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  • First Preseason Game -- Good, Bad and Indifferent

    Hard to make too many conclusions based on last night's game, shoot it was their first full-contact session of the year. But the coaches are evaluating, so why shouldn't we?

    The Good

    The defensive line. Easily the highlight of the evening. The d-linemen have taken to Washburn's wide 9 and attack-up-the-field mentality like a chicken on a june bug, to borrow one of the new d-line coach's phrases. Tapp was a beast off the edge in particular. Some of the new DT signings, particularly Landri, looked good and I do think Trevor Laws' roster spot is very much in danger. Landri had two or three fantastic spin moves as he rushed the passer from the inside spot. It was fun watching Washburn's intensity on the sidelines, even late in the game when he was running guys like Wilson and Noonan out there.

    The three QB's. I have to admit I have not yet watched the fourth quarter, but what does it matter? The A&M kid isn't making the team. But the other three QB's all looked good. Vick threw the ball well, though he underthrew Cooper a bit on that broken play where he went deep. He moved well and looks pretty ripped this year, the man has been hitting the weights hard. Vince Young looked very good to me, he's probably one of those guys who doesn't practice well and saves it for the games. And Kafka rebounded from an early INT to pitch a very nice two quarters. I don't love Kafka's release, but the kid has intriguing potential to be the next backup we trade for a No. 2 pick.

    The safeties. Jarrett and Page each got picks, and Page in particular made a very nice break on his ball. Was good to see Nate Allen back on the field, though he might have been at fault on that 20-some yard 3rd down throw to Ray Rice on the first or second drive. Coleman had some lousy coverage on the first Raven pass attempt in the game, he was late turning towards the ball. But he looked solid all night. Even Colt Anderson had a pick!

    The kickers. They certainly have plenty of leg. I'm not sure we are going to need a bunch of special teams guys around -- I'm thinking in particular of Colt Anderson and Eldra Buckley. Not many kicks will be coming out.

    Jason Kelce. He was impressive. Man, does he fire out the way Mudd likes. Gets to the second level fast. Seems to hold up pretty well at the point of attack, but I don't think he ever went up against Haloti Ngata last night. But I think he's the starting center very soon.

    Dion Lewis. Also very impressive. Nice burst. He's definitely the No. 3 back. I don't see Buckley making this squad.

    Donald Lee. He's a very solid veteran. I really liked his blocking contribution last night and I was not as impressed with Clay Harbor's efforts in that department. Harbor better watch out.

    Riley Cooper. He gets in this category for the sole reason that he outfought the great Ed Reed for the ball on his catch. Big relief he didn't get hurt on that play.


    The Bad

    Offensive tackles not named Jason Peters. Not much to admire here. Austin Howard was a turnstile and got abused by Paul Kruger. King Dunlap and Fenuki Topou got hurt. And Ryan Harris didn't show much, either.

    Backup cornerbacks. They didn't tackle well in the second half, they didn't cover much either. Both Curtis Marsh and Jorrick Calvin made some horrible attempts to wrap up wideouts and gave up an extra 15 yards or so as a result on each occasion. I thought Trevard Lindley outplayed Marsh.

    The Eagle Television Network. Oh my God. What an embarassment that those guys went out over the national broadcast on the NFL Network last night, even though it wasn't live. Thank you Hugh Douglas for telling us about your meal. Don Tollefson, seems like forever since you were doing the sports on Action News. Now you are the world's worst football play-by-play guy. Could you have discussed a single roster battle last night? Jarrad Page makes a great break on a ball in the end zone to get an interception and you are unable to identify him until after the commercial break. I know it's confusing because he is also wearing Shady's No. 25, but do a little homework before the game. Oh yeah, and that was Ed Reed fighting for the ball with Riley Cooper. Doesn't that deserve a mention? And Baldy, I give you some credit for trying to talk football with these two idiots, but please, when Ryan Harris whiffs on a block, don't report to us that he did his job.


    The Indifferent

    Casey Matthews. Can someone please tell me why Juan Castillo pulled Matthews after two series and about six snaps? Howard Mudd left Danny Watkins in to play long after the other o-line starters had departed. What has this guy ever done to warrant that kind of treatment? I'm not feeling it on this guy. They're relying too much on the bloodline, IMO. He looks like Simoneau with long hair to me. But it's way early, I'm sure I'm being overly judgmental.

    The starting corners. They were out so fast that I didn't get much of a chance to see them do anything. But they're still awesome and it was great watching Nnamdi look around the stadium in wonder on the sideline, like he was pinching himself. And he gave a great, thoughtful interview as well to that stupid sideline guy.

    Danny Watkins. I didn't see much to write home about from this guy last night, or from the newly reconstituted right side of the offensive line in general. But it's early and it just takes longer to get those guys in sync than it does for their counterparts on the defensive line. Mudd still has plenty of work to do.
    Last edited by Leonard Tose; 08-12-2011, 11:42 AM.
    Don't kid yourself Jimmy. If a cow ever got the chance, he'd kill you and everyone you cared about!

  • #2
    Good summary....

    Offense Standouts:
    Vick, Brown, DLewis, Hall, Cooper, Avant, Celek, JJackson, Herremans, Peters, Kelce, Higgins

    Others that caught my eye included Lee, Harper, Schmidt, McGlynn, Kafka, VY

    Offense Struggles:
    Harris, Watkins, Howard, Buckley, Harbor

    Defense Standouts:
    Tapp, Landri, Cole, Teo, Babin, Clayton, Page, Jarrett, Hunt

    Jenkins had one nice play as did Anderson

    Defense Struggles:
    Marsh, Calvin, Fokou, Thorton
    Eliminate distractions, create energy, fear nothing, and attack everything.

    -Andy Reid

    Comment


    • #3
      http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2...-6-over-ravens

      Eagles Win Preseason Opener 13-6 Over Ravens

      The first team offense marched right down the field for a TD on their opening drive, the defense racked up six sacks, two picks and gave no TDs... Overall, I think we have to say that this was a pretty satisfying start to the 2011 preseason. The Eagles starters had been scheduled to play a full quarter, but after Michael Vick marched them on a 12 minute, 80 yard TD drive, Andy Reid had seen enough and gave them the rest of the night off. Vick said he was happy to face another defense for once.
      "Just to get back out for a preseason game after not having the OTA's and the minicamps and the offseason strength and conditioning programs, it was good to get back and to get out there to have an opportunity to just play against another defense. We play against our defense every day in practice, they blitz us every day and we just wanted to play against somebody else."

