With 45 games of suspensions under their belts before their first home game of the regular season, the Philadelphia Flyers are gaining league wide reputation as a team of dirty players. And that reputation is actually very undeserved. But, never the less, it is overshadowing the fact that their offseason transformations are already paying dividends, with a 2-1 start to the season.
Those suspensions are being served by two players. Steve Downie, owner of a 20 gamer, is a rookie who didn't figure to be a big part of the Flyers plans this season. And Jesse Boulerice, owner of a fresh 25 game suspension, is a well traveled player, with a history of goonery. The team should not be held responsible for the acts of two players, who figured to offer next to nothing to the team this season.
The Boulerice incident is completely inexcusable. Using your stick as a weapon, especially a shot to the head like Boulerice's actions, is something that needs to be eliminated from the game. And the fact that he does not offer a whole to a hockey team in terms of skill, there is no reason the Flyers should even put up with his shenanigans. They should give him his walking papers as soon as another body can be found to fill his roster spot.
However, Downie can not be compared to Boulerice; both his actions and as a player. A lot of people want to call him a dirty player, and his hit against Dean McAmmond in the preseason was just another example of that. But that is not fair. Downie is a high draft pick of the Flyers, who has been trying to work his way onto the big league team since being drafted. Hockey is a physical sport, and in order to be successful you have to be aggressive.
Let's get one thing straight: Downie's hit against McAmmond was not clean. But to call it an act of thuggery is inappropriate. And to compare it to Boulerice's attack is even worse. Downie did not use his stick as a weapon, and he didn't even use an elbow. Yes, he left his feet, and it was a little late, but you can't say there was intent to injure. It was a young guy, being aggressive, trying to make the team.
Granted, that is no excuse for Downie; you have to be in control of your body. But, I go back to the term "intent to injure." If you look back on the previous suspensions comparable to Downie's, they all involved a player trying to injure another play; usually with the stick. So it makes perfect sense for Boulerice to be given that level of suspension, and it probably could have been greater. But Downie, I feel, was unfairly made an example of by the league. And it is even worse to characterize these Flyers based on the actions of two guys; especially considering only one of those guys is deserving of that characterization.
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Thursday, October 11, 2007
It'll be a happy homecoming
There is no doubt that the Flyers were one of, if not the most, improved teams in the NHL coming into this season. But what that exactly meant on the ice was something that wouldn't be answered until the first puck drop. Well, the exit polls are in: In their first three games, on a rare West Coast trip to start the season, the Flyers are back. And on Saturday, the fans throughout the Philadelphia area will get to see their real hockey team, and not that impostor they painfully watched last season.
The Flyers return home with a 2-1 record, most recently of which a 8-2 drubbing of the Vancouver Canucks; widely considered one of the top teams in the West. The Flyers bare zero resemblance to last year's squad. That is bound to happen when you dress nine guys who were on different teams one year ago. But they also have a different attitude, and a different style of play. Last year's squad seemed agonizingly slow; in all zones. This year, the Flyers are flying. Whatever they have done so far this season, they have done it at full throttle. As a result, they are scoring more, but they are also keeping the puck out of their net more than last year by putting pressure on whoever has the puck on the opposition; whether that is on the forecheck or behind their own net.
Danny Briere, the Flyers' most prized offseason acquistion, has been as advertised to say the least. He has seven points in his first three games. Other newcomers Lupol and Hartnell are playing well, and Jason Smith and Kimmo Timonen have provided so much stability on the blue line. But it is not just the newcomers. The guys that remain from last year have new life and new energy playing with these new guys. Gagne, Richards, Carter, and Umberger are just a few who are playing like they have rockets up the asses. But most importantly, their is a winning attitude that is settling over this team.
With a 2-1 start, coming home to face a division rival in the Islanders, who also have gotten off to a good start, the Flyers have a chance to truly cement themselves as "back." And they can make their fans really excited about hockey again, seeing as how they started their season during Phillies' playoff baseball on the West Coast; home of those annoying 10:00pm start times. Yes, it is a long season, but we have seen, in the post lockout NHL, how a fast and aggressive team, that believes it can win, can turn a good start into a good season. One thing that is for sure is that they will certainly have the home crowd of a winner.
