Blogger Blitz: Different vibe for Eagles' D

If you turn the ball over nine times in your first two games but win them both, your defense must be doing something right. Such is the case with the Philadelphia Eagles, whose defense is playing at a much higher level than it was at this time last season. Whether it's the addition of DeMeco Ryans at middle linebacker or the depth and energy brought in by all of the rookies who are seeing significant time, the Eagles' defense has a different feel about it this year. In this week's Blogger Blitz video, I talk about how different it felt in the Eagles' locker room Sunday, with players talking about specific defensive schemes and the success they did or didn't have with them as opposed to saying things like, "We need somebody to step up."

For example, an energized cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha said the plan the Eagles made last week was for him to cover Baltimore receiver Anquan Boldin and for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to cover Torrey Smith, who's a faster straight-line runner while Boldin is a little more shifty. The Eagles settled on those matchups but also decided that, when Boldin went inside, they'd leave him to rookie Brandon Boykin because they wanted to keep Boykin on the slot receiver. Now, that did leave Asomugha on Jacoby Jones, who beat him for a touchdown and nearly beat him for another. And that's something to watch going forward -- whether high-end speed guys are tough matchups for Asomugha at this stage in his career. But I don't recall one time last season when an Eagles defensive player talked so enthusiastically about the way he was working and planning in conjunction with his coaches and teammates in advance of the game. Not to say it wasn't happening, but everyone seems more engaged this season.

Because Asomugha is my example, of course I think it's possible that new secondary coach Todd Bowles is a part of this new vibe. And certainly, everybody has to be more comfortable in Juan Castillo's second season as defensive coordinator, if only because that seems less weird this season. It's a combination of many factors that has the Eagles playing very tight defense so far, and if the offense ever gets its ball-security act together, the Eagles could be one of the better teams in the league.

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/43382/blogger-blitz-different-vibe-for-eagles-d
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09.04 | 0 komentar | Read More

The bleaker, the better for these Giants

So let's see. Here's a partial list of the New York Giants who didn't make the trip to Carolina for tonight's game against the Panthers: Their starting running back, their starting right tackle and two of their top three wide receivers, one of whom was just named NFC Offensive Player of the Week.

Yeah, it looks as though the Giants have things set up just the way they like them.

Desperate.

You don't think the Giants can beat Cam Newton & Co. tonight without Hakeem Nicks, Ahmad Bradshaw, David Diehl and Domenik Hixon and with all of the problems they already had before this rash of bad injury news? Well, then you haven't been paying very close attention. These Giants seem to thrive when things look the bleakest, when their chances look the worst. Of course they'd rather have all of those guys healthy and ready to play, but with this group sometimes it takes a run of bad fortune to one part of their roster to bring out the best in the rest of it.

And there's plenty of latent stuff here. The Giants' vaunted pass rush has been quiet in the first two games. They have just four sacks, and only one of those from a defensive end. Jason Pierre-Paul has played like a maniac, but they continue to wait for Justin Tuck and Osi Umenyiora to contribute on the other side. Cornerback Corey Webster, the star of the secondary last season, has been ordinary while the Giants have shuffled replacements around at the other cornerback spot to overcome injuries there. The running game continues to plod, even as the offensive line believes itself to be capable of bigger things. And even with Nicks out, they still have Victor Cruz, who showed once again last week that he's always an 80-yard touchdown just waiting to flip the switch from potential to kinetic.

The Giants are more than capable of winning tonight's game in spite of their problems, because many of the solutions to those problems can be found if the players they do have simply play better. In microcosm, Sunday's game offered the perfect example. Quarterback Eli Manning, their roster's rock, threw three interceptions in the first half only to come alive in the second and lead the Giants to 25 fourth-quarter points and a comeback victory over the Buccaneers.

"A lesser group of men," Giants coach Tom Coughlin said Sunday afternoon, "would have had trouble."

