Bob's Blog - Live from Lewisville

Game Plan Friday: Philadelphia Eagles

2009-11-06T06:55:00.007-06:00

I think you owe it to yourself sometime before Sunday night to relive the final game of the 2008 campaign in Philadelphia. I sure hope the players on the Dallas Cowboys who were there that day don't need reminding of 44-6. This franchise has had many humiliating days since it last won a playoff game, but that game in particular may have been an all-time low.

Think about it: A win-and-you-are-in game against a team you had already beaten that year? What are the odds you could have every single chip in the middle of the table, and still play the worst football game in your career?

Romo was terrible. Marion Barber was terrible. The offensive line was beyond terrible. Terrence Newman was terrible. Wade Phillips got waved off by his QB on a 4th Down situation. The list goes on and on.

From that standpoint, I would hope that the Cowboys are assembling their finest effort to attempt to take on perhaps their most bitter rival under the Sunday Night Lights. So many things have happened in that city, in fact, the last 5 are all easy to recall:

2004: In December, Cowboys lose 12-7, in a game best remembered for Roy Williams breaking Terrell Owens leg. This was a year where the Eagles were on a mission, and the Cowboys were rolling with Vinny at QB. One detail that somehow eluded me was Dorsey Levens scored the winning TD.

2005: Cowboys trail 20-14 with 3:00 to play in Philly. Donovan McNabb goes back to pass to the right sideline and hits Cowboys safety Roy Williams for a perfect 46 yard interception for the winning TD.

2006: Drew Bledsoe and the Cowboys are driving for a tying TD, down 31-24 with :30 to play. They are inside the 5 yard line, when Bledsoe throws the ball to Lito Shephard, who runs 102 the other direction for a TD, Eagles win 38-24. Bledsoe would lose his job 2 weeks later, never to return.

2007: In a game best remembered for the helmet-less run of Jason Witten, the Cowboys destroy the Eagles at the Linc, on a Sunday night, 38-17. Everything was easy for the Cowboys at this point of the season.

2008: 44-6.

ON OFFENSE:

I doubt too many people need a scouting report on the Philadelphia Eagles defense. The facts are plain and simple. They believe in pressure. They believe in chaos. They believe in gambling that they can bring more than you can block, and they believe that they can get to you before you can burn them for their gambling ways.

When it works for them (which is most of the time), it is a thing of defensive beauty. They bring the pressure and can make you look absolutely helpless.

Many teams believe in zone blitzes and variation of fire zone blitzes. This is not really the way Jim Johnson and his disciples have believed works the best for them. They believe in corners who play man-to-man and LBs and Safeties that blitz and blitz more. The names on that defense change, but the philosophy stays the same. They want to rattle your QB and they want to hit him hard.

Protection packages are so important, but more important is keeping the game manageable. You can not expect 3rd and long to go well. You must use 1st down as agggresively as possible, because if you don't, then you make the game too easy for the Eagles defense.

OFFENSIVE OBJECTIVES:

1) - Run the Ball with purpose and power - 113 of 185 runs this season (61%) have been with a power running personnel package. What that means is only 1 WR or less on the field, and a FB and multiple TEs. This is the definition of power: You tell your opponent by the package what you plan on doing, and then you do it anyway. The Cowboys have been great in doing this during the year, and the only thing that seems to stop them is their own choosing to stop doing it. Otherwise, 8 in the box or even sometimes 9 in the box has not been enough to stop them. I really hope that Jason Garrett does not relapse into his habits of playing a game like this against a quality opponent in a hostile stadium by slinging the ball all over the yard play after play from shotgun formations. It should be just the opposite. Control the pace, control the clock, and frustrate the Eagles by not allowing them to just try to get at Tony Romo. Run the Ball with "13" or "22" personnel. And grind them out with that big offensive line that is itching for a fight.

2) - No Your Blitz Pick-up Role - Obvious point here, but the Eagles are amazing at designing blitzes that don't make sense. You can't practice a blitz you have never seen, and the Eagles always have something planned for a rare moment in the game where they bring someone you didn't account for. It is the ultimate chess game when you play there, and this is why Point #1 is so key. But, understand, the Eagles don't have many guys (besides Trent Cole) who will just beat you in pass rush. But, they know how to bring guys who aren't picked up. It is a very big day for Tashard Choice and Felix Jones, because you can bet they will blitz more when they are on the field to test how well they can read the blitz.

3) - Negative Plays must be avoided - Yesterday, I made the point that the biggest difference between these two teams is defensive takeaways. That is true, but it is too simplistic. The Eagles cause these moments with their scheme. They also cause negative plays. Runs for loss, Sacks, and Passes for loss. The Eagles are #1 in the NFL in negative plays. 242 yards have been lost on plays against the Eagles defense! The Cowboys defense ranks 20th in this same category.

4) - Tight Ends must perform - Here is your magic number: 10. If you can get 10 receptions to Jason Witten and Martellus Bennett, I think you win. Power running and then occupy the LBs with concerns about Witten and Bennett should be the real priority. This is not likely to be a game where you will be able to exploit the Eagles too much on the edge with your wide outs, so understand this is a big night for your big guys. Time for Martellus to get in the endzone.

ON DEFENSE:

What offense in the NFL has the most TD drives of fewer than 4 plays?

What offense gets the most yards per 1st down snap?

What offense scores the most points from outside the Red Zone?

Yes. The Philadelphia Eagles.

The good news? If you make them drive the ball down the field, you have won most of the battle. If you make them convert 3rd downs and put together a drive of 13 plays, it generally works against the Eagles.

The bad news? Almost nobody has been able to make them do this. With a stable of exciting play makers, this team gets production in bunches. They use DeSean Jackson first to get them great field position with his return skills, and then they will send him on fly routes that allow him to run by defenders with great ease. When this happens, Donovan McNabb puts the bomb on his hands and the Eagles have struck quickly and have inflicted great damage on your defense.

