Bleeding Green Nation: All Posts by John Breitenbach

Continuous failure; three positions that Crippled Reid's Eagles

2013-01-05T19:53:52Z

It's now official; Andy Reid is gone. The Eagles will have a new coach for the first time in since 1999. Early in his tenure Reid did an excellent job with personnel but the past few seasons are littered with mistakes that really set the team back. To be fair every NFL team makes mistakes but it was the failure to resolve problems even at the second attempt that really cost the Eagles in this 4-12 season. The secondary especially has suffered since the death of

Jim Johnson with quality players like Sheldon Brown, Quintin Mikell and Brian Dawkins leaving despite playing at a high level. The right guard position is the other that really sticks out as having been mismanaged. The Eagles have poured resources into the position and at the end of 2012 they were playing a street free agent who wasn't even on a team to begin the year ...

1. Cornerback

Sheldon Brown was in the top echelon of corners in 2009, his final year with the Eagles. They traded him for peanuts. That season Brown allowed just 44 of 86 targets to be complete (all statistics courtesy of PFF) for 584 yards, five interceptions and 11 pass deflections. He did allow five TDs but his QB rating allowed of 68.2 was good enough for 20^th amongst all corners playing at least 25% of snaps. As compensation for his services the Eagles got Alex Hall and third and fifth round picks. They traded that third round pick to Green Bay in exchange for their third rounder and a fourth rounder. With those picks the Eagles got Daniel Te'o-Nesheim and Mike Kafka. They traded the fifth rounder for Ernie Sims. Those four players combined for almost as little impact as is possible. None of them are on the team after three years. Hall was cut prior to the 2010 regular season. Sims somehow managed to last a whole year as a starter at weakside linebacker before finally being replaced. Te'o Nesheim and Kafka didn't make the 2012 team ...

I digress somewhat on the compensation. Even more egregious was the failure to find a replacement. The Eagles went into 2010 with Ellis Hobbs as the starter opposite Asante Samuel. His last full season as a starter with the PatBroriots in 2008 was really poor. Hobbs allowed 45 of 78 targets to be complete for 728 yards, nine touchdowns, three interceptions and nine pass deflections. His QB rating allowed was 111.5. As everyone knows, Hobbs got hurt and was replaced by Dimitri Patterson who showed some ability early before being exposed later in the year. Patterson is a good nickel back but struggles on the outside.

After seeing the travesty that was the position in 2010, the Eagles targeted and acquired Nnamdi Asomugha. Two years on and the joy that came with that announcement has been replaced with total disappointment. It was obvious very quickly that Asomugha could not play zone and that his ball skills were amongst the worst of all players at the position. His tackling is also terrible. Brown, meanwhile, took one year to adjust in Cleveland before returning to top form. Below are tables with each player's numbers:

Sheldon Brown	Targets	Receptions	Catch %	Yards	TDs	INTs	PDs	QB rating
2010	72	46	63.9	657	7	2	8	114.2
2011	76	35	46.1	485	2	2	8	64.9
2012	90	52	57.8	655	4	3	10	81.5

Nnamdi Asomugha	Targets	Receptions	Catch %	Yards	TDs	INTs	PDs	QB rating
2011	47	29	61.7	376	4	3	3	88.6
2012	66	44	66.7	698	5	1	9	120.6

Obviously Brown struggled a little in 2010 but it seems he was adjusting to a new scheme and team, as he's played much better over the past couple of years. In contrast Asomugha has been poor, giving up nine TDs compared to just four picks.

Now let's take a look at how Samuel's season compared to DRC's

Player	Targets	Receptions	Catch %	Yards	TDs	INTs	PDs	QB rating
DRC	81	46	56.8	645	5	3	13	87.7
Samuel	77	41	53.2	596	2	5	7	60.3

Clearly Samuel's played better. The latter has missed more tackles (18) than Rodgers-Cromartie (11) but that obviously doesn't include the ones DRC hasn't even attempted!

2. Safety

Despite still playing at a high level, Brian Dawkins was allowed to leave after the 2008 season. The heart and soul of the defense apparently wasn't worth a two year contract so Denver happily snatched up the future hall of famer. The Eagles were dead wrong. In 2010 B-Dawk was still at the top of his game as a run defender, even if he'd regressed a little in coverage. The plan in 2009 to replace the legend was pathetic. They crossed their fingers hoping Quintin Demps would be good enough but he couldn't even hold onto the job in training camp. That meant a combination of rookie Macho Harris and journeyman veteran Sean Jones had to start. Here's how their numbers stack up:

Run defense

Player	Tackles	Assists	Missed Tackles	Stops
Harris	28	2	1	7
Jones	34	6	7	12
Dawkins	97	10	12	30

Pass coverage

Player	Targets	Receptions	Catch %	Yards	TDs	INTs	PDs	QB rating
Harris	13	10	76.9	151	1	0	0	140.2
Jones	17	13	76.5	179	2	2	2	109.3
Dawkins	48	29	60.4	303	4	2	5	89.1

The situation finally seemed like it was resolved in 2010 when the Eagles drafted Nate Allen in the second round. He made a good duo with the excellent Quintin Mikell and everyone expected for Allen to come back strong after hitting the rookie wall and then getting injured. The Eagles' weren't content with the steady consistency of Mikell however, instead ludicrously considering Kurt Coleman a viable NFL starter. Coleman's season was saved in large part by Rex Grossman throwing him the ball three times in a single game but aside from that he wasn't very good. 2011 was also the season the Eagles' brass thought Jarrad Page was capable ...

Run defense - 2011

Player	Tackles	Assists	Missed Tackles	Stops
Coleman	62	13	11	20
Page	29	4	7	9
Mikell	78	10	15	23

Mikell's missed tackles obviously weren't ideal but he was still active around the line of scrimmage, unlike the two Eagles in the table.

Pass coverage - 2011

Player	Targets	Receptions	Catch %	Yards	TDs	INTs	PDs	QB rating
Coleman	31	19	61.3	396	5	4	1	105.2
Page	15	10	66.7	108	1	0	2	109.9
Mikell	35	18	51.4	260	1	2	2	61.6

Eagles fans also got a glimpse of the terrible Jaiquawn Jarrett. The second round pick remains probably the worst rookie I've ever seen in an Eagles uniform and that's saying something. There wasn't one play you could point to, whether in the preseason or regular season, that made him look like an NFL player. That never changed in his whole career with the birds, and he'll go down as one of the biggest draft busts in history.

