LAST week we lost, but we saw that Head Coach Nick Sirianni, is going to be committed to running the ball, thus balancing the Offense, going forward. Now that defenses have to defend against receivers who can stretch the field and a run game that requires a loaded box, QB Jalen Hurts has a real opportunity to be the x-factor in games. Games like this one.
(BTW: “receivers who can stretch the field, and a run game that requires a loaded box“. We won a Super Bowl with that set-up. IJS)
So far the Broncos have gone 3 – 0 vs NFC East teams this year. The Eagles are 0 – 3 vs AFC West teams this year. A win here, keeps the Eagles from being swept by a division, and more importantly, keeps the Broncos, the Broncos, from sweeping our entire division.
A win gives us a record of 4 – 6, and means that we’d hold onto second place in the NFC East for another week. It would also keep those 6th and 7th playoff seeds within our reach. We’d still be in the thick of it.
Falling to 3 – 7 with a loss, wouldn’t mathematically end our playoff hopes, but we’d be Apollo, out on his feet, waiting for the kill-shot from Drago. That can’t be how this one ends. They’re just the Broncos. It’s all flesh and bone. We just have to want it more.
****
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 Broncos:
1)Press Coverage: If we don’t do this, it’ll be another game where we allow a completion rate of 80% or higher. We have the CB’s who can do the job, they just have to be turned loose, where they’re allowed to. Both of the Broncos starting WR’s are 6’4”, so we can’t play around with those guys, and let them into jump-ball situations.
2)Play-action Inside:Now that we’re actually running the ball, play-action is a weapon that we can use convincingly. The ball can now, SHOULD NOW, come out quickly to the Slot and the TE positions. That will help us get WR Jalen Reagorand TE Dallas Goedert more involved, loosening up the opposing interior, and keeping our run game going.
3)Taylor-made Headache: Get OLB Davion Taylor in on a couple of blitzes. Walk him up between DT Fletcher Cox and DE Josh Sweat (if he plays), and actually send Taylor on a blitz a few times. He has the speed to drop in coverage, but also to get up on the QB quickly. We need to put him in positions to make plays.
More than sacks, what we want is to get QB Teddy Bridgewater moving his feet a lot in the pocket. We want to alter his usual throwing platform, and throw his mechanics off slightly. If possible, we want to make him beat us with his athleticism. See how I made a little joke there?
4)Get Howard In Space: Throwing the ball to RB’s was supposed to be a hallmark of this Offense, but we haven’t really seen it since RB Miles Sanderswent down. RB Jordan Howard has been a bull running through defensive fronts, but to see him get a Screen pass with blockers in front of him… Hey, why not do something easy?
If we do these Four Things,
Denver’s banged up offensive line shouldn’t be able to put rabbits out of their hat for four straight quarters. We’re have more talent in the trenches than they do. So long as we address these peripheral aspects, we should be able to capitalize on our advantage up front.
****
PREDICTION: EAGLES 28 – Broncos 22
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how it went.
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).
Rushing: ( R) RB Jordan Howard (17 – 71 – 4.1 – 1 – 0)
Receiving: (S) WR Devonta Smith (6 – 5 – 116 – 23.2 – 1)
Offensive Line Report: (2 + 2:0 – 1)
Drive Killer: (S) MLB T.J. Edwards (0 – 0 – 1 – 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: Chargersdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Run the ball:I said 10 – 15 hand-offs in the first half is what we needed. Well, we handed it off 18 times, and went into the half with a 10 – 7 lead. Reserve Jordan Howard had 11 of his 17 carries in the first half. Starting RB Boston Scott(10 – 40 – 4.0 – 0 – 0) had 7 of his, in the first. The formula was working like a charm.
The problem was, that they only saw a combined 9 hand-off after the half. Since I put s much emphasis on the first half in FT, I have to consider this technically “done”. However, what I wrote was not the spirit of what I meant. This is a cheapy, but… (DONE)
2) Lean, not Press: We didn’t even try. Chargers receivers ran uncontested and unmolested all day long. It was a horrible display of coaching. I say that because, if the defensive coordinator wanted the Defense to behave otherwise, he would have called other coverages.
Instead what happened was we allowed a completion percentage of 84.2. Yet again, an opposing QB was out there, practically playing catch with his son. (NOT DONE)
3) Get them on the ground:Early drives did not begin promisingly, as the Eagles kept doing that crap where they hold up the ball carrier for strip attempt. However, after the Chargers bulled their way in for a score, the Eagles (for the most part) began just getting players down on the ground.
Unfortunately, tackling was the only aspect of our Defense that was working. Coverage, pass rush, disguising looks,, etc. All that was left in Carolina, I guess.
Can I just say, while we’re discussing tackling, we seem better when S Anthony Harris (3 – 0 – 0 – 0) is sitting games out. Maybe someone should pour boiling water on his lap, then hand him the kettle.(DONE)
4) Completions in the middle: Devonta Smith’s 28 yard touchdown started as a catch in the middle. It allowed him to find room to evade defenders, and make a enough extra yardage to score. It was a great play. Unfortunately, there weren’t many of it’s kind.
