BYRON MAXWELL GUARANTEES SUPERBOWL 50.

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/05/29
Posted in: Crazy Talk, Defense, Players, Roster. Tagged: , , , , . 6 Comments
The actual Superbowl 50 trophy.

The actual Superbowl 50 trophy.

CORNERBACK Byron Maxwell said that when he said of this year’s Eagles “we’re gonna go that far this year, meaning the playoffs and the Super Bowl. We’re gonna go that far.” He went as far as to guarantee it when he said point blank “You can take that as a guarantee”. That’s right. He guaranteed that we’ll be in the Super Bowl. 

Personally I love the confidence. I think the Eagles overpaid for him and that in this system he won’t be as good as advertised (because he can’t be), but I like confidence. It smacks of when JRoll said the Phillies were the team to beat in 2006 and they started acting like it, ultimately winning it all in 2008.

I much prefer that swagger to Derrick Coleman’s response in 1992 when asked whether or not the Sixers could make new coach Doug Moe’s “Run n Gun” offense work. Coleman’s response was “We’ll see.” The Sixers greeted the year with a shrug instead of swagger. As a result they were an abysmal eye sore and Moe didn’t last the season.

I prefer it when a player puts pressure on himself and his teammates. The idea that a coach has to motivate players always bugs me when I hear it. Nobody had to motivate me when I played. I did it because I loved it, I wanted to win and I wanted to be the best. I wanted to be able to look another man in the eye and tell him he wasn’t on my level. And then I wanted to show him. But before that there must be work, and before that there have to be expectations. Expectations of your body, your effort, your will and your ability to push past today’s limits.

Byron Maxwell has expectations. Expectations of himself and of his team, and I’m here to tell you that I love that. And let me tell you something else; if his attitude can spread to the other men on this roster, and they can achieve that goal, then he will be worth every penny he’ll ever earns in an Eagles uniform. I guarantee it.

FUCK YOUR TEAM: COWBOYS EDITION

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/05/24
Posted in: Crazy Talk, NFL, Players, Roster. Tagged: , , , , . 4 Comments

hardyharhar

PART of being a good fan is knowing about more than just “your team”. It also means having a handle on state of your rivals. Who is on their roster, who’s injured and things like that. I mean, it would be silly to STILL be rooting against Marion Barber, right? So you have to keep up with what’s going on. That said, here is the current state of the Dallas Cowboys right now.

Running Back Darren McFadden suffered a dislocated jaw yesterday while saying that he hopes to stay healthy for the 2015 season. It was a non-contact injury since all he was doing at the time was talking. However, several reports say that McFadden was also unwrapping a stick of gum when the injury occurred, and may or may not have also suffered a paper cut which required stitches.

Due to McFadden’s injury, Joseph Randle is hoping for a chance to steal the role of starter and has at least one supporter in teammate Dez Bryant. Bryant, when asked about Randle’s abilities is said to have spoken effusively about the RB, saying “That boy GOOD. He real good! He’s so good he’ll make you smack your mother! Trust me on that.”

Unfortunately today’s early practice for rookies and selected veterans was cut short when rookie Randy Gregory seized up in a full body cramp and just kept screaming and screaming and screaming. Coach Jason Garrett tried to help the rookie by rubbing Gatorade directly onto the top of Gregory’s helmet and then his knees, but both Garrett’s initial approach and his adjustment proved to be misguided and ineffective.

Free Agent acquisition Greg Hardy (apparently married now judging by the picture), declined to comment on how he’s fitting in with the Cowboys culture. He was in a rush because rookie La’el Collins was giving an alibi symposium and Hardy didn’t want to be late.

So there it is. A basic over-view on one of our rivals. If this one gets enough notice I’ll do another one soon, if not I’ll do the next one next season.

DEAR ZACK METTENBERGER,

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/05/18
Posted in: Conspiracy Corner, Draft, NFL, Roster. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

get a clue

WITH the #2 overall pick in the Draft this year, the Tennessee Titans selected QB Marcus Mariota out of Oregon. While the position he was picked at virtually guarantees that Mariota will start, Zach Mettenberger (last year’s starter) has said he won’t yield the starting QB job without a “fight to the death” . Like everything about Mettenberger so far, I find it courageously sad.

