2015 EAGLES DRAFT WISHLIST

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/04/27
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Draft, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players, Roster. Tagged: , , . 1 Comment

I know what I want for Christmas! I know what I want for Christmas! I know what I want for Christmas! I want the Eagles to select Iowa LT Brandon Scherff and move him inside to G.

Look, I don’t do a mock Draft because I’m too smart for it. There is no way to forecast what 32 NFL teams will do over one round, much less seven. So instead I do a Draft Wishlist and tell you who I’d LIKE to see in an Eagles uniform and why.

ROUND ONE: Instead of telling you why I want Brandon Scherff, I’ll let HIM show you.

ROUND TWO: We still need a CB, and all indications are that the coaching staff lacks confidence in Brandon Boykin. So if we’re getting a guy and he’s available, Utah CB Eric Rowe should be snatched up. Odds are that by the time we get to pick in the 2nd, Rowe will be gone, but Florida States P.J. Williams should still be looking for a dance partner and he’d fit the man-press aspect of our defensive system.

ROUND THREE: Couldn’t we use a burner who could give us the 4.4 speed we used to have with DJax. How about a guy with 4.3 speed instead? And what if he was 6’2, 210? Enter Georgia WR Chris Conley.

ROUND FOUR: We need a SS but this Draft doesn’t offer much, otherwise I’d have picked this spot first. If we’re to gamble on a SS, I’d rather we wait and select Samford’s Jaquiski Tartt.

ROUND FIVE: We have two picks here and one of those picks should be to add depth on the Offensive Line. The guy I like here is Jamil Douglas from Arizona State. . Word is that we need an OLB, but with the arrival of Kiko Alonso and the return of DeMeco Ryans, if we don’t trade Mychal Kendricks, then his track record at OLB frees us up to draft an insurance policy for our ILB’s. I like Michigan State ILB Taiwan Jones as someone who Ryans could mentor.

ROUND SIX: More Offensive Line depth with C Andy Gallik out of Boston College.

ROUND SEVEN: I’d take another stab at SS by grabbing Central Florida’s Clayton Geathers. At worst he’s a special teamer.

 

Be on alert: We need O-line help and Oregon Duck Jake Fisher is looking for a home. So…brace yourselves. I hate how his hand placement starts outside and not inside. Even on his highlights. That’s a sure way to draw flags, and bad hand placement is a hard thing to unlearn.

 

ARE EAGLES THE STARS OF THE NFC EAST?

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/04/22
Posted in: Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Preview, Reviews, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , . 3 Comments

headers

LAST year the Eagles were running away with the division before we stumbled and ultimately fumbled the division away to a Cowboys team that was more lucky than good. The Cowchips finished 12-4 to our 10-6, but it would seem that no one has much respect for what they did last year, because everyone knows that it had more to do with us losing than it did with them winning. The Cowboys just aren’t good enough be this divisions stars.

The NFL has released the schedule, and on each team’s schedule page is a preview story with a headline. What’s funny is that taken together the Eagles headline make us look like the team that won last year, while the Cowboys headline suggests an almost remedial aspect to it. It seems that like me, the NFL knows the Cowboys are on the way down. (I made a point of leaving the address bars in the picture so you can go where I was and see what I saw.)

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that the Cowboys season last year was a fluke. In fact I think they went 12-4 partly because they played a smarter brand of football. It just wouldn’t have been good enough if we didn’t screw up near the end. They did enough to be in a position to get that lucky bounce when we gifted the division to them. However, the Cowboys have ripped out the engine that powered them, and now simply don’t have the parts to do what they need to, in order to win the East again.

I hope Cowboys fans enjoyed last year, because for them, it’s picnic time again.

8-8

THE SCHEDULE MAY HELP US WIN THE DIVISION

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/04/22
Posted in: Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Preview. Tagged: , , , . 3 Comments

1000px-Philadelphia_Eagles_logo_primary.svg

LOOKS like the Eagles actually caught a break for once. With the way the schedule breaks, winning the division became a little more possible for the Birds. Provided we come out hot at the beginning of the year. That’s a much better deal than we got last season.

Last year I said the schedule was set up to work against us, and look at what happened. While the schedule wasn’t the only reason for our collapse last year, it was a big part of it. Many fans didn’t think the schedule could be a problem at all, because they just look at who is on the schedule. Otherwise they haven’t the slightest clue as to how to read one. Yet here you are, learning a valuable fan skill, because you know there is no better fan than one who knows what they’re talking about; and because you dear reader are working to be that better fan.

