Heard in the Cheap Seats

Philadelphia Eagles middle linebacker and emerging leader of the defense, Stewart Bradley, is done for the season after tearing his ACL in a scrimmage. Needless to say, this is bad news for a team that relies on Bradley to quarterback the defense and serve as its primary run stuffer. We will dig into this more as the week goes on and how it will impact the Eagles season. In the meantime, let us know your thoughts.

I wish my first post back was about a different topic, but I wanted to make sure that I at least said a few words on this site about the sad news today.  Jim Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator for over a decade, passed away today. He was diagnosed with melanoma originally in 2001 and then again in January and had been undergoing treatment.  My thoughts and prayers are with Johnson’s entire family in this difficult time. 

I don’t know Jim Johnson personally, but my family has come in contact with him recently during his battle with melanoma.  I have vaguely mentioned this before, but our (Chris and myself) immediate family is currently dealing with a fight against melanoma just as the Johnson family had been.  It is one of the reasons I have not posted anything this month.  It is a terrible disease, and that is an understatement.  I pray that someday we can reach a point where we no longer have to lose anyone to cancer.  I myself have begun to develop ideas and look into ways that I can contribute to this fight.  It is interesting that the word “fight” or “battle” is often associated with cancer.  I always hear the phrase “lost their battle” when referring to someone who has passed away from the disease.  I personally do not believe in that phrase.  There has never been one person diagnosed with cancer that has ever lost.  They may no longer be with us, but they haven’t lost.  They have shown me and millions of others what true courage is. 

Jim Johnson did this as well.  He was genuine and kind to my family when they came in contact with him.  He obviously left his mark on the city of Philadelphia in football, but he had a family that knew him as a husband, a father, and a grandfather.  That is the most important mark any of us can make.  Once again, my thoughts and prayers are with the Johnson family.

Have you heard, Brian Dawkins is no longer wearing Philadelphia Eagle green?  Instead, Dawkins chose the greener (7 million times over) pastures of Denver.  That leaves a gaping hole at safety for an Eagles defense that relied on Dawkins not only for his big-play ability, but also his leadership and on-field coaching.   

With training camp right around the corner, the speculation has started as to who will ultimately be asked to take on the unenviable task of filling the shoes of a legend.  Ultimately, the competition will come down to free-agent acquisition Sean Jones and second-year man Quintin Demps.

But for starters, let’s get one thing straight—neither of these players will replace Brian Dawkins.  Dawk was a hall-of-fame caliber player that captured the hearts of the entire city of Philadelphia.  To place the weight of those expectations on either Demps or Jones would be unfair and unreasonable.  What the Eagles need is a versatile safety that is capable in both pass coverage and run support and has the knack for the big play.

When evaluating Demps, many jump to his poor performance in the NFC Championship game last season as proof he is not ready.  He was the scapegoat on a trick play that resulted in a long touchdown pass and also committed an inexcusable roughing the passer penalty.  But I don’t necessarily subscribe to that theory.  While Demps could have made a better play on the ball on the trick play, he was the only Eagle even remotely in the play.  I have watched the video a number of times (embedded below) and have come to conclude that Demps did a decent job of staying home.  If you watch, he is running stride for stride with Fitzgerald and did not bite on the play fake.  His problem came when Warner under threw the ball forcing Fitzgerald to change directions.  Demps got turned around on the play and lost his footing.  The end result had Demps on his stomach watching Fitzgerald waltz into the end zone.  But Quintin Demps was the only player on the defense that stayed even remotely close to home.  And for those people that argue we will never know what the scheme called for on that play, I can assure you Jim Johnson did not isolate Demps in single coverage on Fitzgerald. 

I don’t analyze that play as a means to defend Quintin Demps.  He was beat on that play without a doubt.  The point is: let’s not use one play as a microcosm for his overall quality of play and as a means for deciding this position battle. 