The Flyers return home with a 2-1 record, most recently of which a 8-2 drubbing of the Vancouver Canucks; widely considered one of the top teams in the West. The Flyers bare zero resemblance to last year's squad. That is bound to happen when you dress nine guys who were on different teams one year ago. But they also have a different attitude, and a different style of play. Last year's squad seemed agonizingly slow; in all zones. This year, the Flyers are flying. Whatever they have done so far this season, they have done it at full throttle. As a result, they are scoring more, but they are also keeping the puck out of their net more than last year by putting pressure on whoever has the puck on the opposition; whether that is on the forecheck or behind their own net.
Danny Briere, the Flyers' most prized offseason acquistion, has been as advertised to say the least. He has seven points in his first three games. Other newcomers Lupol and Hartnell are playing well, and Jason Smith and Kimmo Timonen have provided so much stability on the blue line. But it is not just the newcomers. The guys that remain from last year have new life and new energy playing with these new guys. Gagne, Richards, Carter, and Umberger are just a few who are playing like they have rockets up the asses. But most importantly, their is a winning attitude that is settling over this team.
With a 2-1 start, coming home to face a division rival in the Islanders, who also have gotten off to a good start, the Flyers have a chance to truly cement themselves as "back." And they can make their fans really excited about hockey again, seeing as how they started their season during Phillies' playoff baseball on the West Coast; home of those annoying 10:00pm start times. Yes, it is a long season, but we have seen, in the post lockout NHL, how a fast and aggressive team, that believes it can win, can turn a good start into a good season. One thing that is for sure is that they will certainly have the home crowd of a winner.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
NFC: Can it be any worse?
With one of the AFC's worst teams giving one of the NFC's best teams all it could handle Monday night, it has become clear that the NFC is as bad as any conference has ever been. The Cowboys appear to be clearly the best team in the NFC, but what does that even mean anymore? Now, after this week's New England/Dallas showdown, we will really know how good, or bad, they are, and how good or bad the conference is.
The NFC has been pretty bad for a number of years now. In the last three seasons, there have been three teams make the playoffs with an 8-8 record. But, so far this season, it looks like the National Football Conference has sunk to all time lows.
We'll get back to Dallas a little later, but let's look at the rest of the conference, starting at the bottom. The Saints, just about everyone's favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl this season is staring at a goose egg in the win column. Whatever the reason for their collapse, this team simply looks lost out there. They are only "topped" by the St. Louis Rams, who did the Saints one better in the loss column. With an 0-5 record, the Rams' brass will probably spend the remaining Saturdays this season watching the senior class closely. Not much better, is the Falcons. Although I don't think there are that many people who are surprised by this start.
Minnesota is finding out where not having an NFL caliber QB will take you. The Eagles may be the league's most schizophrenic team this year. The Bears weakness are being exploited after taking advantage of this weak conference the last two seasons. And the Niners seem to have forgotten that they were an up and coming team.
That takes care of the teams with losing records, but it doesn't get much brighter. Seattle, at 3-2, looks like a shadow of the team that went to the Super Bowl just two years ago. The Cardinals are also 3-2, but they were testing out the new quarterback by committee approach before Leinart broke his collarbone. There hands now rest with Mr. Fumble himself, Kurt Warner. Tampa Bay and Carolina are both atop the retched Southern division, but Carolina just signed Vinny Testeverde; so you know what shape they are in. Detroit is a fraud at 3-2, as are the Giants.
Now the "good" teams. Washington is off to a nice 3-1 start, and look to have regained that defensive form that led them to the playoffs two years ago. But I need to see more from this team before I crown them a true threat. Green Bay is 4-1, but they showed they were not ready to be an elite team, but letting the Bears steal a win from them. And we'll see how well they do throwing 70% in December.
Now, back to the 'Boys. Yes, I feel they are definitely the best team in the conference, but what does that really mean. And I will go to the ever popular, "Who have they played" defense. They have beat up on teams with a combined 6-19 record, nearly dropping one to the 0-5 Bills. They Cowboys have their share of weaknesses. Tony Romo, as shown Monday, still has an ability to throw the game away. And defensively, they still have major coverage problems. Only one team has been good enough to expose it; the Giants who put up 35 points in a losing effort. And they are just one injury in that linebacking corps away from losing the pass rush like they did last season. However, I take it all back if they beat the Patriots.
