stats

2026 COWBOYS PRE-DRAFT PREVIEW

Posted by The BEAST on 2026/04/22
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Draft, free agents, Front Office (F.O.), NFC East, Offense, Players, Preview, report, Rivals, Roster, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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?

.

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. (+)

.

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. (-)

.

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.

.

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

2026 giants PRESEASON PREVIEW

Posted by The BEAST on 2026/04/20
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Draft, free agents, Front Office (F.O.), NFC East, Offense, Players, Preview, report, Reviews, Rivals, Roster, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

 

Missed playoffs, 4 – 13, 4th in NFC East, 22.4aps, 25.8apa

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. 

.

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.

.

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

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WILDCARD : 49ers

Posted by The BEAST on 2026/01/12
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, playoffs, Reviews, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

DISAPPOINTED, but not surprised.

EAGLES 19 – 49ers 23

 

EAGLES STATS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

****

I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these Four Things articles. It’s to point out what we need to address BEFORE the game. Then AFTER the game, there’s a no-bullshit assessment of whether or not the Eagles did any of what they needed to do, to ensure the win.

So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: 49ers did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

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

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

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

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

++++

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

****

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

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

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

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

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

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

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 18: Commanders

Posted by The BEAST on 2026/01/05
Posted in: breakdown, Conspiracy Corner, Defense, Fans, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Roster, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

MISSED opportunities.

EAGLES 17 – Commanders 24

 

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Tanner McKee (21/40 – 52.5% – 241 – 1 – 1)

Rushing: RB Tank Bigsby (16 – 75 – 4.6 – 1 – 0)

Receiving: WR DeVonta Smith (4 – 3 – 52 – 17.3 – 0)

Drive Killer: OLB Jalyx Hunt (TD: 0/Int:1 / FR: 1/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)

Sack Leader: NA (Sacks: / FF: / Tackles: )

Special Teams Ace: K Jake Elliott 1/1 FG, 2/2 XP

****

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

1) Start Tanner McKee: That is precisely what happened, and there is good news and bad news, as a result.

First, the bad news. Had McKee won the game and looked like the phenom that he did last year, we could have used him as trade bait for QB hungry teams. Instead he lost, while displaying little mobility, or improvisational talent, while looking more like a typical back-up.

The good news. If he’s still here when his contract expires, there’s now a decent chance that we can re-sign him ourselves. Make no mistake, this game cost McKee an easy opportunity and likely millions of dollars. Without another chance to prove himself in 2026, he won’t have a body of work that teams can project into being a starter.

I said that we should let QB Sam Howell take the fourth quarter, so we could get a look at our future back-up. However, as I mentioned when discussing McKee, due to the missed opportunity, I’m pretty sure that we did get a look at our back-up. (DONE)

2) Chase the Yards: I wanted the Eagles to play WR DeVonta Smith, so that he could get the 44 yards that he needed, to reach 1,000 receiving yards on the season. He played and he got 52.

I also wanted to see RB Tank Bigsby get a start and maybe get 100 rushing yards. Well, he rushed for 75 with a touchdown, and added a 31 yard catch and run. So he had 106 total yards on the day. I mentioned that a sighting of RB A.J. Dillon (1 – 1 – 3 – 3.0 – 0) would be welcomed, and he caught the only ball thrown to him. (DONE)

3) Get A Long Look: There were certain players that I had my eye on in this game.

On Defense, DT Ty Robinson (3 tackles) got washed around a lot early, but then seemed to find his legs later on. CB Jakorian Bennett (1 tackle) gave up two pass interference penalties. Both were in the endzone, setting the Commanders up at the 1 yard line, and eventually becoming touchdowns. MLB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (12 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) was all over the place. A run stuff, a tackle for loss, a QB knockdown. He’s excellent depth to have

On Offense, WR Darius Cooper (5 – 3 – 33 – 11.0 – 0) got the five targets I’d hoped he get, and he proved reliable as a blocker. He also got flagged on a bullshit taunting call early in the game. TE Cam Latu (no stats) still has yet to see an NFL target in his career. He did help clear space for Bigsby’s touchdown run, though. (DONE)

4) Don’t Shy Away From Kicking: We didn’t, and everything that left K Jake Elliott’s toe, ended up between the uprights. (DONE)

++++

This week’s Four Things score was 4 of 4, mostly because I already was sure that back-ups would play, so I wrote this accordingly. That wraps the season at 11 – 5, as division winners, and the #3 seed in the playoffs. Now we go to start preparing to host the 49ers next week.

