THIS is some bullshit!! Our game against the Washington Redskins (don’t bother complaining), was postponed for two days, from Sunday to Tuesday. My biggest gripe with this is pretty the same gripe that every Eagles fan has: It robs us of two days rest and prep on the back-end for the giants game next Sunday.
If we were tanking and just running down the season, it wouldn’t matter and none of us would care. However, we are trying to make a push to qualify for the playoffs. In fact, as of today it’s still mathematically possible (though highly unlikely) that we could win the division. So anything that rocks our boat, acts as a hindrance to that effort.
What makes this so heinous, is that this hindrance was a deliberate act, handed down from the league itself. Worse, is the felling that we are being punished for the Redskins irresponsibility, while they seem to be receiving a form of clemency for it.
And honestly, what is to be gained from giving Washington two more days? They didn’t start tagging players until Tuesday the 14th. The quarantine period is 10 days. Tuesday the 21st is just 7 days from the earliest diagnoses. Some players weren’t popping until Friday the 17th. That’s just FOUR days. The CDC itself says that these windows wouldn’t be wide enough.
Players need two negative tests in 48 hours to return. If they were being watched for exposure, that’s one thing, but for those INFECTED, they can’t come back on Tuesday. They still have to quarantine because they may still be shedding virus, regardless of what the tests say about their infection state. Virus can be shed over a period of 8 – 31 days.
So the Redskins get no additional benefit from the two days. At best, all it does is slow US down.
Back in the Summer, the NFL declared that teams who didn’t follow proper protocols, and had outbreaks of Covid among their players and coaches, faced possible forfeitures as a consequence. Well, the instant that was tested, that policy flew right out the window.
Understand, the NFL is currently discussing moving other games as well. So it’s entirely possible that the giants game could also be moved. However, that ripple of a short week WILL show up in the next four. Given that we’re at the low-end of a playoff push, and ALL FOUR of these games are against division opponents, this is some ultimate fuckery.
FOOTBALL is back!!! Well, maybe. If Washington can’t field enough players because of the Covid outbreak on their team, we may be awarded this one by forfeit. Last time I checked, they had 21 players in the Covid Protocol. Sheesh!
Provided that we do get to play, is there a way we can make Washington play in hazmat suits? And can they bring their own benches? We don’t need Covid leaving any Redskins residue on our furniture.
And don’t give me any flack about “dead-naming” the Redskins. When they get around to getting an actual name, I’ll get around to actually using it. Currently what they have, is an adjective, and an adjective should never be a name. Isn’t that right Negro Man, and Menopausal Woman?
See?
With a win, we get to 7 – 7. We’ll likely be just on the outside of the playoff picture, in 8th place. Many speculate that we’d move into 7th place, but they’re ignoring or forgetting that if Minnesota beats Chicago (extremely likely), they’d also be 7 – 7 , with a 5 – 4 conference record to match ours. The difference would be their 3 – 1 division record to our 1 – 2 division record.
To move into the 7th place, we need to win, and for the Vikings to lose.
With a loss, we’d fall to 6 – 8. Even though that would still not mathematically eliminate us, we’d need a lot of things to break our way to qualify. Best to take care of business ourselves.
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The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics will practically guarantee our Eagles this win. CAUTION: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know football and that’s IT. If you use FT as a gambling tool, you are trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus the Redskins:
1) Use the 12th Man:With a ton of new starters on both sides of the ball for Washington, there are bound to be communication errors here and there. We can magnify that, and make it 100 times worse. Keeping the crowd pumped, will help drive opponent mistakes, which will in turn help excite the crowd, and in turn, make it harder for our opponent to communicate well, etc.
2) Run the Ball: First, running has become our identity. During a playoff push and a playoff run, a team really needs to be in-touch with who and what they are. Second, getting mauled, punked, bullied, rag-dolled, beat-up, and pushed around is demoralizing. We need to break their will to fight back, by punishing them when they do. Passing won’t get that done as viciously.
3) Blitz from our right: Our right is their QB’s left. It’s his blindside. He’s already going to be uncomfortable relying on a makeshift offensive line. Serving him hits that he didn’t see coming, will wreck his focus, and cause him to rush passes, and make mistakes more frequently.
4) Don’t force-feed Reagor: Honestly, the kid is trash. He’s straight-up caustic, burning garbage.
