Super Bowl

2023 EAGLES

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/04/26
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Draft, free agents, Front Office (F.O.), NFC East, NFL, Offense, Players, playoffs, Preview, report, Reviews, Rivals, Roster, Special Teams, stats, Super Bowl. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

LAST year your Eagles finished 14 – 3 overall, 4 – 2 against the division, first place in the NFC East, Top Seed in the Conference, and lost the Super Bowl by a field goal. As is the case with successful teams, free agency has plucked a few feathers from the roster, but General Manager Howie Roseman has contained that spill. We’ve also had some coaching defections, but those may not prove as painful as the national media likes to think.

But enough chin wagging! Let’s look at how the Eagles 2023 roster looks 24 hours or so, before the NFL Draft.

OFFENSE

QB: Jalen Hurts is the class of this division, but that doesn’t mean he still doesn’t have a ton to prove. For many he answered the question of “Can he be a Franchise QB?”, by his play in 2022, and taking the Eagles to the Super Bowl. If one near MVP season, and a Super Bowl were enough, Carson Wentz would get more love than he does from this fan base. Fair being fair, Hurts has to have more than one great year, before we’re using the term “elite”.

Still, Hurts is the best in this division. His arm strength and accuracy are on par with Prescott, but Hurts forces fewer throws into underneath coverage. He’s also more mobile, and practically unstoppable with the QB Sneak (that several teams sought to outlaw). The measure failed, and now teams are pouting and vowing to imitate what they just sought to eliminate. It truly is an Eddie Murphy/Dexter St. Jacques moment, for Hurts. (Check it out. And you’re welcome.)

That said, in two seasons as the starter, Hurts has missed games in both, just as a natural consequence of how the coaching staff uses him. So it’s imperative to get the right back-up. Which is where Marcus Mariota comes in. He’s a better scheme fit than Gardner Minshew was last season, as mobility is part of Mariota’s game.

With Mariota as the back-up, it means the RPO threat never leaves the field. This is a point that the Eagles silently hammered home, by adding Ian Book as the third stringer. (Seriously, YouTube some video of this kid in college. The Eagles scouting department seriously deserves some sort of award. (+)


RB: Gone are the 1,200 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns of Miles Sanders. Taking up the mantle (so far) is Kenneth Gainwell. He’s fine as a utility player, but he doesn’t break tackles, run creatively, or have “take it to the house” type speed. In fact, in 225 touches (regular and postseason), he has exactly one play for 30 yards or more. Behind him is utility player Boston Scott, who is a great utility player, but who lacks the same traits that Gainwell lacks.

Injury-prone Rashaad Penny signed an heavily incentivized contract, in what is likely a last ditch attempt to have a career. When Penny is healthy, he’s explosive and powerful. He’s a physical runner who can also accelerate away from defenders; but out of the 82 games he’s been under contract for, he’s only suited up for 42 of them, with just 11 starts.

Last, and probably still least, is Trey Sermon. Sermon logged 2 carries last year for 19 yards (9.5 ypc.) so of course the logical place for him was wasting away on the Practice Squad last year. There are no clear answers here, besides the back-by-committee approach, which telegraphs an offense’s intent. (-)


WR:

At 230 pounds, A.J. Brown is the size of an elephant and runs like a deer. He caught for 1,496 yards and 11 scores, often seeming to do so at will, from anywhere, regardless of who was how close to his body. (Like in this picture.) Oh yeah! And his best friend in the world, just so happens to be his QB. And last year was their first season on the same team. And now they get to refine their connection.

If that sounds like a nightmare, consider this: If you try to double Brown, you’re just leaving room for DeVonta Smith, who is Brown’s polar opposite. Smith is a precise route runner, who capitalizes on the holes that secondaries leave when trying to contain an explosive athlete like Brown. Smith also has the more reliable hands of the two, and his grabs quietly eat up clock.

If Brown is an uppercut from Mike Tyson; then Smith is a chloroformed rag in a gloved hand, from your backseat, in a deserted parking lot. Either way, you’re going to sleeeep. Quickly. The only time that one of these guys doesn’t terrorize a secondary, is when both of them are doing it.

The fall-off after that is steep. Quez Watkins is blazingly fast, but his hands are so very suspect. He literally handed two turnovers to Dallas last year, during a 34 – 40 loss (and he’s mad that we’re still mad about that). Like Watkins, Devon Allen also sports 4.3 speed, but spent 2022 on the Practice Squad. Former Falcon Olamide Zaccheaus was just signed and he also has the speed to make house calls.

