The game will be covered conventionally.
Many simple-sounding story-arcs like "The Eagles versus the Cardinals: Rematch of Thanksgiving day bird-massacreeeee" and "Quarterback battle between aged/re(juv)invented Kurt Warner versus retested/inexplicably reviled Donovan F. McNabb" &c.
Meanwhile, the bedrock story, the most pertinent and basic information, is swept under the rug. To wit: the Eagles' defense is specifically engineered to attack the Cardinals' offense.
Not in the solely conventional connotative sense of "That is what a defense does, dodo" but also in the specific *type* of defense. Multiple cover-corners (as many as FOUR, depending on the weekend that off-brand DBs like Lito decide to have) and various variable blitzes which disguise and fake-disguise varying coverages.
That is, the offense of the Cardinals relies on similar principles as the Greatest Show on Turf did. This is in no small part due to proclivities of Kurt Warner. His tenure in the NFL has been marked by an ability to read the downfield defense and make informed decisions about where the ball must go at the last possible instant. This lesson, learned at the feet of Offensive Genius Miek Martz, has served him well. Well, so long as he isn't gi(v/ft)ing the ball to the other team.
The read-react-adjusttoball routes of Zona rely on a strong QB-WR connection. They (WRs) read the defense and react in the same fashion as Warner, again and again, in an instant. This is the essence of the NFL. Repetitive pressure-filled (300lb+ lineman pus others are always pressure!) short-burst instense stress. Over and over again, both sides work to maintain full-focus and divest themselves of the affliction of pain. The price paid by body is determined by mind. No questions, no excuses, just act. Perfectly. Now. Now again. Now again. Again.
This QB/Receiver connection is precisely the sort of thing that Jim Johnson looks to disrupt. It is not the "everyone knows what is coming" pass that the Eagles defend well (please see continued inability to defend receivers like Plaxico on complicated routes like "I'm 6'6". Throw it high, motherfucker." Which, to be fair, leaves Larry Fitzgerald space to do something traditionally him-like. E.g., come down with a 50/50 pass or two in tight double-midget coverage.) but rather the timing routes and the concomitant adjustments to pressure that the QB-WR connection rely upon when the QB is under duress.
That is, the Iggles blitz the shit out of QBs so that they remember that it hurts to take a hit, even if the hit is delivered after the completion. (See Dawk's highlight reel) This is playoff football. QBs get hit in the playoffs. Which is good for all of us. except for them. Well, actually, the sport of football is about physical contact. QBs play the sport of football. This benefit is subordinate to the "decrease the amount of time the offense has to read the coverage."
IrRegardless of that batshit ranting, the pressure applied by the Eagles leads to the opponents relying upon their pressure-reads to get the QB out of trouble and get the ball to the WRs et al. When, over the course of the game, time-pressured adjustments are iterated, there are bound to be errors. There are a limited number of effective adjustments in any given route combo. By going to work on every down and every distance, the Eagles force the opponent to show their hand early and often. They take chances and rely on Dawkins to play the role of The Wolf, who'll be comin' directly.
The Cardinals need Boldin in this game. The defense of the Eagles can limit one receiver to acceptable levels. The addition of the second WR leaves a positive variable unaccounted for, which is where the mixing of schemes on the part of JJohnson and the ability of the Eagles D to make plays when it is time (not before or after) enter into it.
Sunday, January 18
Bird-Bowl
Sunday, September 23
Regular old Stretching
A little light running and the like.
Did the full dynamic warmups at ~8am as if I had a game to prepare for.
Got to watch NFL Matchup, which is still the best NFL show anywhere. I just wish it were longer. I could watch that for 2-3 hours, easy.
Eagles did their job today. Looked like a game of Madden! Much more my style. Somebody better put a body on Kevin Curtis! Kevin Curtis??
I'll take it.
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Workout total:
30 min dynamics
30 min stretching
Monday, September 10
Day of Rest/Stretch
Not much going on today.
Work is crazy right now. Updates become sporadic and delayed. Tougher to maintain the pace of posting as I actually have to do, y'know... work.
Ultimate-wise, all I did today was stretch out and catch up on sleep. Recovery is progressively more important as the season continues.
Did watch the ridiculous Raves/Bengals game on MNF. Ray Lewis broke himself on a huge tackle. Ed Reed is incredible, nearly knocking himself out on a massive hit and returning a punt for a TD after BJ Sams went out with an injury. Steve McNair is finding it difficult to play with a giant fork sticking out of his back. He's still better than Boller. Palmer looked okay. Chad Johnson is a ridiculous athlete, no matter his need for attention. Sloppy game, but endlessly entertaining until the end. Yup. "Endlessly... until the end."
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Workout Total:
35 minutes stretching
Thursday, September 6
Sprint Endurance
Enjoyed the track today.
Well, as much as one can enjoy the track, at least.
4x100
5x80
6x60
12x40
Walk slowly back to the start for rest (usually 1 minute or so). For each, work on getting up to full speed as quickly as possibly and then riding out the acceleration. For the 40s, I did the first 4 with a standard standing start. For the last 6, I started 2 each with a 2 yard sideshuffle to my left, a 2 yard sideshuffle to my right, a 2 yard backpedal turning left, and a 2 yard backpedal turning right. In each of those, focusing on getting the mechanics of turning and accelerating down. That is, take as few steps as possible to turn and get cover ground while turning.
After that, it was time for some football. Drew Brees may have single-handedly killed my team this week. It doesn't help that I'm playing against Josh, who has Manning.
Julie and I also played spades, Manhattan-rules, against two self-proclaimed experts. What are Manhattan rules? Well, I don't really know, but it felt like they were making up rules whenever they wanted or at best not telling me what the rules were until I missed an opportunity to take advantage of them. Regardless, Jules and I triumphed with much shit-talking. Spades is a Jawing kinda game. If you don't think it is, you're not actually playing spades, you're palying something else.
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Workout Total:
40 min Track
20 min Stretching