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        the Gridiron >> the Red Zone >>  EAGLES - Week Five Analysis
        
(Message started by: Philly on Oct 3rd, 2003, 1:40pm)
Title: EAGLES - Week Five Analysis
Post by Philly on Oct 3rd, 2003, 1:40pm
The Eagles decided to incorporate a running game into their game plan last week against Buffalo and recorded their first win of 2003 as a result.  The Eagles will need to continue their balanced play-calling to maintain their recent success.  The question is whether Andy Reid will do so, or if he will slip back into his passing mentality.

This week the Eagles return to their new stadium (where they are still winless) to take on the Washington Redskins.  The Skins are setting the pace in the NFC East behind the strong play of Patrick Ramsey and Laveranues Coles.  The Skins get the Eagles at the right time because they will be without nearly their entire defensive secondary.  Brian Dawkins, Troy Vincent, and Bobby Taylor (all Pro-Bowlers a year ago) are still on the mend and their replacements are very green (and that is not just the color of the uniform).

QB:
Donovan spent much of the week answering questions about Rush Limbaugh's comments.  It has been a distraction, but McNabb should be just fine come game time.  Look for McNabb to pick up where he left off last week.

McNabb: 21-30 241 yards, 2 Passing TD, 1 INT, 60 rush yards

RB:
The RBs came to life last week, scoring twice and racking up decent yardage in the process.  There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to who is going to get the ball when, as Correll Buckhalter, who touched the ball twice in the first two games, got 11 carries along with Brian Westbrook.  Duce Staley, who was the go-to guy (when they did go-to the run) in the first two weeks was barely noticeable last week.

Buckhalter: 14 carries-71 yards, 3 catches-19 yards
Westbrook: 12 carries-60 yards, 4 catches-32 yards, 1 TD
Staley: 4 carries-14 yards, 2 catches-12 yards

WR:
Todd Pinkston got most of the stats last week, but McNabb looked to Thrash during a key third down near the end of the game.  Thrash made the grab on an overthrown ball and probably helped to increase McNabb's confidence in him.  Freddie Mitchell was open deep again last week, but McNabb overthrew him again.  One of these times they'll hook up on that pattern.

Thrash: 5 catches-71 yards, 1 carry-11 yards, 1 TD
Pinkston: 5 catches-44 yards
Mitchell: 3 catches-28 yards

TE:
Chad Lewis, after being the prime target in game two, was held without a catch in week three.  Look for him to grab a couple this week, but LJ Smith will garner more of the stats from here on out.

Lewis: 2 catches-14 yards
Smith: 4 catches-21 yards, 1 TD

K:
David Akers was named NFC Special Teams player of the week.  He hit all three of his FG attempts and both extra points.  Akers continues to deliver when asked.

Akers: 3-3 XP, 1-1 FG

Defense:
The Eagles defense shut down the make-shift Bills running game and have allowed only an average of 57 yards a game, best in the NFL.  Their pass defense can be exploited, and will be this week, with so many inexperienced (and short) players in the secondary.

Defense: 26 points allowed, 80 rush yards allowed, 310 pass yards allowed, 1 INT, 1 FR, 1 sack

FINAL SCORE:
Redskins 26
Eagles 24
Title: Re: EAGLES - Week Five Analysis
Post by DirkDiggler on Oct 3rd, 2003, 8:08pm
I am obviously biased, but I truly think the Eagles will win this game.  I think the Blitz of the Eagles will confuse the hell out of Ramsey.  

In addition, as you pointed out, the Eagles can stop the run.  I think Spurrier will turn to the Spurrier of old and forget the run and pass pass and pass some more.  Yes, the Eagles will give up yardage, but they will get their fair share of picks.

I think your analysis of the Eagles offense is dead on.  The stats are probably right, but you could probably substitute the names.  Who the hell knows what Reid has in mind......
Title: Re: EAGLES - Week Five Analysis
Post by Philly on Oct 3rd, 2003, 10:36pm
I think it will be a close game, and possibly a high-scoring one... I guess it's just the Negadelphia attitude coming out in the score - whenever something can go wrong, it usually will...

As far as the stats, the only ones I feel confident about are the QB and the PK.  Beyond that it's luck of the draw.  Trends don't even seem to mean anything with this team.