DEFENSIVE OBJECTIVES:

1) - Make McNabb Uncomfortable - I have enourmous respect for Donovan McNabb. Sometimes I wonder if he is one of those athletes where people in his own city will only truly appreciate him after he is gone (Dirk?). The consistent quality is obviously largely responsible for the Eagles averaging a 10-6 record over his career, and yet he never is mentioned among the best in the game. What I really admire about him is the fact that he never throws interceptions. His TD/INT ratio is amazing, especially given the lack of star WRs he has had to work with. 116/42 since 2004? Good gracious. This is where the pass rush of the Cowboys will be so key. If you let him sit back there and pat the ball, Jackson, Brent Celek, and Maclin will get open. Must bring the noise on the pass rush.

2) - CBs Up For the Challenge? - Life in the NFL for cornerbacks is a pretty thankless life (aside from payday). Every week, Terrence Newman and Mike Jenkins get challenged by some of the best WRs in the NFL, and we are quick to point out when they fail. Newman's best night was against Steve Smith of Carolina this season, and he might be the WR who is used most similarly to DeSean Jackson. Although, Jackson's speed is something that very few players can deal with. I wonder if Jenkins will get plenty of work against him as well. The Cowboys must avoid the big play in the passing game, but that is far easier said than done. Ask the Giants how much they stress that secondary.

3) - Philosophy Choices - With some of the evidence I have thrown out there, it seems to call for somewhat opposite ideas on defense. Do you want to blitz them and try to cause chaos for their offense and risk the big play (almost nobody is better at Max-Protect over the years than the Eagles) if you don't get to McNabb. Or, do you play careful defense and keep everything in front of you? This is why Wade is called a great defensive coordinator. I don't think you can marry yourself to either idea, but rather a mix of both. Let's see what he decides to do.

4) - Anthony Spencer vs Winston Justice - I feel good about DeMarcus getting past Jason Peters a time or two. But, can Anthony Spencer expose Justice at Right Tackle? And can Ratliff shake it up in the middle? Of course, he can. I have no concerns about Jay Ratliff. But, to hold up your end of the bargain on defense, we need a big day from some of those more quiet members of the front: Spencer on the edge, Marcus Spears and Igor Olshansky. Get there. And don't disrespect the run. The Eagles don't run much, but when they do, it is usually out of "pass" looks, and it seems to be good for 8 or 10 at a time.

SUMMARY:

I think that I am treating this 2-game road trip as a package deal. The objective must be to go 1-1, and if that happens, you can get to December at 8-3 most likely and will be in position to win the division. I don't want to concede anything, but some of the very best teams in the NFL will lose in a game at Philadelphia. The Eagles are a very good home team that is 9-3 since the start of 2008, winning by the average score of 31-17 in those 12 games.

My problem with Sunday is simple. Since 44-6, the Cowboys have played only 3 games on the road. Two were against two of the very worst teams in football (Tampa Bay and Kansas City), and the other was the loss at Denver when the Cowboys came unglued at many junctures of the game.

When this team has gone on the road recently against good teams in hostile stadiums, the Cowboys have not shown they can play 60 minutes of proper, composed football. They are capable, but we haven't seen it in a long time. Since Christmas of 2007, the Cowboys have played 12 road games, with a 5-7 record and wins against the Browns, Packers, Redskins, Bucs, and Chiefs. Losses? Pretty much every hostile stadium they have entered in New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Denver (and a few not so hostile - St Louis?).

To believe that they still remember how to do it, they are going to have to prove it to me.

Eagles 27, Cowboys 20

Past Issues:

Seattle Seahawks Game Plan

Atlanta Falcons Game Plan

Kansas City Game Plan

Denver Game Plan

Carolina Game Plan

Giants Game Plan

Tampa Bay Game Plan

Ask Sports Sturm: Playoff Cutoff in NHL

2009-11-05T17:07:00.006-06:00

We spent quite a bit of time discussing the shoot-outs and the importance of getting that all-important 2nd point out of OT games last night after the Stars dropped one to Calgary that they could have and should have pulled 2 points.

I am certainly a little more emotional after games like that, and will occasionally think a bit "big picture" on things.

I see a goal with 0:49 left in the 3rd Period as a sign that this team is wasting too many points. If you waste too many points, then you either lose playoff position, or you miss the playoffs altogether. Either way, in this league where there are too many teams fighting over the 8 spots - I start stressing in early October over lost points. By November, I can already count a half-dozen points that have been lost by simple mistakes here and there. (This, of course, is easy for me to say from the press box, but I am just doing my job, right?)

Anyway, Dan was asking me on the Radio Post Game show how many points are required to generally make the playoffs over the years. I offered him my answer, but since I had not made sure my numbers are correct, I wanted to confirm my thoughts today.

Below are 3 charts. Because in the last 15 years, we have had 3 distinctive eras that made the numbers different for each era. I used only Western Conference numbers in my study, since of course, that is the conference we are discussing.

1) - 1995-96 through 1998-99: This is the era between the 50 game lockout season of 94-95 and the rule change that called for both the 4-on-4 Overtime and the possible 3rd point that could be earned with an overtime winner. This was in a time when the NHL actually had this thing called a "Tie". You may have to ask your father what it was, but it seems that once upon a time the sport allowed a game to end in this result if both teams could not settle it through the normal course of play. I kid, because I mourn the loss of a draw. It wasn't bad for those of us who didn't need a car chase in every movie.

Note: Each team is followed by its point total for that season.

