Special Teams Ace: P Braden Mann (7 – 361 – 51.5 – 0 – 4 – 64)
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I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these Four Things articles. It’s to point out what we need to address BEFORE the game. Then AFTER the game, there’s a no-bullshit assessment of whether or not the Eagles did any of what they needed to do, to ensure the win.
So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: COMMANDERSdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Use the Kerrigan Plan: The Eagles barely tried to work the Flats, or throw Outs to the TE. Instead, everything seemed to be “hold ball for 20 seconds and throw deep”. We escaped with the win, but we also had seven punts. Being that inconsistent, is not how to build a championship Offense. (NOT DONE)
2) Force Passes Deep:We did a really good job of keeping them in 3rd and long, and forcing QB Jayden Daniels (18/34 – 52.9% – 164 – 2 – 0) to hold the ball too long, and then just throw passes away. We hardly gave him anywhere easy to go with the ball, and as a result he spent much of the game under 50% passing.(DONE)
3) Blow Up the Middle:We spent much of the game flushing Daniels from the pocket and into bootlegs. Our DE’s however were never able to capitalize on that, mostly due to overrunning their rush and losing outside contain, over and over and over. We got outflanked a lot in this game. That has to get fixed.
While the Commanders did run for 132 yards, it was never in a consistent or reliable sense. Aside from a handful of QB scrambles, their ground game produced just 101 yards on 27 carries (3.7 ypc), with the longest run being 11 yards. Had our Offense not allowed the game to stay so close, the Commanders would have long abandoned the run game. (DONE)
4) Exploit Loaded Boxes: Can’t say that we did this. Then again, I can’t say that they ever loaded the box. With the Eagles lining up WR’s in bunches near the ends of the Offensive Line, it naturally draws defenders closer, in order to cover the receivers.
The result is the defense isn’t spread out, and it makes it that much harder to find room to run. Did you notice how hard it was to generate rushing yards today? (NOT DONE)
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This week’s Four Things score was2 of 4. Next week we travel to Tennessee to take on a Titan’s team that just got corn-holed, at home, by the Jets. The Jets! We have no business struggling against the Titans in any fashion.
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Game Hero: Jalen Hurts – He protected the ball, and made plays with his legs (7 – 46 – 6.5 – 0 – 0) when he was needed to. I said in THE 12: #10 that we would need this from him, and right out of the gate, I was shown to be right.
A.J. who? WR Dontayvion Wicks catches his first touchdown as an Eagle.
Game goat: TheOffensive Line – Penalties and an inability to keep defenders from hitting Barkley in the backfield, handicapped our attack all afternoon. I don’t know yet if this something to blame on the players; or new Offensive Line Coach Chris Kuper; or just the growing pains of switching systems, without the starters playing a single snap in the preseason. (So then, wouldn’t I have to blame Head Coach Nick Sirianni?) Whatever. It’s Week One. Let’s be patient.
At least for now.
On The Whole: We didn’t win this game, so much as we survived it. We spent entirely too much time in Shotgun, when we were told that we’d operate primarily under Center now. Seeing a drawn-up WR Screen, thrown behind the line of scrimmage, was enough to elicit from me, a diatribe of colorful metaphors, questioning the genealogy of our Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion.
At one point on Facebook, I asked if Sean Mannion was Kevin Patullo’s new legal name. I can’t speak for you, but to me, at times it was hard to see a difference between what we did today, and the shit we rolled out last year.
But! At the end of the day we sit at 1 – 0. Tied for first place in the NFC East; with the 1-0 giants who beat a Cowboys team, that many said would win this division. So yeah… We got work to do.
PHILADELPHIA begins our season with the sacrificing of a division rival. Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni, and Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio return with the goal of another Super Bowl parade, here in Philly. Joining them is rookie Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion, as he rolls out a vastly different scheme than the Birds have run in the past.
Rookie WR Makai Lemon, joins Super Bowl LIX MVP QB Jalen Hurts, 2024 Offensive Player of the Year RB Saquon Barkley, and future Hall Of Famer RT Lane Johnson, as they revive what became an anemic offense last year.
Despite the offensive woes, the Eagles repeated as NFC East winners, due to the strength of a top Defense. Spearheading that unit are DTJordan Davis and DT Jalen Carter, LB Zack Baun, and CB Quinyon Mitchell.
Playing the part of the sacrifice are the Washington Commanders. Already nursing some bumps and bruises along both their offensive and defensive lines, a match-up against the Eagles is the last thing the doctor would order. This game could get out of hand very quickly.
With a win, we move to 1 – 0 and tied with the winner of the Cowboys/giants game for first place in the NFC East.
A loss would drop us to 0 – 1 and scratching our heads. The truth is, this is a divisional game, so it will likely be hard fought. That said, we just have to go out and take care of business.
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The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things.
BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: The Commanders
TE Dallas Goedert hits paydirt
1) Use the Kerrigan Plan: Yet again this season, the Commanders primary pass rush comes from two OLB’s, who don’t cover. Why do they keep making this so easy, year in and year out!? Passes to the Flats, and Outs into the areas vacated by the rushers, has generally served us well against this rival. No reason to change up until they do.
I’ll be watching when we play 11-personnel, to see if they remove one of those OLB’s or a defensive lineman. I’ll be keeping an eye on that, because it would signal an evolutionary step. They have a new defensive coordinator, and I’m not very familiar with his work. So it’ll be interesting to see how fast he learns.
2) Force Passes Deep: Use a Two Deep Zone with LB’s playing Man Coverage underneath. This may result in a few big plays and penalties, but the idea is to take away quick, easy completions, and make it hard for their offense to be consistent.
3) Blow Up the Middle: We need to blow up the middle of their offensive line. The starters aren’t very talented, and they have injury issues there already. If we cave in their offensive line, it stymies their run game and gets their QB running and throwing from a moving platform. I discussed that plan, in detail, in THE 12.
DT Jordan Davis stops a run before it starts.
Despite their QB having good mobility, we want to get him running. He comes with a lengthy injury history already. In fact, we didn’t play against him last year, because he was injured for both games. We want to get their fragile QB out where he knows danger surrounds him.
4) Exploit Loaded Boxes: The Eagles want their identity to be running the ball, and we have Saquon Barkley, one of the most dangerous, and explosive RB’s in the league. So expect to see some eight man boxes, especially early in the game.
What we need is for Jalen Hurts to identify where that eighth man is being walked up from, and audible to a play that specifically targets the area where the eighth man should have stayed or covered. This sends an immediate message to the opposing defensive coach, and should get them back into seven man fronts again.
