Rams Video Rewind (Part I)

The funny thing about doing this week's video rewind is the complete absence of any storylines.  Usually I take my cue for what to focus on from whatever the past week's controversies were.  This week, if you're an Eagles fan, there were no controversies.

So this rewind is going to be a little different.  Rather than organizing things thematically, we're just going to bounce around a little bit.  Comments and videos throughout.

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One note on the videos.  I picked up a new rig in the offseason, with the primary purpose being to allow me to do a bit more editing on these things without having to wait two hours for the processing to complete.  Unfortunately, the bubblegum and bailing wire program I use to capture the raw video was giving me trouble with recording the sound.  So for this week, we're going all Charlie Chaplin.  Should be better for you folks at work anyway.

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Two guys I did pay particular attention to were Shawn Andrews and Tony Hunt.  The latter for obvious reason and the former because I saw a couple times during the game when I thought he screwed things up and I wanted to double-check.  Both guys were a factor on the first play of the game when the Rams sent a blitzer right through the B gap on Andrews' side.  Shawn let him go to double-down on the DT and Hunt had to pick him up.  No problems there.

A couple plays after the big throw to Jackson, the Eagles tried a receiver screen with the little guy that actually had a chance to go big if Hank Baskett hadn't uncharacteristically whiffed on the CB he was supposed to block.  Everyone else was locked up on that play.

But that's OK, because all that did was set up a sweet two-play series where the Eagles went run/shovel pass to punch it in for the TD.

One thing I've always wondered is why Reid's offense, which is so creative in the passing game, can be so vanilla in the running game.  It may be a thing where he feels like with only so much practice time you have to focus on one area and just execute your handful of plays in the other, but I've always thought they could do a bit more there.

So it was with great relish that I watched this run by Buckhalter that involved:  1) a fake pitch to Westbrook, 2) a sweet inside trap by Herremans, and 3) Runyan and Andrews rumbling downfield to take free shots (I tacked on the TD shovel pass just for kicks):

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Although the Eagles' second drive also ended with a touchdown, there were a few hiccups along the way. 

Chris Long showed great football smarts on the first play in ignoring a fake DeSean Jackson end-around and shutting down the run up the middle.  On the second play, the Eagles demonstrated that it's still hard to run screens to Westbrook when everyone you play spends the week practicing to stop it.  They tarted this particular one up with a fake fullback dive and a fake end-around and it still went for no gain.

Third down was the conversion to Avant ... and that's when things got a little interesting.  On first down, the Eagles started in the I and ran a pretty typical outside run over Tra Thomas.  Hunt was at fullback and rather than take his man high, he went low.  It didn't work and ended up leaving that linebacker in a position to get the first hit on the tackle.  (Although neither he nor the guy who actually made the play got any credit, which instead went to the defensive lineman #96 who was only in the area because Todd Herremans was in the process of pancaking him.)

The next play, the Eagles again came out in the I formation -- but this time no Tony Hunt.  Correll Buckhalter was your fullback and the cagey veteran demonstrated the correct way for an undersized "fullback" to submarine a linebacker.  Third play in the series, two backs again.  This time Hunt in front of Buck.

Moral of that story?  I have no idea what's going on with the Eagles backfield.

But actually, that's ok, because when it's all said and done their best running formation is clearly a one-back set that allows the lineman to handle the point of attack and those big wide receivers to just swallow guys up downfield.  Like, say, this:

As they mentioned in the broadcast, McNabb changed the direction of that play pre-snap.  Good choice. 

That's one video where it's too bad you can't get the volume, because it sounded like Fox had a Belichick mic on Jackson, the sound was so good.

Also, what happened to this "point of emphasis":

Grasping the facemask by all players, including offensive players, will continue to be strictly enforced. Specific attention is to be given to the runner who twists, turns, or pulls the facemask of the defender who is trying to make the tackle.

Runners and tacklers are to be treated identically when this occurs. This action is a personal foul and a 15-yard penalty.

Is it an open hand kind of thing?  As in, you're allowed to do pretty much whatever you want as long as you don't close your fingers up and "grasp" the facemask? 

Because the way Westbrook finished that run was pretty violent.  A defensive player would probably be suspended a month for doing that, the way they call things now.

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The next few drives saw not much offense, another mediocre block by Hunt, some more time at fullback for Buckhalter, a cleeeeeear defensive pass interference penalty against Jackson that went uncalled, and an on-screen graphic referring to "Jason Avante."

It's bad enough he gets called Jason "AY-vent" by the announcers, now he's part of Ye Olde Philadelphia Football Clubbe.

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On the 90-yard touchdown to Baskett, I don't have much to add other than to point out that the Rams actually burned their last timeout on our first-down play so they'd have another chance to score...

That worked out well.

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As for the defensive side of the ball, the Eagles weren't on the field long enough to get much of a look at the new stuff, but we definitely saw some glimpses:

