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Will Eagles shift away from the run again?
By Bob Ford
Inquirer Columnist
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The air can be a bit thin up in the hills, and the relentless sun as it sears the players on the field and the sweating fans packed into the stands can play tricks as well.
All at once, Hank Baskett can look like Jerry Rice, Sean Considine can resemble Andre Waters, and Donovan McNabb, lumbering along in his knee brace, can get a wild cheer for a 10-yard scramble downfield that is greatly aided by the red jersey he wears.
All that appears to be real on the field during an NFL training camp is actually just a long list of assumptions, expectations and hopes that will eventually be confirmed or dismissed during the regular season. Baskett - who does look awfully good - might develop into an excellent wide receiver for the Eagles. Considine might be able to tackle someone this season. McNabb, brace or no brace, might resume his career as a multiple offensive threat. We shall see.
But we shall not see all these things while the heat rises in wavy shimmers at Lehigh University and while we wonder why all those parboiled fans are sitting in the steaming, metal bleachers waaaay over there, two fields from the action. Some things are not to be understood, obviously.
The majority of the attention at Eagles training camp has been and will continue to be given to McNabb. Nothing else is quite as important to the success of the team this season as the healthy return of the quarterback. But unknown is whether his comeback will also signal an end to what seemed like a more balanced offensive attack in his absence.
Brian Westbrook is waiting for the answer to that question, too. He became a leader by default after McNabb's knee injury last season and didn't mind the role at all. Can Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg return McNabb to his place of prominence without de-emphasizing Westbrook, which wouldn't sit very well with the running back? Again, that's an answer that can't be found while standing around at training camp trying to guess the actual height and weight of Nate Ilaoa.
For his part, Westbrook is diplomatic about the issue, at least for now.
"I know how much success we had last year when we did run the ball more. As long as we win games, I'll be happy with that. As a player, you want to run the ball as much as possible, but as long as we win, I'm not a selfish guy like that," Westbrook said between practice sessions yesterday. "With the emphasis on the run, we were able to make some holes and win some football games."
Some of that emphasis came about because the Eagles were doing their best to protect Jeff Garcia, some because Mornhinweg took the play-calling duties, and some because emphasis is routinely dictated by the personnel available.
The balance between running plays and passing plays in the offense during the Andy Reid era has always fluctuated depending on the players. It figures to swing back toward the pass this season.
When the Eagles were riding the sturdy ability of Duce Staley and the arrival of Westbrook in the 2002 and 2003 seasons - and living with the reality of Todd Pinkston and James Thrash as their top wide receivers - the offense ran the ball a lot, 47.2 percent in 2002 and 46.3 percent in 2003.
When Terrell Owens arrived for 2004 and the team romped to the Super Bowl, running plays made up just 40.7 percent of the offense in the regular season. The percentage fell again in 2005 when Mike McMahon was scrambling for his life and Westbrook missed the last month with a foot injury.
So last year was just another example of the philosophy being dictated by the roster. In the first 10 games, including the Tennessee game in which McNabb was injured, the offense was 40.9 percent running plays. After that, with Garcia handing off regularly to Westbrook, the percentage, even including the two playoff games, was 47.2 percent.
That's a significant swing, no doubt about it. (Although Westbrook's increase in carries was nearly balanced by a decrease in receptions. He had 21.6 offensive touches per game with McNabb starting, and 22.7 per game afterward. Big deal.)
The local assumption is that a halogen-bright light went off in the collective brain pans of the Eagles' deep thinkers when the greater reliance on the running game led to five straight regular-season wins and then another in the playoffs.
Perhaps, but not necessarily. Don't be surprised if McNabb's return takes the Eagles' offense back to the good, old, slinging days. The others, particularly Westbrook, will just have to accept it. McNabb is back and he expects to lead with his arm and otherwise.
"I'm the leader of this team," McNabb said. "It's great that everybody assumed the role after I went out, because somebody has to do it."
And somebody had to be the focus of the offense in his absence, too. Things are back to normal now, though. It isn't easy to see in the stifling glare of training camp, but that is the case.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/20070803_Bob_Ford___Just_Warming_Up.html
By Bob Ford
Inquirer Columnist
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The air can be a bit thin up in the hills, and the relentless sun as it sears the players on the field and the sweating fans packed into the stands can play tricks as well.
