Sunday, September 29, 2013

Eagles - Broncos Takeaways

Did Not Need To Wear Helmet
> Three and out in 40 seconds is no way to start a game where you probably need to score a metric ton of points to win

> On third and 9 on the first drive for Denver, it's a drag route where no defender is close enough to stop the RAC for a first down, which is to say they looked at the tape from the KC game

> On third and 4 with everyone in the world knowing that QB Peyton Manning does hard counts, DT Fletcher Cox jumps for another back-breaker first down

> Kudos to Manning for staying awake long enough to throw to WR Wes Welker for the first score

> Somehow, Denver was able to overcome that terrible rest deficit

> QB Michael Vick running the ball well early is never a good sign, because it means the WR aren't getting any separation and he's holding the ball too long

> Vick to TE Brent Celek is a nice reminder that the Eagle TEs are supposed to be pass catchers

> There was, I promise, a play in which James Casey did something today

> You can blame Vick for the first wasted timeout if you like, but I prefer to believe that Riley Cooper  is the source of all sings

> Celek's drop inside the five to stop the drive is one of those reasons why he's not going to be a big part of the theoretical next Eagles playoff team

> Just when you think that kickoffs at altitude are pointless, Henery puts one deep and high, but no one on the Eagle STs does their job, and KR Trindon Holiday makes it 14-3 in nine minutes

> On the plus side, that pretty much did what Manning was going to do, but helped the Eagles with time of possession

> It's hard to tell if Vick has no one to go to, or if he just trusts his legs more than his receivers

> WR Desean Jackon converts on third and long, but hyper-extends himself at the end of the play, because we can't have nice things

> I love the hurry up and run it on third and short

> Until the TEs grow up and become reliable, this team really doesn't have enough play makers in the red zone

> Kelly settles for a short field goal on fourth and four, and it's Broncos 14, Eagles 6

> Watching McCoy gulp oxygen is not exactly reassuring

> WR Eric Decker roasted CB Cary Williams, but Manning missed him by just that much

> On third and 6, Welker slipped, and that's a three and out that's an absolute gift

> It's nice to see Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is still helping his teams make bad replay challenges

> On 3rd and 11 outside of figgie range, RB Bryce Brown goes for some distance on a screen where he might have scored if the 15 yard line didn't trip him

> RB Chris Polk with the score as the world's non-Eagle fantasy football owners hurl

> The long review killed any chance of Kelly going for two, not that Fox's people who are paid to do nothing more on this earth than talk about football could point this out, and it's 14-13 Broncos

> WR DeMaryius Thomas got 15 yards on a bubble screen, because that's just how afraid they are of playing him tight

> Manning escaping pressure for a completion just seems unfair at this stage in his career

> Manning made Cox his personal snap count concubine

> RB Knowshon Moreno for the dull knife through weak butter touchdown, and no, DT Cedric Thornton will not be part of the next Eagle playoff team, either

> WR Riley Cooper actually made a catch and first down on a play where Vick didn't get the roughing call that a lesser athlete at QB gets

> So far, the Broncos are blitzing while never covering the RB in the flat, which seems like a pretty bad idea

> Evan Mathis got his money's worth with a hold, as LB Leslie Woodyard gets away with a free head butt on Jackson

> TE Zach Ertz wastes a great effort and throw by Vick, and that's happened a lot so far in his time in the laundry

> Polk on a check down to the 36, and rather than try a 53 yard figgie at altitude or go for it, Kelly took an intentional delay flag that befuddle the Fox announcers, because not wasting a timeout and giving your punter more room to work is just inconceivable

> P Donnie Jones doesn't do his job, and that's a net of 21, more like 16, but a Denver flag makes it more like 26, and, um, woo

> Decker roasts Williams again, and this time Manning's ball is perfect, because, well, why not

> Moreno for a cheap 15, but it's after the whistle, so it's still a first and will jump up Denver's yardage opportunities

> LB Trent Cole with a sack, and wow, that can still happen

> It's nice how Joe Buck lobbies for penalties against the Eagles in inevitable blowouts

> Denver wasted a lot of time and played sloppy at the end of the half, so, um, hey, I guess that's a stop or something

> Broncos HC Jon Fox passes up a 61-yard figgie try, and the first half ends Broncos 21, Eagles 13, with Denver getting the ball to start the second half

> Judging by her performance after halftime, Pam Oliver may still be concussed, which would make her the most interesting sideline reporter ever

> I'm not saying that the Bronco WRs are open, in that term doesn't do justice to a play where the DBs are running away from them while the ball is in flight

> At this point, I'm more surprised when the Eagles don't jump offsides, as opposed to when they do

> CB Bradley Fletcher was called for DPI since Decker didn't catch a ball, and I'd be more offended if the touchdown wasn't inevitable

> DeMaryius Thomas than owned Fletcher for Manning's 450th career touchdown pass, and you can feel free to talk about Loss of Confidence and all that

> McCoy with a little bit of rest is looking Barry Sanders-ish again, not that it will matter

> Consecutive drops against good coverage ends a drive, Jones doesn't do his job, and the only chance of competitive game now is Bronco Boredom

> I'm not saying that the subsequent Denver touchdown drive was easy, but calling WR Screen on every play should not work

> Another three and out on offense might inspire Denver to go into garbage time

> Montee Ball is so far behind in Denver, he doesn't play a down until the Broncos are up by 22

> You've got to hand it to Denver Fan, they still get excited on the sixth touchdown of the day

> I don't really have confidence that any player on this defensive unit is going to be in the league in two years

> Down 42-13, Kelly went for his Andy Reid street cred by throwing every down and exposing his injury-prone QB to a ton of hits

> Just to ensure utter and complete depantsing, the special teams then allowed a punt block for TD

> Down 49-13 with 14 minutes left, the team still goes no huddle, so, um, there's that

> Vick to TE Zach Ertz for 36 yards is a small moment of future hope, but playing zone against the Eagles is just a mistake

> Someone needs to tell Bryce Brown that running to the sideline isn't required on every play

> Henery from 46 misses, so yeah, he's got nothing good to feel about today either

> Manning leaves with 10:42 to go so we can see the Denver JV dominate as well

> At this point, you're just hoping to see any semblance of hope from any defensive player and, um, no

> The only Denver skill player who hasn't looked good this year is Ball

> From 53 yards, K Matt Prater breaks the all-time Bronco regular season scoring record, which, um, wasn't surprising

> Nick Foles in to showcase Polk, who really might be a better RB than Brown

> Foles to WR Jeff Maehl for two straight plays and a score, just to give someone an idea that garbage time productivity matters

> With the Cowboys loss in San Diego, the Eagles and their historically awful pass defense are still somehow a game out of first place in the NFC East

> The idea that next week's game against the Giants in New York in any way matters is proof that the NFL need to go to a non-division format

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