"I wanted to be able to retire as an Eagle," Jenkins said in a phone interview. "I'm not one of those types of players to bounce around and get as much as he can get. I like being here. I think it's a great team with a great atmosphere and I wanted to stay here."
Jenkins, 31, originally signed a five-year, $30 million contract with the Eagles last July 30. Under the terms of that deal, he was due to receive a $5 million roster bonus on March 13 - the first day of the 2012 league year - and was scheduled to make $2.75 million in base salary. Terms of the restructuring weren't announced Tuesday, but it's likely Jenkins will not be receiving that large of a bonus in order to reduce his $7.75 million salary cap number. Had he not agreed to the restructuring there was a possibility the Eagles would have released him after just one season.
"We are very excited about having Cullen back on our football team," Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said in a statement. "Cullen made an immediate impact for us this year on and off the field. We look forward to a great future together with him in an Eagles uniform."Jenkins enjoyed a solid season with the Eagles in 2011 after spending his first eight NFL seasons with Green Bay. The 6-foot-2, 305-pounder registered five and a half sacks - second-most among NFC defensive tackles behind Chicago's Henry Melton (seven) - tied for second on the Eagles with seven tackles for losses, and posted 40 tackles.
Most of his sacks occurred early in the season, however. He notched four in his first three games as an Eagle, joining the late Jerome Brown as the only defensive tackles in franchise history to open a season with at least one sack in the first three games. But he had just a half-sack in the team's final 11 games.
More significantly, he emerged as one of the team's strongest leaders in the locker room. Jenkins, who earned a Super Bowl ring with the Packers in 2010, was respected by the Eagles' veterans and became a mentor to the younger defensive players.
Toward the end of the season, Jenkins said he realized there was a possibility his contract would have to be reworked and made it clear to Eagles' management that he was open to the idea.
"It was cool to get it done without any problems," Jenkins said. "I'm actually kind of relieved because I was wondering about what could happen. People were talking that I could be released."
At the end of the season, rumors began to circulate that Green Bay would be trying to lure Jenkins back if he became a free agent. Jenkins was one of the Packers' more popular players and still owns a home in Green Bay. But he made it clear on Tuesday that he wanted to stay with the Eagles.
"I didn't really think about (returning to) Green Bay," Jenkins said. "We had great run and I'll never forget my years there, but that time has come and passed. Now I'm an Eagle and look at myself as an Eagle and I didn't want to get to point where I would have to make decisions with (going to other teams)."
Jenkins will be rejoining an Eagles defense that struggled through the first half of the season, but played better down the stretch.
"The biggest thing you can expect from our defense is a lot of hungry people, a lot of hungry players," Jenkins said. "We take a lot of pride in what we do and we're excited to try to continue the success we had at the end of the year."
I like Jenkins' attitude in all this...it gives me the feeling that in 2012 we are flying nicely under the radar...run silent, run deep.
But it was successful, Todd Herremans’ touchdown reception got a standing ovation from all the big boys who man the trenches. What’s even more impressive? He made the catch with a dislocated finger. Let’s break down what happened...
Herremans (76) is announced as an eligible receiver. He lines up next to Jon Runyan with Matt Schobel (89) to his right. The backfield is split with Dan Klecko (49) on the left and Correll Buckhalter (28) lined up deep on the right. Prior to the snap Klecko shifts to his right in front of Buckhalter.
At the snap Herremans blocks the defensive end in front of him, Schobel releases to the second level and engages a linebacker, Klecko takes two steps forward like he’s setting a lead block, and McNabb (5) and Buckhalter look to make the handoff.
Playfake! Klecko breaks off and runs a drag route a yard in front of the goal line. Schobel runs a parallel route at the back of the end zone. Herremans releases from his block, drives two steps forward, pivots, and gets the ball right in his numbers. Touchdown!
Although running a play like this was a sign that Andy Reid and Co. still could not figure out the power running game at that point, it was a good sign that they were willing to find ways to use this perceived weakness to manipulate a defense.
The Seahawks (and everyone else following the NFL) knew the Eagles were miserable in power run scenarios. On this play Seattle deploys a seven man defensive line, with two linebackers, and two safeties. Those defensive players face an odd heavy set with the additional lineman. Certainly they sense trickery afoot, with Herremans announced as eligible, but the formation still indicates a two-yards-and-a-cloud-of-dust type play call. The Eagles sell the fake so well that literally every Seahawks defender is sprinting forward at the snap. By the time they see the fake handoff and Klecko leaking out into his route, Herremans is already turning to catch the pass that changed the game’s momentum.
Give the Eagles points for creativity and execution. By flaunting their weakness in a crafty formation and play, the offense turned a liability into an asset.
Jump to 2011 and 2012:
The old offensive line of the Eagles is gone except for Herremans, and the old OL prototype of massive pass-blockers who didn't execute power run plays is now replaced by smaller but faster guys. Of course, "small" is a relative term when you're comparing a 310-pound guy to a 340-pound guy. But hopefully you get the point.
So here's the new reality of the Eagles running game:
Historically, offensive line play in football involved one-on-one confrontations, with burly offensive linemen overpowering their defensive counterparts to open running lanes. Problem was, defensive linemen and some outside linebackers became as big and quick as the best of the traditional offensive linemen like Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas (See Exhibit "A", Haloti Ngata....) So teams without big, powerful offensive lines devised the zone blocking scheme to benefit smaller, more athletic linemen who can use speed and leverage to their advantage. When zone blocking, offensive linemen block gaps, or areas of the field between blockers, and not necessarily one specific defender. While individual schemes may vary, zone blocking relies on a few general rules...
Covered...
In a zone blocking scheme, the offensive lineman's responsibilities change depending on whether he's covered (when a defender is lined up directly in front of him) or uncovered. A covered lineman still must block his assigned defender, just like in a traditional blocking scheme. However, because it's a zone, the offensive lineman blocks the gap on the play side. In other words, if the play calls for the run to go right, the lineman will step into the gap and block the right side of the defender, creating a seal.
Uncovered...If the offensive lineman is uncovered, meaning that no defender is in front of him, his job in a zone scheme is to slide into the play-side gap, secure the area, offer double-team assistance to his play-side teammate and then quickly move into the second level to engage any free linebackers or defensive backs. Uncovered offensive linemen, and the decisions they make, are critical to zone blocking success.
Outside...
Zone blocking may be either inside or outside. In outside zone blocking, the offensive linemen try to gain leverage on the outside of the defender, forging a seal for the runner along the sideline. If defenders recognize the outside movement and overplay in that direction, the offensive linemen use the defender's momentum against him, driving him all the way to the sideline and opening a cutback lane for the runner.
Inside...
Zone blocking features a lot of double-team blocks, with an uncovered lineman stepping in to help his play-side teammate. When moving across to block the already engaged defender, the double-teaming lineman must block the defender above the waist. Cutting an engaged defender below the waist or knee can be extremely dangerous for the defender, creating an increased risk of injury. Because of the seriousness of the infraction, officials will call a chop block and penalize the offensive team 15 yards.
Okay, so zone-blocking has come to Philly and looks like it's here to stay. Hard to argue against it with the yardage Shady McCoy put up last season running with it. Obviously there's a lot of reading and smarts required of the offensive linemen in the new order. Just as important is the physical side of it: the slightly smaller, more agile and mobile big athlete with the long-distance runner's stamina to match
I'll be watching the Eagles draft with increased attention to the offensive linemen they may select. It appears the organization is committed to transforming into a zone-blocking running game. It is not a fad. Ask Arian Foster.
Personally I'll miss the blocks-of-granite drive-blocking lines of the Eagles' past...of the Antoine Davis mold (RT, '90's), and Lester Holmes (RG, '90's), guys like that who blocked straight ahead for power running backs like Ricky Watters. But those days of classic yet less-sophisticated defensive challenge are long past.
It took almost a decade to figure it out, but I believe the zone-block run philosophy is the new "power run" answer for the Eagles.
Mansfield Timberview running back Eric Stephens — the No. 36-rated recruit on the Fabulous 55 — is 5-11, 200 pounds and has 4.38 speed on texasfootball.com. On Rivals.com, the Texas Tech-bound Stephens is 5-8 (three inches shorter), 177 pounds (nearly 25 pounds lighter) and, according to the site’s analysis, “doesn’t have home run speed.”
Stephens, insists Timberview coach Terry Cron, is 5-8, 200 pounds and runs about a 4.56.
“I don’t know where some of these guys get their numbers from,” Cron said. “It seems like they heard it from a guy who heard it from a guy who heard it from a guy, and that’s good enough to report.”
I encourage you to read the rest of the article, which deals with the “magic” number of a sub 4.6, which many prospects know they must report to even be considered for a FBS offer. Frankly, this whole obsession over 40-times as THE basis for evaluating and offering players is getting out of hand.I reference this post just to remind everyone that when it comes to 40-yard dash times, you're almost always hearing something that's at the very least marginally - but more often than not substantially- inflated. This view is consistent in all levels of competition, but seems especially prevalent and most profound at the high school level, where there is often a lack of standardization of testing for the drill. In other words, even if you are getting the "true" 40-yard dash time from the player, there often is no way to verify it under controlled conditions. We all know certain factors like weather, wind, surface, timing method, and even clothing can effect the speed of an individual over 40 yards, and that's not even factoring in the countless number of 40-yard dashes a prospect can run in trying to best his previous times. In other words, there are seldom any 4.3 guys. Heck, I'm not even sure there are many 4.4 or 4.5 guys. But are there a very select handful who have run a 4.3? Sure, but more often than not it's been on a "fast track" indoor surface with the benefit of a generous, if not altogether "home team " timing method.
Nettina's main point leads us to a better understanding of why Combine times in the "40" are often "disappointing", and how in the world could Anquan Boldin have put up a 4.7 in his rookie year?
This has been, I believe, the key component in examining why 40-yard dash times at the NFL combine have typically been slower than one would imagine. So often led to believe that NFL skill position players must run below the magical line of 4.5 seconds, your average NFL fan would be shocked (yes, shocked) to learn that the average NFL combine times for running backs since 2005 is actually 4.56, while the average time for receivers is 4.57. This very relevant truth must be especially disconcerting with each passing year, as former high school stars of the Rivals.com and Scout.com generation find themselves posting electronic times slower than the ones they claimed coming out of high school. All of this comes to us not only on the eve of this year's scouting combine, but also on the heels of the Kennedy/CES Combine held in Atlanta.
The combine, held for many of the southeast's top high school juniors, is thought by some to signal the unofficial start of the recruiting process. Back in 2009, as expected, several prospects stood out. One of these young men, wide receiver Da'Rick Rogers, ran a blistering 4.34 40-yard dash at a mind boggling 6'2, 197-lbs. Another prospect, defensive back Ryan Ayers, ran an insane 4.31. And don't forget about quarterback Qudral Forte, who posted an impressive 4.38. The only problem is that he didn't. In fact none of them did. Rogers ran a 4.55, Ayers a 4.49, and Forte a 4.59. The discrepancy you ask? The former times were taken from a hand-timer, the latter from an electronic timer - just like to one that is used at the NFL combine. Not excusing the still relevant point that all three of these young men are extremely fast, but suddenly they don't look like the all-world sprinters that fans and recruiting junkies like to so often associate them with. Just looking at the numbers alone, it's easy to see someone associating a 4.34 or 4.31 and saying that individual is a 4.3 player.
