Baltimore Ravens
Sunday 1:00 M&T Bank Stadium Baltimore, MD
NEEDS TO STEP UP:
DE Vinny Curry
I said that DE Connor Barwin should have been traded last year. Instead he’s started each of our 13 games this year, gotten 4 sacks, and is part of an almost invisible pass rush now. Despite signing a big contract in the offseason, Curry has still never started a game in his NFL career. This is bullshit. As a member of the the second unit Defensive Line, Curry needs to make it clear that the coaching staff picked the wrong guy to start this year.
WE MUST CONTAIN:
OLB Terrell Suggs
The best player on that team this year is K Justin Tucker, but since you can’t exactly “contain” Kickers, I’ll go with Suggs. “T-Sizzle” isn’t exactly having his best year with only 27 tackles in 12 games played. Then again, his solo tackle numbers did hit a wall in sayyyyy, oh about 2012. (I wonder who could have retired- OOPS! -I meant, what could have happened, that would have affected Suggs so greatly. Hmmmm…)
EAGLES STORY LINE:
An Eagles fan got on his knees and asked “Please Lord, I just want my team to make the playoffs this year.” The Lord responded. “Sure. I’ll make sure the Phillies get in.” The Fan said, “No Lord, I meant my other team. The Eagles.” To which the Lord replied “Sorry dude, I deal in miracles, not fantasies.”
If you are still harboring Eagles playoff hopes for 2016, sit down, I have some sad news to break to you: YOU stand more of a chance than the Eagles do, of making the playoffs this year. What we can do however, is use the remaining games to evaluate the roster and get a huge jump on our division rivals for 2017.
Discretion is the better part of valor, here. If we’re smart now, we won’t be back here, like this, next year.
BOTTOM LINE:
If we can win this game with a bunch of young guys, great. Any other win is a waste of a teaching tool.
PREDICTION:
Eagles 17 – Ravens 20
EAGLEMANIACAL.com 
I agree with you on barwin. Doesnt fit the scheme. He is not stout enough. I know this might be crazy but I think Cox might be better suited at DE. I think Cox and Logan are still developing so I would not write off either. The Eagles might want to invest in a 285 PD DE . I like Hicks in the middle but not quite the presence of a Trotter or Ryans. On offense we need speed on the outside and quality depth at Wr. We have our 2&3. I think jackson would make a difference in keeping defenses honest. And you are right about the OL. We need a physical interior lineman and must start thinking about Peters replacement. Peters might have one more season in him. I think our draft should go OL, DL, RB. Free agent WR/RB/DL
LikeLike
We do need more size at DE. Our entire problem at DE is that for years now every DE we’ve had is reliant on either speed or getting the angle to make a play. few of them have been physically powerful men who bullied blockers.
When you think back to Reggie White (292lbs.) and Clyde Simmons (275lbs.) both men were stout enough to hold the edge, by stacking and or overpowering blockers. Same with William Fuller (280lbs.) When you get down into the range of players like Mike Mamula (252), Trent Cole (260), Jevon Kearse (265), N.D. Kalu (265), Connor Barwin (264), Brandon Graham (265), you notice there’s a fall off. Sometimes we played Darwin Walker (294lbs.) at DE and teams stopped running his way and would run much more at Cole. The evidence is plain.
I wouldn’t pull Cox from DT though. If we had a DE who crushed one-on-one blockers, Cox would see fewer double-teams and would produce the stats that fans want to see. That’s why I’d like to see Vinny Curry (279) playing on Cox’s left hip. It would certainly allow Schwartz to use Nigel Bradham in plenty of ways.
LikeLike
It’s hard to say what I think our Draft should look like, but if I was just going to prioritize the top 5 needs, I’d say it’s: CB, CB, RB, OT, DE.
LikeLike