Demps is a solid player with well above average speed and coverage skills.  At 5’11” and 206 pounds, he is on the smaller side for the position but is a willing tackler.  Sean Jones of course holds a huge size advantage at 6’1” and 220 pounds.  He also has more experience, starting three years with the Cleveland Browns and has shown he has the ability to intercept passes.  The knock on Jones though is as a pass defender.  While he will make the occasional big play, he is also susceptible to getting beat—particularly on deep routes.  

It will be one of many interesting training camp battles.  Who is your money on?

Training camp is still a few weeks away but that doesn’t stop the bookies in Vegas from projecting the win totals of the upcoming NFL season.  This year, Vegas has the Philadelphia Eagles at 9.5 wins—behind only the Patriots, Steelers, Colts and Giants and tied with the Chargers. 

A couple of interesting takeways from the early projections:

1.)   That’s right, the Giants, a team the Eagles beat twice last season, are ranked higher than the Eagles despite losing Plaxico Burress.  Apparently, the experts in Vegas know something that we don’t and think highly of the Giants offseason moves—or lack thereof.

2.) Overall, Vegas believes that the NFC East will be a dogfight this year.  After the Giants at 10 wins and the Eagles at 9.5, the Cowboys are sitting at 9 and the Redskins at 8 wins.  If those projections turn out to be accurate then the division would end up without sporting a losing record.  

3.) If these projections turn out to be accurate, we are in for quite a bit of mediocrity next year.  After the group at the top, there is a slew of teams bunched in the 7 and 8 win range and few more below that threshold.  Some people call it parity, I call it mediocrity.

So it may only be July, but it is never too early to place your bets.  What do you think: over or under for the Eagels on 9.5 wins?

This is not the kind of Eagles news anyone wanted to hear.  I must preface this by saying that nothing has been made official yet, but ProFootballTalk.com has posted a story that says ComcastSportsnet is reporting Brian Westbrook will be out with an ankle injury until the start of the regular season.  If this is true, this is very bad news.  We know that Westbrook has not participated, and Andy Reid said yesterday that Westbrook was getting his ankle “looked at”.  According to the report, Westbrook was examined by an ankle specialist in Baltimore and may need to have a “cleaning out” procedure done.

We have seen over the years how much easier the Eagles offense is to defend when Westbrook is out of the lineup.  A lot of the expected success of this Eagles team next season is based on a healthy Westbrook.  If Westbrook is indeed out with an injury it brings up quite a few questions:

1)       When Westbrook returns, can he ever get back to his top running back form or has he become too banged up to be an effective full time running back?

2)       Is LeSean McCoy capable of shouldering a big part of the load in Westbrook’s absence?

3)       Will the Eagles look to add a free agent veteran running back such as Deuce McCallister?

4)       Can the Eagles win a Super Bowl without a healthy Brian Westbrook?

We don’t know the answers to any of these questions yet.  What we know is that the injuries continue to hamper Westbrook.  The Eagles are a much better team with Westbrook in the backfield.

UPDATE: CSN is now officially reporting that Westbrook is still being evaluated by doctors in Baltimore and may need surgery for a right high ankle sprain.  It is the same ankle he injured last season.  The report says Westbrook should be ready for the start of the season, but does not give any other timetable for his return.

ANOTHER UPDATE: It’’s now official.  Westbrook’’s agent Todd France has said Westbrook will have surgery to remove bone spurs from his right ankle.  France did not say what the timetable is for Westbrook’’s return, but he did say it was a “minor” procedure and that there were other options such as cortisone shots.  He stated that if this were during the season Westbrook would not be having surgery.  I am sure we will be learning more in the next few days.  It would be great if Westbrook could participate in at least some of training camp.

To be perfectly honest, there isn’t much that can ever be taken from OTA’s in the NFL.  It isn’t until players get into full pads in training camp on a day to day basis and hit the field in preseason that we can tell anything about them.  Usually, the only things to talk about, in my opinion, are who did or didn’t show up and injuries.  So on that note, there were 2 pieces of news that I felt were important.

