But let's move on to play-calling and game planning.
Is there a huge need to explain these two? Anyone who has seen even a little bit of the Eagles knows what I am talking about. If you don't, let me show you.
What would you do on 4th-and-1 if you had a 6'2", 250-lb. quarterback? Would you:
A) Give it to the quarterback to sneak it up the middle.
B) Let the quarterback run a little bootleg.
C) Let your 5'10", 205-lb. running back run it up the middle behind a fullback who can't really block well.
Your answer was probably A or B.
Andy Reid's answer was C.
Other than his play-calling in critical situations, he does not do a good enough job at knowing when to run the ball and run the ball efficiently.
How many times do people have to say it! In this league, running the ball is so so so so so so so so so so so important. So important. When you have Brian Westbrook back there, it almost then becomes a no-brainer.
Yes, Westbrook was banged up last night, but then give it to Buckhalter a little and see what he can do. Just run the ball!
What about game-planning, you ask?
Well Ray Didinger said it best.
As I was watching Eagles Post Game Live on Comcast SportsNet Philly last night, Ray brought up a great point.
When was the last time you saw the Eagles make a huge effort to actually go after a defense and set themselves up?
In Reid's postgame press conference, he was asked about their gameplan and how it did not work and what the Eagles then tried to do to answer back. Reid said they just kept firing.
Didinger took note and said that that's all they do. They just keep firing. There's no stability. There's no game-planning.
There's never a play that sets up another play. It's just a play. Sure, they try to attack a team's weakness sometimes, but they never run some plays to set up others. They don't try and pull the safeties and go deep to Jackson. They don't try and run to the outside and pass to the outside to set up a slant to a speedy Curtis or Jackson.
There is just no rhythm.
And what about that horrible challenge last night? You know, the first of the back-to-back challenges.
Brandon Jacobs was clearly down, why challenge that if you know you will lose? I understand the second challenge, because that was actually a little closer. But there was no chance for the first to be overturned, so why bother?
John Madden agreed with Reid, saying it was a desperation challenge.
Okay, but why would you be "desperate" when it's obvious he was down? Your booth coaches saw the same video I did coach...what's with the challenge?!
You have to try it out — the best Philadelphia Eagles articles and videos from around the web delivered straight to you.
7 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete