Predict the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Texans Score

[Battle Red Flash]

Texans 19, Eagles 18.

...and that's all I got to say about that.

 

[TexanExile]

You guys are not Denver...get over it already. If I hear another Denver remark, Im going to smack someone.

You have 1/10th the talent of Denver, and your starting running back is a 6th round pick...

OK, well, Eagles fans get a pass on wanting to smack people, given the whole "Rocky" obsession.

And you're absolutely right to ignore 6th-rounders who run in the Denver system. Pathetic, those guys.

Dang, I went and said "Denver" again...

 

[ESAD2-14]

Here is how I see it:

Carr's problem has been the OL in front of him. The Texans STILL don't have anything close to a good OL, and against the Eagles, that's going to hurt. The Texans have a rookie LT who was projected as an OG. He's matched up against Darren Howard (all-pro) and Trent Cole (all-rookie; 2005 rookie of the month). He's going to be in for a long game. On the inside, the Eagles have very quick 1-gap DTs in Walker, Patterson, and Bunkley. Those guys are going to give your zone blocking problems because they have ore athleticism then the guys trying to block them.

Trotter is going to play a huge role in the run defense. Te guy is the best run stuffing LB in the NFL. If the Texans want to run the ball, they are going to have to go straight at our OLBs. McCoy is young and smaller, but he has tons of speed, so it's best to just attack him head on. Dhani Jones is the guy on the strong side and is mediocre. He's not bad at run defense, but is a bit weak at the POA. Their job is to make the RB go back inside towards Trotter. If the Texans can go right at the OLBs, and avoid Trotter, they will have some success.

The Texans have one really good WR in Andre, but to be frank I don't think he'll have much of an impact. Jim Johnson is notorious for taking away other teams best WRs - Owens and Moss for instance have been non-factors against us. He has the best secondary in the NFL to work with to hut down Johnson, and our pass rush should overwhelm what is one of the worst pass blocking units in the NFL.

On the other side of the ball, I think the Texans are in a bit of trouble.

The Texans are relying heavilly on 2 rookies. Mario Williams is an absolute freak of a athlete, but alas, athleticism does not a great football player make. He's a bull rusher at this point, and a rookie. He'll be matched up against John Runyan, one of the best RTs in the NFL. Runyan is a mean, nasty, mauling RT. Historically, he's had problems with smaller, quicker speed rushers. This is a critical match up for the Texans. If Mario can cause some pressure, it would go a long way towards stopping the Eagles passing attack. Unfortunately for them, I think Runyan wins this matchup. Mario is still a rookie starting his first game in the NFL, and Runyan is the savy vet.

The rest of the OL-DL battle should be controled by the Eagles. Tra Thomas is 2nd only to Jones as a pass blocking LT. Andrews is the best young Olineman in football. At 340 pounds, he has amazing agillity and ballance. He will be the focal point of our running game, along with new starting center Jamaal Jackson. These two, along with Runyan at RT, will simply maul the Texans defense with their combined weight of over 1000 pounds.

McNabb is McNabb. He's perhaps the hardest QB in the NFL to sack with his combination of speed, elusiveness, and amazing brute strength for a QB (you will neer see a QB shrug off tacklers the way this guy does). He should have time to throw with his OL winning the war up front.

In front of him are plenty of weapons. RB Westbrook is the hardest matchup in the NFL at RB. That's not to say he's the best RB, but no other guy at his position has his unique skill set. He can take a run to the house on any play. In the passing game, he's the best there is. He runs routes like a WR. He has the hands of a WR. LBs and safetys can't cover him. CBs can't tackle him.

At WR, Brown and Stallworth present some significant problems. Robinson is one of the bright young CBs in the NFL, but after that it gets scary for the Texans. Both Brown and Stallworth will make you pay for poor coverage. DS is the XWR. He's going to be running the deep routes to open things up. Brown is the ZWR who catches the short/medium stuff. If I'm the Texans, I put Robinson 1 on 1 with Brown, and roll the FS deep with the CB on Stallworth. You don't won't to give up the big play, and Stallworth can beat any man in the NFL in a foot race.

Lastly there is LJ Smith. He's one of the best pass catching TEs n the NFL. Again, like Westbrook, he presents some real matchup problems - particularly when the two are on the field at the same time. Most teams want to put a safety on both of them, since LBs can't cover either of them. Expect LJ to have a big day working the middle as the Texans focus on stopping Westbrook.

Final score:

Eagles - 27
Texans - 13

So, in other words, the Texans will be facing the All-Madden team???

Anyway, hope it's a good game......

 

[run-david-run]

You guys are not Denver...get over it already. If I hear another Denver remark, Im going to smack someone.

You have 1/10th the talent of Denver, and your starting running back is a 6th round pick...
You can bootleg all you like, but the Eagles are hardly going to worry about your running game, like they did with Denver.