Somehow the coaching staff also managed to break Nate Allen. Maybe having such a terrible safety partner made him that way but after two solid years he fell apart. The duo of Allen and Coleman was by far the worst in the NFL this season.

Run defense - 2012

Player	Tackles	Assists	Missed Tackles	Stops
Coleman	72	12	15	19
Allen	62	9	13	18
Mikell	84	11	13	39

Mikell attempted more tackles, missed at worst the same number and made twice as many defensive stops.

Pass coverage - 2012

Player	Targets	Receptions	Catch %	Yards	TDs	INTs	PDs	QB rating
Coleman	27	17	63.0	294	2	2	2	93.7
Allen	49	27	55.1	346	4	0	2	104.6
Mikell	47	36	76.6	474	0	0	1	107.9

Not a great year for Mikell in terms of coverage but he did his job and didn't give up the deep ball.

3. Right Guard

Unlike with the secondary, at least the Eagles haven't really had a good right guard in a while. It became obvious after the 2008 season that the team needed an upgrade at the position as Max Jean-Gilles and Nick Cole struggled. It's the end of the 2012 season and there's still a hole. In one of the biggest free agency busts of all time, the Eagles paid Stacy Andrews a boatload to start exactly two games for them. He wasn't a very good player in Cincinnati but the worst part was that he was coming off a major injury which he could easily fail to recover from. The bad Andrews brother managed to give up three sacks and seven hurries in just 174 pass blocks. In contrast Nick Cole allowed just two sacks, three hits and 11 hurries in 606 drop backs that year. The attempt to reconcile his brother also failed abysmally, as it was clear Stacy's presence had no impact. The Eagles had to again rely on the underwhelming Jean-Gilles who struggled with his run blocking throughout the year.

By 2010 both Andrews were out of the picture but the Eagles managed to find an even worse player in Reggie Wells. Wells had been one of the worst guards in the entire league for the Arizona Cardinals in 2009 but that didn't stop the team adding him as competition. For the second year in a row it was Cole and Jean-Gilles who got the majority of snaps at RG but this time Cole looked a shadow of his former decent self, giving up seven sacks, three hits and 17 pressures in just 327 pass blocks. Jean-Gilles did all he could, but he simply doesn't have the talent.

Finally the situation seemed resolved in 2011. The incredibly underrated Evan Mathis had been added and shown his quality in training camp. The Eagles were going to have a dominant offensive line with him, Herremans, Peters, first round pick Danny Watkins and the lone question mark Jason Kelce. Unfortunately things didn't work out as planned and Watkins wasn't even able to win the job. Instead Kyle Devan was brought in to start off the street, with predictably poor results. When Watkins finally did get his chance he was underwhelming, struggling both as a pass protector and run blocker. He gave up 23 hurries a year ago, 11^th worst amongst guards, despite playing in just 502 pass snaps. Rookie struggles are to be expected but Watkins is no ordinary rookie working out kinks in his early 20s ...

All that was in the past though and, with an offseason to prepare, everyone expected Watkins to be much improved in 2012. He was worse. The 29 year old second year player gave up a sack, six hits and nine pressures in 286 drop backs. Watkins hurt his foot and the Eagles coaches had the excuse they needed to bench him. In came another street free agent, Jake Scott, to stabilise the position and the Canadian fireman may never see another snap again.

The number of incorrect decisions made with the secondary is really astounding. Ineptitude is the only way to describe it. It was obvious at the time and it's even more obvious now. The only relief for Eagles fans is that whoever was responsible is gone and that the new coaching staff will hopefully bring some semblance of competency. Todd Bowles has to be heavily criticised. Not necessarily for his inability to be even a serviceable defensive coordinator but for the fact that Allen, Coleman, Asomugha and Rodgers-Cromartie all regressed under his coaching. It's not so easy to criticise the legend that is Howard Mudd but perhaps Juan Castillo's failures on the defensive side aren't so surprising when you notice the struggles he had with the right guard position. At the end of the day it's probably a combination of the coaches and the front office but whoever was responsible for Stacy Andrews and Danny Watkins needs to think long and hard about another profession. I've heard fans say Watkins isn't a lost cause but he'll be 30 mid-way through 2013, and I'm not sure a new coach is going to put up with the growing pains ....

Where the Eagles stand for 2013

2012-12-30T11:00:23Z

With the season winding down it's worth taking a look at where the roster stands heading into the offseason. There are some very talented players on this roster and good depth at some positions but poor play in the secondary and on the offensive line (because of injury) really crippled the team's chances. Here are my rankings of the Eagles' players:

Quality starters

1. Evan Mathis, OG

2. Brandon Graham, DE

3. Demeco Ryans, MLB

4. LeSean McCoy, HB

5. Desean Jackson, WR

6. Fletcher Cox, DT

7. Trent Cole, DE

Mathis is easily the Eagles' best player. He played up to the new contract this season, especially lately as he's overcome some pass protection struggles from early in the year. Watch him mash on opposing defenders in the run game, there's simply no one better. Over to defense and for me Graham's done enough to move up to second on this team. He's generated more pressure per snap than any other player in the league this year. Ryans rounds out the top three, as a recent dip in form doesn't take away what he did earlier this season.

Two skill position players and two defensive lineman round out the "quality starters" group. McCoy was back to his best last week as he continues to make plays as both a runner and receiver. Credit where it's due, Jackson really stepped up with a new contract in hand. He ran better routes, broke more tackles and dropped fewer passes in 2012. Cox has been a really pleasant surprise as he's shown potential both as a pass rusher and run defender. He's done exceptionally well for such a young player. Finally to Cole who is still productive but a shadow of his former self. He would have started at two this season and now he's on the verge of falling out of the category, hopefully it's just a temporary blip.

Average starters

8. King Dunlap, OT

9. Cullen Jenkins, DT

10. Stanley Havili, FB

11. Brent Celek, TE

12. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, CB

13. Jake Scott, OG

Dunlap continues to get less respect than he deserves. He may not be the best run blocker but his pass protection is amongst the best of all left tackles. Inside on defense, Cullen Jenkins remains a very good pass rusher who excels at disrupting quarterbacks. His poor run defense is a real problem however. Havili and Celek are two guys with inconsistent hands. The former blocked well this year though while the latter was below average in that department. DRC is such a frustrating player. His effort, especially against the run, is pitiful but he definitely has cover skills. Finally to the grizzled veteran Jake Scott who has played decently since being added. He displays nice athleticism blocking for screens and the run game but struggles a little with pass protection.

