• March 28, 2024

Eagles-Colts Preview

NickFoles6The pre-season “calendar circled” first big question on the 2014 schedule is nearing; as the Eagles prepare to battle the 0-1 Andrew Luck led Colts.  The Jaguars game week one is in the rear view window, an easy “W” was not by any means a breeze by, it was the trip to Indianapolis that was forecasted as the first big test to the season.

The Colts are coming off of a road loss to the Broncos, and are looking to rebound and prevent a 0-2 start in the AFC South, a division that has been labeled theirs; much like the NFC East and the Eagles.  Lucas Oil Stadium is a tough place to play; it’s loud and opposing teams are often struggling hearing an audible called at the line of scrimmage; something that will only add to the challenge of the reworked offensive lien of the Eagles.

On the other hand, the artificial turf plays quick, the Eagles are a team that moves fast both with pace and reliance on team speed, a factor that “could” play in favor of the Eagles.

Colts on offense

Andrew Luck is considered to be an “elite” quarterback, a former number one overall pick who is creeping his way into the same category as the likes of Brees, Peyton and Rodgers.  A dual threat, cannon arm and can score with his scrambling ability.  Surrounded with a talented arsenal of young and veteran receivers, Reggie Wayne remains a threat as he finishes out a tremendous NFL career and T.Y. Hilton is a guy with elite speed and playmaking ability after the catch.

The Eagles are familiar with former New York Giant players Hakeem Nicks (WR 3) and Ahmad Bradshaw (RB 2); both offer complimentary roles to the team.  Trent Richardson remains their featured back, a player who continues to produce minimally after the Colts surrendered a first round pick to Cleveland in a trade last season.  Tight ends Allen and Fleener are athletic players and will need to be accounted for.  The offensive line like the one of the Eagles has been hit with injuries, which I’m sure Billy Davis is aware of and game planning ways to get pressure on Luck.

Colts on defense

Arguably their best player Robert Mathis will not be a factor, initially suspended for the first four games, he is now out for the season with an injury.   Veterans like linebacker D’Qwell Jackson, defensive end Arthur Jones and second year player Bjoern Werner, have the ability to slow down the run; but the Colts secondary is weak and can be exposed.

Eagles on offense

If you watched how Julius Thomas carved up the Colts, you imagined what a guy like Ertz could do.  It all starts with the man under center, Nick Foles must grow and learn from his forgettable start in week one, even though the second half was much improved, he was far from great.  He is going to have two new offensive linemen protecting him, and will have to rely on hand signals and other cadence calls with crowd volume.

McCoy and Sproles could both benefit from screen passes and short dump offs to help Foles get off to a better start, allowing their playmaking ability after the catch to get the ball out of Foles much quicker than last week.  The shotgun formation was heavily implemented last week, with the knowledge that the Eagles will indeed run the football early and often, adding some “play-action” could open up space for guys like Maclin and Cooper down field.

Eagles on defense

If you do indeed get pressure on Luck, hit him low because arm tackles are not going to bring this guy down.   I like what I saw out of the Eagles defense in the second half last week, but let’s be honest, Jacksonville had very little from the play-making standpoint, yet on two occasions the Eagles secondary was beat deep.

I expect to see a lot of Boykin and Carroll on Monday Night as the Eagles try to match-up with all of the receiving threats.  Kendricks could have himself a game, coming on overloaded blitzes and delays if either Fleener or Allen don’t stay back and block for Luck.  Boykin certainly has the speed to stay with Hilton, and Fletcher, Williams and Carroll have the size to match up with Wayne and Nicks.  Like last week, I envision both Allen and Jenkins playing both in space but also staying closing to the line of scrimmage to give Luck and the offense some different wrinkles with what the defense is trying to do.

Prediction

I think this game will stay within ten points, no team will run away with a big lead, and Foles will look a lot better than week one.

-The offensive line does an admirable job for the Eagles, and Shady finds pay dirt for the first time this season while amassing 139 total yards.

– Cooper snags one of two Nice Foles touchdown throws for the day, with Celek the recipient of the other.

-A sack and a half for Kendricks, Jenkins with his first interception as an Eagle, and an ESPN top 10 play of the week on a great one handed catch by Jordan Matthews.