Year	#1 Seed	#8 Seed	#9 Seed	100 Pt Teams
95-96	Det 131	Win 78	Ana 78	2
96-97	Col 107	Chi 81	Van 77	2
97-98	Dal 109	SJ 78	Chi 73	2
98-99	Dal 114	Edm 78	Cal 72	1
Averages	115.25	78.75	75.00	1.75

HTML Tables

2) - 1999-00 through 2003-04: This era was the period of time from the 1st rule change of the possibility of the bonus point and the rule change that assured there would be a 3rd bonus point when the rules changed before the 2005-06 season that stated that every OT game would have a winner with a shootout.

Year	#1 Seed	#8 Seed	#9 Seed	100 Pt Teams
99-00	StL 114	SJ 87	Ana 83	3
00-01	Col 118	Van 90	Pho 90	4
01-02	Det 116	Van 94	Edm 92	1
02-03	Dal 111	Edm 92	Chi 79	4
03-04	Det 109	Nas 91	Edm 89	4
Averages	113.6	90.8	86.6	3.2

HTML Tables

3) - 2005-06 through Present: This is the era of 3 point games for any and all games that are tied at the end of regulation, meaning that more points were being distributed on a regular basis.

Year	#1 Seed	#8 Seed	#9 Seed	100 Pt Teams
05-06	Det 114	Col 95	Van 92	4
06-07	Det 113	Cal 96	Col 95	7
07-08	Det 115	Nas 91	Van 88	3
08-09	SJ 117	Ana 91	Min 89	4
Averages	117.25	93.25	91.0	4.5

HTML Tables

The results are very interesting. I had no idea that before the rule change of the summer of 1999, it took really only about 79 points to make the playoffs. Then, it shot up to 91, and then to its current spot, where the #8 seed averages 93.25 per season.

The #9 seed, which is the best team to miss the playoffs, rose from 75 points in era #1, to 86.6 in era #2, to its present spot of 91 points. 91 points now misses the playoffs.

The #1 seed didn't move much at all, which tells us the good teams still win tons of games, and the OT rule changes don't affect teams that don't go to overtime to win. But the teams that are in the pack? Everything shot up.

And 100 point teams in the Western Conference? 1.75 to 3.2 to now 4.5 teams per year average 100 points in a season.

So, in today's NHL, to make the playoffs, you better plan on 93 points as the cut-off area that will usually get you in. Unless it is 2007, when Colorado missed the playoffs with 95.

Analyze The Enemy - Philadelphia Eagles

2009-11-05T08:33:00.005-06:00

There are certain parallels that we can draw between our local sports teams. They all play in divisions that contain rivals who many of us obsess about and cheer against at every opportunity. For instance, who do Mavs fans feel more negative feelings towards than the San Antonio Spurs? For the Rangers, I bet it would be the Angels, and for the Cowboys it would have to be the Eagles in the last decade.

You don't care for them for many reasons. They win too much is somewhere on that list. We don't like to admit our dislike (sometimes hate) for our opponents is usually stemmed in jealousy, but it often is. They are enjoying success - more than the team we love - and we want to hold on to the few shreds of dignity that remain for us by pointing out what the rivals can't do.

For the Spurs, they give us nothing to grab on to. Since 1999, they have won 4 World Titles. Pretty difficult to ridicule them unless you want to tease them for not winning 5. For the Angels, all it takes is one World Series in 2002 to make Rangers fans just sit and stew. And then we have the Philadelphia Eagles. They are to be strongly admired - through all of the disdain - because they have built the organization the proper way. Yet, they have never won the ultimate prize, and because of that, we seem to rationalize the last decade with some level of humor. The Eagles never won the Super Bowl, and therefore we don't consider them the model franchise in this 10-year span of time. But, should that be the barometer?

Or should it be how they stack up against their NFC East bunkmates?

From 2000-Present - NFC East Standings

Team Reg Season Playoffs (SB Rec)
Eagles 97-53-1 10-7 (0-1)
Giants 85-67 6-5 (1-1)
Cowboys 76-75 0-3
Redskins 68-83 1-2
Table Tutorial

These numbers tell quite a story; In 10 years, the Eagles are basically averaging a 10-6 record, the Giants 9-7, the Cowboys are 8-8, and the Redskins about 7-9.

A look at their Franchise Page on pro-football-reference.com shows us that the Eagles have gone through this decade of success with only one Head Coach, Andy Reid, who is the longest tenured coach in the NFC, and 2nd longest in the NFL (Jeff Fisher). Their leading passer for the entire decade is Donovan McNabb - only Peyton Manning has held his team's starting role longer. And, basically, just 2 RBs for the entire decade with Duce Staley and the Brian Westbrook. They have been as stable as Popovich and Duncan in San Antonio and the Mike Scioscia system in Anaheim. You hire a guy who has a vision, knows how to apply that vision to reality, and you get out of his way.

Andy Reid and the 2000's Eagles will never get the full approval of the league if they never win the big one, but they have been in the hunt every year, and that is all a fan can ever ask of a team. From there, you just have to hope that you can get a smile from lady luck at the right time and get that ring. So far, it never happened in Philly. And Cowboys' fans hope it never does.

As is always the case when a group doesn't quite get to the ultimate goal, there has been unrest in the city for the Reid/McNabb regime in recent years. Both have been moved to the hot seat at times, and it seems like just about every spring we wonder if the Eagles are ready to move on from their franchise QB, only to invite him back for the following season. He seems fairly insecure in his own skin, but you try being the QB for the Eagles someday. Tony Romo will get no sympathy from McNabb for what he has to deal with on a day-to-day basis.

Reid, meanwhile, continues to be thought of as a top level coach, with a system on offense (Run? Who needs to Run?) and defense (Blitz, Blitz, Blitz) that is uniquely Philadelphia Eagles football.

Let's check out what the National Football Post says about their talent level going into 2009:

Philadelphia —

BLUE CHIP: HC, Reid; QB, McNabb; RB, Westbrook; OT, Peters; DE, Cole; CB, Samuel.

