I'll have my coffee strong...like the Eagles defense on Sunday.

The story of Sunday’s game was the fact that the Eagles defense finally showed up, playing 4 quarters of good football. It wasn’t only a strong performance by the players, but also by the coaching staff, who put together some inventive and effective packages in their game plan. Have things finally clicked for Juan Castillo and co.?

Today’s Morning Muse takes a look at some of the excellent articles around these here interwebs that try to pinpoint why the defense had such success against the Dolphins.

Sheil Kapidia re-watched the game and broke down the performance of each and every Bird on defense. He offers no excuses for Nnamdi Asomugha and found that Casey Matthews “had some issues,” but has high praise for almost everyone else – Moving the Chains

Speaking of the Matthews boy…Jonathan Tamiri evaluates his return to the field. He did get a sack, but overall found his performance to be mixed – philly.com

An excellent breakdown of the Eagles play on both sides of the ball. The findings on defense?

[Castillo] had an aggressive and creative game plan against the Dolphins. Mixed up his coverages, attacked the Dolphins with a variety of blitzes, moved his front four around, occasionally lined up with just two players with their hand on the ground.

The result: they sacked Dolphins quarterbacks Matt Moore and JP Losman nine times, allowed a season-low 11 first downs and 204 yards and held an opponent under 14 points for just the fifth time this season.

Photo via philly.com

I haven’t picked apart Juan Castillo for his pointless press conference performances, as I’ve been more concerned about the fact that he has no idea how to do his job. But his interviews do nothing to dispel the notion that he knows little about his job as defensive coordinator.

Castillo has certainly learned from Andy Reid how to interact with the press, fond of saying the empty phrase “we have to do a better job,” just like his boss. Um, do a better job at what, Juan? That whole playing defense thing? Tackling and such?

Here are some samples of how well Castillo demonstrates his aptitude (cough, cough) at his job at his presser on Thursday.

On why the defense was not ready for RB Marshawn Lynch:

“They had a couple of good runs that they made. You know what, he ran the ball well, and I’ve got to do a better job preparing our guys.”

On the defense seeming to have taken a step back over the last two games:

“We felt pretty good after the Giants, and you see that the Giants have a pretty good offensive ballclub, they scored 35 points on the Packers, you know, so we felt pretty good coming in against a New England team. We didn’t play as well as we needed to, and likewise with Seattle. What we’re hoping for is, it’s all about preparation, getting the guys prepared, and we can do a better job and win the game against Miami.”

One more question for you, Juan. You seem quite fond of the notion of preparation. You’ve had damned near an entire season. At what point do you expect everyone to be fully prepared?

Castillo’s most articulate comment came when asked about his job security and the report that came out this week that Andy Reid could keep his job on the condition that he fire Castillo:

“My job is to prepare for Miami. I feel like we have a good plan, and that is really the thing that I worry about. Our guys work hard, we want to win the game, we want to beat the Dolphins. We’re still in it. They’re letting us stay in this thing, and work hard to get better today. We worked hard, we had a good practice today. Today’s nickel. We have a good plan. Again, we talk about how important practice is, and preparation, go through this and then we’ll beat the Dolphins, and then we’ll worry about the next week. Really, that’s the most important thing right now for me.”

You have to wonder how this will all play out, and if Castillo will be allowed to finish off the season. It seems outrageous to allow it, but at the same time the defense is so bad does it really matter at this point? There’s no time for another DC to make any significant impact. » Continue reading “Say What? Juan Castillo Speaks to the Eagles Woes on Defense”

Photo via D. Hallowell, Philadelphia Eagles

I would like my Monday night back.

The Bears continued to surge while the Eagles crashed and burned.

The better team last night won. Angry at the Bears? That feeling would better be directed at the Eagles. Perhaps this is our fate this season. Many lows, and too few highs. The inconsistency is difficult to comprehend. How is it possible to be so good in back to back games and then apparently forget everything you’ve done right?

Jason Avant has nothing to worry about. Any bandwagon fans who jumped on he Eagles wave after their resounding defeat of Dallas last week have jumped the hell back off.

