For yet another week the opposing tight end will have a big game against the Eagles defense.
They won’t have to hold their heads in shame this time though, because the tight end doing the damage is headed to the Hall of Fame.
Former Kansas Chief and current Atlanta Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez is probably licking his chops to get out there and run some routes against the Birds pass defense.
They haven’t been able to stop tight ends who couldn’t shine Gonzalez’s shoes. They make guys who are mediocre at best, look like they’re headed to Canton. The key to dealing tight ends is holding them up so the quarterback pulls his attention away from them.
Quarterbacks work hard to resist the feeling that the football is a hot potato.
They’re looking for someone to throw the ball to and they won’t keep their attention on a receiver who is held up and delayed.
This is why strongside linebacker Chris Gocong is one of the main problems in the Eagles tight end coverage. I don’t blame it all on Gocong because he’s playing out of position.
The former Cal Poly star who had 20 sacks in one college season, isn’t internally wired the way a 4-3 outside linebacker needs to be. Gocong is used to going on the attack every time a play starts.
He steps forward out of instinct, which is the worst thing you can do if your job is to hold up the tight end.
Tight ends do a swim move on him and immediately they’re into the Eagles secondary. He has to cognitively think of not stepping forward which gets him playing like a robot and not letting his natural talents shine.
He should be playing outside linebacker for a 3-4 and he would be playing well with six to ten sacks and a chance to go to the Pro Bowl. Instead he’s here in Philadelphia and struggling.
What is it that the Eagles saw on the video tape as he was getting sack after sack to make them think he should be chasing tight ends in the NFL?
I and anybody else who was looking at Gocong correctly saw a pass rushing 3-4 outside linebacker.
The shame of the situation is that he’s a very good pass rusher and has shown it when the Birds have let him do it.
He’s a good athlete but he’s not at his best when he’s changing directions out in the open field with somebody who is 20 to 30 pounds smaller than he is.
I think you’re going to see the Birds let him go after this year and let rookie Moise Fokou take over at Sam linebacker.
Fokou has been impressive to me, except when getting penalized for all those stupid violations.
