Well, we are \u00bc of the way through the Eagles season with the Birds sitting at 3-1.\u00a0 Honestly, if you offered me 3-1 through these 4 games, I would have signed for it rather readily.\u00a0 But, I certainly would not have anticipated the route they have traveled to arrive there.\u00a0 And, there has to be a part of every Eagles fan that knows that 4-0 was 54 inches away.\u00a0 All that said, there have been some very good performances so far (and some not so good ones).\u00a0 So, at the quarterpole, it\u2019s time to give out the First Quarter Grades for each of our guys in green.<\/p>\n
Most of the grade is based strictly on my opinion of each player\u2019s performance to date, but there is probably a subconscious \u201ccurve\u201d going on here, as I am sure my opinion is at least partially affected by my expectations and what is asked of each player.\u00a0 For instance, Brad Smith is going to get a higher grade than Riley Cooper, but that does not at all mean that I think Smith should be ahead of Cooper on the depth chart.\u00a0 I just believe that based on what was expected and what is asked of each player, Smith has delivered more than Cooper.\u00a0 If their expectations and roles were switched, the grades would be very different.<\/p>\n
Anyway, on to the grades\u2026<\/p>\n
Nick Foles \u2013 C+<\/strong> LeSean McCoy \u2013 D<\/strong> Darren Sproles \u2013 A+<\/strong> Chris Polk \u2013 C-<\/strong> Jeremy Maclin \u2013 A-<\/strong> Riley Cooper \u2013 F<\/strong> Jordan Matthews \u2013 B+<\/strong> Brad Smith \u2013 C+<\/strong> Jeff Maehl \u2013 D-<\/strong> Zach Ertz \u2013 A-<\/strong> Brent Celek \u2013 B+<\/strong> James Casey \u2013 D+<\/strong> Jason Peters \u2013 A-<\/strong> Todd Herremans \u2013 B<\/strong> Jason Kelce \u2013 B<\/strong> All Other O-Linemen \u2013 C-<\/strong> Fletcher Cox \u2013 A-<\/strong> Cedric Thornton \u2013 A<\/strong> Bennie Logan \u2013 B<\/strong> Vinny Curry \u2013 D+<\/strong> Beau Allen \u2013 C-<\/strong> Brandon Bair \u2013 C+<\/strong> DeMeco Ryans \u2013 A<\/strong> Connor Barwin \u2013 A-<\/strong> Trent Cole \u2013 C-<\/strong> Brandon Graham \u2013 B-<\/strong> Mychal Kendricks \u2013 A-<\/strong> Emmanuel Acho \u2013 C<\/strong> Casey Matthews \u2013 D-<\/strong> Marcus Smith \u2013 D+<\/strong> Cary Williams \u2013 C-<\/strong> Bradley Fletcher \u2013 D Brandon Boykin \u2013 B+<\/strong> Nolan Carroll III \u2013 C+<\/strong> Malcolm Jenkins \u2013 A<\/strong> Nate Allen \u2013 D+<\/strong> Earl Wolff \u2013 C<\/strong> Bryan Braman\/Chris Maragos \u2013 A+<\/strong> Cody Parkey \u2013 A<\/strong> Donnie Jones \u2013 B+<\/strong> Well, we are \u00bc of the way through the Eagles season with the Birds sitting at 3-1.\u00a0 Honestly, if you offered me 3-1 through these 4 games, I would have signed for it rather readily.\u00a0 But, I certainly would not … Continue reading
\nThe first grade handed out was one of the hardest to give.\u00a0 What can you say about a guy that has thrown for a ton of yards and leads an offense that has scored the 3rd<\/sup> most points in the league through 4 weeks.\u00a0 However, he has looked shaky \u2013 including a clunker in San Fran.\u00a0 Now, some of that has to do with the makeshift O-line, so I gave him a bit of a break there, but a completion percentage below 60% is not good and some of the misses have been big misses.\u00a0 In the end, the guy has still led 3 late comeback wins and was 54 inches from 4-for-4 on Sunday.\u00a0 We are going to need much better QB play, for sure, but Foles hasn\u2019t been as terrible as our favorite Chicken Littles may want you to believe.<\/p>\nRunning Backs<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nThe O-line can only go so far as an excuse for flat-out POOR play from the \u201cbest RB on the planet.\u201d\u00a0 To me, he looks hurt.\u00a0 He was always so good at making the first guy miss, so the bad offensive line shouldn\u2019t be hurting him as much as it would some other backs.\u00a0 Also, he has really struggled in pass protection, which has always been a real strength of his game.\u00a0 My big fear:\u00a0 Shady has always been great about understanding when to get out of bounds and not chance another hit.\u00a0 But, with his immense frustration right now could cause him to take push for extra yardage and get himself hurt.\u00a0 For better or worse, the Birds will be riding Shady as far as he can take them, and he must be healthy for any of these high aspirations to see the light of day.<\/p>\n
