I think the Eagles success of failure this season will have a lot to do with how they perform in the first and second quarters. If they come out of the first half with a 10 or 13 point lead, they’ll force team to play from behind and force the opponent to play the Eagles brand of football.
I’ve been majorly impressed with the Eagles defense, but just like the poor showing by the offense up until this point, it’s all about getting it done this upcoming Sunday when it counts.
With the addition of rookie defensive end Brandon Graham, the Birds look like a team which will be able to get consistent pressure on the quarterback without relying on the blitz. Graham seems to play at the same frenzied pace as the guy on the other side of the line, Philly’s Pro Bowl right defensive end, Trent Cole.
I think they will wind up forcing offenses to keep their tight ends and backs in to help block them. They could develop into one of the more productive pass rush duos in the league.
The addition of rookie safety Nate Allen was also a major improvement. He moves like a cornerback and seems to always be in proper position to make a play on the ball. His ability to digest the concepts and terminology of the defense has made the Birds defensive coaches very comfortable with the rookie back there.
Despite the tremendous showings of the two rookie starters, the return of middle linebacker Stewart Bradley may be the best thing that happened to the Eagles defense this training camp. He’s on the field on first, second and third down, and he calls the defenses.
Bradley makes play all over the field and surprisingly he’s such an athletically gifted big man, that he may be more effective as a pass defender than a run stopper. His presence on the defense made a huge difference on the first play run at training camp.
Former Detroit Lions linebacker Ernie Sims brings an edge to the defense that they need. Football is a violent sport and defenses which are intimidating will have offensive players dropping balls they would normally catch. They make the quarterback feel uncomfortable in the pocket and the receivers don’t like running routes across the middle against them.
As much as I like the improvements made on the Eagles defense, they have a deficiency and it could be exposed by teams which love to run the football. The weakness is their size or lack of it. They’re very small upfront and that factor could be exploited, if opposing teams get the chance to run the ball 40-plus times a game against them.
The Birds must get off to fast starts because this smallish defense with a good consistent pass rush is built to stop the pass, not stop the run. They need to get ahead early in game and force teams to throw the ball more than they want to.
On the other hand, if they let their division rivals, Cowboys, Giants and Redskins get ahead of them, then start pounding the ball on the ground, I think the Eagles defense will fold under the pressure in the second half.
The offense has to start fast and put points (touchdowns not field goals) on the board in the first quarter. That will force their opponents to play their game and therefore play into their hands. It’s one of the reasons that the offense must solve their problems in the red zone.
If they get in the red zone in the first and second quarters and don’t get touchdowns, it will allow teams to be more conservative with their play-calling.
Remember to keep track of the score of the game at the end of the first and second quarters of this year’s Eagles games. If they have a 10, 13, 14 point lead, it will force the other team to throw the ball which will mean attacking the Eagles defensive strength which is defending the pass.
This is a Home opener and we’re”underdogs” to the Packers with Matt Millen calling the game. That speaks volumes for a team that was once “Prime Time”.
Green Bay 43 Kolb & Company 17
Vick might get a chance to show his stuff if Kolb get hit a few times and turns into a deer in headlights.
Vegas is giving us only 3 points in this game..against, by what all “leading” experts say is the team that will represent the NFC in the SB this year. Green Bay is the up-and-coming star quality team in the NFC/NFL, they’re that good and I have no problem saying that. But they’re not invincible, they can be beaten. The “experts” think the Eagles have taken a step back because of all of the roster changes we’ve made in the last year, not just QB. Eagles 23 Packers 21
TIME’S A WASTIN….
What happens if the Eagles cant get a big lead? Yep they will get pushed around, and will have no time outs at the end of the close game. That theory has gotten us far Big Red. The Defense will not be a problem this year though….I believe our D will sunrise a lot of people. It will be the predictable, finesse, soft Offense, that will be the problem. Kolb is doomed to fail with Reid and Marty (We will kick in OT) Morninhwheg calling the plays.
I wonder if Kolb knows a game can end in a tie?
Well….If Green Bay is the up and coming team……what are the Eagles?
The Eagles are the team that will prove the “experts” wrong. GO BIRDS!!!
indeed W.W.W.
Home opener against the top D in the NFC last year..ill take 3 thanks.Songs what speaks volumes is how much you don’t know everytime you post. Matt Millen calling the game means what? Troy and buck would make u feel better?WTF cares if Clayton Bigsby calls the game. BIRDGAME!!!The Cards gave Rodgers fits last year in the playoffs.They have pass pro squables,so lets get too this dude early. 43 17…i got that down. I’m waiting till later in the weke too make my call.
Doomed too fail.
43-17
Vick might get a chance
What is “loser” talk?