Please stop putting yourselves even in the same category...

I hate it when people are ignorant. Mike Bell is UNDRAFTED ROOKIE, and he is starting for Denver. Carr is very comparable to Plummer in terms of talent, WR is also a wash. Obviously they have better linebackers then us, as they have better linebackers then anybody, but our D-line could easily be better then Denver's. Also, as Denver has proven over the years, the system has as much to do with their success as the players.

 

[TexanExile]

Here is how I see it:

...He's matched up against Darren Howard (all-pro) and Trent Cole (all-rookie; 2005 rookie of the month). ...On the inside, the Eagles have very quick 1-gap DTs in Walker, Patterson, and Bunkley. Those guys are going to give your zone blocking problems because they have ore athleticism then the guys trying to block them.

...

The Texans have one really good WR in Andre, but to be frank I don't think he'll have much of an impact.
...

The Texans are relying heavilly on 2 rookies. Mario Williams is an absolute freak of a athlete, but alas, athleticism does not a great football player make. He's a bull rusher at this point, and a rookie.
...

In front of him are plenty of weapons. RB Westbrook is the hardest matchup in the NFL at RB....In the passing game, he's the best there is. He runs routes like a WR. He has the hands of a WR. LBs and safetys can't cover him. CBs can't tackle him.

Thanks for bringing solid opinions to the table. You represent the Eagles fans well. I disagree on a couple of things, though...

1) AJ is far from the only talented receiver on the Texans. I don't have to tell you about Eric Moulds, do I?
2) Curious why you give your own young guys credit for a "Rookie of the Month" award last year, but automatically assume our rookies will stink. Poor Bunkley doesn't even have a "Rookie of the Month" trophy (and, by the way, I bet that's a fine decorative item for the dashboard) and you've already decided he's better than the rookie starters for the Texans!
3) Stallworth is above-average, but he's not Eric Moulds and he has about 8 minutes with the team. I don't see him as being quite as dangerous as you do. I do agree, though, that the Texans secondary is very young and missing a starter, but they've been playing well, so don't underestimate them.
4) Disagree also that Westbrook is the "hardest matchup in the NFL"--that's kind of a subjective statement--but he'll be a challenge.

I'm Looking forward to a much better game than you're predicting...enjoy it!

 

[Jerome_Brown_99]

So, in other words, the Texans will be facing the All-Madden team???

Anyway, hope it's a good game......

Well, look at it this way... Eagles players that have made the pro bowl:

McNabb
Westbrook
Thomas
Runyan
Andrews
Kearse
Howard
Trotter
Sheppard
Lewis
Dawkins
Akers

The Eagles sent 11 players to the pro-bowl in 04, in 05 6 of them had season ending injuries.

That's what I think some of you Houston fans need to understand. Our 6-10 record last year was because of inuries and off field problems with He Who We Shall Not Name. It had nothing to do with our talent level. When your all-pr QB gets a hernia in week 1 and is out for the season shortly after, and you lose BOTH starting WRs, a pro-bowl RB, a pro-bowl LT, his backup, an all-pro CB, a starting DE, a pro-bowl kicker, and both starting DTs are injured all year any team will struggle. Tat doesn't even include the Owens circus.

This is a BETTER team then we had in 04. We retain every probowler from that year, except for Owens, Mayberry, and our STs ace. We replaced Maybeery with a BETTER guard in Andrews. We replaced Pinkston with Stallworth whos a clear upgrade at the XWR spot. We replaced the 3 sack Burgess with the 11 sack Howard on the other side of Kearse.

You could say the Eagles are an all-Madden type of team considering the number of pro-bowlers we sport. Look back, and we ruetinely sent 8+ players to hawaii. Hell, our best CB is the only guy in the secondary that HASN'T been to the pro-bowl.

The only way the Texans win this game is if they can get out on the edges and attack the Eagles OLBs head on. If they do that, and control the clock, plus force 2 or 3 turnovers, they can win.

Based off of pure talent, this is an easy win for the Eagles - but that's why they play the games.

 

[PapaL]

Well, look at it this way... Eagles players that have made the pro bowl:

McNabb
Westbrook
Thomas
Runyan
Andrews
Kearse
Howard
Trotter
Sheppard
Lewis
Dawkins
Akers

The Eagles sent 11 players to the pro-bowl in 04, in 05 6 of them had season ending injuries.

That's what I think some of you Houston fans need to understand. Our 6-10 record last year was because of inuries and off field problems with He Who We Shall Not Name. It had nothing to do with our talent level. When your all-pr QB gets a hernia in week 1 and is out for the season shortly after, and you lose BOTH starting WRs, a pro-bowl RB, a pro-bowl LT, his backup, an all-pro CB, a starting DE, a pro-bowl kicker, and both starting DTs are injured all year any team will struggle. Tat doesn't even include the Owens circus.

