Chief skin Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Skins 3-1 with the eagles next at the Linc, this game has me worried because our Dline can't get any pressure on the QB. Tampa and New England showed the league how to beat the eagles and that is with pressure and contain(either with your front 4 or through blitzes) on Mcnabb. In my opinion we are not able to do that if this is true should we have Arrington spy him throughout the game? Our offense should do pretty well against a beat up Philly defense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom [Giants fan] Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 The Bills weren't able to do much against that beat up Philly defense. I think this is another one of those, it doesn't matter who you have in it is the system type defenses. Just like Belichick. The Eagles had Bledsoe confused most of the day and they were mixing up blitzes. My question for this upcoming game is, can they confuse Ramsey? That will play a huge role in how well the Skins do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canyonero! Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 New England wasn't bringing 4 guys at a time to get to McNabb like Tampa was able to. NE brought 5 & 6 at a time, just like we'll have to do in order to get any pressure on them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OaktonSkins/BushFan Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 What weapons do the eagirls have on offense? They lack a #1 WR, Staley has been rendered impotent thus far, and the majority of their rushing yards this week came off of one play. And yes, on defense, they are a shell of their former selves. This is not the Eagles defense of last season or the season before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Symbol Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 They woke up against the Bills, now it's time for the Redskins to put them back to sleep. Arrington needs to spy McNabb and us blitz Armstead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OaktonSkins/BushFan Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Originally posted by Tom [Giants fan] The Bills weren't able to do much against that beat up Philly defense. I think this is another one of those, it doesn't matter who you have in it is the system type defenses. Just like Belichick. The Eagles had Bledsoe confused most of the day and they were mixing up blitzes. My question for this upcoming game is, can they confuse Ramsey? That will play a huge role in how well the Skins do. Ramsey survived Belichick. And let's not forget that Bledsoe still managed about 300 yards passing against their secondary. Considering Ramsey's production this season, I think Ramsey could have a field day if SOS will let him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reaganaut Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 In this particular game, I'm not as interested in getting pressure on McNabb as others. McNabb has this irritating tendency to scramble when pressured and he makes more plays and throws from outside the pocket. Containing him and making him beat us with his arm suits me just fine. He had a great game with his arm against us last year, but he looks vulnerable now. Odds say that they won't continue losing at home, but the Skins have the ability to play with anyone these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottb Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 McNabb worries me because he can throw the long pass. Considering the time we've given the opposing QB's, a good deep passing game could be a huge problem. I am also worried about the blitz. Nobody blitzes better than Philly. I keep thinking about the beating Ramsey took in the Atlanta game. I'd hate a repeat perfromance with a team with a much better secondary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleSteve Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Originally posted by OaktonSkinsFan Ramsey survived Belichick. And let's not forget that Bledsoe still managed about 300 yards passing against their secondary. Considering Ramsey's production this season, I think Ramsey could have a field day if SOS will let him. Bledsoe threw for 296 yards, but was never able to hit a deep pass. The pressure on him was decent with only 4 pass rushers, excellent with blitzes. Takeo Spikes spied McNabb during the first half and he still was able to move the offense effectively. By the end of the game Spikes was no longer spying, as McNabb was accurate enough to require more pass defenders. The weapons the Eagles have on offense? A big O-line, three change-up running backs - quick (Westbrook), big and fast (Buckhalter), plodding (Staley) with a ram of a fullback in Ritchie. Decent/average receivers who have gotten open all season so far and a QB who hasn't seen them, or hasn't sent an accurate pass their way deep down the field. Redskins had best mix the run and pass effectively or "the shell of their former selves" defense will shut them down, even with a banged up secondary. Also, Ramsey will have the kitchen sink (left over from the Vet) thrown at him. If the pass protection isn't better, he's going to get pummelled. You can contain McNabb by constantly blitzing only if he's completely inaccurate, like