CORRECT EROCK….Thank you Alex…ill take Birds D Wrecks shop for 500?
Eagles win set the tone early in the season and win 28-17. Bank on it.
I’ll take “Negative posters” for 1000 ERock..
“What poster never fails to magnify the failures of the Eagles FO positions in regards to roster aquisitions, coaching posts, and salary compensation?”
Who is SONGSRMEduce…..
It’s hardwork being that negative about the squad.Songs…relax brosiff….you gotta feel good about something.We’ll dig it outta you.
Graham needs a sack early. Need too see them make Pack throw…Grant doesnt impress me…tackle hiom hard.Woodson sticks Peanut or Jmac?
If what G says is true then why would we be a bad team? a maybe probowl TE two star WR a RB that is suppose to be better than westbrook. A Probowl FB. If we fail this season it would have to be because of Kolb. I think we will win this sunday. We game planned for this game all preseason and will get to Arron Rodgers quicky. Eagles 20-10
Erock. Leave the personal insults somewhere else.
If you dont like being called negative and being called on the carpet for it tough. i dont call people names..im better then that.
we werent underdogs ever at home last yr
we were only dogs like twice all season
Ok you didnt just call someone “losers” because we don’t like the head coach or FO? Then screw you PAL. I dont like the coach and FO…they stink and because you like them for failing you ever year and ticking your starfish with BS then fine. Disagree. I am tired of coming on here and being called stupid, or a loser because i dont like the way my team is going. Although the reason you guys have to insult is because you have no facts to backup your love for the front office or the coach. They stink. They fail…every year and you are ok with it.
Im getting all these predics…Songs im wating for something you feel good about? Stew,Swoops pre-game dash,cheerleaders,Banners shirts..come on!?
Nobody’s mentioned it yet which surprises me…Our defense has a real tough times with covering opposing TE’s..This Jermichael Finley is supposedly prepped to have a breakout season…Thats the matchup Im looking at..
hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm do i start the eagles defense and special teams or green bays for this game. what do you guys think i have both of them! Eagles are projected for more in my fantasy by 1 point?
Good point jimmy mac: I am hoping between stew and ernie we can do a better job doing that.
SONGSRME I have been coming to this site for years and you have finally got me to register and make my first comment so thanks. You are the douchiest Benedict Arnold in the tri-state area. Reading your ignorant pessimistic rants is almost as bad as being around as those tools known as Cowboys fans. Why don’t you just put on your burgundy and gold 5 jersey head down 95S and watch the games here in DC with all the other delusional Redskins fans.
I dont have “love ” for the front office.I dislike offices.I dont get wrapped up in the front office and kiss there a$$. I pay attention too what the players do when they hit the field. If they make a mistake on a player and he faiLs i chalk it up too everyone has that happen.Any Reid is a damn good coach and is respected around the league. They want a trophy. They fail every year like 31 other teams. We have a solid football team with a chance for the p-offs. Would i like to be in top 5 of b.s. power rankings..yeah i guess. But wtf is that?That IS loser talk when we’re 4 days till opener and you guys still whine about FO and managment ON HERE rather then chalk talk.
You guys show your age.
Birdgame…Snacks scores on 60 yard bomb…Sante is watching film on Rodgers..knows he likes scambled eggs with ketchup and taps the ball once before post..tendencies.
I don’t think it’s so much the Eagles have a problem with covering an atletic TE (as NavyEagleFan will point out, it’s his pet peeve) but TE’s in general have grown into a more prominent role in today’s NFL and pass happier teams. I think all teams have some degree of difficulty of dealing with good TE’s, espically teams that have more than one good WR to deal with. TE’s being covered by LB’s or SS’s are almost always going to be a mismatch in favor of the Offense.
Another Offensive tendency I see becoming more and more prevalent, starting about 2 years ago if my addled brain can manage, is the emergance of the back shoulder pass. D Brees has become quite the artist with this pass, so has P Manning and M Schaub..probably a few others. Watching over and over one of the many TD’s Rodgers has thrown in redzone situations is if he gets single coverage on a WR on the weak side and the CB is playing with even the smallest of coushin he can slip the ball in there, if the CB makes a play for the ball he has twice the distance to go to get it as well as going through the receiver or if the CB makes a play on the receiver he has a smaller chance of bringing him down before the ball gets in the endzone. We will see this Sunday and I bet 22 will bite quite a bit as he does.
