21 replies to this topic

[massinger]

Dave, What is your opinion as to why Asomugha has not been effective here with the Eagles. Was it poor coaching and game planning, having a rookie DC and then when Bowles became  DC there was no real secondary coach. Or Did he just give up as the communication with the safetys deteriorated. Most importantly do you think he and CroMarties are both salvagable with the new coaching staff.

[mjkvol]

I think it's two things:

1.   Asomugha was highly overrated coming in - the 'great player on the terrible team' is always a risk to me.      Teams supposedly never threw at him, but was that because he was so good or because of whatever it was they had on the other side was so bad?

2.   The mess Reid created defensively here helped no one but that fool Babin for one year until the league figured out how to torch that ridiculous Wide 9.       However they used Asomugha clearly did him no favors, and he exacerbated the situation by quitting on the team.

[Erie]

I read somewhere that he was already beginning to lose a step when we signed him. The thought was that we signed a name instead of watching tape. I think that was CBSsportsline. Who knows if that opinion is worth anything.

[patpikunas]

No heart

[EAGLESinc]

I tend to agree,  that we signed a name. Was there any one game that Asomugha stood out as an Eagle, and you said , wow, I cant believe we got this guy...He's great...good?....sure he made a play here and there.....but when your getting $60 Mill.,  you should make a great play every game !  Id hate to see him go elsewhere and be good. I mean, maybe it was our coaching, maybe it was our safeties. I cant see keeping him unless he takes a huge paycut.  Do we have to keep one of these guys (DRC) ?...I guess Id rather sign DRC, but whats it gonna take to sign him? Not getting into a bidding war over him, right ? Man, our Secondary is a mess !

[mjkvol]

30 year old "great player on an awful team".

I said it then and I stand by it.        I'm never surprised when those signings are disasters.

[mav81]

^

That's true. He was perhaps better than average, and opposing teams threw on the other guys who were flat out awful. He was grossly overrated by our organization. The defense was a disaster when he got here and he seemed to lose a step at the same time.

A perfect storm of events.

[mjkvol]

mav81, on 23 February 2013 - 10:51 AM, said:

^

That's true. He was perhaps better than average, and opposing teams threw on the other guys who were flat out awful. He was grossly overrated by our organization. The defense was a disaster when he got here and he seemed to lose a step at the same time.

A perfect storm of events.

Absolutely.       Combine an overrated, soft player and a hideously flawed defensive "scheme" that doesn't use him properly, and what to you get?

We sure as hell know now.

[mav81]

mjkvol, on 23 February 2013 - 11:41 AM, said:

Absolutely.       Combine an overrated, soft player and a hideously flawed defensive "scheme" that doesn't use him properly, and what to you get?

We sure as hell know now.

Oh yeah...I forgot "soft"

[badmeetsevil]

I refuse to believe that everyone was so wrong on him for his whole career.

Yes he played for a terrible team but he was the only one who ever stood out. And his compliment at CB couldn't have been that terrible that they would prefer to throw at him over a soft, no tackling, no speed, and no coverage skills Nnamdi.

I think for a stretch he was one of the top CBs in the league. Maybe even the top CB. He had good jam technique at the line and excellent man to man coverage.

Unfortunately I think the praise got to his head and he started to believe the hype that he is great. And then when he came to Philly everyone, including Nnamdi himself, believed it would just transfer over. Completely different system (as in no system or coaching), plus age, maybe being paid, putting less effort, playing with the talent less bodies we called "safeties", and out of the comfort zone exposed him.

Because the difference is night and day. And as much as everyone says these analysts suck, almost all across the board praised him for his work in Oakland. And in Philly he hasn't even played average he has played more like the top 5 worst CBs in the league. Someone so lost and confused, unable to tackle, and with no physical gift (speed, power, agility).

Maybe there is a salvageable average to good CB still there but not for the current contract. Maybe if he lands on a team that has a good system and defense in place he fits in and plays well. Not on a team with no run D, pass rush, average LB corp, and no safeties to speak of operating under the clown show that was Castillo and Washburn.

[PoconoDon]

He is what he always was....a pure man to man press cover corner....that's it......not a physical corner that tackles well and supports the run...he was never that. I don't get why people thought he was anything other than that. now that he's aging, he's not the cover corner he was....serviceable? yes.....dominant? no.

[SBorBust]

mjkvol, on 23 February 2013 - 10:45 AM, said:

30 year old "great player on an awful team".

I said it then and I stand by it.        I'm never surprised when those signings are disasters.

For over a decade Reid avoided this situation like the plague. The Eagles actually taught the league to avoid 30-year-old free agents. That's why I will never believe that all those moves to acquire old stars were Reid's call.

[mjkvol]

SBorBust, on 24 February 2013 - 07:46 PM, said:

For over a decade Reid avoided this situation like the plague. The Eagles actually taught the league to avoid 30-year-old free agents. That's why I will never believe that all those moves to acquire old stars were Reid's call.