Struggling starters

14. Jeremy Maclin, WR

15. Nick Foles, QB

16. Dennis Kelly, OT

17. Colt Anderson, S

18. Nnamdi Asomugha, CB

19. MyChal Kendricks, OLB

20. Dallas Reynolds, C

21. Jamar Chaney, OLB

22. Kurt Coleman, S

Maclin has played better of late but his drops, fumbles and poor routes from earlier in the season are etched too deep into memory to easily forget. The Eagles need someone to better compliment Jackson if you ask me. Foles and Kelly are two rookies who have looked good at times but have struggled for the most part.

The next two players both start in the secondary but aren't alike. Anderson has shown potential since coming into the starting lineup especially in coverage while Asomugha is too slow to play cornerback anymore and lacks any semblance of the physicality needed to play safety. Next comes Kendricks who hit the rookie wall early and has been terrible at times this season. The Eagles need him to be better in year 2.

The bottom three features two players who were backups at the start of the year and one who should be (if that). Reynolds has definitely improved since taking over for Jason Kelce but his pass protection is still poor and his run blocking below average. Chaney has managed to reclaim a starting spot but that's more due to default than play on his part. Finally to Coleman who is still starting despite being a terrible tackler, having terrible instincts and no range in coverage.

Quality backups

1. Jason Avant, WR

2. Damaris Johnson, WR

Jason Avant is a good player with one major deficiency, redzone production. Still, he stepped up when Vick went down and the Eagles were forced to go with the rookie. Damaris Johnson meanwhile seems to make plays whenever he's on the field. He's broken more tackles (5) than Maclin (3)*.

* All statistics courtesy of PFF

Average backups

3. Brandon Boykin, CB

4. Cedric Thornton, DT

5. Clay Harbor, TE

6. Dion Lewis, RB

7. Riley Cooper, WR

8. Bryce Brown, RB

9. Akeem Jordan, OLB

Boykin has had a solid rookie year. He made some athletic plays in man coverage but needs to work on his zone awareness. Thornton flashes but is inconsistent from play to play, sometimes he'll fly into the backfield to make the tackle but others he's driven way off the ball. Harbor can generate separation and is a good blocker, but his poor hands are holding him back. Many will be surprised to see Lewis ahead of Brown but I really believe the former is superior. Lewis is really elusive and has good vision while Brown, although difficult to tackle, has fumbling issues and tries to bounce too many runs outside for big plays. If Brown starts going north and south and holds onto the ball he'll be the better player but there's still a long way to go.

Cooper is a nice player to have in the redzone and a good special teamer but he struggles generating separation. You can get by with him as a starter but it's not ideal. Jordan meanwhile has played well in the past but looked a different player this year. He is at least a valuable special teamer.

Struggling backups

10. Derek Landri, DT

11. Nate Allen, S

12. Michael Vick, QB

13. Danny Watkins, OG

14. Demetress Bell, OT

No one could have predicted Landri's struggles before this season began. He was so good in 2011 it's a surprise to see him struggle so much. Allen's "progression" has gone in the reverse direction. He started off well and has slowly got worse. Many fans think Vick has always been the player he was in Atlanta but 2010 and 2011 were different to this year. He definitely showed an improvement in the intermediate and deep passing game in his first two years with the Eagles but then regressed significantly in year 3. The final two players were expected to start in 2012 but did worse than disappoint. They highlight the recent failures of this organisation.

Question marks

. Jason Kelce, C

. Todd Herremans, OT

. Jason Peters, OT

This is the trio of injured players who will hopefully come back and perform as well as they did prior to getting hurt. Kelce especially looked good in the first start of his second year, hopefully the injury hasn't robbed him of his athleticism.

. Curtis Marsh, CB

. Vinny Curry, DE

These two are guys we haven't seen enough of to make a final judgement. It's a little worrying that Marsh still hasn't been able to unseat Asomugha but it may be that the coaches are holding out some hope of him turning it around. Curry should see more action in 2013.

. Philip Hunt

. Mike Patterson

The final pairing features two guys who have been terrific at times but pedestrian at others. Hunt especially had an incredible start to his career before tailing off recently. Patterson on the other hand has had to deal with injuries recently that probably hampered his play.

Eagles Defensive Line Regression - 2011 to 2012

2012-12-22T21:19:28Z

So much was expected of this defensive line coming off a season where they tied for the league lead in sacks but the unit as a whole has really underwhelmed. The star players from 2011 like Trent Cole and Derek Landri are shells of their former selves while Brandon Graham has really emerged as a force off the edge. It's not that guys like Cole, Landri, Cullen Jenkins or Daryl Tapp are playing badly but they needed to carry this team on their back with the struggles at safety and linebacker, something they were unable to do. Let's take a look at some numbers to compare the two seasons.

Defensive Ends

Trent Cole

Cole has been one of the best 4-3 defensive ends in the NFL over the past three years. He accumulated pressure at a better rate per snap than almost every other player and really took over games at times. He was also easily the best run defender at the position, overpowering even the best left tackles. Despite all that Cole's consistency was probably his greatest trait as he almost never performed below average. His 2012 season has definitely not been poor, despite the low sack total, but it's still disappointing having seen him set the bar so high. There are still times when he looks like the player from 2008-2011 but they're far less frequent. Here's a comparison of his pass rushing production:

Year	Pass rush snaps	Sacks (no halves)	Hits	Hurries	Snaps per pressure
2012	387	4	12	28	8.8
2011	375	11	12	44	5.6

* All statistics courtesy of PFF

As you can see Cole's production is way down. He's hit the quarterback the same number of times but he has less than half as many sacks and far fewer hurries. Cole's also already rushed the quarterback more times in 2011 than he did in all of 2012.

Year	Run Snaps	Tackles (around LOS)**	Snaps per tackle
2012	270	18	15
2011	254	21	12.1

** At, close to, or behind the line of scrimmage

Cole's also made fewer plays in run defense as well as making more mistakes. He has been pretty good in the past at recognising misdirection but he's really struggled in that area this year, often failing to notice reverses and end-arounds, losing contain on some big gains.

Darryl Tapp

Tapp has received some undue criticism this year. He remains a solid veteran who excels against the run but tends to be a little quiet as a pass rusher. Tapp has seen his snaps slowly decrease but that's only happened recently, once it was obvious this team wasn't making the playoffs, and the young players started to be given an opportunity. It's pretty obvious he won't be around next year with the team entering a rebuilding phase and him entering free agency. Let's take a look at his numbers.

