Eagles win over Rams: What they're saying
It's only Monday and still time to bask in the glow of a glorious win to open the year. While everyone in Eagles nation is celebrating, Andy Reid thinks it was ok...
"It was a good way to start the season," coach Andy Reid said yesterday after his team won its opener for just the fourth time in his 10 seasons. "There were some good things. It looked like all three phases were doing OK. I would have liked to have seen them not score a field goal at the end. . . ."
Predictably, Desean Jackson was the name on many players' lips.
"We all know DeSean's a great football player," Sheldon Brown said. "Only time will tell (how good). Let's hope he continues to stay hungry. If he does that, maybe we'll be talking about the Hall of Fame. It all depends if he stays hungry and doesn't let everything go to his head."
Andy Reid was asked whether he was worried that the league was taking notice of Desean.
I'm not worried about it," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "In high school, he came in and he had success early and was a great player. He goes to Cal and the same thing happens. The first punt return, he takes it the distance. He's always had these things happen to him, so he knows how to handle it. I give both those young guys [Jackson and kick returner Quintin Demps] a bad time because they bring a great confidence and cockiness to the locker room, and I like that. They'll keep it in perspective."
Desean himself wasn't surprised by his success
"With how the Rams played today we felt we could do some great things. We just attacked them," Jackson said. "I'm never surprised with (my) success. I put in the work. The only thing I can do is play, give it my all and that's what I did. I left it all out on the field."
"It just shows where I come from, Los Angeles, and just growing up, the things I had to go through, obstacles, things like that," Jackson said. "But I'm just very tough. I have a lot of heart inside of me. People would always tell me I was too small, couldn't play, or I wouldn't make it, things like that. Well, it definitely motivated me to get to where I'm at today."
Sheldon Brown talked about his huge hit on Steven Jackson
"I had the opportunity to try to set the tempo and the tone of the game," Brown said. "As a defensive player you never know when it's your opportunity. And when it presents itself you have to do your best and I tried my best to do that for the defense."
As it turns out, the hit may have been against Jim Johnson's advice...
"Coach always says that little guys have to go low, but I saw an opportunity to go high," Brown said. "It was a pretty good hit."
The defense were pretty humble despite a dominating performance
Asante Samuel
"You never can judge yet," Samuel said. "It's too early in the season. First game, you know, that's just my opinion. Whenever you hold an NFL team to three points it's good, but there's a lot of room to improve and there's a lot of work we still have to do. We have to keep chopping at the wood."
Juqua Parker
"After the way we played the whole game, we wanted that shutout," defensive end Juqua Parker said. "So to give up a field goal there, that bothered us."
"I think you can attribute it to all of the work we did in the offseason," Gaither said. "Really, it's hats off to that work. We were able to come out in the first week and play like we've been playing together for 2 or 3 years."
Quintin Mikell was disappointed with the lack of turnovers.
"I still don't think we're there," strong safety Quintin Mikell said. "We had a good game. But we had some picks we dropped. The thing we've stressed is [forcing] turnovers and getting off the field on third down. We definitely stepped up on getting off the field [on third down]. But we've got to do better with the turnovers. Hopefully, we can improve on that next week."
Inky columnist John Gonzalez had some thoughts on the TV coverage of the game
Did anyone else wonder why Fox color analyst Daryl Johnston laid into Smith? Yeah, Smith dropped a couple of passes near the goal line, but the game was a blowout. And it wasn't like Smith played poorly before that. Moose seemed like he was in a bad mood. Before the half, with the Birds leading 14-0, he admonished Philly for not winning by a greater margin. "I'm starting to get concerned about the Eagles," he said. "They're letting the Rams stay in this game."
Good call, Daryl. You're a regular Emmitt Smith in front of the camera.
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Comments
Moose was just upset because he always gets boo’d in Philly, as he should.