Eagles 27    Colts 24

 

 

Jeff Kolsky

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eagles0superbowls
eagles0superbowls
September 12, 2014 8:30 am

.
The 7th and 8th OL in Dennis Kelly and Andrew Gardner scare me. The birds are vulnerable. This could get ugly. Similarly the Colts’ OL is not very good. There are sacks to had. Let’s hope the birds’ D can go get them

Epidemic
Epidemic
September 12, 2014 9:03 am

Colts have no pass rush. Their secondary is weak and their linebackers are journeymen.

haveacigar
haveacigar
September 12, 2014 9:12 am

Going to be tough. History shows going into a dome is not easy. Luck I believe is 13-3 in the dome. Shootout. decided by 7 or less. As usual turnovers and special teams will be the difference.

IzzellJenkins
IzzellJenkins
September 12, 2014 12:35 pm
Reply to  haveacigar

Agreed. They play faster on that tough and this should be shootout. True test of the pass rush and secondary.

vinnietheevictor
vinnietheevictor
September 12, 2014 10:46 am

So Epidemic….how do you explain how Indy’s nonexistent pass rush, weak secondary, and ancient linemen holding Manning and Denver’s explosive offense to

6 of 15 for 69 yrds passing
12 for 32 yards rushing
committing 2 offensive holding penalties
and a sack of Manning for a 10 yard loss

in the second half the other night?

RealTalk777
RealTalk777
September 12, 2014 11:40 am

ok so the Eagles are going to play a team that has a decent defense….and? should we expect them to lose because we are playing a good team?

vinnietheevictor
vinnietheevictor
September 12, 2014 12:54 pm
Reply to  RealTalk777

I don’t think that highly of the Colts D. I just don’t like when people use blanket statements that may, or often may not have any validity.

Someone might say the Colts D sucks, but the reality is they played very well in the Second half against Denver (admitedly after being torched in the first).

Again, the issue this week is that the Eagles are in a very tough spot. They’re on the road against what will be a very desperate Colts team.

Eagles want to win. Colts need to win. Emotion plays a big role here I think.

Can the Eagles win? Of course they can. But, if they don’t I’m not going to be surprised by the outcome.

eagles0superbowls
eagles0superbowls
September 12, 2014 1:06 pm

the birds won last Sunday but that offense did more then bend it broke — the Jags busted them in the jaw and they lost 40% of their starting Offensive line. Andrew Gardner lining up at right tackle is the equivalent of Casey Matthews lining up at middle linebacker the whole game. It is a major weakness.

IzzellJenkins
IzzellJenkins
September 12, 2014 2:33 pm

If Luck throws 35+ times Monday night he should be on his back for at minimum 3 sacks if this pass rush is worth a damn.

Foles cant be double clutching after his first read disappears either.

Boykins has to do a job on TY Hilton in the slot because that is by far and away Lucks favorite receiver and he can bust it to the house at any time.

gloomysmitty
gloomysmitty
September 12, 2014 4:25 pm

38-24 eagles

haveacigar
haveacigar
September 12, 2014 4:40 pm

I just don’t see how they go on the road, monday night, dome team, playoff team and win….. of course there is always a shot but i believe they are, should be the underdog without question.
i’m routing like hell but, damn tall order.

deserteagle
deserteagle
September 12, 2014 11:44 pm

With the me Sean game a mere 6days away at home the Eagles open up this season with two victories vs AFC opponents ..They matchup extremely well vs the colts with two tight end sets and sproles will be utilized as a safety net for foles..Long sustained drives minimizing Lucks minutes on the field ,and special teams ,with a pro bowl punter will be keys to this game..It’s a very difficult spot to go into a dome on Monday night vs one of the young guns in the AFC slinging the ball ..the one dimensional aspect plays into the birds hand and I believe they emerge victorious and begging the season 2-0 with a NFC east opponent and familiar foe on Sunday …following on short rest …I sense a game in which Ertz puts his stamp on the game as does celeck..and shady carries the rock along with sproles to allow for an Eagles AFC two step…I can’t recall any other year where we opened the season with back to back AFC opponents …

tsjohnson5
tsjohnson5
September 13, 2014 10:54 am

It’s a very winnable game for the Ealges.

While the game has potential to be a shootout it really is going to come down to which defense sucks least.

