It has been more than a month since the Eagles pulled back to back losses, so I think I am fully recovered and ready to move on and think about next season. I think.
(Seriously though, how do you play one game, get completely manhandled, have your offensive and defensive gameplans turned inside out by a confused schmuck, shredded by Tony Romo, have your “Pro Bowl” left tackle get abused, then in the next game DO THE EXACT SAME THING. In what universe does this make sense? Deep breaths, deep breaths. Excuse me while I launch my body out of my 3rd floor dorm window.)
Now I think I’m over it. But even with all that happened to end the season, the Eagles still managed to roll off a 7 game winning streak to control their own destiny for the 2 seed in the NFC, find a potential superstar in Desean Jackson, develop talented secondary weapons in Jeremy Maclin, Brent Celek, Lesean McCoy who are all under 25 by the way, and learned that Trent Cole is a top 10 defensive player in the league, period.
But we also learned that the other three guys on the defensive line weren’t worth a cup of frothy urine, the linebackers were slower than Tony Soprano walking to get his newspaper and made fewer plays than Matt Forte (this is personal, he was on my fantasy team, and after touting him throughout the offseason as prime for a break-out and backing it up with the 4th pick in my draft, he proceeded to suck at levels that only porn stars have reached), the offensive line was an unmitigated disaster, and Sav Rocca made more crappy punts in more important situations than anyone in recent memory. It also served to reinforce Andy Reid’s utter disregard for calling timeouts at the right times, going for two-point conversions at the right times, challenging at the right time, basically doing anything at the right time, except for eating (that potshot is revenge for that horrendous gameplan at Dallas, therefore I feel I’m justified).
Clearly though, the Eagles are still very good, still on the cusp of being one of those elite teams, ready to win the Super Bowl, just in need of a few tweaks to the roster. But the very complicated labor situation and uncapped year hoopla could conceivably put a monkey wrench in those plans. Even though the Eagles can their New York Yankee on and spend as much money as they want on free agents, based on their finishing outside the top 8 (it’s very strange, explained better by Michael Lombardi at the National Football Post), many of the top free agents who may have been available may not be, based on weird years of experience rules that prevent unrestricted free agency and more franchise and transition tags (explained better here by John Clayton at ESPN), limiting the moves that the Eagles could make.
But before, I get into the 4 things that the Eagles need to get into the whole quarterback controversy, that won’t count as a solution because it’s too important.
The Eagles have three guys (Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb, Michael Vick), two are capable (D.Mac, Kolb), one is proven (McNabb). I know I advocated that the Eagles jettison the best quarterback they have ever had, right here, but I am feeling a little bit of buyers remorse on that blog. I wrote it in anger, I have now had the proper time to reflect. Donovan deserves one more chance at finishing what he started and win the good people of Philadelphia what they want most (sorry Phillies): a Super Bowl.
We in Philly are always so quick to blame Donovan for all that that goes wrong, and to a modest extent, he does have some blame to take. But no one ever mentions all the other failings from everyone else around him when the Eagles come up short.
When Peyton Manning comes up short (and that happens more often than you think) its “problems in protection” and Bill Polian rushes to the aid of Manning after he clearly blew the game.
When Dan Marino was playing, it was because he never had enough talent around him.
When McNabb loses a big game, he choked, again.
And yes, McNabb does come up small in some of the biggest of games, but it doesn’t relieve the offensive line from any responsibility (And I don’t see anyone consistently tossing aside very grown men with ease like McNabb does and throwing downfield, especially Kevin Kolb), the receivers who are always blanketed in big games (including in the Dallas games), and a defense that has never made a critical stop ever (In the Super Bowl against the Patriots when Deion Branch made every huge third down catch, the Cardinals last year, the Cowboys this year are the biggies).
I’m not saying that he is as good as either of those guys (he’s not, though is playoff record is better than both. Look it up and you’ll be surprised) you sign McNabb to another hefty extension, allow him to finish his career as an Eagle and try to find some kind of value for Kevin Kolb and Mike Vick this year. I am saying that you need to give Donovan a chance to finish what he started and built here in Philadelphia. If he wins it all this year, he stays: if he doesn’t, usher in the Kolb era. It is as simple as that.