Year	Snaps	Sacks	Hits	Hurries	Snaps per pressure
2012	116	1	2	3	19.3
2011	172	3	6	13	7.8

Tapp's 2011 performance as a pass rusher is looking more like an aberration than the norm. He hasn't performed at close to that level in the rest of his six year career. It's his work in run defense that makes him a useful asset to any team.

Year	Snaps	Tackles (around LOS)	Snaps per tackle
2012	138	9	15.3
2011	132	9	14.6

The drop in pass rush production hasn't been reflected in run defense. Tapp is active, smart and uses his hands really well. He could thrive in a two down role on another 4-3 team that hasn't invested so many resources at the position.

Defensive Tackles

Cullen Jenkins

Jenkins' was one of the best interior rushers in the entire NFL last year. It was the main reason the Eagles brought him in as 2010 starters Brodrick Bunkley and Mike Patterson were good run stuffers who lacked an ability to collapse the pocket. Jenkins delivered in 2011, joining the defensive ends to form a formidable trio. 2012 hasn't been quite so positive, as there've been a few too many quiet games. Cujo has certainly not been bad but he's been a lot better in the past.

Year	Snaps	Sacks	Hits	Hurries	Snaps per pressure
2012	351	4	1	25	11.7
2011	400	6	8	25	10.3

Rather than the consistency of pressure, it's predominantly been the big plays that have been lacking this season. Jenkins has beaten interior lineman fairly regularly but it's taken him a few moves to do it, meaning he's generated more hurries than sacks or hits. Those 25 hurries are good for fifth in the NFL amongst interior defensive lineman but knocking the QB down just five will likely disappoint even Jenkins himself.

Year	Snaps	Tackles	Snaps per tackle
2012	214	10	21.4
2011	249	21	11.9

The big plays aren't there for Jenkins in the run game either. He's never been especially stout throughout his career but this season has seen a real lack of production. You can live with the inconsistent run defense when Jenkins is regularly pressuring the QB but it's a different story when he's only good in that department and struggling to get to running backs in so many meaningful snaps.

Derek Landri

Landri was a revelation in 2011. It seemed like there almost wasn't a snap when he was on the field that he didn't make a play, whether it was as a pass rusher or run defender. His career previously in Carolina had been so nondescript that it made his performance all the more surprising. There was no reason to think he wouldn't continue that form either, what with him returning to play in the same scheme that had seemed to suit him so well. Unfortunately Landri looks a different player. Considering how he'd performed so well against the run it's surprising to see him struggle so much. First here's a comparison of his pass rushing productivity:

Year	Snaps	Sacks	Hits	Hurries	Snaps per pressure
2012	196	0	5	9	14
2011	190	2	5	13	9.5

Landri is another player who's seen a drop in production this season compared to last. He does have a pair of batted passes, but in terms of getting to the quarterback, he's performed well in contrast to excellent in 2011. As previously mentioned though, his troubles against the run are most surprising.

Year	Snaps	Tackles	Snaps per tackle
2012	228	11	20.7
2011	165	15	11

In nearly two thirds of snaps Landri had nearly 50% more tackles around the line of scrimmage in 2011. Lineman have been able to use his aggressiveness against him on a number of occasions, opening up big holes between him and the linebackers.

Four key contributors from 2011 have all performed worse in both facets of their game this season. Looking at these numbers it's really not surprising that Jim Washburn was fired. He said himself he should be if the unit wasn't better. They were anything but and he's looking for a job because of it. I'm not sure what changed in those nine months but whatever it was it seemed to effect every lineman. Even Phillip Hunt who was so good in limited snaps in 2011 looked lost in 2012. If anyone had said before the season that Graham was going to be the most productive linemen on this team they'd have been laughed at. It just shows how much difference a year makes.

Philadelphia Eagles Rookie Breakdown - Part II, Defensive Edition

2012-12-16T14:00:58Z

The front offense knew the team was going to be relying on rookies at every level of the defense going into the 2012 season. There was no doubt second round pick Mychal Kendricks was going to be a starter. The Eagles had nothing at outside linebacker and invested a high pick in a player seen to be NFL ready. First round pick Fletcher Cox could be rotated in more slowly but he was going to have to play meaningful snaps in year one. Finally Joselio Hanson was released prior to the season leaving fourth round corner Brandon Boykin as the nickel back. That's a lot of snaps for rookies on a team that was supposed to be super bowl ready. Obviously the season didn't pan out as planned but the trio above aren't a significant reason for that. Here's how they compare to some other first year players.

DT, Fletcher Cox

Although Cox didn't start until Week 8, he hasn't played less than 40% of snaps in any game (where he wasn't injured). The coaches have shown a lot of trust in the player they traded up to acquire, and he's responded with some good performances. He clearly has a lot of talent and really stands out on some plays. The key, as with many young players, is becoming more consistent. There are times when he's unblockable but others where he's too quiet. Cox's instincts are also a pleasant surprise. He's done a great job identifying screens and is one of those rare lineman who recognises that when it's too easy, it probably is too easy.

Player	Pass rush snaps	Sacks	Hits	Hurries	Snaps per pressure
Fletcher Cox	293	4	5	13	13.3
Michael Brockers	252	5	4	8	14.8
Akiem Hicks	167	0	2	7	18.5
Billy Winn	374	1	5	11	22
John Hughes	239	3	0	6	26.6
Dontari Poe	314	0	3	8	28.5

*All statistics courtesy of PFF

As you can see from the table, Cox leads all rookies (who have taken at least 25% of reps) in snaps per pressure. His performance against Cincinnati highlighted his pass rushing ability as he beat fellow rookie Clint Boling on a number of occasions. Only Michael Brockers has really come close to Cox's production. Just as everyone compares Brandon Graham to Jason Pierre-Paul, we can expect these two to find their numbers coming up next to each other in articles for years to come.

Player	Run Snaps	Tackles made**	Snaps per tackle
Cox	207	14	14.8
Brockers	203	14	14.5
Hicks	174	14	12.4
Winn	216	9	24
Hughes	193	12	16.1
Poe	265	20	13.25

** Close to, at or behind the line of scrimmage

While Cox has shown an impressive ability to get after the quarterback, he needs to do better against the run. He's not bad in that department by any means but he could do more. It will be interesting to see how Cox's performance is affected by the change in alignment. He did well under Washburn but then had one of his better games on Thursday night. The last three weeks should give us a clearer picture.

