Philadelphia Eagles Health Shaky After 27-20 Loss to The Green Bay Packers
The Philadelphia Eagles 2010 season sure started off with a bang in a 27-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers yesterday afternoon and I'm convinced there are more questions now then there was before kickoff at 4:15 EST.
First let me answer the question I know you are all already asking—if the Eagles lost yesterday then how did their season start off with a bang?
Yesterday was an injury fest in Philly as four vital players to the Eagles were lost due to injury, two of them are season ending while the other two were concussions—there's your bang folks.
The Eagles endured too many obstacles yesterday.
Starting Center Jamaal Jackson (torn biceps) and Fullback Leonard Weaver (torn ACL) will both miss the remainder of the season, while QB Kevin Kolb and LB Stewart Bradley both suffered concussions and with these injuries, opportunity knocks for some individuals now.
Stemming from yesterdays game, here is a look at some questions I have surrounding the Eagles organization.
Kevin Kolb Is The Starter—For The Time Being Anyway!
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Holy crap it's Michael Cunningham. I'm obviously kidding around as this is clearly QB Randall Cunningham. Or is it, wait a minute, "you got me that time Michael Vick" I say chuckling to myself—man he's good at this incognito stuff.
Back to work!
QB Kevin Kolb continued to look uncomfortable in the pocket yesterday, displaying a level of NFL maturity compared to a rookie. Maybe it was the fact that he does not trust the line to give him to to check down his options.
Maybe Kevin just isn't as good as anticipated, regardless, QB Michael Vick took advantage of his opportunity yesterday after Kolb left with a concussion in the first half of the game— but I'm still not ready to name him the starter.
Had Vick brought the Eagles back from a 17 point deficit to win the game it is quite possible that we would be hearing a different tune, however the Eagles couldn't overcome the difference in points and the rest is in the books.
There was a way for them to tie the game.
Actually, multiple ways during one play in the fourth quarter when the Birds were on the Packers 10 yard line.
Vick hiked the ball and did a bootleg right to a wide open, gaping whole which would've led him right into the end zone but instead the ball was thrown to a triple covered DeSean Jackson. On the same play, Vick had WR Jeremy Maclin who was more open than a 24 hour diner on the three yard line.
Michael Vick is without question the more veteran player between the two but I don't think the Eagles want a QB who can run his butt off, they would prefer the O-line did their job so the QB didn't have to run so much!
What's Your Poison: Jackson or Maclin?
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Both DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin are fantastic, emerging wide outs in the NFL but fans are split as to which will become the premier WR on the Eagles roster under QB Kevin Kolb's new look offense.
I prefer having both of them on the squad for obvious reasons.
DeSean is simply lights out when he's on the field and is about as tough as they get, not afraid to catch the ball when he knows the hit will follow. Teams need to fear him but they also know there are ways of containing him.
That's where Jeremy Maclin steps in.
Maclin is the more prototypical player on the squad who is just shy of DeSean's speed and is every bit as good a route runner, if not better. Combine that with the size that Jackson lacks and you have yourself a very productive player.
It allows him to break free from defenders easier in press coverage to get himself into position to make a play but he also makes some spectacular catches to position his body to make the catch.
There was a lot of chatter in the preseason about the amount of drops Jeremy had and it appears he heard the griping because he came out yesterday looking pretty good.
It is still way too early to determine which of these two young guns will excel in this system.
First thing first though—get the offensive line figured out.
Should The Eagles Bring Back Charles Scott?
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Absolutely.
I say bring the sixth round draft pick Charles Scott back to resume playing the Fullback position now that Leonard Weaver is basically done for the season pending the results of his MRI.
If you saw the play where he got injured, and the numerous slow motion replays there after, I think we can agree Weaver isn't coming back.
The reports are that Jason Davis will be at the NovaCare Complex today to tryout for the FB job but his personal attitude isn't much to be desired and his blocking skills are almost non existent—if that's the case I'd rather go with a guy who was at Lehigh Valley all summer long taking reps.
Wouldn't you?
The Eagles are the team that initially invested in him and as of right now he is sitting on the Giants practice squad waiting for a team to call.
I don't believe for a second that he would deny an opportunity to come back and try out for a starting job do you?
Get this done front office, forget about Jason Davis and go get the guy you liked enough to draft!
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Should Juqua Parker Be The Starter at LDE?
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Veteran defensive end Juqua Parker made a statement yesterday, he isn't allowing anybody, especially a rookie, come in and steal his job without a fight. His two sacks on Aaron Rodgers speak volumes in regards to how he feels about possibly being demoted.
We all expected to see rookie Brandon Graham come out swinging yesterday, disrupting plays in the backfield and putting pressure on the QB.
Instead it was Parker who stole the defensive show against the Packers.
It is going to be interesting to see who is listed as the starting left defensive end next week when the Eagles take on the Detroit Lions.
If for nothing else, it is a huge positive to see the Birds have multiple options to rotate players at the LDE position to keep them from getting to fatigued throughout the course of a game.
The point is, Juqua Parker is going to fight for his right to a starting job.
What's Going on With The Team Doctors?
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This is basically coming from the fact that Stewart Bradley was allowed to return to the football game after he suffered his injury and then reading the following on the Eagles website:
"At halftime, it was determined after further evaluation that each player suffered a concussion. Neither player returned after halftime".
After further evaluation? Do you mean to tell me it wasn't clear that Bradley was seriously injured after he attempted to stand up on his own following the play, only to literally run face first into the ground again—there needed to be "further evaluation", really doctors—pull your head out of each others rear ends would ya.
The next group that I'm eye balling is the strength and conditioning coaches that were just brought in. Should I as a fan expect this type of stuff all season long? Why is it that four starters were lost in the very first game of the season.
I understand injuries are simply part of the NFL, but when your team loses that many men in the season opener, it forces one to raise an eyebrow, tilt your head, and throw your hands up as if to say what the....
I'll let your imagination run wild there!
Head Coach Andy Reid states: "I have full trust in the trainers and the doctors" and I'm glad somebody does because when you lose four starters in the very first game, my trust seriously fades.
Can McGlynn Handle Being Front and Center?
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With the disappointing loss to starting center Jamaal Jackson in the 2010 season opener, Mike McGlynn gets his time to shine as the Eagles new starting center.
A 2008 fourth round (109th overall), McGlynn is a natural guard along the offensive line but took a bulk of the reps during training camp with the absence of Jackson during he rehabbed his knee injury. It is a good thing too but I don't think anybody expected Jamaal to be removed from the season so suddenly.
McGlynn is listed at 6'4", 315 lbs, giving the Eagles a solid frame manning the center position but he doesn't have the extensive knowledge that Jamaal Jackson brings to the table.
Still, he is now the Eagles starter for the 2010 season and depending on how well he handles the job, we might be seeing the undeniable starter well into the future.
How ironic would that be if Jamaal lost his job the exact same way he initially won the job—because of injury.
I wish Jamaal a speedy recovery, as I did on his Twitter account today, now we just have to hope McGlynn can in fact take on this responsibility and becomes a student of the position.
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