I agree G, that the Eagles and every other team in the NFL, will all be more successful when they can jump out and post a 2 score lead on their opponents and make them one-dimensional. The reality it that this is not so easy to achieve when playing probably the 2nd best Offensive team in the NFC (behind the Saints) and a team that ranked in top 5 of total defense least season, but the Packers will have 3 starters off that Defense from a year ago (S,CB,DT)
The Eagles will have a chance, but they must do the following
#1) Win the Special Teams battle, preferably a big play or return by D-Jax
#2) Score TD’s once in the red-zone, Field Goals are not going to beat the Packers
#3) Win the Turnover Battle
Paulman’s Prediction
Eagles 27 – Packers 26 with a late field goal by David Akers and a long pass & catch by R Cooper
on a 4th & 8 play from their own 35 yard line to take them down to field goal range..
should have been a late Aker’s field goal after a long catch & pass play by R Cooper..
I’d like too see them take advantage of this back-up safety.Will be interesting too see how they plan too manage the wides. Eagles have a tough test in secondary with Driver and Jennings. Grant doesnt impress me so lets get too him early in the back-field and crowd will be pumped.
Paulmandomis at his best.
I didn’t want to be the first to say it but it is a kind of “Thank you Captian Obvious” article. I guess we can also win by scoring more points than the other team.
clearly start green bay d against this putrid offense
i have jets d no issues for me lol
if the cards gave fits and he put up like 50 in that game id hate 2 see him when he’s on
he put up 45 – they lost – interesting note – they (the paackers) ran the ball only 20 times that game – and a 3 of those were by Rodgers – it was like a 70/30 pass to run ratio – but that was last year.
WWW – appreciate that – I am looking to see for the defense how quickly the LBs and DBs close on short passes (i.e the WR screen) and how good the 4 man pass rush is.
For the O – in all their putridness – how many different rcvrs become involved in the O, a balance of 60-55/40-45 pass to run, and how much time they can give Kolb to throw. For Kolb – reading the blitz and getting the ball to the hot rcvr – don’t take sacks.
Special teams – start off with not fumbling twice leading to two scores! Just play solid
yes they lost cause kurt and the bunch put up 50
if we put up 50 i like ur chances
if we put up 28 i will be shokced
unless its like against saints when the gm was over and we r just racking a bunch of passing stats
anyway wheres the phitans post at 2day we r back in 1st place
phitans back to the chip
Kolb will be as sucessful as the OLine allows him to be. With Cole now at RG, will he plug that gap and give 4 time to check down? Will Peters learn the snap count and remember where the LOS is? Jackson and the knee…I’ll be lying if I say I’m not worried. This game will be won/lost in the trenches..whomever can set the tone..and keep it will win this game.
@simplea4
Well i’ve been coming here for a bit myself. And I’m beyond annoyed with the hypocrisy. Since i’ve been patronizing G’s site I’ve had to sort through bullshit post by primarily the posters that the songs of the site are “responding” to. What I’ve noticed was constant bitching anf complaining about all things McNabb. Posts ad-naseum about what he thinks to what his damn farts smell like. You’d think the the site was overrun with dallas/giants/redskins trolls. But these jack-assess were eagles fans. So until you can give me a reasonable explanation for all the constant McNabb bitching I’ve had to keep reading, you’d help your credibility with finding that rather lomg line of pessimism that inundated this site prior to Kolb being annoited.
Some you mofo’s are such damn hypocites. Somehow bitching every other post about Mcnabb was “passionate”, but to defend him makes you a blind homer. Some of you made this site damn near unbearable, now you want unity and understanding for the new sacred cow. Bullshyt! The front office said we were not rebuilding. Most of you said we improved by getting rid of McNabb. So lets have it.
The title of this article is the goal of every deal. I mean duh. Get ahead and force the other team to play predictable ball. That’s not rocket science. The question is whether the Eagles can do it or not. I believe some weeks they will and other they won’t mostly because of this isn’t college football where you score 40 points in the first half. Especially this week agains the Packers. That offense is one of the best in the league and so is the defense. So in order to get out by 10-14 points by halftime you would be expecting them to play poorly on offense and defense while we play great on both sides. That’s a little unrealistic for this game.
I think the score will be close going into the 4th but I think Green Bay pulls out a tight win. But it wouldn’t surprise me if we won in the same way. I hope I’m wrong, but I’m not expecting us to get blasted. I just think Green Bay is just on a different level right now. Nothing against our squad, just don’t think we’re good enough right now. If we want to discount the play of the offense because it was only preseason then I’m not getting hyped up about the defense play in the preseason. This is a different beast coming in. I think at times our defense will look dominate and at other times give up a lot of big plays. I’m looking to see what the defense does in key games and situations. We’ll get after the QB and get turnovers but I’m still worried about that secondary. I’ll be wearing my Kelly green Cunningham throwback (with the Jerome Brown patch) on Sunday but I hate to say it (or type it)
Green Bay 27
Eagles 23
Definatly will be a Week 1 gut check for our Birds, no matter how you cut it.