All that said, I hope Reid sticks to his guns (or should I say RUNS) and throws a balanced attack at the Skins.  Either team can win this one...
Title: Re: EAGLES - Week Five Analysis
Post by Coachnorm on Oct 3rd, 2003, 10:45pm
It should be a great game. Traditionaly doesn't the Redskins play a very competitive game when they come to Philly?
Title: Re: EAGLES - Week Five Analysis
Post by Philly on Oct 4th, 2003, 10:59am
Last year the Eagles beat the Skins 37-7 and then 34-21...

But that was last year...

And yes, there have been MANY Eagles-Skins games that were decided by less than a TD.  That's where I see this game going.  I just feel the Eagles are a little too banged up to pull it out.  But if the Eagles can get any sort of pass rush on Ramsey, watch out!
Title: Re: EAGLES - Week Five Analysis
Post by Philly on Oct 6th, 2003, 1:55pm

on 10/03/03 at 13:40:38, Philly wrote:
QB:
Donovan spent much of the week answering questions about Rush Limbaugh's comments.  It has been a distraction, but McNabb should be just fine come game time.  Look for McNabb to pick up where he left off last week.

McNabb: 21-30 241 yards, 2 Passing TD, 1 INT, 60 rush yards

Actual... 16-30 157, 1 Pass TD, 2 INT, 18 rush yards

He didn't have as good a game as I thought he would have.  He did have a 54-yard run negated by a penalty that had no impact on the play.  Maybe Rush was right?  :o



Quote:
RB:
The RBs came to life last week, scoring twice and racking up decent yardage in the process.  There seems to be no rhyme or reason as to who is going to get the ball when, as Correll Buckhalter, who touched the ball twice in the first two games, got 11 carries along with Brian Westbrook.  Duce Staley, who was the go-to guy (when they did go-to the run) in the first two weeks was barely noticeable last week.

Buckhalter: 14 carries-71 yards, 3 catches-19 yards
Westbrook: 12 carries-60 yards, 4 catches-32 yards, 1 TD
Staley: 4 carries-14 yards, 2 catches-12 yards

Actual...
Westbrook: 11 carries-64 yards, 4 catches-15 yards, 1 TD
Staley: 10 carries-36 yards
Buckhalter: 3 carries-3 yards
(Ritchie: 2 catches-14 yards, 1 TD...?)

Pretty damn close with Westbrook, who seems to be emerging as the #1 RB.  Staley and Buck are being used very inconsistently right now.



Quote:
WR:
Todd Pinkston got most of the stats last week, but McNabb looked to Thrash during a key third down near the end of the game.  Thrash made the grab on an overthrown ball and probably helped to increase McNabb's confidence in him.  Freddie Mitchell was open deep again last week, but McNabb overthrew him again.  One of these times they'll hook up on that pattern.

Thrash: 5 catches-71 yards, 1 carry-11 yards, 1 TD
Pinkston: 5 catches-44 yards
Mitchell: 3 catches-28 yards

Actual...
Thrash: 2 catches-26 yards
Pinkston: 2 catches-22 yards
Mitchell: 1 catch-39 yards



Quote:
TE:
Chad Lewis, after being the prime target in game two, was held without a catch in week three.  Look for him to grab a couple this week, but LJ Smith will garner more of the stats from here on out.

Lewis: 2 catches-14 yards
Smith: 4 catches-21 yards, 1 TD

Actual...
Smith: 4 catches-39 yards
Lewis: 0-0



Quote:
K:
David Akers was named NFC Special Teams player of the week.  He hit all three of his FG attempts and both extra points.  Akers continues to deliver when asked.

Akers: 3-3 XP, 1-1 FG

Actual... 3-3 XP, 2-2 FG (52, 36)

Got one more FG opportunity than I expected.  The guy is amazing...



Quote:
Defense:
The Eagles defense shut down the make-shift Bills running game and have allowed only an average of 57 yards a game, best in the NFL.  Their pass defense can be exploited, and will be this week, with so many inexperienced (and short) players in the secondary.

Defense: 26 points allowed, 80 rush yards allowed, 310 pass yards allowed, 1 INT, 1 FR, 1 sack

Actual: 25 points allowed, 49 rush yards allowed, 271 pass yards allowed, 2 INT, 2 sacks


Quote:
And yes, there have been MANY Eagles-Skins games that were decided by less than a TD.  That's where I see this game going.  I just feel the Eagles are a little too banged up to pull it out.  But if the Eagles can get any sort of pass rush on Ramsey, watch out!


The Eagles did get a consistent pass rush on Ramsey and the inexperienced secondary looked pretty good.



Quote:
FINAL SCORE:
Redskins 26
Eagles 24


Redskins 25
Eagles 27

I don't mind being wrong on the prediction this time.


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