Regardless of the outcome of that showdown this Sunday, the fact remains that we have never seen this much parity, or mediocrity if you prefer, in the NFC. I'm actually a fan of parity, so I'm not saying we should go back to Green Bay/Dallas/San Francisco dynasties. But what we have now is just so many bad teams, and even the good teams, can be beaten anyone at any time.
The NFC has been pretty bad for a number of years now. In the last three seasons, there have been three teams make the playoffs with an 8-8 record. But, so far this season, it looks like the National Football Conference has sunk to all time lows.
We'll get back to Dallas a little later, but let's look at the rest of the conference, starting at the bottom. The Saints, just about everyone's favorite to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl this season is staring at a goose egg in the win column. Whatever the reason for their collapse, this team simply looks lost out there. They are only "topped" by the St. Louis Rams, who did the Saints one better in the loss column. With an 0-5 record, the Rams' brass will probably spend the remaining Saturdays this season watching the senior class closely. Not much better, is the Falcons. Although I don't think there are that many people who are surprised by this start.
Minnesota is finding out where not having an NFL caliber QB will take you. The Eagles may be the league's most schizophrenic team this year. The Bears weakness are being exploited after taking advantage of this weak conference the last two seasons. And the Niners seem to have forgotten that they were an up and coming team.
That takes care of the teams with losing records, but it doesn't get much brighter. Seattle, at 3-2, looks like a shadow of the team that went to the Super Bowl just two years ago. The Cardinals are also 3-2, but they were testing out the new quarterback by committee approach before Leinart broke his collarbone. There hands now rest with Mr. Fumble himself, Kurt Warner. Tampa Bay and Carolina are both atop the retched Southern division, but Carolina just signed Vinny Testeverde; so you know what shape they are in. Detroit is a fraud at 3-2, as are the Giants.
Now the "good" teams. Washington is off to a nice 3-1 start, and look to have regained that defensive form that led them to the playoffs two years ago. But I need to see more from this team before I crown them a true threat. Green Bay is 4-1, but they showed they were not ready to be an elite team, but letting the Bears steal a win from them. And we'll see how well they do throwing 70% in December.
Now, back to the 'Boys. Yes, I feel they are definitely the best team in the conference, but what does that really mean. And I will go to the ever popular, "Who have they played" defense. They have beat up on teams with a combined 6-19 record, nearly dropping one to the 0-5 Bills. They Cowboys have their share of weaknesses. Tony Romo, as shown Monday, still has an ability to throw the game away. And defensively, they still have major coverage problems. Only one team has been good enough to expose it; the Giants who put up 35 points in a losing effort. And they are just one injury in that linebacking corps away from losing the pass rush like they did last season. However, I take it all back if they beat the Patriots.
Regardless of the outcome of that showdown this Sunday, the fact remains that we have never seen this much parity, or mediocrity if you prefer, in the NFC. I'm actually a fan of parity, so I'm not saying we should go back to Green Bay/Dallas/San Francisco dynasties. But what we have now is just so many bad teams, and even the good teams, can be beaten anyone at any time.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
A Historical MVP Debate
No, this is not another Jimmy Rollins vs. Matt Holliday MVP debate. Been there, and done that. And, in case anyone doesn't know, I'm firmly in J-Roll's corner. No disrespect to the season Holliday had, especially considering the systematic dismantling of Rollins' Phillies that he led, but Rollins literally did it all for the Phillies this season; and he did it every day, and he did it all very good. J-Roll captured the hearts of fans all over the Philadelphia area with his bat, glove, and personality. But there was another Phillie who did the same thing. That Phillie was Lenny Dykstra, and it is no coincidence that the last time the Phillies made the playoffs in 1993, Dykstra had a career year. Both were spectacular all year, but if I had to pick one for MVP between the two, I'd have to go with the Dude, Lenny Dykstra.
