Do you remember this picture of Andy Reid and Michael Vick standing on the sideline during that awful preseason game the Eagles played against the Pittsburgh Steelers? It stunned everybody that the Eagles starters were dominated so thoroughly by the Steelers first-stringers in the first half. Little did we know that we were getting a good glimpse of the Eagles football team which we would be following this season.
The fall out from the 1-4 start continued to day as the bullseye on Andy Reid became more fixed. Eagles quarterback Michael Vick stood up for Reid today when quizzed by reporters at the Nova Care Complex. He was asked whether Reid deserved the blame for the way this talented team has underachieved.
“It’s the little things that’s killing us in games,” Vick said. “And I know the game of football, and I’ve been around the game a long time, and I know the intricacies and the ins and outs, and it’s not Coach. Bottom line. So put the heat on the players. Put it on us. Don’t put it on him.”
He went on to talk about his willingness to lay in on the line for Reid.
“We’re going to fight for him every minute,” Vick said. “It’s not Coach Reid’s fault. Coach can’t go out and hold onto the ball, coach can’t throw the ball down the field. Coach can’t go out there and do it, he can only give us what we need – the recipe for victory, and that’s what we’re getting.
“It’s the little things that’s killing the game. It’s not on coach. I know the game of football and I’ve been around the game for a long time and I know the intricacies and the ins and outs, and it’s not coach. Bottom line. Put the heat on the players, you can put it on us. Don’t put in on him.”
I can’t agree with Vick because Reid’s decision to let current defensive coordinator Juan Castillo move from his the offensive line coach position which he has been in for more than a decade to the defensive leader was a major mistake and it’s hurt the offense and the defense.
Reid still does a good job of coming up with ways to attack opposing defenses but he weakened the offensive line for 2011 by letting Howard Mudd reduce the sizes of the center and the two guards. He weakened the defense is by putting a coach in charge who is still in the process of learning the defense he is putting in.
It doesn’t take long for a knowledgeable player to realize that his coach doesn’t know the defense he’s putting in.
Those are horrific mistakes for a coach with the amount of experience that Reid has. He wouldn’t put a novice in charge of his offense. Why would he put a novice in charge of his defense? One doesn’t make any more sense than the other.
I know Reid was putting Castillo in position to help him eventually get a head coaching job, but putting the former offensive line coach in a position which he’s unqualified for wasn’t the best way to put him in a position that would lead to a head coaching job.
After these five disastrous defensive performances, he couldn’t a get a job coaching South Philly High.
Well G i’ve read article after article that you and your crew have written. And its obvious this was a bad idea. The question i have for you ,and think its reasonable to expect a answer,what should the d-cord do now? What would you suggest?
Blitz the a-b gaps more do get the run under controll?
Blitz the c gap and hope it does the same?
Send a backer every other down just too disrupt things?
Tell Nmandi to lock one side down?
SHould they have went after Curry?
Can you still tackle?Cause i grew up watching you rarely miss one….heck Trott returned and your still lifting so whats up?
I would think playing about 13 players on Defense.. Take a shot, what’s another 5 yard penalty in the big scheme of things…
Dominated ?
Eagles haven’t been Dominated in any game In fact in games 2-3-4 they dominated until the 4th quarter
And in the 5th game they almost pulled it out after being dominated
They did not give up
Bills let up after going up 31-14, they became conservative and sat on the lead trying to eat clock instead of more scorin, but the Eagles at least make a comeback, but similar to both games versus the Packers and Bears of last year, the final score was not indicatative of how lopsided and manhandled the Eagles really were (at least in my opinion) In both games vs the Packers, the game vs the Bears and this Bills game,, the Opponents were all up by 3 scores by mid-3rd Quarter — games were over for all intents and purposes..
Torraine is averagong 4 yards per carry….Damn.
Shanahan runs the ball guys and you know he have chip on his shoulder.
This game gets Juan Tortilla outta here.
Shanahan is going to have a career day against us, you watch.
I agree with Vick 100%..I posted almost the same exact thing he said in the “Bills/Eagles My thoughts” article. We have been horrible on defense. Its not Castillo, I’m telling you all. It’s all three of those weak ass LBS. The wide 9 only works if you have a good front 7, we only have a good front 4. The whole scheme cannot operate without one the other. Us not having the LBS we need to fill these gaps is crucial and is killing us. And the funny part of this whole thing is that were 1-4 and very easily could be the opposite even with this sorry ass defense. The offense could have won these games alone if Vick had not gotten hurt or the dumbass mistakes such as the drop passes, fumbles, missed field goals, or jumping offsides. The players are killing us. Not Reid.
