Reid article today

[MURP]

link

Eagles' ground swell
Eagles coach says balance important on offense
By LES BOWEN
bowenl@phillynews.com

MOBILE, Ala. - Like you, Andy Reid has been watching the NFL playoffs. And it hasn't escaped his notice that all the teams playing last weekend in the conference championships featured balanced offenses that run the ball effectively.

The Eagles' coach isn't looking to radically change his team's approach, but he did acknowledge yesterday that success in the post-Terrell Owens era is going to require more of an emphasis on the ground game.

"We've got to get back to what we did a few years ago, where we were running it close to 50 percent of the time," Reid said yesterday as he prepared to leave Mobile, after watching 3 days of Senior Bowl practice. "The more you can keep it close to 50-50, the more you keep people honest defensively."

The Eagles' mix was more than 70-30 in favor of passing through the first half of last season, before Reid dismissed Owens and before quarterback Donovan McNabb finally sat down for sports-hernia surgery. The Eagles ran the ball more down the stretch, when they had fewer weapons.

Reid's Eagles have never really been 50-50 pass-run; the closest they've come was in 2002, the last time they had a 1,000-yard rusher (Duce Staley, 1,029 yards on 269 carries). That year they ran the ball 489 times (including 63 runs by McNabb, many of them designed as passing plays), and threw it 548 times. The last two seasons, the Eagles have run the ball fewer than 400 times (376 in 2004, just 365 last season) and thrown it considerably more than 500 (547 in 2004, a whopping 620 last season).

Reid and his coaching staff attended Senior Bowl practices for the first time since they began their run of four successive NFC Championship Game appearances in 2002. With a host of needs to fill following their first losing season since 1999, The Eagles will draft 14th overall this April. They haven't chosen that high since they took Corey Simon with the sixth pick in 2000. Reid isn't about to share his thoughts on where the Eagles might go with that first selection, but he did say that for him, watching the playoffs has reinforced something - "it's very obvious that you have to rush the passer and protect the quarterback."

Asked if this meant he would be looking hard at his offensive and defensive lines high in the draft and in free agency, Reid said: "I'll always start there." He also acknowledged that when your first pick is 14th instead of 29th or 30th, it's a little easier to trade up into the top 10, should you want to do that.

Defensively, the Eagles need a pass-rushing end to complement Jevon Kearse and could use a better push up the middle from the defensive-tackle position. The two bulwarks of the offensive line, left tackle Tra Thomas and right tackle Jon Runyan, are over 30; Runyan, 32, will be an unrestricted free agent, and says the Eagles have so far shown no interest in signing him. Thomas, 31, is coming off back surgery and an overall terrible season, which began with him missing the entire offseason while dealing with a blood-clot problem.

But before free agency starts, Reid would like to resolve the Owens situation. He has given T.O.'s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, permission to seek a trade for the All-Pro wide receiver. In March, the Eagles would owe Owens a $5 million roster bonus, which they have no intention of paying, so most observers think a trade is unlikely, since a team that waits for Owens to be released won't have to give up anything, or assume his contract, calling for 5 more years and about another $35 million. Rosenhaus, asked yesterday if anything was happening on the Owens front, said: "Nothing that I want to talk about."

Reid said there have been nibbles.

"There are some people interested out there. We'll see how things go," he said.

The Eagles have made two significant changes since Reid last spoke with reporters, the week the season ended. Offensive coordinator Brad Childress left the team to become the Vikings' head coach, and was replaced by former assistant head coach Marty Mornhinweg. And personnel chief Tom Heckert gained the title of general manager, the Eagles fending off a Vikings effort to hire Heckert.

When Childress did not hire any Eagles assistants in Minnesota, Childress and other NFL sources said Reid had asked Childress not to raid the Eagles' staff. Reid said yesterday that he didn't want assistants leaving unless they were going to be promoted to coordinator status. Apparently, only linebackers coach Steve Spagnuolo had such an opportunity - Childress was interested in Spagnuolo running his defense. Reid said yesterday he would not stand in the way of Spagnuolo getting a coordinator's job, but at the time Childress was hiring, St. Louis had expressed an interest in talking to Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson about the Rams' head-coaching job. If Johnson were to leave, Reid would want Spagnuolo to succeed him, he said, so he didn't want Spagnuolo going to Minnesota while Johnson's status was unclear.

