quarterback Jason Campbell was benched at half-time last week, but will be back under center, at least for awhile. There is no word on who makes that call. To the Eagles credit, players have reminded themselves to not be duped into thinking that the game will be easy.

The reality is that the Eagles have struggled against the Redskins in recent years, including a pair of losses last season. The latter had looked to be a big blow as the Eagles gave up controlling their playoff destiny in Week 16, and ultimately needed an unlikely combination of events to get into the playoffs. So, regardless of who is calling plays for them, the Redskins will probably present a stiff challenge this evening.

Andy Reid hopes to get his offense untracked tonight after failing to score a touchdown against the Raiders. Last week's main culprits were poor protection for McNabb and a highly unbalanced offensive approach. Considering that the Redskins have a strong defensive line that will keep pressure on McNabb, fortunately, Jason Peters and guard Todd Herremans should be back in the line-up after returning from injuries. Handing the ball off more to Brian Westbrook, and perhaps LeSean McCoy would also help to keep the heat off and potentially open up the passing game.

Look for McNabb to regain his rhythm and spread the ball around to DeSean Jackson, Brent Celek, Jeremy Maclin and his two running backs. Westbrook should get more carries than he has gotten since returning from injury, but the Eagles will still stay with a heavy dose of passing.

On the defensive side of the ball, Sean McDermott will likely use a great deal of stunting and blitzing, recognizing that the Redskins offensive play calling consultant may need to shake off the cobwebs. Conversely, the Redskins will have a clear element of surprise tonight, so it will be important for the Eagles defense to not get locked into what they saw in film study leading up to the game. Campbell will either have a chip on his shoulder and be determined to prove his place as the starter, or he will be looking over his shoulder and indecisive. The Eagles will quickly put that to the test with pressure early on.

This will be a tough NFC East battle. The fact that the Eagles have the better team, along with the extra motivation from last week's embarrassing loss and the Cardinals victory over the Giants last night, should allow them to emerge victorious. Securing a win tonight is particularly important with the Giants and Cowboys coming into town over the next two weeks.

Prediction

Eagles 24

Redskins 17

More Deserving Accolades for Phils

The Sporting News published its annual Baseball Awards issue this week covering the 2009 regular season. A few Phillies players were recognized according to a vote taken from players, managers and front office executives.

J.A. Happ was recognized as the National League's Rookie of the Year based on his 12-4 record and 2.93 ERA. Some notable players that he topped included the Brave's Tommy Hansen, the Marlin's Chris Coghlan and the Pirate's tandem of Andrew McCutchen and Garrett Jones.

Although he was attempting to praise him, comments by a former Phillies scout who now works for the Orioles was quoted saying that Happ was able to do this despite throwing mostly in the 86-88 mph range. This may be why this particular scout is no longer with the Phillies as he must have been watching Jay Happ rather than J.A. I agree with his comments about Happ having good location, arm slot, composure, etc, but the guy I watched all season was consistently in the low 90's and hit 94 when needing to reach back.

In addition to Happ, both Chase Utley and Jayson Werth were included on TSN's year-end NL All-Star Team. The former is not a surprise since Utley is widely recognized as not only the best second basemen in baseball, but also one of the top players, period. TSN sited Utley for stealing 23 bases after off season hip surgery and his fourth consecutive 100 run season. Chase finished the regular season with a .282 Batting Average, 31 HR's, 93 RBI's and a .397 On Base Percentage.

Werth built upon last year's break out season as he became an everyday player after platooning for a good portion of 2008. They sited his 36 home runs, 98 runs, 99 RBI's and .879 OPS. It was pleasing to see Werth be recognized by his peers and leaders around the league. In Philadelphia, we have been able to track his emergence as a star and see his five tool capabilities up close, but with a cast of all-star teammates, his contributions can fly under the radar a bit.

Albert Pujols was recognized as both the NL All-Star first basemen and the NL Player of the Year having hit .327 with 47 home runs and 135 RBI's. It is hard to argue with this selection, but it tends to occlude a great season by the Phillies Ryan Howard. Pujols did most of his damage in the first half of the season, banging out 2/3 of his home runs before the All-Star break. Howard's power numbers were balanced, but hit .305 after the break to end at .279, 45 home runs and a major league leading 141 RBI. Howard has averaged 50 HR's and 143 RBI's over his first four full seasons.

The Phillies have an impressive array of talent as evidenced by their entire outfield, Howard and Utley all being selected to the 2009 NL All-Star team. And, a notable omission from that group is Jimmy Rollins, who won the NL MVP award in 2007 and is still in the prime of his career. The team also boasts other recent All-Stars in Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels and Brad Lidge.

None of this is breaking news, but it is great to see that perceptions around the league are matching up to what Philadelphia sports fans already know. It is no accident that the Phillies are heading back to their second consecutive World Series with the goal of defending their 2008 championship. Most would agree, the talent is there to do it.

