Looking to snap a two-game winless streak, the Eagles head to 6-4 Baltimore to face the rugged Ravens, coached by former Eagles assistant coach John Harbaugh. Baltimore ranks third in the NFL in total defense and third in the NFL in running the football, so the Eagles know they are going to have to win the battle at the line of scrimmage to win the game. Sunday comes quickly and, Baltimore is waiting with that big, bad defense and a good offense featuring a power running game and a young, emerging quarterback in Joe Flacco. At first glance, this game sets up a little like the Eagles' 27-14 victory over the Falcons back on Oct. 26. The opposition has exceeded preseason expectations with a first-year coach (John Harbaugh now, Mike Smith then), but has beaten mostly struggling teams, and the quarterback is a surprisingly effective rookie from the Philadelphia area (Joe Flacco now, Matt Ryan then) who benefits from a run-first attack. But there might be at least one big difference. Westbrook was the healthiest and most effective he has been all season in that Atlanta game, running for 167 yards on 22 carries, catching six passes for 42 more, scoring twice.
It would appear that leadership is the theme this week, and the Eagles need some leadership on the offensive side of the ball. Meanwhile on the defensive side Brian Dawkins made the move that team leaders make when the times are tough. He felt the moment was right, and he called his teammates together on Wednesday to deliver a message. The season is at a critical point, has been for the last couple of weeks, and Dawkins said what his fellow players needed him to say. "I just felt like I needed to say something to the guys and see if we can all get on the same page," said Dawkins, "and get this thing rolling. It's a feeling for me. I've always said this, I'm a prayerful man, and I always pray about things when I feel something in my spirit and I'll speak up and today was that feeling." It is the only way the Eagles can move forward. Within the team, the only thing that mattered and that matters between now and the immediate future is beating Baltimore on Sunday. Dawkins, no doubt, hammered that point home on Wednesday. He is a veteran of many years and many critical points, and so it was appropriate that Dawkins rallied the troops. Reid and McNabb are taking the heat right now. Dawkins wanted everyone to know that the heat is to be spread around equally. Dawkins, who I have mentioned many times is my favorite player on this team, has been the leader of this team for several years now and while it is great hat he has stepped-up yet again, how long can he be the one to rally this team? He won’t be around forever. He will be looking to retire sometime in the near future, three or four years at the most if he isn’t already considering it. I know he looks great and is playing as good as ever but the older you get the harder it is to drag yourself out of bed in the morning and go to work and, even more so for someone with such a physically demanding job as professional football player. Someone else has to start helping B-Dawk out when it comes to leading this team.
The Eagles need that kind of leadership more than ever right now, on and off the field. Reid, as is his way, was stoic and resolved as he met the media. He understands the game, he knows the landscape and in the end what matters are wins and losses. Outside pressure, headline criticisms and fan frustrations can't take him away from doing everything possible to put the Eagles back on course. Reid has never been a coach who motivated his players with tongue-lashings or paint-peeling speeches. He sets a standard of expectation, pushes his players to reach and remain at that tempo, and then gives the locker room a chance to breathe and to form its own leadership within those walls. The method has been productive in the 9-plus seasons here, with just two losing records to go along with six playoff appearances; four division titles … and you know the numbers, but for the last two seasons at least leadership, on the field at least if not in the lockeroom, has been in short supply.
There is no question (at least from my perspective) that the Eagles are playing hard on every down. That is not even a question here. Where the team has lacked in 10 games is really, across the board. As Reid has said, accurately, everyone shares in the blame. The team has struggled in short-yardage situations, in large handfuls of time opening games, on defense in big games against the run, in coaching X's and O's and uses of personnel, on special teams and in the mental-toughness department. To have the Eagles reach the highest level, Reid needs his quarterback to find his mojo once again.
There are no secrets here. As the Eagles prepare for Baltimore on Sunday, they know that to have a chance to win they have to, first and foremost, stop a Ravens running game that ranks first in the AFC. It is a superb test for the Eagles, who have been mostly up, a couple of times down, against the run this season, Philadelphia ranks 11th in the NFL in run defense. Sunday, the defense has an opportunity to test its mettle. So the defense will tee it up again and understand that Baltimore brings some belt. In fact, the Ravens' offense has exactly the same weapons that have given the Eagles some problems this year (tight end Todd Heap, although he has just 21 catches and two touchdowns this year, is a legitimate pass-catcher, and the running game is bruising). In Cincinnati on Sunday, the Eagles smothered the Bengals on the ground, limiting them to 56 yards on 30 carries. It was an encouraging performance, but the reality is that the Bengals aren't in the class offensively as teams like Washington (203 rushing yards at Lincoln Financial Field) and the Giants (219 yards two weeks ago). To prove they are really making strides, really advancing to the next level defensively, the Eagles have to slow down Baltimore's running game, bottle up Heap and force rookie quarterback Joe Flacco into a couple of mistakes. It won't be easy.