against TB and NE and when Reid decides not to run the ball. If McNabb has to always make a play, he won't. If he only has to make a play a few times a game, he can. That requires Reid to use his entire offense. If I saw correctly, there was only one 3-yard dump pass to Staley yesterday, as opposed to 5-7 of them in each previous game. Also, the Eagles did not run a screen pass yesterday (thank God!). The Redskins can certainly win the game, but they have to cut out the penalties and give Ramsey a lot of protection. On defense, they'll need to shut down the Eagles running attack early and often to force Reid to throw the ball most of the time. If the Eagles have success with a balanced offensive attack, the Redskins' defense is going to be on the field a lot next week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OaktonSkins/BushFan Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Originally posted by Blazers21 Bledsoe threw for 296 yards, but was never able to hit a deep pass. The pressure on him was decent with only 4 pass rushers, excellent with blitzes. OSF: Then again Bledsoe isn't passing to Coles and Co. and, furthermore, Buffalo doesn't seem to have much of a running game which comes in nicely to bring some more back to the line. After rushing for significantly more than 100 yards per game over the last four games, Philthy needs to take the threat seriously. And when they do, Lito Sheppard will get burned. Takeo Spikes spied McNabb during the first half and he still was able to move the offense effectively. By the end of the game Spikes was no longer spying, as McNabb was accurate enough to require more pass defenders. OSF: Spikes isn't Arrington. Remember what happened when the Redskins last beat the Eagles two years ago? Arrington shadowed McNuggett the whole game and we won 13-3. The weapons the Eagles have on offense? A big O-line, three change-up running backs - quick (Westbrook), big and fast (Buckhalter), plodding (Staley) with a ram of a fullback in Ritchie. Most of the yards came on one play by Westbrook - otherwise it was a rather below avg. performance in the rush dept. and the Bills are about middle of the pack in the NFL in rush defense. Decent/average receivers who have gotten open all season so far and a QB who hasn't seen them, or hasn't sent an accurate pass their way deep down the field. OSF: Thrash isn't getting over on Champ Bailey, let's be serious. I'm presuming that Edwards will be intelligent with our secondary this week. In man to man, your receivers are simply no match for our secondary. Redskins had best mix the run and pass effectively or "the shell of their former selves" defense will shut them down, even with a banged up secondary. Also, Ramsey will have the kitchen sink (left over from the Vet) thrown at him. If the pass protection isn't better, he's going to get pummelled. OSF: You mean like they've been doing for the past four weeks? I think all of those blitzing Eagles are going to run right by an open Canidate, Morton, or Betts - bring it on! You can contain McNabb by constantly blitzing only if he's completely inaccurate, like against TB and NE and when Reid decides not to run the ball. If McNabb has to always make a play, he won't. If he only has to make a play a few times a game, he can. That requires Reid to use his entire offense. If I saw correctly, there was only one 3-yard dump pass to Staley yesterday, as opposed to 5-7 of them in each previous game. Also, the Eagles did not run a screen pass yesterday (thank God!). The Redskins can certainly win the game, but they have to cut out the penalties and give Ramsey a lot of protection. On defense, they'll need to shut down the Eagles running attack early and often to force Reid to throw the ball most of the time. If the Eagles have success with a balanced offensive attack, the Redskins' defense is going to be on the field a lot next week. OSF: If their performance against the Bills is any indication, I don't us having a hard time with Westbrook (1 run wonder last week), Staley (doing nothing at all), and Buckhalter (nothing to speak of) www.nfl.com/stats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurent Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 That was a great win for the Eagles no doubt but they are from being back on track if you ask me. The Bills had no credible ground game and as a result Johnson and his crew were able to come in and key of on the passing game. With Henry not being able to suit up it became glaringly evident that other than Moulds the Bills don't have any receivers that can contribute on a consistent basis. As a result the Eagles were able to pound the ball and tire out the Bills defense in very much the same fashion as Miami did the week before. I might be giving our offense a bit too much credit here but I don't think the Eagles will be able to stop us coming into the game with a game plan like this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 I think Ramsey's going to take some hits next weekend. What's promising is that hasn't necessarily translated into "rattling" him or bad plays. We'll have a tough game but I haven't felt this good going into a game with Philly since 2000. I am not convinced we'll pull the upset in Philly, but I think we'll play another close game...let's hope we continue to find ways to gut out a W. Blazers, how are you guys vs. the run? Will Trung and Betts have a tough time finding yards? