SB Nation User Blog: Midnightgreen33

Face-T0-Face: Eagles Offense, Bears Defense

Midnightgreen33 — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 16:24:22 -0000

We're heading into week 4 of the season, and the Eagles will travel to the "Windy City" to face the Chicago Bears. We looked at how the Bears Offense will match up against the Eagles defense. Now let's observe the other side of the coin, Eagles offense, Bears defense.

The Eagles got banged up a little in week 3 against the Steelers, and that could have an impact on how the Eagles attack the Bears' defense. Here are the keys for the Eagles offense. First the Eagles have to protect Donovan McNabb. The backups are going to have to bring there "A" game. Lastly, the tight ends need to establish their presence in the passing game.

Everyone knows that the Eagles are going to throw the football more times than not. So naturally, the offensive line needs to protect the quarterback. This is especially import this week because of McNabb's chest injury. When he returned to last weeks game you could see that his chest was hurting him, and affected his throw. The offensive must maintain the pocket, and keep the Bears from taking shots. Jon Runyan, Max Jean-Gilles, Jamaal Jackson, Todd Herremans, and William Thomas need to keep the pocket in tact for the entire play. If the pocket breaks down, Donovan will take some unnecessary hits as he steps up towards the line of scrimmage, or out of the pocket.

As mentioned before the Eagles will be going into this week's game banged up. Donovan McNabb has not practiced all week because of a chest contusion. Shawn Andrews missed the Steelers game with a lower back injury, and probably won't play against the Bears. Brian Westbrook suffered an ankle sprain, and is listed as day-to-day. L.J. Smith has practiced this week either, because of a lower back injury. And to wrap it up, Tony Hunt suffered a concussion last week. Of the 5 players named, McNabb and Hunt are the only two that are definite for the game on Sunday. This means that some guys are going to have to step up. Correll Buckhalter took over for Westbrook after he left the Steelers game, and he filled in perfectly. Buckhalter racked up 87 all purpose yards (43 rushing, 44 receiving) on his way to scoring the games only touchdown. He will need to do more of the same against the Bears. Lorenzo Booker will need to step up as well. 16 all purpose yards are not enough. Even if Westbrook is able to play (highly unlikely), he will be limited, so Buckhalter and Booker will be vital to moving the ball. Max Jean-Gilles had to fill in for Shawn Andrews last week, and Max did a good job. He will be tested this week, as he will be facing Tommie Harris. Nick Cole could see some action at center, because of a quadriceps injury that is bothering Jamaal Jackson. Brent Celek could be seeing more time this week if L.J. Smith is limited, or out. Although he has not seen many passes come his way this season, Celek needs to make the most of the ones he does see.

Against cover two defenses there are always going to up openings in the seam, and that is a perfect place for our tight ends to sit down in. Brent Celek and L.J. Smith could receive more looks this week against the Bears Tampa 2 defense, and they have to capitalize on them. If Celek and Smith can makes plays, they will keep drives going, and be a huge threat in the red zone. L.J. has taken a lot of heat from the fans for his performance so far, and Celek hasn't gotten that many looks. If Donovan's chest is still sore on game day, he may not be able to make all the deeper throws. That could mean that the ball will be thrown their way.

The Bears use a Tampa 2 defensive scheme, which means that the Eagles will not see a lot of blitzing. In 2008 the Bears are giving up 174.7 yards a game through the air, and 152 on the ground, but that doesn't mean that they are to be underestimated. They are strong defense, and have the ability to control the speed, and flow of the game. The keys for the bears will be to get to the quarterback, Disrupt the timing and route running of the receivers, and create turnovers.

As mentioned before the Eagles won't see constant blitzing, so the Bears defensive line will be primarily responsible for creating most of the pressure on McNabb. Not to oversimplify things, but the Bears will probably test the abilities of Max Jean-Gilles, Jamaal Jackson, and Nick Cole based on injury and experience. The Bears' front four will be attacking the Eagles' offensive line on every play. If they can get to McNabb they will force either to step up and take excessive hits, or make errant throws that the Bears linebackers and secondary will capitalize on.

The second for the Bears will be to disrupt the route running, and timing of the Eagles Receivers. Probably the best way for them to do is to be physical. The Bears secondary are made up of solid tacklers that have good size. By bumping the receivers off their routes the Bears will disrupt the timing between McNabb and his receivers. If the Eagles receivers are able to get into their routes they can expect some big hits as they try to make the catch.

The final key for the Bears is to create turnovers. If the Bears' front four put pressure on McNabb, and he doesn't get enough on the ball, Hunter Hillenmeyer and Lance Briggs will be stepping right into the passing lane to pick it off. While Hillenmeyer and Briggs are covering the hash marks to the sidelines, Brian Urlacher will be covering everything in between. They are big, and fast. They will step into passing lanes to make the pick, or level big hits, and force fumbles. All the while they still have help at the next level. Like the linebackers the Bears' secondary are waiting to make the tackle, force a fumble, or make the interception. They will always have help over the top, which gives them the ability to take chances and make plays. The Bears offense relies heavily on the defense to give them the best possible field position.

