Eagles defensive coordinator Juan Castillo said he hopes he and his defense get the chance to atone for letting the Falcons make those late touchdown marches against them, by meeting Atlanta in the playoffs.
He wasn’t willing to give the specifics about why they moved Jamar Chaney from strongside linebacker back to middle linebacker, then moved Casey Matthews from middle linebacker to weakside linebacker, then they moved Moise Fokou from weakside linebacker to strongside linebacker.
His only explanation of switching the linebackers had to do with the Eagles linebackers being interchangeable which is true, and he said that depending on the defensive game plan that they can move the linebackers from one position to another.
Of course it’s obvious that the different linebackers have different strengths and they would fit better in one position as compared to another.
Castillo tried to stand in front of his rookie middle linebacker Matthews to deflect any criticism of him. He said any criticism of Matthews was criticism of him (Castillo).
The first-year defensive coordinator did confirm what Nmandi Asomugha said about the plan for him to cover Tony Gonzalez was scrapped because Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was having ankle problems and not sure he was going to play against the
According to the Eagles all linebackers are interchangable. Juan, the cheerleader, Castillo shares this perspective.
Castillo has a very fan-like way of seeing the game. He makes decisions like we would. I mean seriously. Oh this guy is a Mathews, he is born to succeed in the NFL. Or oh this guy from Temple really hits he reminds me of Dawkins. Or oh Asmougah is very physical on the corner. He can do what Woodson does. Or oh Chaney had 16 tackles last year against the Giants, I’ll put him back in the middle this week. But he is hard working and enthusiastic so Andy likes him. He’s not that talented. Hey it worked for Sheldon Brown and we liked him for it. Above average player that worked hard and played hard and got torched by Burress and TO consistently because he wasn’t good enough.
Freaks like Woodson are so rare. They are like Kobe or Jordan. You only find a couple every ten years. I can list a few. Ronnie Lott was an AP corner and then a HOF safety. LT could have been a HOF LB or DE. Troy Poloamlu could be an AP OLB or SS. Woodson will make the PB this year as FS filling in for Collins after being an AP corner for years. Who wins the Heisman as a corner? Freak! Reggie was a HOF DE who could have been a HOF DT. In fact he played DT quite a bit and his play was just as dominant. One cannot assume that because Nnamdi is physical he can do what Woodson does so well. He is an excellent corner that is physical enough to cover the TE. Thats where it ends. He can’t be a safety. He can’t be a great blitzer. Castillo needs to stop being a fan.
Casey Matthews has long hair. He’ll be better than Clay the longer he grows his hair, like Sampson of Biblical fame.
wow- i think this is code for… all 3 sucks at all three spots so it does not realy matter where i put them. Sorry.,,., noy buying it Juan. He kind of re,minds me of the Oline coach we had a few years ago that used to move around the oline and….. oh… nevermind.
i remember a stretch of games that akeem jordan actually looked pretty good . how bad is he if he cant win a startng job !
nev856….I have thought that about Jordan myself. Two things. I think he had an injury a few years back that caused him to permananently lose a step. Second, they know Jordan is dead average but think these youngsters have more upside. I just can’t see how they still think Fokou is decent after two years of mediocrity. I think Rolle will eventually start at some point. Not sure where or when.
Who do people think is better: Taylor/Vincent or Nnamdi/Assante? I can’t decide. Nnamdi is better than all three of the others but which combo is better overall. Taylor didn’t tackle either but player more physical man to man.
Stevo….nice referrence to our mediocre O line coach from a few years back. But Dave Spadarro told me that that guy was one of the very best line coaches in the business.
A couple of reminders of Akeem Jordan
#1) He lacks the upper body strength to shed blockers, has decent speed
#2) He was an undrafted Free-Agent from a Division II School (James Madison) so to expect him to be moer than a back-up or SPecial Teamer 3 years into the NFL is unrealistic.. He’s a back-up.. Eagles have 6 back-up LB and Special Teams on their LB Corps..
For whatever it’s worth, the best Eagle LB I have seen over the last 3 Years was probably the fella they traded to the Broncos in Joe Mays.. (At least at the MLB Postion). Mays was another 6th/7th Round Draft Selection from another College Power-house Program North Dakota State, I believe….. Good Grief.. I could probably play LB for this Franchise
c’mon Juan… Im losing faith in you with these answers you are giving, and this defense
Now I would pay to see paulman play 1 set at LB…..
All he has to do is run away from the play like Matthews does half the time
and fall down.
DixieFan
September 22, 2011 – 4:46 pm
Now I would pay to see paulman play 1 set at LB…..
jbird – I would go the later – Taylor and Vincent could tackle and support run better – but 22 and 24 cover better and its a passing world..
Big E – that last one was cold – funny, but cold….
Navy- Yes I know it was cold, but wirh all the linebackers the Eagles have had over the last 12-13 years aside from Trott and one other guy it gets old and annoying that the same deficiency crops up every year. They must have gone thru 25 linebackers most of which could’t beat out Paulman in his hayday and the fact that it took all preseason and two regular season games to assess this guy that is even more aggravating. Reid’s poor coaching performance lost the Falcon’s game.
but funny….
I have met Pman – so I have seen the man in person…… I think Stew Bradley before the knee injury could have taken him….
now that guy… who the hell Matt McCoy.. the 2nd rounder – yeah – PMan had him easy..
As for the current group – you know I am the eternal optimist – they have to get better – don’t they?
cASTILLOS LINEBACKERs are interchangeable because they share a common demonitator with their defensive coordinator: they are inexperienced and they suck
I want to chime in, because I hated joe mays when he was here, and I’m mad that I still have to read about him. This guy got a boatload of hype for having a good camp and always being around the ball, when the preseason happened, and he played in the reg season, he was around the ball, but never seemed to know what to do when he got there… he was not a good tackler, he more ran into people than he did tackle people and could not cover anyone. He was honestly the most overrated eagle over the past few years, EVERYONE wanted to see him play, and when he got his chance, he was terrible… I am glad he is gone
you know funny thing – Dahani Jones and Takeo Spikes actually are doing well since they left the birds, Joe Mays and Andy Studebaker are also still around – remember Sean Considine – he start in Jax I think..
Interchangeable, is another word for, all the same, not good enough, & all suck! Give me a f^#@ing break! Just STFU already, Castillo! You sound more & more like a stupid dip$#!T, every time you speak! This coaching staff can’t lie to me & try to make me believe these stiffs are any good!
Castillo looks like a deer in the headlights, after every time the DF gets burned on a play. He doesn’t have a clue. He is over matched & can’t handle it. Oohh, big surprise, nobody seen that coming! $#!t can the entire staff, Lurie, ASAP!!!
Mudd & Washburn are exempt!
Paulmoron….again you’re wrong. James Madison is a 1-AA school….NOT DII
I still call it Division II and will continue to do so
The “BSC” to “FBS” to whatver you want to call it,
James Madison is a very good Football Program year in and year out, but they don’t play the big boys week in and week out at the 1-AA level/Division II Level. My local university (Appalachian State) is in same series/division but you cannot compare the athletes,coaching and the physicality of a Delaware,Villanova,James Madison,U of Richmond, Appalachian State versus that on school/programs in the BSC Conference’s on a consistent basis..
Juan is still learning to coach and call a defense… he knows he made a mistake putting Mathews in the middle….he is like Andy in that they stock up for their players and take the blame…i’m fine with that, but to say Mathews and Fokou are starting caliber LB’s is ignorance. They are special teams players at best.
My girlfriend went to JMU and actually tutored Akeem Jordan, and knows him… so I hope he gets on the field for that reason only