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FOUR THINGS: WK 7: EAGLES – RAIDERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/10/21
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

LOSING a close game to the Buccaneers, must mean that it’s our year to win it all! At least that’s what Cowboys fans were selling after they lost to Tampa. So let’s start off with a win in the desert. Five in a row, HERE WE COME! 

There are rumblings that Head Coach Nick Sirianni wants to get the ball to RB Miles Sanders more. Hopefully that’s what happens here, because the Raiders don’t defend the run well.

A win here moves us up to 3 – 4, keeps us out the NFC East basement, and maybe even helps us climb into second place in the division. That is, if nature takes it’s course and Washington gets owned by Green Bay.

A loss here would put us at 2 – 5. That would make next week’s game at 0 – 6 (soon to be 0 – 7) Detroit, a huge bellwether of Sirianni’s future in Philadelphia. Sirianni probably can’t afford taking a loss to an 0 – 7 team, while falling to 2 – 6 in the process. So he needs to beat the Raiders this week.

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The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics will practically guarantee our Eagles this win. CAUTION: 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 FT as a gambling tool, you are trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.

So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus the Las Vegas Raiders:

1) Run the Ball: Coming into this game, Vegas has had trouble with the run, allowing 4.6 yards per carry. Making matters worse, 340 pound, run-stuffing DT Johnathan Hankins, is nursing a hip injury. Also their pass rushing DT Quinton Jefferson, is playing with a back injury. That means less push in the second half.

They’re going to start the game full of juice. However, if they spend the first half fighting off blockers, getting half-time rest, will tighten up that hip and that back like an over-tuned guitar. Just 10 to 12 hand-offs in the first half should set the tone. Then in second half, the game should pop clean open. IF we hammer the ball.

2) Lots of Deep Passing: The Raiders Secondary is an injury riddled nightmare. Two CB’s on I.R., a fill-in who was torched and yanked after just 13 downs last week, and the back-up CB who played well in his place, is now dealing with a hip injury. Fire deep shots just to get their depth winded and tired early in the game. Demoralize them.

Deep passing means that QB Jalen Hurts will need time in the pocket. He should get it this week. I said last April that we shouldn’t trade for DE Yannick Ngakuoe and I was right. I like DE Maxx Crosby and I’m pulling for him, like I’m pulling for RT Lane Johnson. That said, Crosby is somewhat over-rated, so Lane and LT Jordan Mailata should have no problem with him. Hurts should have the time.

3) Call a Dentist: Charger Joey Bosa hit it on the head: “We knew once we hit (Derek Carr) a few times, he really gets shook. And you saw on Christian’s sack, he was pretty much curling into a ball before we even got back there. Great dude, great player … but we know once you get pressure on him, he kind of shuts down.“

To have a chance against Carr, you have to keep him under 63%. Luckily, getting hit messes with the clock in his head. So get to him early. Even if we need to draw a couple of flags. Especially if we can get DT Javon Hargrave or Fletcher Cox to flush him out. If we wreck his internal clock, we more or less remove the Bumble’s teeth.

4) Disrupt Waller: We can’t let TE Darren Waller get free releases off the line. He’s 6’6 and can fly. He will MURDER this weak zone that we run, and we don’t have LB who can run with him in Man. Trust me, I know these guys nearly as well as I know the Eagles. Put it like this: Waller is far more dangerous than Ertz or Goedert. Far more.

Contact Waller at the line of scrimmage, stall his release, and make Carr have to look for WR Hunter Renfrow. If CB Avonte Maddox is on his game, our Defense might get 6 out it. Otherwise, Waller is going to kill us all day long. All. Day. Long.

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If we do these Four Things,

The wheels come off the Raiders and this one gets ugly. On average, they score 24.5 points per game and allow 24.0. If they can’t score…Picture that scene in Superman 1, where Lois is being buried alive in the earthquake.

If we can get to Carr, this game is in the bag.

And therein lies the rub! Our pass rush is dreadful. It may require a couple of late hits to get into Carr’s head. Would I trade 30 yards in penalties on the first possession, to rattle a QB for the rest of the game? Absolutely! Where do I sign? That said, Sirianni and I are vastly different men. Getting to Carr can be done. I just don’t know if Sirianni is willing to do what it takes.

****

PREDICTION: EAGLES 24 – RAIDERS 27

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

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 6: Buccaneers

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/10/15
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, Reviews, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

HEYYYY, it was closer than I predicted!

EAGLES 22 – Buccaneers 28

EAGLES STATS:

New categories include an EXCLUSIVE weekly Offensive Line Report (Rushing TD’s + 3rd and 4th downs converted:missed of 2 yards or less – sacks allowed); as well as Drive Killer (Int – FR – 4th down Tackles – FF – TD).

Passing: (S) QB Jalen Hurts (12/26 – 46.1% – 115 – 0 – 1)

Rushing: (S) RB Miles Sanders (9 – 56 – 6.0 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: (S) WR Quez Watkins (5 – 3 – 44 – 14.6 – 0)

Offensive Line Report: (2 + 0:0 – 2)

Drive Killer: (S) SS Anthony Harris (1 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0)

Sack Leader: NO QUALIFIER

****

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) Run the damned ball: One hand-off in the first half. A total of 9 in the whole game. Hurts carried the ball 10 times. For the first time this season, Sanders led the team in rushing and we didn’t win. That said, the Offense didn’t truly come alive until the touchdown drive where Sanders had 4 of his 9 carries.