I know the NFL has become so much more of a precision game. Quarterbacks, above all else have to be accurate. This was the biggest lesson from the Super Bowl. Is McNabb that caliber quarterback? Sometimes. When he hits those hot streaks, like in those two Giants games this year, he can be on the money with every throw. Then there can be the games where he's bounce passing and overthrowing everything. If he were to get hot at the right time, I unequivocally believe that he could lead us to a Super Bowl title.
The frustration level with McNabb in Philly has risen to such a high point that it would be hard to keep him beyond next year if the Eagles fall short in the playoffs again. I agree with that. But at least give him one more chance at one last hurrah, an opportunity to complete this mission. With his success and what he’s done for a franchise that hasn’t always done its best for him, he has earned it.
And the best way for the Eagles to do that, is to follow these suggestions (fantastic segue if I say so myself).
Solution #1: End the Andrews Experiment
No one person has decimated an offensive line, quite like the unreliable Shawn Andrews. I understand that he’s had injury problems, both physical and mental, but after a while, the guy has to get on the field and play, or you get cut. That’s how the NFL works. And the plan to bring in his brother, who stinks by the way, didn’t exactly work like a charm. I say cut them both, because we put so much into them being the foundation of our offensive line that it left us with a bunch of backups in important situations: not cool.
What the Eagles need to do is actually build the offensive line around something that they can depend on. The right side is a mess. Winston Justice is eh though he was recently extended so he’s not going anywhere, Max Jean Gilles and Nick Cole also don’t strike fear into opposing defensive lines. And it’s the pressure that comes from that side that really gets there (Anthony Spencer anyone?). Once you get rid of the brothers, than a real reclamation project can being along the offensive line. Herremans and Jackson are solid in the middle at left guard and center. The aforementioned Peters is one of the most overrated in the NFL, can’t pass block for anything though he is a good run blocker, sometimes, when healthy, but he clearly not leaving Philly after the price tag they paid for him. If the Eagles can manage to build some stability along the right side of the line, especially when it comes to pass protection, than they can build off the running success that they had last year, and keep McNabb from running for his life. The most important thing on the offensive line is continuity and reliability. The Andrews bring neither. Find some real guys who you can depend on and ride with them (right guard, right tackle, or preferably, both).
Solution #2: Switch to the 3-4 Defense
The front-seven frankly didn’t make enough plays and the defense seems really predictable on when they were going to blitz, who’s was coming and who was dropping back. There was never any kind of consistent pressure on the quarterback, or consistency in stopping the run, meaning that defense just wasn’t very good. I think the 3-4 helps a little, and I know because I run it in Madden and the old saying goes: “You don’t run on C.West”
And this is not some backhanded way to get Sean McDermott fired, even though he had plenty of struggles last year, things happened last year that were beyond his control (having to ever play Jeremiah Trotter, the underperformance of the defensive line, the midseason decimation of the cornerbacks, and the widespread infection of Mark Simonaeuitis or as it is translated, can’t tackle worth a damn). But I would like to see us bring in a lead assistant to help McDermott make the transition to the 3-4, preferably someone from Pittsburgh, Baltimore, or the Jets (though they can’t be as fat as Rex Ryan, we have met our fat coach quota already).
I just feel like the 4-3 is a little antiquated, most of the good quarterbacks really know how to deal with it (plus the best quarterbacks struggle against the 3-4 the most: Look at Brees against the Cowboys or Manning against the Ravens and Steelers, it gives them fits at times). The 3-4 gives more opportunities to make plays, more freedom for guys to do athletic things and make explosive plays in the offensive backfield. We need some more of that, plus we need to hide our weaknesses up front.
As defensive tackles, Broderick Bunkley and Mike Patterson have too much pressure on them to do what they don’t do well, which is really anything. They don’t really push the pocket on the pass rush and are constantly on skates going backwards in run situations. But you make them 3-4 defensive ends, it lessens their importance to the defense because now all they have to do is hold their ground relatively effective, and don’t get completely manhandled. It takes the pressure off those guys to be something they’re not (good to be exact) and puts it on the most important position in the 3-4, the nose tackle. You can hope that one of the better nose tackles in the league don’t get franchised (Casey Hampton or Vince Wilfork) or you can address it via the draft (below).