Many of Hurts pass attempts get pushed outside the numbers, and often to the sidelines. This works against the Offense on many levels: It increases time the receiver has to wait for the ball to reach. It gives defenders more time to break on the ball. It limits room to run for extra yardage. We have to do better. (NOT DONE)
****
So we managed2 of Four Things this week. Maybe we’ll do better next week against a Bronco’s team that has 3 of their five wins against our division. That’s right! The only thing standing between the Broncos and a sweep of the NFC East, is us walking into their house and doing to them, what they did to Dallas this week.
****
On The Whole:
We are seeing solid signs of growth in Head Coach Nick Siranni and therefore, in the team under him. Two examples would be Sirianni’s clock management right before the half, and the Defense not jumping off-sides, when Los Angeles tried to induce them, on 4th and 1. The first was an example of being present in the moment, the other of being accountable to discipline.
Our Defense on the other hand remains a joke. This is because DCJonathan Gannon is a pussy. There is no aggression in him. No passion. He’s timid and afraid. Even though what he’s doing will get him fired, he’s too cowardly to alter it for any length of time. Even after he sees that the alterations work.
If Sirianni is going to have a coaching future, he’s going to have to fire Gannon. Gannon is dead weight. An anchor. An albatross. He’s a rotted cucumber and two D batteries.
You can tell by his face, that he’s a guy who counts his strokes. Out loud. While checking his heart rate on his Apple Watch. Then when you don’t finish, he blames you because the metrics indicate that you should’ve by now. Don’t believe it? Listen to one of his press conferences. We gotta get rid of this guy!
CONTINUE THE WIN STREAK!!! We ran the ball like maniacs last week. Our opponent this week, is weak, against the run. Ben Franklin is no fan of eagles, but he took a break from pimpin’ pimpin’ today to call Head Nick Sirianni and tell him “Bitch, y’all need to run the pig.”
Word, Ben. Even unto thine mother.
A win this week puts us at 4 – 5 , and keeps us just on the outside of the Wild Card picture. (Tomorrow I’m putting out an article that discusses our playoff chances. Don’t miss it!) A loss drops us to 3 – 6, but doesn’t really hurt our playoff chances that much. (Seriously. You need to read that article tomorrow.)
****
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 Chargers:
1) Run the ball:The Chargers are dead last in the NFL in run defense. That reason alone suggests running the ball down their throats. Add to that, the fact that it wears down their pass rushers.. Now add to that, the fact that it makes play-action believable. Then add, that it will attract 8-man fronts, thereby opening up the vertical passing game.
We need this game to start with 10 – 15 first half hand-offs. While offensive balance is great, the primary reason we want to run the rock is, to eat up clock, and limit the Chargers opportunity to possess the ball. Especially in the first half. BTW: I don’t want to knock RBBoston Scott, but I’d rather see RB Jordan Howard wearing down their front.
2) Lean, not Press: The Chargers starting WR’s are 6’2” 211 and 6’4” 218. Neither is a burner, but both are very good route runners, who can pull down a 50/50 ball. On one hand, it wouldn’t be smart to give them free releases and let them build a head of steam. On the other hand, having our CB’s get caught up in hand-fighting, will result in easy slants and broken tackles.
The call for the day is re-directing the WR’s. Lining up close and staying tight, without being too handsy. We want to lean into the receiver, not press them. The idea is to get the QB to see them as covered, then move to his next read. That combined with solid pressure, will severely limit the Chargers ability to push the ball downfield.
3) Get them on the ground:They don’t have a rep for it, but physically, the Chargers are a deceptively strong team. RB Austin Ekler is widely regarded as one the NFL’s strongest players, pound for pound. As a result they make a lot of their yardage after contact. Much of that comes from them dragging defenders who are holding up the ball-carrier, trying to strip at the ball.
How often has that worked? In 484 offensive snaps this year, Chargers opponents have made stripping at the ball, pay-off exactly FOUR times, which equals 0.00826% of the time. You will see better odds from a bookie, than from trying strip Chargers players. A few strip attempts are fine, but in general, just make the tackle. Get them on the ground, and don’t give away free yardage.
4) Completions in the middle: Too often QB Jalen Hurts is rifling the ball at or along the sidelines. Targets between the numbers and behind the LB’s, would be easier for him to reach and keep the chains moving. Especially if we can get the Chargers to buy our play-action.
Like this!
If we do these Four Things,
The national media will be telling the world about how the Eagles have turned a corner, and that “Flower Power” must be working. If we do all four of these, the Eagles win this one in a walk. The story you won’t hear is that the Chargers QB isn’t as quite as good vs solid CB’s. He has his hands full this week.
That being said, the Chargers are a feisty team. They have four wins and three of them are 4th quarter comebacks, featuring game winning drives. We have to do things to take them out of this game. After which we have to stand on the gas.
