ONE OF THESE TE’s WON’T BE HERE IN 2015

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/05/23
Posted in: Offense, Players. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment
Image courtesy of profootballspot.com

Image courtesy of profootballspot.com

MANY fans are hoping for Zach Ertz to unseat Brent Celek as the starter at TE this year. Considering that the Eagles aren’t quite as reliant on their TE’S to block in the run game as most teams, I suppose it could happen, but could ain’t should.

For my money I think Celek is the more complete TE. Not just because he’s more experienced, but because he’s a more natural blocker. Plus with the ball in his hands Celek will run a bitch over. You have to consider whether, when and how to tackle that guy.

Ertz has more fluidity, and I don’t just think it’s because he’s younger. I think it’s because if he was two tenths faster and 20 pounds lighter he’d be a WR. He moves better, he just doesn’t strike me as a natural TE.

Then again this system doesn’t really call for one does it? So Ertz’s blocking isn’t really a liability, and Celek’s blocking is merely a plus. Basically they’ll just provide Chip Kelly with options. Sounds good right? Now for a shot of cold hard reality and math.

The guy who I think is fucked is James Casey. He’s due 4 million next year; and with Celek almost making 5, and Ertz making 1.5, you know the Eagles aren’t going to want to hold onto all three next year. So I’m guessing Ertz will get every chance to step-up, and since Celek is a fan favorite, I think 2014 is Casey’s farewell tour in Philly.

MURDERLEG KICKING ALEX HENERY OUT?

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/05/23
Posted in: Conspiracy Corner, Special Teams. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment
Carey Spears TD run vs. Georgia

Carey Spear 3yd TD run vs. Georgia

MOST fans want Alex Henery replaced. Add a guy like Carey “Murderleg” Spear, and that desire to wave goodbye to Henery reaches near critical levels. I mean seriously, Carey Spear even sounds like a warrior’s name, doesn’t it?

The thing is, the more I look at the situation, the more it doesn’t seem like a slam dunk that Spear has a legit shot at Henery’s job. Follow me on this.

As a pro, Henery has an 86% accuracy rate over the last 3 years. In fact, to look at him on paper you’d wonder why fans want him gone so bad. What that stat doesn’t tell you, is that Henery’s accuracy is regressive, as it’s been worse every year. His ho-hum kickoffs are enough to be annoyed with, but the main thing fans have against Henery, is his accuracy in the clutch.

He only seems to miss the kicks that could ice games, or stem momentum. Last year’s game against the Chargers and the playoff loss to the Saints spring to my mind. So does the game in his rookie year against the 49ers, the one where RB Ronnie Brown invented a new way to fumble. (I watched that game over my best friend’s house. He’s a huge 9ers fan. Wouldn’t shut up. Thanks Ronnie.)

So, Carey Spear to the rescue right? Not so fast. Even in college Spear was only a career 78% kicker. His jump from 23 Touchbacks in 2012, to 47 in 2013 was due in part to the new NCAA rule that moved kickoffs up 5 yards. In fact, if you take away Spear’s willingness to hit, you don’t have a compelling reason for him to be here at all.

When Spear mentioned to Dave Spadaro that “Al” had taken him under his wing, it made me wonder if Spear was brought in here mainly to give Henery someone to mentor. There’s nothing revolutionary about it, as many coaches have done something similar. What it does however is focus the mentor. (And hey, if Spears kills it and wins the job, I won’t cry over it.)

The thing about mentoring (I’m actually certified in it (2006)), is it forces you to do little things, and sweat even the small details; because you have to figure out how to “teach what you preach”. You have to model a behavior to teach it. You have to model a technique to teach it. As you teach the pupil by repetition and/or example, you’re also reinforcing/re-learning it yourself. As a result, this year Henery could be the best he’s ever been.

I wouldn’t be so fast to run out and get ‘Murderleg’ on a jersey yet. Henery might still be alive and kicking.

SAY HELLO TO THE NEW SAD

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/05/21
Posted in: Conversations, Rants. Tagged: , . 5 Comments

lol

WHEN a team owner favors a rule change, just so that his living money pit can experience life after Week 17; you know it’s time to re-define ‘sad’ in the dictionary.

