Def Talent: 2004 Eagles v. 2010 Eagles

[BIGPHILLY]

24 Sheldon Brown CB vs. 31 Ellis Hobbs CB/KR - Edge: 2004
26 Lito Sheppard CB vs 22 Asante Samuel CB - Edge: 2010
20 Brian Dawkins FS vs 29 Nate Allen FS - Edge: 2004
32 Michael Lewis SS vs 27 Quintin Mikell SS - Edge: Push
56 Derrick Burgess DE vs 58 Trent Cole DE - Edge: Push
93 Jevon Kearse DE vs 75 Juqua Parker DE - Edge: 2004
90 Corey Simon DT vs 98 Mike Patterson DT - Edge: 2004
78 Hollis Thomas DT vs 90 Antonio Dixon DT - Edge: Push
54 Jeremiah Trotter ILB vs 55 Stewart Bradley ILB - Edge: 2004
57 Keith Adams OLB vs 50 Ernie Sims OLB - Edge: Push
55 Dhani Jones OLB vs 53 Moise Fokou OLB - Edge: Push

Truthfully only Samuel is an upgrade on that defense. Nice to see our Linebackers are still butt average. I guess you could argue that McDermott has lesser talent but it really doesn't strike me that it's "THAT" huge of a gap.

Thoughts?

[sfphillyfan]

Was that the year Jevon Kearse got injured?

[BIGPHILLY]

No. It was his first year with the team when he actually looked decent. Not dominant but fringe all pro.

[stocknowledge]

Nice analysis. Yes, I think you would have to give the edge to 2004, but the difference really isn't that great. Good way to look at it though!

[sfphillyfan]

I think you're being a little generous with some of the pushes. I'd give a slight edge to some of the 2004 players.

I can't believe we had Dhani Jones and Keith Adams on a SB team.

Going into this, I wouldve thought we had a huge advantage at LB on the 04 team and that's what's hamstringing MCDermott but that clearly isn't true.

[rspurr]

Cole is better than Burgess. Cole is an everydown player.

The way I see it, if JJ were coaching these guys he would be getting a lot more out of them. JJ was great at coaching bend but don't break. There is no way Britt would have done that against a JJ coached team.

[BIGPHILLY]

* I fall in that camp rspurr. JJ always covered for weaknesses and used his blitzes and scheme to make up for issues and cause havoc where previously a weakness existed. McDermott uses his blitzes as part of his "plan" overall and it confused noone.

[sfphillyfan]

* I fall in that camp rspurr. JJ always covered for weaknesses and used his blitzes and scheme to make up for issues and cause havoc where previously a weakness existed. McDermott uses his blitzes as part of his "plan" overall and it confused noone.

So basically, he has the exact same personality and game day nimbleness as his head coach?

[BIGPHILLY]

So basically, he has the exact same personality and game day nimbleness as his head coach?

* You are seriously heading down this path? Andy Reid is a great coach. This is like marrying a super model and obsessing over the fact that she has webbed feet. Get over it.

[sfphillyfan]

No, it's like marrying a super model and realizing she can't read.

Game day adjustments are important and Andy either doesn't want to or can't make them.

[Vote for Kalas]

Again alot of romantic glasses being worn about JJ...his defenses had stinker games like this past week, remember the Indy game in 2002 or the Pats in 2003 or the Steelers in 2004.

We could also mention that SB where the Pats ran screen after screen in the 2nd half and we never adjusted not to mention Branch lighting us up on his MVP day.

I would argue Bradley/Cole are better than Trotter/Burgess overall...Trot was very good vs the run, but a liability vs the pass whereas Bradley is good at both. Cole has done more than Burgess.

[sfphillyfan]

Hold on a sec. I agree with you about Trot but so far I haven't seen Bradley cover the TE very well either. That's gotta be a push.

[Vote for Kalas]

No, it's like marrying a super model and realizing she can't read.

Game day adjustments are important and Andy either doesn't want to or can't make them.

Yup, never made one. Somehow he has won over 110 games...

[sfphillyfan]

Yup, never made one. Somehow he has won over 110 games...

see the "why can't you???" post. and if you think making game day adjustments is a strength of Reid's, your glasses are greener than most.

[Vote for Kalas]

Hold on a sec. I agree with you about Trot but so far I haven't seen Bradley cover the TE very well either. That's gotta be a push.

He handled Gonzo pretty well, but I can go with a push