Heck, our tendency to associate 40-yard dash times with the standard tenth of a second could even lead many to cite Forte as a player who runs in the 4.3s. But he's not. He more of a "4.6" guy, just as much as Rogers is a mid-4.5 guy and Forte is a 4.5 guy. So what's my point? Am I just trying to rip on three random high school juniors who just so happened to test very well (but not that well) at a recent high school combine? Of course not. But I think it's important to keep the numbers in perspective. Knowingly or not, fans and media members have created a culture in the sports that's conducive to this obsession and inflation of individual and team speed. In doing so, we've in fact created our own monster when it comes to not only evaluating talent, but in effect determining the educational and financial situations of the thousands of young men who hope to earn college football scholarships.
In an effort to keep pace with numbers that are all to often misleading (like the hand-timed 40-yard dashes above) more and more high school football players inflate, mislead, or flat-out lie about their own 40-yard dash times with increasing regularity, proliferating a myth of what is truly fast and what is not. Yet when we evaluate the numbers across the board (and not just in the 40-yard dash either) we find that the benchmarks for measurables such as size, speed, and strength are not what we thought they were.
Does that make the young men who play the game any less impressive from an athletic standpoint? Of course not. So why is it then that some 42 year-old bum sitting in his cubicle has the audacity to categorically determine whether a player is "fast enough" or "strong enough" to play Division I football? It boggles my mind, and hopefully, after reading and studying over the above facts, it starts to boggle yours as well. For More on 40-Yard Dash Times and the NFL Draft, be sure to check out DraftDaddy.com's excellent article on average testing times since 2005.
The Run-N-Chute is a no-tangle aerodynamic speed-strength training parachute. The Run-N-Chute is ideal for the athlete who wants to gain that competitive speed edge. It's designed to develop a faster start and enhance explosive speed and sprinting power. During training, the Run-N-Chute produces drag which increases with speed. The faster an athlete moves, the more drag it produces. The Run-N-Chute includes: One Run-N-Chute speed parachute, a webbed belt w/ quick release buckle and a training manual.
"The Run N Chute is the best resistance running instrument for speed development. This speed parachute will help you develop a faster start, and also improves the running mechanics that are necessary in running faster."---Dr. E.J. "Doc" Crease - UCLA Strength Coach
#2...the " Football Fumbler"...
The Football Fumbler is designed for beginner, advanced or professional football players. It teaches the athlete to grasp, control and be aware of the football. One athlete runs with the football while the other runs behind holding the nylon strap rip cord and attempts to dislodge the ball from his hands. This teaches ball awareness and control, which becomes a priority as the ball carrier fights to maintain possession while maintaining the forward motion. Comes complete with all necessary hardware and instructions.
#3...Strength-weighted training vest and shorts...
Build lower leg power, acceleration and endurance with the STRENGTH WEIGHTED VEST & SHORTS when training... Play in it, practice in it and train in it. The STRENGTH WEIGHTED VEST & SHORTS also comes with recommended training movements workout program. Includes 10 lbs of weight for the vest and 5 lbs for the shorts. Total maximum weight capacity: Vest = 30lbs. (except small it can only hold 25 lbs), Shorts = 12lbs.
#4...Power Sled...
Develop the explosive leg drive required for an elite performance. Use the harness to target stride length and drive or use the handles to push the sled, developing a powerful hip and leg drive.
Sled made of strong welded steel. Assembly required. Color: Red. Sled dimensions: 37"L x 18" W x 9" H. Wt. 28 lbs.
#5... "Mastering the NFL Football Combine Training Video"... [N.Y. Giants linebacker Dhani Jones getting ready to perform his 8th set of dynamic box squats with chains. He routinely completes 3 reps in under 2.9-seconds with this weight (365 lbs.). Now that's explosive power!...and he learned the secret of this training technique from Joe DeFranco's video...]
In the past two years alone, Joe DeFranco has trained over 500 top college and high school prospects... His training video is now required viewing for NFL strength and training coaches. Since 2010, DeFranco has accomplished the following:
This contoversial and information-packed video is guaranteed to take your understanding of Combine training to a new level. This is truly the video that college and professional football scouts don't want you to see.
JB99 and Brizer have both viewed this video. And now you know why they have been running off to the gym so much recently.
1st Round (No. 15 overall) - DT Fletcher Cox, Mississippi State, 6-4, 295
2nd Round (No. 46 overall) - DE Chandler Jones, Syracuse, 6-5, 265
2nd Round (No. 51 overall) - CB Brandon Boykin, Georgia, 5-9, 183
3rd Round (No. 77 overall) - LB Keenan Robinson, Texas, 6-3, 240
4th Round - WR T.Y. Hilton, Florida International, 5-10, 175
4th Round - OT Nate Potter, Boise State, 6-6, 295
5th Round - LB Demario Davis, Arkansas State, 6-2, 235
6th Round - S Jerron McMillian, Maine, 5-10, 205
6th Round - WR B.J. Cunningham, Michigan State, 6-1, 206
6th Round - S Sean Richardson, Vanderbilt, 6-2, 218
As Lawlor himself points out, this Mach 10 scenario is not exactly what he would want but what he thinks the Eagles will do...
I am thrilled that Lawlor sees Texas linebacker Keenan Robinson in the 3rd Round picture...of course mostly because I've been touting the guy for about a month now myself... But noticeably missing in this picture is LB Luke Kuechly in the 1st Round...who I thought would be the Eagles' priority choice if Luke were still available at pick #15.
"I know linebacker Luke Kuechly is the primary pick for the Eagles in mock drafts, but I tend to think the team will go for a veteran in free agency to improve middle linebacker," writes Lawlor. "I would love to see them get Kuechly, but I'm not expecting it at this point."
Fair enough.
So what's the fascination with Fletcher Cox at DE?
Fletcher Cox (#94) is a defensive tackle who plays with the reckless abandon and athleticism of a pass-rushing DE...
Here's a bit of what Lawlor had to say about Fletcher:
"Cox is a really interesting player. MSU lined him up all over the place. He was defensive tackle, defensive end and nose tackle. He played on the right and left side. You never knew where he would be when the defense broke the huddle. Cox is a good athlete. He has the burst to get off the ball and into the backfield. He's comfortable playing at end. Cox is a good pass rusher, not just a quick guy. He had five sacks this year. He could beat you with burst, a move, or even come up with hustle sacks."
"I think the Eagles would like someone to be the backup under tackle. Cullen Jenkins starts in that role and he was the only inside guy who could regularly get pressure on the passer. Adding a guy like Cox would make perfect sense. He's got the athleticism and skill to be a good pass rusher. He also has value because you could play him at end if you wanted. I'm guessing he'll do well at the Combine and will be someone who does make sense in that range. We'll find out for sure next week."
So be it... I'm open-minded to Fletcher Cox now because of Lawlor's analysis.
Thankfully Lawlor backed up my own desire for Texas LB Keenan Robinson to be drafted by the Eagles in the 3rd Round:
Keenan Robinson, LB, Texas
Writes Lawlor: "Robinson has the potential to be a big-time SAM linebacker. He has an ideal frame. Robinson is a good athlete. He can cover. He's got good pass rush skills. At his best, Robinson can be a physical player and good run defender. The reason he's on the board this late is inconsistency. Watch the Texas/Oklahoma game from 2010 and you'll think Robinson would be a first-round pick. Other times he was more up and down. There is no lack of skill or potential. Robinson had a good showing at the Senior Bowl. He's experienced enough to challenge for a starting job right away. Last year, Seattle took a somewhat inconsistent player in the mid-rounds named K.J. Wright. He became their SAM and was good enough to send Aaron Curry, a former top-five pick, out of town. You can still find good starting linebackers in this part of the draft."
Thank you in advance for that, Mr. Lawlor. I couldn't say it any better, other than Keenan Robinson is "my boy"...
So there you have it--- the prototype for your Mach 10 Draft entry soon to be field-tested at the Brizer Bowl...
For the record, Lawlor has previously hit on 4 of his Eagles Mach 10 selections in his best annual showing over the past 5 years... Last year (2011), he hit on 3 selections.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Turning the conversation to Free Agency, here are the big questions I'm pondering today:
Which big-name free agents won't really be "free?''
If you think the Saints are letting NFL Offensive Player of the Year Drew Brees get out of town, you haven't been paying attention for the past six years or so. If you believe 49ers quarterback Alex Smith really will be available next month, then you probably missed the fact that Smith is caddying for his head coach and BFF Jim Harbaugh in Thursday's first round of the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. Ray Rice, Matt Forte, Marshawn Lynch and Wes Welker? I'll give you odds that all four either wear the franchise tag at some point in March, or they'll have new long-term contracts in Baltimore, Chicago, Seattle and New England, respectively.
It just makes economic sense in terms of this year's franchise tag salary levels. The franchise tag is down to just $7.7 million for running backs, and $9.4 million for receivers. Rice, Forte, Lynch and Welker are well worth keeping around for another year at those numbers. And Brees and Smith are far too valuable to the Saints and 49ers, respectively, to let them get a sniff of the open market.
Who will be the biggest prize in free agency?
Houston defensive end/outside linebacker Mario Williams probably isn't going to coax the Texans into a franchise tag designation, given that his number would be more than $22 million and the team has some cap issues this offseason. That means a 27-year-old pass rusher with 53 sacks in less than six full seasons will reach the market, and that could kick up a little dust from teams fighting over him.
On the other hand, Williams might prefer to stay with the ascending Texans and work with the team to make that happen. He had five sacks in five games playing outside linebacker in Wade Phillips' 3-4 defense before a torn pectoral muscle ended his 2011 season. Houston, of course, didn't fall off a cliff without Williams, finishing second in overall defense and winning the franchise's first playoff game ever.
There are pass-rush-needy teams that could come after Williams and make it very difficult for Houston to keep the player who went first overall in 2006. Three that come quickly to mind: Buffalo, Tampa Bay and Jacksonville. In addition, the 3-4 Packers are hungry for another pass rusher at outside linebacker, although the big free agency splash hasn't been the Green Bay way under Ted Thompson.
[Thanks to Derek Pease of "This Given Sunday" for his contributions to this blurb...check him out at Derek Pease (@SportsbyWeeze) ]
The swimsuit issue was invented by Sports Illustrated editor Andre Laguerre in 1963 to fill the winter months, a typically slow point in the sporting calendar then. He asked fashion reporter Jule Campbell to go on a shoot to fill space, including the cover, with a beautiful model. The first issue, released in 1964, entailed a cover featuring Babette March and a five-page layout. Jule Campbell soon became a powerful figure in the modeling industry and molded the issue into a media phenomenon by featuring "bigger and healthier" California women and printing the names of the models with their photos, beginning a new supermodel era.
Babette March, the very first "first poster" in 1964...
To many, the magazine is an acceptable exhibition of female health and sexuality not out of place on a coffee table. Recent editions have mixed the modeling with a tribute to sportsmen and sportswomen. The swimsuit edition is controversial with both moralists who subscribe for sports news content as well as those who feel that the focus on fashion and swimsuit modeling is inappropriate for a sports magazine. Also feminists have expressed that "the Swimsuit Issue promotes the harmful and dehumanizing concept that women are a product for male consumption." Subscriptions have been canceled by some subscribers when it arrives. The 1978 edition, remembered for its fishnet bathing suit made famous by Cheryl Tiegs, resulted in 340 cancellations. Sports Illustrated itself makes the controversy a form of entertainment, with the issue two weeks after the swimsuit edition packed with complainants such as shocked parents and troubled librarians. Recently, the number of cancellations has declined. Nonetheless, to avoid controversy, Sports Illustrated has, since 2007, offered its subscribers the option of skipping the swimsuit edition for a one issue credit to extend their subscription by a week.
But of course, as an Eagles fan (who is somewhat obsessive-compulsive by nature---"Yeah, this is the year, gonna do it this year, it's a 1949 Buick Roadmaster... Straight 8... Fireball 8... Only 8,985 production models... Dad lets me drive slow on the driveway... But not on Monday, definitely not on Monday..."), I am more concerned with how many "first posts" these gals have racked up.
