1st quarter analysis by yours truly

[gateb]

At 2-2, things aren't looking as bad as they did this time two weeks ago on Sunday night. Our defense appears to have followed the patterns of the last 3 years in the Tim Lewis era, struggle mightily until we play the Redskins. Then from there, live up to talent. Hopefully this is continues this year, as we have some potentially explosive offenses coming up in the next two weeks. Here are my thoughts after the first 4, or 5 games.

 

Cowboys- In a weekend where the Mets won the first playoff series since I was a fan, where the Yankees had an unthinkable collapse against the Tigers that may have really lightened up the Mets chances in the post-season, and where the Giants really proved me something today with a nice 19-3 win, there is a different highlight to the weekend, courtesy of the Dallas Cowboys. I think I'll have people here with me, there is nothing more satisfying than seeing TO scream his ###### off on the sidelines at his teammates or his coaches while Parcells sits there with his man boobs sticking out as if he did have a boob job. But that wasn't the only part to the game, what I saw out of Dallas was terrible. The Eagles defense looks ferocious and scary, but the Cowboys could not have played any worse. Bledsoe is a flat out joke under pressure, while our boy looks poised and calm when he has people in his face, as we saw today. Their defense is full of playmakers, but they are mightily prone to the big play as we saw today. Hank Baskett's 87 yard catch, LJ Smith's 60 yard catch, the flea flicker to Reggie Brown (I think), and a couple of other 20 yards or more plays. Roy Williams continuously gets burned trying to make a play when it turns out the other team is fooling him, and Patrick Hawkins doesn't have a clue out there, he is extremely raw. That defense can make the big play, but more often than not, it gives up the big play. This is why after today I am much more optmistic about the October 23rd game against the Cowboys as I was before the season started. I think it will be a night where we get to kick back, and watch the circus called the Dallas Cowboys implode in front of our eyes.

 

Eagles- You know what, this team is really good. McNabb is awesome, but him and his WRs have been inconsistent. In our game, we saw first hand how sometimes balls get away from McNabb time to time when his targets are wide open and we also saw how some of his targets drop some supposedly easy passes. When the weather gets colder, and McNabb is firing in those bullets, it's going to be harder and harder for him to have success. And another thing to add on to that, they don't have a running game that can help them last in December and in cold days in general, or even trying to run out the clock. I have the outmost respect for Brian Westbrook, but he is not a pure running back that can take down the clock like Tiki and Jacobs did today. And Buckhalter is decent, but not good enough to help run down the clock. But that is the only thing that gets me optimistic when discussing the Eagles, because they are firing on all cylinders and it's hard to tell what their true other flaws are. I wouldn't even imagine me saying this at one point, but they are the most well-rounded team in the East. I don't think McNabb will keep this up throughout the year though, and I think our team will get better and better. And for those who say their schedule is better from here on out, not necessarily. As of now, we are a game and a half behind them, and the only differences in games is we have the Bears later, and they have the Colts later, both of which the Eagles and Giants will have their work cut out for.

 

Giants- The killer instinct that we were lacking for the first 3 weeks of the season has arrived. I was at the game today, and I noticed first hand that the desire and fire that is a necessity for a team that wants to win was clearly in us today. We looked like we actually gave a ###### out there on defense, something clearly different from the Colts game and especially the Eagles and Seahawks game. I'm going to hand it to our coaching, we were prepared for everything they fired at us and weren't taken aback by anything. But I was especially pleased with our offensive gameplan. Get the run going early in the game, and set up the dangerous play-action pass that Eli executes as good as any quarterback in the NFL already at this stage in his career. Tiki appears to be a step behind his usual self from last year. That's what it appears. It's either that or the play is developing more slowly than it usually has for Tiki. But I'll say this much, he is so elusive that if we get him his 20 or more touches a game, he is such a great weapon for us to have. And Jacobs' intensity is awesome and he plays with a lot of heart. I know I recognize this trait, and I hope you guys do too. And as for Eli, his stats were ideal today for the type of gameplan we had, which was to run. Eli made the big plays when we needed to, was managing the game well, and came up huge for us along with Amani on that third and 15 that eventually set up the first and only TD of the game for both teams. We're going to win a lot of games if we stick to the gameplan we used today, run the clock, manage the game properly, make big passes when it's necessary, and play good defense. One thing that has to be fixed; disclipline. Too many stupid penalties, and those penalties will hurt us when we play a team that is better than Washington. Oh yeah, being 2-0 in division ain't too shabby either.

 

Redskins- I'm sorry, I'm not sold on this team and I never will be as long as they've got Mark Brunell as the quarterback. He is just too inconsistent these days to even think about having his team to be in good position in our division. Speaking of division, they may be in a huge hole by being 2-3, but being 0-2 in division is really bad. Did any WR not named Santana Moss have a catch today? When this team is forced to be one-dimensional, as we saw against us, the Cowboys, and the Vikings, they are one bad offensive team. Take away their running game and they don't have anything. Their defense is solid, so they can keep them in as many games as they want. But we did have a lot of yards today and we should've capitalized with more points. I'm not worried about this team at all.

 

Go Giants!

[Nas]

Excellent analysis.

 

With respect to Dallas' game vs Philly today, Dallas failed to react to Philly's blitz happy defense and that's why they kept coming at Bledsoe.. the guy sucks. If the Eagles try that against us they will pay again like they paid in overtime last time we met.

 

Props to Amani Toomer. He just goes out and makes big catches in the clutch. He's such a team player and a classy guy.

[gateb]

Excellent analysis.

 

With respect to Dallas' game vs Philly today, Dallas failed to react to Philly's blitz happy defense and that's why they kept coming at Bledsoe.. the guy sucks. If the Eagles try that against us they will pay again like they paid in overtime last time we met.

 

Props to Amani Toomer. He just goes out and makes big catches in the clutch. He's such a team player and a classy guy.

Amani's the man. That catch was the turning point in the game, the won that setup Plax's eventual TD. Last year he went under the radar with his game changing catches, I'm glad he isn't this year.