Bummer in the Bayou
I felt the Eagles-Saints matchup last week was more of a "trap" game then a "letdown" game. After defeating the Dallas Cowboys in a game that grabbed Super Bowl-like attention the Birds would have to be on their game 2 weeks in a row as they faced a new and definitely improved New Orleans Saints team. The Saints are leading the NFC South, and for good reason, they have a legitimate NFL quarterback in Drew Brees, Reggie Bush and Deuce McCallister provide outside the tackle speed as well as power up the middle in the running game. Their defense can be tricked as you saw on Sunday but for the most part they play hard and get after you. Sean Payton is a fresh-faced head coach who has yet to be figured out. Most importantly, the Saints are the sentimental favorites of the league as they return to a post-Katrina New Orleans. This is a focused and united team playing for a city and a region. Pushovers no longer, the Eagles found themselves in a dogfight instead of a cakewalk. Give credit to the Saints they did come back late in the game but everything the Eagles are feeling this week was self-inflicted. No unit in football requires more focus than special teams; this unit can change the complexion of a game and break the spirit of the opposition. Sunday lack of focus possibly cost the Eagles the game when late in the first half Ryan Moats backed into return man Dexter Wynn causing a muffed punt deep in Eagle territory leading to a Saints touchdown late in the first half giving them a 17-3 lead. Head coach Andy Reid argued that Moats was blocked into Wynn. At any rate, Moats should have held his block and known where he was in relation to Wynn. I like Michael Lewis as a person and as a player, but he has slowly become a liability in the Eagles pass defense. Opposing quarterbacks from David Carr to Drew Brees have gone deep at some point or another finding Lewis out of position to help over the top. He is not the primary culprit in the Eagles having the 27th rated pass defense, but his fingerprints are on several deep passing plays this season. Insert second year safety Sean Considine who has been playing in the dime package and has held his own. In yesterday's press conference, Reid acknowledged that Lewis and Considine would platoon the strong safety position. Lewis would be in for running situations with Considine subbing in for passing situations. The only thing we can hope for is a fire lighting under Lewis, who was a pro bowler two seasons ago and that he can regain his confidence that has taken a major blow. As for Considine who I've watched closely since the pre-season, I hope the playing time he's being given pays some long term game dividends. He's earned a place in the defense we just didn't expect it to be at Lewis' expense. I thought time management was a subject we would not have to touch this season because the Eagles had done such a decent job of doing so, until it cost them a chance at winning the game Sunday. Reid says he has to do a better job at managing the clock but he's been saying that since he showed up 8 seasons ago. Taking a timeout after a sack is useless, if his first 10-15 plays are scripted and you're mixing it up after that, Reid & Co. should not be burning a time out until well into the second quarter. I'm almost resolved to taking a delay of game penalty in the first and third quarters just to hold onto the timeout. If there was a timeout available late in the game Sunday maybe rookie linebacker Omar Gaither gets off the field before the fatal 12-man on the field penalty is called and we're not having this discussion. Nevertheless, Andy continues to buck common sense at times and says that he will continue to call timeouts when the play clock is running down, Donovan McNabb agrees. The argument here is why continue to push yourself back by taking 5 yard penalties constantly. That's why the timeout is there. No. How about getting to the line of scrimmage with a sense of urgency and getting the play into McNabb on time. Better yet, send him in with three plays to call, similar to what the Indianapolis Colts do with Peyton Manning. McNabb has the liberty to call his own plays, which makes this all even more baffling. No need in crying over spilled Mint Juleps, the Birds are 4-2, with a Tampa Bay Buccaneer squad on life support and the suddenly not so scary Jacksonville Jaguars up. The Eagles have two winnable road games before the bye week, finishing at the midway point 6-2 or even 5-3 is more than any of us could've expected. Looking at the way things are panning out around the league this season, that December from hell isn't looking too bad. For more Philadelphia Eagles news visit http://www.phillysportsline.com/eagles/index.php
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