This week the Eagles will be facing the defensive front which they deal with each and every day, the “Wide Nine”. Lions head coach Jim Schwartz worked with Birds defensive line coach Jim Washburn in Tennessee with the Titans and they had some dominating defensive lines during their time there together. If anybody should know the strengths and weaknesses of the “Wide Nine”, it should be Schwartz and Washburn.
It’ll be very interesting to see what each team does to attack it. I think you’ve got to run against it to slow the defensive ends and tackle down. This current Eagles offensive line would be unable to block the Detroit defensive line, if they’re allowed to pin their ears back and rush the passer. Birds quarterback Michael Vick knows that this group they have now can’t consistently block the Lions, if they just throw the football.
“We had some guys that got hurt through the season”, Vick said. “We lost two of our best offensive linemen and have some guys filling in. We’ve just got to continue to work together and believe in one another. One thing we’ll never do is point the finger, we’ll never blame anybody. We just have got to continue to work to get better.”
The Eagles should be able to get LeSean McCoy going with quick hitters up the middle as well some strong runs off tackle in that gap which is opened up by the defensive ends flying upfield. They’ve got to slow down that pass rush early with some screens and draws.
I like those tight end screens because you have one of the tight-ends help first before slipping out and finding some open space. So far they’ve run two of them, one to Brent Celek and one to Clay Harbor and each has been successful. In addition, both of them were in the red zone.
I would work in the short passing game initially, then start to stretch the field every now and then.
