EAGLES: Dress Rehearsal is Over (9/4)

   

 It’s Go TIME!

  Question is, are the Eagles ready as a squad?   

 

 

 Andy Reid has always had an interesting approach to the pre-season. From my vantage point it looks like this.

• Get some foundation in mini camps
• First 2 weeks in training camp drive the boys hard
• As pre-season games start practice becomes more strategic and relatively easier than early camp
• Use pre-season games to prepare for situations and let young and new guys showcase or try and earn a spot
• End pre-season with nucleus doing nothing that can increase possibility of injury

On one hand Andy’s approach is overall successful. If you look at their record in November and December that is a testament to a mix of conditioning but not being over worked. However I believe the slow starts come from a lackadaisical end to a grueling summer.  

However some of that could also be a lack of rhythm established in pre-season games. Andy seems to go into those games with a “list” of things he wants to see and as situations manifest themselves then he sends in personnel and plays according to the “list” of items he wants to see.

Which is different than having a game plan designed for your opponent and a strategy that you follow. I truly believe Andy wants to be prepared for situations before the season begins and winning pre-season games are secondary. Actually for Andy it may 4th on the list of priorities. However, like I said I think it comes at a price early in the regular season as McNabb and the offense is out of sync and the defense seems a bit rusty. During the Jim Johnson reign, the D would start the year sharper than the offense however. This year I think McDermott was eye balling and shuffling personnel too much to establish a rhythm.

Of course injury, hold outs, and roster changes always effect the summer also. In the end the season begins ready or not!

Head Manic – Andy