For the second week in a row, nobody bought Hurts play-action. And why should they?

Head Coach Nick Sirianni has made it clear that he will go down with the ship, doing it this way. At this point, I’m just sitting back waiting for him to be fired. (NOT DONE)

2) Shut down Brady: On the down where Brady threw an interception, DT Fletcher Cox (1 – 0 – 0 – 0) had bull-rushed the RG almost into Brady’s lap. Aside from that, the only pressure on Brady, was barometric. (NOT DONE)

3) Bombs Away: Our two biggest plays of the day, were pass interference calls on 45 and 50 yard attempts to WR Jalen Reagor (3 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0). There was also the 24 yard pass to Watkins. Aside from that, the rest was dink and dunk bullshit. Didn’t we chew Sam “Sleeves” Bradford a new asshole over that? Why is this now acceptable to some fans? (NOT DONE)

4) Stick with Man Coverage: Utterly bailed on this. Last week he let his CB’s play more aggressively and tanked that “keep everything in front of you” nonsense. This week we were back to soft zones and cushions. The result was Brady field dressing our squad. On national television.

I hope Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon, gets an ulcer from watching this game tape. He called a timid and cowardly game, and got fucked in the ass like prison ponks do, as a result. Good! Learn a goddamned lesson. (NOT DONE)

****

So this week we did 0 of the Four Things needed to win, and as result, the game was never as close as the 22 – 28 score would indicate. Not this Sunday, but next Sunday we travel to Las Vegas to try and beat my second favorite team. So no matter how that one works out, I won’t be completely bummed at least.

****

On The Whole:

Defensively, it seems like teams are targeting LB Alex Singleton (15 – 0 – 0 – 0). I noticed this a few weeks ago, but I didn’t say anything about it, because I wanted to see him vs a few offensive styles. On the boundary and in the flat, he’s fine. Unfortunately, he’s played in the middle, and has no feel for re-directing or denying traffic. Also, at just 230 pounds, RB’s keep overpowering him for extra yardage.

These issues reared their heads again vs the Buccaneers. You can’t just move an OLB to MLB and consider it equal. MLB is a mindset. You don’t manufacture a MLB, they have to be born. I know this first-hand.

As a player, I could be a maniac, but I was always a maniac with a plan, and was extremely self-aware. A couple of my coaches wanted to harvest the “maniac” and thought they could transplant me from LT to MLB. I gave it a shot in my first offseason.

Physically I was THERE! Nothing I couldn’t do. But mentally? As a lineman, collisions have a point. As a MLB, they don’t need one. A lineman filters chaos, to make clear paths for those behind him. A MLB is a guy who puts on a suit, kisses his wife goodbye, gets in his car, and causes a 22 car pile-up. And hopes to do it again and again!

Let me give you an example: Jon Runyan telling BWest to take a knee. Lineman. Dick Butkus playing on essentially one knee since high school, and living to hit people? Middle Linebacker. Mentally, I am not a MLB. And neither is Alex Singleton. He needs to be moved back to the edge.

Offensively, I’m not going to focus on Jalen Hurts. You’ve probably already seen enough of that on headlines today. I’m also not going to get into Sirianni telling the world at his press conference, that Hurts isn’t a franchise QB. I’ll get into that HEAVILY, later. For now, let’s talk WR’s.

Jalen Reagor was thrown three passes, and dropped every one of them. Quez Watkins didn’t showcase his speed in this one. Instead he showed off his concentration catching a deflected pass for 23 yards, and his body control on a 24 yard completion along the sideline. Despite Watkins being the better player week in and week out, Reagor keeps getting the juicy routes. Why is that?

Funny, we cut WR Travis Fulgham from our Practice Squad, but we keep trying to feature Reagor, and apparently kept WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside to draw offensive pass interference penalties. Game-planning more touches and snaps for lesser players is just dumb, and it needs to stop.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 5: Panthers

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/10/11
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Reviews, Roster, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

EAGLES Killmongered that ass!

EAGLES 21 – Panthers 18

EAGLES STATS:

New categories include an EXCLUSIVE weekly Offensive Line Report (Rushing TD’s + 3rd and 4th downs converted:missed of 2 yards or less – sacks allowed); as well as Drive Killer (Int – FR – 4th down Tackles – FF – TD).