      It's understandable that Vick would be sick of facing this Eagles defense day in and day out. The story of the night had to be the play of the defense overall. Now, it's not uncommon to see defenses ahead of offenses this year and certainly the fact that the Ravens played Tyrod Taylor for almost the entire game helped, but this defense looked scary and it really all started up front. They had six sacks on the night, with two coming from Darryl Tapp, who appeared to be in the backfield on every snap he was in the game, and one from Trent Cole who was also in the middle of everything in his short time on the field. Daniel Te'o-Nesheim got a sack and was one of the guys who helped give Ravens' OT Oniel Cousins a nightmarish evening. Trent Cole said that the plan seemed to work perfectly tonight.

      "The plan work worked all together. What we learned in practice, learned to be aggressive and attack. That's our defense, like [defensive coordinator] Juan [Castillo], and our defensive line coach [Jim] Wash[burn], he wants us to get off and attack every play. No matter what it's all out. You see how we rotate in different lines, it's keeping everybody fresh. It's awesome to have that now. We've got a great group of d-lineman that can all play; they're all playing at the same level. We're going to keep this thing going."

      Overall, the Eagles pass rush was simply stifling all evening. For all the big names the Eagles signed this offseason, I couldn't help but wonder while watching this game whether Jim Washburn was the most important. There's no doubt that that his unit looked more dangerous and ferocious than in years passed. It's only the first preseason game so we can't take too much from it, but it will be very exciting following that group as the preseason progresses.

      Rookie safety Jaiquwan Jarrett got a pick in his Eagles debut as did free agent signing Jarrad Page.

      The big play on the Eagles first drive came from Riley Cooper, who refreshingly showed that he's a big WR that knows how to use his size (ie the anti Hank Baskett). Cooper slipped past the corner against a zone defense, signaled to Vick when he saw he was one on one with a smaller safety Ed Reed and simply jumped right over top of the guy Ed freaking Reed for a 42 yard catch. Extremely impressive. Brent Celek would haul in a three yard Vick pass for the TD a few plays later.

      Chad Hall had a nice game with 5 catches for 82 yards and really made some nice catches doing it.

      Ronnie Brown got very little in the way of blocking, but I thought looked very quick, decisive and very good overall. Rookie Dion Lewis also looked a lot better than his stat line would suggest.

      The first team offense line basically gave Vick all day, but the second team line wasn't terribly impressive, but I thought Vince Young did a reasonably good job using his athleticism to get out of trouble and make some plays. He was 3-5 for 40 yards.

      There were six kickoffs in his game and only one was returned. The new rule moving up the kickoffs was certainly felt this evening. There's been a ton of touchbacks all over the NFL tonight.

      Speaking of kicking, rookie Alex Henery was 2-2.

      Comment


      • #4
        http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/i...ason-game.html

        Quick takes on the Eagles first preseason game

        Here are some scattered thoughts and observations after sleeping on the Eagles first preseason game and re-watching the first half, when the team’s significant players got the vast majority of their playing time. We’ll have more depth on some of these issues in the coming days, though my initial reaction is that for all of the things I thought would be interesting to watch last night, there was relatively little fodder provided. A quiet first preseason game.

        -- Michael Vick has been sharp in camp and it carried over to his brief appearance Thursday. On the Eagles’ second play Terrell Suggs came free at Vick (beating Ryan Harris) but Vick got the ball out quickly to Chad Hall. Blitz recognition will be a key to the season for him. His throws were precise.

        -- Harris, otherwise, looked solid and reliable.

        -- It would be unfair to criticize Danny Watkins too harshly -- he didn't look bad, and he’s only had a few days of practice, but he had a couple moments to learn from. On Vick’s big throw to Riley Cooper, Watkins blocked Cory Redding initially, but couldn’t sustain it and Redding slipped by. Lamar Divens beat Watkins on the Eagles second drive. On the Eagles third-and-two play, they ran behind Watkins. Ronnie Brown picked up the first.

        -- Jamaal Jackson is in a fight for his job, but he didn’t do anything last night that says he can’t play. He held his own in the middle against Haloti Ngata. Howard Mudd might prefer a different type of lineman, but if Jackson can stay healthy, he’s a good option.

        -- Jason Kelce gave up a pressure to Arthur Jones. Later he missed a linebacker on a Brown run, and when Brown made a move to keep the play alive, Kelce ended up in his way, helping stuff the back. Terrence Cody gave him trouble a couple times. Kelce did better late in the game on a screen pass, clearing out a linebacker in space.

        -- Brown looked elusive. Even though his numbers weren’t great (9 runs for 22 yards) he avoided several losses by beating the initial tackler.

        -- Vince Young’s athleticism served him much better in a real game than at Lehigh. He looked better Thursday than he has at camp.

        -- Mike Kafka made a bad decision on his interception, but he showed he knows what he’s doing against blitzes and running the offense as the game went on. He can run the show and make the right throws, but his arm is a concern.

        -- It looks like Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie may get a shot at the nickel spot after all. Until now, Joselio Hanson has taken the first team reps there in practice. Hanson has experience playing the position and even though he’s shorter, he has more muscle to play inside. DRC, though, got a few snaps in as the slot man with the first team, splitting time there with Hanson. DRC is obviously the greater talent. If the Eagles can teach him the nickel, it would give them an easy way to get their three-headed cornerback monster on the field all at once.

        -- Asante Samuel and Nnamdi Asomugha each dropped back to a free safety position at points last night. It happened when the Ravens went to two tight ends and there was no receiver on their side of the field. Instead, the safeties stepped up to cover, leaving the corners free to play center field.

        -- Darryl Tapp had not made a big impression on me in camp, but he was consistently in the backfield last night, notching two sacks and blowing up a run play. He didn’t look great at Lehigh last year, either, but as the season went on had a knack for getting himself to the right spot at the right time.

        -- Derek Landri, the least heralded of the defensive tackle signings, was all over the place. With the intensity Jim Washburn expects, all of the competent pass rushers the Eagles can get will be welcome.

        -- Chad Hall helped his cause with five catches for 82 yards. Johnnie Lee Higgins – one catch for six yards, and a drop of a Young pass that hit him in the hands – did not. Higgins also didn’t get a chance to return any punts or kickoffs, taking away another chance for him to shine.

        -- Colt Anderson and Eldra Buckley may really be hurt by the new kickoff spot. Each play well on special teams, but kick coverage is going to be devalued by the increase in touchbacks. Anderson probably isn’t the safety Jarrad Page is, so special teams will be his route to the team.

        -- Dion Lewis did well as the third back. He looked smooth catching the ball and even had a nice blitz pick up, protecting Kafka.

        -- Mike McGlynn had a couple missed blocks that will hurt his cause. He allowed pressure on Kafka’s near fumble (it was overturned), and missed a block in space on a screen pass.

        -- Like many others, I was hoping to see more of Casey Matthews. But there wasn’t much to see. He played two series and not much action came his way. Same went for Jamar Chaney at his new linebacker spot.