The Bears defense has fallen on tough times over the past two years, but they are defense that are still strong and reliable. They cannot be underestimated, because they can, and will capitalize on mistakes. The Eagles have some injuries, and need to have some players make a big statement on Sunday. I think that the Eagles will be able to capitalize on the Bears' zone coverage, but they aren't going to put up offensive numbers like they did in the first 2 games. I feel confident we'll come out on top though.

Thoughts?

Face-To-Face: Eagles Defense, Bears Offense

Midnightgreen33 — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:59:27 -0000

We're heading into week 4 of the season, and the Eagles will travel to the Windy City to face the Chicago Bears. Let's look at the matchup, Bears offense, Eagles defense.

In order for the Bears offense to be successful, they need run the football successfully. The responsibility falls on the shoulders of their offensive line, and their running backs. With just having played 3 games this season the Bears have run for 456 yards on 105 attempts (4.3 yards/carry average). This would indicate that the offensive line is doing a good job opening holes for the running. Of the 105 attempts, rookie Matt Forte has taken 73 of them, and gained 304 yards on the ground, and is 4th overall in rushing. In addition Forte has caught 13 passes for 105 yards. Behind Forte, the Bears have former Detroit Lion Kevin Jones, Garrett Wolfe, and Adrian Peterson. Kevin Jones could be a good compliment to Forte, provided that his foot has healed after suffering a Liz Frank fracture. Garrett Wolfe is a change of pace back, but is undersized.

If the Bears are able to rush for 100 yards or more per game, they will make Kyle Orton's job of managing the football game much easier. The Bears aren't relying on Kyle Orton to win football games. They are relying on him no to lose them. In order for Kyle to manage the game effectively he needs his offensive line to protect him, the running game to be productive, and his receivers to get open. The offensive line needs to give him time to make his reads. If the running game is working that will alleviate some of the pass rush, and setup up the play action pass. The key for Orton will be time. The more time he has, the better decision he should be able to make.

The Bears' wide receiving corps isn't star studded by any stretch of the imagination. They don't have a great deal of size. Their biggest receiver is 10 year veteran Marty Booker (6'0", 205lbs). The Bears are converting Devin Hester from defensive back to receiver, but is a work in progress. Not too mention he's injured as well. Brandon Lloyd is their leading receiver, but has been a castoff from 2 other teams for under performance. But the Bears do have two solid tight ends in Desmond Clark, and Greg Olsen. Orton has made a lot of check downs, and thrown to the back. Forte is 2nd on the team with 13 receptions.

The keys for the Bears are to continue to run the football, protect Kyle Orton, play turnover free football, and make plays. The biggest thing for the Bears right now is their pass protection. Orton needs enough time to make a good decision, and to avoid throwing errors.

On the other side of the ball is the Eagles defense, and there is no indication that this matchup doesn't favor the Eagles. The keys for the Eagles will be to stop the run, and put pressure on the quarterback.

The Eagles are doing everything right against the run. Through three games Jim Johnson's boys have on average only given up 45.7 yards on the ground. The Eagles defensive line is undersized compared when matched up against the Bears offensive line, but we held the Cowboys to 73 rushing yards, and their offensive line dwarfs that of the Bears. The Eagles front four will need to tie up their blockers, and allow the linebackers to to get to the ball carrier as they have been doing so far.

If the Eagles are able to put a stranglehold on the Bears running game, you can expect Jim Johnson to open the floodgates, and blitz Kyle Orton unmercifully. I can't imagine Lovie Smith abandoning the running to game, and rely on Orton to sling the ball all over the field. The Eagles will need to get pressure on Orton in passing situations. If the Eagles can put pressure on Orton, then our secondary should have a field day picking off errant throws. With our secondary being as good as it is, expect to see some coverage sacks this week.

The Eagles defense has a clear advantage here over the Bears offense. I don't think that we'll get 9 sacks this week, but we will get some. Expect to see more turnovers than in previous weeks. My only concern will be: If Matt Forte is in man coverage with one of our linebackers. We have seen them get burned.

thoughts?

No Dimensional Offense

Midnightgreen33 — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 17:36:31 -0000

It wasn't our prettiest win, but it was a win none the less. The Eagles defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 15-6. It was a game of defense (on both sides), and our defense took away everything. 180 yards of total offense. That is what the Eagles gave up to the Steelers. The birds dismantled the Steelers running and passing game, and recorded 9 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 interception, and a safety.

The Steelers have a strong offensive tradition of running the football, and this year doesn't look to deviate from that in any way. Willie Parker ran for 243 yards in the Steelers first two games of the season, but hit a brick wall in the Eagles defense. The Eagles held parker to 20 yards on 13 carries. In total, the Steelers were only able to amass 33 yards rushing on 19 attempts. The Eagles forced the Steelers to abandon the running game, thus making them a one dimensional offense.

The Eagles forced the Steelers to beat us through the air. Needless to say, they couldn't. When the run was no longer a factor Jim Johnson waged an all out war on Ben Roethlisberger. Johnson sent blitzers from everywhere. The result was that, Roethlisberger was sacked 9 times, fumbled twice, and tackled for a safety. The one instance in which he had time he threw the deep ball, and Asante Samuel was in perfect position and he made the pick. The Eagles systematically took away the Steelers offense.

