October 30, 2006
By RON JAWORSKI
"The thing that is most disappointing is the Eagles' inability to run the football. We all know that you are going to have days like the Eagles had on Sunday when you play in the Northeast, when you have weather that is not conducive to throwing the football around like you want to do. You can't rely on the passing game alone every week. There has to be a fallback option to a running game, to a power running game.
"That has been somewhat of an Achilles' heel for the Eagles, to be able to run when they have to run the football. It is something Andy Reid has said he wants to do more of. He said it again on Monday. We will find out in two weeks if he means it.
"I think Andy has to be careful about the volume of this offense. Donovan McNabb understands this offense as much as anyone. He is like a coach on the field. He knows every nuance about the offense. However, there are a lot of players new to this system who may not understand the adjustments that take place play in and play out. I'm talking about the Hank Basketts and the Donté Stallworths who are young in this system who still may not understand all the little things that take place. Even tight end Matt Schobel, who is in his first year in the system, needs to continue to learn.
"Sometimes you have to scale it back and simplify the game plan. Maybe that is something Andy will consider during this bye week. I know he will look at everything and he will be extremely critical of himself.
"On the defensive side, the Eagles need to do something up front. Those defensive tackles have been pushed back into Jeremiah Trotter, which has affected his ability to impact against the run. Everybody knew that with Trent Cole and Darren Howard, the Eagles didn't have the girth on the outside, although I think Cole has played the run very well. When you are being blocked by 330-pound linemen, it wears you down.
"This line needs the rest from this bye week. They have played an awful lot of snaps this year. They need to get their breath.
"It is absolutely salvageable. The Eagles get a week off and have a chance to heal some people. Washington comes to Lincoln Financial Field after the bye week and then Tennessee visits. Those are two winnable football games, and if the Eagles take care of business, they are back to 6-4. Then we'll see what happens. But it is a step-by-step process here. The Eagles have dug themselves a significant hole."
By RON JAWORSKI
"The thing that is most disappointing is the Eagles' inability to run the football. We all know that you are going to have days like the Eagles had on Sunday when you play in the Northeast, when you have weather that is not conducive to throwing the football around like you want to do. You can't rely on the passing game alone every week. There has to be a fallback option to a running game, to a power running game.
"That has been somewhat of an Achilles' heel for the Eagles, to be able to run when they have to run the football. It is something Andy Reid has said he wants to do more of. He said it again on Monday. We will find out in two weeks if he means it.
"I think Andy has to be careful about the volume of this offense. Donovan McNabb understands this offense as much as anyone. He is like a coach on the field. He knows every nuance about the offense. However, there are a lot of players new to this system who may not understand the adjustments that take place play in and play out. I'm talking about the Hank Basketts and the Donté Stallworths who are young in this system who still may not understand all the little things that take place. Even tight end Matt Schobel, who is in his first year in the system, needs to continue to learn.
"Sometimes you have to scale it back and simplify the game plan. Maybe that is something Andy will consider during this bye week. I know he will look at everything and he will be extremely critical of himself.
"On the defensive side, the Eagles need to do something up front. Those defensive tackles have been pushed back into Jeremiah Trotter, which has affected his ability to impact against the run. Everybody knew that with Trent Cole and Darren Howard, the Eagles didn't have the girth on the outside, although I think Cole has played the run very well. When you are being blocked by 330-pound linemen, it wears you down.
"This line needs the rest from this bye week. They have played an awful lot of snaps this year. They need to get their breath.
"It is absolutely salvageable. The Eagles get a week off and have a chance to heal some people. Washington comes to Lincoln Financial Field after the bye week and then Tennessee visits. Those are two winnable football games, and if the Eagles take care of business, they are back to 6-4. Then we'll see what happens. But it is a step-by-step process here. The Eagles have dug themselves a significant hole."
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