The Birds got in a physical and competitive practice yesterday. It’s the last workout they’ll have until Saturday. They’re off today. Tomorrow is the day before the game so they’ll do very little. The game is on Thursday and Friday is the day after the game.
I’m sure Michael Vick would tell that yesterday wasn’t his best production versus the blitz. He got some completions on a number of short throws, but the defense performed better than the offense yesterday. He had quite a few balls knocked down and broken up. The pressure was on him and they were coming from every direction.
One time Vick was hit by a bulldozer yesterday when the inside blocking got run back into his lap on one play versus the blitz.
The Eagles have emphasized letting Vick work against the blitz. Yesterday they had two or three periods which focused on the offense operating versus the blitz.
Backup quarterback Vince Young has been struggling to learn the system. At times his group seems to struggle getting out of the huddle. A number of times when they did get out of the huddle, somebody was lining up wrong. We’ll keep you posted but he’s go a ways to go.
Rookie middle linebacker, Casey Matthews did a nice job of getting his hands up on a blitz and knocking the pass down. Matthews is doing a good job in the middle, but needs to gain another half-a-step in anticipation before he starts making some big plays.
There best linebacker right now is the same guy who was their best linebacker last year and that’s Jamar Chaney. He’s been breaking up passes, getting to the quarterback on blitzes and he’s has the ability to get to the football. Chaney is a tackling machine.
Moise Fokou is a decent linebacker, but nothing to write home about. During the season, if the Eagles are able to limit the opposing offense to three yards or less on the first down, they’ve have their nickel defense in the game on second down and Fokou will come off the field.
Vick read a blitz yesterday, then took his time looking downfield to draw all of the rushers to him. At the last second he dumped the ball over their heads in what looked like a perfectly orchestrated screen, but out of no where came safety Kurt Coleman. The safety ran right through McCoy like he was a paper bag. It was a great play and a good hit.
Coleman has been having a good camp and right now he’s their most dependable safety. All the other safeties, namely Nate Allen and Marlin Jackson. Allen doesn’t practice full-time because he’s coming back from knee surgery.
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Good to hear Chaney progressing – I love that kid. The youth and lack of experience/FA moves for the linebacker position have sure been a hot topic – but why doesn’t Chaney’s play last year and apearant continued progress ever get mentioned? If he turns into a dependable stud at LB, and Mathews works out most of the time, I don’t see why we cant succeed on D.
When it comes down to Mathews and the other young LB prospects, it’s all about paying attention to detail and finishing strong. You know, like a good linebacker does. Like what Garry did on this article…hehe
The position im watching the most is safety, if you look past the big3 we may have a weak spot at safety, alot of guys coming back from injury or their inexperienced, i hope they can hold up there…
Vick has been working on the blitz recognition all offseason, hes ready!… Its been great in practice because both the offense and defense have had the better of each other every practice, its going back and forth and thats what you want to have going on, its not just being one sided… I dont know what to expect for the preseason game this thursday from the offense, they havent had there main targets desean and maclin, so hopefully the chemistry is still there…I think the defense will look better, but still trying to figure things out a bit…
I know its early yet…but anyone see the depth chart as of right now…Babin behind Parker at LDE?
Jon, I don’t mean to keep beeing a jerk to you, as I know I’ve been hard on your Schefter-wanna-be/”it’s all about me breaking the story” act…
But man, you seem to really jump to conclusions. You’ve already annointed Casey Mathews rookie of the year and now you say Vick has mastered the blitz pickup in a couple of weeks of a rushed training camp with all sorts of experimentation/adjustments on the oline. I love that you’re excited and optimistic about the season, but have some perspective man. Even the greats took a long time to master the blitz. I sure hope Vick is better at that this year, but to say he corrected his biggest weakness – and one of the inhearantly most challenging facets of his position – in a few brief weeks of the most condensed/chaotic training camp in NFL history…. well
Good points Schiller, people are making this LB situation worst than it is… Like you said chaney had a break out year and none of us saw it coming, i feel casey matthews will have a similar year, he has all the intangibles, good thing he put on 15lbs of muscule adding some more bulk… Whatsfunny is how people wanna say hes too small, hes this and that well check out what size arguably the best LB in football size is… Patrick Willis 6’1 240pounds, i know hes fasterthan casey but there the same height and weight… i think people just like trying to find a hole in our team year in and out… They said the sae thing about clay coming out of college, hes too small hes too slow yada yada yada, now look at him… we ll get a good look at this LB core this thursday…
Schiller, i said he mastered the blitz recognition? Where do you see that anywhere in my comments?
Real – My sense is that they treat the Depth Chart release at this point of the year (I believe it’s a standard/mandatory/league wide practice to release one now) just like they treat press conferences – they have to do it so they do it, but they really couldn’t give two shits about accuracy/disclosure etc…. It’s like if I asked you to right down what you’re eating for lunch on 9/11/11 right now. You’re the master of your own eating schedule and there’s no reason for you to make up your mind now. So why would you care?
But hey, maybe they’ll start parker and rotate Babin in. If it’s really true that Washburn rotates guys evenly, who cares who was in first? It’s not significant who plays on the first play of the game at all. Not one bit.
Jhart – I apologize for paraphrasing a bit. You did not use the word ‘mastered’ but you said this: “Vick has been working on the blitz recognition all offseason, hes ready!”