When a team can play defense like this, they are going to win more games than they are going to lose. So far, the Eagles have not allowed an opponent to gain 100 yards rushing. If they can continue to force teams to abandon then run, they have the talent, and a strong chance that they can take away the pass too. Do the Birds need to record 9 sacks every game to be successful? No, but it doesn't hurt. They will need to apply the same amount of pressure though. Let's hope there is more where that came from.

Brian Dawkins a liability?

Midnightgreen33 — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 15:03:11 -0000

It's the question on quite a few Eagles fan's minds since our Monday night loss to the Cowboys. Is Brian Dawkins a liability? I asked this very question back in August. My answer was "No", and it still is, but not as emphatically. The biggest concerns that I have are his mental mistakes, and his speed.

In the preseason game at Pittsburgh Santono Holmes caught a pass at the line of scrimmage, and took it 20 yards for the touchdown. Brian Dawkins took a bad angle, and got burned. 3 or 4 years ago, he could have taken that same angle, but he would have been able to catch Holmes and tackle him. At the time, I thought that it was an isolated incident, and there was no body of work to substantiate the notion that he was done. Although, there isn't a huge body of work to support the claim, it grew during the game in Dallas.

Jason Witten got behind the defense twice against us, once in the 2nd quarter (42 yard completion), and again in the in the 4th (32 yard completion), setting the Cowboys up for the game winning score. Here's what he had to say about getting beat over the top.

"I don't like the fact that I gave up a couple of big balls down the field. I took a couple of bad angles on the football today. I went for the interception on one and the other one, I wasn't quite in position. That wasn't good enough. I hold myself to high standards and it wasn't good enough.'' -Brian Dawkins

It's a long season, and don't believe that Weapon-X should hang up his cleats right now. He can still produce. He was strong against the run, and he can still lay the smack down on unsuspecting receivers, Bbut he can't rely on his speed to compensate for mental mistakes anymore. I wanted the Eagles to go after Miami's Kenny Phillips in the draft as Dawks eventual replacement. Do the Eagles look to next years draft? Maybe use Carolina's pick to do it?

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Midnightgreen33 — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 13:11:32 -0000

Last night, I watched a back-and-fourth battle between two offensive juggernauts. Unfortunately for us (Eagles and their fans), we got the short end of the stick (41-37). One team would score, and then the other would counter. This went on for the duration of the game. Besides disappointment, I took away some observations from the game. Some Good, Some Bad, and Some Ugly.

The Good: The Eagles won the turnover battle. Tony Romo threw an interception at the end of the first quarter ,that the Eagles were able to turn into a touchdown. Then we receovered Romo's fumble in the end zone for another touchdown. Winning the turnover battle will more times than not get you a win. We didn't get many turnovers last year, but the fact we got 2 against a very good team is praise worthy.

We only had 5 penalties for 44 yards, and the Cowboys racked up 10 penalties for 108 yards. Committing fewer penalties than your opponent is yet another key to winning games. Dallas was loud all night long, and the fact that we committed so few penalties indicates to me, that the were focused, and disciplined.

We won the time of possesion battle too, but not by much.

The Eagles defense held the Cowboys running game to less than 80 yards. Marian Barber was held to 63 yards rushing, and Felix Jones added another 10. The Eagles were all over the ball. Seldom were the Cowboys able to open holes to run through. We didn't allow Barber to get the extra yards after contact that he's known for. If the first guy their didn't bring him down, he didn't let go either, and we swarmed to the ball. The front seven looked fierce against the run.

Donovan completed passes to 9 different receivers for 281 yards. DeSean Jackson caught 6 of them for 110 yards. A great deal of credit should go to our offensive line. They gave McNabb a ton of time to make his reads.

Brian Dawkins can still lay the lumber! made a great play to knock the ball out of Martellus Bennett's hands, while leveling the boom on him as well. He had 4 tackles, and a forced fumble recovery.

The Bad: Blown Covverages. Terrell Owens' 1st quarter 72-yard TD reception opened the offensive flood gates. He made a tiny hesitation move between Lito Sheppard and Sean Considine, that allowed him to get behind the defense. The Eagles were in a zone when T.O. made that move. Did that freeze Considine enough for him to blow by him, or did Sean blow his assignment? There's truth to both sides, but the overall body of work for the night would lean towards blown coverage. Jason Witten got in on the action too. He got behind Brian Dawkins for a 42-yard reception on his way to over 100 yards receiving.

In the 2nd quarter DeSean Jackson put on the afterburners, and ran right by a flat footed Ken Hamlin and Adam Jones for a 61-yard reception which would have been a touchdown, except for the fact that he dropped the ball at the 1-yard line. We were lucky that we still got a TD out of it (B-West). I would have chalked this up to being a Rookie, but he has done that before. It's a lack of concetration, and unacceptable. He needs to understand that one play can be the difference between winning and losing.

Pressure on the quarterback. The Eagles didn't record a single sack, and the Cowboys had 4. With the acquistions of Samuel and Clemons this off season Jim Johnson was supposed to conjure up some serious havoc to rain down on opposing quarterbacks. We were able to get pressure, and force Romo into some bad throws. However, we needed to apply more.

Effective use of the tight end. L.J Smith let the first pass of the game bounce off his hands. That set the tone for his night. He caught one pass for 10 yards. Brent Celek only caught one pass too. The Eagles need their tight ends to be effective in the passing game. Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett, and Tony Curtis all caught passes when their number was called.