****
PREDICTION:EAGLES 27 – Chargers23
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how it went.
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).
Receiving: (S) TE Dallas Goedert (7 – 6 – 72 – 12.0 – 0)
Offensive Line Report: (4 + 2:0 – 0)
Drive Killer: (S) CB Darius Slay (0 – 1 – 0 – 0 – 1)
Sack Leader: (S) DE Josh Sweat(3 – 2.0 – 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: Lionsdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Physical Coverage:Can’t complain about the coverage on the ends. Detroit’s top two WR’s caught 3 balls for 46 yards, with only 6 being thrown in their direction. Our CB’s practically erased them from the game.
The opposing TE saw far too many free releases. He caught 10 of 11 passes, but for just 89 yards. If he weren’t harmless, this could have cost us the game. This has to be cleaned up. Still, we shutdown outside passing, contested balls, and allowed just 73.5% of their passes, on routes that rarely seemed deeper than 7 yards. (DONE)
2) Hands Under Balls:Lining up under Center. I seriously didn’t expect to see this much at all, but I was pleasantly surprised. While we still spent far too much time in the Shotgun, we ran quite a bit from under C. If this gets incorporated into the passing game more, it’ll make Hurts look like a whole new QB. (DONE)
3) Run the Ball: The ball was handed off 39 times in this game. That’s not a typo. There were 39 hand-offs, for 165 yards (4.2 ypc), and 4 touchdowns.
That’s compared to just 16 pass attempts, (and 10 runs by the QB). With that much help, Hurts didn’t have to carry the Offense. The result was that he was able to be part of team victory, which was never in question.(DONE)
4) Find Our Ego: Body language and physicality. Chippiness, and winning at the line of scrimmage. All of that was on display in this one. We collected 5 sacks, 3 tackles for losses, and held their ground game to 57 yards on 18 carries (3.1ypc). This is not the Eagles team that we’ve become accustomed to this year, but I wouldn’t mind getting to know them! (DONE)
****
This is 4 of the Four Things being done for the first time this year, and the margin of victory was 38 points. Next week we get to see how consistent we can be with what we’ve learned, as we host the 4 – 3 Chargers and their league-WORST run defense.
****
On The Whole:
Everyone else wants to talk about how they hope that all the running carries over into next week. I on the other hand, am glad that disaster was averted. If we’d lost to an 0 – 7 team, there would have been an implosion.
The Raiders (rumored) inquiry about trading for DT Fletcher Cox (1 – 0 – 0 – 0), would have probably picked up momentum. Head Coach Nick Sirianni would probably have to fire his Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon, to keep from losing the locker room. Deafening calls for Sirianni’s head by the fan base, would finally force owner Jeff Lurie behind a podium, to issue some sort of statement.
It would have been a shit show.
Instead, we’re left to wonder if this new outlook on Offense, will be enough to beat the Chargers and get us to 4 – 5. We’re left wondering if we’re going to attack more on Defense, from now on. On the whole, it’s not a bad place to be.
LAST week we started off strong. A balanced march to a score. Then a red zone interception. Then a turd hit the fan. Hey, hopefully Head Coach Nick Sirianni learned some valuables lessons from getting publicly mushroom stamped last week. By an interim head coach, no less!
This week we get the ultimate gimme, vs an 0 – 7 Detroit team. They have a couple of decent RB’s, and solid young TE, but other than that… Their best LB is a Dollar Store version of LB Alex Singleton. Their top defensive lineman is a guy who used to be Michael Brockers. Their NT wears 54 as his jersey number. They’re just a mess. Just a hot– They’re like a pocketful of boiled pizza.
This is as close to a gift wrapped “W” as you get in sports. Which is why I’m TERRIFIED. A win here won’t mean much to us. A loss though… We can’t take a loss. Not after Sirianni’s “Flower Power” speech on Wednesday. There is only so much I can take in one month.
****
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 Lions:
1. Physical Coverage: Not being physical early in routes, we’re not even disrupting timing, so opponents are executing plays as if they were in practice. The result has been us allowing completion percentages of 80 or higher in 4 of the of the last 5 weeks. The one game where we didn’t, was at Carolina.
If receivers aren’t allowed free releases, and we play Man coverage, instead of these loose underneath zones, our pass rush will magically reappear. So will turnovers. We played heavy Man vs Carolina and picked off 3 passes and got 3 sacks. In every game besides, we’ve been in Zone. This isn’t rocket surgery, folks! We have to be more physical in coverage.
2. Hands Under Balls: This Offense is based on being in the Shotgun. That won’t change this week. What we can do, is get the QB under Center for more than just Sneaks and kneel downs. The run game and play-action are going to be far more effective from Under Center than in the ‘gun. There’d also be fewer chances for bad snaps, which QB Jalen Hurts has proven poor at corralling.
3. Run the Ball: How did the Eagles look last week when there was balance? How did the Eagles look last week once that balance was taken way? (By our coach!) There can’t exist a starker example.
