Reid and Vick saying all the right things... but lingering doubt remains among Eagles fans...
We are concerned about this team...which as our Gatekeeper Brizer has pointed out, is an entirely different issue from "worried"...
We have issues. Not entirely happy with the LB or OL picture at this juncture..not sold on the defensive secondary depth, either... and not crazy about the QB mix...
But Andy Reid seems to like what he sees...
Before breaking camp on Tuesday to settle into their NovaCare Complex headquarters for the rest of the season, Reid indicated he was encouraged by what he's seen this summer.
Andy says "Thanks!" to the fans who showed up for Training Camp at Lehigh University...
"The thing I was looking for was, were they going to carry over backing up to last season, were they going to carry over that energy they had at the end of last season that they brought into the OTAs ... into this camp here," Reid said. "They seemed to do that. Does that mean that's going to carry you through? No, but it's a good foundation to start with, and then are you going work hard? I thought they did that. They busted their tail. People weren't trying to get out of practice or look for the easy way out of a drill. They pushed themselves through and we got better."
"So, do we have a long way [to go]? Absolutely. We need the rest of this preseason to get ourselves right for the season. But at least there's a foundation there to build on. I've got an idea of their personality and I like that part of it. But we've got to go do it and finish up these next few weeks very aggressively."
In other words, be quick but don't hurry the way they did all of last season, particularly under then new defensive coordinator Juan Castillo, who had virtually no time to implement his system. Castillo was learning on the job himself, and it proved too much for the players to process.
"Juan's more comfortable. I think, just going through it," Reid said. "I think his guys are more comfortable knowing the defense, which helps. Last year, we had it kind of jump-started here at Lehigh. They didn't have the OTAs, they didn't understand how we practiced, the speed we practiced, all the little things that take place. So Juan was able to feed them a little bit more this offseason. They have a better understanding. They practice fast and furious, and that's important."
After 22 days - 25 for the rookies and quarterbacks - training camp was finally over.
Some players, like defensive end Brandon Graham, left a positive impression as the team left for Philadelphia. But there are also some question marks, including cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha and new middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans.
"I appreciate the way the people up here taken care of us over the last few weeks," Eagles coach Andy Reid said Tuesday. "They do a phenomenal job. It's also been a good camp from a camaraderie standpoint. Bringing a team together, I think, is very important in the National Football League and so it's good from that standpoint. We were also able to get a lot of good work in. It was good to see the progress this football team made. Do we still have a ways to go? Absolutely. But I appreciated their work ethic and their attitude as they approached it."
Mike Vick has some words to say about it...
Vick was inundated with autograph requests on the final day of TC....
"I know that we are a very tough football team," quarterback Michael Vick said. "We have guys on this team who care and want to win. We'll go the extra mile to make sure that we have the best chance for success. That's gratifying."
Vick went on to praise his two most explosive weapons, running back LeSean McCoy and wide receiver DeSean Jackson, for the attitude they've taken since being rewarded with long-term contract extensions in the offseason. "They were both committed and they didn't miss a day," he said. "Even when they were hurting and needed treatment, they got out there and grinded. They busted their butts to make sure they were accountable. Both of them had tremendous camps."
I'm especially proud of DeSean for stepping up as a leader, as well as LeSean and [WR] Jeremy Maclin. I think it's part of their growing process, and is extremely important for those guys in their stages of their careers."
McCoy hopes they can make the investments pay off. "The team did a good job of signing us to nice contracts," McCoy said, "so they're depending on us. So it's only right for us to come here as professionals and take care of our job and be leaders, lead this team to what we all want: a Super Bowl."
"I feel very good about the team," Vick said. "I'm excited."
The Eagles still have more than three weeks and three more preseason games before they open the regular season at Cleveland on Sept. 9. There is still plenty of time for players to impress the coaching staff and earn spots on the 53-man roster. Reid indicated that evaluating personnel is a daily process in which the coaching staff sits down after each practice and realigns the depth chart at every position. Here's a look at some of the players who stood out at Lehigh and some who struggled.
Standouts:
1. Cornerback Dominque Rodgers-Cromartie: He was the best defensive player on the field in most practices by a wide margin. Now playing outside as a replacement for Asante Samuel, he was able to display his remarkable closing speed to produce a bevy of interceptions and knockdowns during the live scrimmages and even in the one-on-one drills against wide receiver DeSean Jackson.
2. Defensive end Brandon Graham: Graham, a first-round draft pick in 2010, came into camp determined to prove that last sesaon's lack of production was not a reflection of his talent. He accomplished that goal with a nonstop hustle in even the most mundane drills. He spent most of training camp in the offensive backfield during live scrimmages and was among the best defensive linemen in the pass-rushing drills.
3. Wide receiver Damaris Johnson: The rookie free agent came on strong in the latter half of camp with a number of dazzling catches during the live scrimmages. His ability as a punt returner may wind up giving him an edge over fellow rookie Marvin McNutt, veteran Chad Hall and perhaps even injured Riley Cooper in the competition for the No. 4 spot behind Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Jason Avant.
Others: tight end Clay Harbor, place-kicker Alex Henery, running back Dion Lewis, wide receiver Marvin McNutt.
Disappointments:
1. Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha: He had a "disappointing" season upon joining the Eagles as a heralded free agent a year ago and continued to struggle during camp before suffering a sore neck and split lip in a collision with safety Nate Allen on Monday. He has yet to live up to the hype. Truth be told, Nnamdi has been victimized by poor communication among his teammates in the secondary...But Aso has the skills to dominate the way he did at Oakland...he just needs to coordinate better with his...well, ah, Coordinator!
2. Middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans: When the Eagles acquired Ryans in a trade with Houston during the offseason, he was lauded as the best middle linebacker the Eagles have had since Jeremiah Trotter was in his prime a decade ago. So far, he hasn't shown it. Ryans didn't make any glaring mistakes, but was invisible most of the time. He didn't make a single tackle in the Eagles' preseason game against Pittsburgh last week.
3. Safety Jaiquawn Jarrett: He has to show a lot of improvement over the next three weeks or he could be in danger of getting cut after just one season. A second-round pick in 2011, the Temple University product barely played as a rookie as he struggled to learn the system. He continued to make mistakes in training camp and during the first preseason game.
Others: tackle Demetress Bell, defensive tackle Antonio Dixon, linebacker Brian Rolle...and I love Brian Rolle's skill set, so don't shoot the messenger!
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Due to a yearly dispute between Fox and Directv, I was not able to view tonight's game. I'll have to wait for NFLN to replay it. I would like to see AS get burned.
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Great effort by the BP again... And Cliff Lee once again has a win stolen from him by bad D and some scrub pitcher in the 8th... Only like the 15th time or so... NBW
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Glad to see el presidente get burned by AJ Green, and see my boy Sanu get a TD, who should have slipped further! dangnabbit!
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Wow Graham Harrell the bu QB in GB... Is absolutely TURRIBLE... They should be on the phone with Seattle before the game is over asking what it will take to get Jackson... This guy has no place on an nfl field currently.... He makes Kafka look like Montana from cripes sake!!!
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Lets talk about the movie'the expendables' ....Bad idea...But at this point who are the expendables for this squad? McNutt? Dixon?Bell?Cooper?Hall? youse get the picture,some names are gonna drop....kafka? All the sudden theres Q's all over cept' for the "D" line,WR,RB.......Well I'll take that ...still early,and hanson sticks,'specially the way ASO has been playing,kinda remind's me of Chris(bone-yo) .payed some $ but never panned out,Bri ASO is not a concern but a 'worrie'.
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@southphillyben sorry mate, i gotta head out now..
catch you later...
don't have answer to your question, but I am sure you will get a few
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Bwah ha ha har... The blonde girl just called me!!! its 10am for gawds sake...
Am I a magnet for crazy horny women or what?!?!
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A blonde girl called Leena gave me her number... and declared quickly it wasn't For a booty call!!
I replied 'thats cool, we can just go to lunch so you can relax and there is no sexual innuendo..'
Her jaw dropped then she slapped me!!! and left grinning with her friends..
I was puzzled
Then laughed HARD when she booty call me later, the silly blonde didn't know what sexual innuendo meant!!!!!
Bwah ha hah har!!!!!!
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@beanstalk I thought a sexual inuendo was when moonbeam licks the croch of his Eli Manning poster?
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Sunny....Just when I thinks youse is try'in to shine thru....I scroll down and read some garbage about father figures and MV sitt'in on AR's lap....Have you any diginity,integrity,or for that matter any social skills?
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Very revealing quote from Jason Kelce on Demetress Bell and King Dunlap: “I’m comfortable with King and Demetress, but King I’ve been playing with over a year now and he’s definitely more knowledgeable with the system, more knowledgeable with the techniques. If someone gives us a funky look, he’s able to make corrections a little bit quicker. Through this part of training camp, King has played better. And that doesn’t necessarily mean that if Demetress Bell doesn’t come on strong here in the next couple weeks that it couldn’t be his job, but I think Howard wants the best five guys out there that he can get. This team is trying to win right now, so that’s where we’re at right now. King’s just done a better job and Demetress is still learning the offense. We’ll see where we’re at at the end of training camp."
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@Kenemeka Dats what i said earlyer today ,basicly Dunlap has never really disapointed when called upon,in fact he's done well,game day type...
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Don't know if Dunlap ever gets to starter category or not. Whether he sux - or not.
( I picked him in the Big Dog's Contest - don't remember the name).
One - irrefutable point....the SOB IS HUGE !!!!! Geez!
High center of grav though ( I think the Broz gang pointed that out earlier).
I was short for where I played (back at Bedrock High). One thingy - once you're under them - you own them.
Ok - Done.
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Someone here wrote that Vets with team security take it easy during TC--don't extend themselves. I believe this is true, especially 300 pounders on DL. This situation makes striving, young OLmen and RBs look better than they are.
Make book on it!
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@sunbutts Our D line is prolly 'The' bright spot of this team thus far....Witch fat ass is salcken?
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Dixon did sumlin to his triceps... the same one that landed him on IR last year... the clock tolls for thee mr dixon... mr thorton cooooooooooooome on down!!!
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@atvcar hes been out played so far but for many its still early,only wk #2 PSF,However the word on da screet is he way outta shape...still.
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SonnyO: I am thinking of getting in FB when it hits $18. The initial IPO price before all the shenanigan bankers got involved....what says you?
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ATV--Remember I said I wouldn't buy Facebook stock with Loopy's money? Well, the stock price is just about half of its issue price.
Sure glad my Mom dropped me ion my head when a baby. What says you?
Some people work for a living--some sit back and think!
Is a puzzlement!
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@sunbutts Some people work for a living--some sit back and think---
Brilliant,..Sunbutts,...
And some people graduate from Tartuffe University,...
where they grill the steaks just the way Sunbutts likes 'em,...
I'VE ABOUT HAD IT WIFF YOU MISTER!
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@sunbutts I sez the drop on your head made you good with numbers and a dunce when it comes to football... how ya like dem apples?