The Ugly: Turnovers. They cost the Eagles the game, and by "They" I mean the only one we had! Donovan McNabb did some double pump before handing off to Westbrook. Westbrook never got a hold of the football, and the Cowboys pounced on it. They got the ball back at their own 33-yard line. On the ensuing drive Asante Samuel was called for pass interference in the end zone, which gave the Cowboys the ball at the one. Marian Barber scored, and they were able to take the lead for good. There's nothing uglier than losing a game in the fourth quarter.

We need to regroup, and come back strong. It's a short week, and we have got another tough opponent in the Steelers on Sunday.

Eagles vs. Cowboys (A Rivalry Renewed): Pt. 4

Midnightgreen33 — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 16:39:41 -0000

Like all good things, this post has come to the end. Offense wins games, but defense wins championships, and that’s today’s topic. We are going to look at the defenses of both teams. Who they have, what’s their depth, performance, injuries, and before it’s all over, I give you the winner! So get your popcorn ready, because this is going to be a show.

Just a few quick notes: 1) All the numbers referenced in this article come from the 2007 season, and were reported at NFL.com 2) Depth charts were provided by Dallascowboys.com and the Philadelphiaeagles.com.

Philadelphia is now on the clock.

The Philadelphia Eagles’ base defense is a 4-3 system. This means that there are 4 down lineman, and 3 linebackers that make up the front 7 of the defense. The most important part of the Eagles defensive scheme is blitzing and creating pressure. Jim Johnson, the Eagles Defensive Coordinator, will send blitzes from anywhere to create pressure, and hopefully create turnovers. The Eagles starting lineup and backups are as followed:

· Left Defensive End – Juqua Parker Backups are Victor Abiamiri, Chris Clemons

· Left Defensive Tackle – Mike Patterson Backups are Trevor Laws

· Right Defensive Tackle – Broderick Bunkley Backups are Dan Klecko

· Right Defensive End – Trent Cole Backups are Darren Howard, Bryan Smith

· Strong Side Linebacker – Chris Gocong Backups are Tank Daniels

· Middle Linebacker – Stewart Bradley Backups are Joe Mays

· Weak Side Linebacker – Omar Gaither Backups are Akeem Jordan

· Left Cornerback – Asante Samuel Backups are Joselio Hanson

· Right Cornerback – Sheldon Brown Backups are Lito Sheppard

· Strong Safety – Quintin Mikell Backups are Sean Considine

· Free Safety – Brian Dawkins Backups are J.R. Reed, Quintin Demps

The Eagles were ranked 10th in the NFL in total defense, averaging 18.8 points and 311.4 yards per game. Against the run, the Eagles ranked 7th in the NFL, giving up 10 TDs, and 1,553 yards on the ground. The Eagles were ranked 18th in the NFL against the pass, giving up 16 TDs and 3,449 yards through the air. The Eagles’ biggest weakness last year, was there inability to generate turnovers. The Eagles didn’t generate a consistent pass rush, and our secondary was depleted by injuries, but that is no longer the case. The Eagles signed cornerback Asante Samuel, and defensive end Chris Clemons, in order to improve upon our weaknesses. The signing of Asante Samuel bolsters the Eagles strength in the secondary. Our defensive line has great depth, and will keep fresh legs on the field for 4 quarters. Our linebackers are young, talented, and aggressive. Look for the Eagles to improve their team defense from a year ago.

The Cowboys use a 3-4 defense, which uses 3 down lineman and 4 linebackers. The 3-4 allows the linebackers to keep everything in front of them (pass and run). In order to be successful, you need linebackers that can do it all, rush the passer, stop the run, and drop into pass coverage. Here’s the Cowboys lineup:

· Right Defensive End – Chris Canty Backups are Stephen Bowen

· Nose Tackle – Jay Ratliff Backups are Tank Johnson

· Left Defensive End – Marcus Spears Backups are Jason Hatcher

· Strong Side Linebacker – Greg Ellis Backups are Anthony Spencer

· Middle Inside Linebacker – Bradie James Backups are Bobby Carpenter, Justin Rogers

· Middle Outside Linebacker – Zach Thomas Backups are Kevin Burnett, Bobby Carpenter

· Weak Side Linebacker – DeMarcus Ware Backups are Justin Rogers

· Left Cornerback – Terence Newman Backups are Mike Jenkins, Alan Ball, Orlando Scandrick

· Right Cornerback – Anthony Henry Backups are Adam Jones

· Free Safety – Ken Hamlin Backups are Courtney Brown

· Strong Safety – Roy Williams Backups are Pat Watkins, Keith Davis

The Cowboys were a strong team on defense in 2007. They were 9th overall, giving up 20.3 points and 307.6 yards per game. They ranked 6th against the run allowing, 12 TDs and 1,513 yards, and 13th against the pass, giving up 19 TDs and 3,409 yards through the air. The Cowboys were a formidable defense in 2007. They improved their depth by adding Tank Johnson (Nose Tackles), and Adam Jones (Cornerback). The Cowboys linebackers have tremendous talent. They can play the pass, or the run at a high level. As a group the Cowboys tallied 398 tackles, and of that, had 32.5 sacks. All around, the Cowboys have a great defense.