However, with #2 WR Quez Watkins out due to Covid, our remaining WR’s are Jalen Reagor, Greg Ward, and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside. Slim pickings at a time when we needed someone to step up and be the Robin to Devonta Smith’s Batman.
With Watkins out, the Eagles don’t have a second outside threat. Second year WR John Hightower might get called up from the Practice Squad. He has 4.4 speed and he gets open quickly, but his hands are suspect. Or at least they were last year. However, if he plays Sunday and shows that he can hold onto passes…
If we do these Four Things,
We’d better win this damned game! If Washington manages to beat us, we need to deep-six any hope or talk of the playoffs.
We average 25 points per game. Washington is 2 – 4 this year, when their opponent scores 25 points, and those wins were over the giants and Falcons.
Let. Me. Re-iterate.
Washington had to win shootouts, to beat the Falcons and the giants. So if we put up 25, we should be good, right? I’m looking at youJonathan Gannon! And so is this brick that I’m holding. So we’re gonna win, right? Right?! My man!
Oh by the way! Check out what Head Coach Nick Siriannisaid!
Remember the guy who told you about this in June, before we traded for QB Gardner Minshew? And again in September, soon after we traded for Minshew? And again in November?
Of courrrrse. That guy was meeeee. And here we arrrrre.
Exactly where I told you we’d be.
The last time this coaching staff tried to experiment, it led to Jalen Reagor tea-bagging everyone who believed in him. We need to run the table here, so this is no time to get cute or “clever”.
This week is being served up like a softball pitch. It’s practically tee-ball. If the Eagles botch this, we have no right to use the word “playoffs” until the next time we actually qualify.
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PREDICTION: EAGLES 27 – Redskins 12
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 of 2 yards or less:3rd and 4th downs 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: Giants did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Make the Passer Rush: We did some really questionable blitzing in this game. First of all we didn’t bring LB Alex Singleton off the strong-side. When Singleton was turned loose, it was from the weak-side. If the QB doesn’t see the rusher, he’s not going to hurry his pass, or launch it from a weird angle. If he sees a clear passing lane, he’s going to throw with confidence. Which is what QB Danny Jones (19/30 – 63.3% – 202 – 1 – 0) did against us today.
Look at that statline! Does that look like Danny Jones to you? We helped him do that. We didn’t rush him today. The only sack we got, Jones GAVE to us. Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon gets the assist on this one. With this game-plan, he threw an absolute dime to Danny. (NOT DONE)
2) Go Deep Off of Play-action: Ever watch someone do a tap dance routine, during a dance competition, while on fire? That’s what our Offense looked like today. Despite running for 1,005 yards in the previous 5 games, we came out passing the ball, and trying to use play-action. From the Shotgun.
I’m not going to say much about Jalen Hurts here, to save you time reading. Besides, last week I promised some folks in a Facebook group that I belong to, that I would write an article about whether Hurts is or can be, a franchise QB. That’s dropping on Wednesday. BE READY.
Our deep passing consisted of throwing interceptions and incompletions in the vicinity of Wide Deceiver Jalen “Hindenburg” Reagor(7 – 2 – 31 – 15.5 – 0)
who is by the way, a total fucking fiasco. Someone should do time for drafting him. (NOT DONE)
3) Play Man Press: We came out playing it, but then we started drifting into off-coverage, or playing Press on just one side… Seriously. There was no cohesion, or plan, or aggression. It was like the Defense was being called by a drunken toddler. (NOT DONE)
4) Running Miles from Boston:Feature RB Miles Sanders (7 – 64 – 7.1 – 0 – 0) instead of splitting the carries evenly with RB Boston Scott (15 – 64 – 4.2 – 1 – 1). The Eagles decided to stick with the hot hand. This was even before Sanders tweaked his ankle in the second half. The hot hand. Look up at the statlines again. (NOT DONE)
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So that’s 0 of the Four Things, and somehow (gasp) we were held to just 7 points, after putting up 40 a week ago. Serves us right! We helped the giants beat our asses, and we deserve this ‘L’ because of that. Next week we go right back to that same stadium, to do battle with the Jets. Let’s not shit the bed again please.
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On The Whole:
Here’s the game in a nutshell. Nearing the end of the first half, Eagles ball, in the red zone, down 0 – 3. Head Coach Nick Sirianni sends in a package that includes WR Jalen Reagor, WR Greg Ward(1 – 0 – 0 – 0.0 – 0), and RB Boston Scott. No Miles Sanders. No WRDevonta Smith (4 – 2 – 22 – 11.0 – 0). Meanwhile C Jason Kelce is on the sidelines
On 3rd and goal from the one, Hurts throws an interception intended for third string RB Scott. Why? At that point Sanders hadn’t tweaked his ankle, so why wasn’t he out there? Why wasn’t our top draft pick and leading receiver Smith, out there? It almost seems like the coaches had an agenda besides winning the game.