LB, Mychal Kendricks

Kendricks is such a frustrating player to watch. He'll diagnose and drive into the backfield to make the play every now and then but more often than not he's being blocked by someone. If often doesn't matter if it's a lineman, tightend or fullback, if they get their hands on him, he almost always loses. That can't happen in this league. Linebackers, regardless of defensive alignment or whether they're on the weak or strongside, must be able to shed blocks and it's something Kendricks has shown almost no ability to do. That's not to say he won't learn, only that his lack of physicality at the moment is concerning. To make matters worse his tackling has been very poor, making him a liability against the run. Kendricks obviously has the talent to be a good cover backer but he's very poor at anticipating routes and bites on fakes far too easily. Here are some numbers.

Player	Run Snaps	Tackles made	Snaps per tackle
Mychal Kendricks	418	16	26.1
Dont'a Hightower	425	10	42.5
Zach Brown	275	20	13.8
James-Michael Johnson	163	12	13.6
Nigel Bradham	177	11	16.1
Vontaze Burfict	297	20	14.9
Julian Stanford	204	7	29.1
Miles Burris	335	21	16

As you can see, aside from Hightower (whose stats aren't really indicative) and Stanford, Kendricks has been significantly worse than all other rookies. Other mid-round linebackers like Brown and Michael-Johnson haven't been lighting it up but they also haven't been liabilities like the Cal product has been at times. Kendricks has also missed 14 tackles, the second most in the league. Here are his coverage numbers.

Player	Completions	Attempts	Yards	TDs	INTs	PDs	QB rating
Kendricks	66	45	394	4	0	5	104.0
Hightower	36	28	250	1	0	1	104.9
Brown	42	35	190	1	1	1	88.9
JMJ	9	8	51	0	0	0	90.3
Bradham	20	12	54	1	0	0	93.3
Burfict	65	51	295	3	0	1	111.8
Stanford	11	9	65	0	0	0	89.0
Burris	43	41	384	1	0	1	111.6

Kendricks can make plays on the ball as his five pass deflections show but he's also given up four TDs. If he had caught some of the opportunities he's had for interceptions, his numbers would be much better but at the same time he hasn't always been punished by lapses in coverage.

CB, Brandon Boykin

I had Hanson on my final 53 roster because I didn't think Boykin had clearly shown himself to be the better player. In the end special teams probably played a big factor and so the Eagles' slot corner of the past few years was forced to find a new home. Boykin had a tremendous start but slowed down in the middle of the year. He looks a little in uncomfortable in zone and struggles with some of the better slot receivers in the league. Still it's been a good start for the fourth round pick, who is performing decently in his first year. I've included rookies who play predominantly in the slot as well as Hanson.

Player	Attempts	Completions	Yards	TDs	INTs	PDs	QB rating
Brandon Boykin	48	26	364	2	0	6	92.7
Casey Hayward	66	29	364	0	5	10	30.1
Mike Harris	29	19	158	0	1	4	65.0
Corey White	45	35	422	3	1	2	118.7
Jayron Hosley	37	24	323	3	1	1	108.3
Joselio Hanson	49	40	464	2	1	1	111.2

Clearly Boykin has had some positives as well as negatives. The low catch rate allowed is impressive as is the six pass deflections. He's given up a lot of yardage though as well as a pair of touchdowns. Rookie inconsistency has obviously affected Boykin significantly but there's no doubt he has potential.

The three defensive players to take significant snaps have all shown some ability. Cox and Boykin look like they'll be useful role players at least in this league, and there's nothing to suggest they won't improve. Kendricks is another matter. He has to improve shedding blocks and he can't keep missing simple tackles. Andy Reid has a terrible record of drafting linebackers so Eagles fans are likely to be easily concerned. Still Kendricks really has struggled since a good four week period to open the season. It's also worth mentioning Vinny Curry and David Sims too. The former has done decently in limited action, showing an ability to get off blocks in the run game. The latter clearly struggled in his only start, missing three tackles.

Philadelphia Eagles Rookie breakdown - Part II, Offensive Edition

2012-12-09T11:01:06Z

A lot has changed since we last analysed this rookie class' production. The early season saw some impressive performances on the defensive side that really made fans optimistic of the team's chances. The Eagles now haven't won a game for two months though and some players have really shown their youth. The rookie wall seemed to hit a few guys early and hard. In contrast the offensive rookies have only seen the field recently and produced mixed results. Let's compare their performances with other rookies in this class.

QB, Nick Foles

Foles had a tough start to his NFL career as he struggled in the first two games. The performance against Dallas was much more encouraging, as he made some really impressive throws and showed great poise in the pocket. It remains to be seen whether Foles will be the starter in 2013 but the consensus at the moment is that this draft class is lacking in top quarterback prospects, so he may well get his chance. The one area he must improve is decision making. He's only thrown three interceptions, but he's also had at least three more easy ones dropped. The Arizona product has only seen action in four games, but let's compare his performances thus with other rookies.

Player	Attempts	Completions	Acc. %**	Yards/Att	TDs	INTs	QB rating under pressure
Nick Foles	133	81	74.8	6.0	2	3	64.2
Andrew Luck	503	279	67.6	7.2	17	16	61.2
Robert Griffin III	326	219	80.2	8.2	17	4	92.6
Ryan Tannehill	363	210	72.0	7.0	7	12	72.6
Brandon Weeden	433	247	72.0	6.5	13	15	36.0
Russell Wilson	317	201	75.8	7.4	19	8	60.9

*All statistics courtesy of PFF

** Accuracy % represents completion % on pass that weren't dropped, thrown away, batted down or spiked. Passes where the QB is hit during their throwing motion are also excluded

As you can see Foles compares pretty favourably with the other rookie starters. RGIII and Russell Wilson are clearly a notch above but Luck, Tannehill and Weeden are all worse in terms of accuracy % and rating under pressure. Foles' throw to Celek in the Dallas game (where he took a big shot) was great to see and in general he's been pretty good when the offensive line has let him down. The low yardage per attempt is probably because he tends to go to his check down a little early even when protection is good. As Foles gets more comfortable and the coaches open up the offense that should improve.

RT, Dennis Kelly

Kelly simply never looked right at guard. He was easily confused by pre-snap movement and struggled to cope with some stronger interior rushers. Kelly has been much better since the move outside. In those three weeks he's faced top pass players in the form of Ryan Kerrigan, Charles Johnson and Anthony Spencer and given up just six hurries. The coaches have helped by leaving guys in to chip and for protection but his performances thus far have been very encouraging. Let's see how he compares to other rookie tackles.

