Author Archives: Amit Ranade

The 2016 Eagles: 1st Down & Wentz

Posted on by

In 1989, the Minnesota Vikings, feeling that a legitimate running back threat was the only thing preventing them from making a serious Super Bowl run, traded for then Cowboys running back Hershel Walker, in what was considered a blockbuster deal at that time.

That trade eventually netted the Cowboys three first round and three second-round picks (including first-round pick Emmitt Smith) who, along with quarterback Troy Aikman and wide receiver Michael Irvin, ended up being the catalyst for their turnaround from doormat of the NFL to Super Bowl champion three times in a four year-span.

Meanwhile, the Vikings never saw the desired result they expected from acquiring an all-pro running back.  While they won the division that season, they were thumped by the San Francisco 49ers in the divisional playoff round and never made it back to the playoffs the following two years with Hershel Walker on their roster.

Hershel was eventually released and ended up signing with the Eagles in 1992, and the Minnesota trade was largely seen by many as a fleecing of the Vikings organization.

If all goes exactly as the Eagles hope, yesterday’s trade of quarterback Sam Bradford could end up being the “Fleecing of the Vikings #2”.

In a unprecedented move that saw a NFL team trade away their starting quarterback with only a week to go till the start of the regular season, the Bradford trade was the finality to a culmination of events that started with the devastating season ending injury suffered by Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater at practice last Tuesday.

The Vikings, once again hoping to go deep in the playoffs much like in 1989, were left with backup Shaun Hill at quarterback to lead them there.  Add to that the fact that they are opening a brand new stadium and starting the season at quarterback with the journeyman Hill would have been the equivalent of having your wedding at the Four Seasons or the Ritz Carlton and serving 1) Peanut butter and jelly and 2) Grilled cheese sandwiches as the main course.

It was pure luck that the Eagles were able to trade Sam Bradford to Minnesota because of the injury.  But it was skill on General Manager Howie Roseman’s part to not only receive a 1st round pick back as compensation, but an additional 2018 pick as well that will be no worse than a 4th rounder.

With the Bradford trade, Howie has, in true “Back to the Future” style, undone all of the bad moves that former coach Chip Kelly initiated last year (perhaps we should just refer to Howie as “Marty McFly”?).  Gone are DeMarco Murray, Byron Maxwell, Kiko Alonso, and now Bradford…all Chip Kelly moves that didn’t turn out to achieve the desired results.

Normally, the trading of your starting quarterback this late in the year would mean that a team is  “punting” away the season and looking to the future.  But upon further review, I don’t think this reduces the expectations for your 2016 Eagles at all.

For starters, the expectations were not that high to began with even with Bradford at quarterback.  The guy is essentially a glorified game manager and not the second coming of Tom Brady or Aaron Rodgers, which is what one would expect out of a former number one overall draft pick.  The Eagles would have been fortunate to get  eight or nine wins even if they kept him.

The question is, how much does playing an inexperienced Carson Wentz at quarterback, who has a huge upside, versus an experienced, veteran quarterback who is slightly above average at best with no upside, really hurt you?  We already knew that the defense and the special teams of the 2016 Eagles were much stronger than the offense, and nothing about the Bradford trade changes that.

Wentz will naturally make some rookie mistakes early on that Bradford would not, but by the 2nd half of the season, he may be making the plays that Bradford will never make (this is assuming, of course, that he is healthy enough to play).

There are a few other reasons that I am glad to see Sam Bradford go as well:

  1. He never really wanted to be here this season anyway.
  2. I’ll stop thinking that Keanu Reeves is playing for the Eagles.
  3. That “deer in the headlights” look that he has at his postgame news conference be it win, lose, or draw.
  4. His inability to throw the ball down the field.

On the long-term, getting the ball rolling with rookie Carson Wentz at the helm sooner than later is the best thing this team could do.  And in a weak division, it would not surprise me if they won the division anyway.

Broad & Pattison turned on its heels once this trade was announced.  Hopefully, the 2016 season will turn for the better with it as well.

 

 

As Broad & Pattison Turns: Let the Eagles Preseason Began…

Posted on by

The Eagles preseason began Thursday night with more uncertainty than in past years about which direction this team was heading in.  But there was no doubt as to who the faithful really wanted to see…

Eagles starting quarterback Sam Bradford started the game, but if you were in attendance and happened to miss it, who could blame you?  Sam was in the game for an entire three plays, which wasn’t even enough time for your cheese cup to be infiltrated by a single Chickie’s & Pete’s crab fry.

Enter Chase Daniels, expensive backup to the stars (or at least to the Philadelphia Eagles), who looked hesitant every time he dropped back to throw.  Perhaps his timidness in the pocket was due to being with a new team.  Perhaps it was the heat and humidity which had him shaky in the pocket.  Or perhaps it was the Seasons Pizza sign which had Chase thinking about a large pepperoni to go following the game.

