Most preseason game #2 previews are rather generic in nature… you pretty much know you’re going to see most of the 1’s who are healthy in the first quarter… and that’s it. The rest of the game will be scheduled tryout reps for the 2′ and the 3’s and the rookies and free agents.
But this game coming up Monday night between the Birds and the Pats will be different.
“We’re treating this game like a dress rehearsal for the regular season,” Eagles center Jason Kelce said. “Oh, we’re not going to give away any secrets or tendencies for the teams we play, but our approach has been the same as far as film study, practicing and things. We’re supposed to get a good amount of playing time and we want to make the most of it.”
Reid announced this week that the starters will play into the third quarter against the Patriots. The starting offense didn’t play much in the preseason opener against Pittsburgh last Thursday and wasn’t very effective. Quarterback Michael Vick and company played just two series and both ended in punts after just three plays. They gained minus-3 net yards. Vick completed 3 of 4 passes for 6 yards. Pro Bowl running back LeSean McCoy lost 2 yards on his only carry. Wide receiver DeSean Jackson caught one pass for 5 yards.
“I’m very excited about playing against New England,” Vick said. “I’m looking forward to getting out there and playing three quarters, getting into a rhythm, seeing their defense, reacting. Establishing some continuity is going to be very important. I think you have to be able to jell somewhat (during the preseason) and be on the same page.
“Honestly, we want to go out there and score points. We want to be as precise as we can be with getting in and out of the huddle, the tempo, and just get a feel for where we’re at. I think this will be a good test for us. (The Patriots) played in the Super Bowl last year, so we’ll have an opportunity to see where we stand. We’re certainly going to try and go out there and put some points on the board.”
Philly opens up the season against the Browns on September 9 so the team is treating this game vs. the Patriots as their official regular season tune-up. This means more playing time for the top half of the roster and more installations in practice. No playing time has been announced yet, but there’s a very good chance that there will be some unit mismatches as the game unfolds.
A possible advantage for the Eagles comes in the trenches. Patriots’ O-Line is a little out of sync right now. LT Nate Solder allowed three hurries vs the Saints last week, while RT Marcus Cannon gave up a sack, three hurries, and two knockdowns. Overall it was an ugly night for the entire Patriots O-line. This bodes well for the “deep depth” Philly boasts on their D-Line.
I won’t be surprised if Belichick counters with more two-tight end sets and an emphasis on the run game. Shane Vareen looked great vs the Saints so the battle at RB will heat up with Stevan Ridley. Both will be featured heavily against the Eagles.
LB Dane Fletcher is out with a torn ACL, so the Pats will be relying on a lot of youth at linebacker. Chandler Jones has been impressive in camp and that carried into the game vs. the Saints. He’s going to provide a nice test for LT King Dunlap of the Eagles—who gets the start ahead of Demetress Bell.
Nnamdi Asomugha (sore neck) and Joselio Hanson (dislocated finger) both practiced Friday, as did defensive tackle Antonio Dixon (triceps spasm). They are expected to play against the Patriots…though I would not be surprised if Nnamdi is held out of this one. Why risk aggravating this injury? We already know what Nnamdi can do in coverage, especially against the tight ends in certain sets…Why risk it in a PS game?
I’ll keep this blurgger short as I will be away from the desk until late Sunday night, having to fulfill a family obligation. Then on Monday we’ll set up a Livefyre showcase of commentary by the smartest phans in the Philly universe to cover the Pats game live. There will be a lot of developing stories unfolding before our eyes— not the least of which will be Nick Foles’ debut as QB#2 in the second half of the game.
Thank you for all your comments and critical thinking— not to mention your tremendous senses of humor. Please have a safe and relaxing weekend…
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