Jeff McLane’s Eagles Insights column has some good nuggets this week.
Remember the flyswatters from the spring / summer?
Foles has had only one of 162 passes batted down at the line of scrimmage. Kelly said that he thought the low number could be correlated, in part, to the giant “flyswatters” he used at practices during the spring and training camp.
Kelly had members of his staff during 7-on-7 drills wear equipment on their shoulders that looked like giant flyswatters and were used to emulate defensive linemen with raised arms.
“I think it helps because it just gets them to understand throwing lanes and that you just can’t let it rip no matter what,” Kelly said.
Michael Vick said that he didn’t initially like the flyswatters and argued with Kelly to get rid of them.
“I went back and forth with Coach Kelly in spring,” Vick said, “but I don’t think I had one batted ball when I was playing.”
Vick had five of his 141 passes batted at the line, according to Pro Football Focus.
Some backup OL talk.
Last game, tackle Matt Tobin was active for the first time. He dressed ahead of Dennis Kelly. Neither said they knew why, but Tobin has been playing on the left and Kelly on the right, and Jason Peters entered to game with a few minor injuries. Allen Barbre is technically the backup left tackle, though. Tobin said the coaches want him “to put some weight on . . . and get little stronger.” The 295-pound undrafted rookie said the Eagles want him somewhere between 305 and 310 pounds.
Go check out the whole column. Lots of good info in there.