 

First let’s look at what the schedule isn’t:

There are no road trips longer than 2 weeks, and no short weeks other than the one before Thanksgiving, but that will be against an opponent (Lions) also coming off of a short week, so there’ll be no rest disadvantage.

Also both times this year where we play back to road games, we’re not talking coast to coast trips (Jets/Redskins) (Lions/Patriots), so players internal clocks aren’t likely to be disturbed much.  Last year down the stretch that became a problem. Especially with the Offensive Line’s performance. Not a problem in 2015 though.

 

Now let’s look at what the schedule is:

The Week 8 Bye is a little early for my taste, but it’s not like we have it in week 5 or 6. So we didn’t do too badly there.

We get a three week homestand right around the end of the season which normally could pose a threat of players getting stale. However with an emotional return by LeSean McCoy and a divisional game against the Redskins, both sandwiched around a Cardinals game (which in itself could have Wild Card implications), there are no chances for a trap game among those three. It even has the chance to be a franchise defining 3 game stretch.

What concerns me is playing 4 division games by Week 10. Starting the year even 3-3 could be the kiss of death, unless those wins are all divisional. The only team that could make up for an early stumble is the Redskins since they’re the only team that still has 4 division games Week 12 and on. The rest of us play 4 by Week 10.

 

On the whole I like this schedule better than last year’s. Then again ask me how I feel about it after Week 6.

SEEMS CHIP KELLY AGREES WITH ME

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/04/20
Posted in: Coaching, Conspiracy Corner, NFL, Offense, Players, Roster. Tagged: , , . 1 Comment

tebow2

BACK in February I put out a breakdown of what the Eagles roster needed. I listed the positions that I thought they should draft and in what order I would do so if it were up to me. Two positions I said I wouldn’t draft are Quarterback and Cornerback. I said I’d get those in Free Agency. Well, it seems that Kelly agrees with me. Or at least my process.

What drives me nuts is the FA players who Kelly has used to fill these holes. Particularly this Tim Tebow signing. It’s like having a flat and replacing the whole wheel with a trash can lid. YES, the lid is round, but it’s a poor fit for the job. And Tebow is a poor fit to run the Eagles Offense. That is, if we’re to take Kelly at his word.

Remember when he said that his system doesn’t require a mobile QB, and that it does require a QB who can read and make quick decisions with the ball? When Tebow last played, quick reads and deliveries were not his strength, they were his Achilles Heel. And if my memory serves me correctly (and it does), Tebow’s most polished skill is running with the football. WTF coach?

If it wasn’t for the fact that I already don’t trust a goddamned thing Kelly says, this move would confuse me. Fact is however, that I understand why he did it. I doubt it’ll pay off (and in fact I’m pretty sure it’ll hurt us); but I get why he sees it as a low cost move right now.

I’m joking of course when I say that Kelly agrees with me. In fact the odds are pretty low that he’s ever heard of this website, so the odds of him listening to anything I wrote are even lower. That said, what can’t be disputed is my knack for predicting where he’ll go with his roster moves and the reconfigurations of his Offense. (BTW there’s a second philosophical shift coming this season.)

This suggests that either I’m psychic or just a guy who really knows his stuff. I’ll let you decide for yourself which of the two it is.

2015 NFC EAST PRE-DRAFT PREDICTION

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/04/18
Posted in: Defense, Draft, NFL, Offense, Preview, Reviews, Special Teams, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 6 Comments

NFC EAST

YOU’VE read the reviews. Nothing left to do but make pick and tell you why. 

Last year’s pick: PHILADELPHIA —– Last year’s WINNER: DALLAS —–  My Record: 0-1

NOTE: Rookies don’t usually shake up this division, so there’s a pretty good chance that what you see here will be how it shakes out for the year.

 

Strongest Offense: DALLAS

Like the Giants they tick 3/5 boxes as far as positions being strong. However, unlike the Giants the Cowboys have an offensive line.

Weakest Offense: PHILADELPHIA

I know! I know! But we’re an offensive team! We’ve set records! Yeah, yeah, yeah. We’re also remodeling our Offensive Line, our QB situation is a toss-up, and we have ZERO explosive players at WR.

 

Strongest Defense: WASHINGTON

They have a nice front seven up there, but the secondary is an issue, However Secondary is a problem for every team in the division right now, so this was a pretty easy pick.

Weakest Defense: DALLAS

Greg Hardy may help this team, but there is a real lack of playmakers on this side of the ball.

