Last week the Birds came up with the W. At the end of the season that is all that counts. When you only play 16 games before the post season….you need to get the W’s early and often.
Last week was a sloppy performance in a league where it appears that everyone with the exception of the patriots were sloppy. My argument is they were sloppy too, Miami is just that bad….but no one will listen to that logic. Beware constant reader…..I diss Tom Brady at every opportunity.
Part of what makes the NFL the #1 money making sport in the US is their ability to tell a tale. This week As the World Turns comes back from its canceled status and takes up root @ the GeorgiaDome. Is it still called the GeorgiaDome? Hey I am old I can’t keep up with the new names all of the time.
In what feels like 1000 years ago Michael Vick was the #1 pick of the Atlanta Falcons. The human highlight reel from VA was the future of the franchise. Human highlight reel he was too. He was breath taking and exciting and you could not tear your eyes off of him.
Then the man had a fall from grace and returned to the league, fairly quietly to be the #3 quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles.
He went from the $100 million dollar man in Atlanta, to inmate #whatever, to the 3rd QB.
A funny thing happened though along the way to the Mike VIck biography about how you should stay in school, say your prayers, eat your vitamins, and not be a menace to society like Mike Vick.
The Birds traded Donovan McNabb, and anointed Kevin Kolb the heir apparent.
A funny thing happened to the Kevin KOlb era in Philadelphia though….Clay Matthews. No not the skinny kid who is our middle linebacker, that is Casey and he sucks. Clay is the monster on the Green Bay roster who is responsible for the concussion that took Kevin Kolb out of the GB game in 2010.
The batphone rang and Vick put on his helmet and the rest is history. Literally. Michael Vick is the only player in NFL history to get 100 million dollar contracts from two different teams. He could very well be the last.
Michael Vick leads the 1-0 Philadelphia Eagles into that dome to return to the place it all began. To the city that embraced him, and the city that wants to hate him. How could you not want to hate a man with that much deity delivered talent who didn’t “dedicate” himself to the game and the position, and left in an orange jumpsuit and shackles.
If you are a lover of the game though? You can not hate Mike Vick. Oh you can TRY….then he puts up 59 points against Washington and you start humming Remember the Time by Michael Jackson.
The matchups:
Michael Turner v Casey Matthews & the “wide 9”.
Wide 9 is not a shoe size, it is the Juan Castillo/Washburn defense that on paper can deliver great things. In practice, you have to have a solid linebacking core for early int he game. The wide 9 is tough to counter when you are down 10 points, but it is quite simple to get around when the score is 0-0.
Michael Turner is an 18 wheeler on the interstate with Casey Matthews playing the part of a Yugo. It may not be pretty. This is not a battle that the 2 week old linebacker can win.
Line vs Line
Not unlike the Eagles the Falcons are rebuilding their O-Line. I think they may have done a slightly better job of it though. Good thing because they are going to need it. The rotating front 4 of the Eagles D is not to be fucked with and I predict 3 sacks for Trent Cole.
Special Teams
If Lewis tries to run one more fucking ball out of the endzone ONE MORE FUCKING BALL, he is going to make me angry. I had mini strokes each time I saw him catch and run and I considered walking to St Loius last week and having a forehead talk with him.
The new not David Akers kicker Henery better be as good as the draft pick we wasted on him. I say this because the Eagles will win the game by 3. I’m thinking 24-21 in that vicinity, I am not willing to go higher than that.
Items to watch:
Brent Celek. If the O-LIne is improving as the staff tells us that it is, it could free Brent up for some catches. It would be great to have a TE again.
Tony Gonzalez. He may be on the downside of his career but he still runs routes like nobody’s business. With these linebackers expect to her his number more than once.
That kid we got from Oakland. (yeah yeah @ some point I will attempt to spell his name – not tonight though) He didn’t allow a TD in all of 2010, but I don’t think he will be so lucky tomorrow. Matt Ryan is no slouch, and he’s got a decent arm.