Author |
Topic: EAGLES - Week 7 Analysis (Read 381 times) |
|
UFF Primetime Prophet
# 29
Pay, I said pay attention, son.
  
Posts: 5675
Back to top
|
 |
EAGLES - Week 7 Analysis
« on: Oct 16th, 2002, 9:33am » |
 Quote  Modify
|
The Eagles are facing their toughest challenge so far this season. The Buccaneers are leading their division and have reeled off five straight victories after an opening-day loss. There is a bit of history between the two teams. Each of the last two years the Buccaneers have been unceremoniously and abruptly bounced from the playoffs in the first round by the Eagles.
The Eagles are coming off a bye week. Prior to the bye week the Eagles lost a game to the Jacksonville Jaguars where special teams gaffes and penalties erased all chances for an Eagles win. The Eagles are 3-0 under Andy Reid after the bye week. Furthermore, the Eagles are 10-1 in the games following their last 11 losses.
The Bucs are coming off an efficient 17-3 win over the Cleveland Browns. After losing to the upstart New Orleans Saints in week 1, the Bucs have dominated each of their (weak) opponents in the ensuing 5 games. The Eagles and the Packers appear to be the only difficult games remaining on the Bucs schedule (apologies to the fans of any other teams on their schedule  ). The Bucs should be up for this game as it may be prove to be important come playoff time.
All that being said, I feel the Eagles will thoroughly dominate this game. The Bucs don't NEED to win this game. The Eagles do. The Eagles will have spent 2 weeks preparing for this game and it will show come Sunday. The Bucs offense is below average and will be no match for the Eagles defense. The Bucs defense vs. Eagles offense should be an intriguing matchup, but the Buc D will spend a lot of time on the field and the Eagles will win this matchup in the end.
Projections:
(Keep in mind it is VERY difficult to predict the offense as the game plan is designed to spread the ball around to everyone. McNabb, Akers, and the Defense are the only sure predictions each week.)
QB: Don't look for more regurgitory performances from McNabb this week.  The Bucs have the best defense in the NFL, but the Eagles are always able to game-plan for them.
McNabb - 275 PaYds, 40 RuYds, 3 TDs, 1 INT
RB: The Eagles will open some holes and will look to use the RBs for time management after building a lead.
Staley - 60 RuYds, 45 ReYds, 1 TD
Levens - 30 RuYds
Westbrook - 40 RuYds, 25 ReYds, 1 TD
WR: The Eagles WRs have performed well all year despite criticism about a lack of overall talent.
Thrash - 60 ReYds
Pinkston - 40 ReYds, 1 TD
Freeman - 50 ReYds, 1 TD
TE: Chad Lewis has been bothered by a neck stinger most of the year, limiting his production a bit. He still gets his catches though.
Lewis - 45 ReYds
K: Kicker extraordinaire... 
Akers - 2-2 FGs, 4-4 XPs
Defense: Bobby Taylor will eat up Keyshawn - he always plays well against tall, center-of-attention type receivers. Interior d-line has been a surprise with backup Darwin Walker playing at a Pro Bowl level. LBs have been efficient so long as Kirkland is not expected to cover pass patterns.
250 YdsAllwd, 2 Sacks, 2 INTs, 1 FF
 Solid starters: McNabb, Staley, Akers, Defense
 Reliable backups: Thrash, Freeman, Lewis
 If you're desperate: Pinkston
Final Score:
Eagles 34 - Bucs 13
 
|
| « Last Edit: Oct 16th, 2002, 9:43am by Philly » |
 Logged |
|
|
|
UFF Primetime Prophet
# 29
Pay, I said pay attention, son.
Posts: 5675
Back to top
|
 |
Re: EAGLES - Week 7 Analysis
« Reply #3 on: Oct 16th, 2002, 8:49pm » |
Quote Modify
|
on Oct 16th, 2002, 2:33pm, Jetdoc wrote:No homer bias in this thread, whatsoever...
 |
|
Actually, there isn't. I'm actually being quite objective. I just see everything pointing to a solid Eagles win. Have you seen anything from the Bucs to indicate that they'll be able to score consistently against the Eagles defense? The Buc defense has been outstanding so far, but have they faced a QB as dangerous as McNabb? I pointed out a couple trends above and am also relying on recent history between the two teams. The Eagles have also had two weeks to game plan for the Bucs. I'm basing the predictions on research, trends, and common sense.
I thought the Eagles would have trouble with Jacksonville and stated that (feel free to scroll back and check the thread). I also felt that Fred Taylor would run all over the Eagles and predicted a big game for him. The Eagles D held him to 40-some yards and no TDs. There was no bias in that prediction... I did, however, think the Eagles would be able to do enough to win the game. (It was a wild-card, the special teams, that killed the Eagles against Jax. Check out the numbers.) If you don't agree with my analysis, that's fine with me. I just don't appreciate being accused of homerism.
 