With those two guys as defensive ends, you can move Trent Cole to the 3-4 outside linebacker spot, and let him use his athleticism and playmaking ability in more versatile ways. I think he would be OK in coverage, though his main goal still would be to rush the passer.
Stewart Bradley is returning next year to provide stability in the middle at linebacker, and you could keep Will Witherspoon, who I liked last year, and play him inside with Bradley in the new defense, or try to find something early in the draft (linebackers seem to come in and make immediate impacts in the NFL nowadays. A guy like Sean Witherspoon sounds good to me. He killed it in the Senior Bowl). Filling that other outside linebacker spot, you could…
Solution #3: Sign Julius Peppers
When the Eagles really want someone in free agency, they get him, save Randy Moss (Jevon Kearse, Asante Samuel, Terrible, er Terrell Owens). Julius Peppers should be no different. It doesn’t seem like the Panthers will keep him. It almost makes too much sense.
First, he wants to play in a 3-4 defense and clearly (look above) the Eagles now do that.
Second, the only way you are stopping good offenses in today’s NFL, given the rules that say you can’t breathe on receivers and all that other garbage, is by hitting the other teams quarterback, and making it extremely uncomfortable for him to throw in the pocket. You can either blitz, or you can have great pass rushers. Looking at how the Giants won their Super Bowl (excuse me while I bang my head against the wall because Eli Manning has a Super Bowl Ring…OK, I’m done), you have to do it with an excellent pass rush up front and still having enough to cover people on the backend. Peppers gives you that, easy. Imagine Trent Cole and Julius Peppers on opposite ends (Eli is already starting to do his arm failing thing after a sack).
Third, YOU HAVE THE MONEY. THERE IS NO SALARY CAP. You can spend as much as you want. You already have a rabid fan base, who will clearly pay obscene amounts of money to watch Donovan bounce pass it to receivers and crappy halftime bands singing Lady Gaga covers (This really happens. Not exactly the crowd that seems to into Lady Gaga, but that’s just a guess. In an amazing surprise, they were booed, soundly.) Fork up the cash, be the highest bidder, and get a quality player to go along side Trent Cole in the front seven. There is no reason why this should not happen.
Solution #4: Repeat last year’s draft, only do it for the defense
I think that we have sufficiently fixed many of the offensive problems that come with the Eagles (although a little more balance wouldn’t hurt, we can’t be picky). But really, in the first two rounds of this draft, the Eagles have to come away with two impact players who can play immediately in the NFL. My strongest request is that their names not be Taylor Mays (a Roy Willams carbon-copy, except he’s a crappier tackler and just as awful in coverage) and Terrence Cody (because this is just stretching the definition of “athlete").
Excluding the very real possibility of St. Louis trading the first pick for Michael Vick so we can draft Suh (this is still in play when you have management as incompetent as the Rams), the Eagles look like they will be picking at the backend of the first round, though I still think there is some talent there.
The biggest needs are defensive tackle, linebacker, safety, in that order and if they were able to come away with two impact players at defensive tackle and linebacker/safety, it would be just as successful as last year.
I would personally like to see Dan Williams from Tennessee get picked at 24. He has the size (327 pounds) without losing too much quickness to be in the center of our newly formed 3-4. In the second round, I’d like to see a rangy coverage type safety to compliment Quintin Mikell in the secondary, allowing Mikell to maintain his at the line, physical style, or if a guy like Sean Witherspoon falls to the second round, snatch him up in a heartbeat.
I’m no draft expert, but something has to be done to address those areas, whether it’s those guys or someone better.
I think it’s pretty clear that the Eagles have to be in win-this-year mode. The Kolb era is looming. The McNabb era is fading. And I went a whole Eagles blogpost without mentioning Brian Westbrook (My thoughts: it doesn’t really matter what they do with him anyway. Lesean McCoy is better. He doesn’t have the same explosiveness he did and really would be a secondary option to McCoy and Weaver. I’d like to see them keep him because if this is the year, and I always think it is, he deserves to win a Super Bowl with Philly, a team he’s carried offensively for so long. The Eagles should do right by him and keep him one more year.) But I think the pressure has to start to get on the Eagles. The hapless organization that is the New Orleans Saints are the current Super Bowl champions. We were the winningest NFC team in the last decade and didn’t have a Super Bowl to show for it. I’ll gladly take it this year.
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