 

Strongest Special Teams: PHILADELPHIA

Everyone has a decent Punter, and while I gave everyone but Philadelphia a passing grade at Kicker, it was by a razor thin margin and mostly on a technicality. On the other hand Philadelphia has a much better return game, and kick/punt coverage than any of our rivals

Weakest Special Teams: DALLAS

This was a toss-up between Washington and Dallas, but Dallas has lost their KR to New York, so they risk having some of their ST tenets stolen by a division rival.

  

Projected Winner: WASHINGTON

Bottom Line: While they still have offensive line issues, so do 3 out of 4 teams in the division. They also had issues in their Secondary, but so does every other team in the division. When you look at the parts that actually do work among the four teams, Washington can play defense as well as any team in the division right now. They can also run the ball, which is something that a couple teams in this division may have trouble doing themselves, given their offensive line issues and/or lackluster RB’s.

Philadelphia continues (so far) to hemorrhage more talent than we bring in, and Dallas has thrown away the straw that stirred their drink. As a result, both of these teams stand as weaker today than they were when their seasons ended. While New York has a downright scary looking offense returning, they’re doing it without an offensive line they can trust and a run game that’s more rumor than reality.

Heads up:

Philadelphia is rumored to be about to make some moves regarding not just the Draft, but the roster in general. If someone is to take the division from Washington, Philly is the team.

 

 

 

2015 EAGLES PRE-DRAFT PREVIEW

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/04/17
Posted in: Draft, Players, Preview, Reviews, Roster. Tagged: , , , . 2 Comments

hive

FOR a second consecutive year the Eagles were 4-2 in the division and 10-6 overall. Normally 10-6 wouldn’t be considered a horribly failed season; but you have to consider that we started  9-3 and then utterly imploded, finishing 1-3 down the stretch. Since season’s end a massive shake-up has hit this roster and all indications are that there may still be some big moves in the works.

 OFFENSE

 QB: Starter Nick Foles was traded to St. Louis for Sam Bradford. Bradford has a number of tools (arm strength, accuracy, the ability to make quick reads and deliver the ball on-time), but he also comes with some serious red flags (two blown ACL’s in his left knee, and he was considering quitting this year). Behind Bradford is Mark Sanchez, who played like a very good back-up when Foles was injured for the season last year. Word on the street is that Bradford will be traded to help us move up in this year’s Draft to help land QB Marcus Mariota. This position is extremely fluid at the moment, and at this position “fluid” is not a strength. (-)

 RB: LeSean McCoy was traded for a LB with knee issues, but the Eagles did manage to replace him with two RB’s in the form of DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews. Both are pretty good when healthy, but therein lies the rub, as both men are no strangers to wearing street clothes on the sidelines. The 3rd stringer here? Darren Sproles. All told the Eagles are shelling out 15M$ for three RB’s which is about what they’d be spending for two had they not traded McCoy. On paper it’s hard to argue with the simple math. (+)

WR: Let’s not mention who we lost, and focus on who we have. Jordan Matthews had a promising rookie campaign, but all indications are that he’ll be left in the slot as opposed to being moved to the edge. On the outsides we’re looking at Riley Cooper and Miles Austin, who (despite lacking significant speed) we’ll rely on to stretch defenses and give the backs room to run underneath. Josh Huff is physically gifted but prone to mental errors. (-)

TE: Brent Celek is the most complete TE on the roster as far as blocking and catching the ball. Zach Ertz is more of an overgrown WR, but he moves the sticks. Trey Burton is a can also play (QB, RB, and WR). This has been an underutilized position for us for a few years, but with the falloff and question marks in other skill positions, maybe this one will be called upon to pick up the slack. (+)

OL: Most Eagles fans are fine with our Offensive Line, but last year we got to see that going against physical front sevens, our front line is soft. Sorry to say it, but it’s true and ignoring it won’t help get us over the hump. In too many games last year our line failed to generate much room in the run game. The scapegoat for that has been traded to Buffalo, so he won’t be here to blame in 2015. In the meantime there’s still no named replacement for departed RG Todd Herremans, and there’s been chatter about trading or simply releasing LG Evan Mathis like we did with DeSean Jackson. I find that disturbing because it’s pretty hard to run the ball without an interior line. It’d be even harder if 2/5 of the guys responsible for creating the holes are newer than the top 2 RB’s hitting those holes. Or we could fall back on the back-ups who failed us so utterly in 2014… Nah! Didn’t think so. So we need work here. (-)

In a nutshell: This team has spent 2 years now not replacing the talent it shed with anything better. The result is that now there are significant holes with no real answers on the horizon. Unless Josh Huff is worked in as a starter, our entire Offense is now devoid of a truly explosive/dynamic player. (-)

  

