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SPECIAL Teams does it again.

EAGLES 31 – Buccaneers 25

 

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (15/24 – 62.5% – 130 – 2 – 0)

Rushing: QB Jalen Hurts (9 – 69 – 6.9 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: TE Dallas Goedert (4 – 4 – 37 – 9.2 – 2)

Drive Killer: LB Jihaad Campbell (TD: 0/Int: 1/ FR: 0/ 4^th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)

Sack Leader: LB Zack Baun (Sacks: 1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 8)

Special Teams Ace: S Sydney Brown returns blocked punt 35 yards for TD

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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: BUCCANEERS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

1) Feed the Dawgs: The statlines for WR DeVonta Smith (2 – 2 – 29 – 14.5 – 0) and WR A.J. Brown (9 – 2 – 7 – 3.5 – 0) yet again have them looking like vastly overpaid stooges. That is so entirely not the case. The problem is junior varsity play design, and Head Coach Nick Sirianni not telling the truth to Offensive Coordinator Kevin Patullo.

When the score was 31 – 23, we ran the same Comeback route to Brown, three times in a row. Each time, Buccaneer defenders broke on the ball, but didn’t pick it off. Then we punted. So are we blaming Hurts for going to the same guy, or the play being called for the same guy? Because at this point, someone needs some blame. (NOT DONE)

2) Set the Edges: We did a better job of this in the first half, but we did enough of it in the second half. So schematically and conceptually, the Defensive Line was playing solid team football. The stats won’t tell the story, but their play had a great deal to do the fact that we managed to hold on and win the game.

What was distressing, was even though we routed runs down the middle, they were able to pick up decent gains almost at will. It would be different if our pass rush was killing it, and the runners were just running past our rushers, but that wasn’t the case. Still, we kept their QB’s legs from becoming a factor, and contained the run. (DONE)

3) Keep Their Receivers Wide: Except for some 4^th quarter pass over the middle, we did a great job of this. Even on the Buc’s two long TD passes, they were mostly towards the sidelines, where our defenders were able to make attempts on the ball. It was the same with Campbell’s interception in the endzone. Great job here. (DONE)

4) Blitz the Blitz: In the first half Hurts was 8/10 vs the blitz. In the second half he was 0/8 on pass attempts, period. An entire half of football where a 50 million dollar per year, professional QB, couldn’t complete a pass. Someone has to be held accountable, here. (NOT DONE)

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This week’s Four Things score was 2 of 4. Both were on Defense. Next week we host a Broncos team that (depending on tonight’s game) will either be 1 – 3 or 2 – 2 when we see them. So far, they are not yet as good as either record would indicate.

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Game Hero: Special Teams – Whether it was K Jake Elliott (1/1 FG, 4/4 XP) kicking, or TE Cameron Latu (2 tackles) blocking a punt, or Sydney Brown (2 tackles) returning the block for a TD, 13 of our 31 points came from Special Teams.

Let’s not forget P Braden Mann (7 – 363 – 51.9 – 63) booming punt after punt to help us win the field position battle. However his best play, was his run for negative 34 yards for a safety, in order to run out the clock, and ice the game. This unit was the difference in this win.

Game goat: The Offense – Saquon Barkley was repeated being hit in the backfield, right after handoffs. That’s on the Offensive Line. Jalen Hurts isn’t audibling, to get us into a better play when he sees 8 and 9 man fronts. That’s on Hurts. The play-calling and play design is pedestrian, at best. That’s on Kevin Patullo.

On The Whole: Our Offense is paid entirely too well, to keep laying duds like this. The inability to get four quarters of professional production out of them, has to be addressed.

Let me also say that the Defense’s inability to get a QB on the ground, is also mystifying. This team concept stuff has at 4 – 0, but it also has these games being closer than they should be, because we are unable to decisively put opponents down.