DISAPPOINTED, but not surprised.

EAGLES 19 – 49ers 23

 

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (20/35 – 57.1% – 168 – 1 – 0)

Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (26 – 106 – 4.0 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: WR DeVonta Smith (11 – 8 – 70 – 8.75 – 0)

Drive Killer: CB Quinyon Mitchell (TD: 0/Int: 2/ FR: 0/ 4^th down stops: 0/ FF: 1)

Sack Leader: DT Jalen Carter (Sacks: 1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 3)

Special Teams Ace: P Braden Mann (4 – 208 – 52.0 – 1TB)

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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: 49ers did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

1) Run At Their DE’s: We actually did more of this than I was hoping for! So much so that that our first score was a 1 yard run by TE Dallas Goedert (receiving: 7 – 4 – 33 – 8.2 – 1). Even DeVonta got a Sweep, but both of those were in the first quarter. All the creativity was gone in the second half. Still, we did work the ends. (DONE)

2) Get Their QB’s Feet Moving: We only got one measly sack, but that doesn’t tell the story of how often we made their QB launch off-platform passes. On his two longest passes of the day, he was able to stand in the pocket and throw with confidence, but for most of the game we kept him moving. (DONE)

3) Unleash A.J. Brown: How did it go for WRA.J. Brown (7 – 3 – 25 – 8.3 – 0)? One actual deep shot. Three drops. No attempts to him in the second and third quarters, and for most of the fourth. (NOT DONE)

4) Muddy Coverage Underneath: We didn’t do this nearly as often as we should have, considering that the guy we needed to stop was a RB who specializes in catching short passes and turning them into more yardage. (NOT DONE)

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This week’s Four Things score was 2 of 4. Close, but no cigar. Which is why our season came to a much deserved close.

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Game Hero: CB Quinyon Mitchell – Notching two interceptions and forcing a fumble to end the 49ers scoring threat at the end of the firsts half, Q personally ended three drives to help us get ahead and stay ahead of San Fran. Sadly, that meant turning the ball over to our Offense.

Game goat: Offensive Coaching Staff – For half the game, I was listening to announcer Tom Brady, say that the Eagles weren’t operating with a sense of urgency, and they didn’t seem to be on the same page. He was 100 percent correct. The lack of proper preparation has been a season-long, and now season-ending problem. Changes need to be made, and that is the last I will write about that, until after the Super Bowl.

On The Whole: What we saw in this game, was the same thing we’ve been seeing since the season opened with our players having not played in the preseason. A roster that should have gone 15 – 1, instead settled for 11 – 6 and a seed that was not the #1. For all of our work today, we got an early playoff exit, and a shitty draft position.

This won’t mean a lot to the players. It probably will only mean slightly more to the coaching staff.

Who it WILL mean a lot to, is OwnerJeff Lurie, who is apparently paying nearly 60 million dollars to two WR’s to drop passes.

Paying 50 million to a QB who no longer does the running that made him special, since he can’t throw touchdowns at the rate that truly elite QB’s can. I think once Lurie communicates how much this means to him, it will start to mean much more to the players and coaches.