A Snapshot of Today’s Eagles Practice

As I was entering Lincoln Financial Field this afternoon, I was thinking that after two preseason games Chip Kelly has the confidence of every player on the roster.  This football team is moving the ball consistently and the defense played much better this week.  There’s no question they think they can win by following Kelly.

The Eagles had a two-hour practice at Lincoln Financial Field in helmets without pads. I would have to give this practice to the defense.  The offense had their spots, but there were too many interceptions and far too many balls on the ground.

It sure seemed that Michael Vick took most of the plays at the quarterback position with the first string.  Vick didn’t have one of his better practices and Nick Foles was just as bad.  This wasn’t  the best of days for good quarterback play.

Vick started out the workout with a nice throw to Zach Ertz on a slant route on the goalline for a touchdown.  On the subsequent plays, Foles and Barkley misfired on their attempts to get the ball into the end zone from the three or four yard line.

In the next period the quarterbacks were throwing the football to the tight ends.  The tight ends should have big years catching the football.  There’s no question that the tight ends are going to play a prominent role in this offense and they’re going to be especially active in the red zone.

Veteran tight end Brent Celek is currently the starter, but he’s going to have his work cut out of him in hanging onto the starting job as the season progresses.  Celek hasn’t been a reliable receiver.  He’s dropped a lot of passes.

HIs tight end competition of Ertz, James Casey and Clay Harbor will make things difficult..  All three of them have caught more passes during training camp than Celek.

I can see the confidence starting to ooze out of Mychal Kendricks.  He’s anticipating plays and routes.  He picked off a a Foles throw in the two receivers versus three defensive backs drill.

Harbor had a great practice today.  He dominated the one-on-one drill by going up and taking the football from the cornerbacks.  He also shook the coverage two times to get open. He’s gaining more confidence by working as a wide receiver, when he’s not playing tight end.  I think they should let Ertz do the same thing because they create some serious matchup problems.

Little wide receiver Damaris Johnson is catching the punts with surer hands than he did a year ago.  He’s also running his routes and carrying the ball more confidently.  You can see that big difference in the first year to the second year.

Unlike previous practices, DeSean Jackson wasn’t a major weapon today, but he was still able to catch a few.

I don’t think there is such a thing as a quick screen which Chip Kelly doesn’t like.  They run all types of quick screens.

At times, Vick and running back LeSean McCoy make the read option look lethal.  Vick holds the ball in McCoy’s stomach and makes his decision at the last split second and either way it’s not situation for the defense because they either have Vick or McCoy heading downfield with the football in his hands.

Rookie cornerback Jordan Poyer did a nice job of slipping in front of the wide receiver at the last split second and picking off a Matt Barkley pass.  Poyer hasn’t had the best of camps, so any positives he can come it with are valuable.

Felix Jones isn’t having a very good camp.  His speed was supposed to make him a standout, but it doesn’t seem to have it anymore.  His hands aren’t the best and he’s in trouble, when it comes to making this team.

The team period or !!-on-!! period wasn’t very good.  The offense wasn’t performing at their optimum level..