NFL Power Rankings-Top 15....Week 6

The New Orleans Saints made a strong statement to the rest of the NFC with their crushing victory over the New York Giants, who many believed to be the team to beat. The Colts look to continue where they left off after having a bye week to heal. The Vikings remain undefeated, but have been fortunate to win 2 of the last 3 games. A last second touchdown heave and a missed field goal have them feeling like a team of destiny. The Denver Broncos continue to exceed expectations by running their record to 6-0, making Josh McDaniels look like a genius.

The Patriots love to kick teams when they are down, especially in the snow. A 59-0 drubbing of the Titans has people convinced Tom Brady is officially back from knee surgery. A fortuitous schedule has the Steelers keeping pace, but they will be severely tested by the Vikings this week. Matt Ryan, Michael Turner and company might not win division, but will be strong playoff contenders. The Pack may be back, and must avoid looking past the Browns to their home rematch against Favre.

1. Saints (5-0)-Emphatic win over Giants makes statement to NFC
2. Colts (5-0)-Healed over bye week, look to crush Rams
3. Vikings (6-0)-Runaway win turns into a nail biter as Ravens FG misses
4. Broncos (6-0)- What is their magic number in the AFC West?
5. Giants (5-1)-Saints prove to me a far cry from previous opponents
6. Patriots (4-2)-Snow in NE perfect for running up the score
7. Falcons (4-1)- Well rounded offense, good defense = playoff contender
8. Bengals (4-2)- Set back by surprising loss to Texans at home
9. Steelers (4-2)-Beating weak teams, need to step up against Vikings
10. Eagles (3-2)-Guilty of taking Raiders too lightly
11. Ravens (3-3)-Battled back against Vikings and lose a heartbreaker
12. Packers (3-2)-Offense clicking, one Favre prayer from 4-1
13. 49ers (3-2)- Tough game in Houston with confidence down
14. Bears (3-2)-Nothing to be ashamed of loss in Atlanta
15. Cowboys(3-2)-Want to prove themselves with win vs good Falcons team

Phillies Considering World Series Roster Options

Similar to the previous two playoff series, teams have an opportunity to reset their rosters for the World Series. The Phillies brass is surely mulling over their options right now, but probably will not make final decisions until their opponent is determined. The Yankees, of course, are still favored considering their 3-2 ALCS lead and the final two games in the friendly confines of their new stadium.

Cliff Lee will get the ball for Game 1 on Wednesday. Charlie Manuel would prefer to bring him back again on normal rest, but if the Phillies fall behind in the series, it is possible that he would choose to bring him back on Sunday with only 3 days rest. Pedro Martinez and Cole Hamels will get the call for Games 2 and 3, but the order is undetermined at this point. Since it is a difficult decision anyway, the determining factor could be that Hamels is a much better hitter, so Manuel could DH for Martinez in Game 2.

As he had in previous series, Manuel will keep his options open and likely will not name the Game 4 starter until Saturday. J.A. Happ pitched well in his start against the Yankees earlier this year, and could get the call if that is their opponent and they go with a 4-man rotation. Happ gives up less long balls than Blanton, which is a big part of the Yankees offense. If Antonio Bastardo is left off the roster, though, Happ would give the Phillies a second lefty in the pen to go with Scott Eyre.

There appears to be some sentiment to consider adding Brett Myers to the World Series roster. Ruben Amaro indicated yesterday that Myers looked a lot sharper in a recent simulated game. This will depend upon whether the team opts for 12 pitchers over keeping Eric Bruntlett or whether it makes sense to keep Bastardo as an additional lefty in the pen.

My guess is that they will add Myers to the roster since he has big game, pressure experience. I also believe they will keep Bruntlett to maintain more flexibility, especially since they can use Happ as a situational lefty for a batter or two regardless of whether he starts. Games 6 and 7 would likely be an "all hands on deck" scenario anyway.

Here is how I would project things for Game 1. If they face a right-handed starter, Matt Stairs or Greg Dobbs could DH with Ibanez back in left.

Line-up  9

1. Rollins-SS
2. Victorino-CF
3. Utley-2B
4. Howard-1B
5. Werth- RF
6. Ibanez-DH
7. Francisco-LF
8. Feliz-3B
9. Ruiz-C

Rotation  4

1. Lee
2. Martinez
3. Hamels
4. Happ

Bench   5

1. Stairs
2. Dobbs
3. Bako
4. Cairo
5. Bruntlett

Bullpen  7

1. Lidge
2. Madson
3. Park
4. Eyre
5. Blanton
6. Durbin
7. Myers

I'm Just Saying......

