At the start of the season, after what now was obviously a wasted preseason, I made some assumptions about the Eagles offense.  I made assumptions because the 1st team O played so little in the preseason, that there was nothing left to do but make assumptions.

I assumed that the Birds have the ingredients for a winning offensive recipe and it would look like this in the early part of the season:

  • 4 cups - Coaches with game plans utilizing what is working and protecting what is healing

  • 3 cups - O Line giving protection and running lanes

  • 3 cups - Pro Bowl running back getting lots of 1st downs

  • 2 cups - WRs open when you need them

  • 1 cup - QB doing enough, staying healthy and improving as we go along

 This cake should taste like efficient if not dynamic offensive success that would build a strong playoff season while the QB gets back to form. This cake has failed to rise.

The 4 cups of coaching at the foundation of this mix is the biggest issue right now. The coaching is what has to make this situation work.  Donovan is back at QB, so Andy Reid & Co are running the offense through him as if he never got hurt.  I thought that they would have a page from last season taped about the oven.  You know, the one that says “We can’t lean on the QB because he is unable to get the ball downfield accurately, so lets shorten up the passing game and run it hard with 36″.

The coaches are asking too much of the QB right now.  They must see the issues Donovan is having during the games, in the Eagles practices.  He is obviously having issues getting it downfield where he wants it. Jeff Garcia couldn’t throw the deep routes so they did not ask him to do that.  Donovan can’t stride into them right now, and the receivers can’t get open downfield anyway, so get with it and run that old west coast 6 yard slant. Put Westbrook in the flat for a screen ( BTW - They ran 1 last night, and it got them a 1st down).  The Skins and Packers have written a book on how to beat the Eagles wide outs. Press them at the line and they can’t work free. You will see every opponent do the same thing.  Why don’t our receivers ever go in motion?  Reid used to use motion a lot, why not now? It is important that Mcnabb find some success to restore his confidence.

When the Eagles tried to throw downfield last night, the O line was not providing enough time.  The Skins are not a great pass rushing front 4, but too often they had people in McNabb’s face last night with little or no help from a blitz. Contrast that with the production the line helped generate in the running game. Westbrook had 17 carries for 96 yards. That is 5.6 a pop.  GIVE HIM THE BALL MORE. If the coaches are worried about his durability, get Buckhalter in the game and let him carry it.  The line will get them yardage on the ground.

Lastly, the team was flat.  B West said it after the game.  .

From the Inquirer:

“Everybody, from the leaders down to the last guy on the team - we have to bring that urgency onto the field,” Westbrook said. “As one of the leaders on the team, I can’t make a guy be urgent that doesn’t want it. But we have to bring that sense of urgency to the game.“I think the guys tried very hard,” he said. “I’m not going to sit here and say the guys didn’t try hard. I just think as a unit - and I really can only speak for the offense, because I only play offense - but we didn’t have it there.”

How can the team be flat in their home opener against a division opponent that is ahead of them in the standings, on Monday Night Football?  The players have a responsibility to be fired up and ready to go, but the coaching staff has a responsibility to instill a sense of urgency if the players seem to be lacking it.

In the end, the Eagles are 0-2, and my confidence is shaken. I am a big fan of Andy Reid, but the issues this team is having are mostly in preparation and game planning to use the ingredients that are available. The chef  has to update his recipes.