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
We’re going to be without offseason acquisition DE Jonathan Greenard for at least this week. That makes this a perfect opportunity to get DT Ty Robinson, a few reps at DE, as I mentioned in THE 12.
As far as the Offense goes, expect some growing pains, because everyone is new to running this system. Particularly under game conditions, because Sirianni doesn’t play his starters in the preseason. So expect some missed timing, missed routes, maybe an uncharacteristic turnover.
Again, this is a division rival, so this game could go all the way to the wire. More likely, the Eagles jump all over the Commanders, and it’s ugly from the get-go.
****
WARNING: 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 Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
Missed playoffs, 7 – 9 – 1, second place in the NFC East, 27.7aps, 30.1apa
STUMBLING out of the gate to a 1 – 2 – 1 record, in the first four weeks; the Cowboys were never able to recover solid footing. Falling to 3 – 5 – 1 by the mid-season Bye week, it seemed the season was lost. However, back to back victories over the Eagles and Chiefs (both teams were had been in the last Super Bowl), gave the Cowboys a 6 – 5 – 1 recored and hope. After which they went 1 – 4, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, to finish 7 – 9 – 1.
During the offseason, a new defensive coordinator was added. But do they have the pieces they need for the switch?
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OFFENSE:
QB: Dak Prescott 17 starts (404/600 – 67.3% – 4552 – 30 – 10) (53 – 177 – 3.3 – 2 – 6) His 2025 stats practically mirrored his annual averages. He’s very settled into his game, and that has pros as well as cons.
Pros: He doesn’t try to force throws he can’t make, and he executes familiar routes on a tight schedule. Cons: Everyone knows what he is and isn’t comfortable with, so he can be baited into extremely costly turnovers. Mostly because he keeps such a tight schedule.
Joe Milton (15/24 – 62.5% – 183 – 1 – 2) (5 – 50 – 10 – 0 – 1) Young guy with an absolute bazooka for an arm. Problem is, he relies on velocity far too much. As a result, his passes lack touch. More often he ends up throwing the ball at a receiver, as opposed to throwing them open. (+)
RB: Javonte Williams (252 – 1201 – 4.7 – 11 – 2 \ 51 – 35 – 137 – 3.9 – 2) earned a big shiny contract with his best season as a pro. That said, his team finished 7 – 9 – 1, with him failing to reach 70 rushing yards in 7 of the 16 games he played. If Dallas is to make the playoffs, more is needed from him.
Malik Davis (52 – 250 – 4.8 – 2 – 0 \ 5 – 2 – 16 – 8.0 – 0) and Jaydon Blue (38 – 129 – 3.3 – 1 – 1 \ 1 – 1 – 5 – 5.0 – 0) are both smaller types that offer a change of pace from the larger Williams. Hunter Luepke (16 – 71 – 4.4 – 0 – 0 \ 15 – 13 – 109 – 8.3 – 1) is more of a FB. (+)
TE:Jake Ferguson (102 – 82 – 600 – 7.3 – 8) won’t scare a defense. But he’s a reliable security blanket. Luke Schoonmaker (23 – 14 – 132 – 9.4 – 0) is the primary back-up but mostly a blocker. Brevyn Spann-Ford (13 – 9 – 90 – 10.0 – 1) big target with questionable hands. It’s not flashy, but it works. Better still, it works because it contrasts with the rest of the passing game. (+)
WR CeeDee Lamb misses one
WR: Last year’s top receiver, George Pickens (137 – 93 – 1429 – 15.3 – 9) has yet to sign his franchise tag; but CeeDee Lamb (117 – 75 – 1077 – 14.3 – 3) has focus drop issues, but is still capable of leading the room.Ryan Flournoy (56 – 40 – 475 – 11.8 – 4) spent 2025 blossoming into a reliable option.
KaVonte Turpin (38 – 26 – 396 – 15.2 – 2) is still trying to establish himself as a real receiver, but at 5’3” is a very small target to hit, especially while under duress. Jonathan Mingo (5 – 1 – 25 – 25.0 – 0) has caught just 46 percent of his targets in his career. This is a good, but not great group, with a lot of flash. The joke is that many teams have caught on, that this group is not as good as the Cowboys think it is. (+)
OT: There’s speculation that Tyler Smith may again be moved to LT. That would likely move Tyler Guyton to the bench, with Terence Steele manning the RT post. Smith was drafted to be a LT, but he was average at best there, before being moved inside and becoming a perennial Pro-Bowler. Why shake that up?
Steele is serviceable, but he will never be mistaken for a star. Guyton is only in his third year and still on his rookie deal, which makes him super-affordable; but he’s a penalty generator. Nate Thomas had four starts as a rookie last year, and is still figuring it out. (-)
OG: LG Tyler Smith was drafted for the edge, struggled a little and was kicked inside. There he has found a home as a perennial Pro Bowler, and earned himself a contract extension that averages 24M per year. RG Tyler Booker was drafted last year and started 14 games. He was pretty average overall, but for a rookie, that’s not awful.
Trevor Keegan is the backup. He’s appeared in 3 games with no starts. No, seriously. That’s all the depth here. Zero interior depth, on a line with three Black guys named Tyler. As long as the starters are healthy, everything is fine. If someone gets nicked up… Scary stuff. (+)
C: Cooper Beebe is a wide load, but he has trouble with quickness inside, and has trouble getting his second arm involved, resulting in him often playing his one arm against two. If you’re running HB dive all game, he’s a road grader. Otherwise, he’s not much. Matt Hennessy is a career back-up, who comes over as a free agent to provide depth. (-)
In A Nutshell: Every position on this unit, looks better if you don’t look closely at it. They’ll score, but they have some glaring weakness. (+)
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DEFENSE:
DE: With a new coordinator comes a new scheme. Specifically, a shift from a 4-3 front, to a 3-4. That means a shift for some player positions as well. The Cowboys have recently favored smaller faster Ends, and that’s going to cause some headaches.
Donovan Ezeiruaku (40 -2.0 – 0 – 0) was a 4-3 End, but weighing 248 pounds he cannot be a 3-4 End. He’ll likely be moved to OLB. As of now however, he’s still listed at this position. At OLB some coverage duties will fall to him. Thing is, even in college he didn’t do that. Given the hip surgery that he had in January, adding coverage to his game, won’t be easy. James Houston (35 – 5.5 – 0 – 1) at 241 pounds is in that same boat. He, (like Ezeiruaku), has also never made a play on a ball in coverage.