I doubt that he’s “ready!”. Its great he’s focusing on it and making strides, but its going to be a year long process most likely. And its probably reasonable to assume that he will continue to struggle/progress/work on it far into next year if not beyond…
And schiller, you really honestly think vick hasnt been watching film all off season long learning how to defeat the blitz? Thats where it starts at in the film room, now hes in practice doing a great job… yes the starting wrs have to get in sync with him on it too but it all starts with the QB…
If you are a starting QB you always gotta be ready wtf are you talking about??? You sound ridiculous the more you type bro… Obviously hes gonna have to keep working on his game yr in and out, teams design new exotic blitzes and coverages yr in and out, hes ready in the sense that hes prepared to face whatever they throw at him, hes worked on it all off season but of course he ll have to keep working on it for the rest of his career, thats self explanatory… smh…
J – I think he’s been watching some film. I don’t know that he was dilligently working at it as if he was ‘at work’ during the lockout – he’s always been known as a ‘talent’ guy rather than a ‘work ethic’ guy. I’m not saying that he works too little, but without knowing (and we don’t) it’s hard to assume he was putting in hours and hours of film study. And film study is one thing, but I think even Vick would tell you that you need to take the snaps in the pocket against the blitz to really improve on it. That needs to be in muscle memory. In fact, that’s why I think it will take time during the season – none of the D players can even tackle him now so it’s not a real threat.
This tells us two things, The Eagles D seems to be coming together in a short amount of time and Vick is working on a weakness, Cant ask for more than that at this point.
And the words mastered and ready are two different words look them up before you try putting them together as one in the same genius
Schiller, i said all of that already, you gotta stop reading what you want and actually read what was written bro… I said it starts with the film study, then the rest is obvious, you gotta go out onto the field and be tested… Vick said himself that hes been working all off season on film study and working out… and stop judging the man from his past saying hes a talent guy and not a work ethic guy, cmon man… Hes a changed man and its not hard to tell… he had an amazing year last yr and that wasnt off pure talent alot of it was from the pocket… so what you just said again makes no sense…
Got it Jon – “leggo your ego”…. I’m just trying to add some balance here.
One way to interpret what you said was that Vick correctED the weakness, and is ready – as in, he has completED preparation for the season.
It’s ok, we can move on from this…
Dont put any stock in the depth chart listing previous starters as current starters. A lot of that is just easing the incumbant out of that spot. Hell, they still list Paterson and Dixon as starting DTs but we know Patterson won’t be playing for a while and Jenkins will certainly be a starter. Its out of respect and courtesy to the guy that’s been there.
On the other hand, when you see a rookie or new-comer already penciled in, then that’s a sign that its his spot. (See Watkins, Harris, and Matthews)
Andrew, theyve been sending blitz after blitz at vick in practice making him get used to it bc thats what hes gonna be faced with during the regular season and even during this preseason! Watch out for this thursday sheesh!… Hes done a great job of recognizing it and making the defense pay…He had a tough practice yesterdayagainst it but for the most part has done an exceptional job
Jon, I agree he’s made vast improvements in his game and had a great year last season. But he’s no 100% changed. He’s altered, not a completely different person/player. Look, I’m not saying the talent is bad – it’s AMAZING and that’s what makes him so incredible on the field. Any work he puts in on top of that (and yes, he already has) is huge. But I’m just saying, him SAYING that he put in work doesn’t mean he ‘went peton manning’ on it…
Schiller, yeah its best we move on from it bc you sound like a dam fool! Its not balance your adding its insanity… you make no sense at all, your talking in circles trying to prove me wrong lol And you cant… So yes its best you move on before you make a idiot out of yourself more than you already have…
oh alright jon. now now, no need to get fussy. I stand by my comments and resent your name calling and acusations. But whatever, I don’t want to keep you away from scanning twitter and profootballtalk…lest you miss a ‘scoop’
Schiller,HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT??? We gotta take his word… And it appears he has been working on it,there is no way after a week or two that hed just be able to jump in there and make the adjustments on the fly at the line, what sense would that make?… Hes been putting in alot of work in the off season, yes film study and other… Maybe peyton manning study… they said hes been in the film room before and after practice, hes become a film guy… Is it too late for him to be bc of his past? Just merely playing off talent? Cmon man… I know your trying to make the discussion interesting but you sound really crazy bro…
Jon, I never meant that he only rests on his talents. I’m just saying, how long has training camp been in session? And how many snaps has he taken against players that are aloud to actually sack him? Both of those numbers are anemic.
Dude, I want Vick to succeed and I want him to counter his biggest weakness and as someone else pointed out – it’s great that he’s acknowlledged and worked at it – seriously is. That’s commendable. I’m just not perpared to say ‘he’s ready’ at this point.
Schiller,those were your exact words,”Hes always been a talent guy not a film guy” Cmon man thats the worst thing you could say about a guy that has obviously made alot of changes to his life and outlook and on field game, thats not off just talent, hes obviously been in the film room…And now more responsibility has been given to him at the line,calling protections, the mike, hot routes etc etc… so he has to know whats going on out there at all times… and when i said ready it ment just that, hes a QB he has to be ready at all times, hes been working on the blitz all off season, during the lock out film study, and now the last few weeks under center so yes hes ready and yes he will continue to work on his weaknesses… of course
@schiller
Yea I see what your saying…after I posted the comment I started to think that it was probably more do to Washburn wanting Parker to take more snaps, since Babin already knows what Washburn wants from him…
To us it doesn’t matter, but 1st team and 2nd team is a difference to the player…