****

Game Hero: OLB Jalyx Hunt – Intercepted a ball and recovered a bad snap, to earn two turnovers in this game. He ends the season with 6.5 sacks (team leader) and 3 interceptions (team leader). The thing is, though he’s listed at OLB, he’s actually more of a DE, which makes those interceptions all the more impressive.

Game goat: Our CB’s – The Eagles were flagged for 4 pass interference penalties. Three of which set-up first and goals at the one yard line. And don’t get me started on Kelee Ringo (5 – 0 – 0 – 0) running away from the Commanders QB, and he ran into the end zone

On The Whole: Our back-ups went toe-to-toe with starters, and we were in the game until the final incompletion. The only group that I saw out there that worries me, is our CB’s. Or more to the point, our reserve CB’s. Whether they were setting up first and goal situations for the Commanders, or running away from a touchdown scoring ball-carrier, they looked like they didn’t belong on an NFL roster.

Regarding QB Tanner McKee, some of the balls he threw were high, and some were behind the receivers. In all truth, he just seemed like he was doing to much as the game wore on. Given all the career opportunities that were riding on his performance in this game, it’s easy to understand why he might have been pressing. I could have put the

I don’t want to hand-wring about the play-calling this week, for a myriad of different reasons. Suffice it to say, a passing attack that features more than one concept at a time, might apply more stress to the coverages we’ll see, starting next week.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 17: Bills

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/12/30
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, playoffs, Reviews, Special Teams, stats, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
The Bills fail to convert two point conversion.

EAGLES escape with the “W”!

EAGLES 13 – Bills 12

 

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (13/27 – 48.1% – 110 – 1 – 0)

Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (19 – 68 – 3.5 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (7 – 5 – 68 – 13.6 – 0)

Drive Killer: LB Jihaad Campbell (TD: 0/Int: 0/ FR: 1/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)

Sack Leader: OLB Jaylx Hunt (Sacks: 2.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 7)

Special Teams Ace: P Braden Mann 7 – 388 – 55.4 (65)

****

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

1) Run Off-Guard: I was looking for 10 hand-offs in those gaps. Especially to the right. Instead, what we got was a lot of Center/Guard action and Pitch-Outs. We also went back to running from the Shotgun, for some reason. (NOT DONE)

TE Dallas Goedert catching the Eagles only TD of the game.

2) Exploit Our TE Mismatch: I said it would be a crime if TE Dallas Goedert (6 – 3 – 8 – 2.7 – 1) saw fewer than 6 targets and that’s exactly how many he saw. He also caught our only touchdown of the game. (DONE)

3) Mush the Rush: The Eagles held the number one rushing team in football (170 rushing yards per game) to 120 yards, on a slick and rainy field. The plan was never to “shut down”the Bills run game, just contain it, and we did an excellent job of that. (DONE)

4) Move Their QB’s Platform Left: We didn’t do a whole lot of this, but we did it when it mattered most: During their two point attempt, after their second touchdown. (DONE)

++++

This week’s Four Things score was 3 of 4. Next week we wrap-up at home, hopefully with our back-ups playing that one out.

****

DT Jalen Carter barrels in for a sack of Josh Allen.

Game Hero: DT Jalen Carter – (1 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) He was disruptive, recorded a sack, and even blocked an extra point, that probably won us the game. Seriously. If the Bills make that early extra point, then when they scored their second touchdown, it would have been a 13 – 13 game, and they’d have just kicked the extra point for the win.

However, because of Carter’s block, the Bills had to go for the two point conversion for the win. The throw was wide left, and the Eagles had a “W”.