As for other players listed at this position, there’s Jonathan Bullard who has had a long and unremarkable career. We’re talking ten years, 6.5 sacks, and 0 turnovers. Then there’s Tyrus Wheat. Spent two years in Dallas, went to Detroit last year, had a career-high 1.5 sacks, then decided to return to Dallas. (-)
DT Quinnen Williams
DT: Quinnen Williams (53 – 1.5 – 1 – 0) started 7 games here last year, after coming over in a trade. He didn’t look too bad in the 4-3 they ran, but now they’re switching to a 3-4, which will likely see him moved to an End spot. Kenny Clark (36 – 3.0 – 0 – 0) started every game here last season, and will probably switch to Nose, where he’s already earned two Pro Bowl nods.
Otitio Ogbonnia comes over in free agency as a big body added for depth. For four years he’s been entirely unremarkable. Jay Toia (3 tackles) is also a huge body for depth. Again, if the starter (Clark) stays healthy, all is butter. The fall-off from him to the back-ups, is massive. (+)
OLB: Rashan Gary at 277 pounds will be moved to End in this 3-4. DeMarvion Overshown (28 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) yet again had to dance with an injury bug that robbed him of double digit games. He played in six games, starting the final five. When healthy, he’s an absolute menace, but his build (6’2 220) is rather slight for the position, and keeps him in street clothes.
LB DeMarvion Overshown makes a tackle
Like Overshown, Shemar James (91 – 1.5 – 0 – 0) is lightning quick, but his build (6’1 222) doesn’t suggest a long career at this position. Particularly at the speed he plays at. Marist Liufau (30 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) has played both inside and outside. He’s high effort and energy, if he can lower his percentage of missed tackles, he might get more opportunities to play.
MLB/ILB: Justin Barron has played just on Special Teams. Two games and no stats so far. He’s it here. There aren’t even camp bodies. Expect a Draft pick to be spent here early. (-)
S: Malik Hooker (52 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) is coming off possibly his worst season as a starter. Perhaps a change of scheme will rejuvenate him. Markquese Bell (41 – 0.0 – 1 – 0) had three starts last year. Whether he showed enough to be considered a starter this year, remains to be seen. The addition of Denver free agents Jalen Thompson and P.J. Locke, puts an immediate cloud over that idea. (-)
CB: DaRon Bland (73 – 0.0 – 1 – 0) is likely to be used on the outside instead of the slot, according to the head coach. Weird since he’s been at his best in the slot.Shavon Revel (35 tackles) made five starts as a rookie, but was hampered by injuries. Odds are that he gets the other corner spot, since the Cowboys don’t have a clear second.
Caelen Carson (17 tackles) had three starts, but instead of elevating him, the Cowboys went out and spent free agent money. The same thing can be said of Trikweze Bridges (23 – 0.0 – 1 – 0), who started two games. Free agent Cobie Durant wasn’t handed a 1year 4M$ deal, to ride pine. Corey Ballentine (2 tackles) re-signed with the Cowboys, but for much less (just 1.3M) than Durant’s deal. (Just in case you were trying to sort out where the Cowboys value these guys.) (-)
In A Nutshell: A 3-4 front being run with 4-3 players, and no stability in the Secondary. (-)
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SPECIAL TEAMS:
P: Bryan Anger (41 – 48.6 – 0 – 14) wasn’t needed much last season, which at least helps save wear and tear on his leg. (+)
K Brandon Aubrey
K: Brandon Aubrey (36/42 – 85.7% – 47/48 – 97.9%) Just signed a big 4 year deal. His ability to hit from 70 yards is goddamned special. (+)
In A Nutshell: As long as the field position battle is being won, the Cowboys we be alive and kicking in every game.
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BOTTOM LINE:
This team has the ability to get points out of most of their drives. That means they have to place an emphasis on defense. If they can figure out a defense, they immediately become a player in the NFC. Prediction: 10 – 7
AFTER appearing in the NFC Championship game, everyone was sure this would be a Super Bowl team in 2025. Except me. I said they’d regress and go 9 – 8. They did regress. Injuries, a tougher schedule, and a reliance on aging players who couldn’t get over that hump, combined to kill the Commanders season in its crib. Problem is, this season, they face many of the same issues. Just a year older.
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OFFENSE:
The Washington offense
QB:Jayden Daniels 7 starts (114/188 – 60.6% – 1262 – 8 – 3) (58 – 278 – 4.7 – 2 – 3) He was limited to less than half a season due to a knee sprain, a hamstring sprain, and a dislocated (non-throwing) elbow. Which he later re-aggravated, leading to the coaches shutting him down for the last three games. He played through a broken rib in 2024, starting all 17 games.
The kind of damage he’s taking, isn’t simple wear and tear. While he shows a great deal of maturity, poise and ability, the number one ability in sports, is availability. While his toughness isn’t in question, his durability clearly is. Going forward it has to be.
Marcus Mariota 8 starts (139/227 – 61.2% – 1695 – 10 – 7) (50 – 297 – 5.9 – 1 – 6) In the right situation, he’d be a dangerous back-up. Washington is not that situation. However, at 32 what he still brings to a team is sound judgment, and a set of wheels that are still getting him 30 and 40 yard runs. So he provides enough dynamism to give an offensive coordinator the ability to throw in a wrinkle or two. (+)
RB: Rookie “Bill” Jacory Croskey-Merritt (175 – 805 – 4.6 – 8 – 4 \ 13 – 9 – 68 – 7.5 – 0) rocketed up the depth chart after being drafted in the 7th round. Failing to post 70 rushing yards in 13 of the 17 games he played, helped chain his team to their 5 – 12 record. It would not be weird to see a third round draft pick spent here.
Jeremy Nichols (44 – 221 – 5.0 – 1 – 1 \ 31 – 25 – 196 – 7.8 – 0) played in all 17 games last year, and may see a larger role in 2026. Or he may not, with the addition of Rachaad White from Tampa Bay. Jerome Ford is a refugee from the failed state that is the Browns. (-)
TE: Ben Sinnott (12 – 11 – 114 – 10. 3 – 1) could be the new starter in 2026. He hasn’t done much in two seasons, but he’s a second round pick, so he’ll get a chance to prove that he belongs. John Bates (16 – 11 – 103 – 9.4 – 1) is a back-up and a blocker, as is Colson Yankoff (3 – 2 – 18 – 9.0 – 0). And yes, that’s his real last name. (-)
WR: Allowed their top receiver from 2025 to walk. Terry McLaurin (60 – 38 – 582 – 15.3 – 3) due to an injured and re-injured quad, missed 7 non-consecutive games last year. (More than the total that he’d missed in his career.) While he played the final 6 weeks of the season, he did not finish strong.
