In the first game of the season against the Eagles, Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers used a nickel defense against the Birds most of the game. He dared the Eagles to run the football and the Birds refused.
I know the Birds fell behind early, but they started throwing the ball on every play in the first quarter and LeSean McCoy ran the ball only 7 times for 35 yards. They must not get so one-dimensional in this battle.
Capers has coached against Andy Reid and the Birds numerous times in the past, so he knew to force Reid to do something he didn’t want to do and that was run the football. Capers prepared for the Eagles passing game and ignored their running attack.
The Packers were able to take out one of their linebackers and move talented cornerback Charles Woodson into the Will linebacker spot. This allowed the Packers to have an extra coverage guy on the field to stop the Birds passing game. Even though the Packers got into the nickel defense, Marty Morhinweg and the Birds continued to throw the football.
Green Bay lined up Pro Bowl linebacker Clay Matthews in different spots and had him putting pressure on the Birds from every direction. It got ugly quickly as they pressured Kevin Kolb and took the Eagles out of their game.
The Eagles have outstanding running back in LeSean McCoy and he’s backed up by another good running back in Jerome Harrison. McCoy could be the difference in this second game against the Packers. He carried the ball only 207 times this season but went over a 1000 yards.
The former Pitt Panther ran for a total of 1080 yards and averaged 5.3 yards per carry this year. That’s an amazing average and one of the reasons that the Eagles must make the Packers defend the run. I believe the Eagles are capable of running the football well enough to force Capers out of that nickel look.
McCoy can also hurt Green Bay catching the ball because he’s a tremendous receiver. He led the Birds in receptions with 78 catches in the season. Reid and Mornhinweg have got to get McCoy the ball on running plays as well as screens and draws. If the Green Bay pass rush tries to focus totally on attacking Vick, McCoy will be able to slice them up with those draws and screens.
This can’t be Michael Vick versus the Green Bay Packers. It’s got to Michael Vick and all of his weapons versus the Green Bay Packers. They must make Capers and the Packers honor the run threat.
The Birds can’t let them get into a nickel defense with cornerback Charles Woodson lining up at the Will linebacker. They must run the ball against it and force them to get out of it. Reid and Mornhinweg must give the ball to McCoy and force the Packers to play regular defense on second downs.
If they don’t it’s going to give the Packers a big advantage in stopping the Eagles passing game.
I think LeSean McCoy is the key to this football game. The Birds have utilize him or they’ll be putting too much responsibility on the back of the Michael Vick.
I agree 100%,
McCoy needs at least 12-15 touches in the 1st half..
I think the 1st 2-3 Series on Offense for the Eagles will determine their fate Sunday…
If they stay balanced, patient, get the running game going ,which you can do versus this Packer Front 7 with success if you stay with it, and then add in some screens and end-arounds, then things will open up for down the field, but if Eagles come out initially with this “bombs-away” game plan, it will be over and play right into the hands of the Packer Defense..
This game will be won/lost at the line of scrimmage and it will come down to what Coach designs enough plays early to establish what team is going to have their mojo up front..The Eagles can do it,
but AR/MM are going to have to break from their pass-happy tendancies to get this accomplished
Good article G, but not to be negative or anything…….all the fans know that McCoy needs to get the ball in this game. AR and MM need to realize that running the ball will open up passing lanes, but they need to run it more that 9 times a game.
You have to get him more involved…….. A Linebacker cant cover him so it’s a must that they utilize him….. Use Jerome Harrison to confuse the defense……. They should expect the run when he’s in but it will open up the playaction…….. It all comes down to balance fellas…… The question is if MM and AR are willing to execute that style of football…….. We are dominant when the run game is atleast as the same as the pass ratio…… Even if you get 2-3 yards on a run play…. You have to keep them guessing!!!
I agree…if McCoy touches the ball 25+ times this game then the Birds will take the game. Green Bay was begging us to run the first game, and we failed to do so. I think as the season went on Reid realized the weapon he has in McCoy. Pound the ball, line up quick, run a draw, line up quick, pound the ball, line up quick, screen pass. Don’t give Green Bay time to read our formation, force them to make instinct decisions on defense and force them to sub quickly or else they will have a DB playing LB in that nickel package.
HOWEVER, the real key will be the defense. Because if they give up 14 points early, it will be hard to stick to the running the ball game plan. The defense has to keep you in the game for you to be able to keep running the ball…and who knows if that will happen.
As for defense, I believe that you DO NOT bring pressure off the edge. Rodgers will eat us up if we do that. Instead, I think when you blitz, you pound the A gap hard and fast. Come right down the middle and don’t give him time to hit the hot route. Our pressure from the edge takes to long to get there. Pound the A gap.