\nFor the past 5-6 years, my favorite non-Eagle has been Darren Sproles.\u00a0 Now, he\u2019s an Eagle, and he has been everything I dreamed he could be.\u00a0 The only knock against him is that he has disappeared a bit on offense the past two weeks, but I blame the o-line and gameplan for that more than Sproles himself.\u00a0 And, in San Fran, he showed that you don\u2019t have gameplan him in to get impact, as he took a punt return to the house.\u00a0 This guy is amazing.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThe most important ability is availability.\u201d\u00a0 Or, as Doogan always says, \u201chealth is a skill.\u201d\u00a0 Polk needs to be healthy.\u00a0 We could use his change of pace going forward.\u00a0 But, he has been banged up and unready to play.\u00a0 His grade is only saved by that huge kick return against Washington.\u00a0 Other than that, I have been very disappointed that he has not put himself in position to contribute more.<\/p>\nWide Receivers<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nAfter two games, I was very concerned about the wideouts in general.\u00a0 But, the past two weeks completely eliminated my concern about our #1.\u00a0 Maclin seems to be getting comfortable on his knee and is poised to potentially become an elite receiver in this league.\u00a0 He has been making tough catches and shown that he can take the top off of the defense the way DeSean used to do.\u00a0 He\u2019s currently 5th<\/sup> in the NFL in receiving yards and poor deep throws by his QB has cost him at least 2 or 3 more big plays or he might be #1.<\/p>\n
\nAs good as Maclin has been, Cooper has been worse.\u00a0 Honestly, there is no one on this roster in whom I have been more disappointed than Mr. Cooper.\u00a0 And, I am not trying to pile on here or play hyperbole.\u00a0 He has been dreadful.\u00a0 There have been two touchdowns \u2013 including on in the Niners game that could have completely changed that game \u2013 that were flat-out dropped.\u00a0 He is not getting open, and he is not making plays.\u00a0 Remind me again why we think he\u2019s good?\u00a0 He has been a borderline #4 wideout for all but 10 game s in his career \u2013 those 10 games just happened to be the last 10 of 2013.\u00a0 But, shouldn\u2019t we think that that was the fluke and not the entire rest of his career?\u00a0 I am very <\/em>concerned about the #2 wideout position right now.<\/p>\n
\nMatthews has been very good in the slot.\u00a0 He is still making his way as a rookie WR.\u00a0 This grade is definitely on a curve because I do not think he has made all that much of an impact, but that is more because (a) he hasn\u2019t gotten the chances (I am hoping that will change going forward) and (b) he is a rookie WR.\u00a0 Rookie WRs rarely produce right away, but Matthews looks like the exception so far. \u00a0I am not ready to say he can be a productive outside receiver yet, but with the struggles of Cooper, we may find out sooner than we otherwise should.<\/p>\n
\nHe hasn\u2019t been asked to do much, but he has been okay when in there.\u00a0 I still like his versatility and think he is a lot more valuable to this team than he may appear on the surface (not to mention his special teams contributions).<\/p>\n
\nI have no idea why he continues to make this roster.\u00a0 Is there no one out there that would be an upgrade here?\u00a0 Honestly\u2026<\/p>\nTight Ends<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nI know he had a rough homecoming in San Fran, but I am not letting that overshadow what he has meant to this offense in their 3 wins.\u00a0 There is a real chance that Ertz becomes the backbone of the passing attack for years to come.\u00a0 He is a special player, who is just about to break out.\u00a0 His pass-catching ability and perfect fit for this offense even allows me to overlook the fact that he is not a very good blocker at this point in his career.\u00a0 He is improving in that area, though, and is good enough to keep the defense honest.\u00a0 This guy is a budding superstar.<\/p>\n
\nA B+ for a guy with 3 catches in 4 games?\u00a0 Yes.\u00a0 First of all, Celek has turned himself into an outstanding blocking tight end.\u00a0 And, regardless of the numbers, he still has to be respected as a pass-catcher by the defense, which makes him invaluable.\u00a0 He is not just a blocker when in the game \u2013 and, like Maclin, his numbers could look a lot better if the QB had connected on a couple of deep balls.\u00a0 Celek is still an important piece to this offense and, given the o-line struggles, has done all he can this year to lend a hand.<\/p>\n