|
| « Last Edit: Oct 17th, 2002, 10:04pm by Philly » |
Logged |
|
|
|
UFF Primetime Prophet
# 29
Pay, I said pay attention, son.
Posts: 5675
Back to top
|
|
Re: EAGLES - Week 7 Analysis
« Reply #7 on: Oct 22nd, 2002, 10:04am » |
Quote Modify
|
on Oct 16th, 2002, 9:33am, Philly wrote:
Projections:
QB: Don't look for more regurgitory performances from McNabb this week. The Bucs have the best defense in the NFL, but the Eagles are always able to game-plan for them.
McNabb - 275 PaYds, 40 RuYds, 3 TDs, 1 INT
[color=Blue](127 PaYds, 4 RuYds, 2 TDs, 1 INT) A less than stellar week for McNabb. The departure from the passing game was a bit of a surprise.
RB: The Eagles will open some holes and will look to use the RBs for time management after building a lead.
Staley - 60 RuYds, 45 ReYds, 1 TD (152 RuYds, 12 ReYds, 0 TDs) Impressive, and unexpected yardage output. A TD would have been nice.
Levens - 30 RuYds (9 RuYds, 37 ReYds) Pretty close on the total yards.
Westbrook - 40 RuYds, 25 ReYds, 1 TD (-1 RuYd) Still doesn't even warrant a roster spot on fantasy teams.
WR: The Eagles WRs have performed well all year despite criticism about a lack of overall talent.
Thrash - 60 ReYds (17 ReYds) Was blanketed all game.
Pinkston - 40 ReYds, 1 TD (61 ReYds, 1 TD) Benefitted from the attention to Thrash and Freeman.
Freeman - 50 ReYds, 1 TD (Nothing) Was covered tightly when in the game, which wasn't often.
TE: Chad Lewis has been bothered by a neck stinger most of the year, limiting his production a bit. He still gets his catches though.
Lewis - 45 ReYds (Nothing) TEs were blockers this week.
K: Kicker extraordinaire...
Akers - 2-2 FGs, 4-4 XPs (2-2 FGs, 2-2 XPs) The guy doesn't miss. Mr. Consistency.
Defense: Bobby Taylor will eat up Keyshawn - he always plays well against tall, center-of-attention type receivers. Interior d-line has been a surprise with backup Darwin Walker playing at a Pro Bowl level. LBs have been efficient so long as Kirkland is not expected to cover pass patterns.
250 YdsAllwd, 2 Sacks, 2 INTs, 1 FF
(236 YdsAllwd, 6 Sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF) The defense only allowed 3 points. TB only TD came on an FR runback.
Solid starters: McNabb, Staley, Akers, Defense McNabb was weakest of the bunch, but still got 2 TDs.
Reliable backups: Thrash, Freeman, Lewis Nothing reliable about them this week.
If you're desperate: Pinkston Eagles were desperate this week, so they went with Pinky.
Final Score:
[/color]
Eagles 34 - Bucs 13
Eagles 20 - Bucs 10 (Both defenses were better than I expected. Still, a win is a win...
|
|
|
| « Last Edit: Oct 22nd, 2002, 10:06am by Philly » |
Logged |
|
|
|
UFF Primetime Prophet
# 29
Pay, I said pay attention, son.
Posts: 5675
Back to top
|
|
Re: EAGLES - Week 7 Analysis
« Reply #8 on: Oct 22nd, 2002, 10:15am » |
Quote Modify
|
on Oct 16th, 2002, 8:59pm, Philly wrote:I won't be able to respond to any more comments about the prediction until Saturday. I'm going to be out of town on a business trip Thursday and Friday.
I have a meeting with the National Football League Players Association in Washington DC.  I'll see if I can get any insider information for you guys.  |
|
The only useful information I picked up was the fact that Kordell Stewart is MUCH happier being the backup QB. (I talked to a rep from his agency.) He doesn't react well to the pressure of being a #1, despite his success last year. If you can get Maddox, it might not be a bad idea. If you're stuck with Kordell, it is time to unload him.
And to show my football knowledge, I was talking to the rep from a smallish agency in Atlanta. One of his clients is Eagles LB Quintin Caver. I told him I wouldn't be surprised if Caver was gone before the end of the season because the Eagles were desperate for special teams help. He almost guaranteed me that Caver would stay on the Eagles roster. Caver was cut yesterday in favor of Keith Adams, a backup LB released by the Cowboys who will help out on Eagles special teams.
|
| « Last Edit: Oct 22nd, 2002, 10:17am by Philly » |
Logged |
|
|
|
|
Home
Help
Search
Members
Games
Login
Register
Reply
Notify of replies
Send Topic
Print
it for that matter 