I’m against playoff expansion. I think if you suck, you should be made to stop shivving your fans when the regular season comes to an end. Back-dooring an extra team or two into the playoffs is wrong.

It’s like a club. The hot chicks are already inside. Skanks with visible cold sores shouldn’t be snuck in through the alley. It just bad for everyone. The club looks like they let anyone in; ladies who take care of themselves are in competition with the skanks, who now think being a skank is perfectly fine; and I still have no idea what this rash is. It’s just a bad idea.

However, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has said directly that such a change “would help my Cowboys.” Yikes! No vote of confidence. No Texas swagger. Just the implication that his collection of overhyped, overpaid, underachievers need a rule change for an opportunity to fail on a grander stage.

After decades of them braying about the ‘90’s, I feel a certain level of self-righteous entitlement to enjoying this. Especially when you realize it was the Vikings that won those Super Bowls for the Cowboys.

Really, look up the Herschel Walker Trade, aka The Great Trade Robbery. If you’re a young Eagles fan and the 1990’s are before your time, this is one of those things it helps to know. It also sheds light on a large reason why Jones can’t get close to his past success.

Now he’s a broken owner hoping that the NFL gets a little softer, so his failure machine can see glory one last time.

 

sad∙ /sad/ adj  the current state of the 2014 Dallas Cowboys.

MAN, SHUT THE FUCK UP!

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/05/20
Posted in: Rants. 2 Comments

carr1

WITH the way the Cowpies like to shoot their mouth off, you would think they were capable of doing something worth talking about.

Until smacking your mom or getting arrested becomes a sport, they really need to find their volume knobs and turn them all the way down.

The latest bit of delusional babbling has come from CB Brandon Carr. He says “I’m trying to take over the league”. (Take it over? Hey Brandy, how about prove you can play in it first?)  He goes on to say “I get emotional when I say that, because I’m, like, dead serious. I’ve been playing this game for six years now. I’m just ready to make that jump and become that shutdown corner.”

WHAT?! How can he claim that he’s going from being a starter on the 30th ranked pass defense, to a shutdown corner? Especially when Pro Football Focus ranked him as the 59th rated corner last year, after he allowed the third-most catches in the NFL. Third most catches allowed to “shutdown”? In one offseason? Man, Nate Newton must be on Carr’s speed dial.

Ah, the Cowpies. If the sun comes up, you can always count on them sprinkle a little crazy on your day.

CONCERN ABOUT THE OFFENSIVE LINE

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/05/19
Posted in: Conspiracy Corner, Offense. Tagged: , . Leave a comment
Image courtesy Philly.com

Image courtesy Philly.com

DESPITE outward appearances, the Eagles are extremely concerned with the lack of depth along the Offensive Line.

There are of course bodies behind the starters; but aside from (maybe) 29 year-old journeyman Allen Barbre, there isn’t a single player of note to take over when Jason Peters, Evan Mathis, and Todd Herremans either steps down or their skills erode to the point where they have to be replaced for Nick Foles’s safety.

Prior to the March edition of Free Agency, the Eagles added C David Molk, and OT Andrew Gardner. Despite a combined 5 years of NFL experience, there isn’t a single start between them. During FA we didn’t add or even seriously court an Offensive Lineman. We also didn’t spend a Draft pick on one.

Some fans have told me that they are expecting OT Michael Bamiro to take a big leap forward from the Practice Squad to the active roster. If this is the plan, the Eagles are pretty mum on it. Bamiro is mentioned in a Bo Wulf article currently on their website, but it’s only a passing mention. Wulf goes into far more detail with virtually every other O-lineman on the payroll. We used to call that a “diss” when I was younger.

After the Draft they added 3 guys who are supposed to battle it out at G, and even had 32 year-old Daryn Colledge in for a visit. He’s also a G by the way. Also to quote Wulf: “Whether Colledge joins the team or not, there is still a large group of veteran offensive linemen available on the street, if the team chooses to go down that road.”

That’s a lot of sudden consideration for a position that has been ignored as a priority for the last two years. I’m guessing with the June edition of FA, the Eagles will be checking the cutting room floor of every team in the NFL for help inside.

