I made the pilgrimage to Monster Park in San Francisco for the "showdown" between the 49ers and the Eagles. On paper the game was a total mismatch, but the 49ers had showed their improvement on defense and offense in the first two weeks against the Cardinals and in a win over the Rams(it should be noted that the 49ers finished last in the league in both offense and defense, so an improvement from these numbers is not necessarily indicative of success).
Regardless, the 49ers did have a small chance to win the game, they were playing at home after all, and the "Faithful" as the fans are now referred to, were all out in force....
But when the 49ers kicked the opening kickoff out of bounds, it was a sign of things to come. The Eagles ran a flea-flicker on their first play, and Donovan McNabb connected with Reggie Brown for a 50-yard gain. A couple plays later Bryan Westbrook scored on a shovel pass, and the Eagles would continue their dominance for the rest of the game(except for the third quarter, but they were already up by 4 touchdowns at that point).
How the Eagles were able to dominate is no real mystery. Their play-calling was far superior to the 49ers, well that and they have a veteran quarterback who knows the offense in and out, and Alex Smith is still learning how to take snaps from under center(he ran the spread option in college). Anyway the main difference in play-calling was that the Eagles made a concerted effort to get the ball to their playmakers in open space on high-percentage/low-risk pass plays, often on first down. The Eagles also mixed in creative play-calls near the goal line and on the first offensive play of the game, an Andy Reid trademark.
The 49ers on the other hand predictably ran the ball on early downs and attempted intermediate passes on third down. The Eagles were ready for this elementary approach, and they stuffed the run, and brought pressure on third downs. The result was zero first downs in the first quarter and falling behind 24-3 at halftime.
The Eagles are often criticized for passing too much, because in a simple examination of the box score, they pass anywhere from 55 to 70 percent of the time. But, what the box score doesn't show is how quickly many of the passes are thrown. The Eagles run several designed quick screens to running backs, tight ends, and wideouts that are often short gains, like most running plays, but have a better chance of breaking for a big gain. The reason is the rush is keyed on getting to the quarterback, and the receiver has much more space to maneuver.
Once a player like Westbrook gets in open space, he's tough to tackle. This is why the Eagles signed him to a big contract last year, because he is such a perfect fit for their offense. They don't need him to run the ball 25 times. They want to maximize his speed and agility in the open field as a receiver. They want him to carry the ball 10-15 times and catch 6-7 passes per game. Here are his stats so far:
15 receptions for 164 yards(10.9 ypc) and 44 carries for 256 yards (5.8) and five total touchdowns. If he continues to put up numbers liek this,
The 49ers have a similar talent in Frank Gore, an explosive runner able to make defenders miss, but they haven't learned to how to best use his talents. Perhaps they picked up a few tricks in their dismantling against the Eagles.....
Other thoughts on week 3....
It was a strange game in Pittsburgh with the Bengals holding on late for a 28-20 victory when Ben Roethlisburger threw his third interception of the game. The game turned on a sequence in the fourth quarter when the Steelers fumbled twice on two consecutive series. T.J. Houshmanzadah scored touchdowns on the ensuing play both times for the Bengals, which proved to be the difference. Pittsburgh(and Rothlisburger especially) has looked pretty sloppy. Roethlisburger has already thrown 5 picks and is not playing with the confidence that he showed last year leading the Steelers to the Super Bowl. Most of his troubles can be attributed to his motorcycle accident and his appendectomy, because he at times appears afraid to take hits. His arm strength is also lacking, as evidenced by one throw against Cincy where he strided so hard throwing a deep ball that he fell down(the ball was intercepted, and not coincidentally was 10 yards shy of its intended target). He should be back to his old self in a couple weeks after the scars are fully healed, but he better step it up if Pittsburgh (1-2) is going to keep pace with Cincy and Baltimore, who are both 3-0.
There's nothing else I can really add to the beatdown that the Saints put on the Falcons, as there is already been so much written and said already. I figured the Saints might make it competitive, but that ultimately they wouldn't be able to stop Michael Vick. I couldn't have been more wrong. Vick seemed to be trying to prove his growth as a pocket passer, passing up open running lanes, and instead trying to move the ball with his arm. It didn't help that New Orleans' defense totally shutdown Warrick Dunn, who had been leading the league in rushing going into the game, but finished with only 44 yards on 13 carries. If the Saints can maintain this kind of defensive effort, they will definitely make the playoffs, but that is a very big IF..
The NFL Replay on the NFL network has to be one of the greatest ideas ever. The package compacts a full game into an hour and half, cutting out most inconsequential plays, and also includes quotes from players and coaches that accompany the action. It's a great way to get caught up on the best games of the week that you missed because you don't live in a given area. I don't work for the NFL network or anything, I guess I have seen the commercial advertising the NFL replay so many times, I have been brainwashed into promoting it...
The NFC looks to be catching up the AFC so far this season. So far the NFC is 4-3, although 2 of those wins are against the hapless Texans. Nonetheless the number of good NFC teams is increasing, with the Vikings, Bears, Cowboys, Eagles, Saints, and Falcons all looking impressive. Also, the three worst teams in the league are all in the AFC, the Titans, Texans, and Raiders. These teams are already locked in a battle to see who gets the first pick in the 2007 draft. The Raiders look to have the edge, as they haven't bothered to show up yet this year. An argument could be made to include the Lions in this group, and I definitely see the merit, but I think they are slighly above these three for now. I see some potential in their offense, and the defense did shutdown Seattle in that first game....
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