mary owen Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 The Eagles must do the following IMO: - Blitz Brady. I don't mean just blitz him but in certain situations. The Patriots are going to bring their usual imaginative Offensive play calling to Philly's D. Ever see Brady flustered? Allot of teams have gained a certain respect for his ability to be cool in the pocket. So take it to him on 1st and 2nd downs every once in a while. Overload that O-line because that's where his success comes from. ESPECIALLY bring the pressure up the middle. Corey Simon needs to have his best game. - Strip the ball. There are techniques to getting around Dillon's straight arm. They should have been working on this from the get-go in practices. - Use TO as the ultimate decoy. Do this early. If the Eagles have success in this area, the Patriots will adjust. They are the best at adjusting during the game. When they do this, IF TO is healthy enough, he can take advantage of this. Pass a few to him on first down. Get some early draw plays going to Westbrook. Then hit them with a few FAKE draws as the Pats will certainly be looking for it again. Let TO do his damage then. - Take the shackles off McNabb. By this I mean let him run. I would even design a few QB draws for him to run on 1st and second downs. That D will begin hesitating just a little bit and that will be to his advantage later on. Donovon is one of the best conditioned athletes in the league. If your screens are getting snuffed out, you could get them to bite on a few fake screens and let McNabb have a chance to make some yards on his own. -Take a few pages out of NE's playbook. Some short passes that allow the receiver to get out of bounds after a 5 and 6 yard gains. I think the biggest key is McNabb being able to scramble. and i'm not talking scrambling to find more time to pass. But scrambling to gain yards. Finding more time to pass only plays into NE's hands. Look at Manning and Rothisberger. They had time and it killed them. any thoughts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frez Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 I like the Eagles tomorrow in a close game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shameless Homer Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 McNabb should run early, very early, to get the safeties to move up. Screen plays early and often also to bring up safeties. Then burn 'em deep. Brady throws 71% his passes within 10 yards of line of scrimmage(even though Pats fans brag he's gone long this year) Play physical at LOS on receivers, blitz often. They talk about how Brady will burn you on the blitz. True, he's capable. But an inferior team like Eagles have to take chances. Blitz often and see what happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rico Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Knock Brady out of the game early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Totally agree about McNabb. They cannot beat the Pats w/o his feet. If he can rip off a few early, he might also force Belichik/Crennel's hand. If they have to spy him it'll create space in the seams where he can do some damage. Everybody wants to talk about Westbrook, but I don't see him being a huge factor as it's been a long long time since we've seen anybody win a match-up with the NE LB corps. The big X-factor is Owens. If he can actually be effective the Iggles have a real chance, but if he can't dig and cut, I think Philly may be better off without him. I do think that McNabb buying time will give him an advantage Manning/Roethlisberger didn't have. Manning is at his best when he gets tha ball out quick and Roehtlisberger is just a little kid, but McNabb has the arm and smarts to do real damage downfield when opposing secondaries are forced to cover for a few extra seconds. The patchwork Patriot secondary could be really susceptible to this. If I were running the Iggle D, I'd be careful about blitzing too much though. I think the Pats gameplan will be to take the air out of the ball and pound Dillon off-tackle all day. Which also means you have to be careful about running too many stunts/twists or you're going to create big lanes for him and put too much pressure on your backers. Philly's best bet here is to get great games out of both Simon and Kearse and hope to hell they've got an officiating crew that won't allow the NE Oline to tackle people all day. This is a tough match-up for Brady as the Iggles won't allow him to comfortably make pre-snap reads as they rarely give you what they show you. Another thing worth mentioning is that NE will not have their customary huge advantage in the kicking game. Vinatieri may be the best in the league, but Akers has a bigger leg and is nearly as accurate. I also wonder if the Patriots are as susceptible to big returns (esp. in the puntgame) as their terrible coverage numbers this season indicate. If the Iggles can bottle up Dillon and use McNabb's feet to sustain drives and limit Brady's opportunities they can put NE in the kind of position they need to have them to beat them. But imo they have to do both those things in order to even have a chance to be competitive. Cya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Brady throws 71% his passes within 10 yards of line of scrimmage(even though Pats fans brag he's gone long this year During a game this year one of the announcers claimed that statistics show Brady throws a higher % of his passes over 15yrds downfield than any other QB in the NFL. I have no way of proving this but considering Weiss' penchant to get the ball downfield, it wouldn't really surprise me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nanker Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Somehow I'm just not into this year's SB - even though my daughter lives in Jacksonville. I'm not sure how much of the game I'm actually going to see as I'm still hoping for both teams to lose. I detest NewenGland for personal reasons, and I live in Princeton, so the Iggles-mania is everywhere and stiffling. I would love to enjoy the agony of both team's distraught fans. The pain of the Iggles fans would definitely be greater though. What's the over/under on the number of quarts of Campbell's Chunky Soup Mrs. McNabb will eat during the big halftime show? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hollywood Donahoe Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 The Eagles must do the following IMO: - Blitz Brady. That's exactly what they shouldn't do. Brady has a VERY high QB rating versus the blitz, and has thrown (I believe) 5 TDs versus 0 INTs versus the blitz in his playoff career. The teams that get to Brady are the ones that can consistently get pressure from the 4-man front, while still flooding the passing lanes with 7 players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Blitz Brady- That's exactly what they shouldn't do. I agree that they have to be very careful about when they bring extra rushers, because of both Dillon and Brady. But the Iggles may be the best team in the league at disguising what they're doing so if they are smart about where/when they bring it, I think they can do it effectively. I'd look for them to be more likely to come after Brady early and spend more time in coverage as the game progresses. But they've got to find a way to bang him in the 1stqrtr to prevent him from becoming too comfortable in the pocket. Cya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shameless Homer Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 During a game this year one of the announcers claimed that statistics show Brady throws a higher % of his passes over 15yrds downfield than any other QB in the NFL. I have no way of proving this but considering Weiss' penchant to get the ball downfield, it wouldn't really surprise me. 229024[/snapback] I heard that too, but throwing and completing, two different exercises, no? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 but throwing and completing, two different exercises, no? That is very true, but with teh Patriots documented willingness to attack downfield, you can't just play man, jump routes and attack the sticks all day or they will beat you over the top. Weiss has a great knack for knowing when to take his shots against the right defense, and if you defend this team under the assumption that they're a dink'n'dunk offense, they will make you pay for your arrogance. Bastards..... Cya Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
