• March 29, 2024

Bunkley and Patterson Should Be Used At Times On Third Downs

I can understand why the Eagles rotate at the defensive tackle position and take starting tackles Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley off the field on third down but I think both of these tackles are capable of being good pass rushers.  I would like to see them shake up the rotations and have Patterson and Bunkley on the field sometimes on third downs.

NFL games are won and lost on third downs.  If an offense keeps a drive going by getting the first down or a defense gets off the field, it’s a huge factor in the game.

You want to have your best football players on the field when the game is on the line.  The Eagles feel former number one draft picks Bunkley and Patterson are two of their better football players.  They should be on the field sometimes on third down.

Last year they played Bunkley and Patterson on first and second down, then took them off the field and brought in defensive ends, put them inside and had them pressure the quarterbacks from there.

Rotating is wise because there’s nothing more physically taxing than playing the defensive tackle position in the NFL.  Most of the time, you’re trying to battle two three-hundred pounder offensive linemen whether you’re defending the run or rushing the passer.

Numerous times during training camp I’ve watched the Eagles offensive and defensive linemen go at it in their one-on-one drills.  I’ve seen the quickness and great body control of Patterson.  He’s one of the team’s best pass rushing tackles.

Likewise I’ve seen the brute-like strength and pure speed of Bunkley.  I haven’t seen an offensive linemen on the football team, prevent Bunkley from pushing them back into the pocket.

Still I’d like to see, Patterson and Bunkley get the chance to rush the passer on some of those third down situations.  With Trevor Laws and Antonio Dixon as the backups, the Birds have second-teamers very capable of plugging the run, which would allow the Eagles to give Bunkley and Patterson some third down chances.

Dixon, who is the biggest defensive tackle on the squad, is a good run stopper and during this training camp, Laws has shown the ability to do a good job against the run.

All I’m saying is that I think mixing it up would be a good idea.  They don’t always need great pass rush pressure from the inside, they need the tackles to prevent passers from moving up in the pocket.  Bunkley is the best bull rushing tackle they have on the football team.

His power and explosiveness would be beneficial on third downs, when you want to make sure that the quarterback can’t step up and avoid the outside pass rushers, Trent Cole and Brandon Graham.

With the drafting of Graham, I feel confident the Eagles will be getting pass rush pressure from outside, now they need the defensive tackles to not allow opposing quarterbacks to step in the pocket.

If they get that, they’ll be able to pressure the quarterback  without relying on the blitz.  This will play a huge role in how good the Eagles defense will be this year.

GCOBB

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phillywill
phillywill
August 19, 2010 9:02 am

yea i like bunk he’s gotta be on the field
ever since the gmen were rushing 4 de’s during their sb run eagles have been stuck on it but they fail to realize we dont have studs like they did strahan osi tuck and kiwi so stop trying to copy and just play our game please

Paul Mancini
Paul Mancini
August 19, 2010 9:14 am

I agree G,
I would also like to see Bunkley lined up as a LDE (opposite T Cole) as a pass rusher once in a while to see what he can do..He has the burst and strength I believe to beat some of the RT in the leauge

scorpiodsu
scorpiodsu
August 19, 2010 9:45 am

1 more spot left in the league. Hit me up drew_sg2000 at yahoo.com

****Everyone that emailed me already received and invite. Please accept or let me know if you didn’t get one****

BirdoBeamen
BirdoBeamen
August 19, 2010 9:56 am

I agree GCOBB. On crucial 3rd downs, maybe at the beginning of the game to set the tone and at the end of the game to bring it home, I would like to see Bunk and Patterson in there at all times.

vricchini
vricchini
August 19, 2010 10:20 am

I would like to see Gary Cobb and Reggie White back there again causing mayhem

Paul Mancini
Paul Mancini
August 19, 2010 10:29 am

Gobb was too slow…ha

Paul Mancini
Paul Mancini
August 19, 2010 10:30 am

To Scorp, I got signed up as Team # 6 fyi…
I need some competition for the West Division.. let’s go guys….

nsidious
nsidious
August 19, 2010 10:52 am

G:

Well stated. I have my doubts, but considering all the changes and the both of their track records, how can you deny them some shots at least? Now would be a good time.

WellWellWell
WellWellWell
August 19, 2010 11:03 am

Perhaps this is a philosophy that could set McDefense and JJ apart. I believe it was JJ that put the DE’s in on 3rd down situations to begin with, maybe McDefense will change that and let them see what they can do. A change in the winds says I.

phillywill
phillywill
August 19, 2010 12:38 pm

i like the 4 de’s on 3rd down i have no problem with it when u have 4 starting de’s stra kiwi tuck osi those are starters all of them on any given yr pro bowelers
we only had 1 good de we didnt even have an adequate starter on the other side for yrs so how were we using 4 de’s with only 1 good 1
i wouldnt mind seeing cole graham and move parker inside sometimes
but 4 de’s i dont think we have 4 good 1’s to take a bunk or patterson off the field

phillywill
phillywill
August 19, 2010 12:41 pm

y r u callin this guy mcdefense mcnodefense maybe take spaggs over him anyday
rip jj best coach eagles ever had
u call him mcdefense i callem mcdummit

schiller
schiller
August 19, 2010 1:23 pm

Ha. I think the most telling thing of this article is how G slipped in the fact that he’s confident Grahm will give us a good outside rush opposite Cole – that’s GREAT. If he’s so confident, then frankly, the D will be better this year. It will make the secondary and LBs look better. I’m very happy to see that G is a Grahm believer.

