Do Philadelphia Eagles Fans Show Enough Love to Eric Allen?

Anyone old enough to remember the Buddy Ryan days remembers that defense.  Philadelphia is definitely a town that loves defense, and never has there been a more exciting Eagles defense than the late 1980s and early ’90s.

When people recount those days, they mention Reggie White and Jerome Brown.  Seth Joyner and Byron Evans.  Wes Hopkins and Andre Waters.  But how often do they bring up Eric Allen?

It almost seems like Eric Allen isn’t viewed as one of the great players that made up those great “Gang Green” defenses.  The truth is, he is.

Eric Allen played seven seasons in Philadelphia, from 1988 through 1994.  During that time, he was the biggest playmaker on the defensive side of the ball. 

Allen played in 111 out of 112 possible games.  He amassed franchise-records of 34 interceptions and five interceptions returned for touchdowns. 

He was a 1988 First Team All-Rookie, a five-time Pro Bowler, three-times First Team All-NFL, and once a First Team All-Pro.  In 1993, he became just the third player to return four interceptions for touchdowns in a season, tying the all-time record.

Allen also intercepted three passes in five playoff games, even returning one for a touchdown in a win over the Saints in the Superdome.  It was the only playoff victory for the Eagles in his career.

So why does Eric Allen get overlooked?  Is it because he departed for New Orleans in 1995 and finished his career in 2001 after four seasons in Oakland?  Is it because he was a finesse player on a team full of bullies?

After Allen left the Eagles, he continued to give opposing quarterbacks and receivers fits.

In 106 games, he added another 20 interceptions and four defensive touchdowns, and went to another Pro Bowl.  He became the only player in NFL history to return three interceptions for touchdowns in more than one season.

Since the start of his career in 1988, only Rod Woodson and Aeneas Williams have recorded more interceptions.  Only four players have returned more interceptions for touchdowns.

Eagles fans need to start viewing Eric Allen the way they view other defensive standouts.  The Eagles generally were weak at the other cornerback position, so without Allen wreaking havoc in the secondary, those units would not have been quite as great.

Most fans will always think of Jerome when they see No. 99, or Randall when they see No. 12, and now they will think of Dawk when the see No. 20.  The next time you see No. 21, remember Eric Allen, the most dynamic cornerback in Eagles history.

A Philadelphia Eagles Fan Tired of Hearing about Peyton Manning

So I read an article this morning mostly because it won Article of the Day, and I wanted to see if this was any better than the usual Manning vs. Brady stuff that seems to come up so often.

The title in itself cam off as condescending, and the content just seemed like someone who knows football through video games. 

Often, it was stated that Manning has “only” played with such and such amount of 1,000-yard receivers, or Manning’s second receiver had “just” eight touchdowns.  As a lifelong Eagles fan, this drove me absolutely insane.

Peyton Manning’s supporting cast has been overrated?  Really?

Now, it is understandable that nobody should act as if Manning always had the likes of Harrison, Wayne and Stokely all going over 1,000 yards in 2004. 

At the same time, just because you don’t have three 1,000-yard receivers, it doesn’t mean your supporting cast wasn’t great.  You also have to take into account the running back, not just the receivers.

The point almost seems to be, “Well, Manning had Harrison and Edge and that was it.”  Are you kidding me?  Harrison and Edge were All-Pros.  How many quarterbacks have two players like that on their team at the same time?

Since I don’t have enough time to research this beyond a few hours, let’s look at some statistics comparing the supporting casts of Peyton Manning and Donovan McNabb.

I’m not saying McNabb is on the same level as Manning, but I’m an Eagles fan, and I took exception to the statement that you shouldn’t say if “so and so had the same supporting cast as Manning his whole career,” be sure what you are exclaiming.

Well, I’m sure.

The point seems to be that before 2004, Manning didn’t have exceptional talent around him, so first let’s compare the averages of the skill players from the Eagles and Colts from 1999 through 2003.

Philadelphia Eagles: 1999-2003

Top Rusher:  198 rushes, 771 yards, 3.9 avg., 4 touchdowns 

No. 1 WR:  55 receptions, 697 yards, 12.6 avg., 5 touchdowns

No. 2 WR:  40 receptions, 556 yards, 13.6 avg., 3 touchdowns

No. 3 WR:  26 receptions, 350 yards, 13.5 avg., 1 touchdown

Tight Ends:  53 receptions, 564 yards, 10.6 avg., 4 touchdowns

Over the course of these five seasons, the Eagles had three different leading rushers, including McNabb in 2000.  Duce Staley led the team three times, going over 1,000 yards twice, the only two such occurrences in these five seasons. 

They never had a 1,000-yard receiver, never had a player with 10 receiving touchdowns, and never had anyone go higher than 833 yards or eight touchdown catches.  The standouts were James Thrash, Todd Pinkston and Chad Lewis at tight end.  Wow.

Indianapolis Colts: 1999-2003

Top Rusher:  315 rushes, 1323 yards, 4.2 avg., 10 touchdowns

No. 1 WR:  113 receptions, 1519 yards, 13.5 avg., 12 touchdowns

No 2 WR:  50 receptions, 629 yards, 12.7 avg., 4 touchdowns

No. 3 WR:  35 receptions, 425 yards, 12.4 avg., 2 touchdowns

Tight Ends:  70 receptions, 868 yards, 12.4 avg., 6 touchdowns

From 1999-2003, the Colts top rusher went over 1,000 yards four times.  Edgerrin James rushed for 1,000 yards in three of his four healthy seasons.  He came up short by just 11 yards in 2002, the year after his injury.

The Colts top wide receiver, Harrison all five seasons, literally doubled the Eagles top receiver.  The numbers for No. 2 weren’t eye-popping, but almost equal to the Eagles’ production at No. 1.

Outside of having an All-Pro running back and wide receiver, Manning also benefited from having two reliable tight ends in Marcus Pollard and Ken Dilger.

The comparison is, well, there is no comparison.  You can say all you want that the Colts didn’t have a “dominant” second wide receiver, but the Eagles never even had one decent wide receiver.

You have Staley, Thrash, Pinkston and Lewis.  You have Edge, Harrison, Wilkins and Pollard.  Who would you take?  You don’t think McNabb would have benefited from having just one All-Pro back and just one All-Pro receiver?

Now, on to more recent times.  In 2004, McNabb finally got his All-Pro receiver.  In 2004, Manning had three with over 1,000 yards.  2004-2008 was a tumultuous time in Philadelphia.  As great as T.O. was, he definitely made things complicated.

Let’s take a look at the averages of the skill players each quarterback had during the past five seasons.

Philadelphia Eagles: 2004-2008

Top Rusher:  217 rushes, 877 yards, 4.5 avg., 6 touchdowns

No. 1 WR:  62 receptions, 960 yards, 15.5 avg., 7 touchdowns

No. 2 WR:  43 receptions, 626 yards, 14.5 avg., 3 touchdowns

No. 3 WR:  29 receptions, 401 yards, 10.8 avg., 1 touchdown

Tight Ends:  59 receptions, 645 yards, 10.9 avg., 5 touchdowns

Clearly the Eagles offense became more productive over this five-year stretch, but still, it isn’t up to the standards of the Colts supporting cast.

Brian Westbrook became a top-tier running back over this period, leading the team in rushing all five seasons.  He topped 1,000 yards just twice, though, and never scored more than nine rushing touchdowns.

Terrell Owens only played 21 games in Philadelphia, and his production skews these numbers a bit.  When he left in 2005, Greg Lewis became the leading receiver.  Reggie Brown became No. 2.

Owens became McNabb’s first receiver to go over 1,000 yards in 2004, and in ’07, Kevin Curtis was the second.  Still, Owens’ 14 touchdowns in ’04 marked the only time an Eagle has caught 10 or more touchdown passes.

Indianapolis Colts: 2004-2008

Top Rusher:  267 rushes, 1150 yards, 4.3 avg., 9 touchdowns

No. 1 WR:  88 receptions, 1275 yards, 14.5 avg., 10 touchdowns

No. 2 WR:  70 receptions, 938 yards, 13.3 avg., 7 touchdowns

No. 3 WR:  40 receptions, 540 yards, 13.4 avg. 4 touchdowns

Tight Ends:  76 receptions, 872 yards, 11.5 avg., 8 touchdowns

Again, the Colts produced a 1,000-yard rusher four times in five seasons.  James twice, and Joseph Addai twice.  Each player posted a season with more than 10 rushing touchdowns.

This period marked the decline of Marvin Harrison, but to the delight of Peyton Manning, also the rise of Reggie Wayne.  Wayne topped 1,000 yards all five seasons, while Harrison managed it three more times.  Combined, the two produced five seasons with over 10 touchdown catches.

Added to the ascent of Reggie Wayne is the spiking production of Dallas Clark.  Clark has accumulated 135 receptions, 1464 yards and 17 touchdowns over the past two seasons.

This research covers a full decade of football for both teams.  Over those 10 years, the difference in production at the skill positions is vast.