But this group of Giants doesn't get down or upset when things aren't going their way. They've seen it too many times, have seen it turn out OK too many times, to disbelieve. This game tonight can't help but remind you of Week 9 of last season, when they went to New England without Nicks, Bradshaw and center David Baas and managed a comeback victory over the Patriots. They weren't supposed to win that day either. They were supposed to be outmanned. They were down by three points and on their own 20-yard line with 1:21 left in the game. But Manning just marched down the field, finding Ramses Barden and Jake Ballard for key catches, and won them the game with a touchdown.

Of course, then they lost five of their next six games to drop to 7-7, fell behind the Jets in Week 15, fell behind the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game and fell behind the Patriots in the Super Bowl. These Giants either don't like to make it easy or don't know how. They don't seem to play as well as they can until they absolutely have to.

When they have to, though, they've consistently shown a champion's ability to do just that. And there's no way anybody in their locker room tonight will be hanging their heads about the list of key guys who didn't make the trip. These Giants greet their troubles with a collective shrug. It's a Thursday game, so Nicks' sore foot didn't have time to feel all the way better after he played 73 snaps and caught 10 passes for 199 yards on it Sunday. These things happen. On the flip side, he gets nine days between this game and his next one, so maybe that'll take care of the problem once and for all.

Would they prefer to have him? Of course. But spending the night thinking like that isn't going to help them beat the Panthers. The Giants have a coaching staff that excels at keeping them focused on the important things, the present things, the things they can control. They have a quarterback for whom no deficit is too intimidating, for whom no set of circumstances is dire enough to cost him his cool. They will lean on those things, and on the depth they have on their roster (unproven though much of it may be), and if they win this game tonight in Carolina without 27 percent of their starting offense, it's not going to surprise them and it shouldn't surprise anyone else.

This is simply the way the Giants roll. If things weren't tough, or bleak, or desperate, I'm not sure they'd know what to do with themselves. Just when it looks as though they can't possibly win, that's when they have you right where they want you.

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/43376/the-bleaker-the-better-for-these-giants
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06.34 | 0 komentar | Read More

Breakfast links: Nicks latest fallen Giant

Look alive, folks. There's a game tonight in our division, even if the Giants might not end up having enough guys to play it. That means we'll be here all day and all night. As I believe I've mentioned, I am not in Carolina. The coverage of tonight's Giants game is in the capable hands of the good folks at ESPNNewYork.com. But I will be watching, of course, and tweeting and blogging and all of those things you've come to expect of me.

Speaking of which, links.

Philadelphia Eagles

The latest challenge for Brandon Graham, who has faced no shortage of them in his brief time in the NFL, is coming to grips with his still-limited role in the Eagles' defensive line rotation. Graham has played well, but he's playing behind a lot of very good pass-rushers and knows he needs to bide his time.

The Eagles were without one of their starting wide receivers last year when they played Arizona, and Jeremy Maclin's continued hip problems mean there's a chance they could be without one this Sunday in Arizona as well. Maclin played last week after hardly practicing, but he re-injured the hip in Sunday's game and it's possible he could stand a week off to let it heal.

Dallas Cowboys

I think it's great that Jason Hatcher is sticking up for himself and his teammates. Hatcher's played great in both games so far, and after an offseason when he openly wondered where the leaders were in the Cowboys' locker room, he's done exactly what someone who wondered that should do -- he's stepped forward to become a leader. But if he's going to insist the Cowboys' front seven didn't get pushed around by the Seahawks on Sunday, especially in the run game, he's watched different film than I have. Marshawn Lynch doesn't have the second half he had if the Cowboys are really "knocking them back." But again, good for Hatcher for his positive outlook.

Here's an admission for you guys: If I could go back and do this week's All-NFC East Team over again, I'd take out Victor Cruz and put in Miles Austin at that second wide receiver spot. Austin's played two very good games, and I think because he's been hurt so much and a lot of the focus (for good or ill) has shifted to other wide receivers in Dallas over the past few years, we've forgotten how good Austin can be.