Whatever it was, his ineffectiveness had caught the fans ire.  It may have only been preseason, but when it came to the natives showing their displeasure, they were in mid-season form.  A reign of boos showered down upon Daniels’ multiple times during the first half, followed by chants of “We Want Wentz” (in reference to Eagles first-round draft pick Carson Wentz).

One can only suspect that Chase Daniels, not accustomed to such treatment from the Chiefs home crowd, must have walked back to the sideline and told Doug Pederson, “Coach – I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore!”

With less than two minutes left before halftime, the fans finally got their wish.  Wonder-boy Wentz was supposed to come in at the start of the 3rd quarter, but even rookie coach Pederson must have sensed that keeping his backup in for another series was an exercise in futility, and instead put in the rookie to run the two minute offense.

To Wentz’s credit, he came in and played rather well in the time he was in the game.  The young quarterback showed pocket presence and an ability to throw the ball away when there was no play to be made, something that many young quarterbacks struggle with early in their careers.  Wentz did throw an ill-advised interception in the end zone, but considering that it was his first NFL action, not too shabby.

The question automatically becomes – how much action will Wentz see when the real games began?  Those playing the role of devil’s advocate will rightfully point out that many of the defenders chasing him on Thursday night may be slicing your deli meat at your local Acme or Giant a month from now. How will he fare against the starters and all-pros of the NFL?

That is a question that may remain unanswered for some time, but at least on this night, Wentz showed that he had the tools to play in the NFL.

On the defensive side, Jim Schwartz may turn out to be the defensive coordinator we have been searching for since Jim Johnson passed away back in 2009.  He has the experience to run a defense and has a stalwart on the defensive line in Fletcher Cox to anchor it.

But this night was all about Carson Wentz.  In a season where the expectations are not quite on par with past years, he may be the one who holds the key to this team’s future beyond 2016.

The Last Word – Perhaps this should be retitled the most RECENT word.  Carson Wentz suffered a hairline fracture in his ribs in the 4th quarter of Thursday’s game and the Eagles are hopeful he returns before the end of the preseason.  Setback #1 for Wonder kid Wentz…hopefully not a sign of things to come for your 2016 Eagles….

As Broad & Pattison Turns Week #8: Eagles at Cowboys

Posted on by

Somewhere in my “wishful thinking” mind, I’m hoping that the Eagles spent their bye weekend at a Halloween party, with Sam Bradford dressed as Tom Brady and his receivers dressed as Odell Beckham.  And then, like a movie where the powers of the costume end up consuming the individual that wears it, they will return from the bye and play “in costume” for the remainder of the season.

Easier said then done I know.  But as you are all aware, Halloween coincided with the Eagles bye week this year, which is ironic considering that the Birds play at times has been nothing but frightening.  But luckily they play in the NFC East, where no team really scares anyone, so the division remains up for grabs.

This week, the Eagles began a stretch where they will play four straight winnable games against teams with losing records (Dallas, Miami, Tampa, and Detroit).  Win all four, and they would sit at 7-4, and most likely at the top of the NFC “Least” standings.  Of course, with this team, anything is possible, and they haven’t done anything to give the impression that they can actually go on an extended winning streak of any sort.

Tonight’s game pits the Birds against the Tony Romo-less Cowboys, who have loss five straight since Eagles linebacker Jordan Hicks pummeled Romo into the ground back in Week #2 at the Linc in a 20-10 Cowboys victory, which happened to be the last time that Dallas actually won a game.

If the Cowboys hadn’t lost Romo due to injury, they could have easily been sitting at 6-1 instead of 2-5, and looking at the rest of the NFC East in their rearview mirror.  Instead, they’re probably lamenting the fact that they did not have a capable backup quarterback to fill Romo’s shoes, the way that the Eagles do with Mark Sanchez.

The Birds problems on offense rest not with their backup, but with their starting quarterback Sam Bradford.  Either Bradford makes bad throws, or his receivers drop good ones, which has been the theme through seven games.

When these two teams met back in September, the Cowboys were also without wide receiver Dez Bryant and defensive end Greg Hardy (due to injury and suspension, respectively).  Hardy is able to play this time around and has the ability to be a terror to the opposing teams’ offense.  Unfortunately for Hardy, he also seems to be quite a terror off the field as well, but that is a story for another time.

This game might end up being a 7-6 snoozer, with Hardy causing havoc on the Eagles offense, and Cowboys quarterback Matt Cassel causing havoc on himself due to his poor play.  Rumor has it that former Phillies ace and current Texas Ranger Cole Hamels may be next in line to play quarterback if Cassel falters.  And why not?  He probably couldn’t do any worse (the Hamels comment is in jest of course).