        -- Keenan Clayton is very good in coverage. He’s a former safety and slim, but if he can be physical enough, he might be a great cover man from the linebacker spot.

        -- I wrote about Alex Henery and Chas Henry today. One note on Henry: his last punt went just 28 yards and he was unhappy with it. Something I’ve seen at camp: when he gets into a kick, he really booms it, but when he misses, he tends to miss badly.

        -- UPDATE: A few people in the comments have mentiond Jaiquawn Jarrett's interception. It was a nice play and good to see the rookie make an impact his first time out. It may also be the easiest pick of his NFL life. "It fell right in my lap," he said after the game. Still, if he'd missed it, he'd have been ripped, so credit to Jarrett for making a play that was there to make.

        Comment


        • #5
          http://www.csnphilly.com/08/12/11/Ea...924&feedID=692

          Eagles kick off preseason with win over Ravens

          They stopped the run, they got after the quarterback, they were efficient on third down and they kept the Ravens out of the end zone.

          All in all, a promising debut Thursday evening for Juan Castillo and the Eagles’ restructured, revamped, re-energized defense.

          “We could be really special,” Nnamdi Asomugha said Thursday night after his first game as an Eagle, a 13-6 preseason win (see Reuben Frank's story) over the Ravens at the Linc. “I think we have a great opportunity to do some big things this year. But with those expectations, you have to put in a little more focus. It may not be as easy as other people are expecting it to be. We still have a lot of work to do.”

          The defensive starters allowed just one long field goal in their two drives, and the defense as a whole recorded six sacks and two interceptions, limited the Ravens to 3 for 12 on third down and kept a 12-win Baltimore team out of the end zone.

          “I thought things were pretty smooth for it being the first preseason game, especially with no OTAs or minicamps in the off-season,” safety Kurt Coleman said. “And not just the starters but all the way down.

          “We’re playing fast, we’re manning up and getting after the wide receivers, and at the end of the day they didn’t get in the end zone. For the first game, with all the changes we’ve had, I’m real happy with the way we started out.”

          The Eagles’ overhauled defense, with Castillo now running the show and a host of new coaches and players, held the Ravens to 66 total yards and a 53-yard Billy Cundiff field goal.

          This was billed as an aggressive, up-the-field unit, and they looked it. All six sacks were by defensive linemen.

          “We have blitzes that are drawn up if need be, but we have a front four that’s pretty special,” Asomugha said. “So we may not even need to do that.”

          The Eagles also held Rice – who’s rushed for nearly 2,600 yards the last two years – to seven yards on five carries.

          “Definitely impressed with the start we had, the way guys were flying around out there,” said defensive tackle Cullen Jenkins, another of the Eagles’ key defensive additions. “Things went pretty well. I think we got a solid foundation to build upon. It’s a matter of making sure we keep improving.”

          Really, other than one blown coverage – it looked like Jamar Chaney lost Rice slipping out of the backfield on a 21-yard pass from Joe Flacco – Castillo’s starting group played mistake-free football.

          “It was nice to see that we tackled decent today – not great but decent,” Castillo said. “The linebackers using their hands and separating and making plays. The DBs, it looked like they planted and drove pretty well. The safeties, their hips, they looked pretty good moving around. The D-linemen got off the ball.

          “So all the things that we’re working on, it showed a little bit, and the guys will get confidence and they’ll believe in the plan. We’ll just get better and better and better.”

          The Ravens matched up their first offense with the Eagles’ first defense for two drives, and both ended with the Eagles making big plays at key moments.

          On the first, Baltimore had a first-and-10 on the Eagles’ 29-yard line, but Darryl Tapp and Derek Landri stuffed Rice for a six-yard loss, then the Eagles pressured Flacco into consecutive incompletions.

          On the second, the Ravens faced a second-and-four from their own 42-yard-line, but the Eagles got great pressure on back-to-back plays, with Jason Babin chasing Flacco before he threw the ball away and then Trent Cole sacking Flacco on third down.

          “That’s what we want, a lot of pressure back there,” Cole said. “Whoever makes the play makes the play. It’s a team effort. The D-line did a great job getting pressure on the quarterback … the secondary did a heck of a job covering, the linebackers as well.

          “This is our chance to really get all the new guys acquainted and get everybody on the same page. You know, just get us going, see what we’ve got. It’s looking good right now. There’s a lot of places we can improve, but I think we’ll get it done. We’re going to have a great team this season.”

          It’s amazing how different the Eagles look defensively than a year ago. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott is gone. Defensive line coach Rory Segrest and linebackers coach Bill Shuey are gone. Quintin Mikell, Stewart Bradley, Ernie Sims, Dimitri Patterson, Ellis Hobbs and Brodrick Bunkley? All gone.

          In their place, Castillo has a strong group of new position coaches – Mike Zordich, Johnny Lynn, Jim Washburn and Mike Caldwell – to go with newcomers Jenkins, Asomugha, Babin, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Anthony Hargrove, Casey Matthews and more.

          “It’s crazy how different it is just from last year,” second-year safety Nate Allen said. “So many new guys and new coaches. It’s not an easy thing in a short preseason to put it all together, and that’s what we’ve been using camp for, to build that chemistry with each other and get comfortable and just get a feel for each other and the defense we’ve been putting in, and I think we’re doing a good job of that, and that showed tonight. Overall, I think everything’s right on track.”

          Castillo’s second and third groups – and even his fourth group – also played at a high level. The Ravens managed only two Cundiff field goals, and the deep reserves preserved the win in the final moments after the Ravens drove down to the Eagles’ 5-yard-line in the final minute.

          “We don’t put people back in to win the game,” head coach Andy Reid said. “We expect the guys that are in there to do it. They sucked it up there at the end. They were tired, but they ended up putting a lot of pressure on the quarterback.”

          Tapp recorded two sacks, rookie safety Jaiquawn Jarrett from Temple had an interception and 20-yard return on the first series of his NFL career, second-year linebacker Keenan Clayton was very active, and rookie linebacker Brian Rolle did some nice things also.

          Veteran safety Jarrad Page, who just joined the Eagles last week, turned in an acrobatic interception at the Eagles’ goal-line after a Ravens drive down to the 8-yard line. The Eagles don’t have another healthy veteran safety, and that kind of play sure helps Page’s chances.

          The Eagles didn’t do a whole lot on offense, but Michael Vick played one series and looked like Michael Vick (see Andy Schwartz's story). He completed four of six passes for 74 yards, including a 42-yarder to Riley Cooper and a three-yard TD to Brent Celek, before an understandable early hook.