Washington Redskins

You know the scene in The Natural where Roy Hobbs finally gets his first at-bat and you can hear the radio broadcast of the game while it's going on and the announcer says, "Hobbs doesn't like the call. Well, welcome to the majors, Mr. Hobbs?" That's what came to mind when I read this about Robert Griffin III saying he felt like the Rams' "unprofessional" and "dirty" game plan was to get after him and hit him as much as they could. Rams aren't going to be the last team to try that, I don't think.

Griffin got high marks in Rich Campbell's offensive game review, as you'd expect. So did center Will Montgomery and second-year wide receiver Leonard Hankerson, who could see more reps in the coming weeks in the wake of Josh Morgan-gate and if Pierre Garcon's foot injury lingers. Hankerson was a starting wide receiver on the coaches' depth chart when training camp began, and they think he's capable of big things.

New York Giants

After announcing early in the day that running back Ahmad Bradshaw, tackle David Diehl and receiver Domenik Hixon would all miss tonight's game due to injuries, the Giants stunned everyone by announcing late in the afternoon that wide receiver Hakeem Nicks would too. Seems Nicks' foot injury needs more than three days in between games. Tough break, losing the reigning NFC Offensive Player of the Week, but Ohm Youngmisuk says this means Ramses Barden's time to produce is at hand.

On the good-news front, it appears Prince Amukamara is ready to play tonight. He's listed as probable but says he expects to play. Which is good. They need as many bodies as they can get on defense with the offense as shredded as it is.

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/43372/breakfast-links-nicks-latest-fallen-giant
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05.04 | 0 komentar | Read More

Are the Eagles the 'real deal?'

Our outstanding ESPN Stats & Information blog has a new weekly feature called "The real deal," in which they examine both sides of one of the week's games or issues. This week, they are debating the matchup of two of the NFC's four 2-0 teams -- the Philadelphia Eagles' game in Arizona against the Cardinals. Adam Grigely points out that the Cardinals are 9-2 in their past 11 games including a game last year against the Eagles. You'll remember that game as the one for which Andy Reid suspended DeSean Jackson for missing a team meeting and Michael Vick broke his ribs. One of many strong contenders for the rock-bottom game of the Eagles' 2011 season:

Looking back at last season's matchup, the Cardinals held Vick to a 47 completion percentage and just 128 yards. They picked him off twice and did not yield a passing touchdown. Vick registered a 24.5 QBR in that game, his second-worst in the last two seasons.

All good, solid, statistical points, but it's also possible that the thing the Cardinals did that most limited Vick in that game was break his ribs early. He clearly was not himself as the game went along, and after it was over we learned that he had been playing hurt. He missed the following three games because of the injury. A healthy Vick, with Jackson at his disposal, may well have played quite differently. And Marty Callinan points out that the big-play ability of guys like Vick and Jackson is something the Cardinals don't have on their side:

More than a third of the Cardinals' rushing yards and their two longest rushes in 2012 have come from non-running backs. The Cardinals had just seven runs of 20 yards or more in 2011 (tied for 24th-fewest), and have zero this year. Eagles running back LeSean McCoy had twice as many big plays of his own on the ground last year, and has two already in 2012.

The same story can be told in the passing game. The Cardinals are one of six teams without a pass play of 30 or more yards this season while Vick and the Eagles already have two from Jackson and another from Jeremy Maclin.

We do not know if Maclin will play, as he missed practice Wednesday with the hip injury that's been bugging him since the opener. But we have to assume Jackson will make all of the meetings this week and be in the lineup, and so far Vick's been able to stay healthy and they still have McCoy. If the Eagles' offense can hit a couple of those big plays, it could put up a number the Cardinals' offense (behind former Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb) simply cannot attain. But if the game remains close and low-scoring, it could certainly go either way, especially if the Eagles keep up their 4.5-per-game turnover pace.

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/43365/are-the-eagles-the-real-deal
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14.04 | 0 komentar | Read More

Injury meets opportunity for Giants

The New York Giants made it official Wednesday, ruling starting running back Ahmad Bradshaw, right tackle David Diehl and wide receiver Domenik Hixon out of Thursday's game against the Carolina Panthers due to their various injuries. That's two offensive starters and their No. 3 wide receiver in a game that figures to offer the opportunity for lots of offense on both sides, and, no, that's not good.