Hurts might be good as part of an NFL team, but he isn’t capable of carrying an NFL team. Don’t hand me what percentage of our Offense he is. That shit is meaningless. Even 100% of not enough, still comes out to not enough.
Get that man some help!
4. Find Our Ego:This week’s opponent is 0 – 7. That’s not just their record, that’s what they are. That’s who they are. They are a trash team. As bad as we’ve been, they are clearly worse. Knowing this, seeing this, our players need to ask themselves: “ Is the man across from me, is better than I am?”
Body language, and physicality. Chippiness, and winning at the line of scrimmage. Those are the things that will tell us if they asked that question. Does it still take 2 or 3 Eagles to tackle a single Lions RB, or do we have to chalk any outlines after a hit? If our guys ask themselves “Is he more man than me?” they will find all the fuel they need to not just defeat, but dominate this inferior opponent.
If we do these Four Things,
There is no way the lions are supposed to win this game. They outright lack the firepower to fend off any sort of coherent attack. If we do TWO of these, we should win this game. All four should result in a nasty blowout.
HOWEVER, after Sirianni’s Flower Speech, I’m concerned that he may have lost the locker room. Whether he already has or not, if they lose this game, I can’t imagine that he’d still have them in any capacity. He’d almost have to be fired. Sirianni can’t afford this loss.
****
PREDICTION: EAGLES 28 – Lions 13
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how it went.
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).
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: Raiders did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Run the Ball: The first drive of the the game featured 5 run plays en route to a game opening touchdown. RB Miles Sanders (6 – 30 – 5.0 – 0 – 0) saw one more carry, then was lost for the game, on the reception that immediately followed it. A funny thing happened after that.
Back-up RB Kenneth Gainwell(5 – 20 – 4.0 – 0 – 0) saw just 5 hand-offs, compared to RB Boston Scott (7 – 24 – 3.4 – 1 – 0), who hadn’t seen a carry all season until today. Understand, Gainwell had 4 carries, and was targeted 8 times, as a receiver. However, the way the coaching staff broke up the carries between Gainwell and Scott, tells the world what they think of Gainwell as an NFL RB. Scott also got key red zone work. (NOT DONE)
2) Lots of Deep Passing:
There were a couple of nice 20+ yard passes, but most of it was Hurts doing his depressingly familiar and repetitive hold the ball too long, then boot right while hardly noticing the guy on his heels, before winging it somewhere in the general direction of away from him. That’s how he ended up completing less than 53% of his passes. (NOT DONE)
3) Call a Dentist: All we had to do, was hit their QB a couple times early, and it would have taken him completely out of his game. We’d have defanged the Bumble. Instead, we couldn’t within a 50$ cab ride of the QB. The result was that the other team’s QB went 31/34 passing. In percentage, that’s 91.1. In words: Ninety-one, point one. En Espanol: Noventa y uno con uno. Can I be clearer? Watch me.
On a day when we needed to hold Derek Carr (31/34 – 91.1% – 323 – 2 – 1) to less than 63% accuracy, WE gave the motherfucker a GOT-damn career day!! If he hadn’t come into the game as the Raiders all-time leading passer, we’d have found a way to make that shit happen for him too. (NOT DONE)
4) Disrupt Waller: TE Darren Waller hurt his ankle Saturday, and so he was inactive Sunday. So this was done, but not by us. (NOT APPLICABLE)
****
This weeks score is 0 for Four Things. Three things actually, because we can’t take credit for Waller not being a factor in this game. Next week we travel to Detroit to face the 0 – 7 Lions. And let me tell you this:
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On The Whole:
After the game I went to PBS and watched ‘It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown’. (I needed to smile.) Later on, I circled back and watched DT Fletcher Cox (2 – 0 – 0 – 0) barely contain his frustration at the podium, in his post game press conference. I watched Head Coach Nick Sirianni, and Jalen Hurts, as well.
Despite no one buying our Shotgun play-action, expect to see it next week. Expect our 6’1 QB to keep having Screen passes batted down, when he’s not holding the ball too long, leading to ineligible man downfield penalties. Expect Hurts to lead us in rushing again, because when his first read is covered, he takes off to his right. Let me tell you, this is a team with no answers. Sirianni is a coach with no answers.
This is why he keeps repeating the same things at his pressers.
Funny thing is, I’m not all that bent up about the Offense.
While some will want to hammer the Offense, I’m wondering why control of the Defense isn’t being taken from Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon. His Defense makes every opponent look unstoppable. So how is it that he’s somehow credited with being better suited to the job, than the sandwich I just ate?
I would ask what’s wrong with our pass rush. If we had any. Same with our underneath coverage. Or our defensive interior vs the run. We’re bad in all phases of defense. How is that a thing?! We suck at everything! How is this a thing?!
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 Sirianniwants 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.
****
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.
****
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 forFour Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how it went.
SEASON Reviews are usually done at the end of the season. A few are also done at the halfway mark. Starting in 2017, Eaglemaniacal.com began treating the season like a game, and breaking it into four quarters.
