Patriots-Eagles Game Observations (Second Half)
More thoughts from the TV copy:
- LB Tracy White seems to be the kind of player who always plays to the whistle seeking out turnover opportunities. Three times in this game I saw him pick up an incomplete pass and run back with it before the whistle called the play over. That sort of determination and awareness could be key whenever an offense makes a mistake in fumbling the ball.
- A lot of media talk recently has been about defensive players making a hard hit on a receiver coming across the middle and then being flagged for it (like Ravens S Bernard Pollard a few weeks ago, and Saints DB Isa Abdul-Quddus on Monday Night), however, CB Kyle Arrington made a hit in the third quarter on WR Jason Avant across the middle which dislodged the ball and wasn’t flagged - a good hit where Arrington kept his helmet low and on the ball, and followed through with the shoulder. Perhaps more of the flags in question were actually good calls on questionable hits, and it is possible to make an effective, legal hit.
- A few snaps late in the fourth quarter where both WR Tiquan Underwood and WR Matthew Slater were on the field for running plays, executing blocking assignments. Apart from the fact it gives WR Wes Welker and WR Deion Branch a breather, how wide receivers can runblock in this offense is critical and a few game snaps gives the Patriots coaches valuable tape to evaluate the skills of the lesser-used receivers.
- I charted 4 dropped passes by Patriots receivers throughout the game. This makes a total of 15 drops over the last 4 games.