However, the injuries do open up opportunity for several other players who may well be poised to take advantage of them. In particular, with the way the Giants' running game has struggled since the start of the 2011 season, circumstances that require them to try solutions other than Bradshaw and Diehl might not be altogether unwelcome. A look at the people who could get a chance to play their way into larger roles Thursday as a result of the injuries:

RB Andre Brown. The team's fourth-round pick in the Hakeem Nicks draft of 2009 (there's a theme building here, by the way), Brown didn't do much in his first three years behind Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs on the depth chart. But he beat out D.J. Ware for the backup running back job in training camp, and he ran well in relief of Bradshaw on Sunday against Tampa Bay. Thrilled to finally get his shot as a starter in the state in which he played college football at North Carolina State, Brown should see the bulk of the carries, including those on the goal line, in Thursday's game. The Giants have been coy about Bradshaw's status, but if Brown plays well and Bradshaw is slow to heal, this might not be the last you hear of him.

RB David Wilson. A lot of people assumed this year's first-round pick would be Bradshaw's backup or maybe even share carries with him. And Wilson was the first back to relieve Bradshaw in the season opener. But he fumbled early in that game and didn't see the field again until Week 2, when it was clear the coaches trusted Brown more. They have some plays in which they feel Wilson can help them, and you never know -- it could be that he's the featured guy Thursday. At the very least, he could get a chance to prove he can hold onto the ball and make things happen in the run game.

OT Will Beatty. One of two Giants second-round picks in that aforementioned 2009 draft, Beatty was the starting left tackle last year before an eye injury ended his season after 10 games. Back problems cost him his starting job this summer, but with Diehl out, it looks as though Sean Locklear will swing over to right tackle and make room for Beatty to get another shot as the starter at left tackle. Surely the Giants would like to see him play well enough to convince them to leave him there for the foreseeable future and beyond.

WR Ramses Barden. The Giants' third-round pick in -- you guessed it! -- 2009, Barden had a hard time finding the field in his first three years as injuries slowed his development. But he showed a lot in training camp and in the preseason, and when he's been in games, Eli Manning has seemed comfortable throwing to him. His size gives him an advantage over defensive backs, and he showed in the preseason that he knows how to use his body to shield the ball from the defender. He could be the one who takes over Hixon's snaps.

WR Rueben Randle. This year's second-round pick is a player for whom the Giants have high hopes, though there haven't been any indications yet that he's ready for an increased role. But Hixon's injury opens up opportunity in general, and if Randle gets on the field he'll have his best chance yet to show what he can do.

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/43358/injury-meets-opportunity-for-giants
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13.04 | 0 komentar | Read More

How the Seahawks bottled up Dez Bryant

As I've already written, my first impression when I watched the Dallas Cowboys' loss to the Seahawks on Sunday was that Seattle beat them by challenging them physically and winning all over the field. Specifically, though, this worked with the big Seahawks defensive backs against the Cowboys' wide receivers. Even more specifically, Tim MacMahon has a look at the way those defensive backs handled Dez Bryant all day by jamming him at the line of scrimmage:

Brandon Browner (6-4, 221) and Richard Sherman (6-3, 195) jammed Bryant at the line of scrimmage on the majority of snaps in Sunday's loss. He didn't catch a single pass against that type of coverage. He simply didn't get open, with Tony Romo targeting Bryant only twice after a corner jammed him.

"That's what good press corners do to you," coach Jason Garrett said. "You have to keep fighting and keep battling. Typically, what happens is the game feels a little uncomfortable to you when you play a style of defense like that. It's hard. It's not like you have free access and you just get into your route and everything is comfortable. Everything's hard."