The Eagles aren't especially big on defense, at least among the front four, and they rely on things like speed and leverage and the proper technique to make it work against rugged ground games. There has been a high investment up front -- tackles Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley were first-round draft picks, Trevor Laws was a No. 2 along with swingman Victor Abiamiri, end Darren Howard was a big-time free-agent signing and Trent Cole has a lavish long-term contract. Chris Clemons, who has come on a bit of late after a disappointing first half of the season, is new to the team after signing as a free agent last spring. At linebacker, the Eagles have size and youth and intelligence and they have played well. Bradley is garnering some pub from national observers for his play in the middle. Omar Gaither has a bunch of tackles, 2 1/2 quarterback sacks and 5 passes defensed, and Gocong has been a physical, integral presence against the run. After ranking first in the league in run defense for most of September, the Eagles had their troubles against the Redskins, and for three quarters in San Francisco couldn't solve the 49ers and Frank Gore until making the right adjustments. Atlanta, currently the second-ranked rushing team in the league, managed just 77 yards on 24 carries. Then along came the Giants and a bunch of question marks. A sense of redemption waits Sunday in Baltimore. Maybe the Ravens will come out and open up the formation and go after the Eagles in the air. They haven't necessarily played that way through their 6-4 start. Flacco is a rookie who has played very well this season, but the offense in Baltimore starts with the running game. They have built the attack around the ground game, so if the Eagles want to win a game, they have to hold on and do some serious work against the run. The good news is that Patterson and Bunkley have played really well in the run game, and that Bradley is on the verge of being something special at middle linebacker, and that ends Cole, Juqua Parker, and Howard have a lot of quickness and can make some things happen with their quickness. It is going to come down to man vs. man on Sunday as the Ravens look to lean their big bodies on the Eagles defense and play some smash-mouth football. There are no secrets, none at all. The Eagles have to punch back with some haymakers of their own to win the ground game battle in Baltimore.
On offense things aren’t looking good after Westbrook acknowledged yesterday that his right high-ankle sprain and his swollen left knee continue to bother him. He was asked if he is still able to cut effectively. "Yeah, I'm able to make some cuts," Westbrook said. Some cuts? Gee, that's reassuring. Kind of like hearing the pilot tell you he can fly the damaged plane through some of those threatening clouds. With the Baltimore Ravens' defense (third in the NFL against the rush) coming up Sunday, it would be nice if Westbrook could make all or even most cuts, but since he wasn't able to practice yesterday, don't hold your breath. (Another cheery thought: What are the chances of Westbrook being able to play effectively Sunday and 4 days later, at home on Thanksgiving against the Cardinals? Right up there with Donovan McNabb chairing the rules committee, one would think.) The Ravens are unlikely to get gashed for 167 yards by a hobbled Westbrook. Last Sunday, Reid elected to call 60 pass plays and 18 runs. The Eagles faced third down 18 times and threw on every one of them, converting three. As you might have heard by now, they faced three third-and-1s, threw incomplete on all three. Bengals defenders talked afterward about being able to anticipate what the Birds would do. Reid acknowledged that he got away from the run game against Cincinnati when it wasn't successful early (5 yards on five carries in the first half). Westbrook and the run game were much more effective in the second half, but Reid never readjusted his mix.
Among the many mysteries attending the Eagles' inability to run effectively this season is Reid's reluctance to put the ball in Correll Buckhalter's hands in any game that Westbrook is able to hobble onto the field. In the two games Buckhalter started this season, with Westbrook sidelined, Buckhalter gained 159 yards on 34 carries - 4.68 yards per carry. He managed 10 carries, for 43 yards, after Westbrook was injured against Pittsburgh. In the other seven games, Buckhalter has a total of 13 carries. And, of course, there also is Lorenzo Booker, inactive the past 2 weeks. If Westbrook is considerably less than 100 percent Sunday, the Birds have to activate three running backs, don't they? I don’t know but if something isn’t done abut the Eagles inability to run the ball then we can go ahead and count this season as over right now and start looking at what should be done in the off-season.