The Eagles and Cowboys were neck and neck last year in defensive categories, with the Cowboys having the better overall numbers. Both teams have made moves to improve themselves. So, here’s the final breakdown of both teams, starting up front and moving back. The Eagles defensive line has improved from a year ago. They have great depth that consists of, veterans, and young talent. They will make it difficult for any team to run the ball, and they should be in the passers face all day. The Cowboys are going to be the same. They have got a strong front 3, that know their system well. At the linebacker position the Eagles are young, but highly regarded. The only difference for them is who’s starting, and where. The Cowboys linebackers are older, but aren’t close to being past their prime. In the secondary the Eagles are healthy, and talented. Lito Sheppard and Asante Samuel can cover any receiver on the field. Brian Dawkins is getting older, but is not to be dismissed. The Cowboys sent 3 players in their secondary to the Pro Bowl last year (Newman, Hamlin, Williams). Terence Newman is questionable for the game with a groin injury. Roy Williams can be a liability in pass coverage. Adam Jones is a talent, but has to get all of the rust off from his suspension. The defense is a Push.

Who’s going to win the game? The winner is going to come down to turnovers. That has been the deciding factor in our recent history. The team with the fewer turnovers is going to win this game. Agree with it or not, this game could be a shootout, but I’m thinking that it’s going to be a low scoring affair. This game will be decided on the very last drive.

Eagles 17, Dallas 10

Eagles vs Cowboys (A Rivalry Renewed): Pt. 3

Midnightgreen33 — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 12:48:18 -0000

It is day three of my investigation of Monday night’s division showdown between the Eagles and Cowboys. To this point, I’ve weighed in on both team’s running backs and quarterbacks. Today, I will finish out the offensive side of the ball, and scrutinize the wide receivers, and tight ends, and who’s the got the advantage. Here are the depth charts for Philadelphia and Dallas [NFL.com].

Dallas Cowboys:

Tight End: Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett, Tony Curtis

Jason Witten is a big target (6-5, 262lbs), and one of the NFL’s elite tight ends. Witten has come in to his own, over the past few years, with last year being his best to date (96 Rec, 1,145 yards, 7 TDs). He’s tough, and a good blocker. Jason Witten is a great red zone target, but he will receive looks anywhere on the field. Jason Witten, in his 6th season, is at the top of his game, will remain there for a few more years.

Martellus Bennett is a rookie out of Texas A&M. Like Witten, Bennett is a big target (6-6, 265lbs). I followed the HBO series “Hard Knocks”, and he appears to be a work in progress. Bennett has raw talent, but it needs to refined and polished. He’ll be out there on special teams, but I don’t know how much time he will see in the offense.

Tony Curtis is in his 3rd year with the Dallas Cowboys. As third man on the depth chart, I expect that most of his contributions will be on special teams, but he does get some offensive looks. In 2007, Tony caught 3 passes, all for touchdowns.

Wide Receiver: Terrell Owens, Patrick Crayton, Isaiah Stanback, Sam Hurd, Miles Austin

Terrell Owens is one of the best receivers in the game. He’s the best option that Dallas has at wide receiver, and rightfully so. He’s physical receiver, with good size (6-3, 218lbs), and great speed. At 34, Owens doesn’t show any signs of losing a step. He’s gone over 1,100 yards the past 2 seasons that he has been with the Cowboys. Owens will draw the focus of every coordinator in the league, and more times than not, “The Player” wins.

Sam Hurd is listed on this week’s injury report for Dallas with a high ankle sprain. Hurd was expected to do some running at Wednesday’s practice, but according the injury report on the Eagles website, he didn’t participate. He’s not expected to play in Monday night’s game in Dallas either. I will exclude him from further reference.

Miles Austin is another 3rd year play on this Dallas team. He will be the number 2 receiver behind Terrell Owens (replacing Sam Hurd). Austin is on Dallas’ injury report with a sprained left knee, but he may be available for the game on Monday night. There is little to no body of work to judge him at the position. Austin is a big receiver (6-3, 216lbs), which is always a positive.

Patrick Crayton is a solid wide receiver, but is a big drop-off in talent from T.O. Crayton has dropped some key balls in the past, but is looking to change all of that. He’s got decent size (6-0, 203lbs), but no real advantage.

Isaiah Stanback is a converted quarterback, and is Patrick Crayton’s backup. At 6-2, and 208lbs, he’s another good sized receiver, and the Cowboys have high expectations for him. He’s coming off a preseason shoulder injury, and had 2 catches for 24 yards against Cleveland.

Note: Dallascowboys.com’s injury report was last updated Monday, September 8th.

Philadelphia Eagles:

Tight End: L.J. Smith, Brent Celek, Matt Schobel

L.J. Smith is looking to have a come back season. In 2007 he was hampered (to say the least) by a sports hernia injury. At 6-3, and 258lbs, Smith provides a good target in the middle of the field, and in the red zone. Smith has good hands, but needs to be more consistent.

Brent Celek is in his 2nd season out of Cincinnati. He’s got good size (6-4, 255lbs). Brent Celek is a solid player that will contribute, but his contributions need to increase.