ALMOST BLUE: WR, D. Jackson.

As you can see, the Eagles are among the top teams in the league when it comes to top-notch players. I am quite sure that DeSean Jackson is now "blue chip", so with 6 players and a coach thought to be among the very best at their position, there is no mystery why they are quality.

They did experience some significant subtractions in their system in the last 12 months, with the death of their legendary Defensive Coordinator Jim Johnson last summer. With all due respect to Dick LeBeau and Monte Kiffin, Johnson is as big a genius DC as there has been in the last 20 years on the defensive side of the ball in my opinion.

A veteran of 22 years as an NFL assistant, Johnson was considered one of the top defensive minds in the league, known for complex schemes that confused opponents and pressured the quarterback from every angle. His defenses consistently ranked among the best in the league, including last season, when the Eagles finished third in total defense and fell one victory short of the Super Bowl.

From 2000-08, Johnson's Philadelphia defenses ranked second in the NFL in sacks (390). During his 10-year tenure, the Eagles made the playoffs seven times and he produced 26 Pro Bowl selections.

The Cowboys QB and the Eagles QB position have both accounted for 4 interceptions. The offenses have fumbled virtually the same exact number of times (Dallas has lost 6 fumbles, the Eagles have lost 5). And yet, Philly sits high atop the NFL in turnover ratio at +12, while the Cowboys are still at -1. What gives? We all know it is because their defense, in the post-Jim Johnson era still have Jim Johnson characteristics. They get the ball back. 21 takeaways in 7 games is outstanding (3 per game!). The Cowboys have 9 in 7 games. And that is the only reason the Eagles are 5-2. It may also be the only reason the Cowboys are ONLY 5-2. But, this piece is not about the Cowboys.

The other big subtraction from their defense would be the exit of their defensive QB Brian Dawkins . I expected that to hurt them more this season, but, the prospect of going into Philadelphia seems less difficult knowing #20 Dawkins doesn't have to be concerned about each play.

Losing Jim Johnson and Brian Dawkins were substantial, but the defense is still generating takeaways and wins. They clearly had Eli Manning flustered on Sunday afternoon, so new DC Sean McDermott is doing something right. McDermott has been with the Eagles staff since 1998, so he truly has had a chance to pick Jim Johnson's brain for every piece of information so he would be ready for this day.

The Eagles had huge plans to get their offensive line improved, by adding the Mountain Left Tackle Jason Peters from Buffalo back in April:

The Philadelphia Eagles agreed to trade for Buffalo Bills left tackle Jason Peters early Friday, according to multiple sources.

By Friday night, according to a source, Peters had signed a four-year extension worth $53 million in new money. The Eagles acquired him with two years remaining on his Bills contract. In total, Peters will make $60 million over the next six seasons.

For Peters, the Bills will receive a first-round pick (28th selection overall), a fourth-rounder in next weekend's draft and a sixth-round pick in 2010, according to a source.

"Jason Peters is the best left tackle in football," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "He is a powerful and athletic tackle and I have admired his play over the last few years on film. I have always believed that success in the NFL is derived from the strong play of the offensive and defensive lines. This offseason we have added two young, top-flight offensive linemen in Jason and Stacy Andrews."

I have agreed with Reid about the status of Peters for quite sometime, but it is difficult to say he is the best LT in football the way he has been beaten for sacks recently. Gerry Fraley is on the case :

For the first time since 1996, the Dallas Cowboys will face someone other than Tra Thomas at offensive left tackle for Philadelphia.

The Eagles traded for Jason Peters to replace Thomas, now with Jacksonville.
A change of scenery has not helped Peters, who struggled with Buffalo last season. Peters has allowed four sacks in seven games this season and 15 1/2 sacks in his last 20 games.

Offensively, the Eagles have had injuries along the Offensive Line (LG and RT in particular) and once again have found that Westbrook is good for about 13 games a year. But, they have weapons now for McNabb. Brent Celek is turning into a better verison of LJ Smith (who saw that coming?) and DeSean Jackson is every bit the exciting player that some of us thought he would be. I am kidding. I thought he would be great, but if anyone knew he would be this great, he would have been a top 5 pick last year. To add Jeremy Maclin makes this group of WRs small, but extremely fast. Perfect for Andy Reid, but it might not make sense if they end up bringing in a new offense down the road.

Defensively, they really only have 2 ways to get sacks. Blitz and Trent Cole. Cole has 28 sacks since the start of 2007, but nobody else is even close (Darren Howard, 13). Their secondary is very deep at Corner, led by Asante Samuel - 5 INTs this season and Sheldon Brown. But their 3rd and 4th corners are solid as well. MLB has been all over the road since Stewart Bradley tore his ACL in training camp. They rolled with Jeremiah Trotter briefly, Joe Mays, and Omar Gaither, before they traded for Will Witherspoon at the deadline :

The Philadelphia Eagles acquired linebacker Will Witherspoon from the St. Louis Rams on Tuesday for rookie wide receiver Brandon Gibson and a fifth-round pick in 2010.

The Eagles made the trade to get Witherspoon, an eight-year veteran who spent his first four seasons with Carolina. He was the Rams' starter at the weakside spot and had 36 tackles and one forced fumble this season.

"He's a three-down linebacker, and he can play both the MIKE position and the WIL linebacker position," Eagles coach Andy Reid said of Witherspoon, who will play the middle. "He's very good at both of them. He's a good cover linebacker. He has the flexibility to cover tight ends and running backs and that type of thing, which is a plus."

This is the Eagles. In Philadelphia. At Night. Composure and Physical Football will be the key.

We shall offer the game plan Friday morning, but for now, here is some more reading for you to enjoy:

Domowitch and his review to this point :

The Eagles, who made their fifth trip to the NFC Championship Game in the last 8 years in January, entered the season as the league's tenth youngest team, and the youngest in the NFC East, with an average age of 26.81 years. Twenty-seven of their 53 players are 26 or younger. Thirteen of those 26 have less than 2 years of NFL experience.