In reality, I think the scoring improves somewhat and the Eagles win 14-10.  Wake me up when it’s over…

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless noted otherwise):

Packers at Panthers 1:00 PM FOX – Game of the Week

Rams at Vikings 1:00 PM FOX

Raiders at Steelers 1:00 PM CBS

As Broad & Pattison Turns 2015 Week #7: Eagles at Panthers

Posted on by

Through six weeks, the 2015 version of the Philadelphia Eagles can best be described as the equivalent of a bad internet dating experience.

When we first saw Sam Bradford’s “profile pictures” (his initial play in the preseason), there was reason for optimism, but after the third preseason game against Green Bay, expectations of him became heightened and we became enamored with how much of a “perfect fit” he looked to be in this offense.

Unfortunately, once the preseason ended and we saw the “real deal” (Bradford’s play in the regular season), it turns out that all those profile pictures were actually professionally done pictures…pictures that Sam looks nothing like in real life.

Naturally, we shouldn’t expect perfection, nor anything close to it, but Bradford just doesn’t look to be “compatible” in this offense, an observation that surfaced once again last Monday night when the Eagles managed to defeat the Giants in spite of the play of their quarterback.

‘Tis a rarity when your team wins by 20 points over a division opponent and the fans exit the stadium feeling more perturbed than excited, but that’s precisely the feeling that Birds fans had after Monday’s night shellacking of the Giants. Such a wide margin of victory was due to the defense, which was considered a huge question mark before the season began, but has started to jell quite well under defensive coordinator Billy Davis.

Unfortunately, the offense, which was considered to be a strong point of the team in the preseason, has been wholly ineffective at times, and inconsistent at best, mostly due to the play of their quarterback.

On the plus side, the offensive line has started to play better and open more holes for the running game, but Bradford’s three interceptions all but negated any positive vibes the offense was starting to generate.  The general consensus of the fans seems to be that if we had played an opponent like a Green Bay or New England, both teams that the Eagles hoped to emulate before the season began, we would have been the ones to be blown out by 20 or more points.

As the warmth of summer has turned to the chill of fall, the excuse that the quarterback is just “rusty” or is still getting acclimated to this offense will hold less and less water as each week goes by.  It could turn out to be that Bradford is just not compatible for this team.

But even after highlighting the struggles at the quarterback position, the Eagles find themselves at 3-3, which is a pretty good place to be when you were once 0-2 and 1-3.  With what seems to be a weak division and a number of games coming up against less than stellar opponents, the Birds have an opportunity to still make their season interesting by going on a winning streak.

That mission begins this Sunday night, when the Eagles head down to Charlotte to play the Carolina Panthers.  The Panthers are a surprising 5-0, but in this watered down NFL which seeks to reach the pinnacle of parity, they are definitely beatable.  The Panthers first five opponents have a combined record of 10-20 (tied for 3rd worst in the league), and even if you take out the five losses their opponents suffered to Carolina (under the guise that they lost to a superior team), their opponents record is still only 10-15, which translates to a winning percentage of only 40%.

This Panthers team is probably overconfident after a win at Seattle last week, and is definitely due for a loss. The Eagles will face them at just the right time in my opinion, and while it will be a close, low scoring game that will still be in doubt at the start of the 4th quarter, I see the Birds prevailing, 20-14.

Meanwhile, the “courtship” between the Eagles and their quarterback still seems to be in doubt for the long-term.  Only time will tell…

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless noted otherwise):  

Jets at Patriots 1:00 PM CBS – Game of the Week

EAGLES at Panthers 8:30 PM NBC

As Broad & Pattison Turns 2015 Week #6: Eagles vs. Giants

Posted on by

The uneasy feeling that I had while sitting at my seat during last Sunday’s Eagles-Saints game was not due to being out the night before.  No, that uneasy feeling was due to watching one Samuel Jacob Bradford, supposed savior of the Eagles football franchise, try to lead his team into the end zone.

The Eagles offense actually showed signs of life for a change in the first quarter, as Sam led the Eagles on two long drives. He then culminated those drives by throwing two bad interceptions in the end zone.

Both of Sam’s errant throws were the kind that Nick Foles usually makes, but keeping Foles around was not the answer either, as evidenced by Foles throwing four interceptions for the St. Louis Rams on Sunday.

Luckily for Sam, and the rest of the offense, the Birds showed signs of life in the 2nd half and handily defeated the Saints 39-17, with yours truly leaving the game with over eight minutes left.

But while the Eagles temporarily saved their season and sit at 2-3 in the NFC “Least”, how many times can they continue to struggle in the first half?  It’s as if this offense, mentally, is in the parking lot tailgating with the faithful in the 1st quarter and recovering from a headache in the 2nd.

Sam’s two 1st half INT’s would have cost the Birds if they were actually playing against a more formidable opponent, but against the Saints, who’s best days with Drew Brees are behind them, they were able to recover and come back.

After five games, this team is still an enigma.  At times, they have shown flashes of brilliance and can move the ball at will. Other times, this offense looks like it is saddled in traffic on the Schuylkill.

Luckily, if the rule of “what goes around comes around” holds true, it might actually benefit the Eagles this season.