Decisions like this were the norm in this game. Why, on all 3 red zone trips, was Sanders taken out? Why the sudden laser focus on Reagor? Coming into this game he’d caught 23 of 38 passes for 170 yards (7.4 per catch), and for some reason, despite not being reliable, this week he leads all players in targets?!
If you ask me, that’s just Jeff and Howie, muscling Sirianni to make a player out Reagor, and that dog don’t even hunt.
Still, Sirianni tried. We watched him working harder than a cat, trying to bury a turd on a marble floor, but Reagor… As a player Reagor belongs in a litter box. You can spend the day painting him gold if you like, but in the end, the smell is the smell.
LAST week we hung 40 points on a defense that was Top 5 in points allowed, and put 242 rushing yards on a unit that was Top 5 vs the run. This week’s opponent comes in ranked 23rd vs the run. So we all know what’s about to happen with that…
A win gets us to 6 – 6 (.500). Once that business is taken care of, only THEN we can start talking about qualifying for the playoffs and such. Right now our record doesn’t qualify us to start talking about the season as if it’s already a success. Wild Card seeding talk is premature.
A loss sees us fall to 5 – 7, but technically still alive for a playoff spot. So even with a loss, there will be no talk of tanking. Right now our record doesn’t qualify us to start talking about the season as if it’s already a failure. Draft position talk is premature.
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The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics will practically guarantee our Eagles this win. CAUTION: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know football and that’s IT. If you use FT as a gambling tool, you are trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus the giants:
1) Make the Passer Rush: LB Davion Taylor is on IR. If he wasn’t, I’d say use him for this. Since we don’t have access to him, we should use LB Alex Singleton. Put him on strong-side blitzes of QB Daniel Jones, on 2nd and long, 3rd and long situations. Jones likes to run, but he shouldn’t be able to outrun Singleton.
Bring MLB T.J. Edwards on “A” gap blitzes, on 1st down, sometimes. The idea is to make Jones very uncomfortable, and encourage him to get the ball out of his hands as fast as he can. A rushed pass, coming out vs Press Coverage, looks like six to CB Darius Slay.
2) Go Deep Off of Play-action: QB Jalen Hurtshasn’t seen 200 yards passing in any of the last four games, since we’ve rediscovered the run. So the giants may have it in their heads, that they can play 8, even 9 man fronts, to take away the run. We need to kill that idea before it breeds throughout the league.
Hurts needs to use play-action, and rifle the ball at least 30 yards in the air, sometime in the first quarter. Preferably on the first drive. Complete, incomplete, intercepted. If any of them happen on the first drive, off of a long pass, any of those results do the job we need done.
The point of the pass, isn’t the pass itself. It’s to tell the giants DB’s “You’d better stay the fuck back, or we will murrr – derrr you!” A few deep shots will maintain room for our running game. At that point our Offense can operate from a point of stability, and we can be who we are. (Bonus Points for completing an early shot of 40 yards or more, to WR Quez Watkins.)
3) Play Man Press: Usually the point here, is to make the QB go to his second and third reads. With Jones it’s more about his accuracy. He’s going to throw a few questionable balls in this game. He does in every game. If our guys stay close to the receiver, they have a better chance of picking off a pass. Or three.
4) Running Miles from Boston: This week we’ll be without RB Jordan Howard and his tough inside running. That however, doesn’t mean we can’t run inside. While RB Miles Sanders isn’t the fall forward, bulldozer type that Howard is, Sanders does break arm tackles, and he runs through contact.
RB’s Boston Scott and Kenneth Gainwell, on the other hand, don’t run through much contact or break tackles reliably. For that reason, the run game shouldn’t be an even split this week. We should feature Sanders/Scott on a 20 to 10 carry basis. Gainwell can be sprinkled in, but it would be great to see him get some work in the Slot.
If we do these Four Things,
We just need to stick to the script. The giants just fired offensive coordinator Jason Garrett and replaced him with Freddie Kitchens. So naturally the knee-jerk reaction is to comb through old film of Kitchens, to see how he calls games vs how Garrett calls games. Right? Nope. Don’t do that.
