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OUR Eagles were dominant last week, despite it offensively being far from our best showing. We held the #8 team in scoring, to just 10 points. That doesn’t bode well for this week’s opponent who ranked 20^th in scoring this season. Perhaps our #2 ranked Defense can grab another 4 takeaways this week. I know CB Darius Slay and LB Zack Baun will be doing everything they can, to make that goal a reality.

A win this week and we move on to the Conference Championship. There’s even an outside chance that we could host that game.

A loss would mean the end of our season.

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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 Rams.

1) Pound the Rock: The Eagles Offensive Line is better than the Rams front seven. That has been proven twice in the last two years; both times in the dome that the Rams call home. This time the game is here, in Philadelphia. Oh, and it’s supposed to snow throughout the game.

The last time we saw this team (eight weeks ago), we hung 314 rushing yards on them, with RB Saquon Barkley accounting for 255 of those. He averaged 9.8 yards per carry and absolutely ruined their shit with touchdown runs of 70, and then 72 yards. So expect them to load the box, to prevent a repeat performance. We need to run it, in order to keep the box loaded, and open up big play opportunities downfield.

2) Force Their QB to Run: The Rams QB was born in Tampa FL, played high school ball in Texas, went to Georgia for college, was drafted by a Lions team that plays in a dome, and then he was traded to this Rams team. Which also plays in dome. Did I mention that tomorrow here in Philly it’s going to snow? Heavily.

We need to chase him and make him run around a little. Don’t worry, we’re not talking about a dangerous runner here. This season he ran the ball 30 times for 41 yards. His longest run being 9 yards. Let’s repeatedly alter his a launch points, on a slippery surface.

We want him to not trust his passes, because he’s unsure of the ground, his footing, his visibility, just everything. Take away any semblance of him being able to physically get into a rhythm. And hit him literally any time we can.

3) Dallas Goedert Is the Key: Somewhere between trying to not give up another 300 yards rushing, and covering WR’s A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, there exists TE Dallas Goedert. Opponents having to account for him, means that even a loaded box can be stretched laterally.

We don’t need a lot of Goedert statistically. What we do need, is for at least 5 targets to go his way. The earlier that starts to happen, the easier our Offense will have it. The Rams OLB’s are basically DE’s. They can’t cover. That means either an ILB has to open a gap to cover Goedert, or a S has to rotate down. Which leaves Brown or Smith with one-on-one.

4) Don’t Overthink It: Don’t get cute or start second guessing what we do. If adjustments are needed, make them, but there is no need to do anything radical to stop the Rams. Stick to our scheme.

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

Eight weeks ago, we beat this team in their house, 37 to 20. That was a double digit win, without WR DeVonta Smith. We can’t come out flat, or expecting the weather to do us a favor. We need to use the weather as an obstacle during the game. Everything about this match-up, favors to the Eagles. Our guys simply have to go out and claim what belongs to them.

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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.