\nThe first Chip Kelly free agent signing has been really disappointing for a year and a half now.\u00a0 I know he made a huge catch to seal the game against Washington, but that is his only catch this year, and he has shown to not be the blocker we thought he was.\u00a0 The guy we thought we were getting would fit rather nicely in this offense.\u00a0 Unfortunately, we never got that guy.\u00a0 I hope you all enjoyed the James Casey Era because it\u2019s just about over in Philly.<\/p>\nOffensive Line<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nThere are some \u201cexperts\u201d who believe that Peters looks like he has taken a step backwards this year.\u00a0 I am not sure I agree.\u00a0 Yes, there haven\u2019t been a ton of those plays where you watch and say \u201chow does a guy that big do THAT?!?\u201d\u00a0 But, I think that is more because end-runs by McCoy and the bubble screens by the WRs haven\u2019t been as prevalent this year.\u00a0 To be honest, for a guy like Peters, who has always jumped off the screen because of his incredible plays, to be the steady, consistent guiding force of a beat-up, inexperienced offensive line shows a real maturity and progression to his game.\u00a0 It is hard to fault the one guy in his rightful position that is seemingly holding this o-line together.<\/p>\n
\nThe point about Peters being the steady force guiding this makeshift line is the reason I gave Herremans such a high grade.\u00a0 He has not exactly been that great this year, but he has been at least adequate at multiple positions with changing guys all around him.\u00a0 O-lines crave consistency and familiarity, so for Herremans to play different positions with different guys just about every week and still be rather effective is an indication of how much of a pro he is.<\/p>\n
\nBefore he got hurt, Kelce had an A+.<\/em> I think he had become the best center in the NFL \u2013 and BY FAR the best center for this offense.\u00a0 Unfortunately, he\u2019s on the shelf.\u00a0 This offense NEEDS its center.<\/p>\n
\nI was going to go through them individually, but it is just not worth it because of the lack of time and such.\u00a0 Andrew Gardner has seen the most action of the \u201csecond stringers\u201d and has not been terrible.\u00a0 David Molk was barely serviceable (and that\u2019s actually generous) as Kelce\u2019s replacement in San Fran.\u00a0 Dennis Kelly has been okay, but has clearly shown why he is a 6th<\/sup> lineman in this league.\u00a0 Allen Barbre barely saw the field before being placed on IR.\u00a0 Same for Evan Mathis, though he\u2019s due back (thank god \u2013 because he\u2019s irreplaceable).\u00a0 And, then there\u2019s Matt Tobin.\u00a0 The coaching staff loves this guy, and he has all the tools to really make an impact in this offense.\u00a0 But, he was absolutely DREADFUL in San Fran on Sunday.\u00a0 Just awful.\u00a0 It looks like he is going to get another chance even with Lane Johnson coming back, but he can\u2019t give the same performance this week or he might not ever get a third chance.<\/p>\nDEFENSE<\/strong><\/h1>\n
D-Linemen<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nI have been driving the Fletcher Cox bandwagon since he was drafted and have finally been vindicated this year.\u00a0 Cox has been sensational.\u00a0 The only reason the grade isn\u2019t higher is because I want to see more sacks on the stat sheet.\u00a0 But, he has brought some pressure and, more importantly, has been incredible against the run.\u00a0 He is playing at a borderline All-Pro level and is going to be a stalwart on this defense for years to come.<\/p>\n
\nThe higher grade does not mean he has outplayed Cox \u2013 it\u2019s just been that, compared to expectations, the undrafted free agent, Thornton, may be the most underrated player on this Eagles roster.\u00a0 Week in and week out, he just puts out stellar performances \u2013 taking on blockers, setting an edge, and creating havoc in the middle of the o-lines.\u00a0 This defense is still built around strength up front, which makes Thornton one of the most important players in green every single week.<\/p>\n
\nI am going more with what I read and hear than what I see on Logan.\u00a0 People that know more than me seem to think he has been playing outstanding football in the middle.\u00a0 Personally, I haven\u2019t seen a lot that has jumped out at me.\u00a0 But, having only closely watched a 3-4 defense for 21 games now, I fully admit that I might not fully understand the nuances of nose tackle.\u00a0 Either way, there is no doubt that Logan has filled a very important need in this defense, as he appears to be a certifiable NFL nose \u2013 and those are hard to come by.<\/p>\n
\nThis might be unfair because I am tired of the hype around a guy that is clearly lost against the run.\u00a0 I was always able to put up with the lack of run stopping ability when he was getting to the QB, but he hasn\u2019t really been doing that either this year.\u00a0 I love the hometown kid, who grew up dreaming of playing for the Eagles, but I won\u2019t be heartbroken when he\u2019s let go this offseason.\u00a0 (That said, it wouldn\u2019t shock me in the least if he is the next Derek Burgess and has 17 sacks in Oakland next year or something like that).<\/p>\n
