Eagles Bears Keys To Victory

Last week the Birds put on a truly unbelievable performance.  The offense and defense both clicked, and the Birds looked like a world class football team.  Heading into tomorrow night's showdown against the Bears, the only question is can they do it again?  Here are my keys to another Eagles victory.

Stop Forte: This is easier said than done.  Forte has been on fire lately and like McCoy, he is emerging as an elite running back in the NFL.  The Eagles defensive line has to do a good job of slowing him down at the line of scrimmage.  Make him fight his way past the line and earn every yard he gets.  The Bears don't have too many threats at wide receiver, so the Eagles should be able to completely focus in on Matt Forte and stack more guys in the box to stop him.

Get After Cutler:  The Birds have to do a good job of getting after Cutler early and often.  Cutler is a head case, and if they can frustrate him early on, it could carry over to the rest of the game.  The front four has to get pressure on him, and Castillo has to work in some blitz packages to get additional pressure on Cutler.

Take What They Give You:  The Eagles shouldn't be going into this game with a run or pass game plan.  Instead they should be planned to take what the defense gives them.  If they stack the box to stop Shady, stretch the field with De and J-Mac.  And if they drop safeties back into coverage, exploit the middle of the field with underneath throws to Celek, Avant and also give Shady some touches when less guys are in the box.

Forget About Division:  The Giants beat the Patriots on Sunday and sit at 6-2 atop the NFC East.  The Eagles can't expect to go out and try and win back the division in one game.  They need to take the rest of the season one game at a time and not try and do too much.


Get Celek Involved:  Celek is just another playmaker on this team and the Eagles need to find different ways to get him involved.   

I like the Eagles to win big at home on the prime time stage of Monday night football.  Initially I thought this was shaping up to be a trap game, but as we get closer to game time, I see the Eagles absolutely steam rolling the Bears.  Final score: EAGLES 45 bears 13.

Flyers Win Big

Everybody scores!

After an ugly shootout loss to the Devils, the Flyers redeemed themselves in a big way with a 9-2 victory tonight over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Everyone got in on the action.  Jagr, Giroux, Couterier, Voracek, Talbot, JVR and others scored as the Flyers again put up a huge lopsided number on offense.  They got a lot of odd man rushes, long passes, and they took advantage on power plays.  The thing that impressed me most was the Flyers ability to score in transition.  On Talbot's goal, Voracek did a great job of setting up Talbot who was flying down the ice toward the goal.  I was also impressed with their chemistry.  There were some unbelievable set ups, and these guys looked like they had been playing with each other for years.  And the young guns continue to shine.

When the Flyers went out and signed Bryz, many people thought they were sacrificing offense for a dominate goalie.  But at this point in the season the offense looks like the strong point, and they continue to put up huge numbers every game.  They are extremely fun to watch and they can really pour it on when they need to.

And although Bryzgalov didn't have too many shots to worry about he looked solid and I think he is beginning to settle in as he seems to be getting more and more comfortable.  Although he didn't get the shutout, he still looked great and came up with some big saves.

You really can't get overly excited about this game because the Blue Jackets looked like a disinterested bunch that didn't want to be there.  But 9 goals is always encouraging and the Flyers can certainly build on this win as they get ready for a 3 game road trip.

Can Shady Handle The Workload?

During the past two games Shady has gotten a combined 58 carries which is pretty significant given the fact that he had just 77 carries through the first 5 weeks of the season.  There is no argument that Shady is quickly emerging as one of the most talented backs in the entire NFL.  The only question or argument that arises is whether or not he will be able to handle such a heavy workload.

McCoy is undoubtedly shifty and extremely fun to watch when he has the ball.  He can make people miss and turn a broken play into a large gain.  But at the same time he's not the biggest running back, and if he's averaging between 25-30 carries there is no telling if he will be able to handle such a big work load.  And if other teams really begin to stack the box in an effort to slow down McCoy, it will mean less wide open running lanes for McCoy and increased risk for injury.

McCoy really has seized the opportunities that Marty Mornhinweg and Andy Reid have given him.  He is cashing in on big games, and overall helping his team win.  But the Eagles have to be mindful to not overwork him.  They have a pretty good back up in Ronnie Brown who they should look to give more carries to if McCoy gets a little banged up on or play or just needs a quick breather.

Very rarely in this day and age in the NFL do you see teams with one main running back.  Usually there is a steady back up or a running mate who helps out and takes some of the carries and pressure off of the feature back.  But the Eagles are clearly not thrilled with Ronnie Brown and the jury is still out on Dion Lewis, so all of the running responsibilities fall right on the shoulders of number 25.