          “It felt good to get back out there and play against somebody else,” Vick said. “We were able to come out and get a nice drive going and score the touchdown, which was great.”

          Vince Young, who’s had a rough time at practice, actually looked sharp, completing three of five passes for 45 yards. Mike Kafka bounced back from a bad interception and some decent throws, finishing 13 for 19 for 132 yards.

          Chad Hall, one of the surprise stories of last year, caught five passes for 82 yards.

          Comment


          • #6
            http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2...vens#storyjump

            Eagles Players React To Win Over Ravens

            The Eagles got their preseason off to a good start with a win and more importantly a solid all around performance from most of the guys that matter. The first team played so few snaps that we really can't take a whole lot from it, but at this point in the preseason it's nice to be saying "don't get too high" as opposed to "don't get too low." Here's what a few of the guys had to say after the game.

            Michael Vick
            "I feel that each and every guy in the locker room wants to be on this year. We've enjoyed each other so much over training camp and just spending time with one another, getting to know one another. [We're] just so happy to be back and gelling as a team that I think that every guy in the locker room wishes they could be on this team. And I think that's why you get the effort that you just saw out on the field. Because guys want to play for us. It's awesome. It's awesome. I wish every guy could make this team and be a part of it. But yeah, we definitely have something special and this was by far one of the best training camps that I had, one of the best teams that I ever felt that I've been a part of and I enjoy each and every teammate that I have in the locker room."

            LeSean McCoy
            "It's still early. It was only one series and it's going take a lot to be a good team. We have to get everybody back healthy and in the flow of things. It will take a bit of time, but we will be good. I think that past few years we were good and now with a few more weapons and working together, we will be fine."

            Punter Chas Henry
            "It's great. I love winning and coming to a place like this, where the expectations are winning a Super Bowl. That is the expectation you should have as a professional. I relish that and can't wait to begin the season."

            Danny Watkins
            "There are certainly some things I need to work on. I have only been in camp for a week, so I need to get comfortable with things and pick up on the offense. It's going to be a continuing thing. There are a lot of things to work on. I told coach Mudd that I am not afraid to put extra time into it. I am hoping for a good week of practice and head down to Pittsburgh and see how it goes."

            Vince Young, who evidently feels that he needs to keep working.
            "I have to continue to keep working. It's a new offense and a new team. I just want to continue to keep working. I felt alright tonight, but it's not where I want to be at. I have to go back to the practice field and keep working to progress."

            Kurt Coleman
            "With the way [defensive coordinator] Juan [Castillo] is having us play, I mean, we're playing fast and we're manning up a lot of guys. I don't know if you can tell, but we are getting after these wide receivers. They made a couple catches, but at the end of the day, they didn't get in the end zone. From [the first team] to the end of the first quarter, everyone did their job and I think that's something that we can improve on. There are still things that we have to go back and check the film on and get better at, but overall, I'm pleased with the way it went down."

            Darryl Tapp is now wearing the #55 jersey, but he says that wasn't the reason for his two sacks.
            "[Jokingly] It might have been. No, it was definitely a lot of work with [defensive line] coach [Jim] Washburn. There's still a lot more work to do, but it was a good feeling to get a good start."

            Alex Henery, a kicker, says it was to get started off "on the right foot." Get it!?
            "Yeah, the first kickoff was kind of nice and I got a good one. I snuck it in. It was good to just get started off on the right foot. I was happy how it went today."

            Jaiquawn Jarrett on his first pick
            "It was a great experience to come out here in my first professional game to get out here and compete. The coaches had faith in me and the players did, so it was exciting for me to get a turnover and get the offense back on the field."

            Nnamdi Asomugha... he calls us "we!"
            I've had three practices and a preseason game, and obviously we're talented-it's laid out all over the place and everyone sees it and the coaching is great here as well. So, we could be really special. I think we have a great opportunity to do some big things this year. But with those expectations, you have to put in a little more focus, so it may not be as easy as other people are expecting it to be. We still have a lot of work to do."

            Casey Matthews
            "I knew what this team was capable of doing. With this outcome, I wasn't surprised, but with how fast it went. I only got eight reps and that's fine. Each game we'll start getting more and more and just looking forward to getting in a rhythm. We have a good group of guys and we know what we're all about. Obviously, it's nice coming out with the victory."

            Comment


            • #7
              LT, you are right about it being difficult for the special teams players being able to make this team. The rules committee effectively took kickoff returns out of the game - unless there are strong winds facing the kicker.

              I saw Kelce get schooled by Arthur Jones several times. Jones is a player from Syracuse, who I watched closely during the game. Before he got hurt, Jones was a beast in college. His game against Notre Dame was one of the best games I ever saw a collegian defensive lineman play. He looks like he is now fully recovered from his injuries, and could really be a steal for Baltimore. Kelce got to the second level, but he never blocked anyone getting there or when he arrived. The jury is still out.

              Harris and Watkins will be the weak spots for our offense. Hopefully, they can pull it together before the season begins.

              Tapp really impressed me. He was super-quick. Washburn must have lit a fire under his ass. Babin and Cole promise really great things for the DL.

              Jarrett looks like he can be a player. Coleman looked lost.

              I love the fact that we have Ronnie Brown in our backfield. IMV, we have sorely missed having a power back, who can push the pile. Hope he stays healthy (and they USE HIM!!). He could be a very important contributor to our team.
              Last edited by stocknowledge; 08-12-2011, 06:14 PM.
              "Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein." - Joe Theismann



              Comment


              • #8
                http://igglesblitz.com/philadelphia-...-phi-13-bal-6/

                Detailed Game Review – PHI 13, BAL 6
                Posted: August 13th, 2011 | Author: Tommy Lawlor


                Good showing by the Eagles in the 2011 PS opener. The starting offense played well. They had 1 drive and it resulted in a TD. A Red Zone TD, no less. We quickly got Vick and Shady out of the game. Things were up and down after that, which was expected. We’ve got a new blocking scheme and a bunch of new players. You cannot think the team will be crisp and efficient under those circumstances. The idiot announcers kept going on and on about all the running plays with Vince Young and Ronnie Brown in the game. Is Andy Reid changing his offense? Uh, no. We had a makeshift O-line, new RB, and QB who’s had less than a week of practice. Of course you’re going to run the ball. I have no idea how that notion escaped the broadcasters.
                The defense was very impressive. The new scheme was well executed. Jim Washburn and Juan Castillo obviously know how to teach. Just as important, the scheme fits the players well. Guys were doing things that looked natural to them. The D-line got a lot of penetration vs the run and kept regular pressure on the Ravens QBs.

                There are a couple of things to keep in mind. The Ravens O-line is no juggernaut, starters or backups. They also don’t have a good set of WRs or a polished passing game. A rookie QB played about 3 quarters of the game. All of these things helped our pass rush. I was still highly impressed, but we do need to keep circumstances in perspective when judging what goes on in the preseason.