Johnson declined an interview in St. Louis. Childress hired Tampa Bay defensive-backs coach Mike Tomlin as his defensive coordinator.

"Steve's a guy [Childress] was interested in. He's a good football coach and will be a good coordinator," Reid said. "It didn't quite work out timingwise."

When Heckert was promoted, Eagles sources indicated there would be no change in the team's power structure, that Reid would retain ultimate decision-making power. The question of whether Reid needs to relinquish some control might have gained relevance with his mentor, Mike Holmgren, finally getting the Seattle Seahawks to the Super Bowl after giving up his GM duties.

Reid said yesterday that he didn't particularly take a lesson from Seattle's situation, but that Heckert "has a little more responsibility" now. He indicated that Heckert would deal with player agents, along with team president Joe Banner, and Banner's assistant, Howie Roseman. In the past, agents dealing with the Eagles haven't indicated much involvement in talks by Heckert.

Reid said he had called and left a message but hadn't been able to speak with Holmgren since the Seahawks' thrashing of Carolina in Sunday's NFC title game.

"What they did in Seattle, it worked for them, obviously, they're in the Super Bowl," Reid said. "That doesn't mean it has to be that way everywhere."

Of course, decision-making responsibilities weren't the only difference this season between the mentor and the pupil. Holmgren's version of the West Coast offense produced the NFL's leading rusher, Shaun Alexander, who ran for 1,880 yards - 448 more yards than all the Eagles' rushers combined.

[DH]

"We've got to get back to what we did a few years ago, where we were running it close to 50 percent of the time," Reid said yesterday as he prepared to leave Mobile, after watching 3 days of Senior Bowl practice. "The more you can keep it close to 50-50, the more you keep people honest defensively."

Cliche or not, I'll believe it when I see it.

[SunMo]

with their OT situation, it's a no-brainer to me that they take a tackle with their 1st pick.

[ice grillin you]

two words: lendale white

[MURP]

"We've got to get back to what we did a few years ago, where we were running it close to 50 percent of the time," Reid said yesterday as he prepared to leave Mobile, after watching 3 days of Senior Bowl practice. "The more you can keep it close to 50-50, the more you keep people honest defensively."

Cliche or not, I'll believe it when I see it.

yeah really. 

[DH]

two words: lendale white

one word: why?

i think initially, i'd be excited to see us take him, but then reality would hit. there are far too many more needs now to be taking a rb in the first.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Maybe he'll trade up for Mario Williams.

[Mad-Lad]

two words:

draft defense

[SunMo]

two words:

draft defense

yes, after they take a tackle

[ice grillin you]

i think initially, i'd be excited to see us take him, but then reality would hit. there are far too many more needs now to be taking a rb in the first.

more of a guarantee he will be a player...who on defense at 14 can you be certain wont be a flop...defensive lineman especially ends...which is what a lot of people are pushing for are very hard to grade

plus a rb will play and contribute right away

[DH]

i think initially, i'd be excited to see us take him, but then reality would hit. there are far too many more needs now to be taking a rb in the first.

more of a guarantee he will be a player...who on defense at 14 can you be certain wont be a flop...defensive lineman especially ends...which is what a lot of people are pushing for are very hard to grade

plus a rb will play and contribute right away

Westbrooks fat new deal and Moats being drafted last year should "guarentee" that Lendale wont be our pick. I still think we should have taken Stephan Jackson instead of trading up for Andrews.

[ice grillin you]

moats was a wasted pick...they tried to strong arm westbrook by drafting him and it didnt work...moats and westbrook in the same backfield is overkill

[SunMo]

yup, they used a 3rd round pick on a negotiating tool, WASTE

[Rome]

Or insurance, depending on how you look at it.

PS: I'm officially on board with drafting defense.  AFTER they draft Lendale White, that is.

[Mad-Lad]

yup, they used a 3rd round pick on a negotiating tool, WASTE

they used a 2nd rounder on a LB who sits on the bench.