Game goat: Offensive Coordinator, Kevin Patullo – We had a solid first half, then the reigns were solely handed over to Offensive Coordinator Kevin Patullo. We immediately went back to predictable nonsense that wasn’t particularly well blocked.

On The Whole:

This was a measuring stick game, and the Eagles won it. Yes, Hurts didn’t complete a pass in the entire second half, but we won the game. We found a way to win on the road. Against a playoff team. In monsoon conditions.

Rookie LB Jihaad Campbell celebrates his fumble recovery.

Quit bitching, and celebrate!

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 16: Commanders

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/12/22
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Reviews, Rivals, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

OUR Eagles got the job done.

EAGLES 29 – Commanders 18

 

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (22/30 – 73.3% – 185 – 2 – 0)

Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (21 – 132 – 6.2 – 1 – 0)

Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (12 – 9 – 95 – 10.5 – 0)

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 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: 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!

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 15: Raiders

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/12/15
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, playoffs, Reviews, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

EAGLES plow through Raiders.

EAGLES 31 – Raiders 0

 

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (12/15 – 80% – 175 – 3 – 0)

Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (22 – 78 – 3.5 – 1 – 0)

Receiving: TE Dallas Goedert (7 – 6 – 70 – 11.6 – 2)

Drive Killer: LB Zack Baun (TD: 0/Int:1 / FR: 0/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)

Sack Leader: DE Brandon Graham (Sacks: 2.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 0)

Special Teams Ace: K Jake Elliott 1/1 FG, 4/4 XP

****

I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these Four Things articles. It’s to point out what we need to address BEFORE the game. Then AFTER the game, there’s a no-bullshit assessment of whether or not the Eagles did any of what they needed to do, to ensure the win.

So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: RAIDERS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

1) Try to Pick It: The call was to kill QB Kenny Pickett (15/25 – 60.0% – 64 – 0 – 1). To set the dogs on him. Well, we hit him 9 times with 4 of those being sacks, and two of those belonging to Brandon Graham. We got an interception off of Pickett, and OLB Jalean Phillips (no stats) also hit his arm on one throw, and deflected a pass at the line. We put the heat on my man. (DONE)

2) Win On Third Down: The Raiders came out aggressive and went for it on their very first fourth down. They didn’t convert and didn’t try that shit again. They ended the day converting just 3 of 12 third downs, meaning that we stopped them from converting, 75% of the time. Seems like a win to me! (DONE)

3) Fewer Comeback Routes: The Eagles ran just 19 passing plays on the day, and only 16 before the starters were pulled. Many of the routes involved clearing space for Dallas Goedert, instead of bringing routes back into his area. Nailed it! (DONE)

4) Second Half Run Game: The call was for 12 carries in the second half. We had 17. Ten of those were by RB Tank Bigsby (17 – 57 – 3.3 – 0 – 0), after the starters were pulled. However, 7 of those did go to Barkley, including some grind out yardage right up the middle. (DONE)

++++

This week’s Four Things score was 4 of 4. Same as last week. However, without 160 turnovers, a 4 of 4 score results in the blowout that it should be. We have sort of a short week coming up, then a 2 – 3 hour drive down 95, to go visit the Washington Commanders. (I still find myself almost typing Redskins.) A win down there, and the NFC East belongs to us, for the second year in a row.

****

Game Hero: Offensive Co-ordinator Kevin Patullo – It was 31 degrees outside. Instead of trying to throw the ball all over the field, Patullo called 39 hand-offs to just 18 pass attempts (and 1 sack). Like someone got him some common sense as an early Christmas present. There were also 8 QB runs, some of which were designed, some of which were scrambles. I’m not interested in picking gnat shit out of pepper, so I’ll call it 39 to 19.

Game goat: Reality – Sometimes reality fucking blows. In this game, QB Tanner McKee (3/3 – 100% – 33 – 0 – 0) continued to put out great tape, and he might have been auditioning for a starting spot in Vegas next year.

Each time he gets meaningful reps, he looks like the real deal. Even yesterday running our back-ups against the Raiders starters, you couldn’t help but notice his presence. His rookie contract ends next season, and he’s made it no secret that he wants to play. We won’t be replacing Hurts with McKee, so there’s no way McKee re-signs here.