Passing: (S) QB Jalen Hurts (24/37 – 59.4% – 198 – 0 – 1)

Rushing: (S) RB Miles Sanders (11 – 45 – 4.0 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: (S) WR Devonta Smith (8 – 7 – 77 – 11.0 – 0)

Offensive Line Report: (2 +2:0 – 2)

Drive Killer: (S) CB Darius Slay (2 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0)

Sack Leader: (S) DE Josh Sweat (4 – 1.0 – 0 – 0)

****

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

1) Run the Damned Ball!: Of the Eagles 13 hand-offs today (11 to Sanders), 4 were on the final drive. Sanders carried 3 times for 22 yards (7.3) on that series, but kept running out of bounds for some reason. Until that point (in the 4th quarter), we’d handed it off only 9 times, yet the Offense couldn’t quite get going. I wonder why…

Miles Sanders had 16 touches (11 rushes, 5 catches for 6 yards), which was his second most this season. He also led the team in rushing. Under Head Coach Nick Sirianni, this has been the recipe for him winning games. He’s 2 – 0 when these two things happen. The goal however, was 16 rushes for Sanders. Didn’t happen. (NOT DONE)

2) Don’t Help Carolina: Limit penalties to 6 or fewer this week. We committed just 6 penalties. Not a great thing, but it was a season low, and a step in the right direction. Give the team credit when they earn it. Lord knows we roast the shit out of them, when they blow it out their asses. (DONE)

3) Back the Line: Our Linebackers did little to dictate the action in the game. It seems like all LB Alex Singleton (13 – 0 – 0 – 0) does anymore, is make tackles at or beyond the first down marker. The other LB’s show up even less than that. If not for LB T.J. Edwards (2 – 0 – 0 – 0) punt block in the 4th quarter, you might not even realize that he played. (NOT DONE)

4) Take Away the Edges: CB Darius Slay shadowed the Panthers #1 WR D.J. Moore (7 – 5 – 42 – 8.4 – 0) today, grabbing two interceptions as a result. On the first, Slay used the sideline to trap the receiver, allowing him to make a play on the ball. CB Steve Nelson (2 – 0 – 1 – 0) used that same technique to sit on a WR, and drive on the ball for his first interception as an Eagle.

The Eagles CB’s took away the outside, by playing aggressive Man Coverage. They were still lining up on cushions, but they were very good at allowing the receivers to run themselves into being covered. With results like this, it will be hard for Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon, to sell anyone on going back to Zone. (DONE)

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So we did 2 of the Four Things and squeaked out a win. But this is no time for high-fives and handjobs. We have a short week that features the Tampa Bay Buccaneers paying the Linc a visit.

There is no team I hate to have in the Linc, more than Tampa. The last game played at Veteran’s Stadium was our 2002 NFC Championship loss to the Bucs. In 2003 we played them again, and their website ran a video that said “We tore down the Vet” and featured a ship swinging a wrecking ball.

You can’t find that video anywhere, but I will never forgive them for that. If it were up to me, every time Tampa came here, they’d have to play down 10th and Bigler, where Bok High School plays.

****

On The Whole:

Three turnovers, three sacks, and holding the Panthers to 16 points. The Defense is why we won this game. People may try to turn it into a discussion about Jalen Hurts, but the Defense is why we won. Thank our CB’s, and DT Fletcher Cox (1 – 1.0 – 0 – 0). All the attention that he commands inside, has been allowing DT Javon Hargrave (3 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) to strong-arm, Deebo, and generally wreak havoc in this game, and all season so far. Hargrave is currently on a 20 sack pace.

As a DT!

The Offense gave away two points on C Jason Kelce’s errant snap. Also, for the second week in a row, it committed another offensive pass interference penalty, which took 4 points off the board. In retrospect, this game should have been 25 – 16, not 21 – 18.

Offensively, we couldn’t get anything going, because of a total lack of balance in our play-calling. Look. Listen. The first time that Hurts was sacked, was on a play where he used play-action. Didn’t fool that LB. Not one bit. The LB never even slowed. A QB can’t sell play-action, if the offense doesn’t run the ball.

Fundamentals. We’re going to have to do better, from here on out.

FOUR THINGS: WK #5: EAGLES – PANTHERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/10/09
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Preview, Roster, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

SCORING 30 points last week, was great. Allowing 42, was not so great. We get a chance at redemption on Sunday, vs a 3 – 1 Carolina team. It’s a Carolina team allowing opponents to score on 6 of 6 trips in the red zone, this year. The very same area where TE Dallas Goedert has snagged both of his TD’s.

As for that 3 – 1 record? The Jets, Saints, and Texans. That’s who Carolina has beaten this year. So we aren’t exactly facing a juggernaut this week. This game is very winnable. Very. So don’t let the records fool you. Carolina isn’t nearly as far ahead of the Eagles, as the NFL would like you to believe (Power Rankings: #14 vs #25).

A bounce back win would put us at 2 – 3. Then add that to the fallout from the NY/Dallas game. A giants loss would push them to 1 – 4, giving them basement all to themselves. A Dallas loss will put them at 3 – 2, and turn the East into a mad scramble.

Should we lose, we’d need Dallas to lose, just to keep realistically in the hunt. True, there’d be 12 games left, but we can hardly afford to fall further behind.

****

The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics will practically guarantee our Eagles this win. CAUTION: 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 FT as a gambling tool, you are trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.

So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus the Panthers:

1) Run the Damned Ball!: By run the ball, I mean 16 hand-offs for RB Miles Sanders.

