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WE feasted on Bengal last week, in a 37 – 17 win. Acquired a taste for big cat, we did! So this week we’re staying home, and having some Jaguar delivered. Lugging the grub to our hub this week, is no other than Doug Pederson. The Jags will be staring down the barrel of QB Jalen Hurts, as he heads the NFL’s #10 scoring unit.

Yep. We’re top ten, despite only playing 7 games. Oh, did I mention that the Jags are 29^th in scoring defense? I didn’t? Well the Jags are 29^th in scoring defense. While many of us still have love, for the man who coached our first Super Bowl win; our Eagles are going to beat his team’s sorry 2 – 6 ass, tomorrow.

A win moves us to 6 – 2 for definite. However, with a Washington loss to the giants, it would also move us into first place in the division.

A loss holds us at 5 – 3, but we’d still maintain second place in the division with two head to head games vs Washington later this season. Actually, regardless of whatever happens this week, we maintain at least second place, since it’s now November-

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The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Jaguars.

1) More Jalen Under Center: The Eagles have recently been using an increasing amount of plays from under Center, especially in each of the last three weeks. I’ve been begging for this wrinkle since Hurts became the starter. It’s been hard to reliably sell play-action from a QB in Shotgun. Particularly when he runs as much as his RB’s do.

However, we now have RB Saquon Barkley, who is super-effective and comfortable in the Singleback formation (shown here)

This formation naturally places Hurts under Center. With Hurts under C, he has to turn his back during the fake, so the play-action is automatically much easier to sell! Especially now that our RB carries more than the QB.

2) Screen Their Ends: The Jags DE’s don’t offer much more than outside pass rush. What that means is, they rely on an explosive first step, up the field, to get the edge on OT’s. That’s great when it works, but when it doesn’t… Well, only the Panthers (33.8) and the Cowboys (28.2), give up more points per game than the Jags (28.0).

Their own scheme creates holes for mobile QB’s to leak through, and opens up the Screen game. So let’s hit the Easy button, and throw Screens from under Center.

3) Lots of Defensive Shifts: Neither of the Jaguars starting G’s practiced this week. So regardless of who plays or starts this week, we should dictate the action, and work to confuse their blocking scheme. Adding to the bounty, is a LT about to make his second start. This should be a 4 or 5 sack day.

4)Take Away the Short Pass: The Jags QB likes to get rid of the ball quickly. Take that away from him. If our LB’s aren’t playing Man Coverage, then their drop into Underneath Zone should be delayed. That way we take away short windows, and can make the most of any deflections.

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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…

The thing we have to worry about the most, is the Jags 2 – 6 record. For some reason we like to “play down” to bad opponents. The only thing that usually stops the Eagles, are our coaches wanting to be a little too cute, when the moment calls for an outright murder. No playing with our food this week. Just kill it, and eat it.

I also want to mention the other new wrinkle in our Offense. The use of back-up LB Ben VanSumeren as a FB in the I-formation, absolutely has my enthusiastic support. . Usually, (in the I-formation) the RB and the FB are directly behind the QB, in a straight line. VanSumeren however, has been lining up not in a straight line, but “offset”.

Not a prediction but, wouldn’t it be nice to see VanSumeren get a carry or catch a pass? Maybe make him into a genuine two-way player, since he’s a back-up and FB’s aren’t really part of the NFL landscape anymore.

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WARNING: 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 Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.

Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.