Getting the SI cover shot is like the ultimate "first comment post" on any Eagles blurb, whether it be here or on Dave Spadaro's "On The Inside" or on any of the top-rated Eagles fan sites. It's a great way to establish your brand on current events and to be remembered for the time period being commented upon...
So I thought it would be fitting to list the most prolific "first posters" or home-run hitters of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue legacy:
Most covers by model...
The chronological list of "first post" cover model "home run hitters"...
Interesting to note, Beyonce Knowles was on the cover but a mere 5 years ago!--- I had already forgotten that! And look at the multiple consecutive year reigns of gals like Elle Macpherson, Paulina Porizkova and Christie Brinkley! Kinda reminds you of the posting dynasties of guys like Brizer, JB99, and DDD, doesn't it?
Eagles trivia note: Who was the Eagles QB the year when the first SI Swimsuit Cover Issue was released?
Answer: In 1964, it was Norm Snead---he completed 138 of 283 pass attempts for 1,906 yards, 14 TD's and
12 INT's...a 48.8% completion percentage...Eagles finished 6-8...Head coach was Joe Kuharich...
Total Home attendance at Franklin Field was 420,061...
When Ben Roethlisberger wasn't crawling around on his hands and knees, he was scrambling around like he didn't have a clear picture. If you didn't know better, you might have thought he'd lost a contact on the turf of Lincoln Financial Field.
Unfortunately for Big Ben, there was contact and plenty of it. Jim Johnson, the Eagles' defensive coordinator, provided it with a wide variety of stunts and blitzes that Philadelphia used to rack up nine sacks.
It was tough to find a pattern in Johnson's attack. He would bring players from every level of the defense -- the first level (defensive line), the second level (linebackers), and the third level (defensive backs) -- all with a high degree of success. And he constantly broke his own tendencies. But what is most important is that the Eagles believed in his philosophy and they executed his schemes as a well-disciplined, cohesive unit.
In the second quarter and trailing the Eagles 7-3, the Steelers had the ball, first-and-10, at their own 33. Out of base personnel, the Eagles rarely blitzed. But Johnson called one, bringing linebackers Omar Gaither and Stewart Bradley. Philadelphia played man-to-man coverage and showed it pre-snap, with no disguise.
The blitz was designed for Gaither to attack Roethlisberger through a gaping hole in the offensive line, with no one to block him. For that to occur, several of Gaither's teammates needed to perform some dirty work.
At the snap, defensive tackle Broderick Bunkley slanted across the face of the left guard, holding the attention of two blockers, the guard and the center. Bradley, the middle linebacker, blitzed from the second level, keeping his path as close to Bunkley as possible. He was blocked by running back Willie Parker. Right defensive end Darren Howard performed a wide and controlled rush, removing the tackle from the rest of the offense.
With Bunkley occupying the left guard and center, Bradley controlling Willie Parker, and Howard widening the tackle, a huge gap formed on the left side of the offense. Gaither, following closely behind Bradley, sprinted toward Roethlisberger, untouched. While he didn't make the sack, Gaither disrupted the timing of the pass. Gaither forced Big Ben to move forward, into the waiting arms of Juqua Parker.
If Roethlisberger had another half second, he could have hit an open Heath Miller, but the timing and precision of the blitz sprung Gaither free just in time to force Roethlisberger off his perch. Instead of another first-and-10, the Steelers faced second-and-12.
That's the kind of game-changing moment a Philadelphia-style defense used to be famous for.
Looking at the "zone blitz" in Philly as a forensic examiner, one must conclude that it is not yet dead...and could come back. We need to know that the rest of the league has adapted to reading and picking up the zone blitz, so it's not that easy to make a living off anymore.
Historically speaking, the "zone blitz" was invented to counter the "Run and Shoot" offense that was so innovative and successful in the '80's and '90's... The "Shoot" as it became known was basically defined by the spreading out of four wide receivers... it evolved into different variations with different names, like "Choice and Switch"... Mike Martz when he was with with the Rams consistently used forms of "Choice and Switch". Petrino at Louisville had used a couple of R&S concepts. Even Charlie Weis at Notre Dame used a play very similar to the Georgia concept, ie., the famous four verticals so common today where the slot receiver reads the coverage to attack the seam or the deep middle...all these variations were largely developed and expanded based upon the R&S. Everyone who seriously considers passing offense should study the Run and Shoot.
The Shoot as a specific, delineated system with the four wide receivers (or two split ends and two slots), a single back, half-rollouts, certain run plays, the protections, the screens, and the like was countered by defensive minds like Jim Johnson's. Offenses responded and have disguised their run and shoot philosophies by calling them different things and showing different looks. There is nothing magical (or surreptitious) about that; it is the West Coast philosophy and it is a good one. The reason people question all this now is because, for a time, the Run and Shoot had nearly unparralleled success. Jim Johnson created a blueprint for slowing it down and ultimately beating it.
As the typical history goes, the zone blitz killed the R&S. The preface to this story is that for twenty years, the Run and Shoot did not get blitzed. [Well, it did, but Run and Shoot teams (like the U of Houston) would score 60 or 70 on those blitzing teams, and the NFL teams that tried it would give up after a quarter or half of touchdowns raining from the sky.]
The R&S used the RB in the protection. The quarterback would do a half-roll to one side, the line would do a kind of sprint-out/turnback protection, and the running back would often block the defensive end or end man on the line of scrimmage to the half-roll side. About 8-10 times a game, however, the running back would block the DE for a 1001 count, and then slide off and release for a screen pass as his linemen got downfield to block for him. Against an all-out blitzing team, no one covered him because he had already engaged a defender, so everyone assumed he was in the protection, they would rush upfield, and the running back would release out into the open field.
It became a study in game theory and reading and reacting. So defenses responded to this RB tactic. They had to keep at least one safety or another defender back to spy the RB. Why did this mean no blitzing, if the RB is able to block the end man on the line of scrimmage while another player must sit back and not blitz, simply to see whether or not the RB releases on a screen? The net result was that R&S teams rarely, if ever, saw Cover 0 blitzing man defenses. They could always release four receivers, block with six (assuming their six could block the other teams' six) and not face any overload blitzes.
Enter the zone blitz. Back in his days with Texas A&M, Bob Davie was an innovator. Against run and shoot teams like the University of Houston, he would run his 3-4 defense, blitz his outside LBs (thus forcing the RB to stay in and block), and drop off defensive linemen and interior linebackers so he could still play zone with six to eight defenders. As a result the R&S's protection and formation scheme broke down. They blocked with six, had the running back on a bad matchup with a good OLB, faced an unblocked rusher, but the defense still had 6-8 guys in coverage, so the R&S's "hot reads" and breakoffs did not work either. The run and shoot finally had to adapt. Sure they could do things like certain quick breakoffs and other gadgets, but free rushers and seven guys in coverage was a losing battle for the QB.
Jim Johnson was studying the Texas A&M zone blitz theory very closely... And he soon realized it was not just about merely "disguising coverages," (as Run and Shoot QBs and receivers were well coached and could still find the voids or the single man coverage), or the straight blitzing (as shown above, Run and Shoot teams could defeat the straight blitz), it was the defensive combination of always being able to get an unblocked rusher, eat the RB, and run a disguised zone that eventually rattled and slowed down the "pure" Run and Shoot.
Jim Johnson didn't invent those three elements of an effective zone blitz, but he certainly incorporated them into an overall unified vision, knew when to call them, and also (most importantly) got his players to buy into them.
I wonder if we'll begin to see the integration of "zone blitz" with the proven benefits of the Castillo/Bowles/Washburn regime of defensive line pressure and revised secondary coverage?
The zone blitz was started in the early '90s as a way to give the defense a method to pressure offenses without the high risk of playing man-to-man coverages. Zone blitzes are easy to disguise because they look like base zone coverages to the offense at the line of scrimmage.
Another aspect of the zone blitz confusing to the offense is the fact that the defensive players exchange responsibilities. The defense blitzes players who the offense had anticipated will drop into pass coverage. The defense then replaces those blitzers with players that the offense had accounted for as rushers. Is the current Eagles defensive personnel versatile enough to pull off these switches?
There are unlimited combinations of zone blitzes. The idea is to confuse the offense's identification of who the rushers and pass defenders are. It plays havoc with the offense's count system in determining blocking assignments.
The offense counters the zone blitz with ways to identify if it is coming and where it is coming from. They may utilize different formations and change the snap count so that the defense tips ofF its plan prior to the snap.
There's a Standard 2-Deep Zone and a 3-Deep Zone from which all zone blitzes are designed off...
Standard 2-Deep Zone is a basic 2-deep pass coverage, meaning the defense divides the deep pass zones into two halves of the field with a safety in coverage for each. When playing a 2-deep zone, the remaining droppers (the two corners and three linebackers) divide the underneath, or shallow, areas of the field into equal fifths. The offense anticipates that the linebackers and corners will drop into pass coverage and that the two ends and the two tackles will be the pass rushers... This is a basic Eagles 4-3 defensive formation.
In standard 3-Deep Zone, the defense has decided to defend the deep area of the field by dividing it into thirds with each deep zone covered by a defender. When playing a 3-deep zone, you take the four remaining pass droppers (linebackers and a cornerback) and divide the underneath pass zones into fourths. A standard 4-man rush with the two ends and two tackles remains.
The first zone blitz Jim Johnson brought to the Eagles involved the switching of responsibilities in the basic 2-deep zone coverage. It was called the "Weakside Linebacker and DE Exchange"...In this zone blitz, the weakside linebacker blitzes through the A gap, and the defensive end -- from a three-point stance -- drops into pass coverage. This confuses the offense because the defensive end in the three-point stance has been identified as a rusher. The offense expects the defensive end to rush and allocates the offensive tackle to block him. Not only is the offensive line handicapped by the offensive tackle's wasted assignment on the DE, but by bringing the weakside linebacker the running back is forced to stay in and not release into a pass route, even though it is a simple 4-man rush.
It was brilliant in its simplicity.
Johnson then added the "2-Deep Zone with Middle Linebacker and Defensive Tackle Twist", in which the MIKE linebacker plugs his A gap strong and the defensive tackle twists around. The defense simply replaces the MIKE linebacker's pass drop with the weakside linebacker and the defensive end takes the weakside linkebacker's pass drop if it is a pass play.
Johnson also added the "Strong Side Linebacker zone blitz", which is the most common zone blitz in college football today. This linebacker zone blitz appears even more complicated to the offense because the defense shows a 2-deep zone prior to the snap of the football. The offense anticipates that the linebackers will drop into their fifths in pass coverage. However, the defense drops down into a 3-deep zone on the snap, choosing to divide the field into four underneath pass zones and three deep ones. The strong safety plays the outside fourth. The weakside linebacker takes the MIKE's drop in his fourth. The defensive tackle, if it is a pass play, drops from a three-point stance and takes the WILL linebacker's fourth. The defensive end moves from a three-point stance to take the outside fourth. This scheme allows the strongside outside linebacker and MIKE to blitz when the offense doesn't expect it.
JJ also liked the "Cross Zone Blitz".. it involves blitzing both inside linebackers from a formation that appears to be a 2-deep zone (called a 2-deep hide). The MIKE linebacker blitzes his A gap and the weakside linebacker loops around behind the MIKE linebacker in the B gap. The free safety actually drops down on the snap as a linebacker and plays the shallow one-third drop...
Finally, another Jim Johnson classic: the "Strong Safety and Middle Linebacker Zone Blitz"... Johnson learned you can also blitz one of your safeties from a 2-deep look to confuse the offense. In this particular blitz, it is the strong safety who comes up and blitzes the B gap along with the MIKE linebacker who blitzes the A gap. The defense once again plays a 3-deep and 3-underneath coverage giving up an underneath zone.