                The same is true for our backup O-lines. They struggled at times. It wasn’t simply a lack of talent. The Ravens blitzing really got to us. We had quite a few negative plays where a CB or S was coming free on the QB. Some of those were draws and screens. You’re really vulnerable to DB blitzes. The results weren’t good, but it wasn’t lack of talent or bad execution so much as the right play call. I like our backups on the interior of the line. The OTs are definitely a work in progress.

                Speaking of play calling, I thought Juan Castillo had a good night. The defense didn’t look confused or lost with any regularity. There were some screw-ups, but those are expected in the PS opener. Overall I thought the defense looked pretty polished considering the circumstances…semi-new scheme, new coaches, new players, no real offseason.

                You’ll see in my player notes that I didn’t have much to say about the CBs. Baltimore has a mediocre passing game and our guys just weren’t challenged, starters or backups. There wasn’t a whole lot to take away. Let’s hope Pittsburgh is a better test. I need to find out about Marsh, Hughes, Lindley, etc.

                The new KO rule is boring, but does protect players. I can understand that. I think touchbacks will go down once late fall/winter gets here and the ball isn’t traveling as well.

                OFFENSE

                VICK — Good start. 4-6-74. TD. Looked good. Mike wasn’t impressive last summer, but had a great year. He’s off to a good start this summer. Let’s hope that bodes well for another great season.

                KAFKA — Up and down. Threw bad INT. Forced the ball into coverage and doesn’t have the arm to do that. Struggled initially, but did get better in the 2nd half. Hit WR on crossing route for 1st down. Good on short throws to TE. Used a hard count effectively. Ravens jumped a few times. Made a very good hot read vs corner blitz. Hit Hall with quick, accurate throw for nice gain. Made a gutsy throw to Gerald Jones on 3rd/long from our endzone. Kafka knew he was going to get hit, but focused on the throw. That moved the chains and helped with field position. Kafka needs work as a passer, but he’s got guts and seems like a natural leader. We can work on the passing skills. The intangibles are something you either have or don’t. He does.

                YOUNG — Limited showing. He was given simple pass plays. When his read wasn’t there, got ready to run. Did show off his elusiveness. Highlight may have been 3rd/14. Escaped sack, ran upfield, and then saw Hall. Got him a pass just before the line and Chad turned that into a nice gain. Threw high pass to Higgins, but he caught it. Called for grounding on blown up screen pass, but had no choice. Lewis was lost in a scrum and a blitzer was all over him. Vince is able to make things happen because of his natural talent. We saw that in the game. He is not a consistent, polished QB in any way, shape, or form. I hope we see progress as he practices and gets more comfortable in the offense.

                32 SCHMITT — Somewhat quiet game. Ran for 1st on 3rd/1. Got 1.1 yds on the dive play.

                39 HAVILI — Played, but didn’t stand out.

                25 MCCOY — Limited snaps. Gets an A+ because he came out healthy.

                36 BROWN — Pretty good showing. Got a lot of work, running and receiving. Had 10 touches. Okay speed, good power. Liked what I saw. Better blocking would have really helped him.

                27 D. LEWIS — #3 RB. Good showing from a player I’ve had my doubts about. Good gain on screen pass – 16 yds. Showed vision, burst, and toughness. Ran well on his carries. Didn’t go down on first contact. Able to make himself small and find small running creases. That may sound silly because of his size, but some small guys don’t use their size to their advantage. Lewis did. Had an okay block of blitzing LB. Went low on the guy and got him, but the guy was able to get off the block and pressure Kafka. That was on the INT play. Dion did his job. Ideally, you’d like him to put the guy down or sustain the block. Pick wasn’t his fault. Sloppy pass block in the late 3rd. Made a good read and saw the guy coming. Block was too casual and the blitzer got free and hit Kafka.

                43 COOPER — First pass block wasn’t real impressive. Didn’t make clean contact. Looked unsure. Ran for nice gain on draw play. Showed some burst. Ran hard. No hesitation. Made a tough catch on a dump pass that Kafka should have thrown into the stands. Lost yds. Good concentration, hands by Cooper. Showed promise as a receiver.

                34 BUCKLEY — Stuffed ILB on blitz up middle. Good block No touches.

                33 LOCKE — Played late. Had a 12-yard run.

                14 R. COOPER — Made a sensational catch to set up our TD. Saw Vick moving and went downfield. Went up in the air for the ball. Got it. Ed Reed pulled down one arm, but Riley had the ball secure in the other. Landed awkwardly and I feared he might have hurt his knee, but only left the game for a play or two. Catch showed his skill and athleticism.

                81 AVANT — Good start. Made one tough catch. Almost made a sensational TD catch, but didn’t have enough room to get control of the ball and both feet in.

                16 C HALL — Solid game. Caught 5 passes for 82 yards. Knows how to get open. Benefited from Vince’s scrambling. Caught a pass from him and turned that into a long gain. Caught a quick pass over the middle to move the chains in the early 3rd. The problem with Chad is speed. I like his quickness and elusiveness, but I just don’t see a guy who can take advantage of situations. Chad will get into space and you’ll expect to see a big play, but he’s quickly tackled. He runs hard, but just doesn’t show the speed I think a guy his size needs. I was hoping he would look faster this year, but that doesn’t seem to be the case.

                17 JL HIGGINS — Made one good catch. Vince put the ball up high, but Johnnie Lee was able to go up and get it. Dropped a pass from Young. Didn’t show a whole lot as a WR. Wasn’t able to return a punt or kickoff.

                83 R HARPER — Smooth hands, good RAC on catch over middle in early 3rd. Caught a short pass in the late 3rd and was hit by about 30 Ravens. Tough guy. Real impressive play in early 4th. Used good move to beat press, get open on slant. Snagged the ball with his hands. Had LB coming to hit him, but stayed focused. Caught WR screen and got blasted by 20 Ravens. Harper looks like a WCO receiver. He’s willing to work the middle and take a hit. Hands catcher. Not sure how athletic he is, but I was impressed with his performance.

                87 CELEK — Vick tried to hit him on opening drive on intermediate route. Brent couldn’t make the catch. Couldn’t tell if the defender hit the ball at all. Would have been a tough catch. TD was simple play. Run 3 yards and then turn around. Essentially box out the LB and let Vick throw it to you. Easy, but well executed. Good start to the preseason.

                82 B HARBOR — Had a couple of good blocks on run plays to his side. Tried to kill someone downfield on a play, but the LB moved and Clay missed him. Would have been a fun block if the guy hadn’t been looking. Didn’t have any passes come his way.