In 2021, the NFL expanded the season to 17 games, which makes for an uneven split. So this year (at least), these Quarterly Reports will come after Weeks 5, 9, 13, and 17. (Ugh. I hate even looking at that format.)
NOTE: Due to the short week between games 5 and 6, this report was pushed back a week. The Second Quarter will pick up on time, after Week 9.
Since football is a hard sport, we’ll take a hard look at where our team currently stands, in relation to where it started. Then we can discuss where it needs to go next.
STATUS: 2 – 4, 3rd place in the NFC East, (Points per game: +22.8 /-25.3)
OPPONENTS:
(W ) Atlanta (2 – 3)
(L) San Francisco (2 – 3)
(L) Dallas (4 – 1)
(L) Kansas City (2 – 3)
(W ) Carolina (3 – 2)
(L) Tampa Bay (5 – 1)
OVERVIEW:
The Eagles have a losing record because they have a coaching staff loaded with smug children, who are too arrogant to ask for help, or take guidance from conventional wisdom. The result is a 2 – 4 team that likely would have been 4 – 2 under the previous coach.
GRADES:
QB: ( C ) Head Coach Nick Sirianni nixed the idea that Jalen Hurts can be a Franchise QB, during his post-game presser, after the Buccaneers loss. Sirianni’s exact words?
This is video is 9:07 long. Listen to what he says from 4:18 to 5:01.
NOTE:They won’t let me post it here, but you can watch it on YouTube.
So expect the Eagles to Draft a QB in April.
Despite playing in a simple scheme designed to get the ball out of his hand, Hurts is repeatedly late on Screens; which keeps leading to ineligible man penalties. He relies on a receiver to BE open, as opposed to throwing them open. His Swing passes float and never lead the RB. His flaws are obvious.
Anyone who’s worn a helmet can tell you how little peripheral vision you have in one. Anyone who knows that (which includes every head coach and position coach in the NFL), knows that Hurts doesn’t turn his head enough to be routinely going through progressions. When that first read isn’t open (as Sirianni said in the video), he looks to run. In short: Hurts is a one-read QB.
Still, Hurts has been as effective as any one-read QB that I’ve ever seen, or heard about. He doesn’t put the ball in dangerous places, and even when his scheme is failing him, he continues to trust it. From a coaching standpoint, he makes it very easy to review film, and spot where the flaws in the game-plan were. It makes Hurts an ideal coach’s QB, but the polar opposite of a franchise QB, from whom transcendent play is expected.
RB: ( C ) Miles Sanders averages 4.7 yards per carry, and has caught 18 of 23 passes thrown to him (78.3%) for 6.7 yards per catch. Kenneth Gainwell averages 4.8 yards per carry, and has caught 15 of 23 passes thrown to him (65.2%) for 8.2 yards per catch.
That’s a nice 1 – 2 punch! Or it should be. Problem is, through 6 games they have a combined 78 rushing attempts. Sanders leads the Eagles with 57 carries. Right behind him with 53, is QB Jalen Hurts. Put into perspective, division rival Ezekiel Elliott has 102 carries through 6 games. Elliott’s back-up has 61 carries. That team is 5 – 1. This team is 2 – 4. Any questions?
Our backs have done as much as they can with occasional rushes here and there, and playing out the Shotgun almost exclusively. They aren’t being put in a position to succeed. In fact, it seems like the run game is deliberately being scapegoated. Unfortunately for Sirianni, Philly sports fans are more knowledgeable than San Diego and Indy fans, and see through that shit.
TE: ( D ) Due to the trade of Zach Ertz, there is no point in discussing his play, as we can no longer build on it. I hate this.
“Camera on the action, Jimmy.”
Dallas Goederthas caught 15 of his 19 targets (78.9%), for 216 yards, 14.4 per catch and 2 scores. Both in the red zone. He needs to see more volume, once he gets back from Covid quarantine. The only knock on him this season is the fumble vs KC. It wasn’t lost, but still.
Jack Stoll is the only active TE on the roster right now. In 6 games he’s played 47 snaps on Offense with not one pass thrown his way. He’s played 77 downs on Special Teams. So that’s where we are for depth. Hopefully when Goedert gets back, he’ll be well enough to contribute. Otherwise we’ll need a Tyree Jackson sized miracle here.
WR: ( C ) Devonta Smithleads the team with 44 targets, 27 of which he’s hauled in (61.4%). His 12.8 yards per catch, and 1 touchdown are decent for a rookie, but more is needed next quarter. Jalen Reagorhas caught 17 of 28 targets (60.7%), for 8.2 per catch and 1 score. He’s also coming off a game where he dropped all three balls that hit his hands. Quez Watkins needs to see more passes. Last year’s 5th string receiver, has started 5 games and caught 16 of 22 passes (72.7%), for 311 yards and 19.4 yards per strike. The leading scorer at this position is Greg Wardcatching 2 balls for 30 yards and 2 scores. Until at least a few passes get thrown to J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, officials are going to keep calling offensive pass interference, on the pick plays that he keeps running. Through 6 games he stands at zero targets.
