The Eagles talent on both sides of the ball is astonishing. If they’re able to get Jeremy Maclin and Steve Smith healthy they will be the most talented Eagles team ever.
What would that mean? That means this football team needs to win the Super Bowl. They’ve got enough talent to win the Super Bowl, now Andy Reid and his staff must lead them to the Lombardi Trophy. It’s that simple.
They should be able to blow some teams out. This squad should be able to win games on the offensive side of the ball by scoring over 40 points and on the defensive side of the ball by shutting opponents out.
The only question I have is their special teams. Why did they have to pick now to change the punter and the kicker. If you’re going to change one, why change the other. Why decide to go with two rookies as your punter and kicker?
At training camp I saw new punter Chas Henry put three or four balls up into the air as high as the sky for fifty yards, then he’ll shank three or four in a row. I see a strong leg, but I don’t see consistency. That’s not a good thing in the NFL.
This youngster will have to punt the ball in the cold with the wind swirling. If he doesn’t have consistency in great weather during the summer, he’s not going to have consistency during the winter with the wind swirling and ten angry Giants, Cowboys or Redskins trying to block the punt.
Inconsistency is the same thing I saw with our new kicker Alex Henery. He went through the first four or five days of training camp, kicking the ball like he was headed to the Hall of Fame. He was booming fifty-yard kicks with fifteen yards to spare. We stood on the side and watched in awe.
Unfortunately he finished the camp with a few days of dreadful performances. He would miss a kick, then miss another, then miss another one. Young players are usually not as consistent as veteran players, but head coach Andy Reid is willing to take the chance.
“I’m good with it”, Reid said. “Listen, we have a couple young guys who are feeling their way out with this thing. You know, they’re new in it and it’s important that they get a lot of reps. So I’m okay there. I know there’s going to be a good day and a bad day and I understand that right now. I always go back and mention the greatest kicker, if not one of the best kickers in Eagles history, was [K] David Akers. And David was released from a team and brought here as a backup and you saw him grow.
I hope the decisions to change the kicker and the punter doesn’t come back to haunt the Eagles. They have stocked this roster with tremendous talent but decided to go with a rookie punter and a rookie kicker.
I don’t think these youngsters have any idea how they’re going to be treated if they misfire on a big punt or kick during the regular season or during the playoffs. If one of them messes up a kick that costs this team a Super Bowl, they’re going to have to go into the witness protection program.
Keep an eye on these two because I don’t have confidence in either one of them.
the punter and kicker will be fine … i think this is the most excited/anxious any eagles fan has ever been about out kicking and punting game!!!
the thing i am most concerned about is Vick’s blind side … that is probably going to haunt us this year
So we replaced an old punter who had never kicked a football in his life until he was what – 35? and was never ‘that’ consistent and the rail against him was he did poorly later in the season with a rookie that has been punting for the last 4 years at a major college and was voted the best punter in the country.. I think he has punted a time or two under pressure – maybe those 4 Florida, Flordia state games? Maybe… Ranked #1 punter in country going into collge – won a national championship at Florida…. I’m just saying if you look at Rocco’s Bio and Look at this punter’s bio – seems like a no brainer.
As for the kicker – whta’s the worst he can do – miss two important field goals in a playoff game? He has an outstanding resume. A valid argument could be made to have kept Akers – but 1) did Akers want to be he – he turned down an extension, then he complained about being ‘tagged’ What choice did the Birds have but to go out and get the best Kicker available.
The argument of ‘hope it doesn’t come back to haunt you’ can be made for every position – but we didn’t win the SB last year – so clearly needed to make changes – these are talented players, that have probably played in front of bigger, noiser crowds then they will see on Sundays at the Linc (ever been in Nebraska during a Huskers game?)
FG kickers are never a sure bet…often they will bounce around until things finally start to go well for them.
I believe that Bobby April is a good Special Teams coach. I am suprised that there were not others brought in to provide competition for the job.
Did I read where Akers kicked a 59 yarder last week in a pre-season game? That might be wrong, but regardless, he is a steady kicker who had a bad last game for the birds. Hopefully this is a move by the FO that doesn’t backfire. The FO has done a really great job this year, so after years of beating them up for moves and non-moves made, I want to hold off on any criticism for now.
we’ll be fine during the season, whether they perform well or average.
i think they both will do their jobs respectively, they were great in college.
when it comes to the playoffs, would be great if these 2 come through and nut up.
we do have an offense that will score and move the chains, making life a lot easier for our punter and kicker.
the way i think about it is…
we score 27 ppg, and will do so again this yr (if we dont reach 30!!)
and we have a defense that wont get passed all over
and you will have to earn your yards on the ground
but you will also be playing catch up
and we have good special teams which makes us complete in every aspect
we can stop offenses more than other teams defenses can stop us, plain and simple
i felt last yr we could have overcome injuries and vick being thrown into the fire and win it all
with a whole offseason with some of the best coaches/staffs in the league
coaching up some of the best talent in the league, were in a great spot
lets do thissssss!!
Good points Navy and Green,
The way I look at is this, the Eagles are coming off a Franchise Scoring Record with this Offense and it only should be better with Vick and all the young skill players playing together longer with some added veterans (Brown/Lee/Smith) and a improved OL.. The Deal about Akers we all know about and Akers & His Agent wrote his own ticket out of Philadelphia so if there is a Season to break in a Rookie Kicker (who happens to hold the All-Time NCAA FG % Record for a big time Program in hostile environments in all kinds of weather conditions) then this is the year to do it..
If the Eagles inmprove their Pass-Protection, Blitz recognition and improve in the Red-Zone/Short yardage situations, then Paulman could Kick for the Eagles and not have them miss a beat…
LOL….
Paulman, you are a funny cat today! Paulman kicking FG’s…
I agree with AR, in his press conference he besically said others have to be given a shot (Akers was given a shot)…Gotta remember these guys weren’t brought to the Eagles for just this year, these are players that the Eagles expect to be their kickers for future years. Gotta take the good with the bad with these guys….know that and you wont be dissappointed!
I agree.
Teams will be cutting potential replacements.
Shayne Graham missed a few for the Redskins but is worth a look.
If the Defense can hold teams to 18-20 game we should be ok.
If Smith Maclin and Jackson click……watch out??…..
My prediction 11-5
Green Bay, New Orleans, Philly, Atlanta top teams NFC
Baltimore, San Diego, Pittsburgh, Indianapolis.
What could be worse…had Akers made those kicks in the playoffs, we would of beat GB. Again whats the worse that could happen? To Life, Love & loot! Lets go Eagles!!!!!!!
Atra,
COlts in the AFC… I don’t even have them making Playoffs this year..
P Manning has had 0 Practices and yes I know he walks on water, but you cannot go an entire off-season and have zero practices and expect to play at a High Level, even if you are Peyton Manning, this current version of the Colts has a very young and inexpereinced OL, an average WR corps, not much of a running game and a very average Defense who lost LB C Sessions, Safety B Sanders and some others… They will struggle to win 8-9 games I believe and it’s not a given that Manning will even be able to play the 1st coupld of games..