Jaylin Lane (32 – 16 – 225 – 14.0 – 0) and Luke McCaffrey (15 – 11 – 203 – 18.4 – 3) contributed as youngsters last season, and will be expected to step up in 2026. The Commanders seem to think they’ve found something in Treylon Burk (22 – 10 – 130 – 13.0 – 1), so they re-signed him in free agency. A star on the decline and three unproven youngsters. (-)
OT: Josh Conerly is the young cornerstone of the Commanders line. He started every game as a rookie last year, but the Commanders offense struggled, all season long. Laremy Tunsil started 14 games in his first year with the team. Whether he will be the 2026 starter, or whether the Commanders will roll the dice on the youth movement; to give Brandon Coleman a shot at the job, remains to be seen. Sam Cosmi is rumored to be a cut candidate. (+)
OG: Chris Paul started 15 games last season, which was the biggest opportunity he’d gotten in his four year career. Nick Allegretti and Andrew Wylie may have to compete for the other starting spot. Both have been starters, but neither has exactly shined. This may allow undrafted, second year men, Tyler Cooper and Timothy McKay to also enter that mix. (-)
C: Julian Good-Jones is the only player listed at the position. He’s been in the NFL since 2020, is 29 years old, and has played exactly two snaps in his entire career. Last year. The Commanders literally don’t have another player on the roster who is more qualified to start. (-)
In A Nutshell: Fragile QB, weak receivers, and a bad interior line. If this team regresses, don’t act surprised. (-)
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DEFENSE:
DE: Dorrance Armstrong (24 – 5.5 – 0 – 0 ) seems like he’ll be the only serious holdover from last season. He played seven games last year, before a knee injury ended his season. K’Lavon Chaisson is a free agent from the Patriots, coming off a career-high 7.5 sacks. In each of the last three seasons Chaisson has increased his sack number, and the Commanders are banking on that for 2026.
Veteran presence Charles Omenihu comes over from Kansas City. Both Drake Jackson (3 – 0 – 0 – 0) and Javontae Jean-Baptiste (6 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) were both on the team last year, but they don’t look like they factor much into future plans. Pretty sure a draft pick gets spent here in the first two rounds this year. (-)
DT: Javon Kinlaw (43 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) started every game last season, but probably wasn’t as productive as the team would have liked. Daron Payne (46 – 3.0 – 0 – 0) added 5 batted passes while starting all but two games. Jer’Zhan Newton (38 – 5.0 – 0 – 0) had a mixed bag as a rookie. While his pass rush help was welcome, he was sort of liability vs the run.
The Commanders are hoping that former Texan, free agent Tim Settle will bring some the swagger that Houston’s defense showed last season, when Settle started twelve games. Rickey Barber (5 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) and Shy Tuttle (4 tackles) are deep reserves. (-)
OLB: Frankie Luvu (86 – 3.0 – 0 – 0) has seen his solo tackles slide for the third year in a row. This is despite starting every game, and logging a career-high 1107 snaps on defense. Decline has set in. Irrefutably. Jordan Magee (54 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) made eight starts, but didn’t do much with them. Nick Bellore (12 tackles) is a Special Teamer who sometimes plays FB.
Looking to beef up their defensive playmaking, the Commanders added a few free agents. Leo Chenal (K.C.) who has a history of playing every position upfront. Odafe Oweh (Chargers) was added to punch up the pass rush, since he’s been productive at that, throughout his career. DJ Johnson (Carolina) is listed at this position, but they may try him at End. (-)
MLB: Okay, here’s what’s going on. Bobby Wagner (162 – 4.2 – 2 – 0) isn’t on the roster. He’s a free agent right now, and the “door is open” for his return. But he’s not here now. So lets look at who is.
Ale Kaho (5 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) has just 5 tackles in his career. Kain Medrano (5 – 0.0 – 0 – 1) has just 5 tackles in his career. The Commanders need to stop lying to themselves about having options, and call in a dump truck of money for Wagner. (-)
S: Quan Martin (99 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) sees his tackles go up each year, as his interceptions go down. Will Harris (38 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) didn’t have a great year in his first year as a Commander. Jeremy Reaves (91 – 1.0 – 1 – 0) got to start eight games and had his best year.
Nick Cross was brought over in free agency from the Colts, to try to resuscitate this Secondary. Meanwhile Tyler Owens (13 tackles), and Percy Butler (14 tackles) will remain back-ups. (-)
CB: Mike Sainristil (85 – 0.0 – 4 – 0) has started reliably. How he’s played has been another story. The club is convinced the issue is the lack of help around him, so they spent some money this offseason. Rookie Trey Amos (32 tackles) saw eight starts, so the question is ‘can he elevate his game this year?’
Ahkello Witherspoon comes over from the Rams on a minor prove it contract; but it’s free agent Amik Robertson who may be the straw that stirs this drink from the slot. Tre Hawkins and Darius Rush are also on the roster. Two of their three top players here, just had to be added. They have more talent, but they still have to see if it works out. (-)
In A Nutshell: There are literally no strong parts to this unit. Expect a rough year. (-)
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SPECIAL TEAMS:
P: Tress Way (56 – 47.3 – 4 – 29) putting over half of his punts inside the 20 was a hidden gem in the Commanders lost 2025 season. (+)
K: Jake Moody (10/11 – 90.9% – 10/11 – 90.9%) spent 2025 on three rosters, finally ending up here. For what it’s worth, he’s the only player on the roster at the position today. (+)
In A Nutshell: It’s not exciting to look at, but the stability here will keep this team in games closer than they should be. (+)
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BOTTOM LINE:
They lost production from last season. Didn’t make any free agent splashes, and are without a second and fourth round pick in this draft. Where is the boost supposed to come from? Prediction: 5 – 12
IT started slow, but then there was a storm ignited by a pair of rookies. QB Jaxson Dart and RB Cam Skattebo, came out guns blazing. Playing with swagger. A fast and hard brand of football. So hard in fact that they spent large amounts of time in the blue tent or not playing football at all. The 4 -13 record got head coach Brian Daboll fired, and John Harbaugh formerly of the Ravens, took over. Now after having traded away a cornerstone player, the giants sit with the #5 and #10 picks in this year’s NFL Draft, taking place in just 4 days. This should be good.
