E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!! and some clarification

First and foremost, I want to clarify some things that I said in yesterday's post. I've recieved some negative feedback regarding my opinion that Penn State's play-calling worries me. Allow me to clarify. I fully acknowledge that the play-calling has been nearly flawless so far this year. However, the reason it worries me is that it has been an issue in previous years. For proof, I point to last year's game at Michigan. The offense went from being an aggresive offense to an overly conservative one that assuredly cost us the game (along with terrible quarterback play). Penn State has shown in recent years that it can be easily spooked into running a conservative, run first, take risks second offense. Maybe I'm convincing myself of this but I'm pretty sure its true. Look at all of the losses since 2005 and look at how Penn State handled their possessions. It's easy to see that they have strayed from what worked for them in their victories for reasons which I do not understand. Against Michigan last year, we became a "3 yards and a cloud of dust" offense when that had not been our signature all year. Against Illinois last year, we became obsessed with getting the ball to certain players whom the defense was obviously keying in on, seemingly convincing ourselves that the defense would somehow forget about them for a play or two. In short, Penn State's offense has had a tendency to become unimaginative when the going gets tough, despite the fact that when we mix it up and dictate what the defense does, we've been fairly successful over the years. Again, I'd like to clarify that this may have been a personnel issue and not a play-calling issue, but until the coaches prove me otherwise, I'm worried that we will become predictable in our quest to get the ball in certain players' hands. That was my point yesterday.

In any case, on to the Birds. The start to the season has been disappointing to say the least. We are going into San Francisco in a must win situation, a scenario that even two weeks ago was unimaginable to a fan like myself. The reasons for this are somewhat elusive. Donovan has been solid for the most part, although his traditionally shaky accuracy has plagued the Eagles yet again. However, I don't agree with the diehards who think Kevin Kolb is the answer to our problems. He has issues of his own and, truthfully, I believe Donovan has looked good, if not great, when given the opportunity to do so. To me, the biggest problem is Andy Reid. I realize that he is the winningest coach in Eagles history and has a track record of righting wayward ships, but I think this ship is off course due to his own decisions. He seems to be reluctant to put the load on the Eagles most dangerous weapons, Westbrook and Jackson. If you decide to argue that he has given them their due touches, then I would argue that he hasn't used the rest of the roster as they should be used. Jason Avant has proven himself as a legitimate possession reciever, catching most of the balls that come his way, yet he hasn't seen much come his way. Hank Baskett has dazzled us all with his incredible athletic ability, yet he rarely gets a target. Tony Hunt proved his worth in the Big Ten as a reliable tough yardage back as well as a decent receiver, yet he is being used in the same way we used Thomas Tapeh. The team argues that the absence of LJ Smith has adversely affected the Eagles' redzone offense, but my counterarguement is what's wrong with Brent Celek? or Hank Baskett on a fade? or Lorenzo Booker on a speed pitch? To me the Eagles have become so bland and unimaginative that, after first quarter adjustments by the defense, our offense is easy to stop. We have the weapons, why not use them?

I offer the Eagles a chance to cure their woes. First, use DeSean Jackson. I know the kid is a rookie and very prone to rookie mistakes. But wouldn't you rather see a rookie mistake than another failed crossing pattern intended for Greg "I somehow made millions doing this" Lewis? Second, use Westbrook to his fullest potential. I don't care how you do it, just make sure he touches the ball at least thirty times a game. Third, acknowledge that Baskett and Avant are your two best possession receivers. I haven't seen either of these guys do anything so egregious that they shouldn't be targeted yet they aren't and it's beyond me. Finally, roll Donovan out. He may claim he wants to be a drop back quarterback but why sacrifice your biggest asset just so racist people can't criticize you. You have the ability to make things happen on the move so use it, who cares what they think?

All in all, I'm convinced that the success of our Eagles depends on Donovan McNabb. So, Andy Reid, use him for all he's worth. He's not going to be any more healthy next year, and a healthy Donovan in December isn't going to help you if you are 3-6. He wants to shoulder the load so let him. Make it his responsibility to distribute the balls to those who need them, don't dictate how he should see the game. It's a last chance for McNabb to solidify himself as a fan favorite and if he can't, then come January it's time to trade him. In any case, allow a 10 year veteran to run the offense as he sees fit. Don't take the ball out of his hands, don't try to tell him where to go with the ball. He has been at it long enough that he should be able to identify what he should do with each play. Our defense, when given the chance to be aggressive, has proven itself to be one of the best in the league, so all we need is an offense that allows Jim Johnson to open his Pandora's Box. Andy, realize that Donovan isn't going to dink and dunk for wins, he's going to get big plays for them. If you accept this and call the games accordingly, we may very well win the rest of our division games, which, truthfully, may be our only chance to make the playoffs. So please, Andy, take the training wheels off your 10 year old's bicycle.