Eagles vs Steelers game thread

[Rome]

Either Dave or Dave channeling Joe Banner.

[methdeez]

Mike Tanier (FOXsports, Football Outsiders) on the Game:

Gaither isn't the problem, even after that Willie Parker touchdown (the D-line got washed out on that play). Linebacker Chris Gocong is the problem. He cannot move laterally. Watch any of the three dozen or so Steelers screens or flat passes that went for big yardage in the first half, and you will see Gocong overpursue, then lunge backwards. The Eagles get him off the field on passing downs, which is a blessing, but he really looks like a converted defensive end whenever he plays in space.

I saw the pass defense as a bigger problem than the run defense for the Eagles in the first half. The containment wasn't there on the pass rush and the tackling wasn't there on short passes. Plus, some of the blitz packages looked like confused playground stuff.

Offensively, I don't think Nick Cole is the solution to the Shawn Andrews problem, and Reggie Brown has the Darrell Jackson thing where he just drops these easy little passes. On the flip side, McNabb didn't make too many bad throws (though he fumbled once), his incompletions were a lot of drops and a fingertips play on a bomb to Curtis. I don't think there's a problem with the offense.

[ice grillin you]

Mike Tanier (FOXsports, Football Outsiders) on the Game:

Linebacker Chris Gocong is the problem. He cannot move laterally.  he really looks like a converted defensive end whenever he plays in space.

WELCOME TO TRAINING CAMP 2006!!

[shorebird]

Even though I don't want to put a whole lot of stock in a pre-season game, I'm glad we don't have to play the Steelers again unless it's in the Superbowl. Roethisberger looks to be in mid-season form. He was eating the Eagles blitz with bread. And they have good backs. They are a much better team. At least right now. Mike Tomlin has them well prepared, and they will be tough to beat especially at home this year.

This teams linebacking corps has been bad for a while, and if Reid doesn't draft a genuine middle linebacker, then we will continue to get run on. I don't know that Trotter would have made a dif last night.

[MadMarchHare]

Again, the only thing I think you can analyze after a pre-season game are fundamentals.  And there was a lot to be unhappy about as a Birds fan in that regard.

[Rome]

Trotter wouldn't have made a lick of difference last night because MLB wasn't the problem.  Gaither did an okay job out there even if he occasionally got abused worse than Jodie Foster in "The Accused."

The problem (as has been rehashed a million farging times already) is Gocong.  He has no business playing SAM.  Teams have to be salivating at the prospect of bombarding the Eagles with screen passes and intermediate shtein over the middle.

I know I would be.

[shorebird]

Again, the only thing I think you can analyze after a pre-season game are fundamentals.  And there was a lot to be unhappy about as a Birds fan in that regard.

Tackling no.1 on that list

[shorebird]

That TD run up the middle that Parker had wasn't a screen pass. Were was Gaither then?

I'm not saying Gogong wasn't a problem either, but he wasn't the only one.

[Munson]

gaither was getting raped by a guard. Trotter wouldn't have done much better.

The D-line needs to keep the oline off the LB's or it's gonna be a long ass season.

[shorebird]

gaither was getting raped by a guard. Trotter wouldn't have done much better.

The D-line needs to keep the oline off the LB's or it's gonna be a long ass season.

Thats why you need a MLB who can play and is over Gaithers 230 lbs. But this team can't see that, they've waited way too long to find a comparable backup to Trotter. They think that speed will compesate for todays pass happy offenses, but good teams like the Steelers will pound it down your throat.

I hope Gogong is gone and Bradley starts the next game. Who knows, maybe you move Gaither to the outside and start Bradley in the middle before its all said and done. Thing is, because of Rieds refusal to address the linebacking situation on this team, you have players out of position, and players who just can't play. It's bad.

[shorebird]

38 rushing attempts, 48 passing attempts.

Just in case no one noticed.

[Munson]

The point is Trotter, in his current state of suckiness, would have been beaten by the 330 pound guard too. It's the job of the D-line to eat up as many blockers as possible and let the LB's be free to make tackles. Or they need to make the plays themselves. They did neither on that play.

[Rome]

Bunkley made Faneca look like a wet-behind-the-ears rookie on a couple of plays. 

[SunMo]

which pisses me off even more when they take him out and leave patterson in during passing downs

rothelisberger had all day to step up and throw last night, the ends got decent pressure but the middle of the pocket stayed strong and gave him time.  leave bunkley in and let him rush the passer.  do we really need darren howard rushing the passer from the tackle position?

[Rome]

I've always thought the rotation thing was horseshtein.  Get four guys who can play three downs and stick with them.  If one of them gets hurt or needs a blow, then fine, substitute his ass.  I can't stand the "specialist" mentality that Johnson espouses.

All that says to me is they don't have players who can play the rush and pass equally well.