The Eagles did what we have seen them do far too many times this season. They played sloppy, mistake-ridden, unfocused football. The Eagles now have a 3-5 record to show for it.

3-5. The Philadelphia Eagles. Forget the horrid “Dream Team” stuff. This record is inexplicable for ANY Eagles squad. » Continue reading “Eagles Disappointment in Monday Night Loss”

2 -1

2 - 1

49ers at Eagles
1:00 PM
TV – FOX
Radio – 94WIP

Yes, it’s only Week 4. But I’m not sure that any of us expected the Eaglesto be at 1-2, coming off of 2 consecutive losses–and 2 consectutive games that saw Mike Vick leave the field early due to injury.

I‘m not sure that defeating the 49ers will prove much to quell the concerns of the Eagles fanbase, but it’s a mandatory hurdle.

I’ve heard people characterize this game as a “must-win” for the Birds. It’s not exactly that. As characterized by the Inky’s Jonathan Tamiri,

“There are no “must win” games in Week 4. But whatever you call the next notch down, that’s what Sunday’s game is for the Eagles.”

The Eagles haven’t lost 3 games in a row since 2007. No need to change that fact now.

The 49ers are ranked dead last in the league in total offense, with a mere 213.7 yards total thus far this season. This, in theory, means that the Eagles defense should get a bit of a break, i.e. they should finally be able to show that they can stop something. But this reality does not mean that Philadelphia’s D can relax–far from it. They need to show that the defense can make something happen. Because if they can’t versus San Francisco, it’s going to be a very long, very ugly season.

What to Watch for This Game

-Vick’s hand. The glove for Vick’s non-throwing hand, the one that was injured during last week’s game against the Giants, will be protected with 3 mm of Kevlar. Will he have any difficulty holding on to and controlling the ball? Will his healing injury cause the team to call more running versus passing plays?

-Maclin’s hamstring. Jeremy Maclin injured his hamstring during last week’s home opener and did not practice at the beginning of the week. However, Coach Andy Reid and QB Mike Vick say that Maclin looked good upon his return to the practice field, and Maclin says he is feeling fine. Let’s see if there are any lingering effects from his hamstring injury.

-The defense. There is no more time for excuses. The initial shuffle of linebackers did not work. Matthews is out, Rolle is in. The safeties need to step it up. Out trifecta of corners need to show something special. Pretty much the entire Eagles defense is on notice.

-Threat: Vernon Davis. San Francisco TE Davis is going to be the biggest threat on the 49ers offense for the Eagles. He has 179 yards receiving, averaging 11.9 yards per catch. Davis’ size–6’3, 250 lbs–will also present a challenge for the Birds.

Injuries -
Eagles:
OUT – CB Brandon Hughes (hamstring); DE Juqua Parker (ankle)
Doubtful – DE Darryl Tapp (pectoral)

49ers:
OUT – WR Braylon Edwards (knee); RB Moran Norris (fibula)
Questionable – RB Frank Gore (ankle); S Donte Whitner (hip)
Let’s do this, Eagles.

Want more Philly Sports Muse? You can find me on Twitter at @sports_muse and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/phillysportmuse.

Image via hard2knockshoppe.blogspot.com

It’s not the official word from the team, but it is the gospel according to Mike Vick. If he is standing and breathing, he will be under center for the Eagles against the 49ers on Sunday.

But even if there is not official word, the signs are looking good for Vick. In practice on Wednesday he took all snaps from the first team, a sign that the swelling in Vick’s hand has gone down substantially.

Said Vick,

“I’m playing this week, regardless. Even if it was broke, I think I would have probably padded it up and went back out there. You got to take precaution, but this is what I love to do.”

A passionate Vick went on to say that he’s sick of injuries and leaving the field early in two consecutive weeks. He’s playing all of Sunday.

“They’ll have to cart me off the field. I’m tired of letting my guys down.”

In his press conference on Wednesday, Andy Reid was much more cautious in his remarks about Vick’s status for Sunday.