MACLIN MAY GET CAUGHT FROM BEHIND

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/05/18
Posted in: Offense, Players. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment
Image courtesy of Standingosports.com

Image courtesy of Standingosports.com

BACK in February, the Eagles offered Jeremy Maclin a 5-year deal, which he rejected. Instead he inked a 1-year deal that will allow him to show that he’s back from injury, and still has his skills. If it all goes well he should be able to cash in next year as free agent either with the Eagles or elsewhere.

My guess is that it’ll be elsewhere.

We drafted WR Jordan Matthews in the second round and on the very same night, Chip Kelly said: “He’ll start in the slot”. Kelly added, “If the other team wants to play their smallest cornerback in (the slot), they will have to deal with a 6-foot-3 guy over 200 pounds.”

Since Matthews will start, he’ll get plenty of opportunity to shine. The problem is there’s only one football. If Matthews shines really bright, it may look like he and not Maclin, is the Eagles most dynamic threat at WR.

The emergence of Matthews could seriously undercut Maclin’s market value next year. Keep in mind all of this already assumes that Maclin stays healthy. Anything less than that would be disastrous for him.

If the gamble works out for Maclin, great; but he may find himself wishing he’d signed that 5-year deal.

EAGLE FANS AREN’T ASSHOLES

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/05/17
Posted in: Conversations, Rants. Leave a comment

article regular-fans

BEING an Eagles fan comes with some pretty cool benefits. We got a kick-ass team, based in a kick-ass city, and unlike most places in America, Eagle fans don’t go dormant when the season ends. We keep up on our team regardless of what other sports season it is.

Some of us who eat, sleep, and breathe Eagles football; dig out every morsel of news we can find, and run back to share it with the rest. Because here it’s 365.

But there’s a downside to being an Eagles fan. Having to own up to the Giants Super Bowls wins? That’s not it. Nor is it listening to Cowboys fans drone on and on, about how a T-rex was their last Super Bowl MVP. The worst part is that the term “Eagles fan” has become synonymous with the word “asshole”.

You’ve heard it: “Oh he’s an Eagles fan. You know they threw snowballs …” or; “Little early for the Boo-Birds, Troy. But this IS Philadelphia.” or; “This crowd cheered when Michael Irvin was carted off the field.” and don’t forget; “It got so bad they put a jail in the basement of the Vet.”

You’ve seen it: Someone will make a douchebag remark or say something totally classless to a female, then to excuse it the d-bag will say “I’m an Eagles fan” and laugh, like that somehow makes it okay.

What I hate so much about that reputation, is that it’s greatly exaggerated. If we were half as bad as advertised, you’d NEVER see an opposing jersey in this city. Can you imagine if every time you saw someone wearing a Cowboys hat or jersey, you lived up to our national rep?

Making matters worse are the Eagles fans who revel in it  because they think they get a sort of cred from it. Many of these Fake-adelphians leave the Linc, get on the Walt Whitman, and leave OUR CITY stuck with the damaged reputation.

The cherry on the top though, is the rest of us. Those of us who sit by and allow assholes to define our fan base, and our city. While you may not care what strangers think of you, you should care when someone else gets to define you to the rest of the world. If you don’t want to be judged by your gender or the color of your skin, you should want even less to be judged by your shirt, simply because others have given theirs a bad name.

“I’m an Eagles fan” is no excuse for asshole behavior. And I can say that because I’m an Eagle fan, and I’m no asshole.

How about you?

 

DARREN SPROLES TO UNSEAT LESEAN MCCOY?

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/05/16
Posted in: Defense, Offense, Players. Tagged: , , , . Leave a comment
Image courtesy NJ.com

Image courtesy NJ.com

 

ACCORDING to NFL.com’s projected starting line-up for the Eagles LeSean McCoy and Brent Celek may have competition for their starting spots.

chart-depthchartprediction

As you can see, of the 11 Offensive starting positions only two are listed with a slash mark. Normally that mark on a depth chart means “either” or “splitting time”.  If it means something else then they should say so.

Not that I’m putting a lot of stock in these predictions. One: Because it was done by NFL.com’s Chris Wesseling, who’s an idiot altogether.  Two: Take a look at our projected Defensive starters. Notice how there is no DT/NT and there are 3 CB’s? (BTW: He has EVERY team in our division starting 3 CB’s.)