Maybe we'll see more of these potentially game-changing zone blitzes as 2012 evolves and the coaching triumvirate on the "D" side of the Eagles becomes comfortable and confident with its athletic personnel. I think I saw traces of that evolution of defensive thinking in the final month of the Eagles 2011 season.
But I understand the basic concept---- the NFL salary cap in 2011 was $120,375,000 "soft", with teams having the flexibility to borrow $3 million from future years. That means the real cap was $123,375,000.
The salary cap for 2012 has not been set, but it is projected to be between $121-125 million, with teams being able to borrow another $2 million from future caps. Therefore, we’ll safely project the Eagles salary cap to be at $124 million in ’12. But please understand this is an estimation.
Second, keep in mind that teams must preserve at least $5 million to sign their rookie class. The more picks, the more cap space needed.
Where do the Eagles rank in affordable spending for 2012? Here's a list compiled by Omar Kelly and Shandel Richardson of the Miami Sun Sentinel showing who's got the dough leftover to spend in 2012 and who's got to cut make significant cuts in spending:
POSSIBLE BIG SPENDERS
Teams that have the cap space to make big moves in free agency:
Cincinnati Bengals $80,641,237 [currently allocated salary cap dollars]
Tennessee Titans $92,739,765
Washington Redskins $94,351,284
Kansas City Chiefs $95,844,195
Tampa Bay Buccaneers $98,899,458
Atlanta Falcons $100,227,174
Denver Broncos $101,389,121
New England Patriots $101,827,381
Chicago Bears $101,887,741
San Francisco 49ers $102,938,980
Cleveland Browns $103,789,162
WORKING ON A BUDGET
Teams that aren’t up against the cap, but need to make smart moves to avoid trimming a ton of players and salaries:
Jacksonville Jaguars $107,270,274
Buffalo Bills $108,426,522
Seattle Seahawks $111,742,430
San Diego Chargers $111,960,165
New Orleans Saints $113,358,069
Philadelphia Eagles $113,964,694
Baltimore Ravens $115,670,281
Minnesota Vikings $116,078,422
Houston Texans $116,306,676
Miami Dolphins $116,636,173
Indianapolis Colts $116,773,288
Green Bay Packers $118,001,169
Arizona Cardinals $118,787,639
TIGHTENING THE BELT
Teams that will be at, or over the projected salary cap once they’ve signed the rookie class. These teams must purge their roster moving forward. The higher the cap number, the more drastic the cutbacks need to be:
St. Louis Rams $120,982,904
Detroit Lions $122,760,121
New York Giants $124,735,807
New York Jets $128,092,733
Dallas Cowboys $128,910,735
Carolina Panthers $129,962,768
Oakland Raiders $140,861,316
Pittsburgh Steelers $149,885,537
All in all, the Eagles look to be in pretty good shape going forward from their current salary cap status. They're in that middle group that has the flexibility to do some serious shopping as long as they free up some money by trimming some expendable contracts. And I would expect to see them doing some free-agent window shopping among the teams who are in the "Tightening The Belt" category and in danger of exceeding their caps.
For the record, I like the salary cap in the NFL--- it's what keeps the league fair and competitive.
1. Indianapolis Colts: Stanford QB Andrew Luck
With news coming out this past weekend that the Colts possibly have already made up their mind on QB Peyton Manning, Luck is looking more and more like a slam dunk.
ICONRG3 moves up to number two.
2. -TRADE- Washington Redskins via St. Louis Rams: Baylor QB Robert Griffin III
RG3 is the kind of athletic quarterback that would be an ideal fit in the Washington offense. He can make plays outside the pocket, throw on the run and create second lives with his legs.
3. Minnesota Vikings: Southern Cal OT Matt Kalil
Quarterback Christian Ponder has shown flashes in year one, but he needs to stay healthy. Therefore, bringing in the top offensive tackle prospect in the draft who has a chance to mature into a Pro Bowl-caliber lineman seems like an easy selection at three.
4. Cleveland Browns: Oklahoma State WR Justin Blackmon
Quarterback is the biggest missing piece in Cleveland. However, if they can’t land RG3, getting one of the best offensive weapons in the draft is a nice consolation prize.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: LSU CB Morris Claiborne
Tampa Bay has done a great job over the past two drafts improving the overall talent along its defensive line. Therefore, adding a playmaking corner who can capitalize on all the potential pressure is a must for this defense to take that next step.
6. –TRADE- St. Louis Rams via Washington Redskins: LSU DT Michael Brockers
As bad as the Rams need to add talent on the outside at receiver, they are also in need of some talent inside at DT. Brockers has the talent to develop into an All-Pro caliber lineman for the Rams and they can always add a receiver with their additional picks from the Redskins later in the draft.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars: Alabama CB Dre' Kirkpatrick
Kirkpatrick adds a physical element to the Jaguars secondary. He’s got the ability to press off the line, make plays in zone and consistently tackle the ball carrier. Plus, he has the size to handle some of the bigger wideouts in the AFC South.
8. Carolina Panthers: Penn State DT Devon Still
The Panthers need a big body inside who can anchor on contact, push the pocket and find the football. Still isn’t a dynamic pass rusher and there are some other linemen on the board with a little more talent. But he has the size to fend off blocks inside and in my mind is one of the safer defensive tackle prospects in this year’s draft.
9. Miami Dolphins: Iowa OT Riley Reiff
Who knows how the Dolphins offensive line is going to look after free agency. They have some potential holes looming and bringing in a talent like Reiff who can play both inside and out gives the Fins another talented blocker who eventually should win in both the run and pass game.
10. Buffalo Bills: Stanford OT Jonathan Martin
Martin is a finesse tackle with good feet, natural range and the ability to mirror in space. He has some holes in his game, but offers the Bills a better athlete than anyone playing their tackle spots now.
11. Kansas City Chiefs: Stanford OG David DeCastro
The Chiefs need to improve at a number of spots up front on their offensive line and DeCastro is by far the best prospect still on the board.
12. Seattle Seahawks: North Carolina DL Quinton Coples
The Seahawks have a real unique blend of athletes on the defensive side of the ball and because of that it makes me think Coples would be able to fit right in and fill a number of roles at both DT and DE. Plus, Pete Carroll seems like the kind of coach that could get the most out of Coples’s talent.
ICONPerry could rise with a big postseason.
13. Arizona Cardinals: Southern Cal DE/OLB Nick Perry
Finding a long term complement for OLB Sam Acho this offseason is becoming more and more of a need for the Cardinals. Perry is a little tight, but has a great first step, is learning to use his hands better and can cleanly turn speed into power off the edge.
14. Dallas Cowboys: Wisconsin OL Peter Konz
Center and guard are both needs in Dallas and the idea of adding a potential blue-chip lineman who has the skill set to play either spot is simply too good to pass up even at 14.
15. Philadelphia Eagles: Boston College ILB Luke Kuechly
A tackling machine with good size, natural instincts and knowledge to fend off blocks and find the football. Is the kind of talent the Eagles need inside to improve their struggling linebacking corps.
16. New York Jets: Alabama OLB Courtney Upshaw
Upshaw is a thick, powerful kid who can line up all over the Jets 34 front and get after the passer. He’s got the power to win consistently on contact vs. both the run and pass game.
17. Cincinnati Bengals: Alabama RB Trent Richardson
Running backs always seem to fall on draft day and the Bengals get a steal at 17. Richardson has the ability to be the workhorse back in Cincinnati for the next 5-7 years and gives the Bengals another talented young skill position player.
ICONThe Bengals get a great value at pick 17.
18. San Diego Chargers: Alabama ILB Dont’a Hightower
ILB Takeo Spikes will turn 36 next season and adding a physical body inside like Hightower will go a long way in improving their front seven. Hightower is a “plus” run defender who can be used as a blitzer inside or a pass rusher off the edge.
19. Chicago Bears: Ohio State OT Mike Adams
You have to think after the struggles the Bears have had at left tackle this season, drafting a guy like Adams who has the size and athleticism to handle premier NFL pass rushers is a must for them this off-season.
20. Tennessee Titans: South Carolina CB Stephon Gilmore
With starting CB Cortland Finnegan potentially leaving via free agency, getting a tall, physical defensive back who displays a natural feel in zone and can go get the football could become a pressing need in Tennessee.
21. Cincinnati Bengals: North Alabama CB Janoris Jenkins
Jenkins is a bit undersized and he does have some character concerns. However, he’s a fluid kid with a “plus” initial burst and when motivated he’s about as tough as any corner in the draft to separate from.
22. Cleveland Browns: Texas A&M QB Ryan Tannehill
The Browns missed on their quarterback in the top ten. However, they get a good athlete in Tannehill who can throw on the move, create with his legs and has as much upside as any prospect at the position outside of RG3.
23. Detroit Lions: Georgia OL Cordy Glenn
The Lions need to improve both their tackle and guard spots on the offensive line and Glenn has the talent to play either spot. He’s a gifted athlete for his size with natural movement skills and if he can ever put it all together he has the skill set to play at a high level in the NFL.
24. Pittsburgh Steelers Iowa State OG Kelechi Osemele
The Steelers have a ton of holes up front, but adding a talented body who can play some guard or right tackle like Osemele is a solid value at the end of round one.
25. Denver Broncos: Georgia TE Orson Charles
NFL teams are looking for mismatch tight ends who can play with their hand on the ground, split out into the slot and play in the backfield as well. The Broncos don’t have much in the terms of dynamic skill position guys and Charles can mature into a real safety blanket for QB Tim Tebow down the line.
26. Houston Texas: Notre Dame WR Michael Floyd
Floyd is a good value at this stage and would give the Texans a legit number two threat to take pressure off WR Andre Johnson in the pass game.
27. New England Patriots: Alabama SS Mark Barron
New England has had to piece together their secondary this year, but in terms of talent they could certainly use an upgrade at a number of spots. Barron is a smart, instinctive safety with good ball skills, can play in the box and be effective bumping/running with tight ends underneath.
ICONBurfict to the Ravens makes a lot of sense.
28. Green Bay Packers: South Carolina OLB/DE Melvin Ingram
Finding another pass rusher off the edge is becoming more of pressing need for the Packers and Ingram has the ability to reach the QB in a number of ways off the edge.
29. Baltimore Ravens: Arizona State ILB Vontaze Burfict
If Burfict is going to end up going in round one, a team like the Ravens would be an ideal situation for him. He’s got a great role model to look up to in Ray Lewis and can be brought along slowly under him.
30. San Francisco 49ers: Baylor WR Kendall Wright
Wright might be the draft’s top vertical threat and has the ability to open up a lot of options for the 49ers offense down the field.
31. New York Giants: OLB Zach Brown: North Carolina (6-2, 230)
Brown’s a gifted run and hit athlete who adds some much needed range to the Giants linebacking core. He should be able to come in and make an impact on special teams early on as well.
32. New England Patriots: Illinois DE Whitney Mercilus
Age is creeping up on the Patriots at the defensive end position and Mercilus has the type of measurables to really move up draft boards with a solid post-season.
Brizer………………………………544
DDD……………………………….252
JB99……………………………….135
Hoser………………………………. 57
Jerked Up…………………………...57
Brozer………………………………48
Somalia……………………………..46
ATV……………………………….. 43
Hud Huston………………………....40
Eagle Nut…………………………...39
French Lady Fan (Nathalie)………...34
Boner………………………………..32
Kenny Kenemeka…………………...30
Leo Pizzini…………………………..20
Fields………………………………..20
Poet………………………………….18
Kent Phil…………………………….17
Birdcrazy…………………………….16
Don Pardo…………………………...13
Lupes………………………………...12
Blasphemizer………………………...11
Dutch Rubb………………………….11
Hedge…………………………………9
Italicon………………………………. 8
Mr. Kraxx…………………………….4
J. Wood……………………………… 4
Spiffo…………………………………3
Genetic Freak…………………………3
B.Quick……………………………….2
usmcBattsy……………………………2
Bruzer 9.5……………………………..2
Luke………………………………….. 2
Cast of Thousands…………………….1 each
Onward through the fog!
