The observation thread

[reese125]

I like how you piggybacked off of Rome and threw in #6 for the OT's, but then completely shredded the idea of this team ever even coming close to competing with what they have.

why do you bother?

[mussa]

ha, why do i bother? man this team has so much potential but i can't see them competing with the coaches they have. that is all really.

[ice grillin you]

The team needs alot of work and it ain't going to all come together by next year.

Next year will be THE year for McNabb. He should be 100%. If they get him some more weapons then there should be no excuses. If he's healthy and still struggling...its time for him to go. We can't judge him too much on his performance this year. I was ready to dump him mid year, but he turned things around here at the end and showed signs that he's not done...he was just not 100% this year plain and simple.

if the team is "not even close" then why would you want mcnabb back...and more so why is next year THE year for him?...get some picks for him and move on to the cobb era if youre "remodeling" anyway

youre all over the place mussa and not making much sense

[ice grillin you]

The team needs alot of work and it ain't going to all come together by next year. As zesty as it is...this team is in dire need of remodeling and is along way from getting back to top form.

man this team has so much potential

[reese125]

IGY, what r u going to do for cash after 2020?

[ice grillin you]

huh?

[reese125]

wow..completely wasnt thinking your talking about richards on your sig...my bad. I'll be in my backyard with my head in a hole

[mussa]

yea im not making sense...let me try to explain it better

(fantasy)*
the team has potential...if they get a new coach and new offense(run first) i think they can compete for SB with very little additions.

(reality)*
with reid at the helm...they need alot of work...ie...legit receivers...legit TE...more defensive playmakers...the big play offense ain't helping this defense out. mcnabb never was and never will be a 40+ passing QB and Kolb isn't even close to being ready. we need alot of work.

[Feva]

i totally disagree...sheldon gets beat less than most corners in the league...and hes all around one of the better corners...but hes on your favorite team so you tend to scrutinize his failures much more...

lito getting hurt too much is a legit point but what are you gonna do take a first round pick on a position because they might get hurt...unless youre suggesting getting rid of lito and replace him with a draft pick...id much rather take a high pick on a position that sucks

The CB position isn't as OK as you might think, though.  Even if Lito & Sheldon are fine (which I think they are)... where do you go after that?  Will James has been terrible this season, he lost his nickel spot to Joselio... and it'll be a miracle if he's back next year (not that the Eagles would or should want him).  So that will create a hole depth-wise. Then, do you trust Hanson to play the nickel full time next year and beyond?  He's a decent DB I suppose, but I don't trust him in situations against regular 3 WR sets.  Nick Graham is a body.  Nothing more, nothing less.

There's not really much depth outside of Lito & Sheldon... and we've already established that Lito has durability issues.  They need more quality at CB.  I'm not saying go CB in the 1st round, but it should be addressed... and earlier in the draft rather than later.

again i couldnt disagree more...you want every position on the team to have quality starters and depth...in a perfect world that would be great and im all for it but it just doesnt happen and is not realistic...if you wanna bring in a veteran third corner to compete with hanson then fine but if they take a day one corner in the draft it would be a mistake imo

wr
defense front seven
returner
safety

are all much bigger needs than third corner

I never said that CB was our #1 priority.  I simply said that it isn't as tight as you might think... and that it should be addressed this offseason.  I did however neglect to mention that we could also go the FA route so my bad on that.  This defense has 2 corners of significance on it and the way JJ runs this D, strength at that position is a must... not just a nice to have.  For that reason, I do want that position to stay a strength and a postion of depth and quality, especially in today's "throwing" NFL... doesn't mean I want pro-bowlers everywhere.  

For example... the LB's, as you've discussed just now in the thread... I wouldn't hate it if they returned next year as is and performed as they have this year.  They are by no means Ray Lewis & Company but the truth is, they've been a big part of this team's success against the run this year.  They are not the liability that they've been the past few years at all.  They've been solid all together.  Maybe it is due to the slop that we've been accustomed to at the LB position over the years that has me on this position, maybe not... but they've still been a solid, if unspectacular group.  If they're allowed to grow together, I think "big plays" can come from this group.

[Zanshin]

Sheldon is a good corner...but I think he'd be an even better FS, actually.  He's bulky enough, has good coverage skills, a good nose for the ball, plays the run well and hits like hell.

[Munson]

FEva hit the nail on the head about the big plays from the LB's. YOu gotta remember that this was the first year for all three of them starting in this defense at their positions. You can see how that affected their play. They started off a little slow, but as the season went on they all got much more solid, didn't over pursue as much, were making tackles, etc. Now with another year in the defense, another year starting at MLB for Gaither, another together and being able to play off of each other, then the potential for them to make some INT's and FF's and big plays is there.

And even you have to admit IGY that Gocong has looked pretty good lately as a blitzing LB, getting pressures and such. When was the last time the Eagles had an effective blitzing LB? Willie T?

[Seabiscuit36]

I still would like to see JJ employ more of a 3-4 system using Gocong and Gaither as the OLB's, Spikes and Stewie inside. 

[ice grillin you]

And even you have to admit IGY that Gocong has looked pretty good lately as a blitzing LB, getting pressures and such. When was the last time the Eagles had an effective blitzing LB? Willie


lol @ getting pressures...at least hes not like mike mamula running off the screen ala intellivision football...thats all ill say for him

you remember the brady sack and thats it...every other time theyve used him out there hes been a couple steps slow and cant get there...face it hes not a guy with a burst or very strong or fast....hes vanilla personified...has been since the day they drafted him...and unless something drastically changes and i dont know what that would be....he always will be...but like i said put him with a stud or even two if possible and ill live with it

gocong gaither and old man spikes aint gonna cut it tho


You gotta remember that this was the first year for all three of them starting in this defense at their positions. You can see how that affected their play.

you truly are a moron...but i love it...keep up the good work...bryant gumbel of the eagle board

[rjs246]

I still would like to see JJ employ more of a 3-4 system using Gocong and Gaither as the OLB's, Spikes and Stewie inside. 

Then what do you do with an undersized Trent Cole? The dude is a beast but asking him to play that DE/DT hybrid position would neutralize a lot of his talent.

I don't think it's an awful idea to use more 3-4 looks, mind you, but Cole isn't really the prototypical 3-4 lineman.

[Seabiscuit36]

Cole could definitely get outside looks as a pass rusher.  He already drops back in coverage pretty often and does a good job.  I'm not saying switch it all over to 3-4, but i'd love to see JJ put in pass rush packages that utilze the talent he has.  I agree with IGY Gocong is strongest as a pass rusher.  His best games he was put into position to make plays behind the line of scrimmage and did just that.