This won’t be a fight to the death, because Mettenberger was already dead well before the 2015 Draft. When you’re a 6th round pick and the team goes and grabs a guy #2 overall at your spot, they’re kinda sorta sending you a subtle message. Which is hilarious considering how much help the Titans need, and that Mettenberger flashed some promise there.

Last year I got to watch him play against us in a 43 – 24 win for the Eagles. The kid looked good out there all things considered. He was a rookie 6th round draft pick, forced to start for a shitty team, that everyone knew in July was going nowhere but home in January. Still the guy played his overmatched little heart out, showing not a solitary ounce of quit in that game.

A good team would have looked at Mettenberger’s 83.4 rating, his never-say-die attitude, and the fact that five of their three 20-point games were with him starting, (including three straight weeks during five straight starts). A good team would have focused on coaching up a diamond in the rough and using that #2 overall draft pick on some help for their utterly atrocious defense. The Tennessee Titans however, are not a good team.

So the Titans did what bad teams do. They blew the #2 overall pick on a QB who is physically talented, but may have a steep learning curve before he’s NFL ready, let alone a playoff level performer. Meanwhile Mettenberger gets to waste away on the bench as the back-up to a question mark.

Barring injury to Mariota, while I admire Mettenberger’s spirit, his days of being the Titans starting QB are laying on a slab, right next to Jake Locker’s career. Someone should put on some Bone Thugs N Harmony and walk his career towards the light.

THE RETURN OF MICHAEL VICK

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/05/15
Posted in: Conversations, Crazy Talk, Fans, NFL, Offense, Players, Roster. Tagged: , , , , , . 9 Comments

mv2

SAM Bradford has a great arm, but his durability is an issue that most fans can’t seem to overlook. And while Mark Sanchez played well in relief of Nick Foles after he had his collarbone broken last year, Sanchez was far from dynamic and showed no real ability to be a game changer, even momentarily. Our 3rd string QB is either Tim Tebow or Matt Barkley. Considering all of that, and given his familiarity with our system, how would you feel about the return of Michael Vick?

Hold on! Understand, this is just us fans talking. Nowhere have I heard that the Eagles were one of the handful of teams kicking the tires on Vick. The NFL’s website however does mention (HERE) that some teams are. I just thought I’d bring it up, since it’s the offseason and we have time to chew the fat and say “Hey man, what if…”

I’m talking about this purely as a back-up. Vick was never a 16 game starter even when was supposed to be, so I don’t see the point of trying to project him out as such now. What he could be if he were forced to start a few games though, is a guy who forces teams to throw away what they learned about this system with less mobile QB’s running it.

While opponents caught up to this offense with Foles running it, they did so at the expense of almost always leaving the backdoor wide open so they could stop the run. When Foles went down they did the same with Sanchez, because neither man could exploit it and make them pay. That’s not the case with Vick.

Vick isn’t the guy that the Falcons selected number one overall, but three years after he retires he’ll still be more of a running threat than Foles, Sanchez, or Bradford are today. With Vick as the back-up everything teams assume that they know about successfully defending against the Eagles, goes right out the window the second Bradford goes down.

Look, Sam Bradford may surprise us all. Chip Kelly could put him on a steady diet of Orange/Peanut/Spinach smoothies and Bradford might start every game as a result. However if Bradford goes down again, somebody has to start in his place for however long he’s out. Considering what’s on the roster today, the return of Michael Vick might not be such a bad thing.

NEEDING THIS MEANINGLESS PUNISHMENT

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/05/12
Posted in: Conspiracy Corner, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Players. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 7 Comments

deflatriots

EVERYBODY knew the week before the Super Bowl that the Patriots had cheated in the AFC Championship game against the Colts. The NFL was “investigating it”, but the world already knew that game balls which had been inspected by NFL officials, were tampered with after that inspection. That part was clear, so everyone KNEW there was tampering. Still the Patriots were allowed to play in the Super Bowl. Now, four months after the Super Bowl confetti has been swept up, we find out the price for cheating in a playoff game is one player suspended for four games, plus a first and fourth round draft pick (not even in the same Draft year). It’s a meaningless punishment.

