Whats the Eagles' biggest threat?

[Russ Smith]

Westbrook the problem is we have really struggled stopping short passes to RB's and TE's and that's his bread and butter.

Jackson is a good deep threat but the way DRC is playing right now just put DRC on him.

 

[Mulli]

Watch out for Asante Samuel.

 

[moklerman]

Screen passes and TE's will be the biggest challenge for the Cardinals defense. I think they can stop the conventional running game but the Card's don't seem to do well against nifty QB's. McNabb doesn't have the wheels that he used to but he has become very adept at moving around behind the line of scrimmage and finding receivers downfield. LJ Smith is very capable of having a big day. He's very inconsistent and makes mental errors but in the right situation, he can do some damage. I just hope the scheme accounts for stuff over the middle because that is where McNabb is the most accurate. I'm fine with our CB's dealing with the WR's one on one, just make sure and slant the coverage to the outside. McNabb's arm may be strong but his accuracy really dwindles when he's not throwing over the middle or screens. He can get it down the sideline but I'll take my chances on those big plays with the Cardinals coverage over getting picked apart on the short stuff.

 

[BCEagle]

The Cardinals just need to be disciplined on defense and make sure tackles. If they start missing tackles, over run plays, lose focus in the secondary (all of which they have done at some point this season) we are screwed. Even if we don't sack McNabb we have to make him uncomfortable, we have to bump & run Jackson and we have to be wary of Westbrook on every play. Forcing turnovers again will be the key.

The Eagles will come in overconfident...they've won 3 straight road games, 2 in the playoffs. BUT they haven't played in UofP EVER, they have no idea the pent up frustration of a city ready to explode over the success of their football team...the Cardinals can't help but feed off that energy. Hopefully the combination of Cardinal energy and Eagle overconfidence will lead to a Super Bowl berth for the Cards...then we can be the worst Super Bowl team EVER.

I don't think that overconfidence will be a problem for the Eagles. I am an Eagles fan, and I'll try not to sound like a total homer, but overconfidence is more of a young team's problem. McNabb, Dawkins, et al, have been here before: four other times in the last ten years to be exact. Two of those times, the Eagles were favored by a touchdown and playing at home ... and they lost! I think these guys know enough not to overlook the Cardinals, and, as team leaders, will bring the rest of the team in line. You can already see it in Westbrook's, McNabb's, and Dawkin's comments that the Eagles players genuinely respect what the Cardinals have been able to accomplish and recognize the tough road ahead of them. They're not going to provide any bulletin board material, that is for sure.

The greater problem for the Eagles is that one Donovan Jamal McNabb almost always seems to come up flat in the "big game". I don't know why. This was a pattern established in college, and it continued as he progressed in the pros. His lifetime passer rating is 86, but in the NFCCGs he has a passer rating of about 60.

This year, he has more on the line, as this could be his last year as an Eagle. He has more to prove, he has been playing with a chip on his shoulder, and the Eagles as a team are playing with house money as they needed an improbable sequence of events to happen for them to even reach the playoffs.

I agree with your strategy for defending against McNabb and company. He is a different QB when he is pressured. The other thing that I would add is that the Cards will probably have one of the LBs "spy" Westbrook.

 

[Gandhi]

Watch out for Asante Samuel.

No matter how good he is, he can't cover Fitz, Breaston and, hopefully, Boldin at the same time.
Eli Manning may or may not have had the option to consistently throw away from Samuel, but Warner does.

I think Westbrook is the key. I remember when Marshall Faulk was playing, opposing teams sometimes talked about "finding Wally", meaning that they should be aware of him at any time, on any play. I think it is sort of the same thing with Westbrook. Make sure of where he is all the time.

 

[Mulli]

No matter how good he is, he can't cover Fitz, Breaston and, hopefully, Boldin at the same time.
Eli Manning may or may not have had the option to consistently throw away from Samuel, but Warner does.

I think Westbrook is the key. I remember when Marshall Faulk was playing, opposing teams sometimes talked about "finding Wally", meaning that they should have someone covering any time, on any play. I think it is sort of the same thing with Westbrook. Make sure you have at least one guy on him all the time.

Yep.

 

[moklerman]

This year, he has more on the line, as this could be his last year as an Eagle. He has more to prove, he has been playing with a chip on his shoulder, and the Eagles as a team are playing with house money as they needed an improbable sequence of events to happen for them to even reach the playoffs.

What is your impression of McNabb's future in regards to the better he does and the more the team wins, the more likely he's cementing his future there? I know the owner has said that he wants McNabb back next year but I get the impression no one else expects him to actually be back.

McNabb has been playing like he's got something to prove but I also got the impression that he wanted/needed a change of scenery.