In 10 seasons, the Eagles have produced four 1,000-yard rushers, two 1,000 yard receivers, zero seasons with a player rushing for 10 or more touchdowns, and one season with over 10 touchdown receptions.

The Colts boast eight 1,000 yard rushers, 14 1,000-yard receivers, six seasons with a player rushing for over 10 touchdowns, and 12 times having a receiver catch 10 or more touchdown passes.

There is absolutely no way anyone can make a case that Peyton Manning hasn’t always had great talent around him.

He had Edgerrin James for six full seasons.  During that time, James was one of the top three runners in the NFL.  He had Marvin Harrison for nine full seasons.  Harrison was a top three wide receiver over that time, and is a future Hall of Famer.

Those two players alone are enough to qualify for exceptional supporting talent.  But, he has had another Pro Bowl-caliber receiver in Reggie Wayne and has had three productive tight ends in Pollard, Dilger and Clark.

McNabb, on the other hand, has had Westbrook playing as a full-time back for just three seasons, and has had no receiver for longer than five years.  The receivers he has spent five years with?  Todd Pinkston and Reggie Brown.

At tight end, McNabb has thrown to the likes of Chad Lewis, LJ Smith, Jeff Thomason and Luther Broughton.  Lewis was productive, but was not a playmaker.  LJ Smith was an absolute bust.  I guess the Colts made the better tight end choice in the 2003 draft.

I don’t exactly have time to put into figuring out the defense and all that, but as far as just surrounding offensive talent, that doesn’t matter.  Defense or no defense, Manning hasn’t really produced an enormous amount of offense in the playoffs.

In Manning’s eight playoff losses, he has led his team to 16, 17, 7, 14, 3, 3, 24, and 17 points.  24 points is enough to win a game, but in the other seven games, the Colts averaged just 11 points per game.  No matter how good your defense is, you generally won’t win with 11 points.

Now, McNabb has had his own failures in the post-season, and Manning has won a Super Bowl.  Again, the point is not to say McNabb is better than Manning, because there really isn’t a case for that at this point.

The point is, Manning truly has had great talent around him his entire career.  There is nothing wrong with that.  Manning is among the greatest quarterbacks of all time, and I would never take that away from him.

Just please, don’t try to spin that Manning’s supporting cast hasn’t always been great, because it has, and without that supporting cast, he wouldn’t have his ring. 

I’ll close with this…

If Donovan McNabb had the supporting cast that Peyton Manning had his entire career, he would probably have more than one Super Bowl to his name.

I am sure of it.

 

Stop Complaining about Donovan McNabb Not Speaking

It has been known for some time now that whenever Donovan McNabb speaks, he makes waves. Now, it seems, he makes waves even when he doesn’t speak.

One of the highlights of Eagles mini-camp has always been the “State of Donovan Address” on day one. This year, it never took place. The current Donovan debate is whether he should have taken the podium.

Whatever the guy says, wherever he says it, it is scrutinized, dissected, rehashed, and criticized. Can you blame him for not speaking?

He posted a blog entry last week, saying how excited he was about the team’s new acquisitions. What was the overwhelming response to that? Criticism that he didn’t mention the draftees each by name.

What conclusion was drawn? That he was unhappy about the players that were selected.

Seriously?

Donovan McNabb has not always said the right thing, although most of his indiscretions have come since the drafting of Kevin Kolb, which clearly never sat well with him.

Say what you want about McNabb, but he is a good teammate and a good person.

Every rookie, when asked about McNabb, said roughly the same thing. He made them feel welcome. He made them feel comfortable. He made them feel like they were part of something special.

What more can you ask of the longest-tenured, highest-profile player on your roster? Apparently that he address the media and make them feel welcome as well.

So many times, listening to sports radio, you hear callers say, “I wish Donovan would just keep his mouth shut and play football.”

Well, guess what? He did. And now you’re mad that he kept his mouth shut.

So to everyone complaining that McNabb didn’t open his mouth over the weekend: Shut yours. 

Philadelphia Eagles: Grade-A Draft Weekend

After mostly toiling in mediocrity since the 2004 Super Bowl appearance, the Philadelphia Eagles seem to be back among the NFL’s elite.

They didn’t make the big trade for Anquan Boldin or Braylon Edwards, but they put together an exceptional draft. 

What did they do?

The Eagles added potentially big-time playmakers for quarterback Donovan McNabb.

The Eagles added a ton of athleticism.

The Eagles added tremendous versatility.

The Eagles added explosiveness.

The Eagles made themselves a better football team than they were in 2008.

