Firing a defensive coordinator six games into the NFL season is a big statement. Nonetheless, for a lot of Philadelphia Eagles fans, it wasn’t big enough. Many of the things that led the Eagles to a disappointing 3-3 start are still in place. Only Juan Castillo and offensive tackle Demetress Bell are not in their same positions.
With that being the case, is it really fair to expect anything different from the Birds this Sunday? I don’t see how you could.
I do expect the defense to be better. I fully expect Todd Bowles to be a more adept play caller on defense than his predecessor, but it wasn’t just the defense that caused this start. I’d say more of the blame belongs on the offensive side of the ball.
Michael Vick has flat out not played well. That’s the bottom line and I’m not sure how it can disputed. I know all about the offensive line, but that’s part of the problem with Vick, not the entire issue as others would have you believe. Vick has lost a step. He’s not as fast, and he hasn’t stepped up to make the big plays he had in the past.
As much as I would like to blame everything on Vick, there’s still the matter of the play calling and game planning. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… If your offensive line is weak and your QB has a propensity to hold onto the ball too long, perhaps you should look at some shorter and quicker routes. Get some timing routes in the mix. Waiting for plays to develop downfield has not worked this year, and has only gotten the QB killed behind center.
If the Eagles turn this season around, it will only be because they’ve recognized that they need to do a better job on offense. Aside from the two consecutive bad 4th quarters, the d hasn’t been all that bad. The offense has been off all season.