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleSteve Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Originally posted by OaktonSkinsFan OSF: If their performance against the Bills is any indication, I don't us having a hard time with Westbrook (1 run wonder last week), Staley (doing nothing at all), and Buckhalter (nothing to speak of) [/b] You cannot judge the Eagles completely by statistics. If you look at the stats only, there is no way they should have won 12 games last year or 11 games the previous two years. Hence the misconception that they have no offensive weapons even though they scored 415 points last year and had the largest margin of victory in their wins (7+ points per win). They execute and are efficient. No one stands out. They play a field position game and usually have the intangibles on their side when they are winning. They also tend to play mistake-free football. McNabb does not throw many INT's and they rarely fumble. I don't think Staley fumbled at all last year. They also don't usually committ a lot of penalties. Sometimes they hit a streak where they do and it costs them the game: last year vs. Tenn. and Jax. Overall, they are a very disciplined team. From NFL.COM: http://www.nfl.com/news/story/6679778 McNabb, Eagles find lost rhythm By Vic Carucci ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (Sept. 28, 2003) -- Rhythm. Donovan McNabb kept talking about rhythm -- about finding it, keeping it, feeding off of it. "It's just a feeling you have as a player or in whatever you do," McNabb said. "When you feel things are going your way, it just feels like whatever play is called, you're going to execute." Yep. That's how it feels. That's how McNabb felt on Sunday, with his reputation as a top-level NFL quarterback hanging in the balance. That's how he felt on the first snap of the game, when he flicked a 27-yard pass completion to Todd Pinkston. That's also how he felt on the third snap, when he scrambled for 25 yards to put the Philadelphia Eagles at the Buffalo Bills' 17-yard line before the Bills or 73,000 fans in Ralph Wilson Stadium knew what hit them. Confident. Comfortable. Happy. Oh, was McNabb happy. Not just with the fact that at the end of the day the Eagles had a 23-13 victory, but also with the fact that finally he had performed the way we were accustomed to seeing McNabb perform before this season. Now, if you're looking for the flip side of how McNabb felt, go back to Sept. 8 when the Eagles opened the season and their brand new stadium with a 17-0 loss to Tampa Bay on Monday Night Football. And go back to Sept. 14 when the Eagles further dishonored their new digs with a 31-10 loss to New England. Never was a bye more timely than the one the Eagles had last weekend, giving them time to sort through the shambles that was their 0-2 start, hardly becoming a club that had played in the last two NFC Championship Games and was supposed to make another run at the Super Bowl. McNabb's quarterback rating of 41.4 was the lowest in the NFL. His self-esteem was even lower. He was being ripped and roasted by fans and media. He heard boos, catcalls and all other forms of the harshest criticism that the harshest fans in the league can dish out. McNabb did the sensible thing during the bye. He left town, heading for peace and tranquility (and sunshine) in Arizona. He spent the mini-vacation clearing his mind and, well, searching for his lost rhythm. "You want to get into a rhythm and stay in a rhythm, and that's something we didn't have in the first two weeks," McNabb said. "We had it today." Donovan McNabb's missing rhythm surfaced in the Eagles' win at Buffalo. His passing performance wasn't spectacular: 18 completions in 29 attempts for 172 yards and no touchdowns. But it was efficient. He didn't throw any interceptions and finished with a passer rating of 78.5. McNabb's more impressive numbers were his nine runs for 47 yards, many coming as a result of those patented head-fakes, and ducking and dodging that left numerous frustrated defenders grasping at air. But forget about the stats for a minute. The best part of McNabb's outing was that he was back to being himself. He was smiling and strutting and enjoying the fact he was on the field. There were no signs of the hesitation and confusion he showed through the first two games. Instead of standing frozen in the pocket, waiting for something bad to happen, he was proactive. He threw when he was supposed to throw and ran when he had to run. McNabb was having fun again, and that meant a world of difference to his teammates who have long understood that the Eagles' fortunes heavily rest on the arm and feet of No. 5. "He just set the tone for all of us," Eagles tight end Chad Lewis said. "I don't know if it was the week off or if it was any inward thinking that he did, but he came today with a will and it was Donovan's will. He asserted that on the first drive. He really took all of us on his back and said, 'Let's go!' You could just feel that he was our leader from snap one." And as the leader, McNabb wasn't going to let anything stand in the way of his or the team's chance at redemption. Just before