DEFENSE

DE: Now that Cedric Thornton has signed a one year deal, we’ll keep our situation from last year, for at least one more. In this 3-4 system the linemen are expected to be aggressive and make plays not just suck up blockers. Problem is they don’t make many plays. Two years ago our starting line grabbed us 6 sacks. Last year it was 4. We also finished 15th vs the run. I marked this position down as a minus last year. This year: (-)

 NT: Bennie Logan is our starter, but I’m not convinced that the staff is sold on him. Beau Allen was drafted last year and Wade Keliikipi (Duck) was undrafted but always seems to be hanging around the roster. Logan is good at holding his position, but he’s not a guy you need to double-team, so blocking schemes are unaffected by his presence and you can even run some vanilla stuff against our front seven as a result. (-)

OLB: With Trent Cole in Indy now, Brandon Graham should inherit a starting role to go with his new contract. Like Cole, he’s a better DE than OLB, but he isn’t really an upgrade so we’ll be about the same at ROLB. He gets after passers, which is great, but in coverage…in two years playing LB in this system, Graham has yet to defense a single pass. Connor Barwin is also clearly a better pass rusher than coverage ‘backer. You have to wonder where (if at all), Marcus Smith (our 1st round pick last year) figures in all of this.  I generally wouldn’t say this was a good position, but they are good at delivering what the Eagles want from them. (+)

ILB: DeMeco Ryans and Mychal Kendricks are a solid pair. If Kiko Alonso can come in and be what he’s being sold to us as, we could begin to phase out Ryans, while sporting a high power interior behind a lackluster D-line. (+)

S: Malcolm Jenkins can play. Everyone else is a project and or a question mark. (-)

CB: We just dumped a ton of cash on Byron Maxwell who has 17 career starts and has already confused our 3 Deep/Man Coverage scheme as being similar to what he played in Seattle. Brandon Boykin may be traded before long and Nolan Carroll (remember him?), didn’t get a real start even after the Bryant/Fletcher Fiasco. (-)

 In a nutshell: This boat has more holes than it has floor. However, more of it is tied to the scheme we run and how we choose to utilize our talent, than it is about what talent we may lack. (-)

 

 SPECIAL TEAMS

P: Donnie Jones is a monster! 76 punts last year and only 29 of them were returned. If our Defense was better, we could be a 14-2, 15-1 sort of team. (+)

K: Cody Parkey had heck of a rookie year, though he did have 4 misses in just 36 attempts. That’s probably 2 misses too many for such a low number of attempts, and it did cost us at least one game. You’d also like to see his Kickoffs get better, as he had 98 last year with only 46 TB and 52 returned. I know he went to a Pro Bowl, but the point of Special Teams is to win the hidden yardage battle and right now Parkey doesn’t help do that. It’s a close vote,but I gotta keep this real. (-)

RS: Darren Sproles Brought back 2 punts for TDs last year and averaged 13 yards per return. That’s worth crowing about. Josh Huff and Chris Polk split kickoff returns and each scored a TD from over 100 yards, while averaging 30.2 yards per return between them. (+)

 

 Bottom Line: I mentioned in my lede that the Eagles imploded last year and that’s exactly what it was. It was poor internal structure, not external stressors that were our downfall. Unfortunately more of our core had been mined away and now there’s just been too much talent shed and not replaced, as well as too much concentration of talent at too few spots (RB, TE, LB). The team is unevenly built, and once more teams catch up to the gimmick of this Offense (as some showed flashes of last year), this team won’t have the sort of players it needs to fight through and win games. Unless of course the Draft this year absolutely crazy for us.

2015 COWBOYS PRE-DRAFT PREVIEW

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/04/16
Posted in: Draft, Players, Preview, Reviews, Roster. Tagged: , . 2 Comments

cowboysstars660px

LAST season saw the Cowboys end up at the head of a troubled division, as they went 12-4 overall, but only 4-2 in the NFC East. This was a step down compared to their 5-1 divisional record in 2013. While they did add 4 wins over their 2013 total, they regressed in terms of their ability to handle their closest rivals. This was made evident by two humiliating losses in their own home, (a 20-17 loss to the Redskins behind a 3rd string QB; and a 33-10 Thanksgiving Day hit and run committed by the Philadelphia Eagles). Both of which took place in nationally televised games. Dallas would go on to pull off a controversial playoff win over a wild card team, only to have a chance at the NFC Championship Game slip through their fingers the very next week.

But despite all their success, that was 2014, let’s see where the Cowboys stand now.

