First of all let me say that the signing of Bobby April as the team’s special teams coach has been a disaster.
We were told that April, who was the former special teams coach of the Buffalo Bills was the best special teams coach in the NFL, yet our special teams have been pathetic. I’m starting to see a pattern.
We get left tackle Jason Peters from the Buffalo Bills and are told he’s the best left tackle in the game. He has failed to play at that level, in fact he has failed to play anywhere near that level.
The Niners dominated our special teams, much like all the other teams have done. Our opponents are attacking our players, while our players are waiting and catching them.
Some have said that football is a contact sport. I disagree. Football is a violent sport. You have to play the game in a violent manner in order to be successful on the NFL level.
The Eagles special teams under Bobby April are passive, which is the kiss of death in the NFL. The 49ers coverage units were coming down and wreaking violent havoc on the Eagles return men, while the Eagles kickoff team was coming down and being careful.
That last kickoff return by Ted Ginn of the Niners was an embarrassment. Ginn had time to start to his right, then run backwards to his left and take the ball all the way down to the Eagles 40 yard line. This almost cost the Eagles the ball game.
I don’t know what April is telling his players but whatever it is, he needs to change it. I know it’s important that the guys covering the kick off return must stay in their lanes, but they’ve got to play aggressively. They’re thinking too much and not playing football.
I repeat that so far, Bobby April has been a disaster as the Eagles special teams coach. The only thing he has done right is stay away from kicker David Akers.
I think we should all sign a petition to not bring in anybody else from Buffalo.
Yeah, no way to argue otherwise. But maybe he pulls it together and improves the unit as the year goes on. If not, yeah, fire him after the season. But with so many new faces, its still too early to quit on him.
good points, but is it possible we don’t have good special team players? we need a few more guys who are dedicated to being the first guy down the field to smack the other team to see nothing but eyeballs and snot bubbles. maybe stacy white should have been kept around.
Were we sold a bag of goods again? The special teams have just about given away every game this year. We seem powerless to stop anybody. We are worse than last year, with allegedly better personnel!
I don’t know why we think getting people from Buffalo, the worst team in the league, is going to help us. Just proves how bad the personnel is with Buffalo. Lets not forget Takeo Spikes either who was a bit of a disappointment here in Philadelphia.
btc – buffalo had been great at special teams. We took the one part from them that was good. That’s all. Jones Drew is on Jacksonville, does that make him a shitty RB? Nope. We took a good part from Buffalo, but it definitely hasn’t worked out so far. Remember, the backup LBs and DBs, who usually make ST plays, are mostly rookies… and we don’t have Tracey White and the likes making plays for us….
Has Buffalo pulled off the greatest “April is a fool” joke on the Eagles?
I made the brillant comment that April was the biggest pickup the team made in the offseason. The special teams is so bad even Andy is losing his appetite.
Dude Should be FIRED No exceptions..ST unit looks like keystone cops out there….NO Excuses…His unit will lose a game for us this season guaranteed
I think he gets fired during the Bye Week unless an improvement happens over the next few games..
I cannot even stand to listen to this guy who tries to explain that Special Teams is some type of “Rocket Science”
It’s not, its having 11 players on the same page and in position with their hair on fire and ready to take no proisoners.. Special teams is about discipline and desire…nothing more, nothing less..
Pman, you are predicting that Eagles will fire a coach after a few games of bad performance, what past events are you basing that off of? Have the Eagles, under this FO, EVER fired a coach midseason? Nope.
Maybe that’s your hope or what you think they should do, but as far as predicting that, why? There’s nothing to indicate that they would. They’ll probably give him a shot to improve for the rest of the season…
5 games into the season…April has not had a solid performance from his squad yet. He was given a squad that he (2) all-pro performers (DJax & Akers). Most special teams coaches are not as lucky.
Speaking of special teams, a question has bothered me for a while. We all witnessed the incompetence of Rory Seacrest with every move he made with the birds. Why would they give him the responsibility of such a pivotal squad as the D-line? We move up to draft an undersized defensive lineman, who I believe may be talented and certainly gives full effort, but then we hand him over to Seacrest for what?? The guy cannot coach, and is not getting what he needs to from his players. Why are we expecting different results from this guy???
Our special teams was much better last year thus far. But hopefully he can turn this thing around. Maybe its a whole new philosophy and these guys have to learn it
Even when Segrest was running special teams, by this same period he at least had the major, obvious stuff corrected. This current special teams is the WORST schooled group I’ve since Harbaugh was here.
And totally agree this stuff we’re getting from Buffalo (that’s why they stink) is all smoke and mirrors.
HAHA April Fools!
To Schiller,
I base is on the fact that the Eagles are playing to win now…
Just like AR move to name QB Vick as the Starter is t o win now..
I think everyone realizes that this “Un-Special Teams” and it’s Coach are going to cost an Eagles a game or 2 which the way the NFC is so wide open this year could be the difference of making the playoffs or not… I think there will be increasing pressure if these units don’t improve by the bye week.
April is a good special teams coach. That wasn’t coming from the Eagles. That was the opinion league wide.
To me the problem is I read he’s using the Eagles special teams system instead of bringing in his own that he used in Buffalo. Apparently the thinking was it would be easier for him to adapt to the Eagles system than for all the players to learn his. That was the mistake IMO. Especially with the turnover of players on special teams he should have just implemented his own scheme that he knew and he knew worked no kept the Eagles failed system.