Ten of their 22 starters against the Giants last week, including seven of their 11 offensive players, either weren't with the team or weren't starters at the beginning of last season.

Yet, here the Eagles are, off to their best seven-game start (5-2) since 2004, with a chance to take sole possession of first place in the division Sunday night when they host the 5-2 Cowboys at the Linc.

The Eagles got a major break from the NFL schedule-maker, who gave them a soft early-season schedule, which included five teams - the Panthers, Chiefs, Bucs, Raiders and Redskins - with a current combined record of 8-28.

It gave young players like wide receiver Jeremy Maclin and running back LeSean McCoy and free safety Macho Harris, and new additions like offensive linemen Jason Peters and Stacy Andrews and fullback Leonard Weaver and safety Sean Jones a chance to get acclimated to a new system and new teammates without the Eagles digging themselves into an early hole.

"We're still a work in progress," Reid said. "You've got to just keep pushing along. These guys are working hard. As long as they're willing to work hard and the coaches keep coaching, good things should happen.

"If guys get down on themselves and start thinking less of themselves as a player because they're making a couple of mistakes, then you've got a problem."

Reid and his staff have had their hands full in the season's first 2 months. They've had to deal with a potential crisis at middle linebacker after starter Stewart Bradley, and then his replacement, Omar Gaither, went down with season-ending injuries. They came up big there, swinging a trade-deadline deal with the Rams for Will Witherspoon, who has stepped right in and played well in both the base and nickel packages.

They had to grab the duct tape and patch their offensive line after left guard Todd Herremans went down with a stress fracture in his foot and Stacy Andrews struggled early on with his surgically-repaired knee, and his Pro Bowl brother Shawn, who was supposed to replace iron man Jon Runyan at right tackle, was placed on season-ending injured reserved due to a persistent back problem.

Herremans finally returned in Week 6, while Winston Justice so far has done a surprisingly serviceable job as Shawn Andrews' replacement at right tackle.

The soft early schedule also has been a great benefit to rookies like Harris, Maclin, McCoy and defensive tackle Antonio Dixon, who head into the meat of the schedule much more battle-tested and prepared than they were 2 months ago.

So why did the Cowboys pass on DeSean Jackson? :

The Eagles have made a priority of returning Donovan McNabb to the Super Bowl, and it is evident in their recent draft philosophy. They acquired two young game-breaking receivers: DeSean Jackson with a second-round pick in 2008, and rookie Jeremy Maclin with a first-rounder this year. Jackson has six touchdowns this season, all covering more than 50 yards.

The Cowboys will position veteran Terence Newman and first-year starter Mike Jenkins -- both first-round cornerbacks -- across from the Eagles receivers.
Dallas owner and GM Jerry Jones and his scouting department made a very calculated and deliberate decision to choose their young cornerback over Philadelphia's celebrated wide receiver last year.

Jackson was a prospect who intrigued the Cowboys, who were fascinated with his speed but wary of his off-the-field problems. Their philosophy also intervened. The Cowboys have preferred to trade for established receivers from Joey Galloway to Roy Williams or to sign a tainted veteran such as Terrell Owens, whom the Eagles also tried and eventually rejected.

The Cowboys believe the failure rate is too high and the money too expensive to draft receivers in the first round, and Jones wants to win the Super Bowl every year and lacks the patience to submit to three or four years of development. For the moment, the Cowboys can point to undrafted free agent Miles Austin, the only player with a higher average of yards per reception than Jackson, who has made a far more instant contribution.

"There have been more busts at the wide receiver position than any in the NFL," a Cowboys source explained. "They're hard to evaluate with all the spread offenses, so it's hard to project them into pro systems, and then it takes them a long time to develop. You see a great cornerback, covering all over the place, you can never have enough of those guys, so I'm going to take that every time."

So it is not a coincidence that Newman and Jenkins will crouch across the line of scrimmage from Jackson and Maclin. The Cowboys and Eagles have conflicting approaches on how to build winning football teams.

Bob, aren't you going to write about Michael Vick? Here :

More telling is the fact that Vick’s playing time has decreased as the season has progressed. In his Week 3 debut against the Chiefs, Vick was on the field for 11 plays. He was on the field for five plays the following game and just two plays in the loss at Oakland in Week 6. Against the Giants this past Sunday, he gained four yards on a third-and-one. On the only other time he touched the ball, he technically lost a yard on a kneel-down.

Simply put, the Philadelphia coaching staff realizes that Vick no longer has his speed and quickness. This isn’t to say that Vick, who is 29, can’t recoup it. But at this point, one could make the argument that Vick wouldn’t still be on the 53-man roster if he weren’t such a unique and well-noted human reclamation project.

Finally, Eagles Fun facts :

When the weather gets cold, the Eagles usually start winning. Since 2000, the Eagles are second in the NFL in winning percentage after Oct. 31. They are 53-23-1 in games played in November and December since 2000, including 24-11 against NFC East teams. Their .695 winning percentage ranks second to the New England Patriots, who are 57-18.

Running back Brian Westbrook missed last week's game against the New York Giants with a concussion. Andy Reid said Westbrook still had a "slight headache" Saturday.

"We're going to make sure he's OK to perform," Reid said at his Monday press conference. "We're not going to do anything to put him in jeopardy there."

The Eagles are 9-5 against the Cowboys in Westbrook's career. He has rushed for 734 yards on 178 carries, averaging 4.1 yards per rush, and has scored seven rushing touchdowns. He has caught 63 passes for 517 yards and two touchdowns against the Cowboys and has thrown a touchdown pass.