WellWellWell
WellWellWell
August 19, 2010 1:44 pm

PW

WellWellWell
WellWellWell
August 19, 2010 1:47 pm

Don’t know why that happened….neway…so why do you contradict yourself? You say you have no problem w/ 4DE’s on 3rd down, then go on to mention 4 DE’s that didn’t even play for our team and 1 of these DE’s is now retired anyway, and then say out of 4 we put on the field only 1 is worth it…so wouldn’t that support G’s comments in leaving the 2 DT’s metioned in on 3rd down passing downs? You make no sense. go MCDFENSE…you’re McDumbass

phillywill
phillywill
August 19, 2010 3:24 pm

well if u learn to read i specifically say if we had 4 de’s like str osi tuck kiwi i’d be all for it but since we dont leave bunk on the field
learn to read dumbass
“i like the 4 de’s on 3rd down i have no problem with it when u have 4 starting de’s stra kiwi tuck osi those are starters all of them on any given yr pro bowelers
we only had 1 good de we didnt even have an adequate starter on the other side for yrs so how were we using 4 de’s with only 1 good 1”
notice i said we only had HAD from my central high school education means past tense also notice so how were we using 4de’s also meaning past tense
and notice i said on some downs we could move parker inside thus leaving bunkley in the game as i stated on my original comment
learn how to read idiot

Paul Mancini
Paul Mancini
August 19, 2010 3:31 pm

Strahan’s been retired for what, going on his 3rd year..
Go get a Subway Sandwhich PW…

phillywill
phillywill
August 19, 2010 3:36 pm

like i said we copied 4 de’s from spaggs
but we didnt have the de’s to copy it
go do something they do in north carolina
i have no clue what they do but go do it fraud philadelphian

phillywill
phillywill
August 19, 2010 3:48 pm

n y would i get a subway sandwich when u owe me a dalesandros cheesesteak
u were phils this and phils that when we were 8.5 out of 1st place
told u we’d make the offs told u charlie aint andy told u phitans aint birds
so i guess now we wont advance is next out of your mouth lol
pepper cheese fried oninons thanx

WellWellWell
WellWellWell
August 19, 2010 4:13 pm

Paul also said we’d come in 2nd behind the Braves…Anyway, re-read your own post PW, you never say “if we HAD DE’s like Stra Kiwi Osi and Tuck, and you even copy and paste your own post in your 2nd post…you say “I like the the 4 de’s on 3rd down I have no problem with it WHEN U HAVE 4 starting…” then you go on to vomit out “If we only HAD 1 good de..” so maybe you need to go back to central HS and finally get that GED bro. You first argument is comparing the 4 DE’s (1 still retired) that are good to the fact we played 4 DE’s and only 1 was good. You NEVER say if we HAD players like yadda yadda, you say we only had 1 good DE and no adequate starters on the other side for years so we’re using 4 de with 1 good 1. I’ll take a $5 Footlong, Spicy Italian BMT on 9 grain whole wheat..spinach, black olives, salt and peppah, Ranch dressing and wrap that bitch up to go….

phillywill
phillywill
August 19, 2010 4:25 pm

r u serious r u illiterate
i dont have a problem with 4 de’s on the field if u have the caliber of those 4
im saying it never worked for us because our de’s were garbage point blank period if u could read i wouldnt have to post 32 times
and im saying we still dont have 4 de’s of that caliber so i’d rather see bunk on the field
LIKE MAYBE IF I TYPE IN CAPITAL LETTERS AND ADD SOME COLOR U WILL UNDERSTAND

WellWellWell
WellWellWell
August 19, 2010 4:55 pm

Maybe if you didn’t type like a 12 year old with a new cell phone that just learned how to text you might be able to put a coherent thought together and allow us normal people to understand you. or should I say..mayb u shld lern to rite gooder so we can get wht ur sayn insted of lol bein aww like damn man u u r so dumb cant even type an lol like Kolb sux an omg wtf lol we all suk n omg like whatev homey.

BigE
BigE
August 20, 2010 1:02 am

G, You say Bunkley pushes the Oline back but I don’t see this in regular games. He has only one move-bullrush and then pattycake.I HAVE NEVER SEEN HIM MANHANDLE A GUY THE WHOLE GAME I’m tired of assessment being made with practice play against average Olinemen. See what they do Friday against another team.

runtheball09
runtheball09
August 21, 2010 9:33 am

3rd and short we should shift Bradley and have Laws in the mike plowing right behind bunk and patterson