Bored, Stupid & Listless- But Only For A Half

The NFL’s traditionally rich palette of characters and emotion just didn’t really show up in South Philadephia Monday night. It is hard to imagine just how bored, stupid and listless the Eagles would have to be to lose to the Packers- but Reid and chums gave it the good old college try.

The consensus in the papers is that Philadelphia’s biggest concern is the defensive secondary. And while there are problems there, I am not so sure that is right. Look, with Hood and Sheppard out- the Eagles are starting the dime corner, using a deep reserve as the nickel corner, and a back-up safety as the dime defensive back. But Hood and Sheppard are due back, so this problem almost has to get better of its own accord.

The secondary is never going to be as good as its halcyon days, when they had three pro-Bowlers and a good young safety back there. Michael Lewis and Dawkins are entering the saavy, rather than the athletic, portion of their careers. They are still good players- Dawkins is still a pro-Bowler- but they are not a true elite pairing anymore. Sheppard & Brown haven’t lost a step exactly, but corner is not a position where saavy compensates for age. Corners tend to burn bright and fast in this league- they can be "older" at 27-particularly when the nagging leg injuries start. But I am far from convinced that running those four guys out there in Novemebr is a minus.

No, the problem is within the number one offense. A smaller problem right now- but unlike the secondary, unfixable. Brian Westbrook is aching. Again. And as I am the only person in Philadelphia not totally enamored with the guy, I’m rightfully nervous.

My problem with Brian is not the on field stuff. Clearly, he is an elite player who excels in producing those weird mis-matches offensive coordinators love in the pro ball. My problem is with the total roster pressures he inflicts.

First, because he misses so many games, then further handles the ball pretty infrequently for a franchise back and costs a fortune, your second and third running backs have to play, sometimes play a lot- and by the way be either cheap (how many millions can you devote to the back-up RB?) or recent draft picks. Plus, someone on the roster has to sort of mimic his capabilities or your whole game plan goes out the window in games when Westbrook has yet another “oowie”. Ryan Moats is the latest incarnation- yet another first day draft pick spent to “support” the Westbrook roster spot.

The Eagles have never squared this circle. Point to one year since Westbrook became the top guy around here, the Eagles have not spent a first day draft pick or were forced to proffer a semi-ridiculous free agent deal on a guy like Buckhalter or Levens to do nothing much good. It almost cost them Monday Night- when the current top back, forced to play a lot more than his capabilities wont, fumbled a bunch of times in clutch spots and brought zero on most of his other snaps. Do you know why Buckhalter is on this roster? Cause an oft-hurt, umpteenth second chance guy is all the team can afford with Westbrook’s giant contract hanging around. By the way, that is true of every team with a big dollar franchise back- but those teams don’t expect the guy to have to play constantly.

Second, the Eagles possession/slot passing game really declines when he is not in there. Guys like Baskett and Mahe need to contribute- and they can’t. I know Philadelphia loves to point to Greg Lewis and LJ Smith- and these guys belong in the League. But that is just it, right? Every decent TE and third wide out in the NFL can point to a few games each year where he has some big numbers and large contributions. These sort of nice games from these second teir offense-type guys aren’t unexpected in this League- and accordingly, those guys are not roster-pluses.

It is a tricky problem. But when you pay $20M+ to a guy who you know will miss a lot of games- and whose absence further hurts your passing attack, forces bad running backs to play a lot, forces you to spend numerous draft picks/free agent dollars to support his roster spot, etc.- it is a problem. Let's put it this way: if the Eagles don't make the play-offs, I bet it is because Westbrook didn't play twelve games- and that is not the sort of risk/reward ratio your $20M running back is supposed to provide.