If we’re smart, we package him with something to move up in the Draft. (Maybe even with Vegas.) Kenny Pickett will be a free agent, but he’s looking at a back-up role. Seeing how much love the Eagles players showed him after the game, and his 86 rating as an Eagles back-up, he might be a solid locker room re-addition.

On The Whole:

One of the best parts of this shutout, was how we kept the clock running, running, running. It kept the Raiders coaching staff unable to plot a comeback, because we’d weaponized time itself. As a result, the game was over nearly an hour before the one that followed it.

DE Brandon Graham after one of his two sacks in the game.

The best part however, might have escaped all but the most cagey of observers.

In the playoffs, the expression is to pack your defense and your run game. Yesterday’s game was a clinic of defense and running the ball. It was a master class in clock management. We held the ball for 39 minute to their 20. We kept them from an opportunity to be dangerous. The Eagles are getting into a playoffs mindset already.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 14: Chargers

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/12/10
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Fans, Four Things, Offense, Players, Reviews, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
QB Jalen Hurts effort to erase turnover falls short.

FIVE turnovers Hurts Eagles.

EAGLES 16 – Chargers 19 OT

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (21/40 – 52.5% – 240 – 0 – 4)

Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (20 – 122 – 6.1 – 1 – 0)

Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (13 – 6 – 100 – 16.7 – 0)

Drive Killer: DT Byron Young (TD: 0/Int: 0/ FR: 1/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)

Sack Leader: OLB Jalyx Hunt (Sacks: 2.5 / FF: 1/ Tackles: 8)

Special Teams Ace: WR Britain Covey (PR: 3 – 54 – 18.0 – 0)

****

I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these Four Things articles. It’s to point out what we need to address BEFORE the game. Then AFTER the game, there’s a no-bullshit assessment of whether or not the Eagles did any of what they needed to do, to ensure the win.

So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: CHARGERS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

RB Saquon Barkley goes 52 yards for that tasty treat.

1) Get Saquon 90 Rushing Yards: Saquon surpassed the 90 yard mark, finishing with 122 rushing yards. He had 69 on 13 carries (5.3ypc) in the first half. In the second half he had a sporadic 7 carries for 53 yards, including a 52 yard touchdown run. I don’t know why this coaching staff insists on abandoning the run when it’s working. (DONE)

2) Beat On Their QB: The Defense went out and collected 7 sacks, while hitting the opposing QB 11 times. He stayed under duress. (DONE)

3) Overwhelm Their Offensive Line: Our Defense gave up 169 rushing yards, but 66 were from QB who spent the night scrambling for his life. The other 103 came on 28 carries (3.6ypc). We beat on their QB, and kept his completion percentage to 46.1. We also bottled up their RB’s. The Defense did everything they were asked to do. (DONE)

4) Throw the Uppercut: We absolutely got a few of these from TE Dallas Goedert (10 – 8 – 78 – 9.7 – 0), and a couple of them were gotta have it first downs. (DONE)

++++

This week’s Four Things score was 4 of 4. So how do we go a perfect 4 of 4 and still lose? Simple by turning the ball over five times. Better results are expected next week vs Las Vegas.

****

OLB Jalyx Hunt gets a sack as the QB’s knees was down before he could intentionally ground the ball.

Game Hero: OLB Jalyx Hunt – He had 2.5 of our 7 sacks, made 8 stops, forced a fumble (Chargers recovered), wand was generally a menace all game long. THIS is the Hunt that we were expecting right out of the gate this season, and he’s making his presence felt more and more as the season wears on.

Game goat: QB Jalen Hurts – He’s the one who threw three interceptions, had another come off of A.J. Brown’s hands, and fumbled once. That credits him for five turnovers. While I’ve never been his biggest fan, and I do believe he holds some culpability for those turnovers, it’s unfair to lay all the blame at his doorstep.

On The Whole: Lots of Eagles fans are laying this loss entirely with Hurts, and letting Offensive Coordinator Kevin Patullo off the hook for this. NOT SO FAST. On each one of these interceptions, you’ll see a defender sitting on the ball as the receiver curls toward the QB.