Plaxico Burress, who signed a one-year, $3.017 million contract with the Jets last July following his release from prison, expressed interest in joining the Eagles while in Indianapolis for the Super Bowl, according to sports radio personality Howard Eskin of Philadelphia station WIP.
Eskin, who ended his WIP talk show last year but continues with the station as a member of its broadcast team for Eagles games, said on Wednesday via his Twitter account (+howardeskin) that he "Saw and talked to Plaxico Burress at the Super Bowl," and that Burress said "he wants to play for the Eagles. Badly!"
Burress, who will be 35 when the 2012 season begins, caught 45 passes for 612 yards and eight touchdowns in 2011. It was his first season since the 2008 campaign, when he accidentally shot himself in the right thigh at a nightclub while he was with the New York Giants. Burress subsequently pleaded guilty to attempted criminal possession of a weapon. He was released from prison last June.
The Eagles, like the Jets, finished 8-8 in 2011 and missed the playoffs despite high preseason expectations. If Burress were to join the Eagles as a free agent, it would be his first season outside the New York area since 2004, when he played the last of his five seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Jets allowed a contract clause to kick in this week for leading wide receiver Santonio Holmes... Holmes, who was second on the Jets in receiving yards last season with 654 (tight end Dustin Keller led the team with 815 yards), is guaranteed $15.25 million over the 2012 and 2013 seasons. The team would have had to release Holmes before the waiver period in order to avoid paying the big money.
The commitment of big bucks to Holmes by the Jets would appear to make Plaxico Burress expendable.
That's where the Eagles could come in to fill in the blanks on Burress' next paycheck...
Popular concensus is: the Eagles need to get a jump-ball wide receiver to help them score more touchdowns inside the 20. Jeremy Maclin would be the Eagles' number one wideout if DeSean Jackson is gone, but winning jump balls is about the only thing Maclin doesn't excel at. Riley Cooper was supposed to be that type of player, but he rarely comes back to the football in a jump situation and has failed to win jump balls against even the smaller corners.
A healthy Burress would allow the Eagles to get that desired red-zone target at a much cheaper rate than a Vincent Jackson or a Dwayne Bowe. The Eagles would still need to get a quality outside receiver to play opposite of Maclin if DJax leaves the team, as Burress isn't an "every down" outside receiver anymore.
The Eagles have the 15th overall pick in the draft and two second-round picks as well to use to get a big name wideout in the draft--- like a Justin Blackmon if they decide to trade up, or take a Mohamed Sanu or Michael Floyd with their first-round pick.
In a dream scenario the Eagles would use their three draft picks in the first two rounds to move up and take a player that can come in right away and play as a Pro Bowl caliber player. Justin Blackmon is that player, and if DeSean Jackson goes elsewhere Blackmon could be a definite replacement.
Blackmon could be the perfect complement to Jeremy Maclin on the outside. He is listed at just 6'1", 215 pounds, but when you watch him on film he plays more like a 6'5", 230-pound receiver. He has the athleticism to jump out of the building and he is an incredibly strong receiver for someone listed under 220 lbs.
Justin Blackmon, WR, (#81), 6-1, 215, Oklahoma State, is within range of early Eagles draft pick as insurance against DeSean Jackson's free agency...After redshirting his freshman year, Justin Blackmon started to immediately make an impact. In his redshirt freshman season, he saw snaps while looking up to former Cowboy (and current Cowboy) great Dez Bryant. After Bryant departed, Blackmon came out of his shell as a redshirt sophomore to win the 2010 Biletnikoff Award, Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year, became an unanimous All-American, and even finished fifth in the Heisman Trophy race. Blackmon has improved immensely in his route running, and his versatility as a wide receiver is fantastic. He can stretch the field with above average speed, and he can make plays underneath to turn them into big gains. Blackmon has soft hands, and is very tough. He will fight for the ball and does a nice job of making a play on it whether he can catch it or not. His athleticism is also exceptional, and he will make even the toughest catches, while also having the awareness to keep his feet in bounds. Blackmon is generally fearless, not being afraid to take a hit after making a catch. He doesn’t get jammed easily at the line and his physical presence helps him make plays in the red zone, despite not being very tall. Weaknesses?--- Blackmon needs to learn how to get better separation in man coverage. He has improved on his route running as mentioned before, but he still needs a bit of work. He doesn’t possess elite speed, and won’t be a burner in the NFL. He seems to have occasional mental lapses, not always concentrating when catching the football. He doesn’t always look the football in, and at times will run before the ball is in his hands. He has soft but not strong hands, which could be worrisome in the red zone in the NFL against defenses that can lay the wood on the opposition. Intangibles could be a concern. He seems to be a bit of a show boat player, and also has been arrested with a DUI, in which he was suspended for one game for in 2010.
Blackmon can gain separation on deep routes, is outstanding on crossing routes and has also excelled in the screen pass game while at Oklahoma State. He is also a great jump ball receiver which could really get Eagles fans excited.
Blackmon should go around the fifth or sixth pick in the draft, which means the Eagles only need to spend enough to move up 10 picks. He could be worth the Eagles trading away three or four picks to get the next superstar at wide receiver for a very pass-oriented team.
Or the Eagles will decide to do the smart thing--- either sign DeSean Jackson to a long-term contract or put the franchise tag on him for 2012... and back out of the Justin Blackmon sweepstakes. As good as Blackmon is and could be, he's just not worth mortgaging first-round draft picks that could be better spent on defensive personnel needs.
The point of all this: the signing or franchising of DeSean Jackson for 2012 by the Eagles will be an event that changes the direction of a lot of NFL careers, including those of currently undrafted rookies like Justin Blackmon. But whether DJax is signed or not by the Eagles, there is a very real free-agent opportunity for guys like Plaxico Burress to get a shot with Philly. The red-zone job market is currently hiring...
"I try to ignore the Freep's resident contrarian and in-house hack Drew Sharp, but I had to post my thoughts after he unleashed another gem of a column. The latest piece de ridiculousness is his suggestion for an NFL rules change.
The league is constantly tweaking the rules, such as charging defensive backs with assault and battery for looking at a wide receiver the wrong way. But the NFL Competition Committee should seriously consider making a field goal of fewer than 30 yards worth two points instead of three.
"I stopped reading after that paragraph, as I was choking on laughter.
"Now that I've regained my composure, I have 2 thoughts about Sharp's proposal:
1. On a list of 100 problems the NFL has, the worth of a chip shot field goal is number 569. The NFL has several serious problems they need to tackle (from reducing head injuries to improving officiating) instead of worrying over piss ant complaints over games being decided by gimme field goals.
"If Sharp seriously feels NFL rules changes are needed, how about championing this instead? Have a rule deciding once and for effing all what exactly is a catch and not a catch. Eliminate the gray area so Mike Pereira is put out of a job. Enough of the "process of the catch" bullshit. Stab the "process" in the heart, kill it with fire and throw it on the same smoldering trash pile as Matt Millen's GM career."
2. [Here Big Al launches into a photoshop essay dedicated to Drew Sharp's IQ as measured on traditional scales of intelligence...]
I get Big Al's point... to which I would add, have we not noticed how many FG's are actually missed underneath 30 yards? Did we not just witness an AFC championship game that ended on a 23-yard miss?
Now something I could actually go for would be a "4-point Field Goal" for a kick of 60 yards or longer...but like Big Al says, the NFL has more important things to consider reviewing and changing before we even get close to the subject of traditional FG scoring.
Moving in a different direction, Big Al gives us a nice review of the NFL's new Verizon app for android phones...
"I do love technology and messing around with gadgets. So when Verizon and the NFL offered me an opportunity to play with an Android smartphone running an exclusive mobile app, I jumped at it. For the past week, I've been using Verizon's NFL Mobile app for Android on a Pantech Breakout 4G phone running Honeycomb."
"As useful as any NFL mobile app will be to a football fan, Verizon's version of the app has a killer feature: Live streaming video from the NFL Network. Killer, that is, as long as you can tolerate watching the likes of Steve Mariucci, Warren Sapp and Dieon Sanders over your smartphone. Sacrifices must be made for the sake of advancing technology..."
Verizon streamed NBC's Super Bowl broadcast live via the app as well.
"I played with the mobile app extensively during the Super Bowl, putting it through it's paces, taking a screenshots along the way. Video can be watched over the phone's data stream (the Breakout is a 4G phone, but in my neck of the woods I could only receive 3G speeds) or wifi. Unsurprisingly, I got the best video quality on my home network, which is running wireless G speeds."
The big game, live on a 4" screen!
Belichick isn't happy...
This was the NFL Network's live stream during the Super Bowl.
You could also stream the radio play by play.
I tried to connect to the Super Bowl stream using 3G,
but had connection issues during the game.
"Sunday night I could only connect intermittently to Verizon's 3G network while at home, but that's not necessarily a problem with the app or phone. I'd swear my house is actually a Faraday Cage in disguise, as cell reception is an issue, no matter the network provider. After the game ended, I had a much easier time connecting to Verizon's network."
"Overall, I have to admit I loved using the app, especially the live streaming video features. When you're on the go, there's no better way to get your NFL news fix than over live streaming NFL Network video."
"As for the gang of analysts and talking heads on the NFL Network, and especially NFL Total Access...I just grit my teeth and learn to deal. It's a a small price to pay."
You can see a bunch more screen shots and video commentary by Big Al Beaton on the new Verizon NFL app for androids at his site The Wayne Fontes Experience. Thanks for the time, Big Al !
It's been a whirlwind season for Jones, who has gone from the Miami Dolphins' practice squad to the active roster of the Baltimore Ravens to getting claimed off waivers by the Eagles.
Jones was released from both Miami and Baltimore because of personnel moves, and both teams had planned to pick him up again. He'd even had a long talk with his position coach in Baltimore about his future before he was nabbed during the playoffs by the Eagles.
It was a shock because no one with the organization had talked to him beforehand and they haven't since.
"Someone wrote me on Twitter and said, 'Welcome to Philly.' "
Jones admitted he was a little bitter about leaving Baltimore because he really liked the organization and the players on the team. He enjoyed Miami, but he said it was more like being on vacation. "It was just so crazy down there, especially me being a Nebraska guy,'' he said. "We don't have any beaches in Omaha.''
The good thing, Jones said, is that because he was on the active roster with the Ravens, he'll keep that jump in salary now with the Eagles.
Jones said he realizes that the NFL is a business, so it doesn't do any good to get upset about moving from team to team. He said he's in the NFL, other teams want him and he can look in the mirror every day and know that he's given his best at every stop. "That's all that matters to me,'' he said. "I'm up for new adventures.''
Jones is quite the gospel singer, by the way. At one point in his Husker days he had thought of auditioning for American Idol. As it turned out, he did get a singing gig at the recent Super Bowl festivities in Indianapolis.
Jones sang with former and current NFL players in the Super Bowl Gospel Celebration last Friday night at Butler University and last Saturday night at the Taste of NFL party, which previewed the foods that will be served next year at the Super Bowl in New Orleans.
Jones hasn't sung in public since his days in the a cappella choir at Omaha Central, which he joined on a dare, but said he jumped at the chance to mix with recording artists such as CeCe Winans, Donnie McClurkin and American Idol winner Fantasia. If former Ravens teammate Ray Lewis could do it, Jones figured that he could too, especially since he was always singing in choirs as a youngster.
