ROCKY defeats Apollo in rematch.
EAGLES 40 – Chiefs 22
EAGLES STATS:
Passing: SBMVP QB Jalen Hurts (17/22 – 77.2% – 221 – 2 – 1)
Rushing: SBMVP QB Jalen Hurts (11 – 72 – 6.5 – 1 – 0)
Receiving: WR DeVonta Smith (5 – 4 – 69 – 17.2 – 1)
Drive Killer: NCB Cooper DeJean (TD: 1/Int: 1/ FR: 0/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)
Sack Leader: DE Josh Sweat (Sacks: 2.5/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 6)
Special Teams Ace: K Jake Elliott 4/4 FG (50) 4/4 XP
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I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these Four Things articles. It’s to point out what we need to address BEFORE the game. Then AFTER the game, there’s a no-bullshit assessment of whether or not the Eagles did any of what they needed to do, to ensure the win.
So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: CHIEFS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Don’t Get Cute: We didn’t. We stuck to what got us there, namely running the ball with RB Saquon Barkley (25 – 57 – 2.2 – 0 – 0). While it wasn’t producing big yards, it did open up everything else. The Chiefs were playing to not lose to Saquon, but they made no plan for the rest of the Eagles.
The best part was that it stabilized things for Hurts, who despite a couple of sacks, never seemed to be under much duress. We danced with the girl who brung us, and in the end, we were sweetly rewarded for doing so. (DONE)
2) Bait Their QB Into Bad Throws: QB Patrick Mahomes (21/32 – 65.6% – 257 – 3 – 2) likes to get rid of the ball quickly, so it was just a matter of making him think he had something, then snatching it from him. Like LB Zack Baun (7 – 0 – 1 – 0) clearly does here.
If you recall, after this interception (Mahome’s second) he started holding the ball longer and the sacks started to mount up. He was no longer trusting his early reads. Mahomes was also bumped a little by Sweat on this play, throwing off the passes accuracy. (DONE)
3) Give Our Pass Rush Time: Our pass rush had Mahomes under constant pressure. We made him a moving QB, throwing to moving receivers, against moving defenders. The early result of this was an interception by rookie NCB Cooper DeJean, which he returned 38 yards to paydirt. On his birthday. Another was a rushed throw which was dropped by WR DeAndre Hopkins (5 – 2 – 18 – 9.0 – 1). Oh yeah, we also collected 6 sacks, 1 of which resulted in a turnover by DT Milton Williams (4 – 2.0 – 0 – 1) (DONE)
4) Motion Our Hot Read: We didn’t really use a hot read, or even much play-action this week. It was a little weird, but we put up 33 points (the other 7 were on a defensive score plus an extra point), so I won’t complain. (NOT DONE)
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This week’s Four Things score was 3 of 4, which was enough to win this game by 18 points, even though it was never actually that close. At one point it was 37 – 6. Soon after which the Eagles pulled our starters and the Chiefs left theirs in, resulting in garbage time points and yards for them. Next up, we get to start re-arming to run this shit back.
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Game Hero: RB Saquon Barkley – While Hurts won the MVP, it was the beating that Saquon took, that facilitated the entire Offense’s day. It really seemed like the only thing the Chiefs were concerned with, was not being humiliated by a long TD run. It was a brilliant gameplan… Provided the goal was to give up 33 points on drives.
Game goat: LS Rick Lovato – Drew two false start penalties, which erased two made field goals, and moved them back five yards each. Given the difficult year that Jake Elliott has had, making his job any harder was really uncool.
On The Whole: Apollo barely won the first fight, but here in the rematch, the underdog Rocky, was the clear winner. Were the Eagles the underdog? Oh yes we were. You see, I keep receipts:
And I have every intention of being absolutely insufferable this year, as I apply salt to any wound I see on a rival fan.
We absolutely went out and did our thing in this game. We romped and frolicked in the Chiefs wilderness, and they were helpless to do anything about it. The mission has been completed.
Man. I can’t wait to see the media fallout on this.
EAGLEMANIACAL.com 