Eagles To Run More Screens

Written By Bob Cunningham – While there won't be many changes for the Eagles in 2009, as far as their playbook goes, there will be some worth noting.

I believe running more screens will be one of those changes.  

It seems as though the screen was not run nearly as often in 2008 as it was in 2007 or any other prior year. I don't have the numbers right in front of me, but it was fairly obvious just from watching.

The reason could be that Westbrook was a bit more banged up in 2008 than he has been in years prior. Regardless of the reason, the Eagles need to find their way back to the screen.

Westbrook has made his highlight reel off of the screen. Think back to the Redskins game in '07, or the Lions game in the same year. Even in '08 the screen put the nail in the coffin for the Minnesota Vikings in the Wild Card round of last year's playoffs.

But for whatever reason, the screen was simply forgotten for most of the year. And in Reid's pass-first offense, the screen must be an important part of the gameplan to make up for the amount of running plays called.

Westbrook had perhaps the most ineffective year of his career last year. He had a career low in yards-per-reception (7.4), the second-lowest in receiving yards (402), and his lowest reception total (54) since 2003.

Peters and Andrews are both athletic enough to pick up right where Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan left off in the execution of the screen.

Also let's not forget that the rookie McCoy can run that screen with the best of them. So whether it's McCoy, Westbrook, or even Leonard Weaver, it's time to get back to the bread-and-butter play.