12 years of this …Andy wont change. They could come out in a dima package (like the G men) all games , dare the Eagles to run and andy wont. No sense getting our hopes up . Andy will never change. But dont worry, the talk will be about firing Mcdermott….nothing about Andys poor playoff performance. I sure wish i am wrong.
noticeably agreeable to all eagels fans.
ill say it again and again…lesean mccoy is our glue
both teams are starting inexperienced mlbs (chaney/bishop) and safeties (coleman/peprah)
when you look at it, GB does not have one experienced LB and they have an average dline if that
2nd cb tramon williams makes plays & is improving, ahead of dimitri pattersons learning curve
with that said, he can also have dmitri pattersons peaks and valleys…
d. coord. dom capers has just been doing a phenominal job to make GB a top-5 defense
they are undermanned on defense and running back (injuries)
offensively, their oline is as much a liability as the eagles and the steelers
aaron rodgers hit total is as important as michael vicks (both been injured multiple times this yr.)
both teams tend to be one-dimensional, but lesean mccoy is the x-factor (only good rb in this game)
special teams, we have the 2nd best kicker in football this season (titans bironas being first)
punter is up in the air (rocca/masthay) although ours has a bigger boot
our return game by the numbers are even (philly 20.4 / gb – 20.1)
andy reid and our starters had a semi-bye week and time to prepare, reid with extra time is beneficial
starters with extra time to study and rest is beneficial
playing a team that just played all out against a divisional opponent can really effect the body
i really like our chances, and cannot wait to pull this victory (as an underdog at home)
we win this game, and the rest of the NFC will be downhill from here
I dunno that 7-2 at home in the playoffs (10 – 8 overall) is really the definition of “poor”…but to each their own
@Ozzman…. I have to agree…… A reid has to get out of his arena League mentality and just trust your O-line to run block……. If vick’s taking a pounding by throwing the ball so often…… and our Rb’s jersey’s look like they just came out the cleaners after every game….. Than who’s fault is that??? If Vick’s going to be our franchise Qb than do things around him to help him….. Atl has an excellent run pass ratio and there 14-2…….
all offensive stats are close and similar, besides yards rushing per game (were plus 45)
we are 5th rushing and 9th passing, 2nd overall offense
they are 24 rushing and 5th passing, 9th overall offense
defensively, the stats are similar with gb slightly ahead in a few categories and we allow 8 more ppg
we are 15th vs run and 14 vs pass, 12th overall defense
they are 18th vs run and 5th vs pass, 5th overall defense
special teams the same thing, similar stats except david akers stands out for us (plus 31 pts.)
I didn’t realize that Green Bay employed a nickel against us in the first, and I certainly didn’t know that Andy completely ignored it. How does he continue to get away with this stuff?
we are 4-4 at home this year, and gb is 3-5 on the road
we are 7-5 vs the nfc, they are 8-4 vs the nfc
we have a better front-7 on defense, they have a better secondary
defensive playmakers: cole/samuel vs mathews/woodson
offensive playmakers: vick/lesean/desean vs rodgers/jennings
the olines of both teams are unimpressive, but i would say GBs is the worst of all playoff teams
andy reid and dom capers have the experience, not so much mcdermott/mccarthy
you can point as many things out as i did, but it all goes back to lesean mccoy the glue
dummer….you have to realize that while they played nickel a lot…it wasn’t all the time. Not only that, but being the first game, they weren’t prepared to see this kind of defense. Also, the substitutions come in late sometimes, and you don’t necessarily have the time to adjust to the 5 or 6 DB’s on the field. The QB should be the one to audible into a running play as soon as he see’s a DB playing the WILL spot…but with a rookie QB back there things get a little out of control.
I thought the Eagles adjusted pretty well from the 1st half the the 2nd in that 1st game, especially after losing the starting QB. I think the better place to criticize Reid would be the 4th and 1 play with Vick. Make a better play call, grab that first down, and who knows how that game turns out.
AMEN G…you are preaching to the choir here……I agree with this plan of attack, but like many previous comments, I have little hope that Big Red will change after 12 years of the same thing.
I think we should go to the old style of game……. A type of style they used for Mcnabb in 99 and the early 2000 seasons……. Vick can be more comfortable into making plays with his arm and as well as his feet…….. But him taking 40+ snaps and getting sacked 6 times and hit 10-15 times….. How is he going to last in the NFL……. AR must change his style of game to have teams playing chess instead of scrabble with his ABC and 123 play calling!!!
Good stuff Wmonell,
I do have to admit the Packers fans look better in the “Cheese- heads” then the Philly fans do with
the “Cheese Steak-heads” ..