 

OFFENSE

QB: As long as Tony Romo can outrun his looming back issues, the Cowboys have a shot at relevance. The second he goes down, fans would be smart to put their jerseys in long-term storage. That said, you only play one QB at a time and you don’t rotate them, so Romo IS the situation. If that were any different this would be a VERY different grade, because this team cannot afford to be without their starter. (+)

RB: (I was just going to say something snarky and move on, but there are some things that just NEED to be said.)

2014: The Cowboys 12-4 mark was purchased on the legs of DeMarco Murray, (who Jerry Jones let walk for less money than he’s hoping to pay to an older RB with twice the wear and tear). The 392 carries Murray logged last year kept teams honest, and kept Tony Romo upright and in games.

Fast-forward to now: The best RB (talentwise) on the roster is brittle, FA acquisition Darren McFadden, with only 485 carries for merely 1,620 yards and a meager 3.3 yards per carry over his last three years. Now before you blame that on him being a Raider, consider that in 2014 Raider rookie Latavius Murray averaged 5.2 per crack; in 2013 Rashad Jennings posted 4.5; in 2012 nobody else had significant enough number of carries to compare with, but it’s interesting that over those same 3 years FB Marcel Reece averaged between 4.0-4.7 per carry every year. Whether McFadden has anything left, remains to be seen, but what we already know is that in 7 years he’s started 63 of a possible 112 games. That’s 63 times he could be relied on and 49 times when he couldn’t. This should be troubling for Cowboys fans considering that instead of handing the mantle to Joseph Randle, the Cowboys opted to sign someone with McFadden’s track record. It’s a low risk move, but history says it’ll also be low reward. (-)

WR: It’s Dez Bryant and just some guys out there. Cole Beasley has fewer than 920 yards in his 3 year career and all of 6 career TD’s. (Yet somehow that was enough to earn him a 13M$ deal, with 7M guaranteed.) If Terrance Williams were a real threat, he’d make so much more of having coverages rolled away from him constantly. Frankly, Williams regressed in his second year, playing in 16 games and recording fewer than 80 yards in every single one of them, despite the draw of Bryant on the other side and a loaded box designed to stop DeMarco Murray. In fact he has recorded 80 yards or better only twice in 32 games despite starting 24. (-)

TE: While Jason Witten may no longer be a 90 catch player, he still gets open, still makes the grabs and holds onto the ball. He’s also as reliable as the sunrise, and was an unsung hero in helping clear the way for DeMarco Murray in 2014. Gavin Escobar has the tools, but whether or not he’ll see playing time is another matter. (+)

OL: A great deal is made of how good the O-line is due to the success achieved by DeMarco Murray in 2014. That seems lopsided though. How good can an O-line be when they enter the season knowing their QB has back issues, and still allow him to be sacked 29 times in 15 games? Clearly anyone who gives this group kudos, is only focusing on half of their performance. Though this line is vastly overrated, it is a solid unit; and re-signing Doug Free was a stroke of genius as far as locker room morale goes. However, if they can’t rely on the run this year, we may end up seeing a lot of the Cowboy’s back-up QB. (+)

In a nutshell: The Cowboys took the V8 engine out of last year’s ’69 Dodge Charger, and replaced it with an I4 1.8L from an ’82 Chevy Cavalier. (Ask your mechanic.) It’ll still run, but why anyone would expect this unit to win the race they lost last year, is a total mystery. (+)

 

DEFENSE

DE: Greg Hardy will give this defensive line some credibility, and should generate double teams that open up opportunities for players like Jeremy Mincey OR Demarcus Lawrence to do something other than suck. The issue here is finding out how Hardy’s suspension will be. Until then the two players (Mincey AND Lawrence) holding down the ends, both suck. (-)

DT: Henry Melton was allowed to walk in FA, so now the Cowboys are left with Nick Hayden and Josh Brent as their top interior linemen. The only problem is neither has proven to be a playmaker at the NFL level. (-)

OLB: This is a really weak bunch. So much so that it’s hard to project a starter, outside of second year man Anthony Hitchens. (-)

MLB: This team’s best two LB’s Sean Lee and Rolando McClain play this one spot. I’d bet on one of them being slid outside this year. The issue is whether or not either player’s legs can handle lots of coverage duty. Regardless, this team is two players deep here. (+)

S: Opponents used the Cowboys secondary for target practice last year, but with FS J.J. Wilcox and SS Barry Church being young players, it’s highly doubtful that the Cowboys shake this up and they’ll just hope these guys are a year better. (-)

CB: Remember when Brandon Carr said he was aiming to be a shutdown CB in 2014? Hey! How’d that go!? Morris Claiborne played 15 games 3 years ago, 10 games 2 years ago, and 4 games last year. At this rate he’ll be injured while packing for Training Camp. Orlando Scandrick handed in a decent 2014, but this group is still a laughingstock. (-)

