Eagle Eye Observations: Week 15

Well, the Eagles played what amounted to a pre-season game last night in dispatching the Browns, who put up little resistance. It was nice to see a blowout for once, especially since the Birds love to make things interesting most weeks. Lots of observations from the commanding victory and not all them are good. Here’s another look from the Eagle Eye:

• David Akers drilled another three field goals and continues his fine 2008 season. I was most impressed by his deep kickoffs. They contributed to Josh Cribbs being a non-factor in the return game.

• How about only one penalty for five yards! Wasn’t that nice to see?

• Alright, what is the deal with Eagle players dropping the ball before they cross the goal line on Monday nights? First it was DeSean Jackson in Dallas, last night Asante Samuel did the same damn thing. At least Samuel realized what he did and covered the ball. Enough already!!!!

• Did you see Brian Westbrook run down Browns corner Brandon McDonald after he intercepted McNabb at the end of the first half? It looked like he got fired out of a cannon. Kudos to Hank Baskett for making the touchdown-saving tackle.

• What the hell got into Jason Avant last night? 5 grabs for 101 yards. He was constantly open and made a couple of fantastic catches. Avant has always intrigued me. He is great in the slot and has a knack for finding holes in the zone. He seems to be benefiting most from Reggie Brown’s benching.

• I wanted to see Correll Buckhalter get six to eight carries: 6 for 55 with a long of 27. He runs hard and deserves to touch the ball every game. Hopefully, Andy Reid won’t forget about him.

• Stewart Bradley and Chris Gocong are getting better every week. They both made key stops for losses and Gocong made a nice tackle on special teams.

• Terrible game for Sheldon Brown. He was beaten four times by Braylon Edwards. He had okay coverage but his height is a real liability against tall receivers like Edwards. I will expect Dallas to isolate Roy Williams on Brown when the ‘Boys come to Philly on December 28.

• The offensive line continues to excel in pass protection which is a huge reason why the Birds were 11-17 on third down. Let’s hope they keep it up.

• Speaking of the O-Line, it’s time to throw some love to Jon Runyan. He didn’t practice all week with a bum knee but still started his 190th straight game. A true tough-guy.

• Speaking of tough-guys. Brian Dawkins became the franchise leader in games played with 181. Congratulations Brian! He is a Hall of Fame player.

• Hate to end on a sour note, but hey, I’m a Philly fan. 2 for 7 inside the redzone with two turnovers is a joke. The Birds still haven’t figured out how to finish drives. They need to run more inside the twenty. It’s much easier for defenses to cover receivers on a short field. This seems pretty basic, however, Reid has failed to grasp this concept.

There you have it. Two games remain and we know the score. Win out and hope for help. A trip to Washington to face a floundering Redskins team is next. Division games in December are never easy, so the Eagles had better be ready.