Enemy Exchange, Eagles Edition
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This week I had a few moments to exchange with Ryan Messick of Inside the Iggles and talk about this weeks game with the Giants heading down the pike to Philly.
Read what he had to tell me after the jump
Is the Eagle offense with Michael Vick at the helm as good as you’ve ever seen it right now?
"I’m 24, and for as long as I can remember, yes. The comparison is probably to 2004, when the Eagles went to the Super Bowl behind Donovan McNabb (in his prime), Brian Westbrook and Terrell Owens. It’s hard to compare McNabb in 2004 to Vick now statistically, because Vick hasn’t played every game. As far as the eyeball test goes, Vick has made fewer bad drive-killing throws despite having a lower completion percentage. He doesn’t throw those frustrating passes that sail way high or go straight into the ground, which McNabb had a bad reputation for in Philadelphia. Otherwise I think the depth at wide receiver in 2010 beats out the T.O. led corps in 2004, and Westbrook was better then than McCoy is now but not by a wide margin.All of that said, the one stat that really blows the 2004 offense out of the water is the rushing attack. Even without Vick, the Eagles are averaging 113 rushing yards per game. In 2004 that number was only 88.7 without counting McNabb."
Vick has just looked absolutely stellar, I’m sure you agree. Giants Safety Antrel Rolle made matters worse when he said Vick cannot be stopped. Can you throw Giants fans a bone and find a weakness either in him or his play that will make us less apprehensive about this weeks game?
"Not really. He hasn’t thrown an interception since December 24, 2006 and hasn’t lost a fumble as an Eagle, so the best I can give you is maybe he’s due? This is a great matchup, with one of the top three defenses in the league against an offense that appears unstoppable. I mean, what do you do? Nobody is fast enough to spy him, if the pocket breaks down he’s a masterful escape artist and if you mush rush him and let him stay in the pocket, he’s learned how to burn you from there too. I think the only way the Eagles can be stopped on offense is if they stop themselves with penalties and turnovers."
The Eagles completely dismantled a hard nosed defensive unit at home Monday night. And they spread the ball around quite well, had a very balanced attack, and had success with just about everything they dialed up. Will the game plan be the same for the Giants?
"I think it will be similar, with maybe a few more runs and screens called early on. I would expect a game plan similar to the one against the Colts, whose defensive line was the best the Eagles had played up until now. Philadelphia used a lot of max protect schemes, ran some screens to keep the line off balance and ran the ball a decent amount."
How can the Giants contain the Eagles recievers? Desean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin. Avant and Celek… all dangerous in their own ways and Vick hasn’t yet thrown an interception. How can the Giants hope to shut down your aerial attack?
"New York needs to keep its safeties very deep and avoid letting Jackson or Maclin ever get behind them. I think the best way to slow down the Eagles offense is to attempt to force them to dink and dunk underneath and move the ball down the field, hoping they have a drop here or a penalty there. Don’t worry too much about Celek though, he’s having a rough season."
I for one think the Giants have a shot to win this game. NO ONE is giving the Giants a chance to win this one, and we know from history that when the Giants are over looked they tend to shine. Does this game come down to an offensive shootout for you and what is your sense of whether the Giants have a shot at executing and winning in Philly Sunday night?
"I agree that the Giants have a shot at winning, a pretty good shot. I hate to revert to coach speak, but it’s an NFC East game with the division on the line, and the Giants are first in defensive yards allowed and second in offensive yards. I don’t think the Giants will let it be a shootout, I expect them to try to pound the ball and eat up time. That doesn’t mean it won’t get into the 30’s though, as the Eagles offense is so hard to stop. I believe the game will come down to turnovers, given that both teams are so good."
The Giants have taken out 5 starting QB’s this season. Are people in Philly at all worried about the possibility that this game becomes too physical for even Michael Vick to escape without injury?
"Absolutely. He leaves himself open to taking big hits down the field by not sliding, which I wrote about here. There’s no way around it, Philadelphia fans are nervous every time he takes off that he might get hurt. It’s a strange mix of excitement and dread, and it will be elevated against this physical Giants defense."
Last time the Eagles hosted the Giants it wasn’t pretty. The Eagles ran all over the Giants which opened up the passing game. This game could boil down to a battle of the running games – Vick and McCoy vs Bradshaw and Jacobs… Who wins such a battle on the ground?
"My gut says the Giants would win that battle. Not based on just this year, but on the last few years, the rushing game is so much more the bread and butter of the Giants than the Eagles. However, the Eagles rushing defense has been incredible since the week four loss to the Redskins, allowing more than 75 yards just once (Monday night in garbage time)."
Which players on the Eagle Defense do the Giants need to pay special attention to, and are there any soft spots in the Eagle defense you can point to?
"Obviously Trent Cole is a tremendous pass rusher, and Asante Samuel is always lurking for an interception. Asante eats, sleeps and breathes interceptions, on the practice field, in the locker room and on the field. Dimitri Patterson has looked very good at corner in his first two starts, but I think the Giants will try to test him early again like Indianapolis and Washington did. As far as soft spots go, there are two – free safety, where Nate Allen is a rookie having a great year, but returns after missing a game with an injury. He’s given up a couple of big plays, so if there’s any weakness in the secondary it’s him. I don’t think it’s a big one, but it’s there. The bigger weakness is the linebacking unit in coverage on tight ends and running backs. The Eagles try to scheme around it by using strong safety Quintin Mikell in coverage on tight ends when they perceive a big mismatch."
What is the X-Factor for the Eagles this week?
"If I had to pick one, LeSean McCoy. I went that way last week and it didn’t really pan out (although he had a good game catching the ball), but he’s due for a big game on the ground. As much attention as Michael Vick and the wide receivers keep getting, you keep waiting for McCoy to go off for a huge game."
What is the X-Factor for the Giants?
"Hurting Michael Vick, and before anyone flies off the handle on me, I don’t mean in a “knock him out of the game” kind of way, although I’m sure the Giants would love to. I mean they need to get some shots on him and rattle him a bit and make him think about it, especially in the pocket where he hasn’t been knocked down hard too often. Nothing has slowed him down this year, but maybe that would."
Enemy Prediction:
"Eagles 34, Giants 20. I think the Eagles win the turnover battle and it makes the difference in an otherwise VERY close matchup."
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