• I realize it's the Rams, but Johnson played a straight 4-3 far more often this year than he did last, at least in the first half.  Last year, 2nd-and-6 was a nickel down.  In this game, the linebackers stayed on.
• At one point, the Rams went double tight end, no receiver on one side and Quintin Mikell came up to play the "cornerback" position, while Sheldon Brown moved back into a "safety" position.  Combine that with the fact that our dime package -- at least on this day -- appeared to involve three cornerbacks (Asante, Lito, Sheldon) and three safeties (Dawkins, Mikell, Considine) and I think it's safe to assume Johnson's going to do a bit more mix-and-match back there than he has in years past.
• Which is good, because (sorry guys) Mikell did nothing to suggest he's not going to continue being a concern in coverage.  He's great making plays around the line, but I hope we don't see him matched up with the likes of Witten too often next week.  (Although that pass interference penalty was completely bogus.)
• Samuel gets amazing breaks on the ball.  He just closes things down so quickly.  I'm curious to see how he does with a big guy like Burress, but I think we may finally have our answer for those Santana Moss, Steve Smith types.
• You just don't move Brodrick Bunkley.
• Bunkley had one amazing play where he took on a double-team, refused to move, then spun around quickly into the hole and stopped Stephen Jackson dead in his tracks with his back.  It doesn't show up well on the tiny computer video, but if you record the games, it's the 7:33 mark in the second quarter.  I had to watch it a few times to make sure I was seeing it correctly.  He just stones one of the league's most powerful runners.  With his back.  And maybe an elbow.
• Stewart Bradley is so clearly the best linebacker we've had around here since the days of young Trotter that it's only surprising he's not getting even more attention around town.  He's big, he's fast, he doesn't get washed out of plays.  People are wondering which guy gets the next big extension before he seems to need it?  Bradley is now my guess.
• As for last year's crush, Gocong looks much better than he did in 2007, but he still doesn't look like a guy who's played linebacker his whole life (which make sense because...)  On first-and-10 of the Ram's fourth drive, Gocong got sucked in by some backfield action and ended up fading out of his gap responsibility.  Mikell shut things down pretty quickly, but that was the rare misstep on a day when the Eagles looked nothing like the rampant over-pursuers we've seen in season openers past.
• The second down play in that series was the Bunkley reverse tackle, while the third demonstrated why -- even on third-and-one -- it's: a) really hard to run against eight defenders standing in eight gaps and b) you should never, ever leave Trent Cole unblocked on the theory that one of these days he might take a play off.

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As for the special teams, I'm frankly amazed at how good they looked.  They did some things differently, like I can't remember Reno Mahe ever getting one of his gunners doubled and a point man blocking in front of him, but the biggest change was on the coverage teams. 

I know, I know, it's only one game.  But when you punt four times, down three inside the 20 and allow one return for -2 yards, you're doing something right.

Another early call:  the season-ending leader in special teams production points for 2008 will be Quintin Demps.  That guy is a friggin' ball magnet.

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Last thing for tonight.  It was almost eerie how the play in this final video came just a couple minutes after we got our first look at the Brady knee injury. 

Look, I understand how Pats fans feel.  Trust us, we've been there.  (Bryce Paup, anyone?)

But I've watched the Brady play like 20 times now and I don't see how you can think it was anything other than just an unfortunate accident.  It's not like Brady was standing still and the kid lunged out at him.  He was just scrambling his way forward as Brady stepped up in the pocket.  Unfortunately for Brady and the Patriots, they ended up meeting in a bad way. 

So anyway, take a look at a very similar play during the Eagles game.  It's the one where Trevor Laws gets yanked to the ground when he has a clear free shot at Bulger.  Watch what happens next:

If Bulger had stepped into his throw, rather than flinging it off his back foot as he did all day (a topic for tomorrow's rewind, incidentally), we might have been looking at two QBs out for the season, not just one.  It's still not a dirty play.

Comments

[johnnyshaka]

Great stuff!!!

From somebody who only got to see the highlights, how did LJ look??

[Derek]

Very healthy. Night and day from last year.

He also seems a little slimmer, but that could be my eyes playing tricks now that he can run again.

[johnnyshaka]

With 10 targets he really didn't put up much in terms of numbers...other than the TD...was he well covered most of the time, did McNabb just not put the ball where it needed to be or was LJ just a little rusty?? Not trying to place any blame, just looking to get a sense of whether LJ is indeed "back" or if we're fooling ourselves into thinking he's more than he really is.

[Derek]

Some of both. He dropped a couple balls he should have come up with, but they weren't all on him. That'll come around as long as he stays healthy.

[johnnyshaka]

Good to hear...thanks!!

One more question...how often were Brown, Sheppard and Samuel on the field together and how did they lineup?

[Derek]

Here's a good link with the numbers: http://www.courierpostonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080909/SPORTS02/809090357/1002

When they were all on the field, it was generally the typical lineup, with Lito and Asante outside and Sheldon in the slot.

However, they did a couple tricky things with Sheldon, as with the coverage where both safeties roll up to the line and Brown plays centerfield.

[Andrew2]

I'd be happy to see Brown on Witten this week, since we've got Lito and Asante to drop into coverage.

[Eagles Fan in San Fran]

"Is it an open hand kind of thing? As in, you're allowed to do pretty much whatever you want as long as you don't close your fingers up and "grasp" the facemask?"

That's my understanding, plus you can "grasp" the facemask as long as you don't visibly pull or twist it (but if you do grasp one, I don't see you really being able to not pull or twist on it, unless you let go immediately).

Derek, I don't care if you look up stats for this, but although W-L impacts how we rate a QB's performance (and I'm totally guilty of that -- McNabb wasn't good enough to beat the giants, but he "gutted one out" against Dallas), it seems like I consider how they did at the end of the game overshadows

[BrianS]

Sorry -- i antecedently posted mid sentence because I'm an idiot.

But how they did at the end of a game overshadows the rest of the game.

We only remember the 8-minute drill in the Super Bowl.

We remember Ronde Barber, Roy Williams, Aneas Williams.

At the end of the Dallas game, right before Westbrook's kneel-down, we had McNabb's first-down strike to Celek that pretty much iced the game.

One of my favorites is the October 2001 game against the Giants. The offense was non-existent all night. The defense kept them in the game all night and McNabb hit Thrash in the corner of the endzone to beat the Giants for the first time after 9 straight losses to them.

McNabb didn't have a very good night, but because he made the throw at the end of the game, we don't remember that.

[johnnyshaka]

I guess that's life in general...you could be a model citizen your whole life but take the new guy's bag by accident and, well, you know the rest. =P