The first was that Sheldon Brown did not report to the Novacare Center.  This is not at all surprising to anyone.  We all know Brown wants out of Philadelphia.  So far, he has attended anything mandatory, but due to the fact that the current practices are voluntary, the Eagles did not expect Brown to be in attendance.  It seems to be the prevailing thought that once training camp roles around Brown will show up and do his job like a professional, but a lot can happen between now and then.

The other piece of news that I am more concerned with was that Brian Westbrook sat out with an ankle injury.  The Eagles didn’t say much other than that Westbrook was having the ankle “looked at”.  Westbrook had problems with his ankle and knee last season.  While this may turn out to be nothing at all, it doesn’t change the fact that whenever I hear Westbrook’s name and “injury” in the same sentence these days I am worried.  Given his history of injuries, his age, and his position, it is not surprising.  The Eagles offense has been much more potent and successful with a healthy Westbrook.  No matter what, we may be looking at the drafting of Lesean McCoy.

It has been awhile since I have written anything about the Eagles, but leave it to a member of the New York Giants to get my juices flowing.  In case you missed it, Osi Umenyiora got a 5 month head start on a little Giants/Eagles trash talk.  Here’s what he said:

“They should. I do — and I wasn””t on the football field,” he said. “I was on the field, but I wasn””t playing and I saw the way it ended. It was a team we should have beat and it was a team that, if the opportunity arises again, we will beat.”

We all remember that the Birds went into the Meadowlands and ended the Giants season with a thorough butt kicking.  Is it too early for me to be excited about their first meeting of the season on November 1^st?  Probably.  Talk is extremely cheap in June, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t fun to discuss.  I do think Umenyiora’s comments come across a bit like spilt milk, but he is certainly entitled to his opinion. 

Of course, the Eagles have a few players of their own that won’t shy away from a little trash talk, so here was Desean Jackson’s response at the Eagles OTA’s today:

 “I had a chance to see him this off-season, hanging out with him a little bit,” Jackson said. “He was, ””You know, I wasn””t playing,”” this and that. He”’’s a very competitive guy. He”’’s a great player. I don””t take anything away from him. It”’’s just unfortunate that he got hurt last year and wasn””t able to play.

“But with him or without him, we are confident in ourselves. One player can””t determine if they win or lose. As everybody knows, it”’’s a team. You””ll never know what would happen if he was there or if he wasn””t there. All I know is that we got the victory and that”’’s what I””m going to go off of. We””ve just got to get another two this year, or however many we play them…We went in their house and beat them twice. We understand what it takes.”

It’s just much more fun when both Philly and New York teams are competitive at the same time, not only for fans but for the games themselves.  Well, we have a great Mets/Phillies rivalry, and now the Giants/Eagles are doing a little jabbing.  I am sure there will be a lot more talk in the coming months that will culminate with a slugfest when the two teams meet in Philly November 1^st.  I, for one, can’t wait!

I just wanted to take a minute to address a more serious topic than usual.  As most of you know, Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson is battling melanoma, which is a form of skin cancer.  It has been announced that Johnson will be taking a leave of absence due to his ongoing treatment and battle.  Many people out there have been affected in some way by cancer, and our family is no exception.  We are currently in the middle of our own battle with melanoma. It is a terrible disease and I wish that no person would have to go through the fight.  Unfortunately, we all know that is currently not the reality.  It is times like these and stories like these that remind us all that life keeps moving forward no matter what.  We have diversions, like sports for example, but at the end of the day, it really is just a game.  I am as big a sports fan as anyone, possibly more than anyone, but I also know that whether a team wins or loses, the next day will bring whatever it wants to.  I wish Jim Johnson all the best and hope for a full recovery, not because he is a great defensive coordinator, but so that his family will be able to share many more memories with him. 

As the Eagles continued to stockpile fifth round picks in the 2009 NFL draft, it became evident that they would not be using all of those picks.  It seemed as though they would either be packaged in a deal for Denver Broncos Tight End Tony Scheffler or used to move up into the fourth round.  I don’ think anybody saw this coming.