Also the Special teams will play a role also, both teams have excellent Kickers and solid Punters,
but the Packers coverage teams have given up some big plays this year so a slight edge to the Eagles overall.. You would have to think the D-JAx will be out there on Punt Returns and maybe a C Hall/E Buckley on Kick-off returns..
Why wont Philly do more full-house formations……. We have the personnel to do so…….. Putting McCoy, Harrison and Fb Schmitt in the back field….. With Celek at TE and D-jax and Maclin at WR……… Vick was very comfortable with this style of game in his days with ATL…….. Not alot of plays but just to mix things up……. Mcnabb had this same stlye of game with the 3headed monster some years back…….. The key to this game is protection…… And executing at a high rate…….
another look at the Kickers stats,
Akers has more points due to more FG’s made
While the Packers were scoring TD’s, the Eagles were settling for FG’s too often this year.
G:
OK, that barely passes the laugh test. But I’ll hang in there in believing that the Eagles’ coaches might take a break from the passing Kool Aid. And what about press coverage against the receivers? Can they get off of it? I remember Carolina. Will they use Riley Cooper if DeSean can’t?
Play a short pass scheme to make there safetys come up…….. Just play a true style of west coast offense……. this will stop the blitz and have this young secondary on there heels…… That will open up the play-action pass for the big stuff to happen……..
One formation that is doomed to fail is that tight Bunch formation when all the WR’s are within 5
yards of the line of scrimmage… Eagles have the fastest team in the NFL, spread those bullets out far and wide and make the Defense play the entire field.. Also, this keeps the edged clear and open so
QB VIck can see the blitzes coming sooner and can make a big play when he breaks containment..
jroc…i wish man..i would love to see a fullhouse formation smashing it right down their throats. I agree our o-line will have to be great at protecting…but again, how do you shadow the holes in the o-line…run the ball!!..run blocking is a lot easier than pass blocking and our o-line is not terrible at run blocking..
I think you can even keep Vick in the shotgun….but don’t be afraid to draw them to death. And run a damn SCREEN PASS…we were the best screen pass team in the league..and i feel like that has dropped off the radar a bit
@Eaglebeliever……. Your so correct……. Reporters and analyst say that the Eagles have been known for there screen game and that if they get going they are the best at it………. AR just has gotten to trigger happy with the deep pass plays…… We have play makers on this team……. D*Jac and Mac can make a 7yard pass into 70 yards with just one move…….. I just dont understand through the years we dominated our division and went 13-3 and 12-4 with mediocre players back some time……..
@Eaglebeliever……. What we used back in the day can help Vick out as well as protecting him and making him feel more comfortable to make plays and not absorb so many hits……. This is a must for AR and MM to switch it up a bit and stop making the defensive coordinators on the opposing job so easy!!!
I agree with most things you are saying but I am not sure how we have a better front- 7 because I know that our defense has been horrible for a lot of the season this year and I thought that they had a really good line but either way if we come out too pass happy it is going to be a long game.
I mean you can’t really criticize a team that sets the franchise scoring record three straight years in a row…but i think in the playoffs you have to dial down the rate at which you attack the field….in the regular season you can get away with drop back, fire, drop back, fire..etc…but in the playoffs you need to employ a whole new monster…I honestly believe Reid & Marty are giddy of the possibilities they see with McCoy…they just haven’t unleashed it yet…or maybe i’m just crazy. On a side note the kid is 22…which is unreal.
I would like to see the 2006 playoff game against the Giants game plan….when Garcia was 17/31, westbrook had 20 carries, buckhalter 6….i believe the run pass was 50/50
I agree but 50-50 run pass is clearly the best option.. I don’t believe we lose that many games when that happens. Yes, when we pass a lot it can turn out really well,we set records and look unstoppable but when teams finally blue print around our pass it usually turns out really bad in the big games especially when the ratio is practically 80-20 pass like the Minnesota game.
So… ita ppears that EVERYONE INCLUDING EXPERTS AGREE that the Eagles need to get much closer to a balanced offense and the earlier, the better, to succeed on Sunday.
Unfortunately – years and years of watching AR offenses ensures that they will abandon the running game if the first few attempts are not very successful. They completely ignore the fact that if you stick with the run, even with little success in the first half ,softens the D for a successful run game in the second half AND reduces QB pressure during the entire game.
Absolutley, McCoy is the glue for this game provided Vick is quick, decisive and accurate.
Not to mention the runing game chews up the clock which will reduce the time that GB has their offense on the field and helping the Eagles D.
paulman – thank you, figured i can add to urs and everybody elses input!
and yes running/screens/short throws count as our running game and milk the clock and keep the opposing offense off the field
The packers defense is the 5th worst in the league in YPC allowed. Shady set an Eagles record for YPC with 5.3. Only with Andy Reid this is an debate. It’s a no brainer. They are soft against the run. Attack them with your best all around player and keep Rodgers off the field.