In a nutshell: This defense benefited highly from a ball-control offense that kept them from having to be on the field a lot. If they don’t get that same break this year, this unit will get exposed. (-)

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

P: Chris Jones is the guy unless something truly bizarre happens during camp. (+)

K: Dan Bailey is a really good kicker coming off of a bad year. He had 3 misses and a block in 2014. None of those ended up hurting the team in terms of affecting the outcome and he had zero games with multiple misses. (+)

RS: With the departure of Dwayne Harris the likely guy to inherit this mantle will be Lance Dunbar, as the Cowboys last ditch effort to get value out of paying him, but he’s been no great shakes as a returner so far. (-)

 

Bottom Line:

2015 Cowboys fans can expect a trip back to the past. Remember all those years of posting 8-8 records? Well this team has all the earmarks of being a .500 ball club again. Remember when it was all on Romo and the run game was spotty? The ONE YEAR they fixed it, they went 12-4. Then they turned around and blew it all to hell again. Maybe Dallas wins the East again if 9-7 will do it, but nothing about this team now says double digit wins.

2015 REDSKINS PRE-DRAFT PREVIEW

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/04/15
Posted in: Draft, Players, Preview, Reviews, Roster. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

Redskins_logo_by_junkfunkio-d4po4ge

LAST season the ‘skins went 2-4 in the division and 4-12 overall. That fourth win represents one more than this team had in 2013, so I guess fans can be comforted knowing that they got better. The sad part is that they finished on the floor of the division again.

Even sadder is the QB controversy that waged at season’s opening about whether the team should go with Kirk Cousins over Robert Griffin, was only made worse after Griffin was (gasp!) injured again. Cousins came in was unspectacular and was benched. This set the stage for the highpoint of the Redskins year, when 3rd string, journeyman Colt McCoy put down the Dallas Cowboys 20-17, in their own home, during a nationally televised game. Ultimately this added a third name to the ever raging QB controversy and the question of whether or not the ‘skins gave up too much for Griffin.

 This is where they were at seasons end. What follows is where they are as of 4/15/15.

 

OFFENSE

QB: I’m tickled that the Redskins have made their QB situation into a problem. In reality the only problem is Griffin’s inability to stay healthy. Last year between 3 QB’s, they maintained a team completion percentage of 66.5, and threw a combined 18 interceptions. While that number is a little high for a 15-16 game starter, with as much switching out of QB’s as Washington had, that number is actually pretty low. If they would settle on a clear #2 and stick to that, their QB situation would be one worth envying. (-)

RB: For the second straight year Alfred Morris has seen his carries, rushing yards, yards per carry and yards from scrimmage decline. It’s a frightening trend considering that Roy Helu is now in Oakland, leaving Silas Redd as the most dangerous option behind Morris. To his credit Morris has never missed a game, so a vote against this position would be weird, but understand: this vote does come with reservations. (+)

WR: Pierre Garcon, DeSean Jackson, and Andre Roberts should have been more dangerous last year, but the Redskins gave themselves QB problems, which affected the passing games chemistry. Despite that, this trio put up 2,300 yards and grabbed 160 receptions, with Jackson tearing the lid off of coverages with a whopping 20.9 per catch average. That same group comes back this year, and if the QB play is any better, this group will be a problem. (+)

TE: Wanna hear a joke? Jordan Reed is the talented one, but he plays the least because he’s brittle. Niles Paul is the most dependable one, but he’s considered undersized at just an inch shorter than Reed. Logan Paulsen is the least talented TE (possibly in the division), but he gets the starts. (-)

OL: 58 sacks allowed. 33 alone on franchise QB Griffin. It was this way the year before as well. So far no moves were made to significantly upgrade this unit. At this point there’s no reason to believe it won’t be a liability again. (-)

In a nutshell: This offense has the pieces, but the coaching staff seems hell bent to work against itself. The idea that 58 sacks were allowed last year, but only ONE O-line starter was replaced is a farce. That sort of thinking is part and parcel of why this team keeps failing.(-)

DEFENSE

DE: Jason Hatcher wasn’t bad for the ‘skins last year but he did trail off towards the end. Kenrick Golston was completely underwhelming. That may be why Terrance Knighton and Stephen Paea (both listed as DT’s) were brought in. Many 3-4 lines are satisfied if their linemen eat up blockers, but the Redskins seem to want theirs to actually make plays. Well now the ‘skins have the horse that can do it. (+)

NT: Chris Baker owns this spot. And he’s almost as good at playing nose tackle as he is at doling out cheap shots on QB’s. (+)