It would have been better if NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell just looked into the camera, said “Fuck you” to the fans, then went back to loudly slurping Bob Kraft (the Patriots team owner). It would at least have been more honest. It’s what most of us felt was happening anyway, when the Patriots weren’t disqualified or ordered to play game over at least. So much for teaching kids about sportsmanship Roger! Good job!

The set-up to this joke of a penalty is that it’s being appealed. Not just the 4 game suspension, but the loss of draft picks too. Despite the sweetheart deal Goodell handed these chumps, Tom Brady and Kraft are whining that the punishment is too much. You could impregnate all of China with balls that big!

The punchline to this joke of a penalty is that the NFL needs it to be upheld. Some would argue that reducing meaningless punishments is no big deal, since they started out without merit anyway. Here’s why that’s the wrong way to look at it. Everyone (not wearing a Patriots jersey) can plainly see that these were high crimes in the world of sports, and that some high price had to be paid for it. So it was bad enough that such meaningless punishments were handed down to begin with. However if they get further reduced just because the perpetrators of the crime don’t like the sentence, then it brings into question everything regarding player discipline in the NFL.

Using Performance Enhancing Drugs (Lane Johnson) or blowing herb (Josh Gordon) can get you suspended for four games (or more). Beating your son (Adrian Peterson) can cost you a season. So can a bounty scandal (Sean Payton). Beating your wife (Ray Rice) can get you just about blackballed. Yet all of these things occurred off the field. If the NFL loses the ability to discipline NFL employees for on the field issues, they lose the leverage and moral high-ground for doing so with off the field issues. There are far reaching issues at stake here.

The meaningless punishment (bullshit as it is), has to be upheld now or the whole damned thing starts to come apart on the day those sentences get commuted.

AN EAGLES FAN’S FULL ATTENTION

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/05/10
Posted in: Defense, Fans, NFL, Offense, Players, Rants. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

tony romo

I’M sick of Cowboys fans whining every time a rival fan mentions their team that we’re “closet fans” or, “talking more about their team than our own”. Since my website here overwhelmingly disproves those statements, I felt comfortable taking a day to indulge our rivals. So they can know what it REALLY MEANS to have an Eagles fan’s full attention focused on their team.

They can’t win the division again this season, because they simply don’t have the tools.

Last year they leaned heavily on Philadelphia Eagles RB DeMarco Murray to carry their team and keep their QB upright. They don’t have him this year. Delusional fans have convinced themselves that replacement Darren McFadden can pick up where Murray left off. I won’t even argue too hard against that one, since I’m going around collecting screenshots of Cowboys fans who are piking McFadden up as being able to do what Murray just did.

Last year Tony Romo had the best year of his career while our RB set their franchise rushing record, and STILL while maxing out like that, they only won the division by a SINGLE game. Just one.

True, the Cowboys were 12-4 to the Eagles 10-6. Had we won that second game, we’re both 11-5 and the Eagles hold the tie-breaker. Since we lost that game, it was a moot point. Fact is however, the entire season turned on that ONE GAME. Just one. We did 10-6 with a plethora of injuries, and they maxed out to get to 12-4 on the swing of one game. Hardly the cream of the crop.

Last year on defense they couldn’t get within a $50 cab ride of a QB, so they went out and added some firepower. Only question is, will it ever see the field? One guy has become synonymous with domestic abuse and likes making 9/11 jokes as he appeals his 10 game suspension; and another guy can’t handle the rigors of May heat in shorts and no pads. The killer DT they were depending on, has all but retired. That front seven is a mess, and anyone who disagrees is probably the sort of fan that Cowboys defensive coaches hate. (That tweet has been since taken down.)

They picked up some O-line help, but from what I keep reading, the Cowboys line was already perfect last year, so I guess this will make them…“perfecter”?