Matt Schobel is in 7th season, will take Celek’s place from time-to-time, when the Eagles are in a 2 tight end set. Like Celek he’s able to contribute, but there’s definitely room for improvement.

Wide Receiver: Reggie Brown, DeSean Jackson, Greg Lewis, Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant, Hank Baskett

Reggie Brown is entering his 4th season with the Eagles, and is currently hampered by a hamstring injury. Reggie Brown has been a slow starter for the Eagles, and tends to come on strong as the season progresses. Brown is a good receiver, with decent size (6-1, 197lbs). He’s not going to blow by defensive backs with any consistency, but is a good possession receiver. He needs to have a breakout performance this year. Hamstring injuries are nagging, and you can expect that it will hinder any chances of him starting off this season any different from his past three.

DeSean Jackson is a rookie out of Cal, who has exceeded all expectation to this point. Jackson was expected to come in, and contribute in the return game, and see some time as the slot receiver. With the injuries sustained to Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis, DeSean was thrust into a more primary role. Jackson is an undersized (5-10, 175lbs) speedster, that has drawn comparisons to Steve Smith. DeSean has shown a knack for creating space between himself, and his defender. He was impressive against the Rams with 6 catches for 106 yards.

Greg Lewis is a 6th year veteran of the Eagles. He’s a good enough receiver. Lewis isn’t going to dominate any defenses, but he does seem to come through with some timely catches. Greg Lewis will contribute, but he’s not going to get many hundred yard games.

Kevin Curtis statistically, is the Eagles best receiver. He had career numbers last year for the Eagles, but is out indefinitely after suffering a sports hernia injury. He hasn’t been placed on IR, but he’s not going to be a factor no earlier than week 8.

Jason Avant is a 3rd year Eagle. He’s one the biggest Eagles receivers at 6-0, 212lbs. He’s a good possession receiver for us. Avant will get those short yardage pass plays, and enable to the Eagles to keep moving the chains.

Hank Baskett is the Eagles’ biggest receiver (6-4, 220lbs), and is entering his 3rd season. Baskett is a deep threat receiver. His size gives him a distinct advantage over most defensive backs. He is a work in progress, but he will make big plays throughout the season.

When looking at the Eagles’ and Cowboys’ wide receivers/tight ends, the initial reaction is that the Cowboys have a decisive advantage. They’ve got T.O and Witten. Owens and Witten are the two best players in this discussion. The will both be relied upon heavily in the passing game. However, once you move past those two players, the Cowboys have several guys that are playing with injuries, learning the system, and just don’t get as many looks. On the other hand, the Eagles don’t have any superstars (yet), but have guys that know the system, and will contribute on game-to-game basis. So the receiver tight end matchup is a push.

Am I wrong?

Sorry for posting this a day late.

Eagles vs. Cowboys (A Rivalry Renewed): Pt. 2

Midnightgreen33 — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 20:05:14 -0000

Today, I am going to look at the quarterbacks for the Eagles, and Cowboys. The majority of this analysis will look at Donovan McNabb, and Tony Romo. I'm going to briefly include Kevin Kolb, A.J. Feeley, Brooks Bollinger, and Brad Johnson in this post, because they could see time, if someone were to get injured, and thus could have a potential impact on the outcome of Monday night's showdown in Dallas. I will incorporate statistics in this discussion, but I will use them sparingly. They are more to display each quarterbacks body of work, than to argue who’s got the advantage.

Donovan McNabb, Tony Romo, both men are the respective faces of their franchise. They are also considered to be among the elite active quarterbacks in the NFL. Tony Romo and Donovan McNabb share a lot of similarities on the playing field. However, their biggest difference is where they are in their careers. Tony Romo, in his 6th season, is the young, up and coming quarterback. Romo is looking to keep the Dallas Cowboys at the top of the NFC East. Donovan McNabb, in his 10th season, is an established member of the quarterback aristocracy. McNabb will be fighting to bring the Eagles back to their dominant ways of the early 2,000's. Both quarterbacks are looking to lead their team to a Super Bowl championship. To do that, they are going to have to face one another at least two times a year. Yesterday, Dallas won the coin toss, and went first. So it's the Eagles' ball today.

Donovan McNabb has become a prolific passer in the NFL. He has the ability to make any throw that is asked of him. Which wasn’t always the case, early on in his career, he was notorious for short hopping passes, and not consistently putting the ball on the money. He used to his athleticism, as a counter measure. If he saw daylight, he was gone. That’s not his game anymore. Today, Donovan’s game has evolved. He’s more of a pocket passer that, if the play breaks down, can make one with his legs. As Donovan learned the art of being a better pocket passer, he became a better quarterback. He led the Eagles to the playoffs 5 years running, 4 consecutive Divisional championships, and one Super Bowl. Since 2005, McNabb has suffered a number of season ending injuries, but in those years he was putting up MVP like statistics. McNabb is once again healthy, confident, and assume his role as team leader. Here are the numbers on Donovan McNabb (career):

1. 58.7 completion percentage

2. 25,765 yards passing

3. 174 TDs

4. 79 Ints

5. 2,965 yards rushing

6. 24 rushing TDs

When Donovan McNabb is healthy, he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. His strength and size give him the ability to elude tacklers, see the field, and put the ball anywhere he needs to. He’s become a more patient passer, makes better reads as well, and he spreads the ball around effectively. Donovan McNabb has tackled every adversity that he’s faced in the NFL, and that has made him a better player.