                88 D LEE — Good block of LB on 3rd/1 run to his side. Caught a short dump-off pass and ran for 1st down. Caught a short pass over the middle. Caught a short pass down the seam in the early 3rd. Had a poor run block in the 3rd Qtr. Lee might be the best #3 TE we’ve had here in Philly. I still don’t know if he’ll make the team, but he’s a quality player.

                48 M WEBB — Caught a short pass on 3rd/1. Moved the chains.

                85 C INGRAM — Played, but failed to stand out. No passes came his way.
                67 J JACKSON — Played early on. Looked good. Nice to have him healthy for a change.

                63 D WATKINS — We ran right behind him on 3rd/1. Danny sealed DT to the inside, gave Schmitt a small area to hit. Failed to get clean block on Pryce on Vick’s long pass. Danny looked confused for some reason. Sloppy block. Got pushed back by Cody on GL run, but was able to stop the penetration and gain control mid-play. Pulled left on run play and had nice block of DE. Looked good on the move. Played less than I thought he would. You can see his physical gifts. Talented player. Just needs reps. Real curious to see him in a couple of weeks. Danny is a quick learner and he should improve as he gets more work.

                64 R HARRIS — Got beat on consecutive plays by inside move. One resulted in a batted pass. Can’t have DEs getting free inside. Make them beat you outside. Really good with his hands. Gets some pop when he’s engaging defenders. Impressive. Whiffed on DE on run play to his side. I think Harris may be getting a bit over-hyped by some reporters. Can be a solid RT, but he’s not a special player or anything close to that.

                62 KELCE — Got pushed back a step on short ydg run. Got his feet under him and then was able to put the DT on the ground. Good block of LB on draw. Stuck with it for almost 5 yds. Had good block of Cody on run play that went outside. Jason got into him quickly and pushed him back a step, then sustained the block. Blitzing LB went by him on run play. Jason wasn’t expecting the ILB to blitz and looked shocked when he saw the guy run by him. Welcome to life vs BAL. And PIT, NYJ, etc. Quick burst, swim move by #90 gave him trouble in pass pro. Did short pull to outside on pass play to get blitzer. Well executed. NT got by him on RZ pass play and pressured Kafka into hurried throw. Consistently got to LBs on run plays. Able to get to the 2nd level, engage, and sustain. Good start for him. Wasn’t physically overwhelmed at all. I’m not sure how I feel about him starting this year, but you can see he’s the C of the future for sure.

                68 A HOWARD — #2 LT. Let DE get free to the inside late in the 1st Qtr. Easy sack. Can’t have that. Good block on draw. Pushed DE upfield and created running lane. Made good initial block on 3rd/long, but then let the DE get free to the inside. Ugh. Should have sacked VY, but Vince went all Vince on the Ravens and made something out of it. Good block of LB on run to his side. Gave Brown room to run. Good pass block of DE on 2nd/long. Austin does have naturally good feet. Gave up inside to DE on pass play late in half. Played some RT in the 4th Qtr. Austin really needs to get into shape.

                69 E MATHIS — #2 LG. Good block on 3rd/1 run that came to his side. Cleared small space for Brown. Had good upfield block of LB on run play. good block of DT on run to his side. Stuck with it. Good leverage. Played some RT late in the game when a couple of OTs had gotten hurt.

                77 M MCGLYNN — Took over RG late in the 1st Qtr. Up and down in pass pro. Good effort. Pulled left on run. Dove at LB, but basically whiffed. Had a good drive block of DT on run play. Poor block out in space on screen. Looked like he was trying to cut a LB, but really just fell down. Now he’s trying to kill the worms. Leave those poor creatures alone. Beaten cleanly by #90 with rip move on RZ pass. That led to FF and long TD return. Fumble was overturned by replay, but still a bad block by Mike. Moved to C in the late 3rd. I don’t think McGlynn is going to make the team. He just doesn’t look natural in the new system. We’ll see if he gets better in the next few weeks. Can be a good player, but needs the right system. Meant to be RG in a run heavy offense.

                77 J VANDERVELDE — #3 LG. Got driven back in pass pro and that flushed Kafka. Got pushed back again in pass pro. #96. Good feet. Moves well laterally. Seemed better in the 2nd half. Good reach block on run that went away from him. Kept DT from getting to Lewis for TFL. Pulls well. Made a sloppy block of LB in pass pro and the guy was able to pressure Kafka. Shifted to RG late in the game. Beaten by #90 in pass pro. Guy hit Kafka, forced bad throw.

                78 F TUPOU — Didn’t see him play much.

                65 K DUNLAP — #2 RT. Up and down game. Continues to give too much ground in pass pro. That’s last year’s system. Did have a very good down block on 3rd/1. Caved in a defender and gave Lewis space to run for 1st. Had a false start penalty. Good block on draw. Shoved DE upfield, then got partial shot on LB.

                66 D REYNOLDS — #4 LG. Didn’t stand out.

                ______________________________________________
                DEFENSE

                * Great team D on early screen. Babin used spin move and ran into Rice. Casey was waiting to the outside. Dixon was on the inside. Both guys read the play and weren’t about to let Rice free. Flacco had to throw the ball away.

                * Pressure from the front line resulted in multiple false start penalties.

                58 COLE — Blew up run by knocking LT back, shedding block, and then getting RB for no gain. Got an early sack by driving LT back. Babin got pressure as did Jenkins. Trent finished off the play. Great start to the year.

                75 PARKER — Didn’t really catch my eye. I don’t think he played much.
                68 HARGROVE — Played LDT/NT. Got RB for minimal gain. Bounced off a block and found himself at the right spot at the right time. Active player. Flows to the football. Not always smooth, but stays on the move.

                97 JENKINS — RDT, UT. Got a big hit on Flacco on first play of game. Had to work to get free, but finally did an planted Joe in the ground. Showed good quickness off the ball. I’m going to enjoy watching him this year.

                93 BABIN — Played with the starters on 2nd series. Flew off the edge and really chased inside runs. BAL saw that and burned him with bootleg. Luckily we covered well behind Babin. Knocked the RT down with a spin move. Impressive. Almost got a sack, but Cole selfishly beat him to the QB. Must talk to Trent about sharing.

                55 D TAPP — Got TFL on early run play. LT blew his assignment and didn’t make the block. Opened the 2nd Qtr with a sack. Got under Oher and shoved his arms away. Then took inside route to get sack. Used good burst and his hands to cleanly get by LT for sack late in the half. Tapp played in this type of system in college and he looks like a natural in it. Real impressive showing.

