First of all, THANK YOU to the smartest fans in Eagles Nation and the NFL blogosphere… this is officially our 6th month in exile from the collapse of one of the greatest fan forums in football history…the original PE.com “On The Inside” gallery… We honor “Smarticles” here, always have, always will… used to be the intervention of demanding critical analysts like Brizer was a good thing at PE.com… now it’s “politically incorrect” to request a newbie to “perk up”…Ah, such is modern sensitivity, where “princess boys” are suddenly valued as future wardrobe design consultants. At least the reality of NFL football standards of achievement is still here to comfort us, the “hard-core” evaluators of manly achievement.
That being said, I encourage you’se to rally to the aid of our allied nation— “OTI”—- at least occasionally—- and put in a solid post just to remind the stragglers of what one is like…especially over this coming Labor Day weekend, which unfortunately will leave me high and dry without power as I adjourn to my annual holiday on Smith Island, no doubt about to waste a major portion of my Eagles fan-life in the acts of repairing an old fishing shanty…and mentally prepare for the upcoming regular season of chills and thrills in the NFC East.
Let’s look a little closer at this game against the Jets coming up tonight:
Well, it seems we’re gonna get an up-close-and-personal look at Muhammad Wilkerson, the first-round draft pick of the Jets at DT/DE, 6-4, 315, out of Temple…
Really, Rex? You’re gonna throw Wilkerson at our 2’s and 3’s ?
Guess so…
“Some of our key players are going to be out there,” said Head coach Ryan yesterday. “Muhammad Wilkerson’s going to play, Kenrick Ellis, Kyle Wilson’s still playing. It’s not like it’s just going to be the third team out there.”
Man, Rex wants this one…bad!
I was somewhat surpised the Eagles passed on Wilkerson, who was the #30 pick overall last spring… The scouting book on Wilkerson at the time was: “Wilkerson is an elite 3-4 defensive end prospect with ideal size, excellent shedding ability and the athleticism to pursue from the backside and rush the passer…Jolts offensive linemen at the point of attack, can beat the double team, finds the football and makes plays against the run… Does not have rare first-step quickness but can take a direct line through blockers to pressure the quarterback and has range against the run. Despite size, is a three-down guy who plays with a high effort level for four quarters.”
But I guess the Eagles had other priorities on their mind… and besides, the Birds were already relatively stocked at DE and DT…especially now realizing they had Cullen Jenkins and Jason Babin as FA’s in their sights…
I somewhat foolishly thought the home-town angle on Wilkerson might prevail…
Ryan also said Aaron Maybin still has to “show he’s the pass rusher we think he’s got a chance to be.” In other words, Maybin, signed as a free agent after the Bills cut the former first-rounder two weeks ago, has no lock on the “DPR” (Designated Pass Rusher) position, which at the moment Jamaal Westerman is holding. Which also means Ryan plans to play the veteran former first-rounder against the Eagles tonight.
“Right now Jamaal’s probably rushing the passer as well as anybody we have,” Ryan said. “I thought he played well this past week in particular. He’ll have the opportunity to play Thursday night as well.”
That’s a hint that while the starters will watch, a number of Jets players with front-line roles will participate against Vince Young, Mike Kafka and the Birds.
“I just think it’s going to be about evaluating. It’s going to be an opportunity for some people to step up and make the football team,” Ryan said. “If it’s close, whoever plays best will get that job. It’s an audition for a lot of guys. It’s about playing physical, playing fast and getting after it. It’s a young-guy thing. They’re fighting for some of those roster spots.
In Monday night’s game against the Giants, rookie defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson showed Jets fans what his teammates have known for some time. The 6’4”, 315-pounder is one bad dude, and although he has yet to play his first professional regular season game, he has proven his mettle and shown he belongs. In the third quarter, with the Jets leading, 7-3, an otherwise nondescript 7-yard completion by the Giants turned into a slugfest. Wilkerson and Giants RB Brandon Jacobs were tangled up when Jacobs threw a punch at the rookie. Wilkerson retaliated and both were promptly ejected from the game.