There were a whole lot of things the Eagles allegedly "taught the league" and "avoided like the plague" while never winning a ring, according to the PR Department here and echoed by the national media.   After the close call of 2004, everything changed, and all the things Reid allegedy "never did" went out the window in a desperate attempt to replicate that "success".

He slowly rid the team of any character and leadership it had early in the decade replaced by the 'fruits' of one mediocre draft after another.    When it was clear that drafts were not producing quality impact players, the team resorted more and more to free agency to fill the void. What we saw the last few years are the inevitable results of taking that approach in the NFL.

You can delude yourself into the idea that Reid was merely a bystander while that was going on if you'd like, but the erratic nature of his decisions regarding coordinators after JJ died gives a pretty clear indication of his irresponsible judgment.    This was a man desperately trying to keep the franchise competitive despite one subpar draft after another that weren't producing impact starters.   The obvious "solution" was free agency.

Reid was still calling the shots until the end - Lurie was asleep at the wheel until it was too late. Now it's going to take a few years to fix the damage he caused.    And they're going to "honor" this creep when he comes here this season?    What a f****ng joke.

[E v 2.0]

Aso wasn't overrated in the slightest. He was a great player who got old. It happens all the time.

He's lost his ability to run with receivers and hes toast now. The Eagles made a dumb move and hugely miscalculated how finished he was.

Several teams were in the mix and unfortunately the Eagles won the sweepstakes.

Aso was once a terrific corner with the Raider but his time has passed.

Hopefully he is no longer a starter for the Eagles.

[BirdGang45]

Become soft and old and slow.

[Mat]

I miss Sheldon Brown

[DaveSpadaro]

Several things.I think he wasn't the player the Eagles thought they were signing in 2011. He's clearly not as athletic as we all thought and you could see that his recovery ability and his skills when the ball was in the air really lacked. I'm not sure the coaching changes helped him, either. I how much more effective he would have been if the Eagles used him in single coverage, allowed him to press and he shadowed one guy. He wouldn't have been a shutdown CB, because I believe that there is no such thing in today's game, but I think Nnamdi from 2011-2012 would have been better. Has he lost a step? Yes. But he can still be an effective CB, in my opinion. I just don't know that it will be with the Eagles moving forward.

[mjkvol]

DaveSpadaro, on 25 February 2013 - 10:28 AM, said:

I'm not sure the coaching changes helped him, either.

I think that was a definite factor in how bad Asomugha was, but it doesn't explain the complete lack of heart he showed.

But who, aside from Babin for one freak year, really benefited in any way from the ridiculous mess Reid created here defensively?

[eaglepride]

DaveSpadaro, on 25 February 2013 - 10:28 AM, said:

Several things.I think he wasn't the player the Eagles thought they were signing in 2011. He's clearly not as athletic as we all thought and you could see that his recovery ability and his skills when the ball was in the air really lacked. I'm not sure the coaching changes helped him, either. I how much more effective he would have been if the Eagles used him in single coverage, allowed him to press and he shadowed one guy. He wouldn't have been a shutdown CB, because I believe that there is no such thing in today's game, but I think Nnamdi from 2011-2012 would have been better. Has he lost a step? Yes. But he can still be an effective CB, in my opinion. I just don't know that it will be with the Eagles moving forward.

Dave, good thoughtful answer, I appreciate your honesty.

[Rodney_Zero]

Juan wanted to emulated the Bears Tampa 2 defense, two Sheldon Browns would've helped, perfect CB for that D

[sacook817]

Prior to the Eagles...the man was a right-side only press corner.  He was one of the best at what he did.  He was signed to a big payday which tends to unmotivate those who don't truly LOVE the game.  He was playing for that big payday prior.  The Eagles did a poor job of exploiting what he did best, and expected him to adapt to what they wanted him to do.  Guess what, his performance dropped off.  If they had utilized his strengths more - he may or may not have been a more solid player.

[james1345]

DaveSpadaro, on 25 February 2013 - 10:28 AM, said:

Several things.I think he wasn't the player the Eagles thought they were signing in 2011. He's clearly not as athletic as we all thought and you could see that his recovery ability and his skills when the ball was in the air really lacked. I'm not sure the coaching changes helped him, either. I how much more effective he would have been if the Eagles used him in single coverage, allowed him to press and he shadowed one guy. He wouldn't have been a shutdown CB, because I believe that there is no such thing in today's game, but I think Nnamdi from 2011-2012 would have been better. Has he lost a step? Yes. But he can still be an effective CB, in my opinion. I just don't know that it will be with the Eagles moving forward.

"After leading the NFL in Coverage Snaps Per Reception in 2011, at 18.6, he took a major step back in 2012." "Asomugha still looks baffled in certain zone schemes and his one-on-one coverage ability, while still good, isn’t nearly as good as it once was." "In 2012, Asomugha’s coverage snaps per reception was 11.5, 19th in the NFL." "The alarming stat is the 120.6 QB rating on passes thrown his way, third-highest in the league."  (www.profootballfocus.com)