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

• "Manny" takes a shower during the dramatic 9th inning Phillies rally in Game 4 of the NLCS, yet the TBS and ESPN commentators continue to be apologists for him. Its just more evidence that Manny is about Manny. When questioned about it, Joe Torre said he has been doing it all year and it was only getting attention because it is the NLCS. Does that make it right and isn't the whole season riding on those games?
• After the Phillies clinched the NLCS, Torre said that the Dodgers "weren't the best team this week." I can appreciate supporting your guys, but Joe, I have news for you....you wouldn't be the best team next week or the week after or the week after that. Maybe its time to acknowledge that the Phillies are better...period?
• Every time that I see players like Alex Rodriguez and Manny make big contributions in the playoffs, I wonder how much of the success is attributable to modern science? And, its hard to feel admiration when the announcers marvel over their supreme capabilities.
• Wasn't Sherman Lewis, the Redskins new "Offensive Play Caller in the Press Box Consultant", the guy on "The Jeffersons?"
• With all the controversy over bad calls in the Major League Baseball playoffs, perhaps they could give umpires iPhones with streaming video so they could take a peak at pitch tracker or see replays showing two guys standing off of 3rd base or a ball landing a couple feet fair?
• Speaking of umpiring mistakes, it seems that an inordinate number of the blown calls have benefited the Yankees. I'm just saying....
• It seems that in order for Cole Hamels to get back on track, he is going to need to mix in his curve ball a lot more because his other pitches are both very straight. Speaking of which, did James Loney bait him into throwing the curve by praising the pitch and then sitting on it for a home run?
• The whole Oakland Raiders coaching controversy reminds me of a Monty Python skit. So, apparently Tom "Piranha" Cable has no idea how the coffee table got nailed to his ex-assistant's head. And, the witnesses, who are still currently employed by Cable and the Raiders, say that their ex-associate must have accidently fallen on the coffee table.
• Certain Fantasy Football team owners are rejoicing now that Tom Brady has his "running up the score groove thing" back. Five TD passes in one quarter projects to 320 TD's over a full season. And, Brady doesn't have to worry about an angry defense retaliating now that the NFL has given him his own yellow hanky to throw when he gets bumped.

Redskins Making Me Worry

The more I hear about the Washington Redskins and examine their season thus far, the more I get worried about Monday night's game. This, of course, is fueled by last Sunday's totally improbable loss to the Oakland Raiders, a futile team in seemingly total disarray. The Redskins have some similarities, but have also played close games every week, albeit against some bad teams.

The Redskins take a 2-4 record into the game, having eked out wins against the Rams and Bucs at home. They lost their other home game against the Chiefs, as well as their three road games. Except for the Giants, all their opponents have losing records and are a combined 1-23 against the rest of the league.

Despite playing such a soft schedule, the most points they have scored is 17. Averaging a meager 13 points per game, only a handful of teams have performed worse. In an unprecedented move, the team announced yesterday that they are going to have a consultant in the press box take over the play calling duties from their current coach.

Perhaps they preferred torturing Jim Zorn rather than simply cutting him loose? Sounds a little dysfunctional, somewhat like the Oakland Raiders. At least detectives and law enforcement officers are not involved, but it is not your typical, sure fire way to jump start an NFL offense. Zorn did say that he gets a chance to walk around and listen in to the play calls.

Are you getting scared, yet? Similar to last week, all conventional reasoning and odds would seem to favor the Eagles this week. A team in turmoil, with a futile offense taking on another team that is supposed to be a Super Bowl contender. Unfortunately, things did not work out as most everyone would have expected against the Raiders. Could the Eagles experience deja vu?

Here is the argument that the Birds could be similarly challenged this week:

• The Redskins are 2-1 at home and the game is in Washington.
• It is a Monday night football game, which provides extra motivation as players know their peers are likely looking in.
• The Redskins swept them last season, including a 10-3 win in Week 16 when the Eagles needed a victory to control their playoff destiny.
• Washington has been in every game this season.
• The Eagles offensive line is hurting and surrendered 6 sacks last week.
• The Redskins have a strong pass defense and have a defensive line that can put pressure on the QB.
• Donovan McNabb and his offense were out of synch all day, partially due to the line as well as the play calling.
• The Redskins are ranked 5th in the NFL in points allowed, so they are capable of making things difficult for the Birds again this week.
• The Eagles have a hole at middle linebacker after losing their starter and back-up for the season. The Raiders were able to exploit Jeremiah Trotter's lack of speed last week and just acquired Will Witherspoon will still be learning his abc's.
• Although they have not scored many points, the Skins do have some playmakers in Clinton Portis, Santana Moss and Chris Cooley.

You can see, despite outward appearances to the contrary, there is ample reason for Eagles fans to be concerned about Monday's game. This is especially true if the Eagles themselves take the game too lightly and do not properly prepare. The team would be wise to ignore the Redskins record and all the stuff about their new "offensive play caller in the press box consultant." Instead, they should remind themselves that this opponent swept them last season, and that they could only muster 3 points in a "must win" game at the end of December.