 

[BCEagle]

No matter how good he is, he can't cover Fitz, Breaston and, hopefully, Boldin at the same time.
Eli Manning may or may not have had the option to consistently throw away from Samuel, but Warner does.

I think Westbrook is the key. I remember when Marshall Faulk was playing, opposing teams sometimes talked about "finding Wally", meaning that they should be aware of him at any time, on any play. I think it is sort of the same thing with Westbrook. Make sure of where he is all the time.

I agree, the Cardinals have one of the most talented corps of receivers in the league, a seasoned QB, and a rejuvenated RB. But bear in mind that the Eagles have one of the best cornerback tandems in Brown-Samuel, and Brown (58 attempts, 5.10 YPA, 43.10 Forced INC%, 0 TDs) has not allowed a TD all year. You can't simply just throw away from Samuel. Add to that pro-bowler FS Brian Dawkins, and Quintin Mikell (NFL All-Pro Second Team) and you have a very good secondary. That's why I like this match-up so much: it is strength on strength.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

Try to name the last SB winner who didn't have atleast one marguee safety, if not two of them.

Good question. I had to think about it. Kurt Warner's Rams maybe?

 

[CHAPTER 7]

Westbrook. But I am afraid of McNabb's scrambling to get away from sack and strike to their WR. Or screen play to Westbrook.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The Eagles biggest threat? The Fearsome Foursome of Ouchie, Cheese, Dr. Dad (my pops) and El Dibalo (the other brother) all at the game together. We were there in '98 together when we got into the playoffs... we were there in 2005 to open the Stadium... we were there two weeks ago to win in the playoffs... and by gum, we're gonna be there when we go to the freaking Super Bowl. We've never lost a game that we've all gone to and that sure as %#^# ain't gonna happen in the NFC TITLE GAME!!!!!

Here's a text I got from a friend in UNC before the ATL game: Shapiro Power X4... the Falcons don't stand a chance.

And neither do the Eagles!!!!!!!!!

 

[Gandhi]

I agree, the Cardinals have one of the most talented corps of receivers in the league, a seasoned QB, and a rejuvenated RB. But bear in mind that the Eagles have one of the best cornerback tandems in Brown-Samuel, and Brown (58 attempts, 5.10 YPA, 43.10 Forced INC%, 0 TDs) has not allowed a TD all year. You can't simply just throw away from Samuel. Add to that pro-bowler FS Brian Dawkins, and Quintin Mikell (NFL All-Pro Second Team) and you have a very good secondary. That's why I like this match-up so much: it is strength on strength.

Very good point. For once this receiver corps might not be too much for the defense.

Either way, as you point out, this is deemed to be a great match-up.

 

[cardsfanmd]

Good question. I had to think about it. Kurt Warner's Rams maybe?

I think you are right, but who needs safties when you have AW back there

 

[moklerman]

That's why I like this match-up so much: it is strength on strength.

It will certainly be interesting to see how the "new" Cardinals fare against the, as far as I'm concerned, best defense in the NFC. The jury's still out on their pass defense though. They really didn't face many decent passing teams all year. Dallas, when they had their heads on relatively straight, put up 300+ and 41 points and the Cardinals were incredibly predictable and unbalanced.

Other than those two games, I don't see any team on the Eagles schedule that was really a passing team, much less a good passing team. I think it's going to be a dominating win for whichever team that turns out to be at an advantage.

 

[BCEagle]

What is your impression of McNabb's future in regards to the better he does and the more the team wins, the more likely he's cementing his future there? I know the owner has said that he wants McNabb back next year but I get the impression no one else expects him to actually be back.

McNabb has been playing like he's got something to prove but I also got the impression that he wanted/needed a change of scenery.

My purely layman's opinion, just an educated guess, is that McNabb will be back next year. Kevin Kolb, who was drafted in the 2007 NFL draft as McNabb's replacement just isn't ready, and he needs at least another year.

From McNabb's perspective, he knows the system, and I get the impression that he has formed a genuine bond with Andy Reid -- an equally long-suffering target of fans who are beying for blood. I cannot understand the mentality of "fans" who were actually rooting for Dallas to win so that Reid would get fired, but there you are. Behold the Philadelphia Sports Scene.

McNabb's is actually under contract through the 2010 season, so this is really about the front office trying to pressure him into a more cap-friendly deal. McNabb's contract is extremely backloaded, with a $9.2 million cap hit in 2009 and $10 million cap hit in 2010. There would be no cap hit in cutting or trading McNabb, hence the pressure for a new deal.

 

[BCEagle]

The Eagles biggest threat? The Fearsome Foursome of Ouchie, Cheese, Dr. Dad (my pops) and El Dibalo (the other brother) all at the game together. We were there in '98 together when we got into the playoffs... we were there in 2005 to open the Stadium... we were there two weeks ago to win in the playoffs... and by gum, we're gonna be there when we go to the freaking Super Bowl. We've never lost a game that we've all gone to and that sure as %#^# ain't gonna happen in the NFC TITLE GAME!!!!!