In the first round, the Eagles pulled a huge shock by picking Jeremy Maclin.  Maclin completes possibly the speediest group of three wide receivers in the league (with DeSean Jackson and Kevin Curtis).

In round two, they got a running back that Sports Illustrated’s Peter King had them taking with the 21st pick.

McCoy is truly a perfect fit for this offense.  He is a very similar player to Brian Westbrook, and he has yet to turn 21-years-old.  He gives them the depth that they sorely need at running back, and there will not be much drop-off when Westbrook leaves the field.

The Eagles did nothing in the third round but trade down, and eventually, out of the round altogether.  They stockpiled six fifth-round choices, which is where they did some serious damage.

With the first two, they acquired dynamite kick returner Ellis Hobbs, who is also an improving cornerback.  At just 26, Hobbs already has three kick return touchdowns on his resume.

With their first actual draft choice on Day Two, they got what looks to be an absolute steal in Florida tight end Cornelius Ingram.  He is a dynamic athlete that adds a very intriguing dimension to the Eagles’ passing attack.

In 2007, Ingram scored seven touchdowns on just 34 receptions.  He averaged 15.0 yards per catch, unheard of for a tight end.  He isn’t much of a blocker, but he will definitely help stretch the field.

The fifth round also yielded corner/safety Victor “Macho” Harris from Virginia Tech and Oregon offensive tackle Fenuki Tupou.

Harris was a playmaker in all phases of the game in college.  He intercepted 15 passes in his final three seasons, returning four for touchdowns.   He also returned kicks and punts, and spent time at tailback and wide receiver.

Tupou played left tackle at a very high level in the Pac-10.  As Andy Reid loves to do, he will likely move him inside to guard.  A great combination of size and athleticism, he has the ability to pull and make blocks down the field.

In the sixth and seventh rounds, the Eagles mostly traded, but did manage to pick up three more players.

With the 194th pick, they selected Washington State wide receiver Brandon Gibson.  Gibson is a precise route-runner with great hands.  He is also noted for being an exceptional blocker.

Gibson is a highly competitive player that works hard as a possession receiver.  He is also a great candidate to help out on special teams.

The Eagles finished their weekend drafting two players in the seventh round.  They selected guard Paul Fanaika from Arizona State, and Maryland outside linebacker Moise Fokou.

At 6’5″ and 327 pounds, Fanaika is a massive human being.  He does not have ideal athleticism, but he definitely can add some depth to the line with his smarts.  He is a mauler that should have a chance to win a backup spot.

Moise Fokou is a bit of an enigma.  He is very athletic with playmaking ability against both the run and the pass.  He can get to the quarterback, harass running backs behind the line of scrimmage, and can cover backs and tight ends.

The problem is, he has trouble giving consistent effort.  He will have to raise his level of play to make this team, but should be able to beat out Tracy White if he can be an asset on special teams.  At pick 230, you have to like his upside.

Everyone thought the Eagles were satisfied with never taking the next step to the Super Bowl, but this draft proves that theory incorrect. 

They ended up putting together a very aggressive offseason, and made very bold selections in the draft.

They have a wealth of playmakers now in all phases of the game, and there will be more competition than ever in camp for roster spots and playing time.

As it stands right now, from top to bottom, this may be an even more talented Eagles team than the 2004 squad.  The defense is young and improving, and this offense became much more explosive this weekend.

Contract situation aside, Donovan McNabb should be smiling, and you know what everyone says about how McNabb plays when he is smiling.

When does the season start?

 

Philadelphia Eagles Continue to Improve with Fifth Round

So how many Eagles fans were frustrated when the team traded out of the third round (twice) for more fifth-round picks?

But it turned out to be a very productive move after the fact. Philly traded two of those picks for Ellis Hobbs, an established cornerback and explosive returner, and they also got a players many coveted with their selections in the fifth.

By the time No. 153 finally rolled around, the Eagles were lucky enough to select a player that should excite fans: Florida tight end Cornelius Ingram. He’s a 6’4″, 245-pound athletic wonder, a terrific route runner with the speed to stretch defenses,and also has very good hands and the ability to make tough catches on poorly thrown balls.

Ingram is non-entity as a blocker, but the Eagles will find a way to hide his weaknesses. The real major concern is his recovery from a torn ACL; he missed all of 2008, and it remains to be seen how healthy he actually is.

But health permitting, Ingram could go a long way toward answering the questions the Eagles have in the red zone.

Four picks later, Philly drafted Virginia Tech cornerback Victor “Macho” Harris. He lacks the pure speed to be an elite corner, so he may switch to free safety.