Last year, the Eagles won ten games but still failed to make the playoffs due to both wildcard teams having a record of 11-5.  This season, in the aforementioned “NFC Least”, this team could go 9-7 and make the playoffs as a division winner and possibly win a 1st round game at home.  But while the fans would be happy to see Chip’s first playoff victory, the expectations were much more than a “one and done” scenario.

But perhaps WIP radio’s Ike Reese had it right.  Reese commented that all of the changes the Eagles made before the season would pay off not this season, but in 2016.  Ike’s opinion was that next year, when this team has a full season of playing together, would be the year when this offense truly jells and plays to what it is capable of.

Personally, I’m fine with that if it happens.  Perhaps a winning record and a competitive team in a mediocre division is what our expectations should be for 2015.  Let Sam Bradford work out all the kinks now.  Let this offense take the whole season to realize that the game does actually START in the 1st quarter and not the 3rd.

Perhaps watered down expectations for 2015 is what we should adhere to.  And why not?  We’ve waited 55 years for a championship – what’s another year or two?

This week, the Birds face the Giants in what is a critical contest for supremacy (if you can call it that) in the NFC Least.  The Giants eked out a win against a bad 49ers team at home last week, and are a surprising 3-2 on the young season.  Injuries have hampered both teams, but being a Monday night game, both teams will want to impress under the lights.

Hopefully the Eagles offense will pass on the sausage sandwich and Miller Lite being offered by Gino in Lot K, and actually succeed in scoring some points in the 1st quarter.

Birds win 28-14, and the Eagles have at least a share of the division lead at 3-3.  Welcome to life in the NFC Least…

The Last Word:

Don’t tell anyone, but I was actually rooting for the Mets to beat the Dodgers in the NLDS.  I know, I know…being from Philadelphia I’m supposed to hate all New “Yawk” teams (and the Cowboys as well), but the Mets put together their team the way that I hope the Phillies do within the next few years….with homegrown talent.

The Dodgers, meanwhile, are trying to be the Yankees of the 90’s in my opinion – by buying their way in.

Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins were both major contributors during the Phillies 2007-2011 run, which resulted in one World Series championship and two National League pennants.  But Utley’s slide into 2nd base the other night (or better yet, lack of a slide), was a dirty play, and Rollins is stealing money, just as he did with the Phillies during his last few seasons here.

Neither Utley or Rollins deserve another championship as far as I’m concerned.  There – I said it.

As for the NLCS, I’d like to see the Cubs win if only to rid them of their postseason misery.  And on the AL side, let the Royals success continue…the Jays can wait another year or two…or twenty.

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless noted otherwise):

Bengals at Bills 1:00 PM CBS – Game of the Week

Cardinals at Steelers 1:00 PM FOX

Patriots at Colts 8:30 PM NBC

As Broad & Pattison Turns 2015 Week #5: Eagles vs. Saints

Posted on by

In honor of Halloween, Chip Kelly is planning to produce a horror film entitled “Nightmare on Broad & Pattison”.  And coincidentally, he has all the right characters to make it a success.

For starters, the first thing every horror movie needs is a good victim.  Enter Sam Bradford, who has already starred in Jeff Fisher’s St. Louis classic, “Assault on the Arch”, in which Bradford was the victim of season ending injuries and constant mediocre play around him.  Luckily, Sam does not have to deviate much from character in Chip’s film, since he has to deal with the constant fear of being pummeled by oncoming defensive lineman every time he drops back to pass.

Every good horror movie has some element of monsters, and in this case, the Eagles have a “3-headed Monster” in the form of Murray, Mathews, and Sproles, which is supposed to provide security and support for the beleaguered quarterback. Instead, it remains underutilized, which only intensifies the problems of this offense.

You want ghosts? The ghosts of the 2011 Dream Team linger with the way this team has started, and the nagging fear is that Byron Maxwell has been possessed by Nnamdi Asomugha, who was the Eagles 2011 prized free agent cornerback but ended up being a bust.

Ladies and gentleman, such is the state of your 2015 Philadelphia Eagles one-quarter into the season.  A season that held promise going in is turning into a house of horrors on a weekly basis.

In search of a silver lining, many will point to Chip Kelly’s first season in 2013, when the Eagles started off 1-3, but rebounded to go 9-3 the rest of the way and earn an NFC East title.  But that team was very fortunate during its 9-3 run, as their opponents included a 1) Putrid Oakland Raiders team that went 4-12, 2) A victory over the Green Bay Packers without having to face an injured Aaron Rodgers, and a 3) Win against the Cowboys on the last week of the season to win the division without having to face an injured Tony Romo (and that game was a close affair).

For me, this season is a parallel universe (in sticking with the Halloween theme) of 2012, when the Eagles started off 3-1, winning their first three games by a combined total of four points (the first time in NFL history that has ever happened).

