Out Of the Brew...

It's getting better all the time
I used to get mad at my school (No I can't complain)
The teachers who taught me weren't cool (No I can't complain)
You're holding me down (Oh), turning me round (Oh)
Filling me up with your rules (Foolish rules)
I've got to admit it's getting better (Better)
A little better all the time (It can't get more worse)
I have to admit it's getting better (Better)
It's getting better since you've been mine

Sorry for the delay between Thursday’s game, and this entry, but hey! It is summer time, and I decided to enjoy the weekend indulging myself in all the fineries the New Jersey Shore has to offer on a late-summer weekend.

Thursday’s game vs. the Cleveland Browns was interesting on many levels, both in terms of how the Eagles are progressing, and for one of my fantasy football teams as well. Getting a feel for how the running game is progressing was impossible with Westbrook, Moats and Perry all not playing, and Reno Mahe was left among the regulars to carry the load.

Overall, I like Reno. His attitude to do anything to help the team is refreshing to see in this day and age of draft-pick hold outs and media contract negotiations. The man fills a multitude of roles on the field, from running back, spot receiver and especially special teams. Truly, he is a “jack of all trades” on a football field.

On the flip of that coin, he’s also the master of none. Reno is a kick returner, and that point was evident watching his running the ball behind the Porterhouse Five. He looks to make a man miss him first, rather than finding a gap and trying to run through it. His two attempts to score following Hank Baskett’s fingertip catch setting up a first and goal from the 2 illustrate this best. Both plays, Jackson and Andrews had pushed their opponents back far enough to create a lane into the end zone. Both time, Reno took the ball laterally, and was tackled for no gain.

This is just my opinion; if a man is going to play running back in the NFL, especially in the NFC East, he must be willing to slash into a small gap with alacrity, getting the sure four yards rather than trying to dance and break off a big gain. Reno is not capable of filling this role, pure and simple.

What can you say about Hank Baskett? His is beginning to remind me of a young Chris Carter on the field, using his body to shield defenders from the ball, and sacrificing everything to make the catch in traffic. When McNabb lofted the ball on his first-quarter reception, I felt he was going to have no chance at a reception, but came down with that nifty catch at the one. I am not sure what Brad Childress saw in McMullen, but Eagles fans are going to be overjoyed with the trade’s end results.

How good is Darren Howard? His acquisition has the makings of being far and above the best move the Eagles made this past off season. His presence has clearly energized the defensive line, and the Birds are now able to generate pressure on the opposing QB without resorting to blitz packages. And now with Broderick Bunkley signed and practicing, things are only going to get better in this department. Reports coming out of Lehigh are saying that Bunkley’s skills remind many of one Jerome Brown in terms of penetration and use of his hands. If he can come anywhere close to Brown’s former play level, this defensive unit is going to be a force to recon with this year.

The second teams displayed a quantum leap forward over the opening week’s efforts against Oakland. Jeff Garcia showed greater poise and a far higher comfort level than the previous week. He showed outstanding patience and confidence in his receivers, particularly with Darnerien McCants. One thing I like about McCants is his speed. While the WR corps as a whole looks solid to me, the one thing lacking among the group as a whole is the lack of a guy with break-away speed to stretch an opposing D.

Speaking of speed, has Greg Lewis crawled under a rock to hide? I thought with him being back in a more comfortable role as a No 3 receiver, we’d be seeing more of the good things we witnessed in the 2004 season from him.

One thing missing from the Eagles offensive package was unveiled Thursday night with the return of the basic draw play. Thomas Tapeh’s touchdown revealed perfect execution of the time-tested tactic, and we can only hope to see more of this in the coming season. On the fullback topic, who will it be: Josh Parry or Thomas Tapeh? Parry has solid hands out of the backfield, and makes few, if any mental mistakes. Tapeh is by far the better athlete and is more likely to turn a small gain into a big one. It’s a risk-reward situation for the Eagles coaching staff; one that I hope is resolved with emphasis on the risk side of the equation.

On a less optimistic note, the ugly monster that is the hole in the right defensive flat once again revealed its ugly head Thursday night. On at least two occasions, Browns QB Charlie Frye was able to convert third and long situations into first downs with completions in this area. Admittedly, this was against the second-string and the safety was out of position on the plays, but this has been a constant theme in Jimmy Johnson’s defensive scheme. It must be corrected before the season begins.

Overall, I was encouraged by the performance the Eagles brought to the Linc Thursday night. Training camp breaks tomorrow, and it’s back to the Novacare Mothership for the rest of the preseason. Moats and Perry should return to practice for the next game. I hope Coach Mornhinweg has them both watching Tiki Barber video to learn how to hold onto the ball!

Next up: The Baltimore Ravens

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