Jimmy Rollins led a Phillies offense that scored more runs than any other team in the league. They even scored more runs than all but one team in the DH rich American League. He led off most of the year, set the table, scored runs, and more than occasionally knocked in runs. The numbers speak for themselves:
Runs: 139
Hits: 212
2B: 38
3B: 20
HR: 30
RBI: 94
SB: 41
BB: 49
SO: 85
BA: .296
OBP: .344
SLG: .531
Lenny Dykstra was always a very good leadoff man, but in 1993 he put his whole game together, finishing second behind Barry Bonds in MVP voting. He played center field with reckless abandon, earning the nickname Nails, in addition to the Dude, because he was tough as nails. Again, the numbers speak for themselves:
Runs: 143
Hits: 194
2B: 44
3B: 6
HR: 19
RBI: 66
SB: 37
BB: 129
SO: 64
BA: .305
OBP: .420
SLG: .482
So those are the numbers. What Rollins lacked in on-base percentage and batting average, he made up for in power. What Dykstra lacked in power, he made up for by getting on base a lot more than Rollins. So which is more valuable to a team; getting on base or knocking in runs? That debate will go on forever, but this one has to end.
I think it's fair to say that this 2007 rendition of the Phillies team has more talent than that 1993 team. Aside from Dykstra, the only other offensive weapons on that team were Darren Daulton and John Kruk, and to a lesser extent, Dave Hollins. But this current team has Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell, Aaron Rowand, and to a lesser extent, Shane Victorino. If you take Rollins away from this team, they fall well short of where they finished this season. But, if you take Dykstra off of that 1993 team, not only are they not as good, but that offense would have been embarrassing inept.
It really is splitting hairs trying to put one of these guys above the other. To be honest, I don't even know why I tried. I guess the similarities between these two guys who played 14 years apart, are just too intriguing to ignore. Two playoff teams with one common theme: a leadoff man with an all-around game to match anyone in the league, and a persona that captured the admiration of an entire city. Guys like that are near impossible to find, and for that reason, they both are MVPs.
Jimmy Rollins led a Phillies offense that scored more runs than any other team in the league. They even scored more runs than all but one team in the DH rich American League. He led off most of the year, set the table, scored runs, and more than occasionally knocked in runs. The numbers speak for themselves:
Runs: 139
Hits: 212
2B: 38
3B: 20
HR: 30
RBI: 94
SB: 41
BB: 49
SO: 85
BA: .296
OBP: .344
SLG: .531
Lenny Dykstra was always a very good leadoff man, but in 1993 he put his whole game together, finishing second behind Barry Bonds in MVP voting. He played center field with reckless abandon, earning the nickname Nails, in addition to the Dude, because he was tough as nails. Again, the numbers speak for themselves:
Runs: 143
Hits: 194
2B: 44
3B: 6
HR: 19
RBI: 66
SB: 37
BB: 129
SO: 64
BA: .305
OBP: .420
SLG: .482
So those are the numbers. What Rollins lacked in on-base percentage and batting average, he made up for in power. What Dykstra lacked in power, he made up for by getting on base a lot more than Rollins. So which is more valuable to a team; getting on base or knocking in runs? That debate will go on forever, but this one has to end.
I think it's fair to say that this 2007 rendition of the Phillies team has more talent than that 1993 team. Aside from Dykstra, the only other offensive weapons on that team were Darren Daulton and John Kruk, and to a lesser extent, Dave Hollins. But this current team has Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, Pat Burrell, Aaron Rowand, and to a lesser extent, Shane Victorino. If you take Rollins away from this team, they fall well short of where they finished this season. But, if you take Dykstra off of that 1993 team, not only are they not as good, but that offense would have been embarrassing inept.
It really is splitting hairs trying to put one of these guys above the other. To be honest, I don't even know why I tried. I guess the similarities between these two guys who played 14 years apart, are just too intriguing to ignore. Two playoff teams with one common theme: a leadoff man with an all-around game to match anyone in the league, and a persona that captured the admiration of an entire city. Guys like that are near impossible to find, and for that reason, they both are MVPs.
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Magical season comes to Rockie end
They say that all good things must come to an end. Phillies' fans found out over the past week that that is all too true; unless of course your a Colorado Rockies' fan. Late Saturday night, the Rockies finished off their sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies, bringing the Phils' season to a screeching halt. One week ago, we were all celebrating the first division championship, and playoff appearance, in 14 years. Now, we're wondering what, if anything, the Phillies will do to improve this offseason. But, despite the complete 180 in the past week, the Phillies, and their fans, should really be proud of the season they had.