Just like we only had a week to prepare for the giants, the giants also had just a week to prepare for us. We know who we are, and what we’re building on. The giants are trying not to be who they were a week ago. The guy now responsible for that, has had his daily routine totally torn up, and he has to reinvent his team. On the fly.
The thing is, his new job doesn’t make a single player a fiercer blocker, a faster runner, or a higher jumper. It’s too late to draw up a new play-book, so they’re going to run the same stuff. The pre-snap keys will look the same. The spacing will look the same. The core concepts are going to come from their head coach. So the giants offense is still the giants offense.
Stick to the script. Don’t get cute. Do what we do, how we do it. Don’t get to a point where we’re second guessing ourselves, over a guy trying to find out who he is now.
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PREDICTION: EAGLES 28 – giants 17
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: Cowboys (a)did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Erupt, disrupt, corrupt:
Crash the “A” gaps and disrupt the flow of their offense. There were just two clear instances of this being done. The first was when Hargrave made QB Dak Prescott fumble in his own end zone, which DT Fletcher Cox (0 – 0 – 0 – 0) recovered for a touchdown. The other was on a QB hurry near the first half.
Otherwise, useless LB and invisible DE play, did nothing to help the effort. Especially against the run, where the Eagles defensive front looked almost weightless at times. (NOT DONE)
2) Exploit the youth:Hurts had two drives where he remembered his legs. We scored on both. Otherwise, he seemed almost to be making a point of staying in the pocket. He also showed me something else that I think will put to bed any question of him being a Franchise QB.
If you get to see a replay of this game, look at Hurts’s head on passes. He doesn’t turn it. He’s not progressing through reads. He’s deciding where he wants to go with the ball, and holding it until the target is available. This is why defenders were able to squat on his routes and wait. His youth and inexperience were showing. Oh the irony! (NOT DONE)
3) Clear A Run Lane: Head Cock Nick Sirianni, dialed up 39 pass plays and just 3 handoffs. THREE! ALL GAME LONG! WHO DOES THAT!? Even Andy Reid (get well soon, Big Red!), would find that sort of play-calling lopsided. (NOT DONE)
4) Give Them Doubts: Hard to jump passes when you give up 7 and 8 yard cushions. I swear it’s like Jim Schwartz still coaches here! (NOT DONE)
This week we did none of the Four Things. Therefore, we were utterly, and deservedly, shit-canned on national television. Next week we get to host Andy and his 1 – 2 Chiefs, in the house that he essentially built.
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On The Whole:
This was humiliation on a national stage. This game was less about how well the Cowboys played, as much as it was about how corrosive and self-destructive the Eagles were.
The Cowboys didn’t decide that we would hand the ball off 3 times and throw it 39.
The Cowboys didn’t decide to keep our CB’s on deep cushions.
The Cowboys didn’t keep dialing up 6 yard routes for us, that their CB’s were able to sit on.
The Cowboys didn’t decide to keep us in zone vs a run game that was making a point of whipping us.
The Cowboys didn’t make us commit penalty after bone-headed penalty.
The Cowboys didn’t tell us to start a one-read QB.
LAST week we dominated and still lost. Not happy about that, but our defense took a team that had scored 41 the week before, and held them to 17. The Atlanta team that we held to two FG’s in Week One, just put 25 on Tampa Bay. We allowed just 11.5 points per game, vs two talented offenses, led by QB’s who have started Super Bowls. (Both also had leads, before suffering horrifying collapses.)
Our opponent this week is giving up 24 per game, despite producing 6 turnovers in two weeks. That sounds like a leaky defense to me! Hey, Leaky Deefie, this is QBJalen Hurts. As in, Jalen hurts shitty defenses like yourself.
Last week’s loss took us from the top of the division, to third place (actually tied for second) in the division. Beating an NFC East opponent would move us up that ladder. If nature takes it’s course and Buffalo beats Washington, we’d be alone in 1st. If Washington wins, we’d be tied with them for the top spot. In any case, we need this win.
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The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics will practically guarantee our Eagles this win. CAUTION:I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know football and that’s IT. If you use FT as a gambling tool, you are trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus the Dallas Cowboys:
1) Erupt, disrupt, corrupt: As efficient as the Cowboys offense is looking right now, it might be hard to believe that they have a glaring Achilles heel. BUT THEY DO! Whether it’s QB Dak Prescott stepping up into the pocket, or RB Ezekiel Elliott inside running, their best offense isn’t from Tackle to Tackle. It’s only from Guard to Guard.