That 2012 team was using “Just for Men” to cover its grays’ and dentures to hide the fact that it had no bite.  But once their flaws were exposed, that team quickly disintegrated, winning only one game the rest of the year en route to a 4-12 record and the eventual firing of Andy Reid after fourteen years as the Eagles head coach.

The 2015 Eagles are a polar opposite (at least record wise) of the 2012 team.  While their record is only 1-3 and they do have problems that need to be addressed, this team could have easily won three of their four games had a few things turned out differently.

Against both the Falcons and the Redskins, the Eagles offense showed up for only two quarters of football, yet both games were very close at the end. What happens if the offense plays well for even 2 1/2 quarters of football instead of just two?

In both of those losses, the Eagles kicking game let them down, missing crucial kicks which might have made the difference between a win and a loss.   Perhaps a healthy Cody Parkey gets them a 3-1 record instead of 1-3?

An inconsistent offense does not a Super Bowl team make, and this team will win nothing if this offense continues to play the way they have through four games.  But a 1-3 record when your team is getting blown out is one thing…this team, even with its deficiencies, could have been 3-1.

The silver lining is that maybe this team corrects its problems and plays a little more consistently on offense. Perhaps new kicker Caleb Sturgis redeems himself and starts to make some kicks that make the difference between victory and defeat?

Is this a possible Super bowl team like we thought before Labor Day?  Absolutely not – but beggars can’t be choosers. Let’s choose to hope for a competitive team that will give us a reason to watch every Sunday.

The Eagles face a crossroads of sorts when they face the Saints at home this Sunday.  This team has rebounded from a 1-3 start in the past to make it to the playoffs, just as they did two years back.  But they have NEVER started the season 1-4 and made the postseason,  a fact that makes this game even more crucial.

Regardless of the outcome, the Eagles offense, more so this Sunday than any other time this season, REALLY needs to get off to a fast start.  If this team can, at the very least, put a field goal on the board on its opening drive, it would give the fans some hope that this offense can actually move the ball BEFORE the halftime pomp and circumstance takes place (a field goal would also give their kicker a much needed boost of confidence).

But start the game with another “three-and-out” and the “wolves” from the stands will understandably be howling with anger, tired of the horror show about to be played out before them once again.

If the Eagles can pull out a win against what is a bad Saints team, there will still be an interest in watching the sequel of the 2015 season.  But lose, and the 2015 season becomes just another bad horror film…

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless noted otherwise):

Patriots at Cowboys 4:25 PM CBS – Game of the Week

Rams at Packers 1:00 PM CBS

Steelers at Chargers 8:30 PM ESPN

As Broad & Pattison Turns 2015 Week #4: Eagles at Redskins

Posted on by

Luckily, the “Eagles apocalypse” that some had predicted for last Sunday did not take place.

Luckily, the only mass that took place was of the papal variety, and not a mass exodus of Birds fans jumping off the bandwagon.

The Eagles came out and gave their fans some inspiration in the 1st half, as they jumped out to a 24-0 lead, which included a highlight reel punt return touchdown by Darren Sproles.  The running game, which was moribund for all sixty minutes of the Dallas game, came to life as well, as the line went back to basics and tried to plow over defenders instead of running stunts that always seemed to leave an open Cowboys defender.

But the offense seemed to go to sleep in the 2nd half, unable to score any points while the Jets came back to make a game of it at 24-17.  And while that fortunately became the final score, it did nothing to give Birds fans confidence that this offense can become what it was intended to be.

But much like a baby who must crawl before he/she can walk, perhaps this team, and its quarterback, must take baby steps in the early going as they adapt to all of the new players who somehow have to fit and adapt to Chip Kelly’s offense.

After four games, we’ve seen exactly four quarters of good football from this offense, which does not make for a good average if you’re keeping stats at home.

Sometimes it’s the play of the line that does not give the running backs holes to run or the quarterback time to pass.  Other times, with time to throw, it’s the wide receivers who are not getting open, which is not a surprise when you consider that the veteran of their top three receivers is Jordan Matthews, who is only in his 2nd year.

But the most disconcerting thing is when the receivers are open but Sam Bradford seems to make a throw that gives them no chance for a catch.

The line and the receivers can improve with time, and the hope is that Bradford will shake off his rust from lack of playing time due to injury the last few years and join them.  But that’s the magic question – is the quarterback just rusty or just not very good?

If it is the latter, then the question of whether Chip the GM is as competent as Chip the coach will be asked time and time again.  If Bradford is not all that he is advertised to be, the Eagles can release him after this year and move on.  But then what?

Nick Foles, while a capable NFL quarterback, is not in the top tier of a Tom Brady or an Aaron Rodgers, which is why the Eagles traded for Sam Bradford in the first place.  But if the Bradford experiment does not work, who can fill that role?  A team has to be either really bad, and be lucky enough to be really bad in a year where there is a stud quarterback in the draft, or you have to take your chance on an injured quarterback who can fill that role when healthy (much like the Saints did with Drew Brees some ten years ago).