Both Ds played similarly last week in that they both sucked in the first half and then tightened up and played decent in the second half. The edge however goes to the Colts D b/c they did it against a better offense.

Receivers should be running wild and free against this Colts D and they should be able to pound the rock with ease.

It’s by no means a guarantee but the Ealges will win, but it’s def 50/50 – with a slight edge for the home team.

haveacigar
haveacigar
September 13, 2014 11:28 am
Reply to  tsjohnson5

Um ts that last statement, no guarantee but eagles will win,but it’s def 50/50 with a slight edge to home team…. I think you just played all sides … You are getting like Paul

tsjohnson5
tsjohnson5
September 13, 2014 11:34 am
Reply to  haveacigar

Sigh…

Anyone who’s not being an idiot can see it’s a typo…

“It’s by no means a guarantee the Ealges will win, but it’s def 50/50 – with a slight edge for the home team.”

There’s no playing both sides. I’ve said repeatedly that it’s a toss up game. No team has a strong advantage other than home field.

Not like the Jaguars where no one thought they would lose or the Seattle game, where I don’t believe they will win (though Seattle could implode and that changes by the time we play them.)

vinnietheevictor
vinnietheevictor
September 13, 2014 3:15 pm
Reply to  tsjohnson5

A “very winnable game”. “A slight edge to the home team…..”

What league do you watch?

Indy is 13-3 at home over the past 2 seasons inpressively beating Green Bay, Seattle and Denver during that run. Seattle and Denver last year….you know, the two teams that were in the SB.

So Indy at home is taking down those teams and TS is yimmering on about “very winnable……”

I mean you can’t make this shit up.

Can the Eagles win? Of course they can. But they are in a very difficult spot here.

haveacigar
haveacigar
September 13, 2014 3:51 pm

Oops… Vinnie, you and those pesky facts! I think it’s highly improbable that they win

Biglion821
Biglion821
September 13, 2014 5:56 pm

Oh gee Indy is unbeatable at home, let’s just concede this one and wait for the Redskin game. Get the heck out of here with that crap this is a game the Eagles should win they’re the better team.

tsjohnson5
tsjohnson5
September 13, 2014 6:25 pm
Reply to  Biglion821

lol.

I think the teams are fairly evenly matched, with the defenses really being the deciding factors here.

I thought I was the negative one here wishing for the team to fail. Not I’m being taken to the woodshed for saying they got a 50/50 shot of winning a game that is (at least on paper) very winnable.

vinnietheevictor
vinnietheevictor
September 13, 2014 11:54 pm
Reply to  tsjohnson5

No you are doing what you always do,

You are announcing that this is “very winable” game (when it isn;t so that when the Birds lose, you can roll with the “Foles sucks – he didn;t win a “very winable” gmae he should have.

And now your lapdog Biglion defends your every silly clain.

Indy is extremely tough at home. They are desperate, knoing at 0-2 they are in big troubs for the playoffs. They willl be “all-in” while the Eagles have a buffer 1 game lead on their division.

Indy has won 82% of its home games with Luck under centre. They’ve beaten SB contenders GB, Seattle and Denver during that time.

Can the Eagles win? Yes.

But they are in an extremely difficult situation this week.

Anyone dropping “very winnable” “50/50” lines here is an idiot; else has another agenda.

skayne
skayne
September 14, 2014 1:26 am
Reply to  tsjohnson5

You’re doing what you always do, make excuses in case Foles isn’t good.

skayne
skayne
September 14, 2014 1:32 am
Reply to  tsjohnson5

The reality is if Luck and Foles switched places the Eagles would be a 7 point favorite.

IzzellJenkins
IzzellJenkins
September 14, 2014 1:48 am
Reply to  tsjohnson5

No Jerrell Freeman too….I’m gonna be pissed if they lose this one.

IzzellJenkins
IzzellJenkins
September 14, 2014 1:47 am

The Eagles with Luck would be legit Super Bowl contenders right now even with the obvious holes this team has.

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
September 13, 2014 6:30 pm

I am very concerned about what their WRs are gonna do to the Birds secondary. Can they get off the field on 3rd down? Davis needs to find a way to get pressure and if that is more reps for Graham, Curry, Smith or my mom then so be it.