The good news for Bryant and the Cowboys is that very few teams, if any, have cornerbacks big and physical enough to play that style of coverage against Bryant. The bad news is that, having seen it on film, other teams may be more inclined to challenge Bryant at the line of scrimmage even if they normally wouldn't play that way, figuring it's the best way to get him off his game. Bryant has the physical tools to make defensive backs look very bad if he can get off the line against them, but if all you need to do is wrestle with him at little bit at the snap in order to get him into a game-long funk, it may be worth a shot.

This is part of Bryant's development, of course, in his third year as an NFL wide receiver. But that third year is generally a big one for a receiver's development, and the Cowboys need Bryant to be able to win his matchups consistently, even if he's seeing a variety of different coverages. As with everything else, the extent to which Bryant learns from Sunday's bad experience will determine whether it was a valuable educational tool or a sign of more trouble to come down the road.

20 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/43353/how-the-seahawks-bottled-up-dez-bryant
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Giants' Nicks NFC Offensive Player of Week

The NFL announced Wednesday that New York Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks is the NFC Offensive Player of the Week. Nicks caught 10 passes for 199 yards and a touchdown in the Giants' comeback victory over the Buccaneers on Sunday. It's the fourth time in his career he's caught at least 10 passes in one game, including the most recent Super Bowl.

The NFL could have picked any of three Giants for this award. Nicks' fellow wideout, Victor Cruz, caught 11 passes for 179 yards, including an 80-yard touchdown. Nicks and Cruz are the first teammates in NFL history to catch at least 10 passes and amass at least 175 receiving yards in the same game. As you might imagine, quarterback Eli Manning also had big numbers in this game. His 510 passing yards matched the ninth-highest single-game total in league history, and the Giants became the first team to pass for 500 yards and have two receivers each surpass 150 since the 1951 Los Angeles Rams of Norm Van Brocklin, Tom Fears and Elroy (Crazy Legs) Hirsch.

But Manning threw the three interceptions, and Nicks had the bigger game between the receivers, including a 23-yard touchdown catch and a 50-yard reception that set up Andre Brown's game-winning touchdown run. He's the first Giants receiver to win this award since Plaxico Burress in 2005. Two other Giants were named NFC Offensive Player of the Week last year -- Manning in Week 3 and running back Ahmad Bradshaw in Week 6.

The award caps Nicks' comeback from the broken bone in his foot that knocked him out of spring practice and training camp. He played in the Giants' Week 1 loss to Dallas, as he'd said he would, but this is the clearest statement yet that the foot won't hold him back from all he can do on the field.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/43349/giants-nicks-nfc-offensive-player-of-week
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09.04 | 0 komentar | Read More

All-NFC East Team: Week 2 Update

Eli Manning made it tough. I'm not going to deny that. His performance in the fourth quarter in Sunday's comeback victory over Tampa Bay was nearly enough to get him the starting quarterback spot on this week's edition of the All-Division Team. His yardage total of 510 for the game was the ninth-highest in league history and is only 16 yards short of Robert Griffin III's two-game yardage total so far. When I sat down to make this week's team, I did so on the assumption that Manning would regain his 2011 season-ending spot as the quarterback.

But then I remembered the disclaimer that nobody reads: This All-Division Team is not simply a roundup of the best performances of the past week. It's an assessment of overall season performance to date. Griffin has a higher completion percentage, fewer interceptions and -- yes, this matters -- is the division's fourth-leading rusher with 124 yards on 20 carries. Manning has proven more over his career, obviously, and yes he's being asked to do more in the passing game than Griffin is in Washington. But it's not as though Griffin's being asked to play like Alex Smith. He's made big plays and protected the ball, and in the end this week's spot goes to the guy who's played eight good quarters so far this year as opposed to one astoundingly brilliant one.

One of the results of this, I found when I tallied things up at the end, is what I believe to be a first. The Redskins have the most players (eight) on this week's All-NFC East team. The Giants and Eagles each have seven and the Cowboys only have five for some reason, including their punter. Odd, since the Cowboys' Week 1 game was perhaps the best all-around game played by anyone in the division to this point. Strange how these things shake out sometimes.