The next four games should give us the answer on the QB position.  Half a season in, and the “rust” card is no longer an option.  Let us hope that this offence can put it together with time.

As for this week, while Hurricane Joaquin is no longer in the weather picture for Sunday’s game, “Hurricane Mathews” (as in Eagles running back Ryan Matthews) may pose some problems for the Redskins defense.  Look for Mathews, as opposed to DeMarco Murray, getting the bulk of the carries as the Eagles keep it simple and win, 24-14.

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless noted otherwise):

Texans at Falcons 1:00 PM CBS – Game of the Week

Jets vs. Dolphins 9:30 AM CBS (in London)

Packers at 49ers 4:25 PM FOX

Vikings at Broncos 4:25 PM FOX

As Broad & Pattison Turns 2015 Week #3: Eagles at Jets

Posted on by

While there are many who will be making a pilgrimage to center city Philadelphia this weekend because of their faith, there are also many in the “New Church of thy Chip” congregation who have started to lose faith, hope, and have been overcome by a sense of despair after what took place at the Linc on Sunday afternoon.

And who can blame them?  The Eagles running game amassed a total of seven yards rushing on Sunday, which was surpassed only by a fan who managed to run out onto the field during the 2nd half to offer some “words of encouragement” to the Eagles defense.  Unfortunately, the fifty yards he gained on one carry were nullified due to a disorderly conduct penalty and, most likely, a hefty fine as well.

But placing blame for the lack of offense on the shoulders of Eagles running backs DeMarco Murray, Ryan Mathews, and Darron Sproles would surely be an injustice.  The Eagles could have had Jim Brown, Eric Dickerson, and Barry Sanders on the roster and it wouldn’t have made a bit of difference on Sunday.  No, the lack of offense falls on no one else but the offensive line, which was nothing if not plain offensive.

It seemed like the line was missing blocks on every play, but perhaps that is a byproduct of both of the starting guards from last season, Todd Herremans and Evan Mathis, being released before the 2015 season began.

Mathis was not happy with his contract, but it was a boneheaded move on his part not too show up for the offseason OTA’s (Organized Team Activities), as no one else was going to give him the money that the Eagles were paying him.  But the Eagles would have been better off on Sunday having an unhappy Mathis playing guard than either Allen Barbre or Andrew Gardner.

But the bigger problem is that it wasn’t just the guards that didn’t play well.  The whole offensive line, including tight end Brent Celek and Jason Kelce, two players who are usually very reliable, chose Sunday to have one of the worst games of their careers.

The “New Church of thy Chip” preaches that “culture beats scheme”.  But on Sunday, the Eagles “culture club” looked like they had ‘Boy George” out there playing on the offensive line.  Rumor has it that Boy George wanted to make like a “Karma Chameleon” and disappear without being noticed after that performance.

But while the offensive line was the biggest problem, there was enough blame to go around.  Quarterback Sam Bradford did not have enough time to throw for most of the afternoon, but when he did, he did nothing to make us forget about Nick Foles.  Of course, Foles did not do enough here to make us forget about Michael Vick, and Vick did not do enough to make us forget about Donovan McNabb (you see where I’m going with this).

Bradford’s biggest mistake was the interception he threw in the end zone to Sean Lee, on a pass intended for Zach Ertz that prevented the Eagles from getting back in the game.  Bradford’s claim to fame so far is that he looks like famous actor Keanu Reeves, but Birds fans are still waiting for him and Chip to take us on an “EXCELLENT adventure”. Unfortunately, through two games, this season has been nothing but “BOGUS dude!”

Then there is the defense, which played respectably considering how much time they were on the field.  But the biggest concern is that their prized free agent signing, Bryon Maxwell, may turn out to be this year’s Nnamdi Asomugha.

Asomugha, as you may recall, was the Eagles prized free agent cornerback signing before the 2011 season.  But after his two years here, he was probably best known for being a guy who ate his lunch in his car during practices.

I personally have no clue where Byron Maxwell eats his lunch, but he has been feasted on one too many times by both the Falcons and the Cowboys thus far.

This week, the Eagles are at a crossroads of sorts.  Win against the Jets (which does not seem to be the “gimme” it once was), and it gives the fans a glimmer of hope for at least another week.  Lose, and a football season that once held the promise of a deep playoff run may unfortunately be over before the leaves have fallen off the trees.

Lose, and there will be a plethora of unanswered questions concerning the players, the coaching staff, and the management.  Lose, and basically everything that has taken place over the last three years of the Chip Kelly regime will have to be questioned.

Lose, and one has to wonder if Vince Lombardi has actually put a curse on the Eagles for being the only team ever to defeat his Packers in a championship game (1960), which was ironically, the last time this team has won it all.

Lose, and it will be a long and cold fall and winter, no matter what global warming, El Nino, and El Nina may do.