“He’s a very competitive guy that’s willing to stick his nose in there,” said S Jim Leonhard. “It was a hard-nosed football play, and it ended up where it ended up, which is unfortunate. But you like to see that from young guys. He’s going to be an aggressive player for us.”
Wilkerson, a Linden, N.J., native, acknowledged he might have been better served by not involving himself with Jacobs, but he wouldn’t go so far as to apologize for what transpired between the two. “Was it a smart move? No. Do I regret it? No,” Wilkerson told reporters on a Tuesday conference call. “It’s football and I’m not going to let anyone take advantage of me.”
Coming off a standout junior season at Temple, Wilkerson started in all 12 games for the Owls, making 9.5 sacks, 70 tackles in all, and 13 tackles for loss, and forced two fumbles.
With Mark Sanchez slated to sit out and backup Mark Brunell still hobbled with a calf injury, Jets rookie QB Greg McElroy seems likely to be under center for all or most of Thursday’s game.
To his credit, Ryan is not as hell-bent for leather to beat the Eagles as I may have unfairly portrayed, and will rest most of his first team players. Philadelphia Head coach Andy Reid figures to take the same course of action with his regulars, though the Eagles come in with a more of a respite than the Jets… Reid’s team was last in action this past Thursday, scoring a 24-14 win over Cleveland at Lincoln Financial Field…Ryan’s team is still catching its breath from Monday night’s win over the Giants.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Reid trots out his top offensive line for a few series in this one, however, especially after the crew underwent some reshuffling following the last game. With projected right tackle Ryan Harris sidelined indefinitely after undergoing recent back surgery, usual left guard Todd Herremans will slide into that spot with Evan Mathis taking over Herremans’ old post.
The front wall will also have two rookie starters in place for Philadelphia’s Sept. 11 lid-lifter at St. Louis, with sixth-round draftee Jason Kelce overtaking incumbent Jamaal Jackson at center. He’ll be situated next to right guard Danny Watkins, the Eagles’ first-round choice in April’s draft.
As for Wilkerson being thrown into the mix tonight? He has above-average agility for a lineman his size, and combined with his strength, he makes for a difficult matchup with our 2’s and 3’s…Personally, if I were Rex Ryan, I would protect this kid and make sure he was healthy for the Dallas game on September 11… But I’m obviously not Rex Ryan, who likes to roll the dice just a tad…
Through three preseason games, Wilkerson has recorded six total tackles in limited playing time. He’ll look to improve further in the preseason finale against Philadelphia at MetLife Stadium. Only a day removed from the Giants game, Ryan said the rookies will be on center stage come Thursday night.
Wilkerson, in all his youthful exuberance, is not concerned with the short turnaround.
“It’s kind of just like practice,” he said. “You practice every day with pads. It’s kind of going to be the same. It’s not like I’m not looking forward to it. I’m ready to go, no matter when, no matter where.”
Wilkerson has been a pro football player for only a short while but already exudes a veteran grit. This comes as no surprise to Ryan, who thinks some of his toughness may be a result of where he grew up. “I don’t think he’s intimidated by anything,” said Ryan earlier this month. “He’s a tough New Jersey kid. It’s kind of neat when you get a New Jersey guy. New York, New Jersey, we get our own kind of kids here.”
How fickle is fate?… Wilkerson went to Temple… he rightfully should be ours…
Vince Young and second-year pro Mike Kafka are expected to split reps at quarterback for Philadelphia. Young is coming off an impressive outing against the Browns, hitting on 9-of-12 attempts for 58 yards and adding a 10- yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
We’ll flip this page at about 6:30 P.M. EST as usual on game day and turn the “Live Blog” over to the smartest fan posters in the NFL… and then we’ll recap the game and the most likely Eagles cuts early Friday morning…
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