njsue Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 The eagles Dc Jimmy Johnson pretty darn good coordinator with a dominating core of defensive players. Expect the eagles to bring it early and often. OH LOOK OUT MARSHA THE KEARSE IS COMING. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bear Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 My gameplan for stopping New Englands offense is the same as it has always been....STOP TRYING TO BLITZ! I don't understand why everyone is always yelling to blitz more against that team. THERE IS A REASON THEY COMPLETE SO MANY PASSES INSIDE TEN YARDS!!! If there is one thing I give Brady a lot of credit for it's his quick reads. He sees the blitz and knows where to throw it. His recievers are also very good at adjusting routes and making catches in tight places. The only way to stop that D is by having enough talent in your secondary and LB core to stop the pass. Trying to hurry the pass only leaves less coverage on the recievers that are making their breaks by the time a pass rush can get to Brady. On Offense, I agree with everyone else. The game rests on McNabbs legs, and his ability to not get hurt when he gets popped by those LB's and safties. If Owens were playing at 100%, I would be much more willing to believe the Eagles could pull this game out. But, without him at full strength added to the fact that Jimmy Johnson loves his blitz schemes, I just don't think they have it. I'm still hoping though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stussy109 Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 STuff the ball down their throats with Westbrook, then mix in a playaction pass here and there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bflo83 Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 1. D line pressure. Get Tommy Boy's uniform dirty. The Freak needs to have a big game with backing from the defensive tackles. 2. The second one's even more obvious: the Eagles can not turn the ball over. Ever. They must force a turnover or two and take care of their end of the business. 3. If all else fails cheap shot Brady and knock him out of the game Go Iggles!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg de'Ville Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 ...Iggles must be selective when they blitz Brady. They must also "funnel" Dillon into the middle and make sure tackles. Get Westbrook involved! Especially quick-out throws from McNabb. McNabb also should get the green light and take off when the opportunity is there to keep the Patsies guessing. Field position too will be key. The kickers are a wash, but I like the Iggles' punter, Dirk Johnson--he's had a steady season and really performed well in the cold and win vs. Atlanta two weeks ago. If the Iggle D can force some rare Patsie playoff turnovers, they have a legit chance to win. 27-23 Iggles is my predict. Then, the next predict would be 2 million for the parade down Broad Street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brandon Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 Can they win? Probably not. All New England really has to do in this game is concentrate on shutting down Westbrook. If they can do that, it'll force McNabb to beat them. He can do that, but if Owens doesn't play or isn't effective, their WRs aren't much, and McNabb will have to shoulder the load. He will likely have to play the best game of his career if the Eagles are to win tomorrow night, including as a runner. Defensively, I think the Eagles just need to play somewhat conservative and try to force a low scoring game. If they can hold the Pats under 20 points, they have a chance. Otherwise, NE will win this game. Unfortunately, I think the Eagles offense will probably contribute a few turnovers in this one and their D won't be able to bail them out. This one will get out of hand early and NE will win the game easily, 34-9. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astrobot Posted February 5, 2005 Share Posted February 5, 2005 I'm with Brandon. Pats 31-17. The only hope Eagles have is Time of Possession. Sustained drives with no mistakes. If McNabb shows he will run early enough, the best plays may be McNabb running toward the line, watching what the LB and S do, and throwing it if they come off the receivers for McNabb. Likewise, using Westbrook keeps that clock running. Four yards at a time with 3-4 drives of 7 minutes each. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mary owen Posted February 5, 2005 Author Share Posted February 5, 2005 That's exactly what they shouldn't do. Brady has a VERY high QB rating versus the blitz, and has thrown (I believe) 5 TDs versus 0 INTs versus the blitz in his playoff career. The teams that get to Brady are the ones that can consistently get pressure from the 4-man front, while still flooding the passing lanes with 7 players. 229034[/snapback] that's why i said blitz when they don't expect. 1st downs and even when an seemingly obvious rushing plays. a blitz can disrupt a run in the backfield, so long as it is cleverly diguised and when you can get one defender to lead the a guard one way, you have a blitzing defender slice right in off his heals. this way, it's not quite an up the middle blitz and not quite an outside blitz. Use kearse wisely. Don't rush him off the edge all the time. Disguise it so it seems as though he will be coming wide but have him drop at the last instant. This will occupy the Tackle rendering him ineffective. let that pressure congest near the middle. Kearse's freaky long arms and range can be very effective defending dump off passes. that's the kind of blitzing. Not when they expect it, and definately not on third and mid to long. That's what the pat's do. It will give you more midfield and deep coverage in the secondary. Brady is not a threat with his feet. And if he does run, he will fumble when hit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mary owen Posted February 7, 2005 Author Share Posted February 7, 2005 I was right about McNabb......why didn't he run more????? anyone else notice how he waited too long looking for receivers???? Run!! they should've called a few QB draws on 1st down...big mistake.....BTW, TO would've been MVP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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