BLOG: Eagles vs. Packers Preview
By Andy Wheeler
So here we are less than 24 hours away from the Packers vs. Eagles, and let me tell you…I am not optimistic.
I'm not even slightly upbeat. I think the Eagles have 2 chances to win this game, and only 2 chances.
One is possible and one seems very unlikely. Either Michael Vick has to go nuts or Andy Reid has to commit to the run. Like I said, one is possible and one seems unlikely.
First we start with Vick who says health isn't an issue and that he's 100%. That can change with one hit. And as we saw from the first time we played the Packers, the Quarterback is going to get hit.
The Pack is 5th overall in total defense, 5th against the pass and 18th against the run. They have 2 corners that are playing great and a one man wrecking crew in Clay Matthews. They also blitz pretty well.
So Michael Vick will need to have a fantastic day…which he certainly could do.
It will be up to Andy Reid to do something that he's never really done. Commit to the run. Let Shady be Shady. Can Big Red get past the mental block he seems to have and run run run and then run again if necessary?
My guess is no way. But that's just my guess. I've had my issues with Reid in the past as most of my consistent readers know. I've never really been a big fan. This year I've started to finally come around that Reid is a good coach. But I've always had a problem with his play calling when it comes to the run and his clock management.
My place in support of Reid is tenuous at best. If he somehow wastes and opportunity in the playoffs by not running the ball, I'll be back on the bashing bandwagon. When the statistics and scouting would tell someone that you should run the ball against a team in the bottom half of the league stopping the run…I think you should RUN THE BALL! Will he or won't he? My guess is he won't.
I feel like the Eagles are honestly playing on house money. They've been very very lucky this year. Beasley and I had a dispute over that the other night. He says they aren't lucky they are just good. But he seems to have put me into the "Crazy Eagles Fan" category that doesn't know what I'm watching.
He says that Vick starting was what the Eagles intended all along. And I agree with him on that. All we had heard was that was what was going to happen. He also contended that in what was suppose to be a rebuilding year, the Eagles scouting department and drafting crew hit a bunch of home runs with who they picked. And he's right.
However there has been an enormous amount of luck. The Eagles Offensive line despite vastly improved play from Mike McGlynn and the Pro Bowl Season by Jason Peters and what should have been a Pro Bowl season by Todd Herremans is AWFUL. If Vick couldn't move like he can he'd probably have been knocked out for the season by now.
Their special teams with the exception of David Akers have been AWFUL despite the addition of Guru Bobby April. With the exception of the onside kick in the Giants game and the return by DeSean Jackson I can't think of many games where they've looked good.
The Defense is also terrible. Their Secondary has been terrible, and their linebacker play has been suspect at times. The D-Line is actually better than I thought it would be…but they just can't seem to make a stop when it matters. And against a guy like Aaron Rodgers…that's just not going to be good enough.
So how have they not been lucky? 10 wins…and one of them because of 4 touchdowns in fewer than 8 minutes? They are incredibly fortunate with all the things that have gone right for them this season, and I think with the way that defenses have been game planning for Vick that they are in trouble.
Like I said…I'm not optimistic.