First off, it is quite clear now, that the Phillies simply ran into a buzzsaw, in the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies finished the regular season, and tie breaker game, winning 14 of their last 15 games. They have now won 17 of their last 18, and storm into Arizona, playing perhaps the best baseball in the Majors right now. The Phils finished their regular season on fire, but they ran into the one team that was playing better. The Rockies were simply not going to be stopped, and they deserve all the credit in the world.
No matter how you view the playoff series against Colorado, the Phillies had a historic season. Coming back from 7 games behind the Mets with 17 to go will go down as one of, if not the biggest, comebacks/collapses in baseball history. But it was how they did it, more than what they did.
The Phillies overcame poor pitching and injuries, in addition to the large deficits, all season. With a team ERA over five, and an explosive offensive, the Phillies came from behind to win 48 times this season. That means that in more than half of their wins, they were trailing and one, or more, points. You never wanted to turn off a Phillies game this season; no matter what the score was. That alone is enough to make this season one of the most memorable in the history of this team.
The city of Philadelphia hadn't experienced October baseball in 14 years, and this year was just the second time in 24 years that the Phillies were in the postseason. So it's natural to want to the team to go far, and to get there fast, because in this city, you never know when you will get there again. But the core of this team is young and talented, so there is no reason to expect that this team won't be in the running for more division titles in the years to come. So, I can honestly say that I am not that upset at the quick exit of my team from October. In my opinion, we got beat by the best, and perhaps more importantly, there is plenty of hope for the future.
First off, it is quite clear now, that the Phillies simply ran into a buzzsaw, in the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies finished the regular season, and tie breaker game, winning 14 of their last 15 games. They have now won 17 of their last 18, and storm into Arizona, playing perhaps the best baseball in the Majors right now. The Phils finished their regular season on fire, but they ran into the one team that was playing better. The Rockies were simply not going to be stopped, and they deserve all the credit in the world.
No matter how you view the playoff series against Colorado, the Phillies had a historic season. Coming back from 7 games behind the Mets with 17 to go will go down as one of, if not the biggest, comebacks/collapses in baseball history. But it was how they did it, more than what they did.
The Phillies overcame poor pitching and injuries, in addition to the large deficits, all season. With a team ERA over five, and an explosive offensive, the Phillies came from behind to win 48 times this season. That means that in more than half of their wins, they were trailing and one, or more, points. You never wanted to turn off a Phillies game this season; no matter what the score was. That alone is enough to make this season one of the most memorable in the history of this team.
The city of Philadelphia hadn't experienced October baseball in 14 years, and this year was just the second time in 24 years that the Phillies were in the postseason. So it's natural to want to the team to go far, and to get there fast, because in this city, you never know when you will get there again. But the core of this team is young and talented, so there is no reason to expect that this team won't be in the running for more division titles in the years to come. So, I can honestly say that I am not that upset at the quick exit of my team from October. In my opinion, we got beat by the best, and perhaps more importantly, there is plenty of hope for the future.
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Why Jimmy Rollins is the MVP
The National League seems to be having one of its best seasons ever. The playoffs races were incredible, and the MVP debate is one of the more interesting topics in baseball in a while. Prince Fielder, David Wright, Ryan Howard, Chase Utley, Matt Holliday, and Jimmy Rollins have all been thrown into the conversation. But it really comes down to those last two players. Both Holliday and Rollins have had seasons for the ages, but only one can win. Before each of their respective teams made their final pushes toward the playoffs, it was thought that whoever was most successful in leading their team there, would win MVP. But both players will be facing each other in the opening round of the postseason. With all respect to Matt Holliday, no one has helped their team in more ways than Jimmy Rollins.
Matt Holliday's numbers speak for them self. He led the league with a .340 batting average while driving in a league best 137 RBI. He hit 36 homeruns, and scored 120 runs. Of his 216 hits, 92 were for extra bases (including the 36 homers plus 50 doubles). And to top it off, his slugging percentage of .618 also led the league. It was a great season, and probably an MVP season if it wasn't for Jimmy Rollins' season.