The one game we’ve won so far, saw him run the ball 15 times. Handing off the ball, changes how a defense attacks. It limits how aggressive they can be, because they have to diagnose what is happening. That’s less true of pass rushing.

Here’s a fun fact: The less Sanders touches the ball in 2021, the more the Eagles lose by. Atlanta – 19 touches, 26 point win. San Fran – 14 touches, 6 point loss. Kansas City – 10 touches, 12 point loss. Dallas 5 touches, 20 point loss. RB Kenneth Gainswell is a neat weapon to have, but he isn’t Sanders and the losses make that point.

With RT Lane Johnson missing a second week, LT Jordan Mailata is moving over there to fill-in. It’s also a smart audition for him, if recent leaks about Johnson are true, and the Eagles need a long-term answer there.

2) Don’t Help Carolina: The first 4 games saw us get penalized 15, 8, 13, and 9 times. So far, in every game we have deservedly been penalized more than our opponent. Granted, we’re not just going to quit penalties cold-turkey, but we need to take the first step and limit the number to 6 or fewer, this week.

Holding is occasionally an acceptable penalty. Sometimes it’s done deliberately to keep a QB alive. (Some holds have saved whole seasons!) Dumb penalties like offsides, ineligible man downfield, (clear) pass interference, tripping, and blocks in the back… Those are never sensible, and they have to be eliminated.

3) Back the Line: Carolina doesn’t have a great offensive line, so they should have their hands full with our Defensive Line. That means nothing however, if the LB’s don’t do a better job of coming downhill vs the run. It also means little if opposing receivers are getting open, early in their routes underneath.

This is what happens when receivers get a free release.

We need more jamming TE’s, and shoving WR’s off-course, when they run shallow Crosses and Drags. “More” in this case, is a polite way of saying “Any”, or “Some”, or “Please for Fuck’s Sake, get around to finally goddamned doing this!!” Zone Coverage doesn’t just have to mean watching the game. It can also mean playing in it! It can mean being an asset, and not just a well-paid liability. Someone tell our LB’s.

4) Take Away the Edges: In CB’s Steve Nelson and Darius Slay, we are supposed to have two of football’s better Man Coverage, corners. So I don’t understand why they’re so often on cushions, with Two Deep Safety help. Two Deep is what a team runs so that they can be aggressive with Man Press.

In this regard, the Eagles scheme- WHOOPS! That’s right, Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon doesn’t run a scheme. “I don’t have a scheme. Our scheme should be to put our 11 guys on the field in the best position possible to succeed.” He actually said that. Those words, in that order.

Look, press the outside WR’s! Don’t let the QB execute the play as if he’s still in practice. Throw off his timing, and force him to go deeper into his progression. Make him hold the ball, and give our pass rushers time to reach him. We have the corners! Use them. This could even be the cornerstone of an actual scheme.

If we do these Four Things, this win is in the bag.

Miles Sanders, Darius Slay, Steve Nelson… We need to hear names this week that we haven’t been hearing much this year. We don’t need guys to step up, as much as we need the coaching staff to stop sapping the roster’s strengths. (Hence the article about DT Fletcher Cox this week.)

Most of our problems this season have been from self-inflicted wounds, and getting away from fundamentals. This week (and next week vs Tampa Bay), have to be about individuals being accountable for his own fundamentals. Not accountable after a mistake, accountable before each snap. Each man needs to focus on his work, and not waste the effort of the men beside him.

Carolina isn’t our opponent this week. The Eagles are. If they don’t beat us, Carolina can’t.

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PREDICTION: EAGLES 27– Panthers 24

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

FOUR THINGS: WK 4: EAGLES – CHIEFS

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/09/30
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Preview. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

LET’S clear the air. Last week wasn’t a sprint. It was Week 3 of a 17 week marathon. It wasn’t winner take all. It was part 1 of 2. Don’t get the story tangled. The Eagles aren’t done with the NFC East. Not by a damned sight.

This week we get the 1 – 2 Kansas City Chiefs, in our house. We have a Top 10 Defense being 10th in points allowed, and 7th in yards allowed. We’re going against a team that hemorrhages both points (32nd ) and yards (30th ). So this game IS winnable. Especially if RB Miles Sanders is allowed to play.

At the moment we’re in third place in the NFC East. A win gets us to 2 – 2 and keeps us very much in the running for the division. Especially if our rivals have a tough week. A loss would drop us to 1 – 3. While there would be plenty of time to make it up, playing catch-up is never a good thing.

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The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics will practically guarantee our Eagles this win. CAUTION: 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 FT as a gambling tool, you are trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.

So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus the Chiefs:

1) The back Seven: We have to use our Linebackers more aggressively and creatively. Allowing the opposing blocking scheme to dictate the action, too often takes our LB’s out of plays, and makes it seem like we’re playing 8 vs 11. Let’s see some blitzing out of OLB Eric Wilson.

We also need our CB’s to play more man press. Giving up big cushions, leads to quick throws with zero pressure. It’s how we gave up a completion percentage of 80.5 last week, and 73.3 the week before.

2) Run the ball: ATLANTA – We handed the ball off 24 times, and won in a blowout. SAN FRAN – We handed the ball off 19 times, and lost a close one. DALLAS – We handed the ball off just 3 times, and got our O-rings blown out.

