-PreSeason Game3: vs Cleveland Browns
it's that time again. this time, some of the starters..i mean, just Michael Vick, sat out durin this 3rd preseason game versus the Browns, who we'll face again for the regular season opener. i assumed Andy Reid and company won't show too much against them. luckily, they made the game interestin...specially on our behalf. to get started, Browns' rookie startin QB Brandon Weeden started out pretty well. he made a pretty, big pass down the left side for a completion over CB Nnamdi Asomugha who never even turned around. it's ok...cuz the defensive line stepped to the plate after that. as the Browns were marchin down the field, thanks in part to penalties from us again, DT Derek Landri forced a fumble from Weeden and recovered it as well. that led to...*drum roll*...sensational rookie QB Nick Foles to come in and hit TE Brent Celek for the 7-yard TD pass after bouncin and spinnin off a tackle
it's nice to see Celek bulked up and able to withstand a hit. on the next big thing, Browns was forced to punt and it was blocked by LB Keenan Clayton and recovered i believe by DE Darryl Tapp in the red zone. again, that also led to Foles findin a tight window to make a perfect pass to RB Dion Lewis for the 2nd TD. just like that, 14-0 Eagles. to be fair, Nick Foles was nowhere perfect. he did chucked it up downfield on his 1st drive as he was pressured to WR DeSean Jackson only to be picked off in double coverage. lesson learned and Foles was practically polished from there on
2nd half we saw QB Trent Edwards subbin in for Foles. 1st play Edwards had he pulled a Kevin Kolb and threw it right into the defense for a pick six. luckily there was a roughin the passer call and that TD was erased. Trent then went for 9 for 9 completion that finished with a pass to TE Brett Brackett for the TD. Edwards was 14/17 for 127 yards...1 td, 0 int - not bad at all. also note that K Alex Henery made 2/3 FG and missed on a...40+? yarder that was held by challengin P Mat McBriar, not sure if that had anythin to do with the failure. anyway - the REAL story to talk about is once again, the defense. mighty mighty defense! the Birds left with 5 sacks, 1 of which was from 3rd yr DE Brandon Graham. rookie CB Cliff Harris notched his 1st interception, which was a tipped pass from QB Seneca Wallace on his very first pass...very Kolbish. besides that, the d-line was disruptive as usual. great pressure, great rushes...very very impressive.
-Top Birds:
-rookie QB Nick Foles: can't say enough about the kid. 12/19, 146 yds...made great decisions. looked very comfortable in the pocket. poised, calm, cool...and showed great grasp on the team. i'm lookin forward the the next game to see how he does against a better defense in the New York Jets
-rookie WR Damaris Jones: he's steadily makin a name for himself not only in the return game but as a reliable receiver. last week he had some dropped passes from Edwards that he should've catch but this game he showed his quickness and hands as he hauled in a 45yd pass from Foles to catch it as he's fallin. what's even better was the awareness to tuck in the catch over veteran ex-Eagles CB Sheldon Brown
-RB Dion Lewis and rookie RB Bryce Brown and Chris Polk: Lewis has really show improvement as a great backup to LeSea McCoy. he's faster, stronger, and makin better decisions with his run than last yr. rookie Bryce Brown and Chris Polk are not makin things any easier for the coaches, which is how they want it. Bryce is really makin a name for himself as he's showin great vision and speed. he has a great stiff arm and is seeminly able to always make the 1st guy misses. Polk's punishin runnin style is really hard to ignore. he brings such a physical aspect to the run game that it's very excitin to watch him run. he can block well as well and that's what the coaches like. he can seem to make a negative play to a positive whether it's multiple yds or just even 1 yd to have a gain. this RB group is makin things very interestin this season
-TE Brent Celek: not much playin time but i like how he's lookin more improved and polished from last year. with the emergence of elite TEs in the league from New England and New Orleans, Celek has to play a more pivotal role in the passin game...and that start with the yac...yard after catch
-rookie TE Brett Brackett: Brackett had a great catch from Edwards and also another one for a TD run. he showed good hands and awareness as to where he needs to go and be. he was able to cross the ball over the line just before it got knocked out. however, i'm afraid it may not be enough due to only 1 more game left...but at least other teams may see it and pick him up
-DE Derek Landri: i told my girlfriend that i think Landri is the most important/best pick up that the Birds made this season. he's such a blue collar worker that he never gives up on a play. Landri seems unblockable at times and was steadily in the backfield
-DE Brandon Graham: the #1 draft pick 3yrs ago finally showin his value. Graham was makin the best of his opportunity in this heavily loaded front 4 and showed that he can get to the QB multiple times and pressure him
-LB Keenan Clayton: one of the names that goes unnoticed within all these big fancy names of LBs but Keenan has been reliable all preseason. he made that great punt block and was very good in coverage. he's definitely earnin his spot on Special Team and possibly in the Nickle or Dime slot
-rookie LB Mychael Kendricks: played well again as expected. fast and physical. what i love about him is that he's very instinctive and has a knack for findin the ball. i love the energy and ability to stand up against the run
-rookie S Phillip Thomas: 1st time that his name has been mentioned this season. with OJ Atogwe out with a hamstring...Thomas is makin the most of the opportunity as well with a couple of good coverage and pass deflects. he did gave up the only TD pass as he tripped in the endzone...*sigh* but he was solid overall. he might give Jaiquawan Jarrett a pushed for that S position
overall - very solid debut of the backups. Foles look like he can step in and start if Vick ever goes down. unfortunately that means that pushes Mike Kafka further down the depth chart. if Edwards and Foles does well again for the finale...Kafka might be the odd man out. 3 things worth noticin...1 - red zone issue seems to be better under Foles. not sure how Vick'll handle it. 2 - red zone stops improved. held the Browns out of it except for 1 fluke play. 3 - defense has definitely improved. definitely
-Injury Report:
besides the usual...i think we left the game unscathed...except for the Browns =\
-Predicted Roster: if the 53 man roster starts today
Offense (23):
-QB (3): Michael Vick, Nick Foles, Trent Edwards
-T/G (9): King Dunlap, Evan Mathis, Jason Kelce, Danny Watkins, Todd Herremans, Julian Vandervelde, Dennis Kelly, Steve Vallos, Dallas Reynolds
-WR (5): DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Jason Avant, Riley Cooper, Damaris Johnson
-RB (3): LeSean McCoy, Dion Lewis, Bryce Brown
-TE (2): Brent Celek, Clay Harbor
-FB (1): Stanley Havili
Defense (27):
-DT/DE (11): Trent Cole, Mike Patterson, Cullen Jenkins, Jason Babin, Darryl Tapp, Fletcher Cox, Derrek Landri, Vinny Curry, Phillip Hunt, Cedric Thorton, Brandon Graham
-LB (7): Jamar Chaney, DeMeco Ryans, Mychael Kendricks, Brian Rolle, Akeem Jordan, Keenan Clayton, Casey Matthews
-CB (4): Nnamdi Asomugha, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Brandon Boykin, Curtis Marsh
-FS/S (5): Nate Allen, Kurt Coleman, Colt Anderson, Jaiquawn Jarrett, Phillip Thomas
Special Team (3):
-LS (1): Jon Dorenbos
-P (1): Chas Henry
-K (1): Alex Henery
Practice Squad (8):
-G Brandon Washington
-RB Chris Polk
-G Mike Gibson
-TE Brett Brackett
-LB Ryan Rau
-WR Mardy Gilyard
-WR Marvin McNutt
-CB Trevard Lindley
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