Jimmy Rollins had a record breaking year. He was just the fourth person in the history of the Majors to hit at least 20 homeruns, doubles, triples, and steal 20 bases in the same season. He also set the MLB record for at bats with 716. Overall Rollins hit .296 with 30 HR and 94 RBI. Now obviously a shortstop is not going to have the power numbers of a left fielder, but Rollins more than made up for it. He led the league in runs scored with 139, which after all, is the main job of a leadoff man. And he had 38 doubles, 20 triples, and 41 steals.
If it was just a numbers game, then Holliday would probably take the award. But Rollins does so much more than swing the bat. I already mentioned the steals, but that not the only aspect of the game in which his legs helped his team. Rollins is one of, if the best shortstops in all of baseball. He saved countless hits with his amazing range at the game's most important position (outside of pitcher and catcher). He has a rocket for an arm, and he rarely is off target with it. And Rollins did all of this - the hitting, stealing, and fielding - every single game of the year. Besides Jeff Fancouer of the Braves, Rollins was the only player in the league to start all 162 games.
Day in and day out, Rollins was there for his team. Whether the team needed him to set the table by getting on base and stealing bags, or knock in runs when the bottom of the order got on base, or save a run by turning a hit into an out or infield single, Rollins was there. Throughout a season when every other high profile player spent significant time injured, Rollins was the only constant. And, perhaps most importantly, Rollins gave this team an attitude. Before Spring training, he declared the Phillies the team to beat in the East. He backed it up all year, and the rest of his team followed suit until they eventually proved him right on the final day of the season. Not to take anything away from what Matt Holiday has done, but Jimmy Rollins was more valuable to his team this season than any other player in the league.
Matt Holliday's numbers speak for them self. He led the league with a .340 batting average while driving in a league best 137 RBI. He hit 36 homeruns, and scored 120 runs. Of his 216 hits, 92 were for extra bases (including the 36 homers plus 50 doubles). And to top it off, his slugging percentage of .618 also led the league. It was a great season, and probably an MVP season if it wasn't for Jimmy Rollins' season.
Jimmy Rollins had a record breaking year. He was just the fourth person in the history of the Majors to hit at least 20 homeruns, doubles, triples, and steal 20 bases in the same season. He also set the MLB record for at bats with 716. Overall Rollins hit .296 with 30 HR and 94 RBI. Now obviously a shortstop is not going to have the power numbers of a left fielder, but Rollins more than made up for it. He led the league in runs scored with 139, which after all, is the main job of a leadoff man. And he had 38 doubles, 20 triples, and 41 steals.
If it was just a numbers game, then Holliday would probably take the award. But Rollins does so much more than swing the bat. I already mentioned the steals, but that not the only aspect of the game in which his legs helped his team. Rollins is one of, if the best shortstops in all of baseball. He saved countless hits with his amazing range at the game's most important position (outside of pitcher and catcher). He has a rocket for an arm, and he rarely is off target with it. And Rollins did all of this - the hitting, stealing, and fielding - every single game of the year. Besides Jeff Fancouer of the Braves, Rollins was the only player in the league to start all 162 games.
Day in and day out, Rollins was there for his team. Whether the team needed him to set the table by getting on base and stealing bags, or knock in runs when the bottom of the order got on base, or save a run by turning a hit into an out or infield single, Rollins was there. Throughout a season when every other high profile player spent significant time injured, Rollins was the only constant. And, perhaps most importantly, Rollins gave this team an attitude. Before Spring training, he declared the Phillies the team to beat in the East. He backed it up all year, and the rest of his team followed suit until they eventually proved him right on the final day of the season. Not to take anything away from what Matt Holiday has done, but Jimmy Rollins was more valuable to his team this season than any other player in the league.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Eagles' 1st Quarter Report Card
With four games in the books, it's time to send the Eagles' report card home to their parents. And I don't think the Birds will be getting their allowance.
Quarterback: C
This was the big question mark coming into the season. Was Donovan McNabb healthy? I pronounced numerous times that he was, and this position was the least of the Eagles' worries. I was wrong. McNabb was simply off during the first two losses of the season to the Packers and Redskins. It's hard to pin the Green Bay loss on him, because of the special teams errors, but if he put forth a good performance the Birds could have won in spite of those miscues. However, the Redskins game can be put on five's shoulders. McNabb took off the knee brace for week three, and quite literally played perfectly in a 56-21 drubbing of the Lions. And week four was a 16-3 loss to the Giants, where McNabb's numbers are ugly, but it's hard to blame a QB when he gets sacked 12 times.