Anyway the rest of the team here, and then the explanations after:

Quarterback: Robert Griffin III, Washington Redskins (Last week: Griffin)

Running back: LeSean McCoy, Philadelphia Eagles (DeMarco Murray)

Wide receiver: Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz, New York Giants (Kevin Ogletree and Jeremy Maclin)

Tight end: Brent Celek, Eagles (Martellus Bennett)

Fullback: Darrel Young, Washington Redskins (Young)

Left tackle: Trent Williams, Redskins (Williams)

Left guard: Evan Mathis, Eagles (Mathis)

Center: Will Montgomery, Redskins (Jason Kelce)

Right guard: Chris Snee, Giants (Snee)

Right tackle: Todd Herremans, Eagles (Herremans)

Defensive end: Jason Pierre-Paul, Giants; Jason Hatcher, Cowboys (Pierre-Paul, Hatcher)

Defensive tackle: Fletcher Cox, Eagles; Rocky Bernard, Giants (Bernard, Cox)

Outside linebacker: Ryan Kerrigan, Redskins; DeMarcus Ware, Dallas Cowboys (Kerrigan, Ware)

Inside linebacker: DeMeco Ryans, Eagles; Sean Lee, Cowboys (Lee, Ryans)

Cornerback: Josh Wilson, Redskins; Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Eagles (Rodgers-Cromartie, Wilson)

Safety: Kenny Phillips, Giants; Gerald Sensabaugh, Cowboys (Kurt Coleman, Antrel Rolle)

Kicker: Billy Cundiff, Redskins (Cundiff)

Punter: Chris Jones, Cowboys (Chas Henry)

Kick returner: David Wilson, Giants (Brandon Banks)

Punt returner: Brandon Banks, Redskins (Banks)

• Pierre-Paul is a slam-dunk at one of the defensive end spots. He's a nightmare for opposing defenses, and Tampa Bay was clearly focused on his side almost all game. He needs help from his teammates on the other side, who have yet to do anything. For the second week in a row, I went with a 3-4 end along with Pierre-Paul, which was a little bit tougher this week given the way Jason Babin and Trent Cole played Sunday. But I really think Hatcher is bringing something special to the Cowboys' defensive front and that he showed as much as anyone on the defense did this week coming off his huge Week 1. The guy who nearly bumped him out, actually, was another 3-4 end -- Washington's Stephen Bowen, which would have made nine Redskins! Bowen is worthy of consideration. I think Hatcher's played a tick better.
• And truth be told, it could have been 10 Redskins, as I very nearly gave the second outside linebacker spot to Brian Orakpo over Ware, who was invisible this week. But this is an all-year team, and sadly, Orakpo won't be making it this year, as this turns out to have been his last chance. He's out for the year with a chest muscle injury.
• Cornerback is a place where Cowboys fans will complain, and I hear you. Brandon Carr and Morris Claiborne have played very well. But I think Wilson and Rodgers-Cromartie, when you go back and watch the tape, are playing at a remarkably high level right now. In last year's cornerback competition on this weekly exercise, Dallas' guys would have been winning easily. This year the competition is tougher.
• Switched up the safeties. Nate Allen of the Eagles came close to snagging Sensabaugh's spot, especially with Sensabaugh having got hurt. Phillips is the division's best safety and one of the best in the league.
• I didn't think I'd put Mathis back in at left guard because of the penalties, and Nate Livings is the No. 2 guy on my list here. But what Mathis does in the run game is just ridiculous, and it keeps him at the very top.
• Almost kept Bennett in at tight end because of the job he's doing as a blocker, but Celek is the third-leading receiver in the division right now, behind the Giants' studs.
• Trent Williams is making it easy at his spot, as he's always had the ability to do. He's fun to watch.

Okay, that's it from me. Your thoughts?

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/43342/all-nfc-east-team-week-2-update
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07.04 | 0 komentar | Read More

Breakfast links: Eagles' D doing the job

Ah, Wednesday. Let's get these links out of the way so we can get to work on that All-NFC East team!