                52 TEO — Played RDE. Got off block of TE and came close to TFL of RB. Drove the LT back on a pass play and helped to flush out the QB. Played at least one snap at DT. Pass play. Was blocked pretty well. Fought off cut block and got RB on inside run. Excellent bull rush in 3rd Qtr. Drove LT straight to QB, flushed Taylor, created sack for Landri. Got a sack late in the game. Good burst off the ball. Blitzers came up the middle and Taylor had nowhere to run. Needs to be more regular with pressure off the edge, but had some good moments.

                90 DIXON — Quiet game. Played with backup DTs. Had effective bull rushes on a couple of plays, but didn’t really stand out. Not sure if he’s slow in learning the system, still bothered by injury, or playing his way into shape.

                73 LANDRI — Helped Tapp on early TFL. Relentless player. Isn’t going to slow down until the whistle blows. Got sack in 3rd Qtr. Teo flushed QB and Derek was there to finish the play. Used spin move on that play to stay unblocked. If he continues to play like that, will make serious push for roster spot. Excellent fit for W-9.

                64 M FAVORITE — Wow. Opened some eyes with his game. Good push on 2nd Qtr pass. Drove LG back to QB. Tapp got sack on the play. Real good power by MF. Got push vs RG on another pass play. Shed RG and tackled RB on play that came his way. Drove C backward on pass late in the half and actually knocked the guy on his butt. Shed block of OL and got RB down for no gain. Really hustled when the ball went out wide or the play got behind him. Got pressure up middle late in game and helped Hunt get sack. Celebrated by rubbing his (big) belly. My new hero.

                76 P HUNT — Mostly LDE. Really good with his hands. Quick off the ball. Used good spin move to shoot to the inside and pressure QB. Used bull rush to knock RT back, then dove for the QB. Couldn’t quite get him. Used good burst, swim move to get pressure in 3rd Qtr. Unblocked on late pass play in 3rd Qtr. Flushed Taylor and forced him into bad throw, INT. RZ play. Used bull rush to drive RT backward and pressure QB. Jumped offside on pass play late in the game. Blew by the LT late in the game. Sacked Taylor. Hit him hard enough to knock his helmet off. I hope the coaches give him some reps vs starting OTs in the coming weeks. I want to see if Hunt can beat them. Might be a good pass rushing specialist.

                72 C THORNTON — Has exceptional quickness off the ball. Still learning. Drew penalty for knocking helmet off OL. Gets off balance after firing off the ball. Must play under better control. Got knocked on his butt by double team on pass play. Disrupted a 4th Qtr run play with penetration.
                The biggest issue right now is that Cedric gets going so quickly, he is out in front of his feet. That makes it easy for OL to knock him down or push him away. Love the burst, but you must keep your feet under you so that you’ve got balance and power.

                65 C WILSON — Played LDE. Has some quickness off the ball. Good tackle on run play that came his way in the late 3rd. Got away with late hit on QB in the 4th Qtr.

                94 NOONAN — Played some. Longshot, but he plays hard. Excellent effort.

                51 CHANEY — Ray Rice burned us for a good gain on a quick pass play on the opening drive. I think Chaney was at fault. He blitzed, then pivoted when he saw Rice going out. Chaney went into chase mode. Had to deal with several cut blocks. Fought off one and tackled RB. Did a good job of getting on RBs who went out to the flats on pass plays.

                50 MATTHEWS — Read run play and flowed to the ball, but RB cut back to other side. DT got him. Read screen play correctly and got into good position. Covered TE well on 3rd down pass where Cole got sack. Didn’t stand out vs run. He had to deal with blocks a couple of times. Got off one pretty well. Another one the OL got the better of the situation. Casey needs technique work. He’s got to aggressively get into the blocker and try to win the battle. The most impressive thing for me was that Casey played smart. He read plays well. He knew his assignments. Casey showed excellent field vision in college and again at the Senior Bowl. That’s with him in the NFL as well. Very underrated part of being a MLB.

                53 FOKOU — Just slammed FB to the ground on run play that was designed to come at him. Used his hands well to fend off blockers. Moise is like a bull in a china shop. He just throws things around. Real tough, physical player.

                57 K CLAYTON — Flew out to tackle TE after short catch. Real good speed by KC. Stuck tight to RBs on short pass plays. Really popped RB who tried to release on pass route. Knocked the guy off balance. Knocked receiver down in the flat after pass fell incomplete. Good to see him being more physical. I hadn’t been impressed by practice clips, but looked good in the game.

                96 G. LLOYD — Made a good tackle vs run in early 2nd. Flowed to his right and made the stop. RB got a couple of yards. Fought off a block before getting out wide. Looked stiff, slow on one play. Taylor scrambled. Lloyd couldn’t change direction fluidly to pursue him. Had to literally stop, turn, and then run. Not good. Made real good play on short yardage run. Shed block and got to RB quickly on inside run. Did give up the yard though. Looked slow as he worked toward a run play to his right late in the 3rd. Real good vs inside runs. Speed is a major question.

                59 B ROLLE — Played in the #2 D and #2 Nickel. Good hit on TE after short catch in 2nd Qtr. Got outside quickly and put the guy down firmly. Got cut on run play up the middle in late 3rd. Wasn’t able to make the stop. Was a bit awkward out in space vs TEs. Effective blitzer. Hustled to tackle WR who got away from Calvin on final drive. Blitzed up middle and hit Taylor on final play. Helped to force incompletion. Led the team with 4 tackles. Solid beginning for him. I know he’s short and not all that big, but I would love to see him get a shot at MLB in a preseason game.

                48 JEANTY — Tackled RB in flat after short pass.

                42 COLEMAN — Got beat early in the game. Had tight coverage on Pitta, but his back was to QB and he never made a good play on the ball. Should have been PBU. Might have been INT. Got in on a couple of tackles. Has a thicker build this year.

                29 ALLEN — Showed a good burst when chasing down Rice after long gain on pass play. That’s all I wanted to see.

                26 J JARRETT — Picked off pass in early 2nd Qtr. Overthrow that came right to him. Showed good awareness, hands on the play. Made a nice return as well. Had pretty good coverage late in the half on pass to WR along sideline. JJ got over quickly and pass was off target. Got in on tackle on one KO return.

                25 J PAGE — Came up quickly to hit receiver after catch over the middle. Came up and really popped TE after catch over middle. Picked off Taylor in RZ. QB was flushed, Page stepped in front of pass. Real good showing. Played himself into serious roster consideration.

                30 C ANDERSON — Made shoestring tackle of RB after catch and run in 4th. Made a good pick on overthrow in the 4th, but only got one foot in.
                Did okay, but needs to pick up the pace with Jarrad Page playing the way he did. I don’t think we’ll keep 5 Safeties.

                45 J ADAMS — Got physical hit on WR running down sideline after catch. Got big hit on RB who was trying to catch pass in endzone. He was bobbling ball, but Adams sealed the deal by hitting him hard in the back.