There exists an obvious pattern here, dear friends

Running the ball will keep the clock running, and the ball out of the hands of the Chief’s offense. That means our Defense gets a chance to rest. Nothing good comes from a gassed defense. We need 24 or more hand offs this week, with 18 or more going to Sanders.

3) Ends Gotta Sweat Mahomes: DE’s Josh Sweat and Derek Barnett have to show up this week. Not only do they need to get pressure on the QB, but they have to do a better job of setting the edge vs the run. Run the OT up the field, and either force the RB to cut back inside, or run back and around the block in the backfield. The Ends needn’t make every tackle, just cause them.

4) Throw the ball deep: The deep ball needs to be used to keep a defense honest. Early in this game, there needs to be a pass where the ball is in the air for 20 yards or more. We can’t run the underneath stuff, if opposing CB’s don’t even back pedal. You’d think a former WR would know that…

WR Devonta Smith needs to see at least two deep shots. Right now it seems that we spent a high draft pick, just to turn a talented kid into Josh Huff. We need to put the pressure on Smith to deliver, and not treat him like his confidence is delicate. Competitors, remember? Paper, rock, scissors?

If we do these Four Things,

At home? In front of our crowd? If we do these things, a win is in the bag. Scoring on the Chief is a given. If we can’t get laid in that whorehouse, we need to fire the coach before his post-game presser. Scoring is the easy part.

The hard part will be making sure they don’t score when they have the ball. Eating up the clock could act as a brake on the number of opportunities they see, but that means little if they can cash in those opportunities. Sadly, I think this is where we run into a problem, because Andy Reid is just a flat out better coach than Nick Sirianni.

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PREDICTION: EAGLES 24 – Chiefs 30

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

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 3: Cowboys

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/09/28
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Reviews, Rivals, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

FUCK you, Nick Sirianni.

EAGLES 21 – Cowboys 41

…….

EAGLES STATS:

New categories include an EXCLUSIVE weekly Offensive Line Report (Rushing TD’s + 3rd and 4th downs converted:missed of 2 yards or less – sacks allowed); as well as Drive Killer (Int – FR – 4th down Tackles – FF – TD).

Passing: (S) QB Jalen Hurts (25/39 – 64.1 – 326 – 2 – 2)

Rushing: (S) QB Jalen Hurts (9 – 35 – 3.8 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: (S) TE Dallas Goedert (4 – 2 – 66 – 33.0 – 0)

Offensive Line Report: (0 + 2:0 – 2)

Drive Killer: (S) DT Javon Hargrave (0 – 0 – 0 – 1 – 0)

Sack Leader: (S) DT Javon Hargrave (5 – 2.0 – 0 – 1)

*******

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: Cowboys (a) did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

1) Erupt, disrupt, corrupt:

Crash the “A” gaps and disrupt the flow of their offense. There were just two clear instances of this being done. The first was when Hargrave made QB Dak Prescott fumble in his own end zone, which DT Fletcher Cox (0 – 0 – 0 – 0) recovered for a touchdown. The other was on a QB hurry near the first half.

Otherwise, useless LB and invisible DE play, did nothing to help the effort. Especially against the run, where the Eagles defensive front looked almost weightless at times. (NOT DONE)

2) Exploit the youth: Hurts had two drives where he remembered his legs. We scored on both. Otherwise, he seemed almost to be making a point of staying in the pocket. He also showed me something else that I think will put to bed any question of him being a Franchise QB.

If you get to see a replay of this game, look at Hurts’s head on passes. He doesn’t turn it. He’s not progressing through reads. He’s deciding where he wants to go with the ball, and holding it until the target is available. This is why defenders were able to squat on his routes and wait. His youth and inexperience were showing. Oh the irony! (NOT DONE)

3) Clear A Run Lane: Head Cock Nick Sirianni, dialed up 39 pass plays and just 3 handoffs. THREE! ALL GAME LONG! WHO DOES THAT!? Even Andy Reid (get well soon, Big Red!), would find that sort of play-calling lopsided. (NOT DONE)

4) Give Them Doubts: Hard to jump passes when you give up 7 and 8 yard cushions. I swear it’s like Jim Schwartz still coaches here! (NOT DONE)

This week we did none of the Four Things. Therefore, we were utterly, and deservedly, shit-canned on national television. Next week we get to host Andy and his 1 – 2 Chiefs, in the house that he essentially built.

*******

On The Whole:

This was humiliation on a national stage. This game was less about how well the Cowboys played, as much as it was about how corrosive and self-destructive the Eagles were.

The Cowboys didn’t decide that we would hand the ball off 3 times and throw it 39.

The Cowboys didn’t decide to keep our CB’s on deep cushions.

The Cowboys didn’t keep dialing up 6 yard routes for us, that their CB’s were able to sit on.

The Cowboys didn’t decide to keep us in zone vs a run game that was making a point of whipping us.

The Cowboys didn’t make us commit penalty after bone-headed penalty.

The Cowboys didn’t tell us to start a one-read QB.