The Eagles dealt two fifth round picks to the New England Patriots in exchange for 25-year old cornerback Ellis Hobbs.  Hobbs is an undersized CB at 5’9” and 198 pounds but he plays much bigger than his size.  He is a willing tackler in the run game and has surprising pop when he meets the ball carrier. 

The obvious question is whether this is a move to add depth to the secondary or a prelude to a move involving disgruntled cornerback Sheldon Brown?  The Eagles have already unloaded CB Lito Sheppard so there was a roster need to add some depth.  However, many expected that depth to come in the form of Jake Ikegwuonu.

The answer probably lies somewhere in between.  I doubt the Eagles have any active plans to unload Brown but likely want to safeguard against his contract dispute impacting the play of the team. 

By adding a veteran CB, the Eagles have effectively purchased an insurance policy for a Sheldon Brown meltdown.

The Philadelphia Eagles did something out of character in the first round yesterday—traded up to take a wide receiver.  Ironically, this was probably the only year in recent memory when the Philadelphia fan base was not screaming for a WR with the first pick.  Jeremy Maclin stands a shade over 6’0” tall and is close to 200 pounds.  While he is not huge, the comparisons to DeSean Jackson are off base.  Maclin is a full two inches taller than Jackson and has significantly more bulk. 

Where Maclin is similar is he is an explosive player with elite top-end speed.  He excels in the kick-return game and can provide immediate help to the Eagles in that aspect of the game.  As a WR, Maclin is still a bit raw.  From most accounts, he is a below average route runner that is better suited for vertical and drag routes.  He also struggles to separate from man coverage, something that could prove costly at the NFL level. 

With DeSean Jackson and Maclin on the field, the possibilities in the passing game are scintillating.  Both players have the deep speed needed to stretch the defense and an opposing secondary will have a difficult choice to make as to which side to roll the coverage.  It also provides the Eagles with a dynamic and young WR duo for years to come.

All of that being said, I don’t think I would have gone in this direction.  I get the fact that Maclin is a top-10 talent that slipped into the later stages of the first round.  I also don’t doubt that he will be a good player that will help this team.  My concern is that with the first pick, the Eagles should be getting a guy that can get them over them hump by addressing a pressing team need.  The current Eagles roster allows little room for Maclin to see the field.  With Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant, Hank Baskett and Reggie Brown, it is unclear where Maclin fits into the fold.  With such a logjam at WR, Maclin will have a hard time getting the needed reps in order to make the impact a first round pick should make for a team looking to get to the Super Bowl.  The Eagles might move Reggie Brown or outright cut him to make room for Maclin.

Grade, B: Good player and an exceptional value at 19; but where does he fit on this roster?

In the second round, the Eagles nabbed Pittsburgh running back LeSean McCoy.  McCoy will see the field quickly as Brian Westbrook’s understudy and occasional backup.

When you think of McCoy, you need not look any further than Westbrook for a comparable player.  McCoy is 5’11” and close to 200 pounds.  On paper, he does not have elite speed with a 40 time slightly above 4.5 but the game film tells another story.  McCoy is explosive through the hole and extremely elusive in the open field.  And like Westbrook, McCoy has the ability to get lost behind bigger offensive linemen—making it difficult for opposing defenders to locate him.  What makes him an ideal back for the Eagles system is his pass-catching ability.  McCoy is the elite pass-catching RB in this draft and has very soft hands out of the backfield.  Again, like Westbrook, McCoy is dangerous after the catch with the ability to make people miss. 

In addition to serving as Westbrook’s change-of-pace back, look for the Eagles to use formations that involve both players.  It will be difficult for the opposition to key in on the pass or the run in a formation that involves both players.  Andy Reid is surely salivating at the possibilities. 

Grade, A: Excellent player that fits perfectly into the Eagles system and can help this team immediately.

Day One Overall Grade, B+: The Eagles appear to have taken Donovan McNabb’s appeal for more weapons to heart.  In Maclin and McCoy, the Eagles have added two dynamic playmakers that can expand the versatility and explosiveness of this offense.  Good first day.