Donovan McNabb is 11-6 in his career as a starter against the Cowboys, with 205.9 passing yards per game and 25 touchdowns. He has completed 301 of 543 passes (55.4 percent) for 3,501 yards with 25 touchdowns, 11 interceptions and has a passer rating of 82.0.

The Eagles are taking full advantage of their speedy receivers, Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson. They have scored a 50-plus-yard touchdown in six of their seven games and lead the league with 12 touchdowns of 20 or more yards. Nine of those are passing touchdowns.

Week 7 Picks

2009-11-04T23:36:00.006-06:00

Every Friday during the 2:00 hour, BaD Radio will make their picks of the week. Whoever gets the fewest correct over the course of the season will wear a nice suit and tie during the entirety of the NFL playoffs. In addition, the loser among Bob, Dan and Donovan will wear the same attire during Super Bowl week in Miami. Picks will be in red.





STANDINGS
Bob	13-8
Dan	10-11
Donovan	9-12
Tom	13-8
Grubes	13-8
Sean	11-10
TCLOTW	3-4

On this Favre issue...

2009-11-04T20:47:00.005-06:00

Lots of Emails about my take on Favre vs. Packers. Here are some things to read that might bring it all into some focus. At least through my eye-balls. And that is all you can ask from "Bob's Blog", right?

My Blog at Dallas Stars.com from Tuesday :

I am not sure what this post has to do with the Dallas Stars, other than a scenario that popped in my head as I watched the Brett Favre return to Lambeau Field on Sunday. What if Mike Modano played against the Stars?

First, some disclosure: I am a huge Green Bay Packers fan (I have a tattoo of the G, and son named Brett). I have loved that team since I was born, and I plan on loving them until I leave this world.

But, they (The Packers' loyal fans) stood for something on Sunday that made me ill. The people in that stadium - not all, but a vocal majority - booed the man they adored for 16 wonderful seasons. It really made me sad. I thought of how he left, which was basically the team telling him he no longer had his job, and how I assume all he ever wanted from his bosses there was to let him stay forever. Not realistic, but surely there is a happy medium for a player between being told when to leave and staying forever.

But, the fans don't know what happened. They know what they have been told. They have been told that since he is a Minnesota Viking now, you should disrespect everything he did for you for 16 years and boo him. He plays for the enemy, right? He is a traitor, right?

I have booed the hated Vikings my entire life. I hope they lose every game. But, just because Favre wants to keep playing and the Vikings offered him a chance doesn't mean that he wouldn't rather play for the Packers. But they told him, "no".

So, we should boo him for not retiring? You want him to retire instead of playing for another Super Bowl?

A few problems with that logic.

A) - He didn't want to leave in the first place. The Packers wanted the shiny, new QB who they have groomed to replace Brett. They chose, and they got their guy. Despite Favre taking them to a 13-3 record, they decided that it was over.

B) - He didn't leave for more money. This isn't like A-Rod when he returned to Seattle and they were throwing money at him. Whether it is his right or not, if a player leaves to get more money elsewhere, I can see the fans feeling like he never loved us - just our money.

C) - He isn't mad at you, the fan. He is mad at the guy (Ted Thompson) who runs your franchise who decided Brett couldn't play. He wants to prove to him that he made a mistake. Who among us wouldn't also want to prove that we aren't garbage that should be taken to the curb.

But there are the fans. Booing him. What disrespect. I don't blame the younger kids in the crowd. But, the adults? Who like me saw how horrid that franchise was before he helped restore the pride in a franchise that had been listless for 25 years? How could they? He is owed a debt of gratitude for everything he did, and he is clearly the greatest Green Bay Packer of our lifetime. Yet, you turn your back on him because he still wants to play football?

What if that ever happened here? What if the Stars said Mike Modano cannot play anymore and they don't offer him a contract or they trade him away. And what if he wants to keep playing and Detroit or San Jose give him a job because they think he can still play.

Would you forget 2 decades of blood, sweat, and tears? Would you boo him? Would you turn your back on a guy who bent over backwards for you at every turn? Would you forget the guy who helped put hockey in Dallas and make this a healthy and successful franchise? Would you support your franchise even if they are clearly wrong?

Believe me, you don't want to ever find out. But, Sunday made me think hard about that scenario, and I wish I could have avoided it. Right now, I am disgusted to associate with that angry mob on Sunday.

----------------------------------------

It is highly possible that you have 100 more questions on this Favre scenario. Questions like: "Bob, didn't he retire? - Twice?"

For my thoughts on many of your concerns, here is what I wrote in July of 2008:

This one is going to hurt.

This Favre thing is many things to many people; Annoying, Intriguing, Maddening, Disappointing, etc. They all come to mind.

But, of course, I have not written much about this because I was convinced at first that the media was spending too much time speculating. Well, it is now obvious that this is all no longer speculation – but rather fact – Brett Favre wants to continue to play football. So you want to know what I think? Well, despite the disagreements this will start, here you go:

First, a few questions. Why would he ever retire if it seems obvious to most of us that he never wanted to? Why would he spend the better part of the last 3 springs appearing to be one of the biggest drama queens in sports? Why would he risk his image of arguably the most beloved athlete in the nation so much that many people cannot even stand the mention of his name these days? I have my theories…

But first, an email from a Packers fan:

Im still confused. I now feel hatred in my heart toward Favre. I hate his complete sorriness and total lack of respect for his teammates, his managers, coaches and the state of Wisconsin! I feel for Rodgers most of all. Favre disappointed me with his recent display of sorriness. He needs to move to Missisippi and never step foot in WI again! The D-bag needs a hobby or anti-depressants cause he aint all there. I have decided that if The Packers cave and give into Favre's demands, then I will have a cheesehat burning ceremony at my house. 30 years of being a loyal fan and I will turn my back on them as fast as Favre did.