Dallas fans should thank Bill Parcells for two things: 1) Signing Tony Romo as an undrafted free agent and 2) Keeping him on the bench for three years. Tony Romo came out of relative obscurity, and onto the stage that is being the Cowboys starting quarterback. In 2006 he replaced Drew Bledsoe as the starting quarterback in Dallas, and led the Cowboys to the playoffs. In 2007, Romo and the Cowboys went 13-3, back to the playoffs, and he got rewarded with a big contract. He’s got a strong arm, and can make all the throws. He has good patience in the pocket, and makes good reads as well. Romo will stand in there, and take a hit, in order to deliver a throw, but if nothing is there, he will scramble. When Romo has time to make all of his reads he can pick a team apart. Here are the numbers on Romo:

1. 65.1 completion percentage

2. 7,434 yards passing

3. 56 TDs

4. 33 Ints

5. 228 yards rushing

6. 2 rushing TDs

Tony Romo was an unpolished gem, and by giving him time to learn, and develop he has ascended. He has the ability, and intelligence to be a great quarterback in the NFL. Tony Romo has been compared on numerous occasions to Brett Favre, which is high praise (depending how you look at it). Both Tony Romo and Brett Favre shoot from the hip at times. They may force an issue, and that can lead to turnovers. I don’t think that Tony Romo has peaked just yet, he’s close though. As he gets more and more game experience he should continue to improve.

Backing up Tony Romo is 17 year veteran Brad Johnson. Johnson is a journeyman of the NFL. He’s also a Super Bowl champion. Here are his career numbers:

1. 61.8 completion percentage

2. 28,627 yards passing

3. 164 TDs

4. 117 Ints

5. 658 yards rushing

6. 8 rushing TDs

Brad Johnson has got a lot of experience. His best attribute as a quarterback is his ability to manage a game. He might not going win you the game, but he’s not going to necessarily lose you the game either. Quarterbacks with his years of experience are useful. If Romo were to get hurt, Johnson could come in, and win a few games, but he’s not a sustainable solution.

The Eagles have placed the backup duties on the shoulders of 2nd year quarterback Kevin Kolb. Kolb has played only an insignificant amount of time, but for conformities sake, here are his numbers:

1. 83.3 completion percentage

2. 53 yards passing

3. 0 TDs

4. 0 Ints

5. -5 yards rushing

6. 0 rushing TDs

Kevin was a 2nd round draft choice last year, and would appear to be Donovan’s eventual replacement. He needs to continue to improve, before he’ll be ready to take over. He looked good in the preseason, but has yet to play a full 4 quarters of NFL football. Kevin has got a strong arm, which he showcased during the ’08 preseason. He’s got a steep learning curve in front of him, but fortunately for him, he’s got the fans support, for now.

Coming in at third on the Cowboys’ depth chart is Brooks Bollinger. Brooks is entering his 6th season in the NFL. Here’s what he brings to the table:

1. 58.6 completion percentage

2. 2,156 yards passing

3. 8 TDs

4. 8 Ints

5. 155 yards rushing

6. 0 rushing TDs

I know little about Brooks Bollinger beyond the fact that he exists. He has some playing experience, most of which came while playing for the Jets. I imagine that Brooks was brought in to add depth at the position, but I think Jerry Jones might strap on a helmet, before Bollinger gets under center.

Our 3rd string quarterback is A.J. Feeley. Feeley is in his 8th season, and has played for the Eagles, Dolphins, and Chargers. Here are Feeley’s career numbers:

1. 55.9 completion percentage

2. 4,070 yards passing

3. 27 TDs

4. 29 Ints

5. 45 yards rushing

6. 1 rushing TD

Feeley has shown flashes of Brilliance, and is a good leader. A.J. stepped up in 2002, and won like 6 games after McNabb and Detmer went down to injury. During the 2007 season, Feeley looked liked he was going to do the unthinkable, and knock off the undefeated Patriots. He committed a fatal error during the final drive. He threw the ball right into coverage, and the Patriots intercepted the ball. Feeley has the ability to steal games. He’s also got a penchant for committing costly errors in clutch situations.

In summation, if Brad Johnson and Kevin Kolb were to play the game, Johnson would have the advantage. This is always a high pressure game. Kolb hasn’t been field tested, and Johnson has plenty of experience. If A.J. Feeley and Brooks Bollinger were the starters, I give Feeley the advantage. Feeley has more of a history with the Cowboys, than Bollinger does with the Eagles. A.J. is Wiley, and can pull a win out of nowhere. Finally, we have the matchup that is going to almost certainly take place, McNabb vs. Romo. Donovan McNabb wins this matchup. He’s got a huge advantage in experience over Tony. Monday night’s game is going to have a playoff atmosphere, and I think that will affect Romo more than McNabb. So, the advantage goes to the Eagles.

What are your thoughts?