That was us. That was our coaching staff

FOUR THINGS: WK 3: EAGLES – COWBOYS (a)

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/09/25
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, NFL, Offense, Players, Preview, Rivals. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

LAST week we dominated and still lost. Not happy about that, but our defense took a team that had scored 41 the week before, and held them to 17. The Atlanta team that we held to two FG’s in Week One, just put 25 on Tampa Bay. We allowed just 11.5 points per game, vs two talented offenses, led by QB’s who have started Super Bowls. (Both also had leads, before suffering horrifying collapses.)

Our opponent this week is giving up 24 per game, despite producing 6 turnovers in two weeks. That sounds like a leaky defense to me! Hey, Leaky Deefie, this is QB Jalen Hurts. As in, Jalen hurts shitty defenses like yourself.

Last week’s loss took us from the top of the division, to third place (actually tied for second) in the division. Beating an NFC East opponent would move us up that ladder. If nature takes it’s course and Buffalo beats Washington, we’d be alone in 1st. If Washington wins, we’d be tied with them for the top spot. In any case, we need this win.

*******

The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics will practically guarantee our Eagles this win. CAUTION: 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 FT as a gambling tool, you are trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.

So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus the Dallas Cowboys:

1) Erupt, disrupt, corrupt: As efficient as the Cowboys offense is looking right now, it might be hard to believe that they have a glaring Achilles heel. BUT THEY DO! Whether it’s QB Dak Prescott stepping up into the pocket, or RB Ezekiel Elliott inside running, their best offense isn’t from Tackle to Tackle. It’s only from Guard to Guard.

Crashing the ‘A” gaps on either side of C Tyler Biadasz, will spoil their offense at the source. It doesn’t allow Prescott to step up, and doesn’t allow Elliott any room to build momentum. Let’s get Prescott running. Not bootlegging. Running. Between his rebuilt ankle, and his questionable shoulder, let’s see what his delivery looks like when he’s on the move.

2) Exploit the youth: The Cowboys defense allows about as many points (24.0) as they score (24.5). Their opponents complete 69% of their passes, and average 4.5 yards per run. Dallas also misses tackles at a rate of 11.9%. (For perspective, our Eagles miss 4.3%). Their defense is young, and under intense stress covering for injury losses.

We should use that stress to implode the unit. In the last two games, the Cowboys have struggled vs pocket QB’s. Jalen Hurts ability to run, could overwhelm Dallas’s fragile system. We need to see Hurts on some misdirection bootlegs, where he’s getting the ball to TE’s and RB’s. That way we get to eat up clock, and OUR Defense stays fresh.

3) Clear A Run Lane: Operation C.A.R.L.! If Dallas wants to start a 245 pound rookie LB at DE, against RT Lane Johnson, give’ em the match-up they want. Run the ball early to the right, to take advantage of the physical mismatch. Beat on the rookie. Lay him out a few times. Welcome him to the NFL, and take the chase right out of his legs.

Then in the second half, the Read Option and Screens will be nails in their coffin. Close your eyes and see a Cowboys blitz, countered with a RB Screen. Touchdown Sanders! Envision the argument on their sideline. Wait what?! Did Prescott just shove DE Randy Gregory? Oh my god, Randy hit him with a helmet! POPCORN! WE NEED POPCORN!

4) Give Them Doubts: We play Cover Two. So here and there, we can afford to gamble. Early in the game, our corners need to jump a couple of Prescott’s passes. Doesn’t matter if they’re complete or not. A couple of near picks, will affect him for the rest of the game. Interceptions would be great, but attempting them is more important.

We want Prescott looking for that next jump. Get him to pat the ball an extra time or two before releasing it. Get him thinking, not playing. If we can slow his release, it allows our pass rushers more time to get to him. More importantly, it takes their passing offense out of the rhythm they’ve had these last two games.

*******

If we do these Four Things,

Offensively, if we follow FT, the Eagles would rule time of possession in the first half, keeping our Defense fresh for the second half. Defensively, if we follow FT, the bottom will drop out of the Cowboys offense. If that happens, it will strand their defense on the field. As a soft defense, we need them be on the field as much as possible.

Though the Eagles will be without DE Brandon Graham, RG Brandon Brooks, LT Jordan Mailata, and FS Rodney McLeod, this still feels like the Eagles are about to blow the Cowboys out, this Sunday.

Keep in mind, I don’t go around predicting blowouts, but this feels like the Cowboys are walking into a trap. Eagles fans just came back last week, and yet the chatter around this game seems oddly muted. There’s a stillness around this game. It feels almost unnatural. I can’t explain it, but that’s how it feels.

I don’t expect a close game.

PREDICTION: EAGLES 30 – Cowboys 16

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

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 2: 49ers

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/09/20
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, Reviews, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

TOO many missteps. 

EAGLES 11 – 49ers 17

 

EAGLES STATS:

New categories include an EXCLUSIVE weekly Offensive Line Report* (Rushing TD’s + 3rd and 4th downs converted:missed of 2 yards or less – sacks allowed); as well as Drive Killer (Int – FR – 4th down Tackles – FF – TD).

