What we learned

[deerpathdave]

1. Taylor Hart is the new Brandon Bair. Active and played 25%.
2. Tobin and Molk are your game day active OL backups.
3. Marcus Smith was inactive. I don't see that changing for awhile.
4. Ertz has surpassed Celek and is now the number 1 TE. He played 70% while Celek played 36%. Very few two TE sets.
5. Agholor and Matthews are your starting WRs (80-85% playing). Agholor didn't do much with that. Huff and Cooper played about the same amount of time (49-58%). So all 4 WRs played alot.
6. True RBBC. Sproles 34%, Murray 45%, Matthews 22%.
7. Alonso and Hendricks both played 100%. Demeco Ryans played 34% so there is evidently some packages where all three play. They are paying Ryans alot to be a spare part.
8. Eric Rowe didn't play on defense. It seems Maragos came in on passing downs as a Safety and Jenkins moved into the slot. Maragos played 47%.

On to the game...

1. The offense in the first half looked totally off. I think there were at least three plays where Bradford threw to a Receiver that wasn't looking for the ball, or broke the opposite way of the pass. Additionally, the running game was totally bottled up.
2. On defense, it seemed the same way. They had not answer for Julio. Not that anyone else does either. Good bootlegs and play action by Ryan.
3. Gotta give the coaching staff credit for making adjustments. The second half was a totally different game, and you can see where Bradford can really excel in this system. They did a much better job on Julio as well.
4. 52 passes to 16 runs!!! Really? I don't know what to think of that?? That is arguably horrible, but there is something to be said to adjusting and taking what is there. It also was still very effective in terms of sustaining drives. Bradford was like 20-22 at what point in the second half, so its not like they were desperation deep throws. It was an effective style and highlighted Bradford's accuracy.
5. Vegas called this one correctly. a 1 point line and the Eagles almost nailed it exactly. This was predicted to be one of those games that would be decided in the end by a lucky play or two and that is exactly what happened. Exciting game to watch, and you can't get too down on a team that played so great in the second half and had the lead late.
6. The game was lost in the first half, not the second. In the second, its easy to second guess the pass through Matthews hands, the missed FG, the decision to kick the FG, but all that to me is more in the shhh happens category. tough plays, tough decisions that could have went either way.

 

[eaglesnut]

We didn't improve anywhere we needed to from last season yet. That's going to need to show up soon.

I also wonder how Shady would have been with some of that space last night. Murray likes contact, but out on the edges you have to be able to make guys miss.

Where was the run defense? We're supposed to be stout.

 

[ctc]

No mention of the offensive guards performance? Their role in the running game or rather the lack of a running game?

 

[Four4Four]

Same plays(shallow cross, shotgun sweeps, screen pass, wheel routs) for the last 2 years. Still putting ur players in unfavorable match ups(offensively and defensively). Same dumbass quick pace. Why the fuck are they no huddling on their first possession. Which was a 42 second possession by the way. I jumped off the chip bandwagon after they lost the saints in that wildcard game. With a different coach and these same players, this team is unstoppable.

 

[northeastphillyguy]

I am confident that the Eagles will rebound from this loss. Bradford shows a lot of promise. He used a lot of receivers and was effective in the 2nd half. Two interceptions was also inspiring. They will figure out a way to establish a running game. I expect the Eagles to shine against Dallas!

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

Not that you guy care about my opinion but since when did that ever stop me?

If I were you I'd be pretty encouraged. After that ragged start your offense began to start clicking and by the end of the game it was pretty much unstoppable. Which is why I was surprised Chip didn't go for that last 4th down. Even with a made kick he puts the Atlanta offense on the field only needed 3, I would think he would have wanted his offense controlling the outcome.

Unbelievable play by your new linebacker, I was not happy to see that. Wasn't he the same guy who defended the long pass down the right sideline late?

 

[SoShady]

I think that was Kendricks but I could be wrong. He also had a big open field tackle on Freeman to bring up a 4th down. Not really thrilled with how the secondary looked. Doesn't look like Maxwell has the athletic ability to be a elite CB who can shutdown elite WR's like Jones. They should have been double teaming him all game long. A lot of heat was put on the old CB coach. But they didn't adjust during the game. At some point it has to be at the feet of this DC. Who I think is extremely over matched.

The offense started off really poorly. But they picked things up and a lot to be encouraged by from the group. No idea why they didn't have Murray in the game for the crucial 3rd and short. Then Chip getting all tight and not going for it. No way would I have wanted to give the ball back to the Falcons offense only needing 3 for the victory. Some question marks on the offensive line. Can't really blame Bradford for the second INT but the first one was brutal. All in all some stuff they need to fix and some good. We should be okay just might want to pump the brakes on the parade.

 

[PhillyGreen]

[QUOTE="SoShady, post: 7195910, Not really thrilled with how the secondary looked. Doesn't look like Maxwell has the athletic ability to be a elite CB who can shutdown elite WR's like Jones. They should have been double teaming him all game long. A lot of heat was put on the old CB coach. But they didn't adjust during the game. At some point it has to be at the feet of this DC. Who I think is extremely over matched. [/QUOTE]

This right here is why I was bashing Billy Davis almost the entire first half. He did the same dumb shit last year with crappy corners like Fletcher. Putting his corners on an island. Maxwell cannot cover Julio Jones one on one. I don't think Revis or Sherman can either. We should have focused on stopping Jones. the front seven was good enough to stop the running game IMO.