While Cowboys fans like to talk smack about Sam Bradford‘s injury history, at least our back-up is Mark Sanchez. Meanwhile the Cowboys are still just one good hit away from starting this guy at QB:

 brandon weeden

Speaking of which, just how good are the current RB’s at blitz pick-up?

OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE EAGLES

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/05/09
Posted in: Crazy Talk, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Players, Roster. Tagged: , , , , , , . 4 Comments

sam bradford

THE Dallas Cowboys have given me reason to be optimistic about the Eagles 2015 season. Not be because I expect the Cowboys to be bad, but because they make it safe to assume that the Eagles will be good. Again, let me say that I am in no way bad mouthing the Cowboys, just being optimistic about the Eagles, and getting behind guys like Sam Bradford, Ryan Mathews, Kiko Alonso, Walter Thurmond, and rookie Jordan Hicks.

Earlier this offseason when it seemed you needed a season ending injury on your resume to make the Eagles roster, I was worried. Injuries have a way of being cumulative. Overcompensation during rehab for X injury often leads to Y injury. Notice how some guys always seem hurt and some guys never do? Over time injuries mount and they sap a player’s effectiveness.

Enter the Dallas Cowboys. QB Tony Romo’s back is a ticking time bomb. RB Darren McFadden has almost as many missed starts (49) as actual starts (63), due to injury. The guy I thought would be McFadden’s back-up (Joesph Randle) seems to have gotten an unspoken demotion  in favor of former Cardinal Ryan Williams. Williams has a torn patellar tendon in his past. (Here is his career.) 

What gives me so much hope for my team is despite the ICU that is the Dallas backfield, the national media just can’t stop dick-eating the Cowboys. I guess that means that we’re playing 2015 with injuries turned off, in which case we have a pretty good team. I mean most of my worry about the Eagles centered around who we could and couldn’t keep on the field; but if the Cowboys are injury-proof then why aren’t we? Shit, we’re the ones with the smoothies, right?

Of course reality could set in, and both teams could end up with a lot of fucked up key athletes. (Which would probably be what we both deserve.) But hey, if it ain’t broke (at the moment) then I have plenty of reason to be optimistic. Right?

MY 2015 DRAFT TRIP

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/05/06
Posted in: Draft, Fans, NFL. Tagged: , , , . 2 Comments

 THESE are just a few of the pics from my trip to the Draft this year.  

Grant (sim)

Had to show my squad some love!

13. Draft Town (the day before) 4.29 (1)

They actually put “DA DRAFT” on a building. God bless those crazy people.

15. Who will wear number 15... 4.29.15

 The day before they opened Draft Town. We weren’t allowed to pass the “guard”, (who was freezing.)

29. Eagles fan tent 4.30.15 (2)

Fans posted inspirational messages here. See the one near the top….

30. Eagles fan tent 4.30.15 (3)

YEAH BABY!!!

31. The map! 4.30.15 (1)

This map cannot convey the utter sea of humanity that showed up.

Draft (sim)

They came out in FORCE in Chi-town, let me tell you!

25. Michigan and Jackson (My first Chicago hot dog) 4.30.15

Got my first Chicago hot dog at Michigan and Jackson. 

16. ++++ takes my pic outside of Draft Town (the day before) 4.29.15

But the best part of the trip by far, was the company.

37. Leaving Chicago Flight 1464 5.1.15 (2)

Had a lot of fun. I’ll be back Chicago. Count on it

EAGLES MINING GEMS FROM UFA COAL

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/05/05
Posted in: Coaching, Draft, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players, Roster. Tagged: , , , , , . 5 Comments

chip rub

WAY too much thought goes into forecasting the first round of the NFL Draft. It’s rare that even the first 8 picks go as anyone planned, and I’ve yet to hear of anyone forecasting the first 28 to  32 correctly. It’s why I don’t bother doing a mock draft. Where’s the sense in being wrong about the same thing every year?

