Answering a question like “Who is the best pass rusher in the NFC East?” seems to require a wealth of coaches tape and scouting grades. But what if we could simplify such a discussion with a single statistic: Negative Plays per Rush.
I first used this measurement back on my old blog to look just at Eagles players, but let’s expand it to get a sense of the rest of the Eagles’ top rivals.
The Subtext Behind Jamaal Jackson's Return
Jackson could have stayed on the PUP list for the first six weeks of the season before the Eagles had to decide whether to activate him or send him to injured reserve. That would have provided as close to a year of rehab as possible without missing an entire season.
However, the Eagles decided to get Jackson practicing again, perhaps before he’s 100 percent. Why?
Breaking Down the Eagles' 1st Preseason Game
*LeSean McCoy looked really solid. He doesn’t have the three-step acceleration that Brian Westbrook had, but his slashing style will be productive. Shady also does seem to have added some muscle and has looked more confident holding the ball close to his body. I feel good about him.
*Unfortunately, I don’t feel good about the middle of the offensive line. It seemed there were a few times where Max Jean-Gilles and Stacy Andrews failed to get any push up the middle and McCoy was forced to just lean into their backs for two yards…
What's Your Definition of Rebuilding?
When it comes right down to it, the whole thing is a semantic argument as to what exactly “rebuilding” means.
But what do I think? I think the Eagles are a Boeing 767.Hear me out…
Experience Matters: What to Expect From Kevin Kolb
Kapadia raises the question of whether our expectations are too high for the quarterback’s first season as a starter. It’s an idea that I’ve been grappling with for some time and I’m not sure there’s a simple answer. However, I do think that one’s expectations about Kolb are related to how one relates his ability and experience to Donovan McNabb’s.
Some people think of Kolb in relation to McNabb’s last season. This, obviously, is the wrong way to go. McNabb — despite his possibly declining skills — is a QB with a decade of starting experience. He knows all the intricacies of the West Coast offense and the tricks to picking up blitzes, reading coverages. Kolb does not have that experience…
How the Eagles are Built for the Long Term
It’s easy to get caught up in the upcoming season. But this Eagles team isn’t built just for 2010, but for next half-decade. When you look at who is under contract with the Eagles three seasons from now in 2012, you get a good sense of how long-term the Eagles are thinking.
Who is the Most Valuable Eagle in 2010?
By that measurement, crowning an MVP is less about individual performance than the gap between a player’s performance and that of their backups.
In 2009, for example, Stewart Bradley’s injury proved how much better he was in the middle of the field than his various replacements. Meanwhile, Kevin Kolb’s great games against New Orleans and Kansas City showed that the dropoff to him from Donovan McNabb was not as steep as some people thought.
Here’s my (completely subjective) list of the Eagles’ five most valuable players going into 2010:
Will Quintin Mikell Get a Contract Extension?
Now 29, Mikell’s one of the Eagles’ oldest players on a team that’s constantly looking to get younger. And the Eagles have never rushed to provide more money to players entering his thirties. But there are a number of factors that suggest Mikell will be in Philly for the next few years.