This was the Cowboys first possession of the game and they had driven the ball 69 yards from their twenty-yard line. It was first and ten on the Eagles eleven.
Tony Romo took the snap and dropped straight back. He turned and threw a quick screen to running back Felix Jones.
First safety Nate Allen comes up to make the play, but misses Jones by lunging at him as the running back cuts slightly back inside. Cowboys tackle Tyron Smith forced Allen outside, but a good safety would have put a move on the offensive linemen and been able to slide underneath him to make the tackle, but Allen seems to be too cautious. He doesn’t turn it loose.
Next up came Eagles cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, who had Jones squared up in his sights. He let Jones run right through his tackle. He didn’t get the power in his legs by bending his knees and putting some explosion into the tackle. He was just kind of laying on the ball carrier. It was a horrible job by Asomugha. He has become a serious liability for the Birds.
He needs to do some tackling drills because his legs are going dead when he hits the ball carrier. You wrap up with your upper body, but you tackle with your lower body. You have to strike the ball carrier with your legs and Asomugha’s legs are not exploding but rather going dead when he hits a ball carrier. You bend your knees as you are approaching the ball carrier and get as close to him as you can before exploding into and wrapping your arms. In addition your eyes need to be open when you’re making a tackle.
Defensive end Darryl Tapp was in hot pursuit and he dove at Jones, just as Asomugha was missing the tackle.
Eagles linebacker Mychal Kendricks did a pathetic job on the play. The play was to his side, but he didn’t even get a hand on Jones. Kendricks was being blocked by Cowboys tight end Jason Witten when Jones caught the football five yards behind the line of scrimmage. Witten held the block on Kendricks until Jones was in the end zone.
It seemed like Witten held the block for five minutes. There’s no way you can win in the NFL with a linebacker who stays on a block that long. You can’t get dominated by a tight end like that and be a successful linebacker in the NFL.
If I were the defensive coordinator I would sit down with Kendricks and have a long conversation with him. I would let him know that a better effort would required or he couldn’t play for me. They need to have the same conversation with Asomugha.
Both Asomugha and Kendricks failed to show me enough effort on that play.
Defensive end Brandon Graham dove at Jones as he came in pursuit, but he had no chance of making the play.
Safety Kurt Coleman dove at Jones as he was going into the end zone.
DId anyone watch the bit they did on one of the shows where they were putting the red circle around various Eagles’ D players and then ran the whole play with the guy highlighted.
Was embarassing.
Several players (though Nmadi was there 2x) are seen just halfheattedly moving toward ATL and Saints players and then backing off. Retreating from blockers etc.Backing off tackles etc
Was ugly.
Basic Basic football here and I have been screaming about this for at least 4 years. In fact, it started when J.J. was here and they wanted to have more turnovers. Its as if you cant tackle AND look for pics. Its one or the other.
I for one will be glad when they bring in a true DC and begin to teach the game of football to these guys. I see talent on this D but many many holes and the biggest is effort.
I’ll be glad when they bring in a REAL Head Coach who will hold not only players accountable, but his coaching staff as well.
Paul its time for a change here my choices for the new coaching staff:
1. Head Coach/Offensive Line Quality – Dante Scarneccia (New England Asst Head Coach)
2. Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator – Keith Butler (Pittsburgh Linebackers Coach)
3.Assistant Defensive Coordinator -Mike Phair (Chicago Defensive Line Coach)
4.Offensive Coordinator Aaron Kromer(New Orleans Offensive Quality Coach)
5. Assistant Off. Coordinator/ QB Coach – Joe Lombardi (New Orleans QB Coach)
Make Howie Roseman clean Toilets……..and the New General Manager is :
General Manager – Bill Polian (Indianapolis)
Assistant GM/Head of Pro/College Scouting – Ron Hughes(Pittsburgh)
Vice President of Football Operations – Nick Casario (New England)
Seems like the Eagels back 7 were using their hands more often to disengage from Blockers (a Casitllo technique that he was working on his Defense with)
Now with Todd Bowle’s, it seems the back 7 are locking their arms up with blockers and therefore having a more difficult time disengaging..
For the Record TE Whitten is one of the better Blocking TE”s in the NFL
Nice GM Cliff.. a Dream Front OFfice if they could pull that off..
With Roseman having another 4 Years left on his Deal, he won’t be going anywhere.. We know that Owner Lurie will not pay/buy out a contract and not have that person working for him,…I would love to see a Polian,Mayock Hired to be the President of Football Operatins and keep Roseman as the GM in “name only”
Maybe Lurie will hire the GMCliff/Paulman/Dcar Combo Team and save some $$$ … so we can expand the Cheerleadign Group to a 1,000 Strong..
Paul HaHaahahaha!! That would set Philadelphia on fire. We would win multiple championshipSSS!!!!
Yeah, I know Howie is still under contract, but if he can’t evaluate talent, he is no help to us; he is a hindrance to championship achievement. He could always be reassigned to do something else within the organization if his vision the same quality of Polian, Ron Hughes, and Nick Casario who have a longer tract record of success in this area, AND CHAMPIONSHIPS.
My solution is the right direction to go. What do you think of the Head Coach, and the Coordinators Paul?
Oh I would still re-assign Howie to clean Toilets, because I just had to clean up his crap….
Gary, what do you think of my new Coaching staff, and Front Office? We would be bringing in a proven winning mentality from New England, and Pittsburgh, as well as some of the guys who had a part in evaluating those draft picks.
I want BA from Indy. This would require that their HC get healthy ( I pray he does). He has been able to win games with a young football team. Heck Moises Fokou is on that team.
It’s a great group GMCliff
Remember that other teams coordinators that are under contract with their present clubs cannot join another team for the same position
For example an O/C like the fella in NO couldn’t leave the Saints to be the same position with the Eagles, it would have to be a promotion for him to move which is why a lot of Teams list Coordinators as Asst H/C in their Titles meaning they would have to be promoted to HC for another Team
All the 49er Assts have 3 more year Deals on their contract as Harbaugh made it point for his entire staff to have 5 year deals when he brought his entire Stanford Staff to the 49ers as a smart example so unless it’s a step up
Assistants are hard to pry from other clubs unless their contracts are up
all of them are assistants on their current teams Paul. Aaron Kromer, is the offensive Line Coach, and Joe Lombardi is the QB Coach.
Keith Butler is the Linebackers Coach, and Mike Phair, is the Defensive Line Coach, but thats who GMCliff would try to sign to coach the team, because what you said is true in most cases, but some teams will not stand in the way of any promotions.