Trotter, Gone?
Has Trotter worn out his welcome?
***A View from the Hall: What’s Next? – Ray Didinger – Comcast Sportsnet
***McNabb story is overblown because it’s McNabb – G. Cobb – GCobb.com
Read the bottom of article – nice little anecdote about Trotter’s play against the Saints
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Posted on January 25, 2007 by Dave | Filed Under Philadelphia
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I don’t see how Ray D. can make his points with a straight face.
“The NFC this season was the weakest conference in memory.”
It wasn’t much better or worse than 1999 and 2004, when two 8-8 teams made the playoffs in the NFC.
“are a much more efficient team when they have a balanced offense”
The Eagles offense scored 24, 24, 31, 31, 31, 24, 21, and 6 points in the first 8 games – 192 total, and a 24 point per game average – even including the stinker against the Jaguars.
The Eagles offense scored 20, 13, 21, 27, 14, 29, 23, 24, 23, and 24 points in the last 8 games and the playoffs – 171 total in the last 8 games – a 21.375 point per game average. Even including the playoffs its only a 21.8 point per game average. How is it better to average 2-3 points less per game?
“I’ve preached this for years”
Yes, and the Eagles have confounded you and other pundits for years by racking up an amazing number of wins and dominating the NFC East and NFC by emphasizing the passing game. If the Andy Reid pass first to set up the run philosophy doesn’t work, how has he won 75 regular season games in the past 7 years and 8 playoff games in 6 years? 3/5ths of points and 2/3 of yards in the NFL come from the passing game. The running game is to eat clock, pick up short yards, and provide a change of pace. The only thing running the ball more does at the start of a game is lower your potential offensive production.
“With the exception of the Indianapolis debacle, the games were close enough at halftime that it should not have required scrapping the game plan.”
Saints game was 17-3 at halftime. Bucs game was 7-0 at halftime, and eventually 17-0 10 minutes into the 3rd quarter. The Jaguars games was 7-0 at the half (and could easily have been 14-0 if not for a penalty), and the Eagles only had one drive with a first down – that might look close but it clearly wasn’t. The Redskins game obviously the Eagles lead. The Titans game was close at 10-6, but McNabb was lost, and it got out of hand at 24-6 just 5 minutes into the 3rd quarter. The Colts game Ray admits was ridiculous, so there is nothing to discuss. Some of these games were kind of close, but Ray doesn’t go into detail about the actual offensive breakdown.
The Bucs game, for example, the Eagles passed 22 times and ran 14 times in the first half. But 6 passes and 1 rush were in a 1 -minute drill to end the half, where you obviously aren’t rushing much – so 16-13 outside that. It was 7 passes 4 rushes in the 3rd Quarter, and 8 passes and 7 rushes in the 4th Quarter. Where is the dramatic offensive unbalance that caused the loss?
The Jaguars game was 16-11 in the first half pass to run, and 7-8 in the 3rd Quarter. What a shock, the dramatic unbalance was at the end of that game, where running no longer made any sense – the 4th Quarter saw 15 passes and 1 run. Would running more in the 1st 3 quarters have done anythign against the Jaguars except end the game with a loss sooner?
“but the real key to the 5-0 streak was Westbrook”
Yes, and the reason Westbrook couldn’t be key earlier in the year was that he was playing hurt in several games, and out in Week 4, while Buckhalter had not yet returned to form, and Moats clearly regressed. Sometimes, you have to make do with what you have.
“First, re-sign Garcia and wide receiver Donté Stallworth. If the Eagles let Stallworth go, they will have to replace him, and it isn’t easy to find receivers with that kind of speed.”
I don’t disagree, but remember that keeping Stallworth means the Eagles keep 6 wideouts (Stallworth, Brown, Baskett, Lewis, Avant, and Bloom), which means going thin somewhere else. Baskett, Lewis, and Avant all play special teams, which means if you cut one of them, a body has to be found to replace them from somewhere else. In theory, Bloom takes Mahe’s spot, but are the Eagles really going to be comfortable with just three running backs and Tapeh or Davis on the roster given the injury history of Eagles running backs? Actually, the easiest way to fit Stallworth on the roster is to only carry two Quarterbacks – McNabb and Feeley. The most useful thing to be done by signing Garcia is to be able to trade him.
Andrew you are a fucking madman.
Great comment.