Eagles @ Broncos

[Vin+ 3,121]

 

http://hosted.stats.com/fb/preview.asp?g=20130929007&home=7&vis=21

 

(AP) -- The best start of Peyton Manning's career has the Denver Broncos on the verge of team history.

 

The Broncos will be trying for a franchise-record 15th consecutive regular-season win Sunday when the Philadelphia Eagles come to town.

 

It would tie them for the ninth-longest streak all-time, still a ways back from the league-record of 23 that Manning helped Indianapolis set from 2008-09.

 

Denver's run of 14 in a row, dating to a loss at New England on Oct. 7, ties the franchise record set from 1997-98 during the team's two Super Bowl-winning seasons. Manning, a Colts rookie in 1998, didn't figure one way or the other into that streak, but his start this year has everything to do with potentially topping it.

 

"We get to play with one of the greatest quarterbacks and football players to ever play the game," tight end Julius Thomas said. "He's great. There's no other way to cut it up or slice it."

 

The future Hall of Famer has never opened a season with a three-game quarterback rating higher than his current one of 134.7, which leads the NFL. His previous best was 119.9 in 2004.

 

"It's a huge challenge," Eagles coach Chip Kelly said. "He's one of the all-time great quarterbacks in the history of the league, not just this season, he's done it for such a long time. He prides himself on his preparation. I think if you're a competitor, you're looking forward to it."

 

Kelly's club must face the league's best offense through three weeks. The Broncos (3-0) are putting up averages of 486.7 yards and 42.3 points, 10.3 better than second-best Green Bay.

 

Manning has a record 12 passing touchdowns through three games. He's gotten there without throwing an interception, which ties the record number of TD passes Eagles quarterback Michael Vick had in 2010 before his first pick. It took Vick eight games to get there.

 

Demaryius Thomas has a team-high 20 catches and 307 yards, while Julius Thomas and Wes Welker are one off the league lead with four touchdown catches apiece. Eric Decker has 17 receptions in his last two games, including eight for 133 yards and a score in a 37-21 win over Oakland on Monday night.

 

"I don't have a great comparison to other years, but guys are making good plays in the passing game," Manning said. "We're doing a good job getting yards after the catch. That makes a big difference. ... Those are the kind of plays that really help get the drives going."

 

The Eagles (26.3) might not be scoring as much as the Broncos, but they're certainly moving the ball and are second in the league with an average of 461.7 yards.

 

They have the league's top rushing offense with 627 yards. They're the only team this year to crack 500, and their 6.6 yards-per-carry average is 1.3 higher than any other team.

 

LeSean McCoy leads the league with 395 yards rushing while Vick is tied for 14th with 187 while averaging 10.4 per carry.

 

Those numbers might not matter if the Eagles (1-2) can't find a way to defend the pass against Manning. They're allowing an average of 323.0 yards through the air, worse than every team other than the Broncos (327.0), Washington and San Diego.

 

"Pass defense is everybody," Kelly said. "It's generating the pass rush, not letting the quarterback feel comfortable, being close in coverage. It's a combination of all those things."

 

Vick's first two games this year were promising, helping Kelly to his first NFL win in Week 1 against Washington before losing a shootout with Philip Rivers in Week 2 at home against San Diego.

 

He hit a snag in a 26-16 home loss to Kansas City last Thursday, completing 13 of 30 attempts for 201 yards and a touchdown with his first two interceptions of the year.

 

The Broncos' defense, though, showed some holes against a far less proven quarterback in Week 3, yielding 281 yards and a touchdown on 28 attempts by Oakland's Terrelle Pryor.

 

"We probably played a little bit loose," cornerback Chris Harris said. "I'm not giving excuses. They made plays. A lot of things happened when he scrambled. We have another scrambling quarterback this week. That's something we need to improve on."

 

It's been good enough for the Broncos to record their best start since 2009.

 

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

I hate looking at the Broncos schedule. It sickens me after starting with the Niners, Skins (hey, they were good last year. >_>), and Bengals. Damn it.

Broncos by 14.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

I feel like our offense has a bounce back week, but our defense? Helpless.

 

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Edited September 28, 2013 by SteVo

[Dutch 874]

The Broncos should beat the bricks out of us. Our defense blows. I think our offense can possibly keep pace considering we don't turn the ball over, but our last game against the Chiefs with 5 turnovers was very reminiscent of our 2012 Eagles self sabotaging and self inflicting enigma like ways.