Crashing the ‘A” gaps on either side of C Tyler Biadasz, will spoil their offense at the source. It doesn’t allow Prescott to step up, and doesn’t allow Elliott any room to build momentum. Let’s get Prescott running. Not bootlegging. Running. Between his rebuilt ankle, and his questionable shoulder, let’s see what his delivery looks like when he’s on the move.
2) Exploit the youth:The Cowboys defense allows about as many points (24.0) as they score (24.5). Their opponents complete 69% of their passes, and average 4.5 yards per run. Dallas also misses tackles at a rate of 11.9%. (For perspective, our Eagles miss 4.3%). Their defense is young, and under intense stress covering for injury losses.
We should use that stress to implode the unit. In the last two games, the Cowboys have struggled vs pocket QB’s. Jalen Hurts ability to run, could overwhelm Dallas’s fragile system. We need to see Hurts on some misdirection bootlegs, where he’s getting the ball to TE’s and RB’s. That way we get to eat up clock, and OUR Defense stays fresh.
3) Clear A Run Lane: Operation C.A.R.L.! If Dallas wants to start a 245 pound rookie LB at DE, against RT Lane Johnson, give’ em the match-up they want. Run the ball early to the right, to take advantage of the physical mismatch. Beat on the rookie. Lay him out a few times. Welcome him to the NFL, and take the chase right out of his legs.
Then in the second half, the Read Option and Screens will be nails in their coffin. Close your eyes and see a Cowboys blitz, countered with a RB Screen. Touchdown Sanders! Envision the argument on their sideline. Wait what?! Did Prescott just shove DE Randy Gregory? Oh my god, Randy hit him with a helmet! POPCORN! WE NEED POPCORN!
4) Give Them Doubts: We play Cover Two. So here and there, we can afford to gamble. Early in the game, our corners need to jump a couple of Prescott’s passes. Doesn’t matter if they’re complete or not. A couple of near picks, will affect him for the rest of the game. Interceptions would be great, but attempting them is more important.
We want Prescott looking for that next jump. Get him to pat the ball an extra time or two before releasing it. Get him thinking, not playing. If we can slow his release, it allows our pass rushers more time to get to him. More importantly, it takes their passing offense out of the rhythm they’ve had these last two games.
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If we do these Four Things,
Offensively, if we follow FT, the Eagles would rule time of possession in the first half, keeping our Defense fresh for the second half. Defensively, if we follow FT, the bottom will drop out of the Cowboys offense. If that happens, it will strand their defense on the field. As a soft defense, we need them be on the field as much as possible.
Though the Eagles will be without DE Brandon Graham, RG Brandon Brooks, LT Jordan Mailata, and FS Rodney McLeod, this still feels like the Eagles are about to blow the Cowboys out, this Sunday.
Keep in mind, I don’t go around predicting blowouts, but this feels like the Cowboys are walking into a trap. Eagles fans just came back last week, and yet the chatter around this game seems oddly muted. There’s a stillness around this game. It feels almost unnatural. I can’t explain it, but that’s how it feels.
I don’t expect a close game.
PREDICTION: EAGLES 30 – Cowboys 16
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how it went.
New categories include a weekly Offensive Line Report(Rushing TD’s – 3rddowns converted of 2 yards or less on the ground – sacks allowed); as well as Drive Killer(Int – FR – 4th down Tackles – FF).
I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for the 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: Steelersdid the Eagles get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Simple Communication: At no point did the Eagles starters, seem out of sync with each other. There were points where there were lapses in execution, but given how new the systems are, it’s far too early to make that into a real complaint. (DONE)
2) Bring the Violence: OLBAlex Singleton and S Anthony Harris came to lay the lumber! Everyone else…not so much. Maybe we’ll see more ill will next week. (NOT DONE)
3) Have a Ball: We managed just one take-away all game long. Worse yet, the time of possession, felt like we had the ball for just 10 of the 60 minutes in the game. (NOT DONE)
4) Shelve the cute shit: The play-calling was very vanilla. Playing the game straight-up, allowed us to take a real assessment of our big men in the trenches. (DONE)
So we did 2 of the 4, and it clearly wasn’t enough. Next week we should get a longer look at our starters, vs a 1 – 0 New England team that just handed Washington one of these:
On The Whole:
Our starters looked much sharper than I was anticipating. Especially given that Pittsburgh had already played a preseason game. As the game wore on, our Defensive Line wore out visibly. Why there wasn’t any substitution, is totally beyond me. That said, instead of harping on negatives, using this game to emphasize positives, would likely go much much farther, in terms of player development.
