Interesting Perspective

Here are some choice nuggest from the Boston Globe's game preview:

New England's exceptional offensive line will have to work hard against Philadelphia's athletic front seven. Tackles Mike Patterson (he has a quick first step) and Brodrick Bunkley (he's active and delivers solid hits) are excellent run stuffers. Linebacker Takeo Spikes has exceptional read-and-react skills and blends speed and power to make plays everywhere.

...

[Trent] Cole explodes out of his stance and uses his quickness and leverage to catch tackles flatfooted and knock them off-balance. Patriots left tackle Matt Light, who has had an exceptional year, struggled mightily against Freeney, and will need to use his bulk and athleticism (and some help from tight end Kyle Brady) to neutralize Cole.

...

The Eagles have good players in the secondary, but it is going to take exceptional players to slow New England's receiving corps. Donté Stallworth is due for a breakout game, and it could come tonight as the Eagles will try to double- and triple-team Randy Moss. Philly corners Sheldon Brown (an excellent cover man who delivers solid shots) and Lito Sheppard (bothered by knee woes) will need plenty of help from banged-up Brian Dawkins and the other safeties. 

...

Brian Westbrook has become one of the league's most versatile players. The West Coast offense was designed for players with Westbrook's skills, i.e. the ability to make big gains as a runner and receiver. Westbrook has excellent vision and balance. He is an absolute monster in the secondary because of his ability to make players miss and break tackles. He'll always look to attack the middle but does have the quickness to bounce outside.

...

Center Jamaal Jackson is pretty nimble for a 6-foot-4-inch, 330-pound man. He delivers a solid initial punch and will have some pretty entertaining battles with the equally meaty Vince Wilfork. Guards Todd Herremans and Shawn Andrews will have to close gaps and get their mitts on the linebackers. Herremans (6-6, 321 pounds) has exceptional size and excels at deflecting stunters and blitzers. Andrews (6-4, 340 pounds) has strong hands and packs a nice wallop but will struggle against gap shooters and might get overwhelmed by Richard Seymour.

...

Feeley is in the mold of a West Coast quarterback. He has a quick release and can be deadly accurate on short-to-intermediate passes. He is smart and has good pocket presence, but his maddeningly inconsistent ways have kept him from holding a starting job.

...

Despite being comparatively undersized, the 5-foot-11-inch, 186-pound Curtis makes an impact. He's fast, has excellent hands, and never gives up on a play. Curtis's running mate, Reggie Brown, can be exciting after the catch. Brown, however, disappears for long stretches. New England corners Asante Samuel and Ellis Hobbs should be able to dominate these matchups. Tight end L.J. Smith is quick and is one of the Eagles' most reliable receivers. He contributes nothing in the way of blocking.

Comments

[BleedingGreenNation]

Odd... the Globe and Belicheck seem to disagree on Shawn Andrews.

During his press conference this week Bill said this...

"(Shawn) Andrews is the best guard we've seen in quite a while, certainly the best we've played against. He's the best guard I've seen on film in quite awhile. I'd be hard pressed to go back and find somebody that's better than he is."

That's the same line the Cowboys' press were pushing, about the supposed difficulty the Cowboys offensive front would experience against the Eagles' defensive front.

The media often feel obliged to find something to warn their team and fans against.

But unless the Eagles come out and play like men, instead of wimps, who are still trying to figure out what happened to the Super Bowl Trophy they were supposed to have by now, it will be a massacre.

This will be a statement game one way or the other.

If a blowout, then this team needs to be blown up, and the "injured" #5 sent out of town on a rail, {can you imagine a twisted ankle and a bruised thumb keeping a quarterback out of this game, what does that say about #5's character, or the lack thereof}.

If however the Eagles show up and play like men, forcing Brady to beat them in the last drive of the game, that too will say something, that this team is capable of playing tough, and that management should upgrade during the off year, and surround Westbrook with men like him, instead of "men" like "the brilliant Donovan."

Doesn't matter, Reid is going to keep #5 next year, and double down on stupidity.

He's such a hammerhead, that he might even bring back #5 the year thereafter, regardless of the fact that by then, he'll be the 4th best quarterback in the NFC East, behind Romo, Campbell and Manning, {in that order, by the way}.

Well, game time is here, the birds had better not be blown out, because if they are, that means the complete and supreme indictment of Reid's stewardship of this team since that Super Bowl appearance.

[Dan]

Well, after an early miscue, looks like the offense came to play.

The Patriots threw many a look at him, 3-4, 4-3, but he worked the problem, and now the game is tied.

Well done.

Isn't it amazing how good those receivers look when they're delivered the ball on target, in stride.

Just amazing.

Remember that when you hear the nonsense about how "if only they had this receiver, or that receiver." Deliver the ball on the money, and you can make anybody look good.