One or the other* P.S If Reid does leave Its not like ill dread the decision,but Iwont mid if he stays either. Goodjob Marty,you got another top 5 offense and were leading the league in rushing. Ipredict we turn it around after a Washtington win and after our bye
my fault torraine avg 7 yards a carry
Skins 36
Eagles 29
14 comes in garbage time.
Why?
The Redskins know this can dash the Eagles hopes and will take a dangerous Eagles team out of the running.
This is a Playoff game for the Redskins too.
If they win the Eagles may have nothing to play for when the Redskins come to Philly later in the season.
The Redskins will not let the Eagles out of their Stadium with a win.
Their defense will exploit the weakness at Center…This is how teams beat our Eagles.
Kill the middle and blitz from the left.
If we had a big offensive line like we had in Mcnabb prime this team would be scary…but little offensive lines only work in domes or hot weather and having a Peyton manning get the ball in in 3 seconds don’t hurt either.
Redskins will destroy our team and with it Andy’s future in Philadelphia.
Shanahan’s running attack is made for pathetic linebackers like the low round bums we have.
I get a distinct feel that their is blood in the water, the frenzy is on, and that their is a subconcious twisted undelying spirit that want us to keep losing and enjoys (unspokenly) our mishap.
The Eagles win this game, and this will be the start of the Redskin slide, this win will cost the Skins more than just a lost. Their mind is not right for this game. The Eagles have turned a corner the lesson has been learned.
Now until other wise proven wrong in the next game my prediction carries the same weight as any other. Mark my prediction down, this will be the end of the Redskins, there season will slide after this game.
This talent will get it together in DC and the scary that we thought we would have will finally be here.
Mono..I know you’re hoping for a turnaround but wake up Bro.
Scrapping the wide 9 and solely commiting to the run while the corners are in press coverage is the only way this Eagle team survives.
Will they do that?
Well they haven’t so far.
The other point is Asante is a liability against the run game with our weak linebackers now that we’ve went away from the tackling DB’s that use to be a nessesity in JJ’s defense.
If the Eagles were smart they would move Asante to Safety since that’s really the position he plays lining up 10 yards off the line, and have him back there reading the QB’s eyes to jump passes while using DRC and Asmo as press corners.
Well none of this makes any difference because I have a feeling the Redskins will come in this game looking to punch our soft team in the mouth.
Skins win…and if they do win..would anyone here be surprised?
Good Luck Dogman. Reid allowed McNabb to get sacked 12 times in one game. He will get you killed with this joke of an O line. So you will stick up for this FAT SLOB! WHAT A SAP!
This is not I’m pissed off, bitter and hate Reid as a coach talking, although I admit to all three, it’s just a simple look at what the Eagles have shown us so far and nothing, so far, shows that they’ll likely beat the Redskins. So, yup, I’m expecting another loss based on what they’ve shown. Like any NFL game, on any given Sunday yada, yada, yada it’s possible but, IMO, very unlikely the birds win this one. IMO, the skins are going to run roughshod all over this D and keep the ball away from the Offense as much as possible. With that D, they should be able to do that pretty well.. I think there’s a much greater chance that the Skins beat them convincingly and possibly run the score up than the birds winning this.
So MaybeTheyCan predicts they probably won’t.
Dude said put the smallest guy on the D #22 at safety ?
Assante at Safety is a very bad idea.. He will get run at all Season long
with screens,bubble routes, power sweeps to his side of the Defense..
But at CB, at least it’s only one side of the field where the DE/LB/Safety can support.. When playing SAfety, you have the entire field to cover as well as
much more contract with many more players coming to block you where Samuel would be enver more ineffective… He really needs to be traded and I xpect he will be after the season is over around Drafat Time where DCR takes his place as a Start next Season (Remember the DRC is in his final year of his contract and he wants a big deal so if he doesn’t get much playing time this season, he proabably will want to bolt to another team where he can be the #1 CB or at least the #2 CB and not the 3rd fiddle like he is with the Eagles, which is why I would like the Eagles to go ahead and trade Samuel now while they can proably get something decent in return which is also what I stated back before the Season started..
asante at safety???? Wow
If Asante’s at safety, and he’s playing center field – that’s picks. Safeties play in poass coverage too, you guys remember that right? If there’s a run play, DRC will be the guy who chases the runner down.
And that’s only if the LBs (remember, it’s Rolle’s second game, if you ‘jump to conclusions dipshits’ wrote him off already then you’re being fools once again. I want them to put in Akeem Jordan and play Jarret a bunch too.
Also, don’t forget that Nate Allen looked like he turned a corner and started playing well late in the game, so….