Running Back: A
The lone bright spot on the offense. Before missing game four due to injury, Brian Westbrook led the NFL in yards from scrimmage. He was arguably running better than any back in the league, and he accounted for about half of the team's offense. And even when he missed game four, Correll Buckhalter stepped in and ran very well. If only the Eagles would put the ball in these guys' hands more often; but we'll get to that more later.
Wide Receiver: D-
Kevin Curtis' big game against the Lions is all that is keeping this grade from being an F. Aside from that, the receiving corps has been dreadful. Through four games this season, the blueprint has been developed on how to defend this offense. It turns out it is pretty simple actually. It is press coverage. Three teams have done that to the Eagles receivers, and they have held the offense to 28 points, and just one touchdown. The one team that played a soft zone, the Lions, only yielded the endzone to the Eagles' offense eight times. Reggie Brown, who seemed poised to break out in this, his third, season, has been invisible. Jason Avant has actually been a nice number three guy though. Go figure, he is a big athletic guy who can beat press coverage.
Tight Ends: F
L.J. Smith has been hurt and missed two games, and might as well have missed the other two. The other two tight ends have done next to nothing as well. And they can't block either. It's been a wasted position for the Eagles.
Offensive Line: D
It's not so much that this unit has played bad, aside from the game against the Giants, where they gave up about four dozen sacks, but rather they've played well below expectations. This was supposed to be the Eagles' strength. They started every game together last season, and the first three games this season, and they paved the way for the number two ranked offense in the league last season. But this year, they haven't been nearly as good. Obviously the game against New York was horrible, but even when they haven't given up lots of sacks, they haven't been able to give McNabb a nice pocket. And they haven't been able to give the receivers enough time to shake the jam.
Defensive Line: B+
Another won of the few bright spots; especially after their poor showing for most of last year. The tackles have been very solid, if not very good, in stuffing the run and getting pressure up the middle. Broderick Bunkley worked very hard in the offseason to improve upon his forgettable rookie season, and it has paid off big time. The ends are getting relatively good pressure, but they are not getting quite enough pressure on third down passing situations leading to first downs.
Linebackers: B
A huge question mark going into the season, the linebacking corps has been perfectly adequate. Takeo Spikes appears to be fully recovered from the Achilles' injury he suffered in 2005. Omar Gaither appears to not be too small to stop the run at middle linebacker, and he provides much more range than the departed Jeremiah Trotter. And Chris Gocong, the second year player who never made a start at SAM before this season, doesn't appear lost. They need to do a better job on third an medium though.
Defensive Backs: B-
It's been hard to judge this group, with them missing two Pro Bowlers in Brian Dawkins and Lito Sheppard, for two and three games respectively. But, as a healthy unit, they held Brett Favre and the Packers to no touchdowns. And as a banged up unit, they did enough against a potent Lions attack, and held Eli Manning in check for the most part. They also need to do a better job on third down. It would nice if they created a few turnovers as well.
Special Teams: F-
They already lost the team a game, and that is good enough for a C- right there. They still don't really have a kick or punt returner that will scare anyone. And their kick coverage has been average at best. David Akers has been better than last year so far, but the punting situation is different. The Eagles took a risk on Australian Rules punter Sav Rocca because they loved the upside of his cannon of a leg. However, the big boomers have been few and far between. And it's not like he hasn't had plenty of opportunities either.
Coaching: F
It started in the first game, when the inability to have a backup plan to Jeremy Bloom came back to bite them. The coaching staff has refused to alter the game plan when McNabb was clearly struggling. And Andy Reid did nothing to help out Winston Justice, who was making his first start at left tackle, when the line was getting thrashed by the Giants pass rush. As a matter of fact, he didn't do anything to slow down the rush...like running. But most importantly, they lost three out of four games.
So, it's the Eagles' bye week. Maybe this report card means they should be grounded for their week off?