“I’ve just got to see how he does here. I’m going to watch him and see how he can function with this thing and then we’ll see if he continues to progress then he’ll have an opportunity to play.”

Wednesday’s Injury Report

Limited Participation: DE Darryl Tapp (pectoral)

Did Not Practice: CB Brandon Hughes (hamstring), WR Jeremy Maclin (hamstring), DE Juqua Parker (ankle) » Continue reading “Mike Vike:”100% Chance” He’s Playing on Sunday; Casey Matthews Benched”

The Eagles’ final preseason game and was surprisingly fun to watch, with a few key players showing why they are destined to make the team’s final roster. The Birds bested the New York Jets 24-14.

Hmm, that score seems familiar: 3 of the 4 preseason games this year have involved that same score: In week 2, the Eagles lost 24-14 to the Steelers, and last week they beat the Browns by 24-14.

Chief among them? Mr. Dion Lewis. I’m going to go out on a limb here and predict that the rookie from Pitt will be making Philadelphia’s final roster. He proved that size indeed does not matter: Standing at only 5’8, he looks like a child on the field compared to the rest of his teammates.  Perhaps that’s what drives him to prove that he belongs on the field.

Whatever the reasons, they are working for Lewis, who accounted for 100 yards of total offense in the first half of the game. He rushed 15 times for 63 yards and 1 touchdown, and caught 3 passes for 38 yards.

Lewis has led the Eagles in preseason rushing with 148 yards. He has averaged 4.1 yards per carry and added 102 receiving yards on 6 catches.

The rookie is taking it all in stride.

“I’m just going out there playing football like I always have, looking to make plays. I had some chances out there and felt good. The offensive line gave me some holes and I just followed their lead.

“It’s been a good preseason for me. I’m learning every day. It is a fast-paced offense and I like that.”

See him speaking about his big night here.

One of the most important purposes of last night’s game was to see how Vince Young would perform in his last test as backup before the regular season. Thankfully, he showed that he is what the team hoped he could be as Mike Vick’s backup. Young was 15/23 for 193 yards and 1 TD, for a QB rating of 105.9. » Continue reading “Big Night for Dion Lewis As Eagles Win 24-14 over Jets”

Photo courtesy of The Ohio State Athletic Department

It’s not surprising that the mess going down at The Ohio State University regarding recently resigned head coach Jim Tressel is having an impact on teams in the NFL. In fact, CSN Philly notes that under Tressel, 62 Ohio State players were drafted into the NFL.

New Eagles player linebacker Brian Rolle, the 193rd overall pick in April’s NFL draft , says that he was offered a car by a booster while at OSU.

In an interview with ESPN radio, Rolle said

“Somebody actually offered me a car and I said no. I actually bought a 2002 VW Jetta in ’09, and someone offered to give me another car, a better car, and cheaper, but me being the type of a person I am I said no to it because I wasn’t raised to do something like that.”

Rolle went on to say that he didn’t give in to temptation because of his morals and, ironically, values that Tressel helped instill in him.

A link to the full interview is available here.

A number of reports have surfaced about the purchase of new cars for OSU quarterback Terrelle Pryor and a formal inquiry has been launched by the NCAA. He and 4 of his teammates are suspended for the 1st 5 games of the 2011 season regarding the exchange of memorabilia for money and tattoos.

It is not known at this time if Pryor or his teammates will try to enter July’s supplemental draft, which will take place even if the lockout is still in effect.

The Birds had a total of 11 picks in the 2011 NFL draft. Did they use them wisely? Here’s a rundown of the new acquisitions of the Philadelphia Eagles from the 2011 NFL Draft:

Pick No. (Overall), Player & Position:

(23) Danny Watkins – OG
(54) Jaiquawn Jarrett – S
(90) Curtis Marsh – CB
(116) Casey Matthews – ILB
(120) Alex Henery – P/K
(159) Dion Lewis – RB
(161) Julian Vandervelde -OG
(191) Jason Kelce – OC
(237) Greg Lloyd – ILB
(240) Stanley Havili – FB

Going into the draft, the Eagles biggest needs were to strengthen a shaky offensive line; find a starting caliber corner to replace the injured and unlikely to return Ellis Hobbs and find a complement to Asante Samuel; and get a lot of help in defense, whose red zone performance in 2010 was woeful.