OLB: The ‘skins decided they’d had enough of oft injured Brian Orakpo (Titans). While it leaves them less explosive on the edge, it would be a mistake to say that their now less dangerous. Ryan Kerrigan is still the best OLB in the division and Trent Murphy was solid as a rookie playing in relief of Orakpo. Jackson Jeffcoat (son of Jim) was added for depth and could be an intriguing option as a relief player. (+) 

ILB: While the Redskins don’t seem to have any bonafide playmakers on the inside, what they have is a trio of guys who know the system and are used to working with each other. At the very least that’s stability. (+)

S: This position was a liability last year so the ‘skins ran out and grabbed Dashon Goldson and Jeron Johnson. It’s unclear how that’s supposed to help with Johnson not having much experience; Goldson making fewer plays against the pass each year for the last three; and both of them thrown into a new system with only Ryan Clark as a mentor despite being himself a washed-up, failed experiment as a Redskin. (-)

CB: It’s time to shake the hands of DeAngelo Hall and Tracy Porter, give them each a gold watch and send them on their way. Perhaps that’s what the brass was thinking when they grabbed Chris Culliver. Last year we found out that David Amerson is just a guy. Given the weakened state of the safeties, I think the corners here will struggle for another year. (-)

In a nutshell: Same as last year. Good front seven, spotty secondary. In a passing league that’s the kiss of death. (-)

SPECIAL TEAMS

P: Tress Way boasted a 40 yard net last year on punts that averaged 47. Not bad for a rookie. (+)

K: Kai Forbath is a decent option here. His leg isn’t a cannon, but he’s accurate. (+)

RS: Andre Roberts got stuck as the PR/KR guy last year and the results were sad. (-)

Bottom Line: This team has the parts, but as is often the problem with offense-minded Head Coaches, the team is locked into one way of looking at things and so only one way can be the right way, even if it keeps being proven wrong on the scoreboard and in the W/L column. This is a team that could easily win the division, but they’ll probably talk themselves out of it again.

2015 GIANTS PRE-DRAFT PREVIEW.

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/04/14
Posted in: NFL, Players, Preview, Reviews. Tagged: , , , , . 2 Comments

new-york-giants-champs-jeff-stein

IN 2014 the G-men went 2-4 in the division and 6-10 overall. Both of these are regressions from 2013. The team started out cold at 0-2, battled back to 3-2, and then went cold again finishing 3-8 including a nationally televised, 27-0 dismantling, at the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles. A game in which they lose WR Victor Cruz for the remaining 10 games.

The lone bright spot of the season was the emergence of WR Odell Beckham, who was pressed into more duty when Cruz went down.

This is where they were at seasons end. What follows is where they are as of 4/14/15.

 

OFFENSE

QB: He’s not elite, but reports of Eli Manning’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. Aside from a nightmarish 5 pick game vs. the 49ers, he really was much better at not turning the ball over last year. He doesn’t handle pressure well, but when his line gives him 3-4 seconds, he’s as accurate as ANY QB in the business. Oh yeah, and he started every game again, which is to say he hasn’t missed a game in a decade. (+)

RB: Rashad Jennings didn’t pan out like many expected, but with the poor run blocking up front, no Giants back looked very good last year. Jennings however didn’t help his case with being unable to stay healthy. This year they made a FA pick-up of former Patriot Shane Vereen. Vereen is a good pass catcher, but isn’t all that great as a rusher. Andre Williams is a workhorse type, but he’s completely unremarkable. So at this point their best rusher is the guy who they can’t count on to play. (-)

WR: When last season ended and we still had Jeremy Maclin, I still admitted that the Giants 2015 WR corps would the cream of the division. Today with Maclin gone, I eye the Giants group the way a Somalian would eye a cheesesteak: Big eyes filled with shimmering tears and boiling envy. While I don’t expect Victor Cruz to be back to his old self just yet, with Rueben Randle working the slot (which he prefers and is MUCH better at than playing outside) and Odell Beckham out there on the opposite side, this trio could be as dangerous a grouping as this division has seen since Monk, Clark and Sanders. (+)

TE: Manning loves to look for his TE’s in the red zone and last year the Giants top two caught 10 TD’s between them. While starter Larry Donnell is a gifted athlete, you know he drives an automatic, because he doesn’t know the meaning of the word ‘clutch’. As a result he doesn’t “clutch the ball” and he fumbles in “clutch situations”. The back-up Daniel Fells is a one dimensional blocker type. He makes sneaky red TD grabs because teams don’t think to cover him, but outside of that he’s no threat. This is a productive position due to things around it, but don’t fool yourself into thinking it’s great. (+)