Britain Covey spent 2022 being a very lackluster return man, and may not see final cuts this season. Tyrie Cleveland was added to the roster from Denver, and it remains to be seen why Philadelphia did so. Unless it has to do with his college career, where he showed he could make a living, deep down the middle, as a 6’2 target with really good (not great) 4.46 speed.

Interestingly, Greg Ward is still on the Eagles roster. Ward is a decent, not great receiver, but he’s an awesome utility player. In just 40 games played, he’s caught 10 TD’s, and has some PR experience. He’s works well in the red zone; and having been a running QB in college, innately gets where he needs to be on a scramble drill. Lot of unusual tools in that box, and he’s only 28. Which may be why Zach Pascal was (surprisingly), allowed to walk. (+)


TE: Dallas Goedert is the best player at this position in the division. He is both a very good receiver, and a solid blocker. Last year he posted 702 yards and a catch rate of 79.7 percent. He did however, miss 5 games. The best ability is availability, and Goedert hasn’t played a complete season since 2018.

Jack Stoll is virtually an offensive lineman. He doesn’t have the size at just 247 pounds, but the Eagles potent run game wouldn’t be the same without him. Stoll won’t scare anyone as a receiver, but he catches what he’s thrown (78.6%). Third on the list is Grant Calcaterra. Same dimensions as Stoll, but polar opposite as a player. Catches well, but his blocking needs work.

Fact is, the Eagles need to address the lack of depth here. Goedert misses time. Period. The team needs a contingency plan for when (not if), that happens again. (+)


OT: Last year only six QB’s were sacked more than Jalen Hurts. Given that he missed two games, that’s an even more alarming stat. Of the 38 sacks allowed, LT Jordan Mialata surrendered 6.5 of them. He’s a mauling run blocker, but keeping the QB upright is the most important part of a LT’s job.

For the second season in a row, RT Lane Johnson didn’t allow a sack, and drew just three flags all season. Offensive linemen don’t get credit for yards gained, but Johnson is the best at not costing his team yards. There will a bust of him Canton, Ohio someday.

Jack Driscoll can play everywhere on the line, except the pivot. He’s filled in ably in Lane’s absence, but is ultimately better kicked inside, because he has clear issues with speed on the edge. Roderick Johnson and Fred Johnson are also on the roster. (+)


G: While LG Landon Dickerson only surrendered half a sack last year, he was penalized 13 times for 89 yards. That’s enough yardage to wipe out a touchdown drive. He has to improve in that department. On the other hand, the guy is a flat-out mauler both in pass protection and especially when blocking for the run.

Sua Opeta has been a spot starter and has done some mop-up duty as an Eagle, but now he may have the inside track on the starting gig vacated by Isaac Seumalo. Tyrese Robinson is the third player at this position. The playing is strong, but there isn’t a clear second starter. (-)


C: Future Hall Of Famer Jason Kelce returns for another run at the Lombardi. Behind him is a successor that the Eagles drafted, with Kelce’s help in scouting. That successor is Cam “Beef” Jurgens. With Kelce’s retirement being perhaps 17 games away, the Eagles want to get Jurgens feet wet soon, so there’s talk of playing him at Guard in 2023. Cameron Tom is a decent insurance policy. (+)

In A Nutshell: This Offense has no holes, but it does have cracks in the foundation. With the RB’s currently on the roster, the run game won’t scare anyone, but it’ll be functional. As long as it is, the play-action, and RPO stuff, still makes this one of the most explosive teams in the entire league. (+)

DEFENSE

DE: Josh Sweat notched a career-high 11 of the Eagles 70 sacks, returned an interception for a touchdown, and led the team with 15 tackles for loss. Brandon Graham at the age of 34, came back from an Achilles tendon tear, to post a career-high 11 sacks, despite only starting one game. Tarron Jackson and Matt Leo are also on the roster. Expect the Eagles to address this position early in the Draft. (+)

DT: Fletcher Cox started every game and turned in his best season since 2018, posting 43 tackles, 7 for losses, and 7 sacks. He returns at age 32 in what may be his final as an Eagle, largely to be a mentor. Jordan Davis blew no one away with his rookie stats (18 tackles, 1 for loss). This season more will expected as he’s no longer behind Javon Hargrave.