In GCobb fantasy I have the Eagles D starting and Aaron Rodgers as my starting QB..DOHH!!!
If a team loses 50-17, i think the team has more problems than just quarterback. let’s just say it is just the qb’s fault. He must make alot of mistakes first of all. Then i think it is a coach’s responsibility(if he has the power) to get a new qb(trade)before the deadline if he stinks that bad.
some guys think Eagles are solid except qb position and if we have a losing season it is Kolb’s fault. That’s fine but the same people have to realize then it is mostly MCNABB’s fault for not winning a Superbowl. 1-5 in superbowls and nfc championships. I wished Mcnabb had a oline that was not just great with blocking the pass.These guys went to probowl, but as a whole a long time they did not block like Superbowl team do(Steelers,Giants,Redskins,Cowboys,Packers,Broncos)Guys, how many superbowl teams did we see that runningbacks had huge wholes and we would say “my grandmother could ran…etc” Mcnabb, Cunninham, Kolb do not have that!!!
Jackson, Maclin, Celek, these weapons are great reminds of Cunningham, Jackson, Byars, probally make playoffs,but not SB. If a coach gets 15 yrs to do what he wants, i am just saying the time is running on Reid. Eagles usually lose their first game but Eagles 23-17
Although I still think the Eagles will win 4 games this year and I doubt one will be against GB I think the D is a bit better, I don’t know for how long but I have my doubts about a defense this small being effective for the duration of the season. I won’t say much more I only want to see the opener and see how Graham fares. I also think Trevor Laws will have a pretty good game.
coldbrewski welcome to the site. And you are 100% correct. The same people that bitched and complained about all things McNabb now want everyone united stand behind the team (as if we don’t). There was no unity then. All they did was complain and now they are shocked to see that are complaining now. Hypocrites! Songs does go a bit overboard but those that now defend the front office and have anointed Kolb the next coming of (insert a HOF QB) were just like him when McNabb was the QB and now they are acting like they were always optimistic. True hyprocrites I tell ya. I criticized the team before McNabb, I criticized them during and I will continue afterwards as long as it’s warranted no matter who’s name is on the back.
back to the matt millen thing, what are you talking about Songs? Buck, Aikman and Oliver are calling the game. Can you say anything remotely credible at all Songs?
Sure the Eagles are underdogs, but the game is getting Fox’s #1 crew and it’s in primetime. We all know, they’ll push the whole Rogers v. Kolb comparison and most definitely over do it….
The Packlers did struggle rushing the ball this Preseason and their RB’s fumbled quite a bit…
The ky is stopping their TE J Finley with a multiple of people, I hope DC McDremott isn’t expecting
LB A Jordan to stay with him all game.. Also watch for their 3rd/4th options at WR (James Jones and
Jordy Nelson) to make some unexpected plays…
Defensively, the Eagles must contain blitzing LB C Matthews who will bliztz from the weak side a lot (over/outside W Justice)
CB C Woodson will spy anmd follow Eagles D-Jax and basically render him as a non-factor… Eagles must Attack ther young Safeties and the opposite CB since A Harris is not playing so look for MAclin,Avant and R Cooper to have some room to make plays and both Celek & Harbor to have some opportunities down the middle of the field
I like our D, but they will gel more as the season goes on; same thing could be said for our O, but Kolb has continued to look like the same guy I have seen every time I’ve seen him play from the first pre-season that he took snaps until this last game that he played. I really hope our interior O-line holds up, because if not, we’re going to see Kolb forcing balls, and trying to use his feet and scramble, which is not necessarily his strength. He still tends to stare down his receivers, and his decision making isn’t where it should be given he’s starting his 4th year in this offense.
If our D can play in mid-season form, we have a shot at winning this game, but if not, we’ll need a lot of luck to beat the Pack. Home field advantage doesn’t offer the amount of luck we need if the D can’t beat Rogers and their O. I’d say we win if we hold them to less than 21 points, but we’ll be hard pressed to score 24, so anything above that amount on their side of the ball and we lose.
I’ll be there, cheering my ballz off either way!
Let’s go BIRDS!!
And my non-homer score for the game:
Pack 30
Birds 17
So the whole world basically has the eagles losing to the already crowned champion packers. This is a fantastic situation. If we lose we just met with a dominant team. If we win by a small margin well GB had injury issues and Philly Is better than anticipated. If we win convincingly The world is shocked.
What I am saying is this game can only build confidence for our team with a win and really shouldn’t destroy confidence for a young team if we lose. That is a decent way to start a season like this.
Well put RegalEagle.