Everything is set up for Michael Vick and the Birds to have an easy victory over the Washington Redskins today, but it never seems to workout that way when NFC rivals face each other. Some way or another the game will probably wind up being a close one, but I’m confident the Birds will put points on the board.
They’ve got to block Skins linebacker Brian Orakpo on pass plays and keep an eye on Albert Haynesworth if he decides to show up and play today. If the Skins were to put Haynesworth on a banged-up Nick Cole or his backup, Max Jean-Gilles, things could get ugly quickly for the Birds. I don’t think they have enough sense to do that.
We’ll have to wait see how the Skins try to contain Vick. They’ll likely try to pressure him with a disciplined rush, where all the rushers will make sure to stay in the rush lanes, but that will make things more difficult to put pressure on him.
Eventually they’ll have to blitz him and that’s when the big plays will start. The Skins will either get to Vick and put some licks on him, or he’ll buy enough time to get the ball deep to his receivers. I also see Vick getting out of the pocket and taking off on some long quarterback scrambles. This will put the Skins in a “can’t win” situation, where Vick will get too much time to throw if they pressure him with a standard rush, but he takes off and runs when they try to blitz him.
It’s feast or famine when the Birds have the ball. It’s not a surprise to me that they scrapped the “classic west coast offense which they were going to run under Kevin Kolb. They’ve morphed into a similar offense that we saw last year when McNabb was running things. You see a lot of deep strikes to DeSean Jackson or Jeremy Maclin.
I would imagine that McNabb is going to feel like the guy who sees his former girlfriend with another guy this afternoon when he watches the Eagles offense from the sidelines. Vick will be uncorking bombs deep to Jackson and Maclin, while hitting Brent Celek and Jason Avant in the short to intermediate areas.
I see a big day for the Birds unless, the Skins coaches allow the Redskins secondary to play the Eagles the way they have in the past by moving their corners up on the line of scrimmage and having them jam them before they release. This is especially effective against Jackson.
Anybody who lets Jackson release without a jam is asking for trouble. His speed will kill them if they playing man-to-man or zone.
I don’t think Redskins defensive coordinator Jim Haslett has a clue, so I see the Birds putting a lot of points on the board.
Eagles Redskins games are usually close, even when they look like they shouldn’t be. The skins are a bit desperate due to 2 bad losses. I wouldn’t be shocked if Reid gets overly complicated and ends up outsmarting himself, leaving an opening for the skins to pull off a list minute victory. I also wouldn’t be shocked if the Eagles’ sack-heavy defense puts some nasty licks on Donovan McNabb that send him to the sideline.
E-Money, love half your view brother, can you guess which? Haa hey brother I hope someone tells AR to approach this game with the philosophy of KISS (Keep it simple stupid), or you might be right. I love Mac, but in order for our “Young Birds of Defensive Prey”, to have some success they are going to have to whack the Old Bird King a few times to help keep a desparate Skins WR core in check. Because you know they are going to try to step it up to support MAC, as well as stay in the division race.
I want our Defense to whack everybody on the skins Offense, but I also want our defense to not whack each other. So lets go team stay confident, be patient (Becasue they are not going to just roll over a give us the game), don’t get arrogant and cocky to the point of deminished productivity. Bring us another win.
As alway LONG LIVE THE EAGLES.
Keys to Eagles Victory
#1) Get McCoy involved early with some nice runs,screen plays to keep their Safeties honest
(especially LeRon Landry who is very agreesive and will bite on play-action) and then set up the deep passes to D-Jax/Maclin
#2) Protect the ball and Vick, keep away from the Negative plays and sacks
#3) Special Teams must play an all-around good game from coverages to the return game
#4) Defensively, apply consistent pressure up the middle and force to move McNabb to his left
#5) Stop their Running game and make them 1-dimensional and create at least 2 turnovers
#6) Minimize penalties and sustain drives
Eagles 27 – Redskins 16
Paulman’s Picks for Week #4 (Overall Record of 26-22)
Falcons over the 49ers
Browns over the Bengals (upset special)
NY Jets over the Bills
SL Rams over the Seahwaks
Titans over the Broncos
GB Packers over the Lions
Ravens over the Steelers
NO Saints over the Panthers (lock of the week)
Colts over the Jaguars
Raiders over the Texans
Chargers over Arizona Cardinals
NY Giants over the Bears (this is a must-win for GIants or there season will implode)
Miami over the Patriots
Enjoy the games
Did not like seeing that Vick gave an interview with Mora. Have you ever noticed that when an NFL athlete gets one of those feel good pieces done on him they lose the next game they play? It’s like the sudden extra attention makes the athlete more self consious. Hope I am wrong. But if Vick plays like that preseason game with fumbles and int’s we should smack the blank out of Jim Mora for using his past relationship to get that interview.