 

[Iron Eagle]

The offensive line getting whipped in the first half is a concern with the jets and buffalo on the schedule.

 

[Wings]

Here is what i learned...

1. The Fact that Atlanta's head coach was Seattles defensive coordinator and he chose to go after Byron Maxwell tells me all I need to know about what he thinks of Maxwell.....and Maxwell proved him right.

2. Chip Kellys decision to kick the field goal was the right decision. on the road you kick the fg, period. Especially in doors. However, Chip was very indecisive there and should have called a timeout.

3. The coaching staff thinks Eric Rowe either sucks, or has no clue what he is doing out there

4. Our Head coach trusts in his assistants far too much! After we took the lead Chip should have told Billy Davis to drop both Safeties back and provide over the top coverage. Julio should have been jammed at the line to knock him off his routes.

5. Darren Sproles is gonna have a huge package every game.

6. Demeco Ryans is done

7. Jason Peters needs to lose an additional 30 pounds. He is just too heavy anymore at his age. I know they say he lost 20 pounds, but he needs to shed way more weight to be lighter on his feet. Take a look at pictures of him when he was with Buffalo, he was lean.

8. We should have stayed with a 4-3 defense....we still lack the personel to run a 3-4

9. Chip still has a whole lot to learn in the NFL.

10. This is still a very good football team.

 

[old duke]

First of all, I think you meant to say that Quinn did not go after Maxwell. But that is not true. He did, but Chip overpaid way too much for a CB who wasn't one of the top 2 CBs at Seattle. He has potential, and was the highest rated CB on the market, but he's laughing all the way to the bank with $63M. Davis just cannot scheme and adjust the way JJ or LeBeau, and other top DCs can do.

Rowe is a very good talent, but Chip insists on making him a CB, when he has safety written all over him, IMO.
Size is great for a CB, but he has too much to learn, again IMO.

I agree on Peters. He looks even bigger to me than last year, which was a down year.

I hope that Demeco is only showing rust after an injury year last year, but we shall see. If he is done, then this is another error on chip's part to sign him to a 2 year extension, coming off an injury.

 

[eaglesnut]

Also it has yet to be mentioned that Chip is absolutely terrible at time management at the end of games. Just brutal with no signs of improvement. That's going to be tough to handle even when all the rest of the pieces are clicking. The end of games are just too important in this league to give teams extra possessions.

 

[old duke]

I still love Chip, and have blind loyalty st this point until he proves me wrong. In Chip I still trust.

 

[Wings]

First of all, I think you meant to say that Quinn did not go after Maxwell. But that is not true. He did, but Chip overpaid way too much for a CB who wasn't one of the top 2 CBs at Seattle. He has potential, and was the highest rated CB on the market, but he's laughing all the way to the bank with $63M. Davis just cannot scheme and adjust the way JJ or LeBeau, and other top DCs can do.

Rowe is a very good talent, but Chip insists on making him a CB, when he has safety written all over him, IMO.
Size is great for a CB, but he has too much to learn, again IMO.

I agree on Peters. He looks even bigger to me than last year, which was a down year.

I hope that Demeco is only showing rust after an injury year last year, but we shall see. If he is done, then this is another error on chip's part to sign him to a 2 year extension, coming off an injury.

No that is not what i meant to say! I meant to say he went after maxwell all night long!!! He toasted his ass! That is what i am saying!

 

[old duke]

My bad. I thought you meant that Quinn didn't pursue Maxwell in FA. Sorry.

As far as going after him, I think that in the beginning he was testing Max to see how he would do v.s Julio, and when he couldn't stop him, he kept it up. Why else would he go after him, when he couldn't get him in FA? Of course he may have been upset that he couldn't get him and wanted to stick it to him. Who knows?

I just think that Max is talented, but Corey needs to straighten him out, and Chip needs to straighten out Davis and right now.

 

[Wings]

Old Duke what it told me is Quinn feels that Maxwell is a liability, and he attacked him.

 

[old duke]

You may be right.Time will tell real soon. Just pointing out that Quinn did try to sign him in FA. that's all.
If Max is a bust, then he will be a major bust, and a very black mark on Chip - a $63M black mark!

 

[deerpathdave]

Its not that hard to figure out that when you have Julio Jones, you get the ball to him regardless of who is covering him. That has been the plan ever since Julio was drafted and its almost always worked.

 

[eaglesnut]

Its not that hard to figure out that when you have Julio Jones, you get the ball to him regardless of who is covering him. That has been the plan ever since Julio was drafted and its almost always worked.

Yeah I really wouldn't expect Quinn to be afraid of one of his previous players. Did y'all see Tavon Austin absolutely dust Richard Sherman only to have Foles throw it way too late? And Amari Cooper spin Peterson around in preseason? Every CB is beatable when you do it right and Julio makes it easy to do it right.

 

[Iron Eagle]

Remember fellas, we didn't pay Maxwell because he was a shut down corner... we paid him because he was the best available and we were desperate.