AS an Eagles fan, I avoid writing about rival teams or players unless it’s truly newsworthy. Otherwise, I ignore them and focus on MY team: The Philadelphia Eagles. That being said, I have dirt to dish. So pull up a chair and let’s talk some shit.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott refuses to reveal whether or not he’s been vaccinated for Covid-19. When asked about it, he incorrectly invoked HIPAA, and then dived into a stream of meaningless double-talk. This basically says that he hasn’t gotten vaccinated. Whether he’s leaning that way or is staunchly opposed, remains to be seen.
Frankly, it’s not important one way or the other. I’d be telling you a lie to say that I cared at all.
I’m not saying that I wish Covid on the man. I don’t. What I’m here to talk about, is how truly Karmic it would be, if in his situation, he contracted Covid-19. For no damned reason at all.
He just signed one of the most lucrative contracts in NFL history, and the vaccine is totally FREE. Doesn’t cost a single red cent. Even if it wasn’t available in his neighborhood, the Cowboys medical staff would happily drive it to his home to vaccinate him. I’m sure they’d even wade through his pool to do it, as he lay on an inflatable chair.
He has NO BUSINESS getting this disease. NONE.
So if he gets it by himself and has to quarantine, his decision could cost his team one or two games. If he’s part of an outbreak, then his team may need to automatically hand over a win (or two, or three) to whomever they were scheduled to play.
Prescott could avoid all of this now, by being vaccinated. Instead, the plan is to keep QB Ben “Bring It On” DiNucci,
or preseason hall of fame QB Cooper Rush, loose and ready to go. This is because Prescott’s new deal made signing a good back-up, too expensive. (And Chicago lied to QB Andy Dalton.)
While Covid has a high survival rate, often victims are left with long-term symptoms like difficulty breathing, shortness of breath, fatigue, symptoms that worsen after physical activities, difficulty thinking or concentrating (brain fog), and lots of other crap. These people are often called Covid Long Haulers, or said to have Long Covid, or Post-acute Covid., by the CDC
Significantly more victims suffer these long-term effects, than die from the disease, and that’s what poses the bigger danger for Prescott. An NFL athlete can’t play while dragging around an oxygen tank. A QB can’t be at his best with brain fog. If walking up 10 stairs can worsen symptoms for the average person, imagine what an NFL game would do to Prescott.
If Prescott contracts Covid, even when he gets back, he may never be the same player, ever again. It could derail his career, like Guillain-Barre Syndrome did with retired C Travis Frederick. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, would be stuck with a lemon that he owes 126M$. It would be years before the Cowboys could be competitive in the free agent market.
As bad as QB Carson Wentz’s situation looks for the Eagles in 2021, Prescott not being vaccinated could make the Cowboys look a lot worse for a third of a decade. Given that Jones is no spring chicken at 78, there’s a chance that he may not even live to see the Cowboys get from under (as Jones put it), overpaying Prescott.
Again, I’m not saying that I wish Covid on him. I don’t. I’m saying, given the life choices that his fellow players make, not knowing where they’ve been, or who with… To risk that? So is this how a Franchise QB is supposed to behave? As the saying goes, play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
WASHINGTON Football Team head coach, Riverboat Ron Rivera, announced that Washington’s training camp will feature an open competition for starting QB. This is HILARIOUS, and once again proof that you can take the ‘R’ off the helmet, but you can’t take it outta the team.
Let’s get a look at the competitors in this competition.
Their big free agent addition was QB Ryan Fitzpatrick, to whom they gave a 1 year, 10M$ deal. (The numbers matter, so keep an eye on them. Don’t just glaze over them.) The press has spent the last couple of months, lathering up over the idea of “Fitzmagic” teaming with WR Terry McLaurin. McLaurin himself has also expressed a great deal of exci-
Well fuck all that! It’s a competition, bitches! Ya heard?!
Our next competitor, is Taylor Heinicke. His claim to fame? Not getting blown-out, while losing in the first round of the playoffs. Heinicke has a 2 year deal worth 4.7M$.