McCoy averaged 23 touches a game during his two years at Pitt, but 23 carries in college and 25-30 at the professional level are two completely different statistics.  Shady is a very talented runner and extremely fun to watch, but the Eagles have to be careful not to give him too much of a workload.

Jason Avant, C'mon Man!

This isn't the first time a #81 wearing an Eagles uniform said something dumb.

Earlier in the week Jason Avant made this stupid comment:

“We don’t want people jumping on our bandwagon now,” Avant said. “We want people to go out and still talk bad about us.”

At first I tried to ignore it because at the end of the day, Avant is still the third receiver on this team.  If Vick had said this I would have been furious, but the fact that our third receiver was mouthing off didn't bother me too much at first.

But when given the chance to apologize for his bandwagon comments Avant didn't back down:

"Let’s get this clear – I will not apologize for what I said....I don't really care (if people boo), you know why? Because I play my hardest. I play my hardest for Jesus Christ and for this team. You going to boo me for playing hard? You going to boo me for being the guy that’s going to chase down the play when nobody else is running? You going to boo me for being the guy that’s doing special teams or going over the middle and taking a big shot? Boo me for doing what’s right? ... Listen, I understand. This is what I do respect about Philadelphia fans. They're very, very knowledgeable, and I love playing before our fans. I want to win a championship for this city so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so bad. So I respect them and I love them as fans. What I’m saying is that I go out, give everything I have and whatever was said, which I don't even remember half of it, it’s still my opinion, no matter if it was the worst thing in the world.”

What I don't get about Avant is he has been here for close to 6 seasons now and at this point he knows how Philadelphia fans operate.  We boo you when you deserve to be booed, and we cheer for you when you deserve to be cheered for, it's that simple.  Why then, in your 6th year in the city, do you suddenly have a problem with that mentality?

From his comments I get the sense that Avant is almost trying to pick a fight with the fans and I don't know why.  Avant should be happy and feel blessed that he gets to play in a city like Philadelphia where fans are so passionate about their teams.  Would you rather play in a city where nobody watches or shows up for the games?

At the end of the day I don't think Avant is a bad guy or anything like that.  In his comments he does aknowledge the fact that Philadelphia fans are great.  I feel that at this point his "bandwagon" comments were basically just taken the wrong way, and instead of simply apologizing he decided to dig himself into a deeper hole.  Basically, Avant needs to learn to not make dumb comments especially about the fans because we are the greatest sports city in the world.  But don't be too hard on the guy because he is still a very talented third receiver.

Flyers Lose Sloppy Game To Devils

I really don't like the Devils.  Whether it's because I have bad memories of them growing up and beating the Flyers in the playoffs, or simply because it seems that guys like Marty Brodeur and Patrick Elias have been there forever, I have always had a strong hatred geared towards the division rival New Jersey Devils.

The first period was extremely physical and had all the elements of a typical rivalry game.  Some hits resulted in penalties and both teams had their fair share of opportunities.  The Flyers squandered a 2 man advantage mainly because they were careless with the puck.  Every time they got close to scoring, someone would turn it over and the possession would be lost.  Aside from the squandered opportunities, the first period was very exciting hockey to watch.  Both teams used their speed and physicality to create opportunities.  Also Bobrovsky had 10 saves in the opening period and looked extremely solid in net.  

In the second period, Zac Rinaldo scored his first career goal and the first of the game.  Rookie Sean Couterier dug out a puck from behind the net and centered it to a wide open Rinaldo.  The Flyers then took a 2-0 lead thanks mainly to Jaromir Jagr.  Jagr skated into the zone and retained possession of the puck as he went all the way around the back of the net.  Then he snapped a quick pass right in front of the net across to a wide open Claude Girous who burried the empty netter to make it a 2-0 game.

But then the Flyers got sloppy once again.  They started to lose faceoffs and as a result the Devils snuck a cheap goal past Bob to come within one.  The Flyers then turned it over in their own zone which resulted in a 2 on 1 for the Devils and Adam Henrique wristed one past Bob to tie it at 2.

Max Talbot cashed in on a penalty shot in the third, but the Flyers again got sloppy with the puck and the Devils quickly tied it at 3.  Both teams got their opportunities in the extra session but the game would eventually go to a shootout to determine a winner.

After a controversial shootout goal by Danny Briere, the Devils eventually won thanks to Patrick Elias who slid the puck under the pad of a stunned Bobrovsky.  Bob got his pad in the right position, but Elias found a way to sneak it past him for the game winner.