All at once, Hank Baskett can look like Jerry Rice, Sean Considine can resemble Andre Waters, and Donovan McNabb, lumbering along in his knee brace, can get a wild cheer for a 10-yard scramble downfield that is greatly aided by the red jersey he wears.
All that appears to be real on the field during an NFL training camp is actually just a long list of assumptions, expectations and hopes that will eventually be confirmed or dismissed during the regular season. Baskett - who does look awfully good - might develop into an excellent wide receiver for the Eagles. Considine might be able to tackle someone this season. McNabb, brace or no brace, might resume his career as a multiple offensive threat. We shall see.
But we shall not see all these things while the heat rises in wavy shimmers at Lehigh University and while we wonder why all those parboiled fans are sitting in the steaming, metal bleachers waaaay over there, two fields from the action. Some things are not to be understood, obviously.
The majority of the attention at Eagles training camp has been and will continue to be given to McNabb. Nothing else is quite as important to the success of the team this season as the healthy return of the quarterback. But unknown is whether his comeback will also signal an end to what seemed like a more balanced offensive attack in his absence.
Brian Westbrook is waiting for the answer to that question, too. He became a leader by default after McNabb's knee injury last season and didn't mind the role at all. Can Andy Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg return McNabb to his place of prominence without de-emphasizing Westbrook, which wouldn't sit very well with the running back? Again, that's an answer that can't be found while standing around at training camp trying to guess the actual height and weight of Nate Ilaoa.
For his part, Westbrook is diplomatic about the issue, at least for now.
"I know how much success we had last year when we did run the ball more. As long as we win games, I'll be happy with that. As a player, you want to run the ball as much as possible, but as long as we win, I'm not a selfish guy like that," Westbrook said between practice sessions yesterday. "With the emphasis on the run, we were able to make some holes and win some football games."
Some of that emphasis came about because the Eagles were doing their best to protect Jeff Garcia, some because Mornhinweg took the play-calling duties, and some because emphasis is routinely dictated by the personnel available.
The balance between running plays and passing plays in the offense during the Andy Reid era has always fluctuated depending on the players. It figures to swing back toward the pass this season.
When the Eagles were riding the sturdy ability of Duce Staley and the arrival of Westbrook in the 2002 and 2003 seasons - and living with the reality of Todd Pinkston and James Thrash as their top wide receivers - the offense ran the ball a lot, 47.2 percent in 2002 and 46.3 percent in 2003.
When Terrell Owens arrived for 2004 and the team romped to the Super Bowl, running plays made up just 40.7 percent of the offense in the regular season. The percentage fell again in 2005 when Mike McMahon was scrambling for his life and Westbrook missed the last month with a foot injury.
So last year was just another example of the philosophy being dictated by the roster. In the first 10 games, including the Tennessee game in which McNabb was injured, the offense was 40.9 percent running plays. After that, with Garcia handing off regularly to Westbrook, the percentage, even including the two playoff games, was 47.2 percent.
That's a significant swing, no doubt about it. (Although Westbrook's increase in carries was nearly balanced by a decrease in receptions. He had 21.6 offensive touches per game with McNabb starting, and 22.7 per game afterward. Big deal.)
The local assumption is that a halogen-bright light went off in the collective brain pans of the Eagles' deep thinkers when the greater reliance on the running game led to five straight regular-season wins and then another in the playoffs.
Perhaps, but not necessarily. Don't be surprised if McNabb's return takes the Eagles' offense back to the good, old, slinging days. The others, particularly Westbrook, will just have to accept it. McNabb is back and he expects to lead with his arm and otherwise.
"I'm the leader of this team," McNabb said. "It's great that everybody assumed the role after I went out, because somebody has to do it."
And somebody had to be the focus of the offense in his absence, too. Things are back to normal now, though. It isn't easy to see in the stifling glare of training camp, but that is the case.
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/sports/20070803_Bob_Ford___Just_Warming_Up.html