As far as I am concerned this is a ‘must win’ game, but not for reasons people might expect. Not for the standings I believe this is a must win to justify the placing of one Mike Vick at QB over Kolb.
If the Birds lose, they’re 2-2 after facing arguably the 3 worst pass D (and maybe D overall) in the league. If that’s the case, the questions about what playing Vick brings to the table over playing and learning about Kolb have to be asked. You will have a very hard time convincing me that Kolb wouldn’t have won at least 1 and probably both of the games VS Det and Jax. I can easily see the Birds at the exact same 2-1 record with Kolb after playing these basement dwellers. And at least at that point we’d be getting a better evaluation of Kolb as a QB…..Honestly if birds drop to 2-2 what has been accomplished??
So again, if Birds lose today all we really have is a bunch of national commentators orgasiming, “VickVickVickVickVickVickVickVickVickVick…” without anything more to show in the standings than would have been had with Kolb.
If at the end of the year Vick gets an offer from another team, and leaves, and who’s the QB? Kolb? And how long will the Birds give him to prove himself then…another half??
Look if Vick rolls off 5 str8 wins (and against some quality) and gets an extension from the birds I’m all for it……but I need to see Vick beat a D that the flag football team I coach couldn’t score on first before I go drinking the vick-aid.
Sorry mistake. Kolb was not eligable to play against Det. That being said, I am still absolutely convinced he would have also beaten that sorry Jax squad. I feel Mike Kafka would have had a good shot. Maybe even Trent Edwards.
The next 3-4 games will go a long way to determine this 2010 Eagle’s Season
and the future of both Vick’s and Kolb’s Future with the Team.. The way Vick is playing, He looks like
a shoo-in to sign a contract extension to remain a Philadelphia Eagle.. I think the FO/Coach AR will make the internal decision by the end of October and work behind the scenes for a Contract extension with a formal annoucement come early November…
I do not recall any easy wins over the Redskins. It is always a tough game, and I am not expecting a blowout by any means. It will help however if the Redskins coaches stay stupid. Why they decided to try and switch to a 3-4 with players that were doing pretty well in a 4-3 evades me. I guess eveybody wants to be smarter than the last guy. The Birds just need to be smart, not too complicated, do what they do well.
1 problem g this wasnt vicks offense. Very sad some guy name schmitt was num 1 wr
This Andy Reid Eagles team is an absolute Joke. Eagles fans wanted McNabb out as the QB now look at the garbage that is in their now…Kevin Kolb is not and will never be an NFL caliber QB he just doesnt have it. Now that # 5 is gone I hope all Eagles nation will really see what the true problem has been. This eagles team is undersized everywhere, their offense and defensive philosophies are horrible. All the Eagles know how to do is blitz. Fire Andy Reid and his entire coaching staff and get a coach who will put a more physical and Bigger team and also a coach who will run first then play action and take deep shots down the field. As long as Andy reid is the coach this team will continue to be an absolute joke. Congrats! McNabb.
EaglesNation you should all heed Drummerwinslow’s words…he has been on point everytime he has posted…who you gonna throw under the bus this week?????
Keep telling it like it is drummerwinslow!!!! The eagles should have won 2 superbowls with # 5 if only Andy reid had given McNabb just a couple of weapons instead of asking him and #36 to do it all. Check out NBC they are clowning the eagles saying jeff garcia may be coming back??? when #5 got T.O. they went to the superbowl…just imagine with T.O. and a running game what would/should have happened. Eaglesnation you are fooling yourselves if you think this team is even a playoff team with Kevin Kolb. Fire Andy Reid now.
Drummerwinslow as always you are on point…Reid is a Bum! I I dont care how many NFC titles he’s won at the end of the day its about winning SuperBowls and in the NFC east we are the only team that has yet to win one and with Andy Reid’s offensive and defensive approach and they way he drafts players we will never win one. the other three teams in our division are big and they all will run the football but not the Eagles!!!! We need new leadership in Philadelphia immediately!!!!!!