Player	Pass pro snaps	Sack	Hits	Hurries	Snaps/pressure	Run snaps	Tackles allowed***
Dennis Kelly	114	0	0	6	19	82	6
Mitchell Schwartz	481	3	9	17	16.6	321	14
Kelechi Osemele	479	7	5	17	16.5	322	18
Mike Adams	293	7	3	15	11.7	204	8
Jonathan Martin	440	5	2	34	10.7	353	17
Bobby Massie	546	13	4	36	10.3	283	13

*** Close to, at or behind line of scrimmage

When comparing Kelly's pass protection to other rookies he really stands out. In three starts at right tackle he's allowed pressure only every 19 drop backs. Even more impressive those pressures have been hurries instead of hits or sacks. Obviously the small sample size is a problem, and the two pressures he conceded in the Dallas game were poor blocks, but it's been a very good start so far in pass pro. One area he must work on is his run blocking. There are times when he looks very impressive but six tackles allowed in just 82 snaps is a little worrying. Still if he can become more consistent, Kelly could prove to be more than a valuable backup.

RB, Bryce Brown

Brown seized his opportunity with both hands when Lesean McCoy went down. He's got great lower body strength, sneaky speed and good vision, three traits essential to any quality running back. When he gets into the open-field he's incredibly difficult to stop as NFL defensive backs are finding out the hard way. Here are his numbers compared to some other rookies with at least 75 carries:

Player	Attempts	Yards	Avg.	YCo/Att	TDs	MTs forced
Bryce Brown	76	482	6.3	4.2	4	17
Doug Martin	236	1106	4.7	3.4	9	47
Alfred Morris	230	1106	4.8	3.0	6	35
Daryl Richardson	85	457	5.4	2.9	0	9
Vick Ballard	127	468	3.7	2.4	1	14

Brown actually leads the NFL in yards after contact per attempt. He also has more missed tackles than all but 17 players, a remarkable feat. When he isn't fumbling, Brown is dominating but obviously poor ball security is a major issue. You could easily make the argument that he's lost the team two games by fumbling at crucial times. Brown also needs to improve in the passing game ...

Player	Targets	Receptions	Yards	TDs	INTs	DPs	MTs
Brown	12	9	33	0	0	2	3
Martin	42	32	374	1	0	7	10
Morris	10	6	42	0	0	1	2
Richardson	25	19	124	0	2	3	1
Ballard	20	14	133	1	0	3	3

None of the rookie running backs have actually performed very well in the passing game so far but Brown especially has struggled to get much going. He's generated few yards per reception and has dropped two passes in just 12 targets. With three forced missed tackles he obviously has talent with the ball in hand; he just needs to make sure he secures it when it comes his way.

The three offensive rookies have all shown potential. Foles has done well under pressure, Brown has broken tackles and Kelly has dominated in pass pro. They all have obvious deficiencies in their game at the same time however. Foles needs to make better decisions and be wary of staring down receivers against zone coverage. Brown can't keep fumbling away games and needs to offer more in the receiving game. Finally Kelly must get stronger and keep defensive lineman and linebackers out of plays for the ground attack. The final four games should give us a clearer picture of where they're at in their progressions.

5 areas the Philadelphia Eagles must improve for 2013

2012-12-02T23:02:43Z

The loss to the Panthers was predominantly the result of poor fundamentals from this football team. Blown coverages and missed tackles are typical of this defense and that was again the case on Monday night. The offense, meanwhile, were able to play a decent game but the lack of ball security really cost them any chance of improving their win tally to four. As the season progresses it's becoming more and more clear where the team needs to improve. Let's take a look at five specific areas.

1. Catching the Football

It sounds simple enough but, aside from Desean Jackson, the skill position players have really struggled hanging onto the ball. A lot of fans would have said this group of receivers was the strongest unit on the team at the beginning of the season but they've clearly underperformed and it's a big reason why the team is doing so poorly. The two men primarily responsible are Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek. The former has dropped five of 45 catchable balls, leaving him 29^th in drop rate amongst 40 receivers with 50% of snaps*. The Eagles' starting tightend has been even worse, dropping eight of a possible 51. Such a poor catch rate leaves him 35^th amongst 37 qualifiers. While those two have received a lot of criticism for their drops, Lesean McCoy has been fortunate to be overlooked. He's dropped three of 43 catchable and you have to remember most of his receptions are coming around the line of scrimmage.

It's not just the starters who have let crucial yards slip through their fingers either as Clay Harbor (3), Bryce Brown (1) and Stanley Havili have combined to drop five between them despite only attempting 26 catchable balls. Clearly the dropsies is contagious.

*All statistics courtesy of PFF

2. Offensive Penalties

In terms of penalties the Eagles' offense is better than just five other teams when number of snaps and yardage conceded is considered. They say a trademark of poorly coached teams is penalties and that's been one of the biggest issues this year. Even when linemen were successfully opening holes early in the year, there would be a downfield penalty costing the team a big play. Maclin has improved of late but four penalties is far too many. Only two wide receivers have committed more on a per snap basis. It's quite astounding that Demetress Bell has been able to commit nine penalties despite playing in just 462 snaps. He has Russell Okung to thank for keeping him from worst in the league. Overall King Dunlap is a solid player, but his height has led to a number of crucial hands to the face penalties in recent weeks, leaving him with a total seven in 2012. In fact of the offensive lineman only Todd Herremans has committed penalties at a less than average rate, and he's not playing again this season.

3. Big Plays From the Defensive Line

If we were to assign blame for this team's poor performance, only a small amount of it would go on the defensive line considering they've done a good job stopping the run and got consistent pressure. The sacks have been too few and far between however as the only player with more than three (Jason Babin) is now gone. Trent Cole hasn't been his normal beastly self, and he needs to start turning hits (11) and hurries (23) into more sacks (2, no halves). Too many times quarterbacks have been in almost impossible situations only to avoid tackles and create big plays. Cam Newton and Tony Romo have made this group look silly with some of the moves they've made. Fletcher Cox (one sack, four hits and 12 hurries) and Brandon Graham (two sacks, four hits, 16 hurries) have also missed opportunities. Another standout issue is the lack of batted passes. The defensive line has just three all year. To put that in perspective, seven 3-4 DEs have at least as many alone. Batted passes often lead to interceptions, and it should be an area of focus moving forward.