"I knew I could still sing,'' Jones said. "I always sing in the shower.''
Jones said he's a little hoarse from all of the fun times he's been having recently with friends in Omaha. He's home working out until he reports for spring drills with the Eagles in April.
Here are the NFL Draft Scout numbers on Jones:
40 Time: 4.95 40 Low: 4.88 40 High: 5.05
Projected Round: Stock: High: 6-7 Low: PFA
Rated number 34 out of 87 OT's 413 / 2085 TOTAL
Pro Day Results:
Okay, he's a project... But Andy Reid has had his eye on this guy for a while... and we all know Reid cannot resist a gem in the rough on the OL side of the ball...
Jones was snubbed by the NFL Scouting Combine last year. He is not alone. Here's a list of current Combine snubs as compiled by PE.com's hot new writer Fran Duffy, who deserves a big ole country "Salute!" for giving us access to this report:
Nicolas Jean-Baptiste, DT, Baylor, 6-2, 335, who squats 600 lbs., is among the most notable and unexpected snubs of the 2012 NFL Scouting Combine... be sure to consider him as one of your undrafted free agent wild cards on your Mach 10 ballots this year...
NOTABLE COMBINE SNUBS (by Fran Duffy):
Quarterback:
G.J. Kinne, Tulsa, 6-2, 215 - One of the more underrated players in this draft class, Kinne is a coach's son who grew up in a football culture and originally signed with the University of Texas out of high school. After transferring to Tulsa, Kinne became one of the most productive quarterbacks in school history. Kinne displays decent accuracy, sneaky athleticism, and shows a certain moxie in the pocket. He has a good arm, and the ball flies out of his hand when he's under pressure. I have seen some compare him to former Eagles quarterback Jeff Garcia, and I honestly think that's a very good comparison. He's not the biggest prospect, and he struggles making progressions from time to time, but he was a name that mildly surprised me as being left off of the Combine invite list.
Running Back:
Bobby Rainey, Western Kentucky, 5-7, 208 - Rainey has been one of the most productive ball carriers in all of college football over the past four seasons. The former Hilltopper, despite his small stature, has led the nation in carries each of the past two seasons, and finished 2011 as the second-leading rusher in terms of yards per game. Rainey is a tough player who gives all-out effort on every down as a runner and blocker. He's a sure-handed receiver in the pass game as well, and could have a future in the return game at the next level. Though he doesn't have elite speed or quickness, Rainey is a prospect who will dare you to bet against him, just so he can prove you wrong down the road.
Michael Smith, Utah State, 5-8, 207 - If you follow the NFL Draft, you may think that this is a typo and that I'm naming the wrong Utah State running back. If that's the case, you would be wrong. In watching film on running back Robert Turbin (of whom I’m also a big fan), I noticed that his backfield-mate, Smith, was also a solid prospect in his own right. Though he isn't the biggest back and isn't going to run away from anyone in the NFL, Smith does all the little things right that coaches love. He is a very good blocker in the run game as well as in pass protection, and a reliable receiver who doesn't put the ball on the ground. Smith is also a productive contributor on special teams, which is huge for a third or fourth-string running back. While he may not get drafted, I'm of the belief that Smith will sign with a team and stick with a squad after training camp in August.
Wide Receiver:
Lance Lewis, East Carolina, 6-0, 209 - A versatile receiver who produced from a number of different spots in the Pirate offense, Davis is a high-upside player who flashed ability at the Shrine Game. He's a physical prospect who exhibits good quickness off the line and excellent ball skills when the ball is in the air. He doesn't have elite speed or dynamic playmaking ability, but Lewis is the type of complete receiver teams covet in that he plays fast, loves to block, and fights for the football.
Jarrett Boykin, Virginia Tech, 6-2, 215 - Virginia Tech has a solid wideout crop coming out in this year's class, and while none of them are sure-fire studs at the next level, there are a couple intriguing prospects. Boykin is one of those names after enjoying a productive career in Blacksburg. Another receiver who may not time well but plays fast, he excels at beating press coverage and making plays in traffic. A tough player who isn't afraid to go over the middle, Boykin is a prospect with an NFL-ready attitude that may not have NFL-ready attributes. He's not an elite athlete and isn't a burner, but Boykin is the type of player that can join a team in training camp and impress with the things he does well. -->Tight End:
Kevin Koger, Michigan, 6-3, 262 - Koger was one of the biggest shocks to not make the cut, at least in my mind. The former Michigan Wolverine is one of the more athletic tight ends in the class, runs good routes, has soft hands, and exhibits good ball skills as a receiver. He needs to be coached up a bit as a blocker in terms of technique, but the effort is there and to see him not get an invite was surprising, especially considering he has only played one year in a pro style system (after playing in Rich Rodriguez's spread look for his first three seasons), I would think teams would want every chance to get an extra look at him. When it's all said and done, I think Koger can be a Jermichael Finley-esque weapon at the next level, and I would say he's a lock to hear his name called on draft weekend.
Offensive Line:
Levy Adcock, Oklahoma State, 6-6, 330 - Adcock may be one of the biggest head-scratchers of them all when it comes to 2012 Combine snubs. Widely considered in media circles as one of the top ten offensive linemen in the draft class, Adcock not only didn't get an invite to Indianapolis, but didn't play in the Senior Bowl either after declaring he had a knee injury. He's got good size, plays with a nastiness and shows decent athleticism as well with his ability to bend. While he doesn't have the quickest feet and may have to move inside to guard, his omission from the Combine roster was a shock to many in the draft community. Regardless, it's widely suspected that Adcock will still be drafted, and has the ability to develop into a starter down the road.
Brandon Brooks, Miami (Ohio), 6-4, 353 lbs - One of the apparent gems from the Shrine Game in January, Brooks was one of the most talked about linemen during the week of practice in St. Petersburg. A physical marvel who shows good athleticism for a man his size, Brooks followed up his week in practice with a strong showing in the game, plowing consistent holes in the run game, including on the game-winning touchdown run. An experienced four-year starter, I don't think this snub will affect Brooks' draft status too much, as he should still be one of the top interior linemen drafted as a solid mid-round selection.
Derek Dennis, Temple, 6-3, 315 - Another linemen who showed well down in St. Petersburg was Dennis, who played his college ball just a few miles up Broad Street from Lincoln Financial Field at Temple University. Dennis is a good athlete for the position, with the ability to get out to the second level while displaying solid lateral quickness and range as a pulling guard. While some wanted to see him play with better pad level throughout the week, he improved as practices went on and showed why he is considered to be one of the more intriguing linemen in the draft class. Look for Dennis to rebound from the snub and come back with a strong performance at his Pro Day a few weeks after the Combine.
Defensive End:
Adrian Hamilton, Prairie View A&M, 6-2, 245 - Hamilton has been extremely productive over the past couple of seasons, setting the record for most sacks in SWAC history after transferring from Texas Tech. A solid pass rusher with an explosive first step, variety of pass rush moves, and good closing speed, the tools he brings to the table are tough to match when it comes down to pure raw ability. While he doesn't have a great motor, some hard coaching at the next level may change that (especially from a coach like Jim Washburn.) Of all the "small-school" prospects that failed to receive an invite, Hamilton was by far the biggest surprise, as most thought he would be a shoe-in to work out in Indianapolis in front of the NFL masses.
Kentrell Lockett, Mississippi , 6-5, 243 - Lockett showed at the Shrine Game a few weeks ago that he absolutely has the tools to be worthy of a draft selection. The former Ole Miss star is a ferocious pass rusher that plays with good pad level, quickness, and lateral agility. He has a variety of pass rush moves, but excels most when he transitions from speed to power as a bull rusher. He's got good size and the frame to put on more weight at the next level. Lockett did tear an ACL in the fall of 2010, but rebounded from that and put his sixth year of eligibility to good use in 2011.
Defensive Tackle:
Nicolas Jean-Baptiste, Baylor, 6-2, 335 - The big nose tackle out of Baylor is another prospect who made some noise during the week of the Shrine Game, proving why he has as high an upside as any prospect in his class. He plays with a high motor, uses his hands well and exhibits good power at the point of attack. Jean-Baptiste is still raw, and plays a little out of control at times, but the ability is clearly there and I would have liked to see him work alongside his peers in Indianapolis.
Micanor Regis, Miami, 6-2, 309 - Along with Jean-Baptiste, Regis was a shining light at the Shrine Game earlier this year and showed everyone that he too is worthy of a draft pick. The former Miami Hurricane displayed solid short area quickness and an explosive first step in St. Petersburg, proving to be one of the more active linemen in the game. Regis set up shop time and time again in the opposing backfield, verifying his penetration skills that he displayed during his time at "The U." While he will never be mistaken for the strongest player at his position, Regis makes up for that with his hand usage and suddenness as a pass rusher. It would not shock me to see a team take a late-round flier on him late, but if not he will be a priority free agent signing in a deep defensive tackle group.
Linebacker:
Sammy Brown, Houston, 6-1, 243 - One of the most underrated pass rushers in this draft class, Brown made a living getting after the quarterback during his time with the Cougars. A very productive senior year helped him garner an invitation to the Players All Star Classic, where he again showed his speed off the edge and variety of pass rush moves to get to the quarterback. He has a quick first step, solid closing burst, and the ability to flatten out on the edge that will make teams that run a 3-4 scheme very intrigued on film. It's a shame that Brown was not invited to Indianapolis, because I feel confident he would have been one of the standout performers in the speed and agility drills. Still, we all know the premium set on pass rushers, so it won't surprise me to see him get drafted in the later rounds in April.
Jerry Franklin, Arkansas, 6-1, 241 - While Brown would have thrived at the Combine, Franklin is the type of player that could have seen his stock fall in Indianapolis. Not to be mistaken for an elite athlete, Franklin depends on his instincts and nose for the football to succeed on the field. One of the more productive defenders in the country based on tackles, Franklin is an experienced player that knows the ins and outs of the game. While he may not ever be a starter at the next level due to his athletic limitations, he should be able to develop into a very good backup and special teams player once he latches onto an NFL squad.
Defensive Back:
Donnie Fletcher, Boston College , 6-0, 201 - The lone Senior Bowl participant who didn't net a Combine invite, Fletcher raised perhaps the most eyebrows when his Combine exclusion was revealed. An experienced player out of the ACC, Fletcher is considered by many to be one of the better zone defenders at his position, and a great fit in a zone-scheme at the next level. He doesn't have great speed, and looks a bit stiff in his back pedal, but he has good ball skills and instincts when breaking on the football. By no means do I think that this will keep him from hearing his name called, but the fact that he didn't receive an invite does make you think that maybe he has more questions surrounding his game than previously thought. Regardless, he will have a lot to prove when his Pro Day comes around after the Combine.
Aaron Henry, Wisconsin, 5-11, 208 - Henry showed at the Shrine Game that he is one of the better cover safeties in this draft class, displaying good feet, fluid hips, and excellent range. The former Badger didn't always have the production to show for it, but his raw athletic ability is undeniably there. In a safety class that doesn't have a lot of standout names, I was shocked to see Henry left out of the group set for Indianapolis.
Most bookmakers will release their Super Bowl odds in February of each year, right after the Super Bowl of the prior season is completed. Thus, the initial odds are primarily based on the results of the previous year. Once the first odds are released, there will be various shifts in the odds during the spring and summer based upon personnel changes for each team. The free agency period can also turn the fortunes of several teams in the offseason. The NFL Draft in April is closely monitored, and coaching changes can certainly lead to shifts in the odds.
During the offseason, the Super Bowl odds are based on speculation. After all, the actual teams have yet to play a game. Once the season begins, the odds have a deeper rooted foundation because bettors can evaluate the teams on the field each week. It is during the regular season when the odds will fluctuate the most as teams move up and down, like stocks, depending on their perceived value.