There can’t be more than 4-5 pleys playing on the Coverage teams that played last year or the year before with the roster turnover that occured this year.. Coach April has been with the Eagles since the first OTA’s back since the Spring, so I am not buying his lack of familiarity with the players or the adjustment of some new players adjusting to his schemes..
He’s paid to coach them up and I don’t see the results and in fact, they are playing worse now…
Paulman, have you ever considered owning a company or being a CEO? If so, stop. If not, don’t get any ideas. You know why? Because you’d be hiring and firing people so quickly and often, your employees would constantly be in orientation and training and the ‘work’ of your business would never get done. Ever.
In fact Schiller,
You should be receiving a “Pink Slip” today in the mail…Sorry things didn’t work out..
greenfan – what D line were you watching last night? They held Gore to what 60 yards, decent pressure. Caused a couple turnovers, knocked dwon some passes.
I am trying to remember – we seem to be doing alright on the punt and punt return – no blocked punts – Rocco seems to be doing OK – no penalties at least this week – haven’t had a PAT or FG kick blocked. Our Kickoff return isn’t that bad – not great – but we have had OK position…
If I am wrong tell me – I looked at stats and we seem to be doing OK in eevry category EXCEPT KOR. If anyone else has a differing opinion let me know – are we not near the top of the league with our kickers, is our field posiiton not good with our returns – has our punt return team been getting us killed – 5 games in ……
So before we fire April or call him a failure – what is the issue with the KOR team – are we too small, not fast enough, are guys missing assignments? I’d hate like heck to give up on a coach this quick. WHile the author uses terms like ‘passive’ and violent havoc – didn’t Hobbs have some decent returns?
so what is the issue with the KOR team?
And why is Celek starting to channel his inner LJ Smith????????
sorry – wrote that wrong – I think we are fine on Special teams EXCEPT for our kick return coverage – not return
I think both the Kick off Coverage and Punt Coverage has been weak..
Punter S Rocca is actually booming the ball this season and would be having a All-Pro type of season outside of what the coverage guys have been doing bringing his overall net average down…
Akers,Donebros all are playing well, is the LB Corps (Fokou,Clayton,Cheney,Jordan) and the Gunners
(Buckley,Cooper,Patterson,Lindley) that appear not be getting it done on a consistent basis
the special teams has been horrible this year hands down!!! Ima call this team 40yards a pop!!!! I scared everytime this team kicks it off!!! what happen to the Ike reeses!! A guy with a true role in the special teams!!! But we give up Kelly washington a guy who is like Kaseem Osgood who can make our special teams a hell of a lot better!! April-MAY-GET FIRED by JANUARY!!! He’s not getting the job done as a coach… And explain to me why do the eagles give us as fans…… Damn near close to heart attacks every game and I 28years old!! I mean com on we forced 5 turnovers and still we almost lost the game!!! Andy Reid with that no KILLER INSTINCT ATTITUDE!!!!! Why we didnt make an adjustment wit vernon davis!!! Put your fastest man on him, and also why were we blitzing on that right side so much!!!! I JUST DONT UNDERSTAND…..
TO Jrock
The Eagles Blizting heavy on the right side since the 49ers starting/playing 2 Rookies along their Right side of the Offensive Line in RG in M Iuipati and RT A Davis ….
Excuse me LEFT SIDE!!!! WE spent sooo much time this off season on the front four that who ever is calling the defensive plays (ANDY REID) That the defense left unknown wide recievers get #’s!!! AND tell me why do the eagles play well against the Frank GORES, THe LADANIAN Tomlison’s, and Maurice JOnes drew, But you get guys like Kuhn, And Brandon JACkson, and who the fuck is a Torrain who seem to run the damn ball like there getting chased by the Police or something!! I just dont get this team…. And I think Dixon should get the start over patterson.. He looked good out there,,,,, got a sack and tackled well!!! Sims showed up out there made some good plays on the field but overall I give the game a C- for the birds toooo many turnovers and a close win WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Paul Mancini the two straight blitzes on the left side was unneccessary!!! alex smith caught on to what the birds were doing and it was just pitch and catch!!!! Yes I know they srarted two rookies but they held pretty damn well because our front four is sooo undersized!!! You know what Mancini we need a bowling ball up front (Shaun Rodgers) who can open gaps for our guys to penetrate!!! But thats not An andy reid type style of guy!!!
We got toooo many Finesse DT’s up front!!! (Patterson and Laws) bunkley is good but I expect more from him but I think Him and DIxon will be good together thats my opinion!!! Trade patterson this season and move Jeff owens to the team!!!
navy- truthfully I spent more time watching the Phils than the birds D-line. The way that we have been giving up running yardage is surely one indication of the teams upfront play. It won’t get better with Buckley’s injury, but I agree with Hugh Douglas when he says that Segrest isn’t coaching them up.
One way for the special teams to improve the yardage given up on kick-off’s…..kick it out of bounds and take the penalty, it wouldat least be on this side of the 50!!!
Watch Omar Gaither on Special teams and you will see the whole problem (not just him). He is litterally JOGGING on plays. He does not fly down and make a play he chases at 50% speed and he is not the only one. It’s the guys like Cooper that go flying down there that get hurt but at least they look like they want to do thier job.
Gaither should be released, and bring back DE/OLB A Barnes in his place.
Bunkley goes to the IR list and activate Practice Squad Player J Owens to the big club..