The idea, says head coach Andy Reid, is to get the ball "to our playmakers as quickly as possible." This is the essence of what some call the 'Wildcat' formation and what I am calling the 'Wild Eagle.' We know it's wild. We know it works. We know the Eagles are looking to stretch the limits of what they can do to with the latest wrinkle in the NFL.
Some call it a fad, and time may prove the formation where a non-quarterback lines up in the shotgun and takes a direct snap and then makes something happen with his legs -- and sometimes his arm -- will have no long-lasting impact on how the game is played at this level. Others think the idea has proven itself already, and that the more creative a team can be, the more results the concept will yield.
The Eagles haven't been the least bit shy about using the Wild Eagle. They started last year with a few snaps to DeSean Jackson and they even called a pass in the red zone with Jackson taking the direct snap. They worked on it in practice and Jackson executed it perfectly. They did it against Cleveland and Jackson's pass for an open Hank Baskett was off target and intercepted by Browns safety Sean Jones.
And so, in the off-season, the Eagles expanded their interest in the Wild Eagle, and they have used it liberally in two games. On Sunday against the Saints, the Eagles went to it (by my count) 9 times for 45 yards. They used Jackson, Brian Westbrook and Jeremy Maclin to take direct snaps. They ran from the formation, they handed off from the formation and they even tried a pitch back to Kevin Kolb for a throw down the field. The Eagles had two receivers wide open for easy touchdown throws on that play, but the Saints beat a block up front and Kolb was forced to scramble and ultimately throw the ball away.
"It was very productive for us and that's what I'm all about," said Reid. "Could we do some things better in the formation? Sure. But we gained yardage from using it."
On one formation, the Eagles moved right tackle Winston Justice out wide along with two other players, and they slid left tackle Jason Peters wide on that side with two receivers and the Eagles had only center Jamaal Jackson and guards Nick Cole and Max Jean-Gilles on the ball. Jackson took the direct snap with Westbrook also in the backfield and Jackson scrambled around the right edge for 4 yards on a second-and-3 play.
First down. Move the chains.
It was actually a formation Reid used when he coached in Green Bay and he dusted it off here. They didn't call it the "Wildcat" back in the '90s when Reid was an assistant coach with the Packers. Now it is the "in" thing, and it could be taken to a higher level now. Miami runs it very well, and the Dolphins enjoyed a great deal of success in Monday night's loss to the Colts by using the Wildcat.
With Michael Vick now eligible to play for the Eagles, Reid and offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg can really become creative. Vick has demonstrated a tremendous ability to run the Wild Eagle. In the first half of the preseason finale against the Jets, Vick took direct snaps and ran the football for a first down and even a touchdown. He rolled left on a run/pitch option and enjoyed great success pitching to Danny Amendola on the edge. Vick can throw the ball out of the Wild Eagle spread formation, as he did against Jacksonville in the preseason.
How much the Eagles use Vick and the Wild Eagle remains to be seen. Reid has to weigh the benefits of the wrinkle with the disruption it may cause to the idea of "running the offense." The Eagles have a pretty darn good offense to begin with, but they have flaws, for sure. The red-zone efficiency on Sunday was poor; the Eagles scored two touchdowns in six trips inside the New Orleans 20-yard line. The running game in the red zone this season has probably not been as good as the Eagles want, although the team was 3 for 3 scoring touchdowns against Carolina in Week 1.
Vick has a chance to add so much to the offense with his speed, with his explosiveness, with the threat he brings to a defense. Coordinators have to account for Vick any time he is on the field, even if he is lined up away from the football. Vick was a receiver in the slot against the Jets, offering all kinds of possibilities. He isn't just a quarterback, of course. Vick, in his prime, runs as fast as anybody in the NFL. Would the Eagles use him as a down-the-field threat if they saw a linebacker, for example, lined up in one-on-one coverage against him in a game?
The mere fact that the offense has the Wild Eagle in the game plan every week forces defensive coordinators to spend valuable prep time working against the formation. In most NFL cities where the Wildcat is used, the Eagles have maybe the ultimate weapon to test the boundaries of the formation and the concept: Vick can throw the football, he can roll out with legitimate run/pass options and he can create with his feet as well as anybody in the league. Vick averages more than 7 yards per carry in his career. Impressive.
Prepare yourself for another couple of wrinkles here. Reid insists that "it's not much different than what we've been doing" since he has been the head coach. He is correct there. The offense has never lacked for creativity, whether it was a flea-flicker, or a reverse, or a halfback pass. A properly-used gimmick is an excellent way to keep a defense off balance, if only for a play or two. You can always come back to it later.
The Eagles did that on Sunday and they are going to continue, and maybe even expand, that part of the offense. Vick is ready to go. He is itching to play football again. Vick has practiced for two weeks and has shed the pounds, Reid said, that he gained during his time in prison. Reid has a package of plays in mind for Vick, but he isn't saying anything to the public.
I think the Wild Eagle can help this team a lot, particularly in the red zone. That is a concerning area on the field. The Eagles need to be consistent and score touchdowns. Vick, in the Wild Eagle, can improve the ability to do so.