4. The Outside Linebackers' Run Defense

There was so much hope surrounding Mychal Kendricks when the Eagles drafted him in the second round this April but after a decent start he's hit a seemingly impenetrable rookie wall. Poor angles were a lowlight in the Carolina game but getting off blocks and making the play when he is in position are just as significant issues. Getting offensive linemen off him was a particular problem at Cal, and it's therefore unsurprising that he's struggling in that department in the NFL. Perhaps more disappointing though is all the missed tackle. Kendricks has missed five while making just 23 solo in the run game (and an even worse seven of 30 in coverage). Akeem Jordan has been nowhere near as bad, but he's not playing as well as he has in the past. His tackling has been solid, with just two misses in 16, but he can still do a better job of shedding blocks. Jamar Chaney and his issues in limited reps only emphasises the problem. He missed two despite only making five solo.

5. The Secondary's Tackling

This is probably the biggest problem area of them all. In total the starters have missed a whopping 34 tackles and made just 166. That's absurdly poor. Unsurprisingly the biggest culprit is Kurt Coleman who is now the fifth worst safety in the NFL when it comes to bringing runners down. He's missed an alarming 14 tackles in defensive snaps, to go with another two on special teams. Overall that's 16 misses compared to 56 completed stops, only slightly better than a miss every four attempts. Monday Night Football gave Coleman an "advantage" in the race for worst Eagle tackler, as Nate Allen surprisingly avoided missing any. Still ten misses of 57 possible tackles is nearly as terrible. Even the duo of Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie isn't even as bad. The former at least tries to bring runners down, although a miss every six attempts (30 made, six missed) means that's only occasionally a bonus. DRC meanwhile seems to want no part of tackling (what is it about Eagles' LCBs?) but four misses and 36 completed is at least decent.

The picture gets even worse when you look at backups as well though. Brandon Boykin has chipped in with four, David Sims had three when forced into action and Colt Anderson missed one but didn't make any. Those three guys have combined for just 27 solo tackles.

When you look at the numbers it's really stunning how poor this team is fundamentally. Few of the players can tackle or catch and many commit unnecessary penalties in crucial moments in games. If the old adage that well coached teams perform the fundamentals well is true then this team is the opposite of that. Perhaps there is something to the notion that the players have given up on Reid. The numbers certainly suggest some of the players are hardly even trying.

Which Philadelphia Eagles should stick around in 2013?

2012-11-24T22:36:13Z

With the 2012 season looking lost, one eye at least is already on the future where there are some tough decisions to be made. Certain veterans like Demetress Bell and Nnamdi Asomugha seem to have sealed their fate having massively underperformed but others could go either way. A lot really depends on the coaching staff and the system they decide to introduce but it's worth investigating which players have played well enough to at least be in the discussion. Let's take a look at some particularly difficult calls.

WR Jason Avant

Avant has been a very dependable wide receiver for the Eagles for the past six years but his deficiencies have become more obvious in that time also. This season has easily been his worst since 2008 and, at age 29, he's not getting any younger. Avant's toughness and hands are very impressive but his lack of explosion, ability to generate separation and big play ability are just as underwhelming. The main issue is probably his lack of redzone production where his physical attributes should give him a big advantage. Clearly with just ten touchdowns in his career, size isn't the only thing that matters by the goal line. Although he catches a lot of passes (71.1% catch rate in 2012*) most of those are short and intermediate routes that don't generate much yardage. In fact Avant is averaging just 31.4 yards per game this season. Factor in the solid play of Riley Cooper and Damaris Johnson and the $2 million he's owed in 2013 and I'm not sure Avant returns. There's definitely a place for the former Michigan Wolverine in the NFL, I'm just not sure it's with a rebuilding Eagles outfit.

*All statistics courtesy of PFF

Prognosis - Out

OT Todd Herremans

Many Eagles fans were pleased to hear the extension announced for Herremans this offseason, seeing it as a return to the Eagle tradition of paying players who deserved it. Herremans now sits on I.R. however and the Eagles at 3-7 with almost no hope of a playoff push. In terms of on-field play, the small school tackle is one of the few offensive players who can hold his head high. In 339 pass protection snaps he allowed four sacks, eight hits and 11 hurries. Those numbers are even better when you consider whoever was at left guard was seemingly practicing the turnstile technique of blocking. Herremans continues to be frustratingly inconsistent not only from game to game but also from series to series, but he's still a good pass blocker. It was his run blocking that really stood out, as he mashed on ends and linebackers regardless of who he was facing. He committed only three penalties also, another positive.

There are other factors to consider however. For a start the injury makes it difficult to say he'll come back as good a player in 2013, and the fact he'll be turning 31 soon after the start of the year makes that even less likely. Herremans also has a $3 million base salary next season. Jason Peters' questionable status probably makes it more likely Herremans returns because it's awfully difficult to replace two tackles in an offseason but he'll need to get back to his pre-injury form to ensure that's the case.

Prognosis - In

DE Jason Babin

Everyone was content with Babin when he was racking up ridiculous sack numbers, but there's been a lot of criticism since those have gone down. As I mentioned in the introduction a lot probably depends on the coaching staff and in Babin's case Jim Washburn. The former Titans' defensive line coach has done a wondrous job with the man once considered a first round bust. Although the sack numbers are down, Babin has still been generating regular pressure with five sacks, nine hits and 19 hurries. Those numbers are better on a per snap basis than all but 13 other 4-3 defensive ends, so it's not as if he's become a liability. The criticism of Babin's run defense has also gone too far as fans look for a scapegoat. In fact he's been above average in that department as his ten tackles around the line of scrimmage indicate. His main issue is penalties (5), as he continues to lack any semblance of discipline.

The other obvious issues are money and age. Babin will be 33 in 2013 and is owed $4.225 million by an organisation that will almost certainly not be a contender. That's a lot of money even for a good starter and when you consider the improvement Brandon Graham has shown, it makes it all the more likely that Babin is shown the door.

Prognosis - Out

DTs Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson

Jenkins is another guy whose fate probably depends on what happens with Washburn. The former Packer has always excelled in one gap schemes, but doesn't have the strength to anchor inside when asked to take on double teams. He could perhaps move outside to defensive end in a similar role to Red Bryant in Seattle, but that would force Graham back onto the bench.

In terms of on-field play, Jenkins has been solid but certainly not as good as in 2012. He has just two sacks and 14 pressures in 251 rushes, compared to six sacks, eight hits and 25 pressures in 400 last year. Jenkins' production is still good, but it's nowhere near the outstanding level it has been. Run defense is also an issue, as Jenkins has lost the majority of his battles in the trenches. Just eight tackles around the line of scrimmage says a lot as veteran offensive lineman have been able to move him in the run game. Jenkins will also be 32 and owed a $1 million bonus in March (to go with another $1.5 million in 2013).