That level of predictability is terrifying. Especially against an opponent we only see once every four years or so. Imagine how familiar Washington will be with us! This needs fixing, and blaming Hurts alone, or execution, or anything else besides the root of the problem, won’t get the problem solved.

While it’s true that we shit the bed in this game, we also did some good things. So let’s not throw the baby out with the bathwater. We got the run game going, and our defense produced SEVEN sacks of QB who is mobile. Hurts used the middle of the field, and we did get a couple of isolated looks on deep balls. This is all stuff we can build on. So long as we can weed out the predictability. 

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 13: Bears

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/12/01
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Front Office (F.O.), Offense, Players, Reviews, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

EAGLES played to lose.

EAGLES 15 – Bears 24

 

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (19/34– 55.8% – 230 – 2 – 1)

Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (13 – 56 – 4.3 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (12 – 10 – 132 – 13.2 – 2)

Drive Killer: OLB Jaylx Hunt (TD: 0/Int: 1/ FR:. / 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)

Sack Leader: DT Jalen Carter (Sacks: 1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 4)

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

1) Ground and Pound: “This cannot be yet another game where our Offensive Coordinator shelves Barkley, early. We’ve had three such games and all three have been losses. Rushing yards are not the only thing that a hand-off can produce. Run plays tire out pass rushers.”

Despite the game being within one score, for three quarters, Eagles head coach Nick Siranni (all responsibility lies with him) simply abandoned the run. Handing off the ball just 13 times, despite averaging 4.3 per tote, is just mind-boggling. This wasn’t merely coaching malpractice. It was remedial in nature. It stunk of someone not being properly qualified before being hired.

Especially given all the time our Defense spent on the field. By which I mean the Eagles lost time of possession 20 minutes to 39. The Bears controlled the ball for nearly 2/3 of the game. They wore down a defensive line that is built more for rushing the passer. Particularly in cold and windy conditions. (NOT DONE)

DT Jalen Carter gets a sack after being called out in Four Things. I dare him to get THREE next week.

2) Put Their QB Down: We collected 2 sacks and hit their QB 6 times. We held him under 50%, and collected an interception to counter his single touchdown throw. We impacted him greatly. I mentioned Jaylx Hunt (3 – 0.0 – 1 – 0) and Jalen Carter (4 – 1.0 – 0 – 0), and both produced big plays this week. This, we can build on. (DONE)

3) Set Hard Edges: We came out firing. On the first possession, we had them go out on downs. Later in the game Hunt intercepted a Screen pass. These were not the only instances, but they were the most glowing examples. Over the course off the game, the weather and 42 hand-off got the better of our Defense that spent nearly 40 minutes on the field. We started strong, but couldn’t sustain. (NOT DONE)

4) Long, Slow Drives: Nope. Didn’t even try. I’ve never seen more amateurish coaching by this team. This wasn’t just a failure of play-calling. This was a failure to recognize environmental factors; to utilize environmental factors; to recognize basic tenets of the sport itself, which stretches almost a century back. (NOT DONE)

++++

This week’s Four Things score was 1 of 4. Next week we fly out to San Diego to take on a physical Chargers team. I somehow doubt they will fare as well as the Bears just did.

****

Game Hero: Nope. No one played up to that standard.

Game goat: Head Coach Nick Sirianni – The failure/inability to adjust, comes down to him. At this point, letting the team down has become a conscious decision. We know what is wrong. We know how to fix it. The decision to not, is exactly that: A decision.

Re-assigning play-calling duties is the cure here. While there are only three other people on the coaching staff who have play-calling experience, only one of them should be called on to guide the ship through this difficult period. That person is Sirianni himself.

Through rough water, the captain should take the helm. In this way, all decisions and fault will not be placed on others. It gives him an opportunity to show, rather than tell. To lead, rather than command. It would also allow us to see if there has been any growth in him, since he ran away from play-calling in mid 2021.