halftime, he sprained his right (passing) thumb when it hit a defender on a throw. The thumb became a little tight, a little sore and McNabb wasn't able to grip the football as well as he did in the first half. But he never once considered leaving the game. He was determined to guide the Eagles out of the abyss, which wasn't a certainty until 30 seconds after the Bills pulled within three points. That's when Brian Westbrook shook loose for a 62-yard touchdown run with 2:10 remaining. "All game we were just able to keep fighting, and that's what this team is all about," McNabb said. "We never give up. We're a determined bunch that just wants to keep fighting and let the best thing happen that could possibly happen. "We're a team that, obviously, when we're playing well and we're clicking, we're one of the best. And we feel that way. And if we can continue to do it, and get better and better each time we're out there, hopefully things will pan out for us." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggle in Exile Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 I see it as a toss-up; actually I'd give a slight edge to the Skins. Our depleted secondary contained Bledsoe pretty effectively, but the Bills had no running game to keep us honest; the Skins will be able to change things up better than the Bills. Peter King and others were raving about McNabb, but I still saw some bad passes (but Don did have a pulled muscle or something on his throwing hand so who knows.) But then, who knows what to make of the Skins? All of your wins have been by three points or less; on the other hand you won games that you were losing last year. I think that the Ramsey-Coles and Gardener connection could be pretty potent this weekend, esp. with your decent running game. Plus, I think there's still some bad karma that needs to be cleaned out of the Linc. In the end, I'm still angry at Reid for his horrible playcalling in the first two games so will say that I don't have the confidence in him to gameplan effectively against you guys. 24-21 Skins. Hope I'm wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggle in Exile Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 I reserve the right to change my prediction on an hourly basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OaktonSkins/BushFan Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Originally posted by Blazers21 You cannot judge the Eagles completely by statistics. I'm just judging the running game based on game and season stats. It's just a rebuke of your previous assertion that the Eagles running game is a menacing task for the Redskins. You speak of the Eagles running a balanced attack - but when the majority of your rushing yards come in one play, I just don't see the balance there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleSteve Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Originally posted by speedwagon20 Blazers, how are you guys vs. the run? Will Trung and Betts have a tough time finding yards? They've been fine vs. the run. The main misconception with the Eagles this season has been that the defense has injuries and has not played well. The defense played fine in the first two games until the fourth quarter. The offense gave them absolutely zero support. When a defense is on the field for 40-45 minutes of a 60 minute game they will tire by the 4th quarter. Currently, they lead the league in rushing defense, allowing only 2.4 yards per attempt, but that's misleading. TB and NE are not great running teams and Buffalo's #1 and #2 backs were out. This weekend will be a good test for both teams. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Thanks for the info. I think that this should be a very even game. The Skins could really use a division W! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakofthesouth Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Good points...especially Reaganaut. I think McNabb will have a hard time w/ our new D, and here's why: McNabb is a sucky pocket passer. The real key here is containment! As Reaganaut siad, it's when McNabb is pressured that he makes plays and runs around. Let him sit in the pocket, and make him beat us that way. LaVar needs to eat, sleep, and breathe McNabb for the rest of the week, and then just go where he goes the whole game. Don't let this guy beat us w/ his legs. Next up...we have to stop the run. I think we have been relatively successful against teams w/ a decent rushing attack. We must keep their running game from getting off of the ground. Our offense will make plays against this D. We can run, pass, and everything in between. The Eagles' first taste of Ramsey came last season, where he picked himself up by his bootstraps and threw for three TDs w/ a much weaker supporting cast. Also, about the Buffalo game- they didn't gameplan for the Eagles. First off, I think they're overrated...they thought this game was a lock. And, their #1 back was out for the game...they couldn't run the ball. They simply got punched in the mouth, and they couldn't get back up from it. But that game was still very close at the end, regardless of these defeciencies by Buffalo. The Eagles have yet to see this new Skins team. They will have problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TD_washingtonredskins Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Also, about the Buffalo game- they didn't gameplan for the Eagles. First off, I think they're overrated...they thought this game was a lock. And, their #1 back was out for the game...they couldn't run the ball. I really doubt that Buffalo (coming off of a loss) saw the Eagles on their schedule and chose to not gameplan thinking they would easily beat the NFC East Champs. That seems like a very ignorant comment to me. I do agree they got overhyped after their 2-0 start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henry Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 The best way to defend McNabb is to keep him in the pocket and make him beat you with his arm, which is not his forte. Don't let him get outside and make something of a broken play. We actally match up pretty well defensively with the Eagles. We have big, slow Dlinemen who are best at maintaining a pocket and stuffing the run. We have excellent corners and decent safeties to minimize the impact of most WRs, and we have very fast LBs who keep backs from making much out of flat-passes. I'm not quite sure how the Eagle O will attack us. Their defense will probably blitz us all day, but every team that has blitzed Ramsey has gotten burned by Ramsey. He doesn't get intimidated and he thrives on man coverage. Unless the Eagles get some of their secondary back, I don't know if throwing everything including the kitchen sink at Ramsey is the best way to go. This game is no gimme by any means, but I think the Redskins have a good chance to take it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleSteve Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Originally posted by OaktonSkinsFan I'm just judging the running game based on game and season stats. It's just a rebuke of your previous assertion that the Eagles running game is a menacing task for the Redskins. You speak of the Eagles running a balanced attack - but when the majority of your rushing yards come in one play, I just don't see the balance there. I understood, OSF. However, the 62-yard run was not out of the blue. They had been pounding the ball all day, with mixed success, with all three RB's. The cumulative effect was that in the end, the Eagles were able to execute a play that should have gained 3-4 yards into a long TD. The Eagles running game alone is not a menacing task for the Redskins. Throw in McNabb's running ability and his ability to throw on the run, and the Eagles overall offensive attack becomes threatening. Arrington spying McNabb can be a good matchup for the Eagles. It slows down someone with excellent pursuit abilities. He'll be hard pressed to run down Buckhalter or Westbrook as he did Barber because he'll have the additional task of watching McNabb. It does take away some of McNabb's running threat. However, if the McNabb of 2000 shows up, he'll throw on the run, which results in big gains. If it's the post-big-contract McNabb, then the Redskins win the spy game. Will Thrash beat Bailey in man coverage? I wouldn't bet on it. Will Pinkston beat Smoot? He has in the past. Will Mitchell beat the Redskins safeties? Only if Terrell starts. The Eagles boring offense controlled the game's tempo yesterday. They controlled the clock and both lines of scrimmage. If they do the same vs. the 'Skins, they'll come out winners. If any team is able to do that, they'll win more than they'll lose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iggle in Exile Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Will Mitchell beat the Redskins safeties? Hey Blazers, let's face it - we're all looking forward to the two Freddies going at it. Seeing two modest, humble gentlemen like Misters Smoot and Mitchell engaging quietly in their craft will surely be an inspiration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freakofthesouth Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Originally posted by speedwagon20 I really doubt that Buffalo (coming off of a loss) saw the Eagles on their schedule and chose to not gameplan thinking they would easily beat the NFC East Champs. That seems like a very ignorant comment to me. I do agree they got overhyped after their 2-0 start. The Eagles that showed up on Sunday were not the Eagles from the first two weeks...Buffalo probably did not expect the team that they saw, thus they weren't able to GAMEPLAN for this team. I did not mean that they didn't have a plan at all...I just meant their plan was ineffective. OK, so go skins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OaktonSkins/BushFan Posted September 29, 2003 Share Posted September 29, 2003 Blazers - in the past, McNabb has only had real success passing against our safeties. Ohalete already has 2 picks for the year and Bowen is a HUGE upgrade over terrell - not like I actually needed to make that statement. Bowen has been fairly good in pass protection. I make that statement as I think back to the Jets game and the great play he made in the back of endzone to prevent a go ahead TD for the Jets. Bottom line: This isn't the old Redskins' safety corps with Shade and Terrell. Thrash won't have D. Terrell to kick around anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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