Surely, the Eagles cannot start 0-3 while the Jets start 3-0, right?  That is only supposed to take place in some parallel universe in the twilight zone that is conjured up by someone with a very sick mind.

Perhaps, to put a positive spin on it, what this team needs is time to jell.  Perhaps it might take even a 1-3 start before this team starts clicking on all cylinders, much like they did in Chip Kelly’s 1st season.

While I have no idea what the score may be, I’m predicting, strictly based on “keeping the faith”, that the Eagles win this Sunday.  Lose, and Lincoln Financial Field will not need any fencing nor security like that which will surround center city this weekend, since the fans probably won’t care to show up to the remaining games…

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless noted otherwise):

Chiefs at Packers 8:30 PM ESPN (Mon) – Game of the Week

Falcons at Cowboys 1:00 PM FOX

49ers at Cardinals 4:05 PM FOX

Bills at Dolphins 4:25 PM CBS

As Broad & Pattison Turns 2015 Week #2: Eagles vs. Cowboys

Posted on by

Perhaps they thought that it would come easy.

Perhaps they, with their fast-paced offense, their interchangeable parts, and their mad scientist like coach, who seems at times like he spends his nights somewhere in the catacombs of the Novacare Complex trying to concoct some magic potion which will create the ideal football player and the ideal scheme, thought that the “not quite ready for primetime” Atlanta Falcons would be in awe.

Perhaps thoughts of enjoying the nightlife of Buckhead or Midtown, or taking in a tour of the Coca-Cola factory while wearing coke bottle glasses (rose colored no less) was on their minds.

But whatever their assumptions may have been proved to be incorrect.  For the first half, the Atlanta Falcons treated the Eagles like a ragdoll, imposing their will freely and moving the ball without much resistance, while the Birds offense moved slower than an Old City carriage ride.

Give the Falcons credit. They came to play with first year head coach, and former Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator, Dan Quinn at the helm.  Even their docile fans, who usually seem more interested in the goings on of their favorite SEC college team, actually got off their hands to make some noise and support the home team.  Atlanta is, after all, an organization who was fined for pumping in crowd noise through the speakers at Falcons games, since the crowd in attendance seems to have better things to do (cheer at an NFL game…what a novel concept).

But with the Eagles down by seventeen at halftime (just as they were in last year’s opener against Jacksonville), they finally woke up to the fact that the 2015 regular season had begun and stormed back to take a 24-23 lead halfway through the 4th quarter.  But penalties that plagued them throughout the game continued to rear their ugly head, and the kicker who was heavily reliable in 2014 suddenly has become very “Clark Kent-ish”, as Cody Parkey sailed a makeable 44-yard field goal wide right.

Even with their bad start, this game was there for the Eagles taking. But another area of concern, one that many thought had been addressed in the off-season, was the play of the secondary.

The Birds signed top free-agent cornerback Byron Maxwell away from Seattle in the offseason to shore up their cornerback play.  But flip the syllables of his first name, and Byron becomes “Ron-by” Maxwell, which is ironically what Atlanta receivers did all game.

Add to that the erratic play of the offensive line, and the defensive line’s inability to garner enough pressure on Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan without blitzing, and you have all the makings of a well deserved loss.

But while there is no such thing in the NFL as a “good” loss, perhaps this is precisely what the Eagles needed.  Perhaps an 0-1 start is the catalyst for the Birds to come out ready to play every week from here on in.  And what better opponent to take their frustrations out on as the Cowboys come to town for the home opener.

Dallas squeaked out a late victory against the Giants on Sunday night after Eli Manning made some boneheaded clock management decisions while attempting to score, not score, run out the clock, etc.  What he was ACTUALLY trying to do is anybody’s guess, but either way, it resulted in a gift win for the ‘Boys, and had all the “Romo-sexuals” (my name for the unofficial Tony Romo fan club) partying in Arlington late into the night.

One would hope that the Eagles are not as generous and hospitable come Sunday at 4:25 PM.  This contest will be the marquee FOX late game, and with roughly 99.2% of the inhabitants of the continental United States able to watch it (as well as those in Alaska and Hawaii), it is a chance for the Birds to show that they are ready for primetime in the 3rd season of the Chip Kelly experiment (not to be confused with the Alan Parsons Project).

The Eagles would do well to get off to a fast start, as anything less would not only bring out the boobirds, but a disturbing, nagging fear that perhaps last year’s 1-3 finish was more than an anomaly.

But as MAD Magazine’s Alfred E. Neuman once said “What…Me Worry?”.  Birds win 38-24, and order is restored in the force…or at least in the Delaware Valley for one more week.

