Bird Watch: Defense, Offensive Line Stumble in Loss to Jets

by kingmcnabb5 on Sep 4, 2009 2:18 AM EDT

Well, it may not h 34335 ave been one of the Eagles’ fondest games, but then again, tonight’s exhibition was merely a contest to judge the backup and reserve players attempting to stick with the team through this Saturday’s final roster cutdown. The defense surrendered nearly 40 points, the offensive line was unable to contain the Jets’ pass rush for most of the time, and the special teams unit allowed far too many big plays, but the Birds appear stocked with potential and explosiveness. I’m not going to sugarcoat this game, for it was a loss, and therefore things went wrong, but there were some players that performed with success this evening.

Kevin Kolb started at QB to relieve Donovan McNabb of any duties, and finished with a strong showing, completing 8 passes for 110 yards and a TD. Others that impressed against the Jets included: TE Tony Curtis (4 catches, 40 yards, 1 TD), WR Brandon Gibson (4 catches, 45 yards), DE Jason Babin (1 sack), LB Moise Fokou (7 tackles, 2 tackle assists), and WR Danny Amendola (3 carries, 21 yards, 2 catches, 40 yards).

This game was the last chance for the “long shot” players to earn a roster spot, and for some select proven players to win a starting job. Below I have listed a few players that I believe improved their chances of making the roster, and a few that decreased their chances of making the team:

Players who took advantage of extended playing time and increased their chances of making the roster:

TE Tony Curtis: The former Cowboy was very consistent against the Jets, recording 4 receptions for 40 yards and a TD, and was impressive while displaying his blocking skills. Curtis seems to be overtaking rookies Eugene Bright and Rob Myers for the 3rd TE job, and he arguably has the lead for the backup role as well, for Matt Schobel hasn’t seen any significant action throughout the entire offseason.
DE Jason Babin: Signed during the concluding stages of Training Camp, Babin has looked like the team’s best Defensive End, aside from Pro-Bowler Trent Cole. He got to the QB for yet another sack, and in my mind, has secured himself in a reserve spot. His primary competition for a job was Bryan Smith, but the 2nd-year end hasn’t done much to make the coaches choose otherwise.
WR Brandon Gibson: Although it was likely that Gibson was going to make the roster anyway, he really defined his determination tonight. Making 4 receptions for 45 yards (including a great 18-yard jumping catch) and also executing some nice blocks on defensive backs, Gibson may have solidified himself as the number 5 or 6 WR, but only Saturday’s cutdown will tell the truth about the situation.

Players who failed to take advantage of extended playing time and decreased their chances of making the roster:

CB Dimitri Patterson: Patterson, who remained in a tight battle with Jack Ikegwunou for the 5th CB spot, neither played well nor bad. That may sound okay, but certainly not for the final preseason game when players are on the verge of making or breaking their NFL careers. He made only one tackle, and missed some time in the game with an injury. His competition–Ikegwuonu–made an interception to go along with a pair of tackles and pass deflections, so it appears Patterson’s days as an Eagle could be nearing an end.
MLB Matt Wilhelm: Fighting for a job as a backup LB, Wilhelm hasn’t been exactly what the front office was looking for–at least, according to many analysts and myself. He was brought in to potentially compete for the starting MLB job, and now faces what could be a dreary Saturday if the team decides to cut him. Special teams star Tracy White and rookie sensation Moise Fokou have passed the former Charger on the depth chart, and with each passing day, Wilhelm’s chances of making the Eagles dwindles.
DE Bryan Smith: As Jason Babin rises in the ranks of the team, Bryan Smith is seemingly falling. Although he remains a high prospect in the eyes of the Eagles’ organization, he has been a basic non-factor throughout the entire preseason. It’s probably a 50-50 chance that Smith will be getting the release papers Saturday, and if he doesn’t get cut, there might be a chance he gets placed on the IR with one of those “fake injuries to conserve a roster spot but keep the player for the future”.

In the remainder of the post, you will find a summary of the game:

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER				PHI	NYJ
	TD	11:13	LeSean McCoy 1 Yd Run (David Akers Kick)	7	0
	TD	07:09	Jerricho Cotchery 21 Yd Pass From Mark Sanchez (Jay Feely Kick)	7	7
SECOND QUARTER				PHI	NYJ
	TD	14:35	Michael Vick 2 Yd Run (David Akers Kick)	14	7
	TD	13:34	Danny Woodhead 55 Yd Run (Jay Feely Kick)	14	14
	FG	08:54	David Akers 48 Yd	17	14
	TD	01:03	Tony Curtis 12 Yd Pass From Kevin Kolb (David Akers Kick)	24	14
	FG	00:00	Jay Feely 47 Yd	24	17
THIRD QUARTER				PHI	NYJ
	TD	09:42	Wallace Wright 4 Yd Pass From Erik Ainge (Jay Feely Kick)	24	24
	TD	05:48	Danny Woodhead 3 Yd Run (Jay Feely Kick)	24	31
FOURTH QUARTER				PHI	NYJ
	FG	05:08	David Akers 36 Yd	27	31
	TD	04:51	David Clowney 73 Yd Pass From Erik Ainge (Parker Douglass Kick)	27	38