Andy Reid and the Eagles front office seemed to, as always,  march to the beat of their own drummer with making their picks this year. They were okay, but were there any slam dunks? At this point, it doesn’t seem so. The Watkins and Jarrett picks are strong, but the biggest question from the Eagles top three selections is with Curtis Marsh. The Eagles need a corner who can step up and answer the call to be a starter next season. Corner was the biggest need for the Birds this draft. Therefore, a pick whose style is described as “raw” and who “displays a poor sense of timing” is more than a little bit troubling. » Continue reading “Rating the Eagles’ Draft Performance”

After the euphoria of being drafted into the NFL has gone and camera crews have left their homes, reality will soon set in for the most recent additions to the National Football League. The 2011 rookie class is totally and unquestionably screwed until the lockout ends.

The newly drafted players are the collateral damage in the legal warfare between the NFL and the NFLPA. The harsh reality is that there  is no mentoring from coaches, no access to trainers or to team facilities. This week they were welcomed to a new organization and then immediately shut out of it. The newest members of the NFL will have to figure out how to work hard as best they can on their own and hope that time being wasted in the courts by their older, supposedly wiser colleagues won’t negatively affect their efforts to transition to the NFL.

In the midst of this lockout mess came warm welcomes by Eagles players via Twitter to the newest additions to their team. Nothing prevents the rookie class from interacting with current players, so these are important connections to develop and strengthen as the lockout wears on.

Jamar Chaney sent out a warm welcome to all of the newly drafted Eagles:

Before the full picture of  the 2011 draft class was complete, Chaney and some other Eagles weighed in on their thoughts on some of the Eagles selections. » Continue reading “New Eagles Receive Warm Welcome from Teammates”

The 2011 NFL Draft has come to an end. Football fans will go into withdrawal trying to recover from the megadose of football goodness they’ve received since Thursday.

For now, the fun doesn’t have to end. Here is a run down of the Eagles selections from the 3rd and final day of the draft, including comments from head coach Andy Reid on the selections, courtesy of PhiladelphiaEagles.com.

Round 4 – 19th pick in the round
Casey Matthews
LB, Oregon
6’1, 231 lbs

This pick makes my attempts at predicting the Eagles selections not entirely worthless. I had the Eagles selecting Matthews in the 3rd round. He was picked instead in the 4th, but I’m still calling it a win.

Andy Reid says:

“Inside linebacker/outside linebacker. Can play either strong side or weak side or the MIKE and I’ll get together with Juan and figure out exactly where we’ll use him … Howie and are, we’re going to sit down and go through all of that. He gave us the flexibility, I know he can step in and be your MIKE linebacker. He’s highly intelligent and he did that at Oregon in their nickel package. You saw him making all their calls all the time, so you know he can do that. At the same time, he played WILL in their base package so you got to see him do that. I have confidence he can go play whatever position out of the three that we have there.”

Round 4 – 23rd pick in the round
Alex Henery
Kicker/Punter, Nebraska
6’2, 177 lbs

The pick of a kicker may be the most talked about selection by the Birds in terms of the potential drama. Akers is 36 years old, and even if the Eagles plan to retain him in 2011 they needed to find an heir apparent.

Will Akers take Henery’s selection as a slight? Will it make him again worry about his longevity with the team? Akers’ agent, Jerrold Colton, told Jeff McLane that Akers was “taking the news in stride.”

Andy Reid says:

“Kicker/punter. We’ll just see how everything goes with our kicker and punter as time goes on, David (Akers) and Sav (Rocca). We sure are glad to have Alex aboard. He was the best in college football. At this particular time, it was hard to pass him up.”

Round 5 – 18th pick in the round
Dion Lewis
RB, Pittsburgh
5’7, 193 lbs » Continue reading “Eagles 2011 Draft Selections: Rounds 4 – 7″