\nHe doesn\u2019t seem to cause much havoc when he\u2019s in there \u2013 and it\u2019s hard to miss him with that ridiculous hair.<\/p>\n
\nI would be lying if I said that I have noticed all that much of Bair either way.\u00a0 He seems to be decent on special teams, despite not being the type of guy who plays much \u201cteams.\u201d<\/p>\nLinebackers<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nIt is not necessarily the overall playmaking of Ryans that got him an A <\/em>in the first quarter.\u00a0 It is the fact that he is the undisputed leader of this defense and, at 30 years old, has played every single snap (at a grueling position) for a team that leads the league in defensive snaps.\u00a0 And, this will be the second straight year that he leads the league in snaps played on defense.\u00a0 If you value \u201csteady\u2019 (which I value VERY HIGHLY), then you love DeMeco Ryans.<\/p>\n
\nAm I too high on a defense that has stuggled at times this year?\u00a0 Just wait\u2026\u00a0 Anyway, Connor Barwin has been outstanding all year.\u00a0 I wish he would start putting sacks up on the board, but he is so good at deflecting passes and sniffing out play calls, that it is hard to hold that against him right now.\u00a0 This has been a very underrated signing for this team, as Barwin comes to play every week \u2013 no bells, no whistles \u2013 just hard-nosed linebacking.\u00a0 I love that.<\/p>\n
\nI hate to pour dirt on one of the best Eagles in a generation, but we need to be honest here.\u00a0 If Cole isn\u2019t putting up monster sack numbers at OLB, then he is probably really hurting your defense.\u00a0 He will always be a liability in coverage (through no real fault of his own, considering he lived on this Earth for 30 years without EVER being asked to cover anyone), but so are Clay Matthews and DeMarcus Ware.\u00a0 Well, Trent Cole is not causing nearly enough pressure to make up for his lack of coverage skills.\u00a0 They are stuck with him now because Marcus Smith clearly isn\u2019t ready and Brandon Graham is just a younger, not as good version of Cole (more on these two in a minute), but one of my favorite all-time Eagles is a real liability for the 2014 team.\u00a0 Shh \u2013 let\u2019s keep that rather quiet, though, out of respect for an all-time great.<\/p>\n
\nI don\u2019t think Graham will ever be an upgrade to Cole, but at least, when given the chance, he is getting to the QB.\u00a0 There is no doubt the guy is a bust for where they took him, but at this point in his career, I think he is valuable, and I am glad that no one panicked and cut him loose this offseason.\u00a0 We will see if he earned himself another contract (probably not), but for now, I am glad to have him.<\/p>\n
\nThis would have been an A+<\/em> if he were healthy.\u00a0 But, he is not.\u00a0 That said, if Kendricks can at all replicate the first 2.5 games he was out there in the final 12, this defense might actually be one day considered rather good.\u00a0 It is nice to see a young LB turning in to a star right before our eyes, though.\u00a0 Get back on the field, Mychal.<\/p>\n
\nI wish he didn\u2019t have to play at all\u2026ever.\u00a0 But, he hasn\u2019t been terrible.\u00a0 The Najeh Goode injury looks really big now, as Goode would have been a nice fill-in for Kendricks.\u00a0 Acho has shown something on special teams, as well, so he has been okay.\u00a0 It is just a shame that it is such a huge step down from Kendricks to the Acho\/Matthews combination.<\/p>\n
\nHe stinks.\u00a0 I just hope that this Casey Matthews Experiment ends this year.\u00a0 Please\u2026<\/p>\n
\nHe hasn\u2019t gotten a chance to play, but that doesn\u2019t mean that that isn\u2019t his fault.\u00a0 And, just because the team reached for him as a first-round pick doesn\u2019t excuse the fact that he can\u2019t get on the field.\u00a0 Someone else would have taken him in the 1st<\/sup> or early 2nd<\/sup>.\u00a0 I know that he is a bit of a project, and we should wait to fully evaluate the Smith selection, but it is really tough to swallow when your 1st-round pick can\u2019t get on the field (I can\u2019t tell you my reaction every time I see Darqueze Denard make another play for Cincinnati).\u00a0 All in all, though, I like the fact that he was able to move to ILB in one week and not look totally lost \u2013 a little anxious, maybe, but not lost.\u00a0 Oh well, I guess we should just look at Jordan Matthews as the #1 and Smith as a work-in-process #2.<\/p>\nCornerbacks<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nI have always been a Williams defender.\u00a0 I actually like his attitude.\u00a0 I think the \u201cF you\u201d attitude is needed in today\u2019s NFL \u2013 particularly at CB.\u00a0 However, when the \u201cF you\u201d is turned inside (more specifically, at the coach) then you\u2019ve lost me.\u00a0 But, beside the stupid comment about practice tiring him out (even though he missed that whole week of practice), Williams has not been very good on the field.\u00a0 In his defense, he is not really a #1 corner.\u00a0 In NOT his defense, he is paid like one.\u00a0 I may have actually been kind with this grade.<\/p>\n