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OFFENSE:
QB: Jaxson Dart 12 starts (216/339 – 63.7% – 2272 – 15 – 5) (86 – 487 – 5.6 – 9 – 5) The rookie’s style was full of swag. Young, brash and exciting. He also missed two starts due to one concussion, and has had to be evaluated to rule out a few others. He’s going to have to learn to protect himself better, or be better managed, if he’s going to stick with his ‘rough and tumble’ brand of football.
Brian Daboll sends Meal Ticket back into the game, even though his eyes look wrong.
How he’s going to respond to a total regime change, with the firing Brian Daboll and the hiring of Jim Harbaugh, will be interesting to watch. The two coaches approaches couldn’t be more different.
Jameis Winston 2 starts (37/66 – 56.0% – 567 – 2 – 2) (7 – 23 – 3.2 – 1 – 1) He’s the personified chaos of snorting a line of cocaine off live rat, and then going straight to church. Something. Is. Going. To. Happen. His every snap teeters on the edge of a highlight reel play for either his team or the opponent’s. He’s all wrong for this roster, but the Big Apple loves lightning rods. (+)
RB: Tyrone Tracy (176 – 740 – 4. 2 – 2 – 1 \ 48 – 36 – 288 – 8.0 – 2) may be their most explosive player at this position, but that may not be enough to hold off Cam Skattebo (101 – 410 – 4.0 – 5 – 1 \ 32 – 24 – 207 – 8.6 – 2), whose hard-nosed approach was winning over the fanbase last year. It also helped him to a couple of injuries. If he’s recovered from the leg injury that ended his season, he may be given the starting nod.
RB Cam Skattebo sustains a season-ending ankle injury.
Devin Singletary (119 – 437 – 3.6 – 5 – 0 \ 19 – 18 – 151 – 8.3 – 0) saw more snaps due to other players being out with injury. He was serviceable, but not impressive. He might want to step away from the game soon, before it starts to embarrass him. (-)
TE: Theo Johnson (74 – 45 – 528 – 11.7 – 5) has the tools, but may not be surrounded with the right complementary pieces. Especially with Isaiah Likely being brought over from Baltimore. Chris Manhertz (2 – 1 – 7 – 7.0 – 0) is essentially a small offensive lineman. Same for Thomas Fidone. (+)
WR: After losing last year’s top receiver to the Titans, the return of Malik Nabers (35 – 18 – 271- 15.0 – 2) from a season-ending injury, gives the giants a needed boost of morale. Darius Slayton (63 – 37 – 538 – 14.5 – 1) provides solid veteran depth, as does free agent addition Darnell Mooney.
Ryan Miller, Jaylin Hyatt, Gunner Olszewski and Isaiah Hodgins are just guys and Special Teamers. This team will be spending an early draft pick here. (-)
OT: RT Jermain Eluemunor started 16 games in 2025 and was rewarded with a three year extension for 39M$. Probably not wisest use of 40 million bucks, but the giants are kind of experts in that field. They may simply want to use him less as a quote/unquote cornerstone, and more as a point of stability for rebuilding their line.
LT Andrew Thomas was enjoying a sort of resurgence until his hamstring put him on season-ending Injured Reserve. Marcus Mbow was a fifth round rookie last year and he looks to be the Swing T this year. The fourth guy at this spot is Reid Holskey, but he looks to be JAG. (-)
OG: Jon Runyan Jr despite his consistency as a starter and playing at both spots, is rumored to be a possible cap casualty. Given the volatile state of the line’s interior that may not be the smartest move. Aaron Stinnie was demoted from starter last year and Jake Kubas only has three starts.
Evan Neal is moving inside as an experiment and the g-men have added former Raven Daniel Faalele, who is massive, but misses a ton of blocks. (-)
C: John Michael Schmitz is the starter. He has yet to distinguish himself despite having been a second round pick (which is high for this position). Bryan Hudson is an undrafted back-up, who played a total of three snaps in two games last year. (-)
In A Nutshell: Having a lackluster offensive line and skill players who want to play roller derby, is a bad mix.
.
DEFENSE:
DE: New defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson favors a 3-4, and the giants are built for it, so expect it to continue. They don’t specifically list players at this position. Some of their players are listed as DL (defensive linemen). So I’ll try to sort that here.
Chauncey Golston (20 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) is largely a run control player. He parlayed one fugazi season of 5.5 sacks, into bamboozling the Commanders into a three year deal. His agent should either win an award or do hard time. Sam Roberts is coming off a career-high sack last season. That’s it. (-)
DT: The trade of Dexter Lawrence to Cincy REALLY shakes up this group. More like unravels it, because there are no replacements in this Draft. Roy Robertson-Harris (35 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) started every game here last season, so with the move to a 3-4 alignment, he’s the odds-on favorite to be the Nose. However, third round pick Darius Alexander (20 – 3.5 – 0 – 0) had two starts as a rookie, so it wouldn’t surprise if he got the starting nod.
At six foot 278 pounds Elijah Chapman (3 tackles) isn’t beefy enough to hold up as an interior lineman, in the NFC East. He might have value as an End, but as an interior lineman, he’s a career back-up at best. Marlon Tuipulotu comes over from K.C. presumably as depth. (-)
OLB Brian Burns
OLB: Brian Burns (67 – 16.5 – 0 – 1) exploded last year, racking up as many sacks as he had in the previous two seasons combined. It earned him his first All-Pro nod. Abdul Carter (43 – 4.0 – 0 – 2) had to walk back some of his rookie talk, when the NFL showed him how much work he still needs to put in.
Kayvon Thibodeaux (25 – 2.5 – 0 – 0) started ten games, but his production continues to frustrate the giants front office. Couple years ago, I asked if he was an over-drafted role player. Oh well. Free agent Caleb Murphy was added for depth. (+)
MLB: Micah McFadden (3 tackles) was lost for the year in first game. Nonetheless, the giants re-signed him this season. That speaks volumes. Darius Mauau (51 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) started eleven of twelve games, when things in the middle had to be shuffled due injury. Still it seems as if the giants aren’t confident in him taking the next step, so they spent good money in free agency.