Philadelphia Eagles

Through two games, the Eagles' defense is doing the job. It's a unit that's clearly more confident in itself than it was a year ago. And whether that's because of DeMeco Ryans or the super-fast rookies or Todd Bowles or Juan Castillo being in his second year as coordinator or all of that put together, you can't argue with the results to this point.

Part of the Eagles' plan Sunday was not to be bullied by the Ravens' defense, which they believe had a plan to try to bully them. DeSean Jackson came dangerously close to being thrown out of the game, at one point throwing a punch at a Ravens defender, but he had a message afterwards for Ray Lewis.

Dallas Cowboys

Tim MacMahon writes that a 1-1 record after two games is no surprise, because the Cowboys have established themselves over the past decade-plus as one of the NFL's most average teams.

As for this week and trying to beat the Buccaneers, they're in trouble at safety. It doesn't look as though Gerald Sensabaugh will play, it looks as though Barry Church will have to play hurt, and Matt Johnson's not ready to play yet. A lot falls once again on those good cover corners they have to lock down Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams, though the Bucs prefer to try to run the ball.

Washington Redskins

Mike Shanahan blames execution and focus -- not strategy -- for the Redskins having had two punts blocked so far this year. He believes the problem can be solved. I'd have to think so. It'd be a pretty big story if the Redskins had 16 punts blocked this year.

Cornerback Josh Wilson is playing very well, making him a standout in an otherwise poor performance by the Washington secondary Sunday. Rich Campbell's defensive game review discusses that and much more.

New York Giants

Cornerback Prince Amukamara says he's optimistic he'll play Thursday night against the Panthers. And while they won't rush him back, the Giants do need him. I know, Amukamara hasn't proven anything at the NFL level yet. But he's more talented and fundamentally sound than the guys they're using opposite Corey Webster right now, and they're getting lit up back there. Even just another body, proven or unproven, would be welcome.

Justin Tuck asserts that he would have refused to do what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' defensive players did on the final play of Sunday's game, even if ordered by his coach to do so.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/43338/breakfast-links-eagles-d-doing-the-job
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05.04 | 0 komentar | Read More

Bradshaw a question mark for Thursday

Wondering whether New York Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw will play Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers? Yeah, well, I can't help you much there. Giants coach Tom Coughlin was deliberately vague on Bradshaw after Tuesday's practice (in which Bradshaw did not participate), saying only the word "neck" with regard to the running back's injury and "we are" when asked if he was holding out hope that Bradshaw might play. That said, though, if you'll allow me a bit of speculation, I would be surprised to see Bradshaw on Thursday night. With only three days off between games this week, and with Bradshaw unable to participate in the one real practice, it's hard to imagine he'll have time to recover. That could mean more of Andre Brown, who as Coughlin points out performed well in relief of Bradshaw on Sunday:

"I thought Andre did a nice job," Coughlin said. "He certainly was the focal point once Ahmad came out of the game. David (Wilson) has his plays and certainly will get some more time as well."

Not a lot there for you fantasy football players, though if you have a piece of the Giants' running game on your fantasy team you haven't been paying very close attention over the past couple of seasons. The Giants need to find something in the run game. Carolina's defense offers an opportunity to do that. If Bradshaw can't answer the bell and Brown and/or Wilson were to perform well, that might portend a change in the way the run game operates going forward.

Affecting this situation as well is the status of right tackle David Diehl, who left Sunday's game with a knee injury and also did not practice Tuesday. Diehl's "unlikely" to play, according to Ohm, which likely would mean Will Beatty gets the start at either right or left tackle (with Sean Locklear at the other). Wide receiver Domenik Hixon missed practice while recovering from his concussion, and wide receiver Hakeem Nicks sat out to rest his foot injury, but that was a planned rest day and Nicks is expected to play.

Short week might be biting the Giants this time around, as it's possible any of the injured guys might be ready to play come Sunday. But the upside is that they'll have nine full days to recover between their Week 3 and Week 4 games.

19 Sep, 2012

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Source: http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post/_/id/43331/bradshaw-a-question-mark-for-thursday
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15.13 | 0 komentar | Read More