Big Super Bowl long-shots are tougher to find
The appeal of Super Bowl betting involves the favorable odds of these wagers compared to the 10/11 odds of football point spread bets. It wasn’t uncommon to find teams at odds of 200/1 before the start of the season in the recent past. However, these kind of odds have basically disappeared since the 1999 St. Louis Rams and 2001 New England Patriots ended up winning Super Bowls after being in the 200/1 range at certain points during their championship seasons.
Still, some teams are priced in the 100/1 range prior to each season. These favorable football odds can attract serious professional gamblers and casual sports fans who want to take a shot with their favorite team.
A good bet for the house....The Super Bowl pool is usually a favorable bet for the house. There are 32 wagering options but only one winner. Because money is pumped into the pool on a year-round basis, online sportsbooks have plenty of opportunities to adjust the odds in their favor. If certain teams are getting bet too heavily, there odds can be adjusted to a lower payout to make the clubs a less favorable wager. In addition, teams that aren’t getting much support can have their odds adjusted to a higher payout to lure in more wagers.
Other types of bets available to wager upon right now at the MGM Grand Casino...
Welp, you get the picture. You can bet on almost anything in football right now. Odds on DeSean Jackson being franchise-tagged by the Eagles ?--- just ask the MGM Grand guys in Vegas...
The funny thing is, I rarely get around to actually placing a bet on any of these offseason wager concepts. But it's what, two more weeks before the Combine scouting activities begin...no real-life football until then ?... Maybe I'll actually put down a wager this week just to keep things interesting...
It was a pretty entertaining game, although not filled with "pretty" plays... but enough solid action and strategy to keep me glued to my armchair.
New York Giants 21, New England Patriots 17... so it is written, circa 2012...and Sonny Moonbeam is up by 100 bucks...
Just as Eli Manning did four years ago when the Giants ruined New England's perfect season, he guided them 88 yards to the decisive touchdown, which the Patriots didn't contest as Ahmad Bradshaw ran 6 yards with 57 seconds left.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick reasoned the Giants would run the clock down and kick a short field goal, so he gambled by allowing the six points.
The gamble failed.
And now Manning has beaten the Patriots in two thrilling Super Bowls. The Giants (13-7), who stood 7-7 in mid-December, now own the football world, and Manning owns two Super Bowl MVP awards, the same number as Brady.
"It's been a wild game, a wild season," Manning said. "This isn't about one person. It's about one team, a team coming together."
Manning led six comeback victories during the season and set an NFL record with 15 fourth-quarter touchdown passes. He showed that brilliance in the clutch on the winning drive. He completed five passes, including a sensational 38-yard sideline catch by Mario Manningham to open the drive.
On second down at the Patriots 6 and with only one timeout remaining, Belichick had his defense stand up as Bradshaw took the handoff. Bradshaw thought about stopping short of the end zone, then tumbled in untouched.
"I was yelling to him, 'Don't score, don't score,'" Manning said. "He tried to stop, but he fell into the end zone."
Brady couldn't answer in the final 57 seconds, although his desperation pass into the end zone on the final play fell just beyond the grasp of All-Pro tight end Rob Gronkowski. New England (15-4), winner of 10 straight since a loss to the Giants in November, was done.
"I thought we played very competitive. ... We were in the lead for a good part of the game. We just came up a couple of plays short," Belichick said. "You don't feel good after you lose this game."
Michael Bradley of The Philly Post had an interesting take on the Giants' big win... He says it's good the Giants won because maybe the Eagles can learn something important from it...
Michael Bradley
"It is borderline ridiculous that Tom Coughlin, the man who is in the hot seat so often that one expects him to get fired at halftime of some games, has won a second Super Bowl championship. Wasn’t it just last season that saw Coughlin firing his headset into the turf as DeSean Jackson completed another epic Giants choke with his punt return “miracle”? You bet it was."
"But here is Coughlin, leading the NFC East champs into the Big Game and capturing another title in a span of five years. And here are Eagles fans faced with the prospect of having to suffer the bragging of insufferable Giants supporters yet again. Though it might be as unpalatable as eating hot soft pretzels or that nasty New York-style pizza, Birds backers had better suck it up ..."
"Granted, cheering for Captain Hoodie and the Forces of Evil isn’t too easy, either. But if the Eagles organization is ever going to stop thinking it’s always doing things the right way, the Giants needed to win another Super Bowl. That will show there’s a difference between playing good regular season football and assembling a team of leaders and winners that can get it done in the cauldron of January and February. As the Giants win another championship, the Eagles are faced with the reality that they have not often come close to achieving the stated goal of their franchise."
"Say what you want about the Giants and their propensity for choking–and I certainly have said plenty over the years–but when they aren’t channeling Mama Cass, they’re winning big."
"The Eagles, meanwhile, capture division titles (six in the past 11 years) but don’t finish the job. Blame it on the quarterback, the defense, the coach, the receivers or the front office, but there are no Lombardi trophies in the case at the Nova Care Center. And that’s the bottom line, not to mention the difference between the Giants and Eagles. While Lurie and Reid try to sell us on the fun and excitement of being in the “tournament” and all of the possibilities included therein–especially a packed stadium filling the cash register–the Giants actually make the most of their post-season opportunities when they arise."
"Last year, the Eagles reached the playoffs, while the Giants sat home, pondering how things might have been different if their punter hadn’t messed up. That was fun…until the Packers walked out of Lincoln Financial Field with a win. It’s New York’s turn to laugh, not just because the Giants won the NFC East, but also because they followed it up with wins over Atlanta, Green Bay and San Francisco. There’s the difference: when Coughlin’s team gets its chance, it takes advantage..."
"So, why does it happen? There are a number of reasons, beginning under center. Eli Manning has sure had his share of troubles under center, but it’s impossible to impugn his post-season performance. He is 8-3 all-time in the playoffs and Super Bowl. It’s hard to imagine Michael Vick, who has yet to commit to playing Reid’s system the way it should be, posting a record like that. (He is 2-3 in career playoff starts.) Reid is certainly part of the problem. Now without Jim Johnson, whose defensive genius covered up for some of the head coach’s questionable personnel moves, Reid is unable to field a complete team. This season, his insistence on rushing the passer allowed teams to run the ball on the Eagles. In last year’s playoff loss to the Packers, relatively unknown James Starks ran for 123 yards against the Birds. And don’t even get me started on the Eagles’ historically awful red-zone defense."
"It adds up to a team that is not built to win when it counts. Eagles brass can crow about four straight wins to close the regular season, but as the Giants beat the Patriots Sunday, they’ll be able to boast about capturing four in a row in the post-season. In case you didn’t know, there’s a big difference between the two feats. One allows you to contrive momentum for the following season. The other produces a parade."
Okay, I get Mr. Bradley's point... Yes, we can learn something from the Giants' resilience and their ability to transition from a running offense to a passing attack over the past five years, and their ability to come up with big defensive and offensive plays in the post-season. We can also appreciate their smart schematics on defense as programmed by Perry Fewell. The Giants go with the approach that you can never have enough pass rushers, and everything they do in their 4-3 is predicated on putting heat on the opposing QB. That approach paid off nicely in the end against Tom Brady.
But when Fewell arrived in 2010 he had things to learn, too. At first he used only four pass rushers and leaned heavily on a three-safety alignment, mainly because the quality of player at safety was much higher than at linebacker. But now he mixes in zone and corner blitzes, preferring not to extend the back end too much in straight one-on-one coverage. And he had to learn those new wrinkles from observing other teams--- including the Eagles.
So it's a two-way street. And as Leo Pizzini has often told us, a franchise's success on the field tends to run in hot and cold trends consisting of 4-to-5 year windows. So you be the judge: are the Giants on the verge of a hot trend, or are they near the end of their 5-year run?
Looking at the Giants realistically, they are carrying a lot of aging players at key positions with doubtful upside...salary-cap issues abound...and frankly their draft record (with the exception of Jason Pierre-Paul in 2010) has been abysmal.
It was their year...more power to 'em... they got hot and healthy at the right time and made the most of what looked like a disastrous season just a few short months ago. They went out with a bang.
But I disagree with Mr. Bradley that there is anything more the Eagles can learn from the Giants organization because of their Super Bowl win. You can't teach improbable comeback wins that buck the trend. And I believe the Giants are definitely in a "final phase" of their current regime's half-life.
The Eagles are on the cusp of their own 5-year uptrend. They will continue to build from within by achieving better depth at key positions and fine-tuning their defensive philosophy. They will have a great opportunity for an outstanding draft in 2012. Although their 2004-to-2009 window has long since closed, they are on the verge of a breakthrough for the next five years that will give them several chances to get back on center stage, and maybe even get hot at the end like the Giants just did. Winning out is a matter of preparation and confidence combined with luck. You need all three. And for all we know, it might not happen with names like Reid and Vick in the mix. But it will happen. And it will have nothing to do with the Giants great win over the Patriots on Sunday.
It's hard to criticize McNabb's exhibition in Philadelphia's 24-21 loss to New England. He played well enough to give Philly a chance to win its first Super Bowl. And he played badly enough to end the best season of his career with the same question that has dogged his career: Is he accurate enough to win a championship?
The numbers show that McNabb completed 58 percent of his 51 passes that Super Bowl Sunday, a percentage that is roughly square with his career mark. But it's a rate that's low for a 28-year-old veteran who had played his entire career in a quarterback-friendly offense. McNabb gave Super Bowl XXXIX its best offensive plays. He also gave the game its worst.
Even though McNabb nearly beat the two-time defending champion Pats alone, he was never really on his game. Although it was overturned by a smart replay challenge by Eagles coach Andy Reid, McNabb fumbled on the game's third play. On Philadelphia's third possession, he sliced New England apart with a 30-yard pass to Terrell Owens that gave the Eagles a first-and-goal at the 8. But on first down, Mike Vrabel dropped him for a 16-yard loss. On second down, he tossed an airball into the end zone that Asante Samuel intercepted. Fortunately, he was bailed out by an illegal-contact penalty on Pats linebacker Roman Phifer.
Unfortunately, he threw an even worse pass, seven yards short of Brian Westbrook and perfectly placed for safety Rodney Harrison, who hustled to the ball, stopped, waited, ordered take-out, looked for former presidents Bush and Clinton in the stands, weighed the musical "talents" of the Black Eyed Peas, yawned, and finally intercepted the pass.
"I don't think he got frustrated," said Eagles tight end L.J. Smith. "It just took him a little while to get in rhythm." When McNabb did, it was brief and spectacular. In the second quarter, he found Todd Pinkston over the middle for 17 yards. Then he hit Pinkston again deeper over the middle for 40 yards. Then, on third-and-goal from the 7, he looked for Owens outside, came back inside, and saw a window to Smith's hands where everyone else saw a wall. The touchdown put the Eagles up 7-0.
But still, it was shaky. At that point in the game, Philadelphia had two turnovers, had outgained New England 149 to 27, but only had a seven-point lead. "It could have possibly been a blowout," McNabb said later.
McNabb's second half started the same as the first, with Pinkston being overthrown and sacks being taken. Then, again, McNabb settled into a short zone, throwing on eight of 10 plays and hitting seven of them, including a 10-yarder to Westbrook to tie the game at 14. At that point, Reid had all but burned his running plays, electing instead to place the season in the hands of McNabb.
What beat Philadelphia was that McNabb started getting jittery with his throws, and Reid started getting ditzy with his playcalling. In the fourth quarter, trailing by 10, McNabb hit Owens with a perfect pass for 36 yards. On the next play, he threw to Westbrook, and we use the term "to Westbrook" charitably. That's because with his tailback wide-open in the middle of the field, McNabb threw it high and behind, making it impossible for Westbrook to salvage anything, but very easy for Tedy Bruschi to make a falling interception.