Free agent Tremaine Edmunds will make the middle of the field considerably less safe for offenses in 2026. He’s a reliable tackler, but at 6’4 he also gets his fingers on passes like he’s a DB, and comes down with more than a fair number of them. (+)
S: Jevon Holland (63 – 0.0 – 1 – 0) mixed bag in his first year as a giant, despite fourteen starts. Tyler Nubin (78 – 0.0 – 0 – 1), his eleven starts were two fewer than his rookie season, even though he played as many games (thirteen) in both. Jason Pinnock returns from a year in San Fran, but everyone below him, is basically a camp body. (-)
CB: Paulson Adebo (73 – 0.0 – 1 – 0) found the NFC East a little more of challenge than the NFC South had been. We’ll see if he’s made the adjustment in 2026. Andru Phillips (66 – 0.0 – 2 – 1) is a gamer, but could use more support around him. Deonte Banks (31 tackles) is safe to say is a bust now. It’s odd that he’s still on the roster.
CB Greg Newsome
From free agency Greg Newsome was added, but just on a one year deal. If he goes off this year, the giants may regret not locking him longer, at a lesser price. There are four players at this position who are essentially Special Teamers only. Ughhhhhh! This team. (+)
In A Nutshell: The trade of Lawrence was a grenade going off in their pocket. They don’t have the players to compensate for what they lost in him.
.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
P: Jordan Stout was brought up from Baltimore with the new head coach. He had a career year last season, but he’s going to find that kicking in MetLife Stadium is one of the trickiest gigs in the league.
K: Ben Sauls (8/8 – 100 – 7/7 – 100) as a rookie, made everything he attempted in the three games he played last year. So I don’t understand bringing in a second player to compete with him. Enter Jason Sanders, a 30year old former Dolphin, who missed all of 2025 with a hip injury. Seriously. Make that make sense! Ughhhhh. This team!
In A Nutshell: This is the giants, doing giants things.
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BOTTOM LINE:
If I didn’t know better, I’d say they were already trying to tank for next year’s Draft. Too many of their recent decisions have been half-measures or just outright dumb. Nothing about this team’s moves lately, signals that they wish to compete in 2026. Prediction 6 – 11
WINNING the NFC East last week, clinched at least one home playoff game for us. Now that we’re assured of at least the #3 seed, we are resting some starters and manufacturing a Bye Week for ourselves. This is beyond smart.
We beat the Commanders two weeks ago, and because after a touchdown, we went for a two point conversion instead of the extra point, they implied that we were running up the score. (Over a point!) Their coach said something like ‘if that’s how they want it, we’ll see them in two weeks.’
I don’t know if that was his way of hinting at putting bounties on our guys, or what. In any case, it’s better that we don’t risk key players, against a team playing for nothing, which also doesn’t have to worry about suspensions that could derail their current season.
With a win, we would finish at 12 – 5 (the record that I predicted in August). Note: Depending on the outcome of the Bears/Lions game we could end up as the #2 seed in the Conference.
With a loss, we stand on 11 – 6, settle for the #3 seed and host at least one playoff game.
****
The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Commanders.
QB Tanner McKee contributes to our 41 – 7 win over Dallas.
[pic]
1) Start Tanner McKee: The rookie contract for QB Tanner McKee is up after the 2026 season. He’s talented, he wants to play, and he knows there’s no way we’ll elevate him above Hurts. In a nutshell, he won’t be resigning with us after 2026. So, if we’re smart, we’ll trade him ASAP (before the Draft). Before an injury (or a headline) can lower his trade value.
During the last game of last year, McKee guided back-ups to victory over the giants starters. If he can match that feat again on Sunday… For teams like the Steelers, Jets, Falcons, and Cardinals, a proven player like McKee, paired with our 2026 first rounder (we don’t need another first round contract, right now), could be worth a lot of future draft capital
Give McKee three quarters, then play QB Sam Howellfor the final one. If we trade McKee prior to the Draft, having a veteran, back-up QB already in harness, would be the smartest move. In regards to searching for a back-up, Howell (who is on an expiring contract), is as good a jumping off point as any. If he plays well Sunday, ink him for two to four years, and be able to trade McKee with full confidence in our QB room.
2) Chase the Yards:He doesn’t have to play the whole game, but let’s get WR DeVonta Smith the 44 yards that he needs to get to 1,000 yards on the season. Just a bunch of routes that let him get out of bounds, or get down quickly. No need for him to be a hero. Just get the yards, and go change into street clothes at the half.
RB Tank Bigsby rushed for 104 yards vs the giants in this game
It would also be great to see RB Tank Bigsby get a start and another 100 yard rushing day. I would also welcome an appearance from RB A.J. Dillon. I feel like we already have a sense of what RB Will Shipleycan be with the ball in his hands, and I’m extremely not impressed.
3) Get A Long Look:There are a handful of defensive back-ups, that I really would like a good look at. Players like rookie DT Ty Robinson, LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and CB Jakorian Bennett finally getting to start a real game, here. Offensively, it’d be great to see WR Darius Cooperget five targets, as well as a couple of balls to TE Cam Latu, who has yet to see a single target in his career.
We need a sense of how these young players measure up against full-time starters. If we have players instead of just bodies in those spots, we’re less dependent of drafting depth, overspending for free agents, or reaching on old players with baggage or lengthy injury histories.
4) Don’t Shy Away From Kicking:We need to know before the playoffs, just how hard we can lean on K Jake Elliott. He’s again had a shaky season, but if we can show some confidence in him, maybe it will help him past his yips. If it doesn’t, then the coaching staff knows they have to compensate with the play-calling, for not being able to trust his foot.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
Our advancement to the two seed partially depends on the outcome of another game, which we cannot influence in any way. So, while winning this game would be nice, it can’t be our only focus. We should use this game as a tool for inflating the trade value of some of our players, and to discern the difference between quality depth and bodies.
****
WARNING: 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 Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
Drive Killer: CB Cooper DeJean(TD: 0/Int: 1/ FR: 0/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)
Sack Leader: DE Brandon Graham(Sacks:1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 1)
Special Teams Ace: N/A
****
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: COMMANDERS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Exploit Age On the Perimeter: I mentioned working in a couple of Pitch/Toss runs and we did. Most notably on the 22 yard touchdown run by RB Tank Bigsby (4 – 37 – 9.2 – 1 – 0), in the fourth quarter, that salted the game away. I also mentioned working in a Jet Sweep. It wasn’t exactly a Sweep, but we did use WR DeVonta Smith (8 – 6 – 42 – 7.0 – 1) on a Shovel pass and run to the edge, that lost a yard.