Passing: (S) QB Jalen Hurts (12/23 – 52.1 – 190 – 0 – 0)

Rushing: (S) QB Jalen Hurts (10 – 82 – 8.2 – 1 – 0)

Receiving: (B) WR Quez Watkins (2 – 2 – 117 – 58.5 – 0)

Offensive Line Report: (1 + 1:2 – 2) 

Drive Killer: No Qualifier

Sack Leader: No Qualifier

* (Formula adjusted after Week 1)

 

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) Take Away the Edges: The Defense did a great job of this, rendering the 49ers run game anything but explosive. There were a number of runs that ended up as tackles for losses. Screen plays were blown up early. Pitches were compromised. Unfortunately, the defense couldn’t get off the field and ended up both gassed and losing the field position battle. Still, they held those edges. (DONE)

DT Javon Hargrave has been a monster in these first two weeks

2) Next Level Tackling: For the most part (especially in the first half), the tackling was sharp. No one was getting dragged, or dilly-dallying with the ball carriers. They just got the man on the ground. Tackles were still being made later in the game, but a secure tackle after a 15 yard completion on 3rd and 7, or a 5 yard completion on 3rd and 3, doesn’t really help the cause. But the tackling was solid, so we’ll credit that. (DONE)

3) Get the Ball Downfield: Hurts took 4 deep shots down the field. There was the 91 yarder to Watkins. There was the recalled touchdown to WR Jalen Reagor (5 – 2 – 5 – 2.5 – 0) where Reagor stepped out of bounds twice on one route, drawing a penalty instead. Finally, there were two deep shots to WR Devonta Smith (7 – 2 – 16 – 8.0 – 0).

Even if all four had doinked harmlessly on the ground, teams now will realize that we will air it out. The fact that Hurts connected on two of them (defenses studying film won’t care about the penalty), will provide room for him to operate underneath in coming weeks. This didn’t result in a win, but today’s game will bear fruit all year long. (DONE)

4) Screen Sanders: RB Miles Sanders (13 – 55 – 4.2 – 0 – 0) was split out wide a few times, but unless I blinked and missed it, I didn’t see a single Screen thrown to him. In fact, the RB/TE thing that I talked about in FT, was a total non-factor. Amazingly, Sanders and both TE’s totaled just 6 targets.

I specifically said they should NOT lean on rookie RB Kenneth Gainswell (6 – 14 – 2.3 – 0 – 0) and now you see why. He’s a neat toy, but he’s not yet an NFL caliber RB. (NOT DONE)

 

We nailed 3 of Four Things, but it wasn’t enough. Next week we head down to Jerry World to give Head Coach Nick Sirianni his first NFC East victory.

On The Whole:

While no loss is good (talking to YOU, Cowboys fans), this one could benefit Sirianni for the rest of his career. He got too cute, and it bit us in the ass. There were too many fundamentals that we didn’t adhere to, and it cost us the game.

Let’s start with our passing game. Reagor had a score called back due to stepping out of bounds, but even on Watkins 91 yarder, and a couple of Smith’s incompletions, you saw our WR’s pinned against the sideline.

This is because they were running their routes to the outside of defenders. That works against the receiver, because the sideline is a 100 yard long defender. That’s not even football 101. That’s 098 type stuff. It’s remedial. With Sirianni being a former WR, you’d think his concepts would all involve avoiding the sideline.

We got 4 shots from the one yard line, and decided not to take 4 downs and hammer that fucker in. Instead, Sirianni dialed up “Silly Silly” and for whatever reason WR Greg Ward (no stat line) threw the ball out of bounds. ON 4th DOWN! Somewhere out there, Doug Pederson is playing that on a loop and jerking off, while laughing like a maniac.

This was a bad loss. It was the worst kind of loss. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realize that it was entirely self-inflicted. Here’s hoping we’re smarter next week.

FOUR THINGS: WK #2: EAGLES – 49ers

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/09/16
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Preview. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

LAST week we dismantled the Falcons, 32 – 6. Our balanced Offensive attack allowed yards to flow naturally, from a well-spring of young talent. This week, a 49ers team who’s defense allowed the Lions to score 33 points, has to try to win at the Linc. Gonna be a long plane ride home.

A win here keeps the Eagles firmly in command of the NFC East. It also forces people to stop questioning last weeks win, and see the Eagles as a legitimate contender in the NFC. A loss, opens the door for a division rival to even up with us. Washington faces New York tonight, so somebody (Washington) has to come out of this with a win. If they tie, I’ll laugh myself sick.

The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics will practically guarantee our Eagles this win. CAUTION: 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 FT as a gambling tool, you are trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.

So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus the San Francisco 49ers:

1) Take Away the Edges: The 49ers like to run the ball by moving the entire offensive line to a side at once. When a line blocks like that, it forces a defense to flow with it. So there is no opposing momentum from defenders, because even when they make tackle, it’s going with the direction of the runner. It looks like power, but it isn’t.

It’s a Chinese finger trap. Not knowing why it works, is exactly what keeps it working. As a former offensive lineman, I’ll let you in on a secret: It has a simple solve. Our DE’s have to set a hard edge. Like a rock in a stream. With as much as the 49ers like to get their linemen running, that rock will “bunch” the linemen together, using them to trap their own RB.