In conclusion like I have said before the last few games, the Eagles need to get a lead and try to keep it. On defense they need to control the run and force the opponents QB to make mistakes, cause turnovers and the offense has to take advantage of those opportunities, move the ball in short yardage situations, and try to mix up the pass and run games. This is a winnable game but the Eagles have to play up to their potential (something they haven’t done lately). McNabb needs to do what it takes to win (scramble, planned runs, roll-out passes, ect…). Play-calling this season has also been a problem so Andy or whoever is calling the plays needs to get a handle on it and get the right play in to the offense at the right time. I know it’s not that easy but I also know that they can do it.
It would appear that leadership is the theme this week, and the Eagles need some leadership on the offensive side of the ball. Meanwhile on the defensive side Brian Dawkins made the move that team leaders make when the times are tough. He felt the moment was right, and he called his teammates together on Wednesday to deliver a message. The season is at a critical point, has been for the last couple of weeks, and Dawkins said what his fellow players needed him to say. "I just felt like I needed to say something to the guys and see if we can all get on the same page," said Dawkins, "and get this thing rolling. It's a feeling for me. I've always said this, I'm a prayerful man, and I always pray about things when I feel something in my spirit and I'll speak up and today was that feeling." It is the only way the Eagles can move forward. Within the team, the only thing that mattered and that matters between now and the immediate future is beating Baltimore on Sunday. Dawkins, no doubt, hammered that point home on Wednesday. He is a veteran of many years and many critical points, and so it was appropriate that Dawkins rallied the troops. Reid and McNabb are taking the heat right now. Dawkins wanted everyone to know that the heat is to be spread around equally. Dawkins, who I have mentioned many times is my favorite player on this team, has been the leader of this team for several years now and while it is great hat he has stepped-up yet again, how long can he be the one to rally this team? He won’t be around forever. He will be looking to retire sometime in the near future, three or four years at the most if he isn’t already considering it. I know he looks great and is playing as good as ever but the older you get the harder it is to drag yourself out of bed in the morning and go to work and, even more so for someone with such a physically demanding job as professional football player. Someone else has to start helping B-Dawk out when it comes to leading this team.
The Eagles need that kind of leadership more than ever right now, on and off the field. Reid, as is his way, was stoic and resolved as he met the media. He understands the game, he knows the landscape and in the end what matters are wins and losses. Outside pressure, headline criticisms and fan frustrations can't take him away from doing everything possible to put the Eagles back on course. Reid has never been a coach who motivated his players with tongue-lashings or paint-peeling speeches. He sets a standard of expectation, pushes his players to reach and remain at that tempo, and then gives the locker room a chance to breathe and to form its own leadership within those walls. The method has been productive in the 9-plus seasons here, with just two losing records to go along with six playoff appearances; four division titles … and you know the numbers, but for the last two seasons at least leadership, on the field at least if not in the lockeroom, has been in short supply.
There is no question (at least from my perspective) that the Eagles are playing hard on every down. That is not even a question here. Where the team has lacked in 10 games is really, across the board. As Reid has said, accurately, everyone shares in the blame. The team has struggled in short-yardage situations, in large handfuls of time opening games, on defense in big games against the run, in coaching X's and O's and uses of personnel, on special teams and in the mental-toughness department. To have the Eagles reach the highest level, Reid needs his quarterback to find his mojo once again.
There are no secrets here. As the Eagles prepare for Baltimore on Sunday, they know that to have a chance to win they have to, first and foremost, stop a Ravens running game that ranks first in the AFC. It is a superb test for the Eagles, who have been mostly up, a couple of times down, against the run this season, Philadelphia ranks 11th in the NFL in run defense. Sunday, the defense has an opportunity to test its mettle. So the defense will tee it up again and understand that Baltimore brings some belt. In fact, the Ravens' offense has exactly the same weapons that have given the Eagles some problems this year (tight end Todd Heap, although he has just 21 catches and two touchdowns this year, is a legitimate pass-catcher, and the running game is bruising). In Cincinnati on Sunday, the Eagles smothered the Bengals on the ground, limiting them to 56 yards on 30 carries. It was an encouraging performance, but the reality is that the Bengals aren't in the class offensively as teams like Washington (203 rushing yards at Lincoln Financial Field) and the Giants (219 yards two weeks ago). To prove they are really making strides, really advancing to the next level defensively, the Eagles have to slow down Baltimore's running game, bottle up Heap and force rookie quarterback Joe Flacco into a couple of mistakes. It won't be easy.