Last and certainly least, is Kyle Allen. You may remember him from such disasters as: Trying to replace Cam Newton in Carolina; or trying to steal the starting job from Dwayne Haskins in Washington; or Karma paying his ankle a visit in 2020. He’s been handsomely rewarded for those exploits, with a 1 year, 850K$ deal. And he has a chance to start!
Yeah. Right.
So let me get this straight. Washington is going to give Fitzpatrick 10 mill this year, just so they can start a guy making 8.5% that??! No. Stop. Just… just stop. First of all, that level of stupidity can’t be possible. Even in Washington. Secondly, illegal immigrants are protesting the wage disparity between Fitz and Allen. Many of them think that Allen should sneak into Mexico, to find better opportunities.
This “QB competition” is as bogus as the one in Philadelphia, between QB Jalen Hurts and his back-up Joe Flacco. If Philly finds a way to trade for QB DeShaun Watson, then sure, things could change. Otherwise, unless Jalen hurts, he’s the starter.
Washington is Fitzpatrick’s NINTH team, and he doesn’t have a winning record as the starter of any of the previous eight. His best run was 6 – 6 with Houston, and still, currently he is the best option Washington has.
After last season, Washington fans have had a taste of hope. Now they have expectations. To start Heinicke or Allen at this point, would be inhumane. It would be the equivalent of giving a toddler $500, lighting him on fire, and sending him into Walmart alone, on Black Friday. You’d have no right to expect anything good to come of it.
There is no QB competition. There can’t be. There isn’t a large enough worldwide supply of stupidity, for Washington to fuck up that badly. I hate the Redsk- Football Team, and even I think more of them than that. They gotta make it Fitz. Because nothing else does.
Hey giants fans! This TANK, is called the Eagle 7.
LAST year the NFC East was the laughingstock of the NFL. Aggressive moves have been made to ensure that history will not be repeating itself anytime soon. While every team in the division ranks #21 or lower in the NFL power rankings, the rosters in this division are telling a different story.
Alright. So yeah, Washington is Washington. Their power moves were to sign a pair of slot receivers (Curtis Samuels and Adam Humphries), and Dr. Jekyll (Ryan Fitzpatrick) to play QB. Adding G Ereck Flowers was a sneaky good move, but hardly a transcendent one. Adding an OT and then subtracting another, was definitely not a step forward. While Washington is the early favorite to win the East, they seem to be back in self-sabotage mode.
As for the other three teams:
Dallas fans made it clear to the owner, that they were done quietly waiting for their team’s defense to improve.
In response, the Cowboys cleaned house in terms of both coaches and players. They then leaned heavy on defense in the Draft. While they may not have added free agents who are household names, they’ve sent a message from the top-down, that they are serious about getting results.
The giants took a risk adding CB Adoree Jackson, but if he can stay healthy, they have probably the best CB duo in the division. Signing Kelvin Benjamin to play TE, was a magnificent piece of outside the box thinking. Benjamin had trouble getting reliable separation from DB’s. However, if he can (very likely) gain separation on LB’s, then a Safety will have to be cheated away from a WR to help cover him. Benjamin may all at once, make the giants more explosive and help them challenge for the best TE duo in the division.
The Eagles made no fewer than FOUR non-Draft related moves. All of which look low-key at a glance. However, upon further inspection… For new DC Jonathan Gannon, signing former Vikings OLB Eric Wilson and S Anthony Harris, gives him two guys who can help quickly install his system, because they’ve played together while under Gannon. Slick move. Signing RB Kerryon Johnson was a stroke of pure genius, which I discussed in my last article (The Eagles RB’s). Then of course, there’s the addition of OLB Ryan Kerrigan.
One of my brothers speculated that Kerrigan could be Chris Long 2.0 for the Eagles. Maybe, but I doubt it. I think his real value, will be in getting young players to realize, they will have to out-produce Kerrigan, to take his spot in the rotation. He either forces them to step up, or it tells the Eagles that next year’s Draft, will be heavily spent re-arming the Defensive Line.
Getting QB Jalen Hurts a WR (Devonta Smith) that he already has chemistry with, was also a boss level move.
Nobody in the NFC East was okay with how 2020 ended. Well… I guess Washington seems to be. Honestly, watching their fans practically give each other handjobs over a 7 – 9 season, just to be bounced in the first round of the playoffs… Their “bragging” has been really hard to watch.
As for the rest of the division, none of us is looking for a repeat of 2020. The NFL had better not get caught sleeping.
EAGLEMANIACAL.com 