Overall it was a very frustrating game to watch.  The Flyers showed flashes of absolute brilliance, but at other times they looked like a rookie team.  They were extremely sloppy with the puck especially in their own zone.  Careless turnovers led to goals for the Devils and the Flyers allowed the Devils to continue to get back in the game on numerous occasions.

But at other times the Flyers looked great.  Jagr created a ton of opportunites, young guys like Rinaldo stepped up, and Bobrovsky looked pretty solid in net.  The Flyers just need to patch up their game right now.  Whether the sloppy play and lack of discipline is due to the youth or their overall lack of chemistry, the Flyers have to get things figured out.  Because right now they are killing themselves with dumb mistakes.

Eagles Fantasy Fix: Week 9

Against Dallas, the Eagles racked up big fantasy points.  Mike Vick went off, McCoy was unreal, and Brent Celek finally emerged as the tight end everyone had hoped for.  Going into week 9 I'm starting Vick, McCoy, Desean Jackson, and Brent Celek who I just picked up this week.  So going by the fact that 50% of my fantasy players are from the Eagles, and the fact that I'm a huge Eagles fan, be advised that all of my prediction are biased but fun nonetheless.

Mike Vick: With Shady McCoy getting more and more touches every game, there is less pressure on Vick to perform.  While McCoy's new role is encouraging for the offense it could mean less fantasy points for Vick owners.  I personally feel that Vick is more comfortable with an enhanced running game and I expect big things from him again on Monday night.  I predict Vick goes 20/27 for 220 yards and 2 touchdowns, and rushing he picks up 40 yards good for 20 fantasy points.  

Shady McCoy: As good as McCoy was against Dallas, I still think we have yet to see McCoy's best performance.  That's scary to think about when you consider McCoy put up 185 yards and 2 td.  But I think Monday McCoy is going to rush for 201 yards on 27 carries and 2 td, and 30 yards and a receiving td good for 41 fantasy points.  It's a bold prediction, but right now Shady is hot and I think the Eagles are committed to giving him the ball more and more.

Desean Jackson: Jackson is a toss up at this point.  You're either getting 20 points or 2.  But his potential is too high to ever sit him.

Jeremy Maclin: Maclin is usually good for a touchdown.  I think he will have Vick's other passing td on Monday night.

Brent Celek: Celek is emerging once again.  I think he will have 6-8 catches good for 60-80 yards on Monday night so he is a great option at tight end especially in PPR leagues.

Jason Avant: If you have a lot of bye players look to add Avant.  He's a solid option and could potentially get you some big points.

While I definitely feel the Eagles shouldn't take the Bears lightly, I'm beginning to get this overwhelming sense that the Birds are going to steam roll Chicago.  I'm predicting another win which would be big for the Eagles season and for your fantasy team as well.  

Da Bears Off Da Bye Week; & Too Soon To Believe?

Andy Reid is 13-0 coming off the bye week.  When asked why he has such great success coming off the bye, Reid replied, "I don't know."  Whether it is the amount of time he gives his players off, or the overall game preparation that he puts in, there is no argument the Eagles are an amazing team coming off the bye.

As for the Bears, during Lovie Smith's time as head coach Chicago is 3-4 coming off the bye.  Certainly not 13-0, but at the same time not awful by any stretch.  The Bears are a well coached team and I expect them to be a handful for the Eagles come Monday night.

Although the Eagles cruised past the Cowboys on Sunday night, to sit there and think that they are going to steam roll the Bears is simply absurd.  The Bears are still a good football team and the Eagles can't take them lightly.

To me this Monday night is the ultimate trap game for the Eagles.  They are coming off a huge win against a division rival and it seems like a lot of the players are already beginning to think about the playoffs after just one great performance.  The Eagles need to get refocused for Monday night and get amped up because at 3-4 there is ZERO room for error.  The Eagles simply can't afford to lose a game here or drop a tough one there.  They have to be nearly perfect from here on out.

And let's be real for a second.  If the Eagles had not totally obliterated the Cowboys like they did on Sunday night, there is no way there would be this much excitement surrounding the Birds.  If they had simply eeked out 13-10 victory and just barely squeaked by, people would be extremely hesitant to jump back on the bandwagon.

But the Eagles didn't just squeak by against the Cowboys.  They completely destroyed Dallas and put on an absolutely amazing performance.  In just about every aspect of the game the Eagles came prepared to dominate.  All of the off season moves came together and the Eagles looked flat out dominating.

While the performance was dominating, it was still after all just one game.  Personally I need to see another dominating performance before I'm a full blown believer again.  The Eagles have to come out on Monday night and take care of business against the Bears, and maybe then I will be fully back on the Eagles bandwagon.