 

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[SteVo+ 3,702]

The Broncos should beat the bricks out of us. Our defense blows. I think our offense can possibly keep pace considering we don't turn the ball over, but our last game against the Chiefs with 5 turnovers was very reminiscent of our 2012 Eagles self sabotaging and self inflicting enigma like ways.

 

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The problem with the offense's accelerated pace is when we go 3 and out, we get the ball right back into Peyton's hands against our tired defense.

[Dutch 874]

 

The Broncos should beat the bricks out of us. Our defense blows. I think our offense can possibly keep pace considering we don't turn the ball over, but our last game against the Chiefs with 5 turnovers was very reminiscent of our 2012 Eagles self sabotaging and self inflicting enigma like ways.

 

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The problem with the offense's accelerated pace is when we go 3 and out, we get the ball right back into Peyton's hands against our tired defense.

 

 

True. We aren't efficient enough on 3rd down to run that offense all the time. Our defense is averaging 40 mins per game on the field lol...

[RazorStar 4,025]

Stopping Shady is gonna be a real challenge here. Hopefully our defense is up to the task.

[theMileHighGuy 656]

There could be 200 plays in this potential shootout, but you're not going to keep up with the Broncos with that defense. If Gase and Fox had the balls to call an aggressive game, I would say 60+ - 28.

 

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[Vin+ 3,121]

 

Champ Bailey (foot) is inactive for Sunday's Week 4 game against the Eagles.

Bailey sustained a severe foot sprain way back on Aug. 17. He's been close to playing in each of the past few weeks, but has erred on the side of caution. The 3-0 Broncos can certainly afford to wait on Bailey. It's another boost for Michael Vick, DeSean Jackson and the Eagles passing game in Sunday's likely shootout.

The rest of the Broncos inactives: OL Chris Kuper, RB CJ Anderson, LB Paris Lenon, T Winston Justice, DL Sylvester Williams and QB Zac Dysert.

 

 

 

Eagles declared S Pat Chung (shoulder) inactive for Sunday's Week 4 game against the Broncos.

Chung has been among the worst safeties in the league all season, so it's scary that the Eagles consider rookie replacement Earl Wolff a downgrade. Peyton Manning is licking his chops.

The rest of the Eagles inactives: QB Matt Barkley, CB Shaun Prater, T Matt Tobin, T Dennis Kelly, DE Damion Square and TE Emil Igwenagu.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

No Chung? Addition by subtraction.

[DonovanMcnabb for H.O.F 2,241]

The Broncos are lost without their MVP Von Miller right now.

[RazorStar 4,025]

Oh man, think about what we're gonna do when we get him back? shiiiiiiit.

[Piggly Wiggly 960]

EDP's weekly rant...

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vGmETLp_7D4

[Dutch 874]

That dude is a clown with his melodramatic ass. Anyway, I expected a blowout.

 

Offense

 

Michael Vick just isn't the answer. He has good production in spurts which appear to be lucky more then a little. He has no pocket awareness, no pass rush clock in his head, and holds onto the ball too god dam long. Brent Celek needs to work on consistency. He had a huge drop that would have resulted in a TD. We have to get more efficient in the redzone. We have a juggernaut offense yards wise but they aren't translating into a lot of points; dead yards. We have been historically bad in the redzone and really need to improve there. A quarter of the season is in the books and I've seen enough of Vick already. He can make big plays and have good games but with how he does it, it can't be consistent. It's luck more then anything in my opinion. If we get smashed by the Giants, I want to see Foles and refocus on the future.

 

Desean Jackson got shut down yet again. Teams are playing bump man coverage against us and no one is getting open. If Vick isn't chucking the ball down the field to Desean Jackson, our aerial attack suffers. Our passing attack is very one dimensional right now. If Desean Jackson doesn't have a big game, no one steps up. Chip Kelly talked about making adjustments to situations and our personnel, our WRs haven't stepped up and made any plays. We need to see those TE sets with Zach Ertz and James Casey. I'd even like to see Damaris Johnson get onto the field who is a dynamic playmaker and would probably do wonders for us in the slot. Let Desean stretch the field and the other guys eat up the middle. Adjustments need to be made and fast.

 

Lane Johnson has been pretty bad in the last two games. Todd Herremans has been a penalty and sack magnet. Alex Henerey has also missed three field goals in the 40 yard range in three straight games. He doesn't have the range to nail field goals over 50 yards and if he can't hit the field goals within 40 yards, he's no good to us and definitely a liability.