Wesseling’s prediction is that Billy Davis will use Nickel and Dime packages 65-70% of the time. No, seriously. That’s his prediction. It’s like he didn’t even glance at our schedule.

This season out of 16 games, 9 of them are against teams that lean on power running.  I wrote about that back February in my series “The 12”. (Back then we knew the opponents, just not the order.) Power running is the exact sort of game that teams will need to stay in games against Chip Kelly’s fast paced approach.

Does Wesseling  seriously think we drafted Bennie Logan last year and another NT this year, just so we can start a 3rd CB? With a 2 man D-line? Leaving our ILB’s unprotected against the run?!.

Going nickel or dime 6-7 times out of every 10 downs, is a recipe to have our LB’s beat up and worn down by the Bye Week. I’m far from Billy Davis’s biggest fan, but there is NO WAY that I can believe him to be that stupid.

Seems more like Chris Wesseling is just being an idiot again, which for him I’m afraid may be chronic. Somebody get that guy a ticket to a Pop Warner game. He needs to learn the basics of the game

But it brings up and interesting question. Who do YOU think will be our starters this year?

CHIP KELLY GOES ON MURDER SPREE

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/05/14
Posted in: Conversations, Crazy Talk, Uncategorized. Tagged: . Leave a comment

chippah!

EARLY this morning in Bull Shed, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Eagles Head Coach Charles “Chip” Kelly went on chainsaw swinging spree that left 8 dead and 6 wounded.

Several of the leprechauns murdered are said to have been members of the porn industry. Or the clergy. I can’t really remember which because I was high. Correction: Still AM high. Or is the term wasted?

High, wasted…why are they called different things if they can both result in your car getting tooken?  I typed ‘tooken’ and fuckin auto correct corrected it to ‘token’. Which I needed when my car was tooken. IT DID IT again!

Re-cap: Chip Kelly made leprechauns into steaks and my car is gone. I can’t wait til I get home because my cat needs brushing today. 

NFC EAST DRAFT BREAKDOWN

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/05/12
Posted in: Draft, Reviews. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment
Image courtesy of ESPN.com

Image courtesy of ESPN.com

GOOD teams are built through the Draft. While we know what WE did over the weekend, to really put it in perspective you have to get a look around your division to see who added the most firepower and who wasted the most picks.

DALLAS: Not a great Draft. They grabbed a solid building block in the 1st by getting an OT to maybe replace Doug Free (finally), and took a swipe at replacing DeMarcus Ware with DeMarcus Lawrence in the 2nd. They added some camp bodies later on, but no one we should be concerned about beyond their second pick.

NEW YORK: Did pretty well for themselves this year. The WR they got in the 1st  looks like a solid addition, but it was the C they added in the 2nd that got my attention. During my Pre-Draft NFC Review I mentioned that they were revamping their O-line. Well when you take a C that high, you know there’s a solid commitment being made somewhere to a long-term picture. I was also impressed with the RB they added in the 4th. The knock on him is that he didn’t catch many balls in college, but since when did the giants make throwing to RB’s a big part of what they traditionally do? Keep your eye on that SS they added in the 5th. If he sticks this year, he could be trouble for us down the line.

WASHINGTON: Probably had the best Draft of the division. (Though some may say NY did.) Adding Trent Murphy to Brian Orakpo and Ryan Kerrigan was almost unfair. They followed that up by adding youth to their O-line, and in the 4th they added a CB with a 2-3 round grade on him. Couple rounds later they added a RB as if they wished to match our depth at that position.

 

Seeing how much attention our rivals paid to their O-lines, and looking at the age/injury issues with our own line, makes me uneasy to say the least. In fact, it makes it look like the team was lucky Evan Mathis didn’t call them on the threat to trade him by daring them to do something so stupid.

In any case, you build to chase the leader and right now the leader of the NFC East is the Eagles. The selection of OLB’s by Dallas and Washington, and NY’s selection of the specific SS they took in the 5th, says that teams are clearly concerned about setting the edge on defense. Likely this is a direct response to LeSean McCoy’s success last year.

Long story short: I think the ‘skins and giants made themselves better over the weekend. Dallas made an investment for down the road but might see some early returns on that O-line if they give their 1st rounder an early shot at the starting job. 

So which rival would you say had the best Draft this year?