Undoubtedly, analysts will praise Bruschi, one of the league's premier playmakers, for another smart play on a championship defense. But even more of a factor was that McNabb couldn't make a throw that every successful West Coast quarterback makes on the game's biggest stage. And McNabb knows it.
"I'm not going to make excuses," he said.
Still, he had a chance late in the game, finding himself in the same position as Jake Delhomme and Kurt Warner before him -- rallying his team in the fourth quarter against the Patriots. But what followed was a strange and lousy drive, if indeed a lousy drive can end in a touchdown. With 5:40 left, the Eagles took over at their 21 down 10, with all three timeouts. Harrison admitted later he was expecting the Eagles to attack with five wide receivers and throw deep on a Pats secondary that lost starting safety Eugene Wilson. But instead ...
McNabb passed four yards to Smith. Then McNabb threw another dump off to Greg Lewis. Then to Owens for another four. Then to fullback Josh Perry for two yards. All the while, the Eagles were huddling up, receivers were walking back to get the play, and as minute after minute disappeared, no one wearing green seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation or the simple math that producing 10 points against the two-time champs is not easy.
Reid, who was calling the plays and wasn't exactly on the field screaming for his players to show more urgency, said later, "We were trying to hurry it up, but things didn't work out that way."
No, they didn't. It was a painful, hair-gouging 79-yard march that McNabb called a "no-huddle" attack even though all 13 plays featured huddles. Even though it ended in a perfectly thrown 30-yard touchdown pass to Lewis, in a very real way it seemed too little too late. And it's as if the Eagles offense knew it. When they got the ball with 46 seconds left, McNabb threw a 1-yard pass to Westbrook. Philly was killing itself softly.
After three successive NFC championship losses, McNabb showed in that Super Bowl that he was able to raise his game to a Brady-esque level for spurts. In a Super Bowl poorly played and devoid of any lingering, memorable, snapshot plays, McNabb took on a defense that had dough-popped Peyton Manning and threw for more yards and touchdowns than Brady. Only two quarterbacks have ever thrown for more yards on Super Sunday. But for the next time -- and McNabb wholeheartedly believes there will be a next time -- the spurts will have to become games.
"He battled his heart out on the field," Reid said.
But the blood -- and the hurt -- followed him off.
With MVP Deion Branch tying a Super Bowl record for receptions with 11, Brady efficiently running the offense and Rodney Harrison sparking a smothering defense, the Patriots (17-2) didn't need a last-second field goal from Adam Vinatieri this time. But his kick -- a 22-yarder with 8:40 left -- provided the points that made the difference. The Patriots had their 3rd Ring in four years and were proclaimed a dynasty.
"We did a great job of adjusting during the game," Branch said. "It was physical; a lot of guys were bumped and bruised."
"We were too sloppy to win," receiver Terrell Owens said. "It was great to get back, but we made too many mistakes. We could have won and that hurts."
Corey Dillon, a newcomer to the championship game, scored the go-ahead points on a 2-yard run early in the fourth period. And when Branch wasn't catching passes, the Patriots flaunted their versatility by again using linebacker Mike Vrabel to find the end zone. Vrabel had caught TD passes in two straight Super Bowls and has five TDs in as many career catches, not bad for a linebacker -- or anyone else.
Brady wasn't as fluid as he was when he won the MVP awards in the 2002 and 2004 games, but he was 23-for-33 for 236 yards and two TDs. And when the Patriots offense bogged down or turned over the ball, Harrison and his mates forced four turnovers, including a goal-line interception by the veteran safety. The Patriots also had four sacks, making Donovan McNabb look ordinary, even skittish at times.
And while Owens' return from a seven-week injury layoff was an individual success -- he had nine catches for 122 yards -- it was not nearly the star turn that Branch made.
Brady actually made a rare mistake, fumbling at the Philly 13 late in the first half. Darwin Walker recovered New England's first giveaway of the postseason. It didn't lead to anything for the Eagles, and after a 29-yard punt by Dirk Johnson, the Pats drove 37 yards to tie it at 7. Brady found Givens behind Lito Sheppard in the right corner of the end zone for a 4-yard score, and Givens mocked Owens' wing flap after the touchdown with 1:10 remaining in the half...
Give the Patriots their due...they used the opening drive of the second half to set the tone for their victory. While New England handled frequent blitzes, Branch caught four passes for 71 yards on the series that ended with Vrabel's TD. The Eagles responded with a 74-yard drive. McNabb whipped that 10-yard pass over the middle between two defenders to Brian Westbrook for the TD.
Still, as winners always do, the Patriots reasserted themselves, effectively using screen passes against a tiring defense. Even when Eagles defenders shouted to each other to watch for the screen, New England made it work, particularly on Kevin Faulk's 14-yarder that preceded Dillon's 2-yard run to make it 21-14. And after Vinatieri's chip shot to make it 24-14, you know how it turned out...
I thought they created a new line of scrimmage by getting push into the Eagles' backfield when the Eagles had the ball. And the Patriots established a new line of scrimmage two yards behind the Eagles' defensive line when using a pounding running game with backs Corey Dillon and Kevin Faulk. This was done at the critical part of game when the Eagles actually had some momentum.
Other than the usual stellar performance by Tom Brady, the speed and quickness of WR Deion Branch made the biggest impact of any one offensive player. He played bigger than his size and showed great heart and competitiveness to find soft spots against the zone, separation against man-to-man and to also catch in a crowd when he was covered.
And yes, I'll say it -- three championships in four years make up a dynasty, no matter what the era.
Check out what Randy had to say during the game in The Show
"Have my doubts that Eagles will use their first round pick. AR and Howie thrive on surprising other teams and the media...would Andy spend a 1st round pick on an undersized WR?... on another lineman?... on a linebacker or safety? Or, is the draft deep enough to trade down and gather more acorns? Howie seems to wheel & deal with the best of them. Howie gets the deal done--and I have a feeling he'll want to knocks the socks off the critics in 2012. Since Lure has given AR the thumbs up--AR will draft smurfy, speedy, athletes and put them in new positions...I see 2012 as 2011 again. GROUND HOG DAY all year in 2012..."
"Clearly the owner (Lurie) believes that the 8-8 season was an aberration. AR's success is due in a large measure to determination. It's a short step between determination & stubbornness..one is an asset, the other a flaw. AR has all the maneuverability of an aircraft carrier. As his game day management shows: he sets a course and steers a course. He is a big, old lineman guy, plowing downfield-at his pace. The only adjustment known to AR is: GRIND IT "coarse" or GRIND IT "fine". He is set in his concepts and beliefs--and he plows forward. It's easy to follow a leader like that. He is very steady, very determined, and setbacks may slow him--but he is not deterred. Watching AR coach is the equivalent of "3 yards and a cloud of dust". This is why he gets respect. His 8-8 season is the like a big fullback running into the hole and getting stoned for no gain. 100% guaranteed that AR will continue to bring it. That's why Lurie keeps him. He is a reliable, methodical, determined leader who is easy to follow. At this point, many of us think we recognize that AR has lost a step. ( Holmgren was all that in GB, but wasn't so much later in Seattle). What Lurie can't figure is whether Reid is still chugging--or if he has really lost momentum in his mission."
"Most folks are clamoring for linebackers: big guys who tackle and plug holes with authority. And, in the next breath, they point out to one another that the NFL is a passing league. D'Oh..whats going on? JJ built his defense where the 'nickel package' was the base package. The League is virtually at a point where the defensive backs are 3 corners and 2 safeties--and 2 linebackers. And now, guys like Shady McCoy and others are starting to roll a rushing game again. Lost in the Castillo-bashing is that his defense did a remarkable job at controlling the TE--a position that stomped the Eagles D under JJ and McD. And, the big lapses came against running backs and WRs with big games due to a failure of BASICS... TACKLING WAS HORRENDOUS... COVERAGE BY DB'S was HORRENDOUS. This comes down to how the players are being taught and being coached. Meanwhile, the run game is coming back against the defenses that are designed as pass first, pass second and pass third protections. It's all about balance--Castillo is growing on the job--and Lurie is backing Reid and his Sr. staff. End of story."
Wow, that's Woody at his best. Conviction. Clarity. "Take this Job and Shove It!..." kinda stuff...
Honorable mention: I must add that great posts have also been recently filed by Hoser (Chris Lewis), who specializes in historical perspective on the Eagles, mainly from the 1985-to-2005 era... T-Bone (Boner), who consistently files the most accurate news reports from all over the NFL... AbeLinc64, who punctuates nearly every day with breaking news... Poet, who provides eloquent summaries of significant trends rather than singular events...Hud Huston, who has filled us in with timely Roto updates along with his personal reactions to Eagles developments...and Kenny Kenemeka, who has brought us live reports from Super Bowl Week events in his hometown of Indianapolis this week, and likewise supplies regular news updates from the Philly and national media... and of course, Jerky, who holds the night shift together in addition to his mid-day newsworthy contributions.
Many others deserve similar praise. But most of them are mentioned in this following tribute from the great Blasphemizer, who himself has risen to the tradition of great posting here in recent weeks...
Blasphemizer's "Portrait of the Gallery"....
Blas in his Great Lord Evan Mathis tribute costume...
"I guess I'm a tad curious as to what the hell some of you do for a living...I know that JB is a worm farmer...I suspect that Bri is a daytime nut and banana merchant...Broz is his son who is constantly conspiring, in between his shifts working at the local Wendy's, to eliminate his father and take over the family banana and nut business...Leo comes off as an improvisational jazz player who hitchhikes and logs-on to comment at any internet cafe he can find...Hud, he is trying to hide the fact that he owns a pear orchard...Hoser is a Canadian for a living, so that implies some stereotypical work involving maple syrup or moose...Kene, I suspect is an overworked and underpaid advisor who only isn't a CEO because he doesn't have connections...Lupes obviously runs this place for a living, if he has any other occupation it is surely as a world-weary barkeep...SouthPhilly is an ex-cop who distributes his unique flavor of vigilante justice during the night and gets paid under the table by the chief of police, but is a hopeless and washed-up drunk by day...FLF is an undercover psychologist who is currently studying the effects of a singular female presence on a male-dominated internet community, she also competes in roller-derby on Friday nights...Woodcock goes around claiming to be an exiled Duke... DDD has the same ruse, claiming to be the Lost Dauphin of France, but he only goes rambling around his retirement home...Poet has several completed books, but can't get a publisher to recognize his literary prowess...Jerked is a surfer and a beach bum...TBone is an excessively jocular uncle-type...And Spiffo is a zealously nit-picky and over-analytical Grammar school teacher...Did I miss anybody?... Oh yes...
"ATV is actually the devil's advocate...Dutchrubb is Amish gone rogue...Don Pardo runs a failing gambling ring..."
Well, if Blas missed anyone on that "tribute", I'm sure he'll catch you on the next go-around.
I cannot leave out the regular contributions of Moonbeam, aka Sonbutts, aka "Hmmmmmm", who almost daily boosts ratings here by plucking the nerves of an international audience in his Emmy-winning role as Mr. Mooney on "The Lucy Show"...
And of course, the ultimate ratings-getters--- The Great formerly-Fat JB99, who thrills us with his documentaries of Civil War surgery and Medieval gynecology (along with some great draft scouting and inside-football analysis)... and the one and only, the Prince of Perk, the Lord of Logic, the Master of Metrics, whose deeds are done in watermelon sugar...GK Brizer.
Now onward to our next topic of discussion...but for today, Class Dismissed... (cue Van Halen "Hot For Teacher")....