As far as using the C/RG hole to run behind, I counted 7 hand-offs. One that went for double digits. In this case I wasn’t counting yards, but it was still a box hat we checked off. (DONE)
2) Exploit the Loaded Boxes:With the Eagles using fewer receiver bunch formations, the Commanders couldn’t quite pack the box, like teams have been doing for almost a year now. Our Offensive Line wasn’t looking at a man (or a man and a half) in every gap, so, Saquon started plays with time to at least reach the line.
TE Dallas Goedert hits paydirt
Commanders OLB Von Miller (1 tackle) was virtually invisible as a pass rusher in this game, and outlet passes to TE Dallas Goedert (3 – 3 – 32 – 10.6 – 1) and WR Jahan Dotson (3 – 3 – 13 – 4.3 – 0) were there for the taking, as every pass thrown to them, was completed.We took advantage of the few opportunities to exploit loaded boxes, that we were presented with.(DONE)
3) Stay Fresh Up Front: Washington came out playing No Huddle, but we still managed to get guys on and off the field okay. Until they got inside our 20 and then kept running it inside of our five yard line. They scored a touchdown on that drive.
Otherwise, we managed substitutions pretty well. Partly because, when the Commanders back-up QB (who had started this game) was knocked out of the game; they continued to try running the No Huddle with their third stringer. Which at times blew up in their faces, and then gave us opportunities to make substitutions. (DONE)
4) Force Longer Passes:We gave up a 40 yard pass that led to a later touchdown, and a pass interference in the end zone that led to another touchdown. Those were the kind of big plays that I said we risked giving up, with this strategy. However, we consistently took away options that would have let them be consistent.
CB Cooper DeJean intercepts a pass.
We took scrambling off the board, as the Commanders QB’s combined for 0 rushing yards on 2 carries. As far as passing they were 12/23 – 52.1% – 130 – 0 – 1. At no point were they allowed to be consistent, and so they eventually fell out of the game. (DONE)
++++
This week’s Four Things score was 4 of 4. This is the third week in a row like this, and one of the weeks was a loss. It feels weird, but this is what’s happening. Next week we head up north, in a measuring stick game vs the Bills. That game isn’t about winning or losing. It’s about looking at where our Offense truly is, when the other team is good at scoring.
****
Game Hero: Defensive Co-ordinator Vic Fangio – It wasn’t “just the Raiders”. This was a division rival, that knows us well. Big deal. Fangio’s defense held them to 130 yards passing, and 91 rushing. For perspective, Washington averages 191 passing yards and 137 rushing yards, per game. Both are modest numbers, and we managed to keep them from even that.
Game goat: Special Teams – This game featured a Kick Returner fumbling the opening kickoff; a Punt Returner who is no threat to bring one back; and a Kicker with the yips. Aside from the onside recovery, this unit was an outright embarrassment.
On The Whole:
I liked the physicality that I saw in this game. From Saquon’s man-sized touchdown run, to the brawl after our fourth quarter two-point conversion. It was nice to see the Eagles fired up and dominating up front.
DT Jordan Davis tackle for loss.
Speaking of which, DT Jordan Davis (6 tackles, 2 for losses) seemed to single-handedly shutdown the Commanders run game. Davis of course had plenty of help, but every time you looked up, there he was. Blocking out the sun. Looking like a king-sized mattress with the number 90 printed on it. Totally engulfing ball carriers. Kick-ass!
TOTAL domination! It was a blowout/shutout, where we allowed just 75 yards all game long, while scoring 31 points. We adjusted to the weather, and instead of throwing it a ton, we ran for 183 yards, controlling the clock for 39 minutes. We responded well to what was happening around us, and stayed in control of what we could control. For example, not playing down to the opponent.
This week’s opponent, the 4 – 10 Commanders, didn’t build enough foundation in the off-season. Now injury, age, and a lack of depth, have them already eliminated from playoff contention. Usually teams like that want to play spoiler. However, with nine other teams with records of 4 – 10 or worse, the Commanders coaching staff may tank to keep or improve their top ten spot in the upcoming Draft.
A win moves us to 10 – 5, clinching both the 2025 NFC East title and a playoff berth.
A loss holds us to 9 – 6. While we would still be in the lead to win the division, we would make things much more complicated for ourselves.
****
The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the COMMANDERS.
RB Saquon Barkley rips off a 60 yard TD run.
1) Exploit Age On the Perimeter:Between the Commanders starting DE’s and OLB’s, the respective ages are 33, 30, 29 and 36. Let’s get a couple of toss/pitch runs to RB Saquon Barkley, and maybe a Jet Sweep to WR Jahan Dotson. Let’s challenge any steps those defenders may have lost to age, as well as stress their joints with change of direction.
That’s not to say that we shouldn’t test the middle. We need to. Especially between C Cam Jurgens and RG Tyler Steen. We haven’t had much success running there this season. If opponents see us avoid trying to, it makes us easier to scheme against. There are no yardage goals here, but let’s get for at least four runs in that hole, to assess later.
2) Exploit the Loaded Box: The leading pass rusher for the Commanders is OLB Von Miller with 7 sacks. They like to play him over the RT. He has no real coverage responsibilities and doesn’t make plays in that phase of the game. Quick completions outside to TE Dallas Goedertshould be easy.
In the event that the Commanders rock and roll their Safeties, that should put their one player in Single-high coverage and leave their RCB in one-on-one. If we see that early, we need to test that early. Otherwise, lean on the run, throw to Goedert when he’s open, and let the clock keep ticking.
3) Stay Fresh Up Front: You may not know it, but the #4 rushing attack in the league belongs to the Commanders. They don’t have one scary player, instead it’s a group effort. Mobile QB, fresh RB’s cycling in and out. (None of whom are great receivers.)
We need to counter that with staying fresh up front. Keep a close eye and when they sub, we sub. Their RB’s aren’t more talented than our defenders. So it makes no sense to allow them clutch plays, just because we got tired. Rotate our stock out there.
4) Force Longer Passes:If we play Cover Two and take away most of the quick underneath stuff, early in the game, it will also aid us in limiting yards off of QB scrambles. This places a lot of emphasis on making tackles at the catch point.
OLB Zack Baun punches the ball out for a turnover.
It also invites the possibility of the Commanders hitting on big plays, in front of their home crowd. So it comes with a little risk. That said, QB Marcus Mariota isn’t exactly known for accuracy, and even if their LT plays, his oblique injury will keep him from being anywhere close to 100%.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
Players play for pride, and many Commanders players are at this point, auditioning for jobs next year. So winning matters to them. Commanders coaches on the other hand, may be itching to move as far up as possible in next years Draft, to start being able to build around QB Jayden Daniels.