OL: Last year I said this group was a minus due to all of the turnover and the new system they installed. Well they didn’t prove me wrong as they allowed 30 sacks, and only managed to block for 3.6 yards per tote in the run game. Things don’t look any better for 2015, at least from a stability perspective, as last year’s 16 game starting C is now in Miami. Things may improve, but at this point, this unit is still a question mark. (-)

In a nutshell: The Giants Offense is built to play up top, but unlike the top offenses in this sport, they don’t possess the ability to “gear down”, and slug it out. It’s flashy and will sell a ton of tickets, but it won’t hold a lead against good teams. (-)

 

DEFENSE

DE: This position is Jason Pierre-Paul and some guys. I’m sure some analyst somewhere thinks the George Selvie signing is a solid one, but he adds nothing they didn’t already have in Robert Ayers, and if Selvie sees serious playing time, that could stunt the development of a guy like Kerry Wynn. At present this is half of a position. (-)

DT: This position is 3 maybe 4 quality players deep. Eagles fans know what Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson bring to the table. On the other hand, the Giants have young gun Johnathan Hankins and just added man-mountain Kenrick Ellis a 4 year vet from the Jets, so they should be a problem inside if they can muster decent MLB play. (+)

OLB: When looking at this group all I can think is “They’re kidding, right?” (-)

MLB: Beyond Jameel McClain who had a career year last year, is Jon Beason. Beason has played all of 24 games in the last 5 years. There’s no depth here if McClain goes down. (-) 

S: The Giants cleaned house here and now they have a bunch of young and already well-traveled DB’s. They did however keep SS Nate Berhe, who I think will pan out. (-)

CB: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is a bit of a flake, but he’s a solid NFL player. Prince Amukamara had a biceps tear that cost him 8 games last year, but he should be back to full strength by camp. Besides those two, the position is a question mark in terms of talent, but there are a few guys there who have not only started NFL games, but have done so as Giants. (+)

In a nutshell: Most people may want to give the Giants a pass with them hiring a new DC in Steve Spagnuolo. Not me. This team may be good against the run, but it lacks the ability to step on the gas and get after anybody. Let’s see if they get a pass rusher or a FS in this year’s Draft. However with this many holes right now, I gotta say (-)

 

SPECIAL TEAMS

P: Steve Weatherford should be back next season. He has some competition in Rob Malone, but it would be a surprise if Weatherford were unseated. (+)

K: Josh Brown is 35 but he’s coming off of a solid season. Meanwhile his only competition is as pale green as celery. (+)

RS: My guess is that Giants coaches will be itching to give Preston Parker’s roster spot away to pretty much anyone. Enter former Cowboy Dwayne Harris. (-)

 

Bottom Line: This is a team that was built from the outside/in. They’re simply not built for a 16 week fight. They aren’t physically or mentally tough enough, and the NFC East is no place for the weak. I’m thinking 5-6 wins here. 

IS MARIOTA SLIDING TO THE EAGLES?

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/04/09
Posted in: Coaching, Conspiracy Corner, Crazy Talk, Draft, Players. Tagged: , , , , . 2 Comments

4.9.15

 

This is the front page of NFL.com from  4.9.15

WHEN I said that Marcus Mariota may be intentionally tanking his draft position, it was met with a lot of doubt from my readers. After all, in may people’s mind he was to be the first or second player picked in the Draft. Surely, The Beast must be losing his mind.

Knowing that would happen, and remembering words from my favorite Rudyard Kipling poem (If you can trust yourself while all men doubt you/ But make allowance for their doubting too); I also included in that article a word of caution: “If that doesn’t ring any bells for you, I guess that’s okay, but if suddenly after he meets with other teams there are more questions about how much fire is in his belly or how competitive he is, those bells better start clanging like crazy for you.”

I haven’t read any reports that ding him yet, but while Jameis Winston continues to be spoken of like he’ll go #1 overall, the Mariota hype machine has done nothing but lose steam since his pro day.

Now there’s talk of him sliding and flat out not even being able to schedule a meeting with (so far just) one team that picks ahead of us. It was March 13th when I put that article out and now here on April 9th (less than a month later) and we’re talking a guy who could have been the #1 overall, sliding like Aaron Rodgers did?

You have to wonder what’s being said about Mariota in the back channels. And if you think people may have serious doubts or questions about him now, you have to wonder why. Is he truly not a top tier prospect; or is he a top tier prospect who’s getting help gaming the system.

But of course Oregon players and coaches would NEVER think to game the system. Right?