I think Andy & Marty may surprise us all this time around….heavy dose of McCoy. I think they know they Packers can’t stop him. And once we pound Shady a good bit, and the defense is focusing on stopping him at the line, BAM…play action, roll out, deep ball to Jackson or Maclin..
But again, the DEFENSE has to keep the Packers from scoring at will…or we will be forced to throw early and often.
Spot on Scorp,
You can run the ball on the Packers if you are patient and stay with it.. Imagine this formation/play..
Come in with a double TE Set (but line up K Dunlap) to the left of LT Peters
Bring Celek in motion from right to left, then lead with FB O Schmitt to go after the OLB on PAckers
The beauty in having Howard line up next to Peters is that you could have Howard block down on the
DE and then pull Peters out left and clean up DB/LB who is out there..
I bet they could run this play or a variation of it, all game long to the left and to the right sides
and get 4-5-6 yards a pop and even break some 12-15-20 yarders once in a while..
Agreed Paulman. I love the idea of the extra tackle. This will force Green Bay to play a base defense and be susceptible to the play against. Teams have been blitzing the extra safety or CB on us. You line up with an extra tackle, they’ll think twice about trying to play nickel or dime all game.
BTW, i think the Packers are more around the 4.7 YPC mark which is 18th in the league slightly better than the eagles at 16th.
After 12 years, it’s time for Andy to show that he can out-coach somebody. Greenbay’s weakness is obvious to everyone. Giving up 4.7 yards per carry just screams for us to ram it down their throats, while Rodgers sits on the bench.
Extra tackle!!! Reid would rather die.
Patterson’s starting. Let’s hope he shows the form he displayed against Peyton Manning.
The key to the N.O. Saint success was that they utilized players…… Men came in and did there part by mixing things up and use there advantages against a teams disadvantage…… My whole thing is that Sean Payton is a surgeon when it comes to reconizing a player on the opposing team……. AR and MM i wish they had that ability to look at that and realize that…… (EXAMPLE) “This guy here cant cover”, or “This guy is not fast enough to cover Jackson or maclin”…… You have to look at fine hairs when it comes to winning and being successful in this game…….. Especially winning a Championship…….. Playoffs is looking at film almost the entire season on what certain players lack at and have there strength’s at……. In certain formations…Its the coaches time to shine…..
EB, GB does give up 4.7 and that has them ranked at 28th in the league as there are multiple teams tied with different averages
and EB we aren’t saying they couldn’t run against us, we are saying we can run against them. We have McCoy and they have Brandon Jackson. So I think we’d have good success against them. And they could have some success against us but just the fact they allow almost 5 yards a carry can’t be ignored.
I’m just glad GB didnt get Marshawn Lynch….. Whooooo! He would be used effectively if he was in this GB offense…….. But like I said…. I just hope the NO NAME guys just dont make a name for themselves….. Kuhn and Brandon Jackson……. (PLEASE NOOOOOOOOO SMH)!!!!! HANDS IN PRAYING FORM!!!! LOL
scorp…i got ya. But I do think they CAN’T run against us. They can’t run period.
I think we are all in agreement that the Birds need to run the ball to win this game. But as I’ve been saying, running the ball can only be done if your defense is keeping the game close. It takes time to run the ball, especially running for scores. We can’t run the ball, then have Rodgers torch the defense and put up quick points. That will force us to pass more than we prob. should.
BTW, if I told you in the beginning of the year that we would lead the league in YPC at 5.5 you would of called me a lunatic. Crazy..haha
Easy guys,
RB/FB J Kuhn is a sneaky runner, has a little hop in his step and is pretty good in short-yardage/redzone situations and is an excellent blocker and very good receiver out of te backfield..
Kind of like a a former EAgle Jon Ritchie…
B Jackson runs scared and puts the ball on the ground, He is is not a very good blocker and an average receiver out of the backfield, he reminds me of a very poor man’s A Bradshaw of the Giants as far as his running style goes..
Eagles get forget about the Packers runners for remember what R Torrain of the Redskins did,
or T Mungro from the COlts a couple of years back..
Torrain is 10x better than Kuhn or Jackson….they can’t sleep on them you’re right…but when push comes to shove…both of those RB’s should be dominated by Patterson/Dixon up the gut
Keys to the game
1) Run the ball. Use mccoy, harrison and even some options and draws with vick.
2) Ajust to something- this will be tough for Andy.
3) Hit quick slants early. Dont let them hit us up the A gap.
4) use the pass rush against them. Screens to anyone but Djax (he gets killed on these).
Our D sucks and doent stand a chance so we need to score alot of points and/or control the clock.