Eagles: Who’s Hot, Who’s Not

After an embarrassing performance by the Eagles against the Patriots, the Eagles were impressive in week 2, looking more polished on both sides of the ball. It was not a flawless performance by any means, but the defense looked less like a deer in the headlights and more like a cohesive unit.

There was plenty of praise to go around, as well as plenty of criticism. Below are four players who stepped up in last night’s game and four players who underperformed.

Who’s Hot:

1. Michael Vick– The clear star of the game was the veteran quarterback, Michael Vick. After a strong performance against the Patriots, Vick was even better against the Panthers. He went 9-9 for 105 yards before being picked off on a hail mary to end the half.

   The stats unfortunately don’t tell the whole story. Vick was calm and poised. He released the ball quickly, accurately, and with a ton of velocity. He fit the ball tightly into windows of coverage and led the Eagles to a 74-yard touchdown drive in just two minutes and seven seconds.

   The veteran also showed he still has a ton of gas left in the tank. He took off with the ball twice, looking like his old Atlanta Falcons self. He is clearly the best quarterback on the team and will give the Eagles the best chance to win in 2013. Only a complete collapse in play will cost him the starting job now.

2. LeSean McCoy– If you’re looking for a running back for your fantasy football league, consider taking McCoy as high as the top five picks. In Chip Kelly’s run-based offense, McCoy will thrive.

   He showed incredible explosiveness last night, rushing for 47 yards off of eight carries for 5.9 yards per carry. He is the best player on this football team and as long as he remains healthy, this offense will be explosive under Kelly’s new schemes.

3. Bradley Fletcher– Just like last week, Bradley Fletcher did not flash star talent. But what he did do was show great consistency once again in pass coverage and in tackling.

   He allowed a few catches, but they were largely the result of good passes by Cam Newton and impressive grabs by Steve Smith. His pass coverage was excellent and once the catch was made he quickly cleaned up the mess with a swift tackle.

   He may not be the next Darrelle Revis, but Fletcher will be a physical player who won’t make many mistakes and will play solid football, similar to Sheldon Brown. He could be the most underrated player on the team right now.

4. Fletcher Cox– After an impressive rookie season, it looks like Cox is primed for a breakout year this coming season. Cox consistently got to the quarterback and showed a formidable combination of speed, strength, and tackling.

   Most notably, on the first drive by the Panthers Cox was able to chase down a scrambling Cam Newton and drag him down, nearly recording a sack had Newton not thrown the ball away at the last second. And just to put things into perspective, Cox is 55 pounds heavier than Newton.

   The Eagles will be in for a real treat this offseason as Cox’s freakish athleticism will soon make him a household name.

Who’s Not

1. Cary Williams– Despite all the complaints about the Eagles’ “soft defense,” Cary Williams did little against the Panthers to live up to his criticisms. Williams showed a very fundamental flaw, he allows far too much cushion on his opposing receiver matchup.

   The Panthers showed little fear in throwing against him and challenged him again and again and again. He consistently allowed completions and did not tackle as cleanly as one would like from a starting corner.

   Williams probably still deserves to start, but expect more of a flashy occasional big-play defender, rather than a consistent shutdown corner.

2. DeMeco Ryans– Ryans did not play poorly, but he wasn’t great. After a season that could have been worthy of pro-bowl consideration in another season, Ryans recorded only one assisted tackle in this game.

   He was not much of a force against the run. He struggled to shed blocks and served more as a decoy than a playmaker.

   Unfortunately, the move to the 3-4 looks like it will hurt Ryans’ productivity, as he really is more suited to playing middle linebacker in a 4-3 defensive scheme. Just like Ryans’ final season in Houston, when the team was transitioning to the 3-4, Ryans won’t be a bad player, but don’t expect him to be a great one.

3. Ifeanyi Momah– After all the hype surrounding his 6’7” frame and blazing 4.40 40 yard dash time, Momah has been a huge disappointment ever since training camp began. He has shown little of his 40 yard dash speed on the field and struggled to get separation. He failed to record a single catch against the Panthers.

   Momah also did poorly in blocking assignments. Unfortunately, measurable aren’t everything and all the size in the world means nothing if you can’t get open or set blocks. Perhaps the Eagles will give Momah a practice squad spot in hopes that over time he can develop more and make use of his physical gifts, but right now he does not deserve a roster spot.

4. Nick Foles– Foles played okay for the most part, but his stats, like Vick’s, are also misleading. Despite completing 6 out of 8 passes, the majority of Foles’ throws were high percentage ones, such as short completions and dump offs.

   Despite all the attention given to Foles’ cannon arm, he still does not throw deep as often as one would like. And the interception he threw, while attempting to throw the ball away but not getting enough air on the ball, was inexcusable. He was being hit, but it was not a blindside hit. In those situations, you either make the decision to throw the ball away quicker or you take the sack, especially when it’s second-down. A second-year player like Foles should know better.

   Foles also consistently bobbled the snap. With Vick’s strong performance, Foles may have put himself in a hole in this QB-competition that he may never emerge from.