This guy is a hardcore Packers fan, and like many I have heard from, they are sick and tired of Brett. They are sick and tired of his drama, and they want him to go away. Think about that! It is not uncommon for a fan base to turn on a player who isn’t happy with his money or his geography, but the last several springs have so wore down some of his fans that they prefer their most beloved hero goes away rather than returns.

It is amazing how the Favre approval rating has fallen. Honestly, this is an odd story in that Favre has fallen out of favor, but also an altogether familiar story in that 100% of the time, when a fan must choose between his favorite athlete and his favorite team, he will always take the team’s side it would seem.

Not me. This thing has smelled for 3+ years. And now it has gone ugly, and I suggest it has very little to do with how Brett Favre has handled this thing. Rather, I would like to take a look at the 2007 NFL Executive of the year, Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson. Thompson was hired by the Packers in 2005, and he honestly had a tough job ahead of him. Mike Sherman (yes, that one) was inexplicably given both the head coach and general manager roles for the Packers, and was not very good at either in many respects. His record (57-39) will indicate that he was really good, but his in-game strategy was poor, and worst than anything else, his drafting was flat out sad. So, the Pack needed a GM.

Thompson came in and really has turned that around. His drafting has been really solid, and he has stocked this team with plenty of young talent. But, if there are two things that have troubled many (including me), it would be the following:

1) His refusal to use free agency to supplement his team’s talent with “ready” players despite huge amounts of cap room.

2) His inability to handle dealing with Brett Favre.

Let’s examine his work in these two categories.

Free Agency:

In 2005, the Packers payroll was 21 million below the cap, and ranked 31st in the NFL. They signed free agents Adrian Klemm and Matt O’Dwyer in the off-season. Both were minimal signings who did not have any impact on the team. The Packers went 4-12.

In 2006, the Packers were more aggressive, signing Charles Woodsen to a big money deal and Marquand Manuel, Ben Taylor, and Ryan Pickett to contracts as well. Despite 15 million under the cap after all of the signings, they still did not add a single player to the offense.

And in 2007, with a payroll that ranked 24th in the league, and still over 11 million under the cap, Thompson signed but one free agent during the off-season; Frank Walker – a cornerback who hardly played.

In 3 years as General Manager, with a combined 47 million dollars to work with, Thompson did not acquire a single veteran player to aid the offense of the Green Bay Packers. Not one. Heck, Randy Moss practically asked to go to Green Bay, and Thompson would not make a trade with Oakland to acquire him, instead letting Moss put up one of the most prolific years in NFL history with New England.

As a point of comparison, since being hired as the Packers GM, the combined payroll over 3 years has been $259 million. Dallas over the same amount of time has spent $302 million. An average $14 million per season less in player salaries can buy weapons that might help your QB take a final run at glory. Jerry Jones certainly committed to his veteran QB in 1999 with the Joey Galloway deal – but Ted Thompson decided to let Favre twist in the wind with 0 veteran player acquisitions to the offense in 3 years. Which has lead to his 2nd department of short comings….

Dealing with Favre:

There is no “how to” manual for dealing with an icon. Cal Ripken caused Baltimore plenty of awkward moments. Michael Jordan, Dan Marino, and even locally on a lesser scale with Mike Modano has proved that there is no easy way to ease the face of the franchise out of the mix if he is not ready to go. But, if you feel how you feel, then you must commit to it. General Manager is not a position for everyone, and if you think you cannot handle a tough conversation with your star, then perhaps it is not for you.

As I could see it, when Thompson took over the team with a 36 year old Favre, he had 2 choices. Tell Favre to take a hike (especially after the 4-12 season of 2005 when everyone said Favre was washed up – even though nobody except Donald Driver player more than 8 games at the skill positions) or you commit to plug any holes with money and help and build as good a product as possible around your QB. This way, if he is done, he will prove it. And if he is not, you will win.

He did neither. Figuratively, He didn’t marry the girl, and he didn’t break up with her. He merely led her on. That is the worst choice of all.

So, Favre, in Kobe Bryant type fashion got tired of getting his clock cleaned each week, getting blamed for all of the results, and then watching his General Manager preach the virtues of building through the draft. I am not saying the draft isn’t the answer, because it is. But it is seldom the immediate answer. Usually, the kids need plenty of seasoning (Bobby Carpenter, anyone?) and just like Kobe didn’t want to hear about how great Andrew Bynum was going to be, Favre didn’t care to hear how drafting Aaron Rodgers helped the offense.

Kobe claimed he wanted to be traded. Favre claimed he wanted to retire. Neither really meant it, but that was their only play to get their teams to resolve their issues. It might be a sorry idea to try to use your power to tell your bosses what to do, but they both felt it was their only play.

Did it turn the public against both of them? Sure. Did it work for Kobe? You decide. I think it did.

It won’t work for Favre, I don’t think. But, after 3 off-seasons of nothing from his team to help him, and then seeing that they still took all of those kids and went to the NFC title game, he just wanted to hear from Thompson that they were going to do whatever it took to take the final step.

What did Thompson do? Signed nobody this past spring. In fact, cut Bubba Franks and traded DT Corey Williams. That is right, they subtracted. With tons of cap room.

So Favre retired. He retired because since the day Ted Thompson was hired, he was
given no help to move the team in the right direction. Name another team that has gone 42 months without signing a single offensive free agent. I bet you can’t. He had enough of this team not seeming to mind the downward spiral.

But, now he wants to play football, because he knows he still can - at a very high level. Not for Green Bay in my opinion, and I don’t think Ted Thompson wants him back. If the Packers have decided that Aaron Rodgers gives them a better chance, then I say A) they are stupid and B) they should let Favre go.

Should they let him go to Minnesota or Chicago? No, but they should let him go to Tampa Bay, Carolina, or Baltimore. If Green Bay wanted him back, he would still be their QB, and he never would have retired. But, they told him and showed him that they prefer he leaves, so why be so petty as to keep him from playing? That would show very little respect for 16 years of high quality play where Packers fans experienced just 1 losing season.