Patterson is a difficult one because of the time he's spent sidelined with the skull fracture. One of the main positives is his flexibility, as he's shown an ability to play in both an aggressive penetrating defense as well as one where he's asked to occupy blockers. Patterson has always been a good run defender and he's recently shown an ability to get to the quarterback. He has four hurries in just 24 pass rush snaps so far in 2012. The youth of the guys around him is also both an advantage and a disadvantage. The emergence of Fletcher Cox and Cedric Thornton make him somewhat expendable but at the same time some veteran presence is needed. The fact he's slightly younger than Jenkins (29) probably gives him a small advantage although that may be offset by his higher salary ($2.9 million).

Prognosis - Jenkins stays if the defensive coordinator runs 1 gap, Patterson does if they play 2 gap

CB Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

There was so much excitement surrounding DRC at the start of the year and that was heightened after good performances in the first few games. It didn't last however and now he's a significant part of the defensive struggles. DRC has done well in coverage overall, allowing just 25 of 49 passes to be complete for 380 yards, two TDs, three picks and seven pass deflections but a major part of that is his dominance of rookie Brandon Weeden making his first NFL start. After not allowing a QB rating of more than 80 in the first six games, he hasn't allowed one less than 90 in the previous four. His terrible tackling and run defense is another significant issue, as getting rid of Asante Samuel has not had the desired effect. Rodgers-Cromartie has already missed four tackles, but it's more his reluctance to even try and get involved against the run that's most disappointing. His nine penalties also leads all corners, another major issue. If DRC wanted to put out some excellent tape during his contract year then he's failed to do so. Still it's likely another organisation will fail to see he's more potential than substance and give him a decent contract this offseason. The departure of Asomugha means the new coaching staff may well want to keep him around, but that'll surely only happen if he accepts a reasonable contract, something I don't see as very likely.

Prognosis - Out

In most cases the players in question aren't bad at all. The problem is they're old and seemingly declining, which is exactly the stage when teams should move on. The difficulty of course is identifying whether the decline is temporary or if there's a chance they'll return to form later on. Rodgers-Cromartie is the only young player on the list, but he's unique in that he'll hit the open market at the end of the year, where he'll more than likely receive an above value offer.

Philadelphia Eagles: A look at the skill players

2012-11-18T11:00:56Z

Last week I looked at five Eagles who failed to step up, and including in that list was Jeremy Maclin. In contrast to his teamate, Desean Jackson looks like he's much improved as he's cut down on the drops and broken more tackles. With injuries to Maclin, Riley Cooper and Jason Avant, Damaris Johnson has gotten on opportunity and flashed some ability in limited snaps. Another player who needs more snaps is Clay Harbor, who's performed adequately as a receiver and made some good blocks in the ground game. Finally to the backfield where Bryce Brown has seen most of the number two's reps. I'm not sure he's the best option though, as he's struggled a little in pass protection as well as with ball in hand. I'd like to see a little more of the explosive Dion Lewis to really tell who deserves the job.

Wide Receivers - Desean Jackson and Damaris Johnson

First let's take a look at Jackson's improvement in performance since he's been drafted:

Year	Targets	Receptions	Catch %	Yards	TDs	INTs	DPs	MTs
2009	119	66	55.5	1182	10	5	5	5
2010	96	49	51.0	1103	6	2	12	4
2011	95	58	61.1	961	4	7	9	1
2012	67	43	64.2	695	2	2	1	7

*All statistics courtesy of PFF

Jackson's projected numbers this year are up across the board. He's improved his catch rate by nearly 5% since last year and is projected to get close to his career high in yards. The number of INTs when targeted are also down, which is especially surprising considering how many turnovers Michael Vick has had this year. The solitary dropped pass is probably the most encouraging statistic considering Jackson has dropped 26 of them the past three years. He has also improved his career high forced missed tackles despite having played only nine games.

Johnson meanwhile has only run 81 snaps but he's caught nine of 14 passes for 156 yards with one missed tackle. That's very good production in limited reps as only 19 players (with more than 50% of snaps) have averaged more.

Tightends - Brent Celek and Clay Harbor

First let's compare their receiving numbers:

Player	Snaps	Targets	Receptions	Catch %	Yards	TDs	INTs	DPs	MTs
Celek	281	58	36	62.1	467	1	3	6	3
Harbor	83	19	14	73.7	104	1	2	1	3

Each player has some positive numbers and some less so. Celek has made big plays when he has made the catch, but he's been left wide open a number of times as just three forced missed tackles shows. He's also dropped six of 58 targets including some balls that have ended up as interceptions and what would have been a crucial touchdown in the Detroit game. Although the sample size is small, Harbor's gotten open and made the catches when he's been on the field as the 73.7% completion rate shows. He has also forced the same number of missed tackles as Celek despite being on the field for less than three times as many snaps.

Player	Run Snaps	Stops allowed	Pass pro snaps	Sack	Hits	Hurries
Celek	234	12	101	2	2	4
Harbor	90	1	30	0	0	1

The blocking department is where Harbor really distinguishes himself. He's been much more consistent than the man currently starting over him, allowing just one stop in the run game and one hurry in pass protection. Sample size issues again apply but Celek's simply made too many mistakes in a year when the offensive line needs all the help it can get.

Running Backs - Bryce Brown or Dion Lewis

Brown's rushing numbers:

Attempts	Yards	Average	Yards after contact (YCo)	YCo/Att	TDs	MTs	Fumbles
28	96	3.4	87	3.1	0	2	2

To be fair Brown's only had 28 carries, and we didn't get to see much of Lewis last year, but what stands out is the lack of forced missed tackles and pair of fumbles. The high average yards after contact per attempt is impressive and suggests his low yardage per carry has at least something to do with the struggles of the offensive line. If Reid only used his backup backs more it would be easier to identify the superior player. The fumbles are especially concerning though and two in just 28 carries is unacceptable.

Pass protection:

Snaps	Sacks	Hits	Hurries
19	0	1	3

Brown rightly deserves praise for picking up Orlando Scandrick on Nick Foles' deep touchdown to Maclin against the Cowboys but aside from that he's been pretty poor when asked to take on rushers. To put his numbers in perspective, McCoy has allowed three hits and four hurries on 125 drop backs when he's stayed in to block. Typically Reid doesn't play backs that aren't good backfield protectors so it may be a sign that Lewis is even worse. Ironically Brown has two targets in the receiving game, one of which resulted in an easy drop and the other where he forced a missed tackle. Obviously more is needed to tell what kind of a receiver he is.