For the second time in two weeks, it was heartbreak city for the Philadelphia Eagles, as in overtime, they fell to the Detroit Lions by the final score of 26-23 to drop them to an even 3-3 on the year. After hooking up with wide receive Jeremy Maclin on a 70-yard touchdown pass, Eagles quarterback Michael Vick led his team to a 23-13 lead with just 5:18 left in the game. However, it took the Lions less than two minutes to trim that lead to three and Jason Hanson tied the game with a 19-yard field goal with three seconds left in regulation. He made a 45-yarder in overtime to complete the victory for the now 2-3 Lions.
Six games into the season, most people's fingers are pointing at the usual scapegoats - the head coach and the quarterback - Andy Reid and Michael Vick in this case. While I'll be the first to admit that I haven't agree with Andy Reid's offensive strategy most weeks and that Michael Vick has made his share of mistakes this season, those aren't the two guys on whom I pin most of the blame.
The Eagles two biggest problems are on their lines - both offensive and defensive. While Michael Vick can hold on to the ball a bit too long, usually due to the fact he's able to elongate plays more than most any other quarterback in NFL history because of his extraordinary speed at the position, he's gotten hit more times than any other quarterback in the NFL this year to this point of the season and appears to be running for his life a good half of the time the Eagles have the football. Not only that, but stud tailback LeSean McCoy has not been as effective in the running game as he was a year ago. Against the Lions today, he carried the ball 14 times for a mere 22 yards (average of 1.6 per carry). On the year now, McCoy has rushed the ball 111 times for 459 yards (4.1 per). In 2010 and 2011, McCoy carried the ball 480 times for 2,389 yards (5.0 per) - almost a full yard per carry more than he's averaging this year. The Eagles are starting two rookies on the offensive line and their starting center is out for the season with an injury. People can point their fingers at Reid and Vick all they'd like, but the fact of the matter is the offensive line has not pass-blocked nor run-blocked well this year. The Eagles are a very much a rhythm-type offense and it's been nearly impossible for the offense to find any rhythm this year due to the horrendous pass protection of Michael Vick and the very inconsistent run-blocking for LeSean McCoy. A great offensive line can make an average quarterback and running back look like Pro Bowlers, while an atrocious offensive line can make a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback and running back look average. That's what's happened this season so far. Both Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy have been Pro Bowl players, yet to this point, they've appeared to be fairly average.
On the other side of the ball is the defensive line. They've exerted less pressure on opposing quarterbacks through six games than Vick has faced in a single quarter. Some Eagles fans have complained about the secondary and free agent signees Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha. While they have allowed some big plays in their two seasons with the club, again, all the blame can't be placed on them. The front four has not gotten much pressure on the quarterback and that makes the secondary's jobs even tougher. Like I said with regard to the offensive line, when the defensive line exerts consistent pressure on quarterbacks, they can make the secondary look a whole lot better than it actually is. The Eagles secondary by itself is very solid. However, when in conjunction with a front four that rarely applies pressure to opposing quarterbacks, they've been made to appear rather average at times.
The Eagles special teams have been very disappointing as well. Their kickers have done the job through six games, but their return-men and coverage teams in particular, have only added to the team's problems.
I don't care how great a quarterback or a secondary is, it all starts with the lines. If a team's offensive line isn't protecting their quarterback or opening holes for their running back and their defensive line isn't applying pressure to opposing quarterback, it's going to be very difficult to win consistently. The Eagles have a much-needed bye week coming up, but then have to face the undefeated Atlanta Falcons at home the following week. The Eagles will really need to work on improving matters with regard to both their lines as well as coverage teams if they want to have a chance at beating Atlanta in a couple weeks. If not, you can count on Philly being 3-4 before too long.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/12514/lesean-mccoy
Six games into the season, most people's fingers are pointing at the usual scapegoats - the head coach and the quarterback - Andy Reid and Michael Vick in this case. While I'll be the first to admit that I haven't agree with Andy Reid's offensive strategy most weeks and that Michael Vick has made his share of mistakes this season, those aren't the two guys on whom I pin most of the blame.
The Eagles two biggest problems are on their lines - both offensive and defensive. While Michael Vick can hold on to the ball a bit too long, usually due to the fact he's able to elongate plays more than most any other quarterback in NFL history because of his extraordinary speed at the position, he's gotten hit more times than any other quarterback in the NFL this year to this point of the season and appears to be running for his life a good half of the time the Eagles have the football. Not only that, but stud tailback LeSean McCoy has not been as effective in the running game as he was a year ago. Against the Lions today, he carried the ball 14 times for a mere 22 yards (average of 1.6 per carry). On the year now, McCoy has rushed the ball 111 times for 459 yards (4.1 per). In 2010 and 2011, McCoy carried the ball 480 times for 2,389 yards (5.0 per) - almost a full yard per carry more than he's averaging this year. The Eagles are starting two rookies on the offensive line and their starting center is out for the season with an injury. People can point their fingers at Reid and Vick all they'd like, but the fact of the matter is the offensive line has not pass-blocked nor run-blocked well this year. The Eagles are a very much a rhythm-type offense and it's been nearly impossible for the offense to find any rhythm this year due to the horrendous pass protection of Michael Vick and the very inconsistent run-blocking for LeSean McCoy. A great offensive line can make an average quarterback and running back look like Pro Bowlers, while an atrocious offensive line can make a Pro Bowl-caliber quarterback and running back look average. That's what's happened this season so far. Both Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy have been Pro Bowl players, yet to this point, they've appeared to be fairly average.
On the other side of the ball is the defensive line. They've exerted less pressure on opposing quarterbacks through six games than Vick has faced in a single quarter. Some Eagles fans have complained about the secondary and free agent signees Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie and Nnamdi Asomugha. While they have allowed some big plays in their two seasons with the club, again, all the blame can't be placed on them. The front four has not gotten much pressure on the quarterback and that makes the secondary's jobs even tougher. Like I said with regard to the offensive line, when the defensive line exerts consistent pressure on quarterbacks, they can make the secondary look a whole lot better than it actually is. The Eagles secondary by itself is very solid. However, when in conjunction with a front four that rarely applies pressure to opposing quarterbacks, they've been made to appear rather average at times.
The Eagles special teams have been very disappointing as well. Their kickers have done the job through six games, but their return-men and coverage teams in particular, have only added to the team's problems.
I don't care how great a quarterback or a secondary is, it all starts with the lines. If a team's offensive line isn't protecting their quarterback or opening holes for their running back and their defensive line isn't applying pressure to opposing quarterback, it's going to be very difficult to win consistently. The Eagles have a much-needed bye week coming up, but then have to face the undefeated Atlanta Falcons at home the following week. The Eagles will really need to work on improving matters with regard to both their lines as well as coverage teams if they want to have a chance at beating Atlanta in a couple weeks. If not, you can count on Philly being 3-4 before too long.
http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/12514/lesean-mccoy
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