But that aside, Harris is a true playmaker. He may be groomed as the eventual successor to Brian Dawkins, as he’s a physical player who hits hard and has a nose for the ball.  Over the past three seasons, Harris has 15 interceptions, four of which he returned for TD.

To boot, Macho has a history as a kick returner and will contribute right away on special teams.

At pick No. 159, the Eagles finally selected their first offensive lineman of the draft in Oregon offensive tackle Fenuki Tupou. While he’s not a big name, he is a good football player and a great value.

Tupou likely will move inside to guard, but will provide depth at right tackle as well. At 6’5″ and 313 pounds, he is a gifted athlete with great feet and has the ability to make blocks downfield.

He is a bit sloppy and lacks some technique, but that can be worked out with coaching.

All in all, the Eagles got four high-quality players out of their fifth round.

Besides the veteran Hobbs, they added a nice weapon to Donovan McNabb’s arsenal in Ingram, a possible difference-maker in the secondary in Harris, and some nice depth on the offensive line with Tupou.

So far, with four picks remaining, the Eagles have had a tremendous draft. They are a better team today than they were at the end of 2008.

Philadelphia Eagles Finally Get a Player on Day Two

The Eagles were slated to pick at No. 85, but they traded down to 91.  Then they traded down to 137.  But finally, they came away with a player.

Only they didn’t draft him.

The Eagles traded picks 137 and 141 to New England for the cornerback/return man Ellis Hobbs. 

Hobbs stands at 5’9″ tall and weighs a solid 195 pounds.  He will be 26 at the start of the 2009 season.

In his four-year career, Hobbs had nine interceptions.  He has averaged 27.7 yards per kickoff return and has returned a kick for a touchdown in each of the last three seasons.

Hobbs is a tough, physical, and durable player.  He has only missed one game in his career.  He isn’t known for his man coverage, but he is very active against the pass.  He is also a very aggressive run defender.

Hobbs’ true value may be his kickoff return ability.  He has been very productive and now  he can team with Jeremy Maclin to free Quintin Demps of return duties to focus on playing free safety.

Philadelphia Eagles: How Do You Like Draft Day One?

There were no trades for No. 1 receivers, and they didn’t draft Knowshon Moreno or Brandon Pettigrew, but this has to be the flashiest Day One in Philadelphia Eagles draft history anyway.

When Jeremy Maclin was selected at 19, many fans were left scratching their heads.  Well, now that the team’s added Pitt running back LeSean McCoy, things look a lot more fun.

The Eagles generally use their first-day picks on offensive and defensive linemen, but this was not the case in 2009.

The club had already bolstered their offensive line by signing Stacy Andrews and trading for Jason Peters, and their defensive line was arguably the best unit on the team last year, so today was an opportunity to strengthen the skill positions.

Thank goodness they actually did it.

 

Maclin, while not a threat in the red zone and not the physical target most Eagles fans clamored for, is a true playmaker. He is electric with the ball in his hands after the catch, carrying it or returning it.

In two seasons at Missouri, he scored 22 receiving touchdowns, six rushing touchdowns, three kick return touchdowns, and two punt return touchdowns.

While he is similar to DeSean Jackson and Kevin Curtis, he gives Philly more insurance in the case of injuries to either of those two. Sure, Jackson managed to stay healthy all seasonlast year, but at 175 pounds, he can’t be counted on to play 16 games a season for his career.

 

The selection of LeSean McCoy with the 53rd pick sealed a grade of “A” for Day One. The Eagles now have a player that can share the rushing load with Brian Westbrook and allow the squad to not miss a beat should the stalwart RB go down.

McCoy is a very versatile back who had incredible production at Pitt. In 25 NCAA games, he averaged over 112 rushing yards per game and scored 35 touchdowns. He added 65 receptions for 549 yards and another touchdown.

While he doesn’t have blazing speed, but the same was said of Westbrook coming out of Villanova. Westbrook has a little more mass, but McCoy has very similar lateral quickness and deceptive toughness running inside.

 

Neither Maclin nor McCoy is a finished product, and both have work to do.

Maclin is coming from a spread offense in which he never had to run intermediate routes. He will need to refine his route running to contribute the way Jackson did a year ago.

McCoy needs to add some bulk to his 5’10”, 198-pound frame. He also has some work to do in pass protection, but Westbrook is one of the better backs in the league in pass protection, and he should be a big help to McCoy.

All that said, the Eagles made some exciting picks. They got two players that have a chance to contribute right away and should help make the offense more explosive and consistent.

If anyone is upset with anything the Eagles do on Day Two, they’re crazy. This was definitely the most exciting first two rounds of the Andy Reid era; give him some credit.

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