This is not the most talented group in the NFL, but there is enough firepower to be dangerous on any given Sunday. The issue is that they lack a coach who knows how to maximize them as a combination.
OT: ( B ) LT Andre Dillard whom many Eagles fans had left for dead, has filled in admirably at starting LT, over these last 4 games. In 253 snaps, he’s allowed 0 sacks, and has had just 2 enforced penalties (out of 6). LTJordan Mailata slid over to RT, when RT Lane Johnson(who started the first three games), missed the last three games due to anxiety and depression. OLJack Driscoll started at RT during Week 4.
Fans need to understand that Johnson wasn’t “treated” for anxiety and depression. He is at the beginning of treatment. This will be an on-going process for him. Show him some love. Despite all the shuffling of faces, the Eagles are getting solid play from young bookends Dillard and Mailata. Could we be getting a glimpse of the future? If so, I think we’re in good hands.
OG: ( C ) Losing RG Brandon Brooks to I.R., and LG Isaac Seumalobeing lost for the year, were huge blows. Fortunately, the Eagles had already drafted highly touted, rookie RG Landon Dickerson. Though he still needs some polish regarding the nuances of pass protection, in 272 snaps, he’s only allowed 1 sack. Over the last two games, Jack Driscoll has started at LG with no sacks, and no penalties. Nate “Too Big” Herbig started at LG vs KC and played well.
Being that the Eagles rarely run the ball, it’s hard to assess just what impact the young guys are having on the run game. What can be said, is RB’s in the last two games have run for 117 yards, on 22 carries (5.3ypc). So we are still getting some movement up there.
C: ( B ) Veteran Jason Kelce had a bad snap go over Hurts’s head vs KC. He’s been penalized twice, and allowed 1 sack. Still, he’s holding the young guys together, and helping them become true pros. Can’t badmouth that.
DE: ( F ) In 6 games Josh Sweat has 1.5 sacks. Those are all the sacks at this position. Derek Barnett has three penalties and just two tackles for losses.Ryan Kerrigan has played 153 snaps so far and has just ONE tackle to show for it. It was for a loss. He also plays fewer snaps each week. He had 35 vs Atlanta, and was down to just 16 vs Tampa. Rookie Tarron Jackson is hardly worth the mention of his name here.
These guys aren’t setting the edges to trap the run game between the Tackles, and they aren’t getting to the QB. Part of that is the loose coverage which allows quick throws. The other part is how they stick to blockers like they’re covered in Stickum.
Oh the shenanigans of yesteryear!
I don’t know who’s teaching them their technique, but either he’s not teaching, or they’re not learning.
DT: ( A ) Javon Hargrave is putting up terrorist numbers with 6 sacks and 9 QB hits, so far. Fletcher Coxdoesn’t have the numbers, but him eating double-teams is helping to get Hargrave the one-on-ones that he keeps shredding. Rookie Milton Williams has 9 tackles, with none for losses in 162 snaps. Hassan Ridgeway has 1 sack, 3 QB hits, and a tackle for a loss, in 132 snaps.
I have no idea why Williams plays more than Ridgeway. It’s teaching him that he can get snaps in exchange for being unproductive. That’s a horrible culture to seed, from a coaching staff that came in Rock-Paper-Scissoring about how competitive they are. (LOL. I said ‘scissoring’.) Still, this position is the engine of our Defense and it’s a great place to build from.
OLB: ( D ) Genard Avery has started 4 of 6 games. In the 4 games he started we were 2 – 2, and allowed an average of 17.5 points. In the 2 games he didn’t start, we allowed an average of 41.5 points, and you know how both of those turned out. His impact doesn’t show up on a stat sheet, just a scoreboard.
Alex Singleton has 67 tackles, and most of them seem to be made 8, 9 and 12 yards downfield. Of his 67 tackles, not one is for a loss. He has no sacks. He has one pass deflection. He’s mostly deployed in zone coverage, which allows completions in front of him. It also has him moving backwards at the snap, which hurts our run defense. He needs to be turned loose to read and chase, like he was able to do last year.
Davion Taylor is seeing a big ramp up in snaps over the last 2 games. Sadly, it hasn’t changed the level of impact he’s had on a game. This position has been a mess in terms of lack of vision. The timid zones they keep being asked to drop into, keeps allowing offenses to dictate both the action and the flow. As a result, our Defense is getting trapped on the field for longer and longer.
MLB: ( D ) Eric Wilson is listed on the Eagles website as the starter here. This is despite not starting since Week 4 vs KC. He picked off a pass intended for TE Travis Kelce, and has been riding pine ever since. Don’t ask. I have no answers.
T.J. Edwards has started 4 of the 6 games including the last one, but he hasn’t played 50% of the defensive snaps in any game this year. In fact, vs Dallas, Edwards saw a season-high 31 snaps, and sacked QB Dak Prescott. His reward? Not even playing one-third of any game since then. Despite not starting, Edwards keyed our Week 5 victory with a punt block.