While I don’t expect the Commanders to just roll over for us, we may not get their best effort, top to bottom. I don’t care. I just want to clinch this playoff berth. We’d do them a favor by winning, and they’d do us a favor by losing. So, let’s go pick up this “W”, and start officially working on our bid to get RT Lane Johnson and DE Brandon Graham, their third Super Bowl wins.
****
WARNING: 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 Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
Drive Killer: S Reed Blankenship (TD: 0/Int: 1/ FR: 0/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)
Sack Leader: LB Nakobe Dean (Sacks:1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 5)
Special Teams Ace: NA
****
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 did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) QB Hits Are Hip: All game long we got just 6 hits and 1 sack on the Cowboys QB. SO we didn’t affect his delivery of the ball much at all (NOT DONE)
2) Feed Our Big Dawgs:WR A.J. Brown had 110 receiving yards, and WR DeVonta Smith (11 – 6 – 89 – 14.8 – 0) got close to the century mark as well. However, the offensive approach was passive, and the run game was essentially shelved for this game. RB Saquon Barkley (10 – 22 – 2.2 – 0 – 1 / 8 – 7 – 52 – 7.4 – 0) was targeted 8 times as a receiver, but the play-calling abandoned the run, while holding a 21 point lead. (DONE)
3) Make ‘em Run:Idea was to to get their defensive line to chase our run game laterally. However with us abandoning the run, there was never a real opportunity for this. (NOT DONE)
4) Take Away Quick Passes:We didn’t manage to do this either, as the Cowboys kept the chains moving with timely passes, which also deprived the Eagles pass rush. (NOT DONE)
++++
This week’s Four Things score was1 of 4. We come back to the Linc on Friday for a pivotal match-up with the Chicago Bears.
****
Game Hero: Not Applicable
Game goat: Head CoachNick Sirianni – I’m done blaming Offensive Coordinator Kevin Patullofor his ineptitude. I’m not even going to give a list of his failings for this game. By now, Sirianni should have done something about Patullo’s bungling, foolish, predictable, and flat-out unimaginative play-calling. But he hasn’t.
We are still at the head of the NFC East. We have however, fallen behind the Rams for the number one seed in the Conference. This means that this game, and the collapse vs Denver, may rob us of home-field advantage and more importantly, the first round Bye. This is despite beating the Rams, and Lions, and Packers, even with the handicap of Patullo’s… coaching.
On The Whole: We had the Cowboys down 21 – 0 at the half, and couldn’t mount any kind of a scoring drive for the second half of the game. This is after Dallas made their adjustments, of course. To which we apparently made none.
Our Defense battled valiantly, but our Offense kept going three-and-out, and giving the Cowboys opportunity, after opportunity, after opportunity. We had six possessions in the second half, and only managed to get into field goal position ONCE. Which we then missed and set Dallas up with a short field. Three plays later they scored a touchdown.
CB Cooper DeJean should not play on the boundary.
Once we started losing players in the Secondary (CB Adoree Jackson (three tackles); S Reed Blankenship (8 – 0.0 – 1 – 0); and SAndrew Makuba(3 tackles) we had to move NCB Cooper DeJean(7 tackles) to actual CB, and the Cowboys proceeded to roast him alive. If you’ve been wondering why DeJean is a Nickel and doesn’t start on the boundary, it’s because of what I told you in August. For anyone who disagreed with me then, what did you think of Coop tonight?
YET another supposed Super Bowl favorite, falls under the treads of the mighty Eaglesmachine. Defensively, we shutdown all recognizable aspects of a Lions team that publicly said that, they had been looking forward to the game for months. We made them look unprepared. Damned near unprofessional.
Now the schedule presents to us, a Cowboys team that we’d already beaten this year, without DT Jalen Carter. Beat them before we added OLB Jaelan Phillips. Before the return of LB Nakobe Dean. Before DE Brandon Graham came out of retirement. How many defenses can claim to be stronger at mid-season, than they were on open day? It’s amazing Howie do it. Meanwhile, their star QB is nursing a hip injury.
Aww.
Winning moves us up to 9 – 2. Our grip on the NFC East would tighten, and the top seed in the conference would still lean our way. (Plus, we’d have the pleasure of sending the Cowboys into battle with the Chiefs, on just four days rest.)
A loss would hold us at 8 – 3, but still firmly in charge of division. We’d still hold the top seed if the Rams lose to Tampa Bay, on Sunday.
****
The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus:
[pic]
DE Brandon Graham sacks QB Dak Prescott in 2023
1) QB Hits Are Hip:Get their QB on the ground! Shut their passing game down at the tap. No specific number of sacks is the benchmark. However, with their QB nursing a hip injury, if we can put him on it hard and aggravate it, it may affect his delivery of the football. Consider his pain an investment in our win.
2) Feed Our Big Dawgs: With playoffs approaching, we can’t give potential opponents the confidence of thinking we’re a passive team. This game can’t be about taking what we’re given. We need to show that we can take what we need. We need a 100 yard day, or a 2 touchdown day, from one of our Big Four (Barkley, Brown, Smith, Goedert).
3) Make ‘em Run:The Cowboys have spent this season building the interior of their defensive line. It would be silly to run right at it. Instead, we should make those big guys chase our RB’s (and maybe WR Jahan Dotson on a Jet Sweep). Get those defensive linemen winded, so they don’t have as much juice to pass rush with. We brawled for rushing yards last time. Let’s finesse them this time.
4) Take Away Quick Passes: The Cowboys QB and WR1 have been together for a few years now. They have a chemistry which allows the QB to get the ball out quickly. Nothing we can do will change that. What we can do, is make any quick catches expensive, with LB’s sitting seven or eight yards deep in zone coverage.
WR Ceedee Lamb hearing the footsteps, fearing the footsteps, making his FOURTH drop in the game.
The idea is, to either force their QB to hold the ball long enough for him to meet our pass rush; or get his receivers jacked up catching quick passes. Either way, we’re adding pain to the equation.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
The Cowboys have a defense that just gave up 16 points, to a Raiders team that had already been held to 9 points or fewer, in half of their games this year. The Cowboys defense can only hang with our Offense if they’re allowed to by our coaching staff. We should be about to blow the doors off that team.
****
WARNING: 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 Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
