Just about halfway through the 2010 season…a perfect time for a Bye, if you ask me, although some knowledgeable fans say it’s better to have a reassessment holiday later in the season. But here we sit with the Eagles at 4-3, still in the divisional title hunt with five games yet to come with the New York Giants (5-2), Washington Redskins (4-3) and Dallas Cowboys (1-5).
This is also a perfect opportunity for a sportsblogger to come clean and own up to some bad calls he made prior to the season. Specifically, here are the ten predictions or observations I made about the Philadelphia Eagles back in July upon which I completely whiffed:
1. Michael Vick would be traded for a 4th-Round Draft Pick — this prediction completely collapsed, possibly due to that Virginia Beach brouhaha that went down in late summer…Now, I’m glad it did. It’s obvious that a healthy Vick is ready to play at an All-Pro level again. It’s also obvious the Eagles need both Kevin Kolb and Mike Vick available on any given Sunday.
2. Chad Hall would never make this team — Well, he didn’t (got cut)…then he kinda did (taxi squad)… then he did (active roster). I am surprised but extremely happy for Chad Hall, the mighty myte from Air Force who is a wonderful young man with great character. He’s getting more and more reps now at both RB and WR.
3. Mike Bell would add dimension and strength to the Eagles running game — Wow, did I miss on that one… I still don’t get it.
4. Eagles’ run defense would be their biggest weakness — Not at all…in fact, it’s become one of their strengths. I knew the pass rush would improve, but I thought it would be at the expense of giving up more run yardage. It’s worked out nicely against the run.
5. Stewart Bradley would not last beyond the opening game — The solid middle linebacker has proven me wrong…despite getting literally knocked out of the opener against Green Bay. Bradley’s rehab from ACL surgery has been a remarkable story. His play has been part of the resurgence of the run defense. Conversely, he’s lost a step in both lateral and vertical coverage, and he’s getting beat on pass plays that require him to stick with big fast tight ends or quick guys coming out of the backfield.
6. Kevin Kolb would be stymied by lack of mobility — Not so…Kolb’s mobility and his running decisions have been a pleasant surprise. He is more of a complete football player and all-around athlete than I gave him credit for…
7. Antonio Dixon would win the starting DT job from Brodrick Bunkley — Well, I was wrong there, although Bunkley has since been injured and Dixon has filled in for him the past two games. Dixon has done a nice job as a huge run-stopper on the line and has put some notable pressure on quarterbacks when he’s been in there…
8. DeSean Jackson would never run a zone crossing route again — I still can’t believe they didn’t listen to me on this one! In both public forums and in private, I stated the Eagles would probably restrict their play calls involving Jackson in order to protect his game-breaking abilities on the outside and in the return game. My biggest fear was losing DJax for the season (or a career) on a blind-side hit over the middle. Plus, out of concern for the individual, how many concussions is enough? Still, they kept crossing him against zone coverages week after week, until…well, you know what happened against Atlanta.
9. Ellis Hobbs would be given platoon help at the right corner — I really thought the Eagles would work in more support for the tough-as-nails Hobbs who was still rehabbing from an injury-riddled 2009 season. I thought rookie Trevard Lindley and veteran Dimitri Patterson would be seeing significant playing time at RCB just to keep Hobbs fresh for the stretch run. So far, that hasn’t happened…and Hobbs is slowed down and hurting right now from a big hit he absorbed two games ago.
10. Jorrick Calvin would be released — Another pleasant mistake by me…the rookie cornerback and return specialist not only made the team, but he’s started to contribute in a big way on kick returns — something we’d been missing on special teams for a while.
Well, there you have it — my midnight green confessions— proving once again I don’t know what I don’t know about this perplexing Eagles team or the sport they play. One thing’s for sure, despite all the criticism Andy Reid and Sean McDermott and Marty Mornhinweg inevitably take for bungled game plans or busted mid-game adjustments— they’ve got a young rebuilding team right in the competitive mix of a divisional race. That’s not an easy thing to do in the NFL. And for right now, that’s a well-deserved feather in their Eagles caps.
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