Here's a text I got from a friend in UNC before the ATL game: Shapiro Power X4... the Falcons don't stand a chance.

And neither do the Eagles!!!!!!!!!

Actually, the Eagles' biggest threat is Glenn Frey. I'm sorry, but Don Henley is way overrated.

 

[moklerman]

McNabb's is actually under contract through the 2010 season, so this is really about the front office trying to pressure him into a more cap-friendly deal. McNabb's contract is extremely backloaded, with a $9.2 million cap hit in 2009 and $10 million cap hit in 2010. There would be no cap hit in cutting or trading McNabb, hence the pressure for a new deal.

The Eagles FO must be pretty cheap if they're playing games because they have to pay him market value. $9.2 is hardly excessive(Brady $15M, Cassel $14M), especially considering it's coming in the last two years of a contract. The team may be strapped because of all the other payouts but McNabb's contract isn't in need of restructuring on it's own. Not from what you've posted anyway.

 

[82CardsGrad]

The key to making Warner give up the ball is not by pressuring him. He has the best QB rating in the league when pressured. That includes turnovers in the QB rating. Where Kurt has made most of his INT’s is when a team rushes 4 and sits 7 guys in coverage, that’s when Kurt thinks to much and tries to make something happen rather then his accurate timing passes.

You better believe Philly DC Johnson knows just that as the game against the Cards was a game he called the fewest blitz in a single game all year long. He mostly rushed 4 and dropped back 7 guys. After that other teams started doing the same thing and Warner while still playing well wasn’t playing nearly as well as the game previous. Seems as though Warner and our OC have finally caught up to that change of how teams were playing us.

Warner wasn’t sacked all game long and the throws he made were throws while not under pressure or due to holding on to long because of 7 guys in coverage then being pressured.

Anyways their biggest threat is Westbrook and their DC. We do very well against the north south runners but the shiftier ones give us fits. We shall see if our newly found consistent gap control and tackling ability helps that out. Their DC 9 times out of 10 puts his guys in situations to do well.

Excellent summation here... I totally agree. Johnson is masterful and knew then that blitzing Kurt is akin to a suicide mission...
This is where the chess game comes and why I love football so much. Will Johnson go with the same scheme again or will he adjust and find ways to creatively bring more pressure, thinking that the Cards will prepare for a defense like the one they saw on Thanksgiving?
How will the Cards exploit a 4 man rush, 7 man coverage scheme? They failed miserably in Philly...

Gonna be a great game!

 

[Mulli]

Hardening of the arteries of Reid and McNabb?



Sorry couldn't resist.

 

[82CardsGrad]

For the record:

1.) Most important - I vote YES to allowing the Eagles Cheerleaders into UoP!!! In fact, I beg the powers that be to allow this to happen!!


2.) Biggest threat is Westbrook... If we can find the way to neutralize him, our chances for success on defense sky rocket...

 

[moklerman]

How will the Cards exploit a 4 man rush, 7 man coverage scheme? They failed miserably in Philly...

True but I don't think it's particularly complicated. The reason they failed so miserably is because they were so ineffective and predictable. I don't think Whis/Haley will give up so quickly on the running game this time around and I think that Whis will implement his conservative gameplan to keep things close in the first half. As long as the Cardinals don't fall behind early and/or big, the second half(3rd quarter?) will be where they make their move.

EDIT: Now that I think about, with the Cardinals being the highest scoring 3rd quarter team in the league and Whis's propensity to defer the opening kickoff, he must have some kind of philosophy about the 3rd quarter being vital to success.

 

[IAWarnerFan]

IMO the scariest part of their offense isn't Westbrook. It's the balance they have. McNabb has so many options that he can survey the field for mismatches. We've already stopped better RBs than Westbrook, so I'm not so worried about him.

 

[red desert]

Donvan's ability to extend the play and avoid being sacked.

That's it right there. Scares the heck out of me.

Playing at home in front of our outstanding fans... nothing else about this philly squad intimidates me right now. Not even their defense.

But McNabb's ability to improvise just sucks the life out of a defense that is otherwise playing well. Often that is the difference in the game.

 

[IAWarnerFan]

But McNabb's ability to improvise is often the difference in the game. That kinda **** just sucks the life out of a defense that is otherwise playing well.

Agreed! He doesn't run much anymore tho. He still has the abilty to move around and survey the field for open targets. The whole defense will have to step up and take it away from him. He can also take a play that is totally broken up and turn into a gain for his team.

 

[Mitch]

Shadow Westbrook with Dansby...and put DRC on Jackson and Hood on Curtis.