This is a BETTER team then we had in 04. We retain every probowler from that year, except for Owens, Mayberry, and our STs ace. We replaced Maybeery with a BETTER guard in Andrews. We replaced Pinkston with Stallworth whos a clear upgrade at the XWR spot. We replaced the 3 sack Burgess with the 11 sack Howard on the other side of Kearse.

You could say the Eagles are an all-Madden type of team considering the number of pro-bowlers we sport. Look back, and we ruetinely sent 8+ players to hawaii. Hell, our best CB is the only guy in the secondary that HASN'T been to the pro-bowl.

The only way the Texans win this game is if they can get out on the edges and attack the Eagles OLBs head on. If they do that, and control the clock, plus force 2 or 3 turnovers, they can win.

Based off of pure talent, this is an easy win for the Eagles - but that's why they play the games.

Good thing this isnt the ProBowl Either.

 

[Jerome_Brown_99]

Thanks for bringing solid opinions to the table. You represent the Eagles fans well. I disagree on a couple of things, though...

1) AJ is far from the only talented receiver on the Texans. I don't have to tell you about Eric Moulds, do I?
2) Curious why you give your own young guys credit for a "Rookie of the Month" award last year, but automatically assume our rookies will stink. Poor Bunkley doesn't even have a "Rookie of the Month" trophy (and, by the way, I bet that's a fine decorative item for the dashboard) and you've already decided he's better than the rookie starters for the Texans!
3) Stallworth is above-average, but he's not Eric Moulds and he has about 8 minutes with the team. I don't see him as being quite as dangerous as you do. I do agree, though, that the Texans secondary is very young and missing a starter, but they've been playing well, so don't underestimate them.
4) Disagree also that Westbrook is the "hardest matchup in the NFL"--that's kind of a subjective statement--but he'll be a challenge.

I'm Looking forward to a much better game than you're predicting...enjoy it!

1) Moulds isn't the plyer he was 5 years ago. He's a solid #2, but he presents no real problem for Sheppard or Brown.

2) I gave credit to Cole because he PROVED in games that he is a player. He startd at the end of the season and put up a few 2 sack games, played the run well, and generally looked very good. BTW, Bunkley doesn't start for us. He's #4 on our depth chart behind Walker, Patterson, and Rayburn. That actually brings up a god point - both teams have talented rookies, but the Eagles aren't relying on them like the Texans are. We got a better LT prospect for instance, but he's on the bench behind a pro-bowler in Thomas. You have to start Williams. We can let Bunkley learn if needed. You are starting a rookie LB. All of our starters have at least 1 full year in this system.

3) Stallworth is better at this point then Moulds. This isn't 2001 any more. He's not the go to guy he once was. He's lost a lot of speed nd quickness. As far as Stallworths practice time with the Eagles, I agree he is severly lacking. The god thing is that the XWR position doesn't require as much mentally as the other positions do, since there are only 4 or 5 patterns that are normaly run. He'll have a WR screen, a fly pattern, a deep out, a deep post, and a slant. That's about it. And he HAS played in the WCO before, so the terminology isn't as big of a deal as it would be to a normal FA WR.

4) I say that because of his recieving abillity. Clearly he isn't as god of a player as guys like Tomlinson and Barber, but as far as match ups and defensive schemes he requires, he's the toughest guy for a DC to game plan for since Marshall Faulk. Particularly now that Tapeh is our FB. When we go with a base offense, we can line up Westy in the slot - now we are in a single back 3 WR set. If a LB covers Westy, we're already won that battle. If you bring a safety up, deep balls re going to be open. If you go with a base nickle, we run the ball.

 

[Jerome_Brown_99]

Good thing this isnt the ProBowl Either.

Your right. It shouldn't matter that half the starters on the Eagles are considered all-stars. Nationally recognized all-star talent has no bearing on which team is more likely to win.

Instead we should look at what the Texans Coach did last year with a different team.

 

[TreachX]

You certanly proved that point last year! Especially in that one Monday night game against Seattle...what was it 49-0? Great QB play in that one...

You're absolutely correct. Now, checking the Eagles roster, I see that neither Mike McMahon nor Koy Detmer are on the Eagles anymore. In fact, the Eagles current backup is much more accomplished than the Texans' starter. If there's a real comparison between QBs, it would be whether I'd rather have AJ Feeley or David Carr as my third stringer.

And as we all know, if an assistant coach leaves a successful team, then the team he goes to automatically matches the success of the previous team. That's why Romeo Crennel and the Browns had such a good year last year.

As far as the score goes, I see the Eagles getting out early, and the Texans making a token comeback with a TD or two:

Eagles 31, Texans 14