Milton Williams is more of a situational player, who despite not starting, posted 36 tackles with 9 for losses, as well as 4 sacks, He can also be moved to End. Marvin Wilson and Kentavius Street are more penetrators than run pluggers. It looks as if these reserves are built with an eye towards pass rush, with little concern for trench warfare. (+)


OLB: Haason Reddick posted 49 tackles (11 TFL) and led the team with a career-high 16 sacks. Nicholas Morrow comes over from the Bears, presumably to fill the coverage role vacated by Kyzir White. Patrick Johnson splits his time between here and at DE. He influences lots of plays, but seldom makes one.

Kyron Johnson and Davion Taylor may not make it to final cuts this season. Taylor was drafted as a project, but the Eagles haven’t put the time in. They might be about to lose a gem. (+)


MLB/ILB: With the departure of T.J.Edwards, Nakobe Dean will become the eye of the storm, in Philadelphia. More instinctual and a better athlete than Edwards, this move is expected to be an upgrade. That however, hasn’t been seen yet. Shaun Bradley and Christian Elliss are the reserves, but since Edwards rarely missed a down, they don’t have a ton of experience. (-)


S:

Undrafted rookie Reed Blankenship was forced into 4 starts last year, and played better than anyone had a right to expect. He’s probably going to have to compete for a starting job in 2023, but his competition won’t have an easy contest. He has more aggression than the departed Marcus Epps, and brings his arms to his tackles.

When the Eagles decided not to overpay Chauncey Gardner, they opted to bring in Terrell Edmunds. Edmunds is an in the box thumper, but his coverage is better than decent. So he’s an excellent pick-up, and possibly an upgrade over last year. K’Von Wallace and Justin Evans are on the roster for now, but the Draft is in a couple of days. So we’ll see. (+)


CB: Darius Slay turned in 14 passes defensed and 3 interceptions. His 58% completion rate was a little high, but not alarming. On the other side is James Bradberry with 17 passes defensed, and 3 picks with a 57% completion rate, in 2022. There are no free or easy meals throwing against these guys.

Avonte Maddox is a capable Nickel, but he’s missing more and more time with injuries. You have to wonder if this is why the Eagles added Greedy Williams. Williams was a second round flame-out in Cleveland. But c’mon, it was Cleveland. So the Eagles are willing to take a flier on him.

Josiah Scott had a rough 2022. He had 2 interceptions, but he also allowed 68.8% completion rate. Zech MacPhearson is a fourth rounder who acquits himself nicely, but the bench holds a strong grip on those without Draft pedigree. Josh Jobe and Mario Goodrich are longshots to make a deep roster. (+)

In A Nutshell: Every defensive lineman on this team can be described as ‘disruptive’. Every. Single. One. Point to the other team in the NFL that can say that. This unit poisons offenses at the root, by destroying blocking concepts. If you can’t block, you can’t play. Anyone expecting the Eagles Defense to take a major step back, because of a couple free agent defections, can’t see the forest because of the trees. (+)

SPECIAL TEAMS

K/P: Kicker Jake Elliott didn’t attempt many Field Goals in 2022. He was 20/23 (87%) 6/8 from 40+, and 51/53 (95.4%) on extra points. Yes. 53 attempts. The Eagles were a scoring machine. Those 53 attempted XP’s, doesn’t mention how often they went for two. Elliott had a career-high 63 touchbacks on 91 kickoffs (69.2%). (+)

Arryn Siposs was a sore spot lat year. A punt is the first play on defense. It sets the Defense up with a good or a bad situation. So his 45.6 yard per punt average and his 39.6 yard net, are just too far apart. Additionally, 20 of his 44 boots (45.4%) were returned for an 8.0 yard average. All of that needs to change. (-)

In A Nutshell: Elliott isn’t needed much, but when he is, he’s a great bet. I wouldn’t call him a sure thing and risk a paycheck on him! But I could wager a pineapple without batting an eye. Our punting game however, didn’t do much to help this team in 2022. This unit is more good than bad, but when it’s bad, it’s fish rotting in a nightstand bad. (+)

BOTTOM LINE: Eagles fans are told not to expect 14 – 3 again. Fine. Keep it. Especially with 15 – 2, 16 – 1, and 17 – 0 still out there. Realistically, as it stands, this is probably an 11 or 12 win team. This team can score with ANYBODY, while making it harder to score for everybody. It’ll be interesting to see what happens to this roster in the next 48 hours.