I have to wonder though. After going 10 – 0 to start 2023, Sirianni ushered us through a horrible collapse, and still managed to keep his job. That show of faith was rewarded with a Super Bowl win. Yet here were are again, looking at possibly another collapse. Honestly, how much embarrassment is Owner Jeffrey Lurie willing to endure?

Given the ages and contract situations of this roster, I wonder if Lurie would simply cut bait with Sirianni this time, and look for a head coach that wants to do their own play-calling. That way no one can poach our brain-trust, and our QB can finally enjoy some stability.

On The Whole: I was going to get into the sideline passivity of Jalen Hurts, since I really wish he was more into rallying his troops. Because to keep it a buck, I think it’s more what people don’t see from him, that keeps people from seeing him as elite. (But that’s a different article.) His attitude wasn’t great, but there were bigger issues.

What happened out there, is that the Bears heeded the weather, and wore us down with 42 hand-offs. It was Football 101, and you’d have to need remedial football classes to lose to it. Which is why we on the other hand, only handed it off 13 times, as we kept going three and out with 34 passing attempts. In gusty wind no less.

We were stupid and got the “L” that we earned.

FOUR THINGS: WK 13: EAGLES – BEARS

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/11/27
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, stats, Super Bowl. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

SPLITTING with the Cowboys sucks, but we’re still atop the NFC East by a mile. Time to punch the clock and get to work, punching the ball out of the Bears hands. Despite their winning record, on average they allow as many points (26.5) as they score (26.3). Particularly through the air. Oh, and they also give up 5.2 yards per tote, on the ground.

Don’t let their shiny record fool you. The 8 -3 Bears just beat the 6 – 5 Steelers, but otherwise, their other seven wins are over: The giants, Dallas, Oakland, Minnesota, Washington, Cincinnati, and New Orleans. Only Dallas is .500. The rest are worse.

With a win we move to 9 – 3, still atop the NFC East, and very much in the hunt for the number one seed in the conference.

With a loss we’d be 8 – 4. Still firmly atop the NFC East.

****

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 Bears

RB Saquon Barkley

1) Ground and Pound: We need to get the run game going. We don’t need huge splash plays. What we need is a return to our Offensive Line smacking motherfuckers in their mouths. Be physical and help RB Saquon Barkley to get 3 or 4 yards on first down, to open up options on second down.

This cannot be yet another game where our Offensive Coordinator shelves Barkley, early. We’ve had three such games and all three have been losses. Rushing yards are not the only thing that a hand-off can produce. Run plays tire out pass rushers. Also, a balanced attack keeps the opponent guessing instead of dictating.

2) Put Their QB Down: I don’t get this thing where professional athletes who get paid here to bring down QB’s, all of a sudden seem like they don’t know how to do it. We’re not going to rattle a QB who comes into the game with impression that we can’t sack him. This is where we’d like to see OLB Jaylx Hunt. (Did you see what I did there?)

Last year DT Milton Williams 5 sacks got him a massive contract. I wonder if DT Jalen Carter knows how much money he’s leaving on the table, by only having 1 sack so far this season. Meanwhile, DT Moro Ojomo has 4, which currently leads the team.

LB’s Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell combine to contain a Lions RB.

3) Set Hard Edges: Most of the Bears success in the run game comes from run to the outside. Get our DE’s up-field so we can either expose their RB to kill-shots, or delay his approach to the line of scrimmage. The idea isn’t to shutdown their run, just make it unreliable, and put the whole offense on their QB.

4) Long, Slow Drives Due to injuries, the Bears are thin on defense. Keep them on the field and wear them down. For this week, third and two should mean we’re calling a run play. And run the Hurry-up in the second half! When the fourth quarter rolls around, we want fatigue to be setting in for them.

****

If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…

It’s time to start imposing our will again. We don’t need another week of RB Screens, and Hitch routes. Theres been entirely to much of that already. All it’s done is hold the team back, and get the Delaware Valley calling for one guy to get shit-canned.

Perhaps it’s time to learn a lesson. To evolve. Maybe listen to an outside voice. Run the ball. Actually sack the QB. These things should be an automatic for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. No more doublespeak. No more spin. We need to bear down and get our shit together.

****

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.