Quarterback: C
This was the big question mark coming into the season. Was Donovan McNabb healthy? I pronounced numerous times that he was, and this position was the least of the Eagles' worries. I was wrong. McNabb was simply off during the first two losses of the season to the Packers and Redskins. It's hard to pin the Green Bay loss on him, because of the special teams errors, but if he put forth a good performance the Birds could have won in spite of those miscues. However, the Redskins game can be put on five's shoulders. McNabb took off the knee brace for week three, and quite literally played perfectly in a 56-21 drubbing of the Lions. And week four was a 16-3 loss to the Giants, where McNabb's numbers are ugly, but it's hard to blame a QB when he gets sacked 12 times.
Running Back: A
The lone bright spot on the offense. Before missing game four due to injury, Brian Westbrook led the NFL in yards from scrimmage. He was arguably running better than any back in the league, and he accounted for about half of the team's offense. And even when he missed game four, Correll Buckhalter stepped in and ran very well. If only the Eagles would put the ball in these guys' hands more often; but we'll get to that more later.
Wide Receiver: D-
Kevin Curtis' big game against the Lions is all that is keeping this grade from being an F. Aside from that, the receiving corps has been dreadful. Through four games this season, the blueprint has been developed on how to defend this offense. It turns out it is pretty simple actually. It is press coverage. Three teams have done that to the Eagles receivers, and they have held the offense to 28 points, and just one touchdown. The one team that played a soft zone, the Lions, only yielded the endzone to the Eagles' offense eight times. Reggie Brown, who seemed poised to break out in this, his third, season, has been invisible. Jason Avant has actually been a nice number three guy though. Go figure, he is a big athletic guy who can beat press coverage.
Tight Ends: F
L.J. Smith has been hurt and missed two games, and might as well have missed the other two. The other two tight ends have done next to nothing as well. And they can't block either. It's been a wasted position for the Eagles.
Offensive Line: D
It's not so much that this unit has played bad, aside from the game against the Giants, where they gave up about four dozen sacks, but rather they've played well below expectations. This was supposed to be the Eagles' strength. They started every game together last season, and the first three games this season, and they paved the way for the number two ranked offense in the league last season. But this year, they haven't been nearly as good. Obviously the game against New York was horrible, but even when they haven't given up lots of sacks, they haven't been able to give McNabb a nice pocket. And they haven't been able to give the receivers enough time to shake the jam.
Defensive Line: B+
Another won of the few bright spots; especially after their poor showing for most of last year. The tackles have been very solid, if not very good, in stuffing the run and getting pressure up the middle. Broderick Bunkley worked very hard in the offseason to improve upon his forgettable rookie season, and it has paid off big time. The ends are getting relatively good pressure, but they are not getting quite enough pressure on third down passing situations leading to first downs.
Linebackers: B
A huge question mark going into the season, the linebacking corps has been perfectly adequate. Takeo Spikes appears to be fully recovered from the Achilles' injury he suffered in 2005. Omar Gaither appears to not be too small to stop the run at middle linebacker, and he provides much more range than the departed Jeremiah Trotter. And Chris Gocong, the second year player who never made a start at SAM before this season, doesn't appear lost. They need to do a better job on third an medium though.
Defensive Backs: B-
It's been hard to judge this group, with them missing two Pro Bowlers in Brian Dawkins and Lito Sheppard, for two and three games respectively. But, as a healthy unit, they held Brett Favre and the Packers to no touchdowns. And as a banged up unit, they did enough against a potent Lions attack, and held Eli Manning in check for the most part. They also need to do a better job on third down. It would nice if they created a few turnovers as well.
Special Teams: F-
They already lost the team a game, and that is good enough for a C- right there. They still don't really have a kick or punt returner that will scare anyone. And their kick coverage has been average at best. David Akers has been better than last year so far, but the punting situation is different. The Eagles took a risk on Australian Rules punter Sav Rocca because they loved the upside of his cannon of a leg. However, the big boomers have been few and far between. And it's not like he hasn't had plenty of opportunities either.
Coaching: F
It started in the first game, when the inability to have a backup plan to Jeremy Bloom came back to bite them. The coaching staff has refused to alter the game plan when McNabb was clearly struggling. And Andy Reid did nothing to help out Winston Justice, who was making his first start at left tackle, when the line was getting thrashed by the Giants pass rush. As a matter of fact, he didn't do anything to slow down the rush...like running. But most importantly, they lost three out of four games.
So, it's the Eagles' bye week. Maybe this report card means they should be grounded for their week off?
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