                21 HANSON — Had tight coverage on Boldin on early 3rd down play. Had him in the slot. Flacco threw to Boldin, but wasn’t able to complete the pass.

                31 C MARSH — Tight coverage led to overthrow by Taylor and INT for Jarrett. Sloppy angle, missed tackle on WR screen in 3rd Qr. Same result on another quick pass to WR on same drive. Liked what I saw in cover skills. Must work on tackling.

                38 J CALVIN — Missed tackle of WR after quick screen pass to him. Ditto that late in the game. Broke up a quick pass on Ravens final drive. Sloppy tackle attempt in RZ on final drive. He’s a longshot anyway, sloppy tackling isn’t going to impress the other 31 teams watching the game tape.

                27 HUGHES — Didn’t have any passes come his way. I was really hoping to get a better feel for him.

                Comment


                • #9
                  https://www.profootballfocus.com/blo...eagles-ravens/

                  First Impressions – Eagles @ Ravens
                  August 12th, 2011 | Author: John Breitenbach


                  Both teams played most of their starters for an entire series. While the Eagles seem to have a whole host of new players from free agency to analyze, the Ravens have young draft picks that they’re hoping are going to step up big in 2011.

                  Here are some quick shots of what stood out

                  .
                  Ravens – Three things to Note
                  .
                  TE is likely to be a position of interest for the Ravens, with Todd Heap departure to Arizona. To fill this hole, the Ravens are going to need one of their 2010 draft picks to step up. Of those draft picks, it was Dennis Pitta who shined in the receiving game, making a nice grab over safety Kurt Coleman on the Ravens’ first offensive play. Pitta then lined up out wide and created nice separation from Joselio Hanson on a slant route.
                  .
                  Ladarius Webb has been given the difficult task of replacing Josh Wilson. Webb gave Chad Hall too much of a cushion on one play where he was beaten on a square route. Hall picked up 9 yards, 5 of which were after the catch. Later in the quarter, he disguised a blitz well, getting unblocked pressure on Vick from the slot.
                  .
                  It will be interesting to see who the Ravens go with at strong safety considering Dawan Landry is now in Jacksonville. Tom Zbikowski was given the start and struggled on a couple of plays in coverage. He was late helping in the coverage of Brent Celek down the seam, but the tight end luckily dropped the pass. Zbikowski also looked to be beaten by TE Clay Harbor on a second and goal, but Vick had already thrown to Avant on a fade route. He was also the nearest man to Chad Hall who made a nice gain on a play extended by Vince Young’s legs.
                  .
                  .
                  Eagles – Three things to Note
                  .
                  The revamped defensive line is already taking shape in Philadelphia. It didn’t take long for newly acquired Eagles DT Cullen Jenkins to make his mark. Despite good initial protection, Jenkins eventually came free to get his first QB hit on the first play from scrimmage. The former Packer wasn’t alone as Trent Cole once again flashed his ability against the run, pushing Michael Oher aside to make a tackle for a loss. Not to be outdone, DE Daryl Tapp, who was rotating for Cole, blew past new FB Vonta Leach bringing Rice down for a 5 yard loss. It wasn’t just an all out attack either as DT Antonio Dixon sniffed out a screen that forced Joe Flacco to throw the ball away. With help from LDE Jason Babin, Cole got a sack on the next drive.
                  .
                  How the Eagles’ cornerbacks line up is certainly going to be an interesting topic going forward. Against the Ravens jumbo package of two TE, two RBs and a single receiver, CB Nnamdi Asomugha was charged with playing press coverage against LWR Anquan Boldin. Safeties Kurt Coleman and Nate Allen came into the box making almost a 5 linebacker look and CB Asante Samuel was deployed deep as a single high safety. When Boldin lined up at RWR instead, the situation was reversed. Samuel manned up in off coverage with Asomugha the single high safety. Despite Joselio Hanson running with the first team nickel in practice, it was Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie who got the nod in the game. Samuel and Asomugha manned the outside with DRC in the slot. He was the only of the “big three” to be targeted and that pass fell incomplete.
                  .
                  With Winston Justice currently on the Physically Unable to Perform list, the job has fallen to former Denver Bronco Ryan Harris. He struggled early, having been beaten easily by Terrell Suggs on an inside move. Harris was beaten inside again on the next play, although he did a better job of staying with the block that time. He later whiffed on a run play, grasping for air after a quick move by DT Pernell McPhee.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    This off the radar guy really sounds interesting!

                    64 M FAVORITE — Wow. Opened some eyes with his game. Good push on 2nd Qtr pass. Drove LG back to QB. Tapp got sack on the play. Real good power by MF. Got push vs RG on another pass play. Shed RG and tackled RB on play that came his way. Drove C backward on pass late in the half and actually knocked the guy on his butt. Shed block of OL and got RB down for no gain. Really hustled when the ball went out wide or the play got behind him. Got pressure up middle late in game and helped Hunt get sack. Celebrated by rubbing his (big) belly. My new hero.
                    "Hey Giants, who's your Daddy?"

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Eagle60 View Post
                      64 M FAVORITE — Wow. Opened some eyes with his game. Good push on 2nd Qtr pass. Drove LG back to QB. Tapp got sack on the play. Real good power by MF. Got push vs RG on another pass play. Shed RG and tackled RB on play that came his way. Drove C backward on pass late in the half and actually knocked the guy on his butt. Shed block of OL and got RB down for no gain. Really hustled when the ball went out wide or the play got behind him. Got pressure up middle late in game and helped Hunt get sack. Celebrated by rubbing his (big) belly. My new hero.
                      I remember Lawlor getting excited over Austin Howard as well last year after a couple of preseason games... who does not seem to have kept it up. Although he made the team last year as a UDFA, so there was definitely something to it. We seem to have a number of pretty good DTs now so it seems unlikely he could make the team, but we'll see.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Eagle60 View Post
                        64 M FAVORITE — Wow. Opened some eyes with his game. Good push on 2nd Qtr pass. Drove LG back to QB. Tapp got sack on the play. Real good power by MF. Got push vs RG on another pass play. Shed RG and tackled RB on play that came his way. Drove C backward on pass late in the half and actually knocked the guy on his butt. Shed block of OL and got RB down for no gain. Really hustled when the ball went out wide or the play got behind him. Got pressure up middle late in game and helped Hunt get sack. Celebrated by rubbing his (big) belly. My new hero.

                        I watched closely and could not figure out who No. 64 was, flying all around on the defensive side of the ball. Finally figured out it was Favorite. But he definitely made an impression.
                        Don't kid yourself Jimmy. If a cow ever got the chance, he'd kill you and everyone you cared about!

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