There were a lot of near INTs I think 4 for Asante alone, but I’m okay with them not getting any turnovers. 7, 3 and outs and 0-11 on 3rd down is just as good as turnovers. If you are letting them get yards and change field position then you need a turnover but if they only get 3 plays and less than 10 yards you are winning the field position battle.
by Whodie126 on Sep 8, 2008 9:21 AM EDT 0 recs
Day after a big win noon-thirty and only 1 comment … where is everyone.
by Whodie126 on Sep 8, 2008 12:38 PM EDT 0 recs
Moose
Moose was dead on when he said Philly should’ve been putting the game away. All the Rams had to do was put on enice drive together and they would be right in the game. No excuses, if you dominate a team the score board better show it. We’ve lost games where we kept teams alive instead of stomping on their necks.
Let’s keep this in perspective everyone. Yes, we had a great game, but we do need to see more. I don’t like the fact Randy McMichael was catching pases at will because we DO have to face jason witten next week. Secondly, we forced zero turn overs which won’t fly against better opponents. Lastly, it was just one game and it was indeed…..the rams.
We will face a much tougher opponent next week, and it’s important our players stay focused and keep their eyes on the prize. I can honestly say my enjoyment was short lived knowing we have to face Dallas in Dallas on monday night. Go birds!
by Joe_D on Sep 8, 2008 12:51 PM EDT 0 recs
Secondly, we forced zero turn overs which won’t fly against better opponents.
I couldn’t disagree more … like I said in my above post 3 and outs are just as good as a 7 play drive that ends in an interception. Granted if a team is moving the ball you need turnovers but when they can’t do “diddily poo” on offense well thats a job well done for the D.
by Whodie126 on Sep 8, 2008 2:26 PM EDT 0 recs
Let's be honest.
We’re going to face offenses that can move the ball. We stifled a lot of offenses last year with limited TOs and how’d that workout for us?
by Joe_D on
Sep 8, 2008 4:59 PM EDT
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pretty damn good to bad our Offense couldn’t put shit up for points. Top 10 defense in Yards and Points per game allowed in the entire NFL. It was our Offense that lost us games last year not the D … the offense couldn’t move the ball giving other teams offense more time with the ball and tiring our the Defense. Our Offense couldn’t score in the Redzone which demoralized the Defense.
by Whodie126 on
Sep 8, 2008 5:24 PM EDT
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COUNTER POINT
Whodie126 you make a good point that a 3 and out is as good as a 7 play drive with a turnover but in the past this team is built on the bend don’t break ideas so if they can’t come up with the turnover something they supposedly worked on. it is still a dissapointment that they couldn’t force one turnover enough of one that Q even brought it up in his post game interview. 3 and outs are important don’t get me wrong but when the team goes after a corner that lead the league in int’s that goes to show how important a turnover is in a game a turnover can shift momentum in a game a 3 and out just doesn’t quit have the same demorlizing factor.
by Buckwampum Birds Fan on
Sep 8, 2008 6:21 PM EDT
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So youre saying
Us not creating any turnovers didn’t affect our record last year?
I disagree. Yes our offense was a problem but 19 turnovers isnt going to help.
by Joe_D on
Sep 9, 2008 12:53 PM EDT
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I love our defense’s reaction to this game, being mad about giving up 3 points…. i really hope that they truly are angry at that fact, and if they are, i really like our chances against the cowboys.
by Remis on Sep 8, 2008 4:45 PM EDT 0 recs
After re-watching the first half...
1. The Eagles nickel and dime packages are going to be good with the addition of Asante and Stewart Bradley.
2. Tony Hunt laid some nice blocks on the Rams LBs. One improvement over Tapeh is that he hits the hole faster when he’s blocking and gets to guys farther downfield.
3. McNabb was just throwing darts.
4. The Birds called a good offensive game.
5. Greg Lewis missed a read and didn’t cut his route short on a blitz, which was a shame b/c 5 laid a perfect pass where he should have been. If you remember, Reid laid into Lewis on the sideline after the play.
6. The LBs are all solid against the run, but a little worried about them still not reading pass fast enough on some plays. This is especially the case with Gocong, but he doesn’t play on passing downs.
7. Quintin Mikel is a solid player, especially against the run.
8. The oline played well with the exception of Shawn Andrews – who missed some key blocks, especially on pass protection.
by phillynyc on Sep 9, 2008 2:39 AM EDT 0 recs