Statistics were provided by NFL.com

Eagles vs. Cowboys (A Rivalry Renewed)

Midnightgreen33 — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 19:41:54 -0000

Although, I'm still revelling in the glory that was our week 1 dismantling of the Rams, my attention has turned elsewhere. My focus has zeroed in on our week 2 division battle with Dallas. Both Dallas, and Eagles' fans alike, can agree that this matchup is of great importance. The winner, will take an early lead atop the division, which is one more step towards the playoffs. The loser, will have experienced a setback, and need to muster their resolve to keep moving forward. It's early in the season, but the game will be a pivotal one for both teams. Over the next week, I'm going to post a head-to-head comparison, and what I see as keys to coming out on top. Todays look, will be at the running backs.

Cowboys: Marian Barber III, Felix Jones, Tashard Choice

The Cowboys running game was nasty, in their handling of Cleveland. MB3 ran for 80 yards on 16 carries, and had 2 touchdowns. Felix Jones ran for 62 yards on 9 carries, and 1 touchdown. Then to wrap up the game Tashard Choice ran for 26 yards on carries. You can't knock that kind of hussle.

Marian Barber is Dallas' featured back. Barber is a physical back, who's not afraid of contact. I'm going to take a step further and say, that he enjoys it. Barber is difficult (to say the least) to bring down with initial contact, and usually will earn a few more yards after contact. Barber is an excellent blocker, and accomplished pianist (funny word), as was displayed in this years HBO documentary Hard Knocks. He seldom fumbles the ball, and is an adequate receiver as well. Barber has yet to rush for over a 1,000 yards, but that can be explained by the fact that he was Dallas' short yardage back behind Julius Jones, until now. As the featured back, I read somewhere that his workload will increase from 204 carries last year, to around 250. Which will be a huge increase in his workload. The increase could become a factor later in the season, but shouldn't have much relevance to Monday's game. What will have an impact is his bruised ribs. I would be flat out shocked, if Barber were scratched from the lineup. I expect that he'll be there, and so does his team [Profootballtalk]. Most likely, Barber will receive a cortizone shot, and wear some additional padding, but that's only going to enable him to play. I know from personal experience that bruised ribs are painful, and long lasting. Day-to-day activities, such as getting out of bed, become chores. It's quite possible that Barber could be pensive, and avoid those collision that usually allow him to get those few extra yards. Barber's sure-handedness could be jeapordized by the additional padding as well. Marian Barber may not be at 100% come game day. If the injury does have an impact, the Cowboys shouldn't worry too much, they've got this rookie out or Arkansas. What's his name??

Felix Jones, the rookie from Arkansas, is the change of pace back for Dallas. He's good. Really good. He can run between the tackles, or take it to the outside. He can catch, and he's a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Jones lurked in the shadows of Darren McFadden, but he wasn't any slouch, check out the numbers [Felix Jones]. In my opinion, Felix Jones is a young Brian Westbrook.

Tashard Choice, is another rookie, but I don't know much about. I do know that he bulldozed the Browns last Sunday to close out the Cowboys victory. Take a look at his bio [Tashard Choice].

Eagles: Brian Westbrook, Correll Buckhalter, Lorenzon Booker Brian Westbrook had a good game against the Rams. He rushed for 91 yards on 19 carries, and 2 touchdowns (1 receiving). Buckhalter, and Booker combined for 14 yards rushing on 7 carries, but the Eagles don't rely on the running game nearly as much as other teams.

Brian Westbrook, is an offense unto himself. Countless times, He has taken the Eagles offense on his shoulders, and brought us to victory. He can do so many things, and opposing defenses have to scheme around him. Last year, he ran for over 1,300 yards, caught 90 passes for 771 yards, and recorded 12 touchdowns. Westbrook, also receives praise for his blocking ability. He's a difficult guy to defend against. Brian Westbrook is in a good place right now, he's healthy, and happy (just got a new deal). Look for Westbrook to expose the mismatch of being covered by a linebacker. If/When he gets to the second level he could take it to the house.

Correll Buckhalter, is a strong runner, who is best suited running north/south. His career average is 4.5 yards a carry. Buckhalter is a good secondary back. He's going to give you positive yardage, strong play. If Buckhalter can stay healthy, he'll keep the chains moving, by gaining positive yardage, and give Westbrook a rest throughout the game.

Lorenzo Booker, was acquired by the Eagles in a draft-day trade with the Miami Dolphins in 2008. As a rookie, he tallied 125 yards rushing on 28 carries, 237 yards on 28 catches, in just 7 games. Booker, in his sophomore season out of Florida State will provide another threat out of the backfield for the birds, when lined up with Westbrook. Although, we didn't see any of this during the St. Louis game, we'll probably see it against Dallas. Lining Booker and Westbrook in the backfield will make opposing defenses take notice, and provide any number of mismatches for the Eagles to capitalize on.

Brian Westbrook is one of the best backs in the NFL, and he takes the advantage over Marian Barber. That being said, The Cowboys are the better team at the runningback position. They have an excellent back in Marian Barber, who's going to wear down defenses with his running style. Then you have Felix Jones, who's a homerun hitter, every time he touches the ball. Then if the first two fail, there's one more Choice (Bad joke). The Cowboys depth and skill at the position is too much, and Brian Westbrook is irreplaceable to us. Tomorrow, I'm going to look at the Quarterback position. Until then, what's your take on this? Go Birds!!!!