The Eagles aren't especially big on defense, at least among the front four, and they rely on things like speed and leverage and the proper technique to make it work against rugged ground games. There has been a high investment up front -- tackles Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley were first-round draft picks, Trevor Laws was a No. 2 along with swingman Victor Abiamiri, end Darren Howard was a big-time free-agent signing and Trent Cole has a lavish long-term contract. Chris Clemons, who has come on a bit of late after a disappointing first half of the season, is new to the team after signing as a free agent last spring. At linebacker, the Eagles have size and youth and intelligence and they have played well. Bradley is garnering some pub from national observers for his play in the middle. Omar Gaither has a bunch of tackles, 2 1/2 quarterback sacks and 5 passes defensed, and Gocong has been a physical, integral presence against the run. After ranking first in the league in run defense for most of September, the Eagles had their troubles against the Redskins, and for three quarters in San Francisco couldn't solve the 49ers and Frank Gore until making the right adjustments. Atlanta, currently the second-ranked rushing team in the league, managed just 77 yards on 24 carries. Then along came the Giants and a bunch of question marks. A sense of redemption waits Sunday in Baltimore. Maybe the Ravens will come out and open up the formation and go after the Eagles in the air. They haven't necessarily played that way through their 6-4 start. Flacco is a rookie who has played very well this season, but the offense in Baltimore starts with the running game. They have built the attack around the ground game, so if the Eagles want to win a game, they have to hold on and do some serious work against the run. The good news is that Patterson and Bunkley have played really well in the run game, and that Bradley is on the verge of being something special at middle linebacker, and that ends Cole, Juqua Parker, and Howard have a lot of quickness and can make some things happen with their quickness. It is going to come down to man vs. man on Sunday as the Ravens look to lean their big bodies on the Eagles defense and play some smash-mouth football. There are no secrets, none at all. The Eagles have to punch back with some haymakers of their own to win the ground game battle in Baltimore.
On offense things aren’t looking good after Westbrook acknowledged yesterday that his right high-ankle sprain and his swollen left knee continue to bother him. He was asked if he is still able to cut effectively. "Yeah, I'm able to make some cuts," Westbrook said. Some cuts? Gee, that's reassuring. Kind of like hearing the pilot tell you he can fly the damaged plane through some of those threatening clouds. With the Baltimore Ravens' defense (third in the NFL against the rush) coming up Sunday, it would be nice if Westbrook could make all or even most cuts, but since he wasn't able to practice yesterday, don't hold your breath. (Another cheery thought: What are the chances of Westbrook being able to play effectively Sunday and 4 days later, at home on Thanksgiving against the Cardinals? Right up there with Donovan McNabb chairing the rules committee, one would think.) The Ravens are unlikely to get gashed for 167 yards by a hobbled Westbrook. Last Sunday, Reid elected to call 60 pass plays and 18 runs. The Eagles faced third down 18 times and threw on every one of them, converting three. As you might have heard by now, they faced three third-and-1s, threw incomplete on all three. Bengals defenders talked afterward about being able to anticipate what the Birds would do. Reid acknowledged that he got away from the run game against Cincinnati when it wasn't successful early (5 yards on five carries in the first half). Westbrook and the run game were much more effective in the second half, but Reid never readjusted his mix.
Among the many mysteries attending the Eagles' inability to run effectively this season is Reid's reluctance to put the ball in Correll Buckhalter's hands in any game that Westbrook is able to hobble onto the field. In the two games Buckhalter started this season, with Westbrook sidelined, Buckhalter gained 159 yards on 34 carries - 4.68 yards per carry. He managed 10 carries, for 43 yards, after Westbrook was injured against Pittsburgh. In the other seven games, Buckhalter has a total of 13 carries. And, of course, there also is Lorenzo Booker, inactive the past 2 weeks. If Westbrook is considerably less than 100 percent Sunday, the Birds have to activate three running backs, don't they? I don’t know but if something isn’t done abut the Eagles inability to run the ball then we can go ahead and count this season as over right now and start looking at what should be done in the off-season.
In conclusion like I have said before the last few games, the Eagles need to get a lead and try to keep it. On defense they need to control the run and force the opponents QB to make mistakes, cause turnovers and the offense has to take advantage of those opportunities, move the ball in short yardage situations, and try to mix up the pass and run games. This is a winnable game but the Eagles have to play up to their potential (something they haven’t done lately). McNabb needs to do what it takes to win (scramble, planned runs, roll-out passes, ect…). Play-calling this season has also been a problem so Andy or whoever is calling the plays needs to get a handle on it and get the right play in to the offense at the right time. I know it’s not that easy but I also know that they can do it.
Who to Watch:
- Eagles S Brian Dawkins vs. Ravens TE Todd Heap
- Eagles FB Dan Klecko vs. Ravens LB Ray Lewis
- Eagles Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson vs. Ravens QB Joe Flacco
- Eagles WR DeSean Jackson vs. Ravens CB Samari Rolle
- Eagles QB Donovan McNabb vs. Ravens Pass Defense
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