So, my opinion? Thompson should swallow his pride and welcome Favre back for another run. But, if he doesn’t want Favre back, though it would make me ill, they need to Free Brett Favre. I don’t want to see him in another uniform, but I also don’t want him forever bitter at the franchise. This is certainly ugly.

Football Musings (WITH MINOR UPDATE)

2009-11-04T01:51:00.019-06:00

Turnover Battles for the Week

Winner	+/-	Loser
Car	+6	Arz
Chi	+4	Cle
Ten	+2	Jac
Dal	+1	Sea
Phi	+1	NYG
Bal	+1	Den
STL	E	Det
Mia	E	NYJ
Hou	-1	Buf
SD	-1	Oak
NO	-1	Atl
Ind	-2	SF
Min	-2	GB
Totals for Week	6-5-2
Totals for Season	75-19, 80%

Team	Reg Season	Playoffs (SB Rec)
Eagles	97-53-1	10-7 (0-1)
Giants	85-67	6-5 (1-1)
Cowboys	76-75	0-3
Redskins	68-83	1-2

Total	Record	Win %
+6	1-0	100%
+5	2-0	100%
+4	9-0	100%
+3	11-0	100%
+2	21-7	75%
+1	31-12	72%
Totals	75-19	80%

Name	Team	Opp	Yards	W/L
Chris Johnson	Ten	Jac	228	W
Maurice Jones-Drew	Jac	Ten	177	L
DeAngelo Williams	Car	Arz	158	W
Michael Turner	Atl	NO	151	L
Steven Jackson	STL	Det	149	W
Ryan Moats	Hou	Buf	126	W
Thomas Jones	NYJ	Mia	102	L
Totals for Week				4-3
Totals for Season				39-16, 71%

Name	Team	Opponent	Yards	W/L
Peyton Manning	Ind	SF	347	W
Drew Brees	NO	Atl	308	W
Totals for Week				2-0
Totals for Season				32-10, 76%

Name	Targets	Catches	Yards	FD/TD/INT
Austin	7	5	61	4/1/0
Witten	8	4	36	2/0/0
Williams	7	2	19	0/1/0
Bennett	3	2	18	1/0/0
Crayton	5	3	39	3/0/0
Jones	1	1	30	1/0/0
Hurd	1	1	36	0/1/0
Barber	1	1	-2	0/0/0
Ogletree	1	1	19	1/0/0
Phillips	1	1	0	0/0/0
Totals	35	21	256	13/3/0

Week	Opponent	Sack	Blame
Wk 1	Tampa	Barber	Romo awareness
Wk 3	Carolina	Davis	Adams?
Wk 3	Carolina	Beason	Felix/Colombo
Wk 4	Denver	Dumervil	Adams
Wk 4	Denver	Hill	Garrett?
Wk 4	Denver	Williams	Romo
Wk 4	Denver	Dumervil	Anderson
Wk 4	Denver	Holiday	Adams
Wk 5	Kansas City	Gilberry	Davis/Choice
Wk 7	Atlanta	DeCoud	Davis/Choice
Wk 7	Atlanta	Nicholas	Anderson
Wk 8	Seattle	Hawthorne	Colombo
Wk 8	Seattle	Hawthorne	Gurode

Package	Plays Run	Yards	Run	Pass
11	1	3	1-3	0-0
12	10	133	3-29	7-104
13	8	26	6-27	2-(-1)
21	7	8	5-14	2-(-6)
22	11	29	9-24	2-5
23	1	0	1-0	0-0
S02	3	12	0-0	3-12
S11	16	95	3-11	13-84
S12	10	54	1-10	9-44
Totals	67	360	29-118	38-242

Name	Targets	Catches	%	Yards	FD/TD/INT
Witten	40	32	80%	312	15/1/1
Austin	35	21	60%	502	11/5/1
Crayton	34	17	50%	252	6/3/1
Williams	30	12	40%	230	9/1/0
Choice	18	13	72%	115	6/0/0
Bennett	14	7	50%	72	4/0/0
Hurd	9	5	55%	89	3/0/1
Barber	6	5	83%	59	2/0/0
Jones	4	3	75%	26	1/0/0
Anderson		1	50%	5	0/0/
Totals	192	117	61%	1652	57/9/4

Package	Plays Run	Yards	Run	Pass
11	1	-1	1-(-1)	0-0
12	12	135	4-19	8-116
13	11	60	9-44	2-16
21	3	63	1-1	2-62
22	10	29	7-19	3-10
31	1	3	1-3	0-0
S11	11	57	1-16	10-41
S12	6	56	0-	6-56
Knee	3	-2	3-(-2)	0-0
Totals	59	413	28-115	31-299

Name	Targets	Catches	%	Yards	FD/TD/INT
Witten	33	28	85%	259	12/1/1
Crayton	32	15	47%	243	6/1/1
Austin	27	15	55%	331	7/3/1
Williams	25	11	44%	214	8/1/0
Choice	17	12	71%	92	5/0/0
Bennett	11	4	36%	40	3/0/0
Hurd	9	5	55%	89	3/0/1
Barber	5	4	80%	58	2/0/0
Jones	2	1	50%	20	1/0/0
Anderson	2	1	50%	5	0/0/0
Totals	163	96	59%	1341	47/6/4

Package	Plays Run	Yards	Run	Pass
11	2	0	0-0	2-0
12	10	38	6-7	4-31
13	2	-7	1-(-4)	1-(-3)
21	9	46	8-36	1-10
22	11	113	7-87	4-26
S21	1	10	0-0	1-10
S11	12	100	1-6	11-94
S12	13	192	2-13	11-179
Totals	61	498	26-150	35-348

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