The message seems to be, if you make a big defensive play, you sit the next day. The worst part is, that both Wilson and Edwards played all 6 games. They were swapped out while healthy! This seems to be hurting the unit’s communication and grasp of the scheme. I don’t hold usage against the players, but I’m grading the position’s impact on games, so I have to tell it like it is.
S: ( F ) Anthony Harris’s Week 6 interception was just the second play on a ball by this position all season long. Harris has 6 starts 39 tackles and that pick. Not one of his tackles is for a loss. Back from injury, Rodney McLeod has started the last 3 games. The two may not be related, but since he’s been back, we’ve gotten 5 interceptions. We had none while he was out.
K’Von Wallace we keep being told, is the future beyond McLeod, but I don’t see it. He’s on I.R. now, and Marcus Epps is getting another opportunity, but not doing much with it. The Cover Two that they’re played in, would be more opportunistic and predatory, if they weren’t so often saddled with loose coverages in front of them.
CB: ( C ) We are 2 – 0 this season when Darius Slay gets a finger on a football. His two interception game against Carolina, essentially kept the Eagles in the game. Not only does he have 2 picks, he has 2 tackles for a loss. Steven Nelsonhas 3 deflections and a pick. Avonte Maddox hasn’t picked one off yet, but from the Nickel he’s got 3 pass break-ups, half a sack, and 3 tackles for a loss. He’s already on his way to the best year of his career.
Our starters have played 426 (Slay) and 428 (Nelson) snaps, out of a possible 431. They have missed a combined 8 snaps between them all season so far. When allowed to play aggressive man, these two can take over a game. However, they are mostly asked to play loose man or zone, because Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon is a moron.
LS: ( B )Rick Lovatohasn’t blown any snaps, but he also has yet to make tackle on a coverage unit.
P: ( B ) Arryn Siposs! I had my doubts about him, but this guy is killer. On 25 boots, he’s averaging 45.8 yards, with just 10 returned for 93 yards (with 22 on 1 return). The numbers don’t sing out, but if you watch the games, Siposs does an very good job of using the sidelines to give the opponent shitty starting field position. I look forward to seeing him get better.
K: ( C ) Jake Elliott exits the first part of the year 12/12 (100%) on extra points, but just 7/9 (77%) on Field Goal attempts. Both misses were from 40-49 yards, and at home, where he should have a better handle on predicting wind swirl in the stadium.
His kickoffs are also an area of concern. Of his 28 KOs, 9 have been returned for 206 yards (22.8). While the return average isn’t a problem, returners feeling confident in returning a third of his KO’s, opens the door to momentum swinging plays. He needs to bury his kicks.
PR/KR: ( F ) Jalen Reagor averages a paltry 4.7 yards on 11 punt returns, and has 90 yards on 3 kickoff returns. Quez Watkins leads the team in Kickoff returns with 5, but his 14.8 return average suggests that he should down it in the end zone.
KC: ( B ) The kickoff coverage unit does a good job, but shouldn’t be put in a position to be tested so much. The 9.3 yard punt return average needs to come down somewhat. We have to take the edges away from returners and make them run through more traffic.
SINCE LAST QUARTER:
There’s a new coaching staff, and quite honestly it sucks. There’s a show called ‘BoJack Horseman’ where the lead character’s agent (Princess Caroline), is dating two kids in a trenchcoat, calling themselves “Vincent Adultman”. PC is so preoccupied with herself, that she doesn’t even notice that she’s carrying on an entire relationship with two kids in a trenchcoat.
This is what it feels like to watch this coaching staff, while hearing NOTHING from Owner Jeff Lurie. Is he too preoccupied to notice what’s happening to his team? His coaching staff is two kids in a trenchcoat! And the rest of us are going nuts trying to point it out!
MISSION FOR THIS QUARTER:
Usually, in this section I talk about what needs to be tightened up on the field. However, most of our problem is on the sideline. Before we can tackle player deficiencies, the coaching staff has to stop being the team’s biggest obstacle. I want to be wrong about this staff. I NEED to be! But right now it feels like Lurie really Jeffed this one up.
Nick Sirianni needs to take note that the NFL works a certain way for a reason. Teams run the ball for a reason. Linebackers attack, for a reason. Coming in as a rookie, and deciding to dismiss decades of hard learned lessons, is foolish. Especially when it keeps being demonstrated in humiliating fashion, that his way is wrong. Dead wrong. Oh so wrong.
This is going to be a short quarter (just 3 games), so the goal here will be modest. The Detroit Lions are the Detroit Lions. The Chargers could be a problem. The Raiders are in a state of upheaval after the raw deal that Head Coach Jon Gruden got. (C’mon. Just imagine what Buddy Ryan, Bill Parcells, and Mike Ditka’s e-mail accounts would have looked like. What would coachJimmy Johnson have thought about drafting Michael Sam? Exactly!) But I digress.