\n<\/strong>This season has been a nightmare for Fletcher in coverage.\u00a0 I considered a flat-out F<\/em>, but I do like his tackling ability.\u00a0 And, after years of Asante Samuel and Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, I do have a soft spot for corners that are willing to tackle.\u00a0 Unfortunately, he is paid to cover receivers, and he just can\u2019t do that right now.<\/p>\n
\nI am not jumping on this \u201cBoykin needs to play outside right now\u201d bandwagon.\u00a0 BUT\u2026I am DEFINITELY on the \u201cBoykin needs to play more snaps\u201d bandwagon.\u00a0 I don\u2019t care how you get him in the game, but this guy needs to be on the field.\u00a0 I am not sure he\u2019s a superstar in the making, but I am sure that he has done just about everything he can in his limited action.<\/p>\n
\nCarroll hasn\u2019t seen much of the field, either, but I kind of put some of that blame on him.\u00a0 The coaching staff has never said that Carroll isn\u2019t an outside CB, so if they saw anything in practice, they might replace Fletcher on the outside.\u00a0 So, while the limited action I have seen has been positive with Carroll, I have to believe that he has been less than impressive in practice or he would be on the outside.\u00a0 Or\u2026maybe that change is coming.<\/p>\nSafeties<\/strong><\/h2>\n
\nHard to say anything negative about Malcolm Jenkins.\u00a0 He has been everything we could have hoped for.\u00a0 He has come up with timely interceptions (including that return TD for an offense that probably wouldn\u2019t have scored there based on how they were moving the ball).\u00a0 He has done exactly what they said he would do when they signed him \u2013 bring versatility.\u00a0 He can cover man-to-man, play the single high, or come into the box in run defense.\u00a0 In fact, that last point is the one that has been most impressive to me.\u00a0 I didn\u2019t realize he was such a sound tackler.\u00a0 Jenkins has been terrific.<\/p>\n
\nI have held out on saying this because I still thought there was hope for Nate Allen.\u00a0 But, you know what?\u00a0 I am officially DONE with Allen.\u00a0 He blows coverages (and not just the obvious one against D-Jax) and gets manhandled at the line of scrimmage.\u00a0 And, for a free safety, he takes the worst angles I have ever seen.\u00a0 It is like he thinks he like 10% faster than he actually is\u2026and, bad angles is not exactly a good trait for the last line of defense.\u00a0 I\u2019m ready to move on.<\/p>\n
\nI like Wolff.\u00a0 I know that he is a bit undisciplined, but he hits people, and he is really aggressive going for the ball in the air.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think he\u2019s ready to replace Allen midseason, but if I were planning the personnel, I would be looking for Wolff to be the starting FS in 2015.<\/p>\nSPECIAL TEAMS<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\nThe biggest improvement for the Eagles from Chip Kelly, Year 1 to Chip Kelly, Year 2 has been \u2013 without a doubt \u2013 the kick coverage teams.\u00a0 A lot has to do with the kicker and punter (more on that below), but I think the complete overhaul, which was led by the free agent signings of Braman and Maragos \u2013 among others.<\/p>\n
\nI could have knocked him for the short miss in the Indy game, but he came back and made the game-winner.\u00a0 And, while the two 51-yarders are nice, the reason I gave Parkey an A is because the Eagles touchback percentage has gone from 40% in 2013 to 60% in 2014.\u00a0 That 60% is 15th<\/sup> in the league, but doesn\u2019t take into account the fact that 3 of the 4 games were at the Linc or San Fran \u2013 two difficult places to kick for distance.\u00a0 Parkey is booming the ball \u2013 and that is a welcome change.<\/p>\n
\nThis might be a little unfair because he has been really good again this year (particularly in hangtime and placement).\u00a0 I guess I just downgraded him a bit because he hasn\u2019t been quite as incredible as he was last year (when he was sensational).\u00a0 Still it is such a luxury to have such a steady, solid, smart punter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"