Eagles Wake-Up Call: DeMeco Assesses The Defense


We have spent plenty of time analyzing DeMeco Ryans since he started donning an Eagles uniform. (Sheil has a breakdown of his performance Monday night here.) Following the team’s second preseason game against the Patriots, Ryans did a little analyzing himself by giving his thoughts on the state of the defense.

“I think we’re heading in the right direction; I think we had a good outing,” said Ryans. “Of course the penalties are things we can do away with. We have to play smarter on third down, get off the field when we have the opportunity.”

The Patriots were 7-of-11 on third  downs in the first half. (They finished 7-of-17.) As for penalties, the Eagles were whistled 16 times for 131 yards.

Ryans ended up with five tackles against New England, and overall looked better than he did against Pittsburgh.

“We just have to play smarter in certain situations,” he said. “It was a really good outing and I feel like we played better.”

WHAT YOU MISSED

Plenty to digest after Monday’s game against the Patriots. Sheil breaks down the play of the linebackers, the defensive line and the defensive backs.

Michael Vick dodged his second bullet in as many weeks when an MRI and CT scan revealed no cartilage damage. The official diagnosis is a contusion of his ribs and of the soft tissue area surrounding it.

Andy Reid is going on his 14th season in Philadelphia, and admits that no quarterback has gotten off to a start under him quite like Nick Foles has.

There was a curious reaction to Reid’s temper flare-up by a couple of veterans.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

Don Banks of SI.com has his winners and losers from Week 2 of the preseason. He has Foles as a winner. The loser? The Eagles Super Bowl hopes.

Vick has repeatedly said this offseason that he needs to do whatever’s necessary to stay healthy and avoid damaging contact, but he just can’t manage it. The bruising shot to the ribs he absorbed Monday night in New England was yet another case of trying to make something happen on a play that would have been better off aborted. Vick talks a good game when it comes to changing his playing style, but that’s it.

DeSean Jackson is unhappy how the media has portrayed his comments to ESPN’s Lisa Salters. Kyle Scott of Crossing Broad is eating it up, and finds a way to turn me and Sheil into Woodward and Bernstein.

This is pretty cool. Bleeding Green Nation tells the story of Eagles-Patriots in Gifs.

According to Mike Sando of ESPN.com, the Eagles are the ninth most popular team in football. The top five in order: Cowboys, Packers, Giants, Steelers and Patriots.

COMING UP

Reid addresses the media at 10:45. (Sheil is hoping the coach doesn’t give him the Cullen Jenkins crazy eye.) The lone practice of the week in front of Friday’s game against Cleveland starts at 2:10.

Follow Tim on Twitter or email him at tmcmanus@phillymag.com.