Yeah, yeah, yeah. All week the headlines have blared about Sean McDermott and his innovative blitz packages and the fans have lauded the depth and contributions of just about everybody who stepped on the field defensively for the Eagles in their opening-game win in Carolina. And you know what all of that means now? It means nothing. Nada. Zilch.
A new week is here, has been since Monday, and the Eagles had better know that the good things they did last week are filed away in the "trust" department, but that the offense the Saints are bringing to town on Sunday is a totally different animal and a far, far greater challenge than anything the Panthers could muster.
Coordinator Sean McDermott knows as much. "Do it again," is the message he knows waits on Sunday. It is the challenge for his scheme and it is the challenge for his players. New Orleans is ranked No. 1 in the league in total offense after one week of the season, and there is no reason to think the Saints will fall much from that lofty plateau. There is too much firepower, too much balance and too much Drew Brees at quarterback.
And here is this Eagles defense, which only one week ago we all wondered about. Then the Eagles went out and allowed the Panthers to drive 70 yards in 13 plays to score a touchdown and then the defense stepped up and registered 5 sacks, 7 takeaways and allowed just 99 total yards of offense the rest of the way.
The unstoppable offense against the brick-wall defense? Not quite. Not yet. It's too early to know for sure what the Eagles have on defense, for sure. This league is built on consistency, not one-week wonders. That is what McDermott has been telling his players all week.
Do it again.
By now, you have been well versed in the dangers the Saints present. Brees tossed six touchdown passes in the 45-27 victory over Detroit. He is a brilliant quarterback who slides his feet and works the pocket magically, who keeps his eyes down the field at all times, who does not take a sack, who rarely throws interceptions, who is able to check down or throw down the field with equal precision.
The Saints are not a one-dimensional offense, by any means. They ran the ball powerfully throughout the preseason and then Mike Bell rang up big numbers against the Lions.
Yeah, yeah, it was the Lions and they are an awful team, but still ...
"Great offense with players everywhere," said safety Macho Harris, still a rookie but one with a taste of what it's like after his debut last week. "I watch them and they just go. They attack. We have to make sure we all know what we're doing, that we're on the same page."
It is largely Harris' job to do so, and his learning curve is now greatly accelerated. He goes against the veteran Brees, the master of change. And against Saints head coach Sean Payton and his creative offensive mind. Harris and the Eagles have spent a good week practicing and preparing for what will be one of their greatest tests of the year.
So early.
So telling.
We're all impressed by the defense and what it did in Carolina. In many ways, we're comforted to know that McDermott plans to be aggressive, as he has stated many times. Smart, intelligent and aggressive.
The trick here is to catch the Saints and find some weaknesses and take advantage and not give up much on the back end. Last week was last week and, let's hope, the Eagles have forgotten all about that game. Good start, yeah, but what does it mean now?
It means another day is here and another supreme test, maybe the test of the entire season, lines up on the other side of the ball on Sunday.