See when the Lions DE’s give away the edges?

See the result? Like I said, simple solve. Also, as we take away the edges, that “bunching” will help limit inside running. Our DE’s have to think run first, except in obvious passing situations.

2) Next Level Tackling: Our LB’s have to not stick to blocks and make tackles. None of that wrestling for the ball, crap. At least not early in the game. That keeps resulting in broken tackles and extra yards. Just get the man down. Our Defensive Line will have its hands full keeping he LB’s clean. Don’t squander their work.

3) Get the Ball Downfield: QB Jalen Hurts didn’t really need to throw deep, last week. Our Offense is designed to get the ball out of Hurts hand quickly, so you can bet that the 49ers will be trying to limit our quick options. This week, if Hurts sees a one-on-one on the outside, the NFL needs to know that he will, and more importantly that he can, take advantage of a defense.

The Eagles need to use this game, to let NFL teams know they can’t stack the box against us. If we can’t prove that we can hurt a team from distance, all the nice little things we did last week, will slowly begin to evaporate. We can’t show the league that we’re one-dimensional. We can’t give future opponents something they can be confident about.

4) Screen Sanders: The 49ers allowed the Lions, THE LIONS, to complete 16 of 20 passes (80%) to their RB’s, for 111 yards and a score. I know that our coaching staff is in love with rookie RB Kenneth Gainswell, but RB Miles Sanders runs harder and breaks tackles better than Gainswell. So he’s more likely to exploit a quick, but undersized 49er LB corps.

*****

If we do these Four Things,

Last week the 9ers had to stand on the gas pedal just to beat the Lions 41 – 33. (Nice score.) They had trouble dealing with the Lions RB’s and TE’s in the passing game, as 25 of 31 (80.6%) targets were caught. Any defense that can’t cover RB’s and TE’s, will get KILLED by the Eagles. Getting the ball to Sanders will open up the deep game.

Early on, QB Jimmy Garoppolo may look pretty good, because with our DE’s concerned with taking away the run, they likely won’t get as much heat on him. That’s fine. Once the Eagles establish a lead, the DE’s can pin their ears back. In the meantime, that emphasis on tackling will be huge.

PREDICTION: EAGLES 27 – 49ers 20

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

REALITY CHECK FOR EAGLES FANS

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/09/14
Posted in: Conversations, Fans, NFL, Rants, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

PHILADELPHIA beat the holy hell out of Atlanta, 32 – 6 in the season opener. It brings our Eagles to 1 – 0, and puts us in the driver’s seat for the division lead, since no one else in our division was up to the challenge put to them this week. But just how significant was our victory over the Falcons?

Atlanta is a bad team. Let’s get that out of the way, right now. Like us, they were 4 – 12 last year. In fact, they originally were two draft slots ahead of us, until we traded back from 6th to 10th. Their defense was the stuff of comedy legend. Only three teams allowed more yards than Atlanta did. Nobody allowed more passing yards.

As a result, last week’s NFL Power rankings had the Eagles ranked 25th and the Falcons 26th. In an article that the NFL put out last Monday, they had the Falcons projected win total at 6, and ours at 5. All indications had us being evenly matched teams. Except, 32 – 6 proved that we are not evenly matched.

A score like 39 – 40 indicates being evenly matched. 

(Remember how dominant the Cowboys were in this one?)

But back to the Eagles! The beginning of the game saw the Eagles getting punched in the mouth, and it seemed like our Defense would get run over all day. Then our Defense rallied, holding a 1st and Goal, to a field goal. After which, we built from there. That’s character. Which has nothing to do with how good the Falcons are or aren’t, but has everything to do who the Eagles are.

Despite all the media pundits putting rookie TE Kyle Pitts in the Hall Of Fame, prior to even playing a game, he was held in check with a small Nickelback in Avonte Maddox. Atlanta was held to 0/2 in the red zone. Meanwhile our execution had us 3 for 3.

This was all done with a rookie head coach, and most impressively, no turnovers. We committed none, and we got none, and still we blew a team out. We put up a 26 point differential, without taking the ball away ONCE. Did you know, there are teams out there who can’t win a game, even if they get spotted FOUR turnovers. It’s true!

“It was just the Falcons.” Sure, if you’re an idiot. For those who aren’t idiots, this game wasn’t about the opponent. It was about the Eagles. The Eagles didn’t squeak by the Falcons. They did what you’d expect a playoff team to do to a bad team. They wiped the FLOOR with them. The Eagles got punched in the mouth 0 – 3, took the lead 7 – 3 on rookie WR Devonta Smith‘s TD grab, and from there never looked back.

How meaningful was this win? That question isn’t determined by who is, or who isn’t across the line from us. It’s about who we ourselves are striving to be, regardless of who opposes us, or doesn’t believe in us. It’s about being good enough, because we continuously make damned sure, that we are. Don’t let anyone obscure that for you. Not regarding this football game, or in your day to day lives.

And only an idiot wouldn’t see the meaning, in that.