Think about it. Is it really the mark of expertise to be able to determine the best 30 players in a field of 244? Even if no one forecasts the exact order, the best 30-32 players are usually all gone by the beginning of round three anyway. Claiming that you can identify a first round pick is like bragging that you know how to fall down. Now if you can show me a team that can still find players after the draft ends, then you’ve got my attention.

That having been said, the Eagles may have hit upon some of those guys. We signed 16 Undrafted Free Agents (UFA) but two of them have already caught my eye.

G – COLE MANHART: He’s been projected as a C at the NFL level due to underwhelming strength, but our Zone based scheme doesn’t require a G to be powerful, so long as they can run and hit targets in space. Manhart does those things, so while he may never be a Pro Bowler, he should be at least competent depth in this system.

WR – DEVANTE DAVIS: I’d put this guy in the slot. He can play outside, but he’s not a burner. He also doesn’t get much separation, as many of his catches come with tight coverage. On the other hand he’s a guy who comes down with contested balls. Sometimes with guys draped all over him. In fact at 3:15 of this video  (watch it with the volume muted.) he makes a catch so sick that the ball nearly throws up.

At this point I think the Front Office should just walk Miles Austin to the door, shake his hand and wish him luck. Eat every dime of his 2.3M if we have to. It would be smarter to focus all the reps and coaching attention on the young guys like Jordan Matthews, Josh Huff, Nelson Agholor and Devante here. It would cost more down the road to miss a gem, than the money Austin is due this year.

Maybe these guys won’t pan out, or maybe the team will find more than just two diamonds among the coal this year. Who knows? In any case, here’s hoping that we don’t miss on all 16 signees. 

2015 EAGLES DRAFT REVIEW

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/05/04
Posted in: Draft, Fans, NFL, Players, Reviews, Roster. Tagged: , , , , , . 3 Comments

Who will wear number 15... 4.29.15

NELSON AGHOLOR (WR) 1st round – I have no idea how to feel about this pick. We replaced a polished, bonafide NFL player, with a younger, cheaper version who we hope will be at least as good. I’m not knocking the kid himself, it seems like he has the tools. I just feel like we spent  our top pick trying to mop up a spill we created.

ERIC ROWE (CB) 2nd round – This was my favorite pick of the Eagles Draft class. I don’t see him as a CB, but he may end up there since I don’t have a coaching contract. I have a sinking feeling he’ll end up being wasted as the SS in this Single-high coverage system. I PRAY the Eagles shock the world and switch to a base Cover Two.

JORDAN HICKS (OLB) 3rd round – I don’t get this pick. He’s smaller than the OLB’s we use in this system, has an extensive collegiate injury history, and comes from a 4-3 system, which means that he’ll have to learn 3-4 OLB, or (if he’s slid inside) he’ll have to learn ILB. That’s a big deal seeing as how his game doesn’t seem to include taking on Offensive Linemen.

JACOREY SHEPHERD (CB) 6th round – If he sticks maybe he’s a Nickle/Dime Corner. I like his aggressiveness to the ball. However, due to that aggressiveness, his poor tackling, and lack of raw speed, I’d rather have a Safety playing over him. I don’t see him on the edges vs the WR’s in this division.

RANDALL EVANS (CB) 6th round– Seems this guy has a better shot as a reserve FS than as a CB.

BRIAN MIHALIK (DE) 7th round – I don’t get this pick at all. I don’t see the point of an underpowered and lanky (6’9”) lineman.

 

On the whole it feels like Kelly was a husband picking up the groceries his wife told him to. There were no major errors, but he got too much of one thing and completely forgot another. Still, the only way to have major issues with this draft is if you’re completely unreasonable.

Last year we had a bad draft, this year was sort of “Meh”. There were no big gambles, and if none of the bottom three picks stick, it’s not a big deal; but if any two of them do, it’s a high quality draft.

There are a couple of head scratchers here though.

  • Three CB’s but NO Offensive Line help? Especially after last year?
  • Who is Hicks here to replace?
  • OMG, So we’re really going with Sam Bradford???

Now that this one is in the books, it’s time to see how it all shakes out.