Vick The Playcaller

Right before Shady McCoy's second touchdown run on Sunday night, Mike Vick yelled at the line of scrimmage: "Kill-kill, kill-kill!"  On this particular play the Eagles had planned to throw, but Vick saw how the defense was set up and quickly audibled to a running play which resulted in an easy score for Shady.

While this may seem like a very insignificant moment in the game and a rather routine thing for a quarterback to do, in reality it marks the maturation of Vick as a playcaller.

Last year Vick struggled greatly at recognizing blitzes and calling smart plays to combat potential blitzes.  Vick turned the ball over and physically got hurt due to the fact that he wasn't well prepared in reading opposing defenses.  But now Vick is beginning to read opposing defenses and take what they are giving him.  In addition to changing from passing plays to running plays, Vick is also beginning to go underneath to his tight ends and slot receivers.

On Sunday the safeties were play way too far back, and instead of chucking the bomb down field against double coverage, MV7 methodically moved the chains by making small throws underneath. This Monday Vick will face a Chicago defense that simply put is not as good as in past years.  If Vick does a lot of what he did on Sunday night against the Cowboys, the Eagles should cruise to yet another easy victory.  Vick's abilitiy to read opposing defenses will also help the Birds limit turnovers which was a huge problem for them in the early going.

Ultimately it is awesome to watch Vick evolve from a scrambling quarterback into a guy who can stand back there and read opposing defenses.  His growing knowledge of the game as well as his athletic abilities will certainly help the Eagles down the stretch.

Stopping The Run

Against the run the Eagles did a fairly good job on Sunday night of stopping Demarco Murray.  The Birds held Murray to just 74 yards on 8 carries which is pretty impressive considering what the young back did against the Rams last week.

The only complaint I have is the Eagles gave up a couple big runs which they really need to stay away from.  But all in all it was an awesome performance from the run defense.  The secondary did its job of containing Austin, Bryant, and Witten, and the linebackers like Jamar Chaney were able to stay home did an outstanding job of containing Murray.

This marks two consecutive games in which the run defense has been on top of its game.  But the Birds run defense will perhaps face its biggest challenge this week against the Bears running back Matt Forte.  Forte is quickly emerging as one of the best running backs in the league and the Eagles are definitely going to have their hands full.  The thing  that the Eagles have going for them this week is the Bears don't have as many talented receivers as the Cowboys.  As a result the Eagles are going to be able to bring more guys into the box to try and contain Forte.

In week 1 when Steven Jackson broke off that long touchdown run, the run defense looked absolutely pathetic.    But the Eagles have certainly come a long way since then, and after two impressive performances against the run, the Eagles run defense is shaping up to be a strong point of the team.        

Eagles Offensive Line Starting To Gel

With the addition of new offensive line coach Howard Mudd, and a bunch of new players, the Eagles offensive line got off to a pretty slow start.  In the first few weeks there was a lot of shuffling on the O-line, and they were clearly out of rhythm and lacking chemistry.  The protection for Vick was subpar, the Eagles turned the ball over a lot, and as a result they lost games in the early going.

But after a week off, the Eagles offensive line looked great against the Cowboys.  Vick had all day to throw, and glaring holes and running lanes were opened up for Lesean McCoy.  The Eagles always had all the tools for a successful offensive line now they are finally beginning to piece it all together.  They have a great coach and protection scheme and individually they have some great blockers.  Peters is steady as a rock, Herremans is extremely versatile, and Kelce, Mathis, and Watkins are quickly emerging as great interior linemen.  The offensive line is finally starting to find rhythm and everyone is beginning to play better together.

As a result this entire Eagles offense is benefiting greatly.  First and foremost Vick has more time in the pocket.  Vick is a dangerous quarterback period, but when you give him time back in the pocket he is deadly.  He can go through his reads and he can also find running lanes to pick up quick first downs.

The enhanced protection is also clearly helping Shady McCoy.  He had a career best 185 yards against the Cowboys and earlier this year even if he was given 30 touches that just simply would not have happened.  The offensive line was too inconsistent early on but now it seems they have definitely found their stride.  The offensive line was so successful against Dallas because they were able to get past the line of scrimmage and set up blocks down field.

Lastly the protection benefited the Eagles in the turnover department.  The Eagles had 0 turnovers against the Boys mainly because Vick wasn't rushed into bad throws.  He was able to stand back in the pocket, go through his reads, and make smart throws.

Overall the offensive line is going to be the key to a successful second half for the Eagles.  And if the boys up front play like they did on Sunday for the rest of the year, I see no reason why the Birds can't run the table.