SILVER lining to last week was, despite how shitty we looked, we still only lost by 5. My point is, that we aren’t “in over our heads” talent-wise. What we are is, in our own way. This week features a shuffling of the Offensive Line, and a head coach who said he was looking at 2017 and 2018 film. This week is the wisest the Eagles have looked from top to bottom, since they figured out several ways to mask Halapoulivaati Vaitai at LT in 2017.
A win puts us back in first place in the NFC East. A loss would have us still within striking distance, but with no shot at any sort of Wild Card seeding.
The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics will practically guarantee our Eagles this win. CAUTION: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know football and that’s IT. If you use FT as a gambling tool, you are trying to lose your money.
So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on, this week versus Seattle:
1) Attack, attack, attack: I saw our passing attack on a milk carton yesterday. Seattle is giving up 28 points per game, and can’t defend the pass. Win, lose, or tie, the Eagles need a game where we TOTALLY cut loose, and try to work on some things. With all the people calling for QB Carson Wentz’s benching, using this game as a lab is basically playing with house money. What’s to lose? It’s not like most Eagles fans could pretend to be disappointed. Many have already thrown in the towel! We need to be aggressive and either get the knockout, or go down swinging.
2) Run the damned ball: Usually I say “hand it off 20+ times”. We did that last week with 9 carries on the first drive, and just 12 carries for the REMAINDER OF THE GAME! That was 20+. Get it? That was Doug playing with my emotions.
So I’m going to breadcrumb this, this week: “Doug, hand that motherfucker off 12 to 16 times per half. Commit to running the ball to set up play-action. Make life easier for the O-Line and the QB. Save yourself some frustrating questions after the game.”
3) Go For Two: While it’s true that our Offense (cough cough, Carson) is giving the ball away entirely too often (20 in 10 games, Carson has 18 of them), it’s equally true that our Defense doesn’t generate many takeaways (just 11 in 10 games). All three of our wins are in games where we snagged two or more turnovers. All the games with 1 or less, have been losses or a tie. In every game this year where Seattle committed more than 1 turnover, they lost that game. This is an easy one to figure out.
4) Do better with hidden yardage: That means being penalized less for fewer yards. It also means returning more punts than we let roll dead. After allowing a punt to be downed at the 2, (which led to a safety last week), Special Teams Coordinator Dave Fipp needs to be on notice. His unit has gotten beyond sloppy, and worse than that, there doesn’t seem to be anyone willing to make a serious, or sustained effort. He needs to find a return man who wants the job, instead of using WR Greg Ward and RB Boston Scott who are merely going through the motions.
If we do these Four Things, the final score should look a lot like:
EAGLES 32 – Seahawks 24
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how it went.
Under normal conditions I would agree that a bounce back is coming but I’m starting to think the Eagles just aren’t that talented . I think activating Jawan Howard could reap real rewards . He adds a physical presence and some easy blocking schemes for our offensive line . I like sanders a lot but he isn’t beating people down despite his success running the ball . This should add a layer of protection for Wentz . Hopefully he can get out of pocket some this week . I still think like Cunningham early in his career Wentz has awful mechanics . A looping delivery that leaves the ball exposed and delays quick strikes . I don’t understand how this team has neglected linebackers like this . We have always had solid middle linebacker play . I like to think historical makeup of team is a good roadmap to follow . I think Schwartz is off the scheme and it doesn’t work . Your opinion beast ?
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I have never been a fan of the Wide 9. To me it’s a gimmick defense to run when after getting out to a double digit lead. It asks too much of other positions to stop the run and the compensations give away too many short, quick completions.
As far as Howard, I keep saying it was dumb to let him walk in the first place. I’m a HUGE fan of a power run game, for ANY QB.
Once that SS walks into the box, the intermediate passing game opens up like clockwork. That was the backbone of our 2017 run. The Front Office IMMEDIATELY got away from that, and we went back to small Sproles and broken Ajayi (until we cut him).
A power run game will open the defense for Carson and let him direct his weapons pre-snap.
Take a look at him and see how little adjusting he does now. He was practically Peyton Manning in camp. Now I don’t think he trusts what he sees. (Or who he’s throwing to.)
His mechanics…I’m leery about messing with a players mechanics, this far into their career. Clean up what you can by the middle of year two. The rest…learn to live with it. When the adrenaline starts going, athletes revert back to natural talent. They don’t think, they just play.
Arguing with him about his arm position just creates a QB who’s mind isn’t focused on the ball’s delivery, but also on whether of not he’s going to get chewed out over his elbow being flared, or both feet not being planted, or whether he should rotate his hips fully or just halfway on this kind of throw.
The truth is, they have to find a way to bring some fun back. Athletes play looser, harder and more inspired when they’re enjoying their job.
Introduce a cash reward for running over a defensive player. Rent out a steakhouse and give the royal treatment to the Offensive Lineman with the most decleaters in a game. Make a paper crown and carry the game MVP off on your shoulders. Have ways to make guys smile. It pays off.
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