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless noted otherwise):

Seahawks at Packers 8:30 PM NBC – Game of the Week

Broncos at Chiefs 8:25 PM CBS/NFL Network (Thurs)

Patriots at Bills 1:00 PM CBS

Chargers at Bengals 1:00 PM CBS

49ers at Steelers 1:00 PM FOX

Cowboys at EAGLES 4:25 PM FOX

As Broad & Pattison Turns 2015 Week #1: Eagles at Falcons

Posted on by

Last Thanksgiving, just around the time your Uncle Bud was devouring another helping of pumpkin pie, the Eagles were putting the finishing touches on devouring the Dallas Cowboys on the road in “Jerry World”, 33-10.  The win put the Birds at 9-3 on the season, in what looked to be a promising deep run in the playoffs. And then, just like that, it was all over….

The Birds lost their next three games, only to win a meaningless season finale and end the season 10-6, while the Cowboys, whom they had beaten so resoundingly on Thanksgiving, picked themselves up off the mat, came to Philadelphia and exacted revenge against the Birds a few weeks later.  Along with stopping to pickup a cheesesteak “wit” on their way out, the win propelled the Cowboys to an NFC East title, while the Eagles were left in a state of confusion trying to figure out what went wrong.

What did go wrong was that the achilles heel of the team, the secondary, which was held together with some old bandaids and some string, finally came undone and was blatantly exposed during the last quarter of the season.

But a new season brings with it unbridled optimism and hope, and as the Eagles commence their 83rd year of existence, and their 54th straight year without starting the season as defending champions, the anticipation for 2015 is as high as it has ever been for an Eagles team.

This city has always been, first and foremost, a football town, regardless of which teams experienced success or failure during the past year.  But the fact that the other three major teams have decided to partake in a “Great Recession” of sorts when it comes to success in their respective sports, only makes the Eagles a more attractive product as the summer slowly turns to fall.

The Sixers and Flyers of the upcoming season, as well as the Phillies of 2016 will all began their seasons with very little hope of contending for a title.  Meanwhile, the Birds under Chip Kelly, have undergone back-to-back 10-6 seasons, and are the only game in town who has had a winning record over the last year.

But while Chip Kelly’s double digit win total in his first two years is impressive, it has only resulted in one playoff appearance and zero playoff wins.  And last year’s December collapse must have signaled to the former Oregon coach that it was imperative that changes be made.  And did he ever…

Some coaches replace poor performing players by replenishing talent through the draft.  Others who feel that they are close to reaching the Super Bowl will tinker with their roster by adding a few missing pieces through free agency (as Andy Reid did in 2004 when he acquired Terrell Owens and Jevon Kearse).  But Kelly did not just replenish or tinker – he replaced even his CORE players.

Gone is Nick Foles, holder of the NFL best touchdown-interception ratio of all time (27 touchdowns and 2 interceptions from 2013) and LeSean McCoy, who, while lightening fast when in the open field, never met a dance move he didn’t like while waiting in the backfield for a hole to open.  His dancing in the backfield led to 78 rushing plays that resulted in no gain or a loss – just too many for a star running back.

No one expected Foles to replicate his record breaking numbers going forward, but he certainly didn’t come close in 2014, throwing 13 touchdowns but also 10 interceptions, which represent some very pedestrian numbers.

McCoy’s losses in the backfield weren’t the only thing that drove Chip Kelly mad, but also his “me first” persona, which clearly showed itself when McCoy was traded.

First, McCoy seemed to allege that Kelly was racist, then backtracked when he was questioned further on it, in his usual, ‘how dare you question me’ demeanor.  McCoy looked stupid making the comment to began with, considering that Chip has brought in many black players through the draft and free agency, including McCoy’s replacement, DeMarco Murray.

The Birds also replaced their cornerback tandem of Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher by acquiring Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell in free agency and elevating backup Nolan Carroll to starter.  But will it be enough?

While the defensive line still remains a strength of the team, the Birds still don’t have much depth in the secondary or at linebacker, and an injury could leave them vulnerable in these areas.

On the offensive side, at least a healthy Sam Bradford, who was brought over in the Nick Foles trade, does seem like the real deal.  Bradford was outstanding in the Eagles 3rd preseason game, going 10 for 10 and displaying the accuracy that made him an attractive commodity to the Eagles in the first place.

The Eagles will start their season on Monday night this year (just as they did two years ago in Chip Kelly’s inaugural season) down in Atlanta.  The Falcons are coming off a 6-10 season, but with new head coach Dan Quinn, formerly the Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator, they will be looking to make a statement in their dome against a quality opponent.

Atlanta has Matt Ryan at quarterback and the dangerous receiving tandem of Julio Jones and Roddy White, who should give the Eagles new look secondary a good test come Monday night.  The Birds will pull this game out, 40-30, but it won’t be as close as the score might state.

Amit’s Marquee Matchups of the Week (all times in EST and on Sunday unless otherwise noted):

Steelers at Patriots 8:30 PM NBC (Thurs) – Game of the Week

Chiefs at Texans 1:00 PM CBS

Colts at Bills 1:00 PM CBS

Lions at Chargers 4:05 PM FOX

Ravens at Broncos 4:25 PM CBS