These next three games are winnable, but let’s be honest here, any two of them would feel nice to get our mitts on. Today were 2 – 4 . While 5 – 4 would be great, let’s set our sights on 4 – 5 for the next time we meet up here. Nick Sirianni, TAKE NOTE!
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).
Drive Killer: (S) SS Anthony Harris (1 – 0 – 0 – 0 – 0)
Sack Leader: NO QUALIFIER
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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 Thingsarticles. 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: Buccaneersdid 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)
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So this week we did0 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.
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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 Runyantelling 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.
LAST week RB Miles Sandersled us in rushing. In 2021 we’re 2 – 0 when he does, 0 – 3 when he doesn’t. So let’s keep that going. This week we have an aging, pocket based QB, going against DT Fletcher Cox and DTJavon Hargarve. SOMEONE MAKE SURE BRADY SIGNS THE WAIVER!!!
This game is not as winnable as I told you that Kansas City or Carolina was. However, there IS a path. While it’s not a wide path, it’s also not narrow. We just have to be serious about our fundamentals. Tampa is talented, but they have deep weaknesses that can be exploited, without much trouble.
A win jumps us up to 3 – 3, which would do nothing for our position in the division. At least not this week. Bigger picture, it would show the NFC, that they have to re-evaluate their opinions of this team. (And maybe division.) It would also indicate an amount of growth that would feed Eagles player confidence.
A loss would drop us to 2 – 4, and out of any serious discussion of winning the East. If that happens, it would take a great deal of success and some luck, to get back into that discussion.
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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 Tampa Bay:
Remember back when we did this?
1) Run the damned ball:Tampa plays the run pretty well, so don’t expect a ton of yardage. This however, is a game where the rushing attempts mean more than the yards. It will require play-action to beat Tampa Bay, and if we don’t run, we can’t sell play-action.
Last week our lack of commitment to the run meant that Carolina ignored our play-action, and teed off on our passer. This is a better and more physical defensive front. Unless the mission is to get Jalen hurt, we have to make this defense pump it’s brakes. If we can do that, then we can buy time for our QB, and keep him healthy.
2) Shut down Brady: Sounds like a tall order, until you realize that it’s already been done plenty. How do we do it? First we have to understand the animal. QB Tom Brady likes his 6 yard, 3 step drop. Snap! 1-2-plant. Fire! Snap! 1-2-plant. Fire! That’s his cadence. Varying it takes him miles out of his comfort zone.
So the idea here, is to get him uncomfortable. Don’t let him plant his foot. Keep him backing up. Get him (a right-handed QB) moving left. He had to ice his throwing hand on Sunday. We play on Thursday. He’s 44. Make him feel every HOUR of his age.
So how do we do that? See this rush scheme.
That’s what the basic scheme for the day should look like. Sure we’ll vary it, but this is what the day should be built on. We do what we did with QB Matt Ryan in Atlanta. Converge both DT’s on the C, and forklift him back into the QB. That gives the QB nowhere, and no time to step up.
If Brady leaves the pocket going left, then it’s a foot-race between him and (#49) LB Alex Singleton. Going right, it’s (#50) LB Eric Wilson. Brady won’t take many sacks, but he will quickly throw the ball away to avoid them. Which is exactly the plan! Incompletions are wasted downs. We’ll take it.
One last thing. This rush scheme would also contain the run, and allows alleys for the LB’s to blitz or run blitz. So yeah, I designed it well.
3) Bombs Away:Tampa Bay just signed FA CB Richard Sherman, because they are depleted in the secondary. This is a flashing weakness, and we need to attack it. Relentlessly.
This is where running the ball matters so much. Once we can use play-action effectively, QB Jalen Hurts can get outside of the pocket, and our receivers have time to uncover deep. Against a depleted Tampa secondary, we have the makings of a massacre. A prime-time, nationally televised, massacre.
4) Stick with Man Coverage: No one expects 3 picks this week. However, if we can get Brady throwing from uncomfortable launch points, we’re more likely to get a donation from him, in Man. If we go to Zone, he’ll know from film study, where to throw the ball safely. Don’t give him that.
Limit his options. Force him to either throw into contested spaces, or throw the ball away early. We want the ball out of his hands early in the game. Then we want him pressing to make plays later in the game.
If we do these Four Things, we will shock the NFL.
Neutering Tampa Bay’s passing attack, essentially shuts their offense down. The NFL is an offensive league. Which makes it hard to win games, when an offense is watching, not playing.
Old boxing adage: If you work the (opponent’s) body, it will open up the head. Running the ball is working the body. It brings down a Safety deeper into the box. It takes an opponent out of (pass rush) attack mode, and puts them solidly on the defensive (trying to plug holes). When that happens, we can go full blown aerial assault.
We have the players to pull this off. We can do this! We simply need the will to attempt it. Unfortunately, I don’t think our coaching staff is here yet.
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PREDICTION: EAGLES 24 – Buccaneers 31
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how it went.
EAGLEMANIACAL.com 