 

 

Defense

 

Our defense is horrible. Penalties, missed tackles, and have no discipline. Our system doesn't appear to fit our players. This 3-4 scheme isn't working and we are playing way too much zone. Cary Williams is physical and Bradley Fletcher would fair better in man I believe. Also our potentially two best pass rushers are only getting like 13 snaps a game; Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham. They need more play time. We should just dump the 3-4 and go 4-3 and have Trent Cole RE, Vinny Curry UT, Fletcher Cox NT, Brandon Graham LE. I think our D-line would be monstrous. Then have Connor Barwin, Demeco Ryans, and Mychal Kendricks as our linebackers. I understand transitioning to a new scheme takes time but I just think our personnel fits a 4-3 better.

 

 

Special Teams

 

Blocked punt for a TD, gave up a kick return for a TD, and missed a 40ish yard field goal for the third week in a row. Just had. Really nothing else to say here.

[Dutch 874]

Not having Maclin hurts us big time. Teams have been playing bump man coverage against us the last two games and have had success. Our receivers at times have been struggling to get open. If Desean Jackson doesn't have a good game, none of our other receivers step up to the plate and our passing attack sucks. Riley Cooper isn't a starting WR and Avant is a slot guy. Avant makes great plays but you can't expect him to have good games every week (even though he probably could in the right system and the right QB). I thought Chip Kelly said he was about adjustments so I expected to see more TE packages like he spoke off in the offseason. I think we need to see more Zach Ertz and James Casey; maybe some more Damaris Johnson who is a dynamic play maker after the catch.

However, there are instances where our receivers have been open the last couple of games but Vick just simply missed them.

He has two open receivers that he can deliver the ball to on the right side of the field. He can also throw it to the receiver on the left if he leads him to the right.

Desean Jackson is match up with a LINEBACKER. If Vick waits one more second he has a first down and probably more if he throws an accurate ball in stride.

Although Vick gets the first down with his legs, he goes through his progressions and completely misses Celek slip behind the zone coverage in the middle of the field. Just another clear example of Vick's vision while scanning the field.

Avant is open on the right side of the field.

However, Vick holds onto the ball too long and releases late and DRC closes the gap and makes a play on the ball here.

Ertz is wide open going up the middle of the field and Celek is coming open running across the middle... Neither guy gets the ball on this play...

Vick just isn't a good QB. He's an athlete with an arm. He can throw accurate passes when he's under no pressure, but he doesn't have good field vision, horrible with progression reads and can't read defenses. His pocket awareness is also bad and he has no pass rush clock in his head. Not to mention Vick holds onto the ball too long and currently leads the league holding the ball for an average of 3.4 seconds. Chip said our offense needs to feature a QB who can make quick reads/decision and get the ball out quick. Vick can't do that.

Chip started Vick under the premise that we need to win now but the thing is we aren't winning now and it's more then evident on tape that Vick isn't the guy. I would hope that if we lose to the Giants Chip would bench Vick and move on with Foles or Barkley. I suspect that he would only do that if the season wasn't salvageable but would really respect him if he did it after another bad game because it needs to be done and it's apparent.

So while our receivers did struggle getting open on certain plays there were a lot of missed opportunities that were missed because Vick didn't see them or made the wrong decision.

Defense is something different entirely. I understand transitioning to a new scheme takes time but I honestly don't believe we have the personnel for a 3-4. Not only do I think that but have potentially two of our most disruptive pass rushers only getting like 13 snaps a game; Vinny Curry and Brandon Graham. When they are in the game, they make their presence felt and get pressure but for some odd reason they aren't getting play time. I think our D-line would be monstrous if we switched to a 4-3 and had Trent Cole RE, Vinny Curry UT, Fletcher Cox NT, and Brandon Graham LE. Cedric Thorton is playing well (in 3-4) and should see time as well. Then we'd have Demeco Ryans, Mychal Kendricks, and Connor Barwin as our linebackers. Our corners need to be playing more press man in my opinion than that soft zone coverage. I have no clue about our safeties but just hoping that Earll Wolfe pans out.

I don't expect much from us this year but it's not too late to change our future. There are clear problems with this team and all I can do is hope that the proper adjustments are made because stuff clearly isn't working and there are other options. Chip sold us how he adjust to the personnel and some of our current personnel aren't doing well while others need to be given a chance and others that are performing well need more game time.