OUR NEXT SUPER BOWL WIN

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/03/07
Posted in: Conversations, Crazy Talk, Four Things, Front Office (F.O.), NFC Championship, playoffs, Rants, Super Bowl, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

SINCE the Super Bowl, I’ve been almost dead silent. I wrote Four Things Reviewed, and a reaction article to Jonathan Gannon leaving. I haven’t even weighed in on new Defensive Coordinator Sean Desai, yet.

My silence wasn’t because I was upset over the loss. Understand, I wanted that win. I really did; but it would be a bald-faced lie, if I said the loss, or how it happened, wasn’t almost expected. The NFC Championship Game. The Super Bowl. Everyone else was so excited. Meanwhile, I’d been secretly dreading them both, since Week 18.

Standing outside for the 2018 parade, the cold turned my Wawa coffee into a slushie. I was hoping for a repeat of that, for this year. However, when Chiefs RB Jerick McKinnon slid down inside the five yard line, I felt nothing but calm. I didn’t yell, curse, or jump up. I didn’t turn off my TV, or change the channel. I watched until it was time to go write my little article.

I took that loss so well, that you would think I’d bet against the Eagles and won. People were literally asking me if I was okay. My calm was apparently too calm. I turned the page just a little bit too fast for the comfort of others. The fact is, I was able to make immediate peace with it, because that game went almost exactly as I’d truly expected it to.

We had that loss coming. And I’d said as much, MONTHS prior.

You may remember this article from September of last year PUTTING A FOOT IN DOUG’S ASS. In it, I foretold a great fall. In fact, I called it “the biggest fall of them all”. Those were my exact words. Most importantly, in that article, I told you WHY it would happen.

The NFC Championship Game and the Super Bowl. The knot in my stomach. Expecting the bill to finally come due, in one of those games, I was secretly dreading those games the entire time. The biggest fall of all, is what I predicted. I desperately hoped to be wrong. Desperately. Usually I love being right. But not always. Sometimes being able to see ahead, is a curse. And a lonely one.

How big was our fall? During the only NFL game seen around the world, we set a record for points scored (35) in a loss. Beating a record that we hung around an opponent’s neck, for our only Super Bowl win so far. Our QB played an almost flawless game, and yet the seven points from his turnover, would have been the difference. Changing that loss into a win. Our vaunted Defense, was suddenly unable to even hunt a lame QB.

Had the Eagles won with our youthful core, everyone would be using the term “beginning of a dynasty”. Instead they are saying that our “Super Bowl window” should be open for a few years. Given how close we came to winning, this was a massive faceplant. It was.

Again, we had it coming. We made that bed. As Eagles fans we see how it’s gone since Jerry Jones fired Jimmy Johnson, and we revel in it. So we should have learned: There will someday come a reckoning. ALWAYS. You never escape your own energy. And we got ourselves a taste last month.

Again, I was hoping, praying that we’d pay in some other way, or some other time, and win that game. I had hoped to freeze at another parade, outside of the Municipal Services Building. Well, not this year. That said, we’ve put the ugliness behind us. We’ve paid our Karmic debt. So now we can, and likely will, be holding up another Lombardi trophy, inside of the next few years. Afterwards, I hope we’re smarter this time.

Heck, maybe in 2024, instead of standing outside the MSB in the cold; I’ll watch the parade from my window. While seated comfortably, in the warmth of my office. Sipping on hot, gourmet coffee, brewed by my own expert hand.

Yes. That sounds about right. So how’s about I get back to writing about football. 

This is the view from my first office. I haven’t taken a picture from the new one yet, but it’s DIRECTLY next door, so the view looks pretty much identical.

ADDITION BY SUBTRACTION

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/02/15
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, free agents, Front Office (F.O.), playoffs, Rants, Super Bowl, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

EAGLES Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon, has fucked off to become Arizona’s head coach. This is a HUGE break for our team! Offensive Coordinator Shane Steichen also left, to become the Colts next scapegoat, but I don’t give shit about that right now. I want to celebrate Gannon’s departure RIGHT NOW! This is addition by subtraction.

The very first article that I ever wrote on this site, was ‘WANT A SUPER BOWL? THEN FIRE BILL DAVIS.’ In it, I mentioned how continuing to settle for Davis as our Defensive Coordinator, wasn’t going to get us where we wanted to go. I wrote that on February 2, 2014.

During 2015, the Eagles fired then head coach, Chip Kelly, and Davis followed. In 2016 Doug Pederson, became our new Head Coach. Pederson was joined by DC Jim Schwartz, who inherited the talent that Davis had been squandering on Defense. The result was that we won our first Super Bowl on February 8, 2018.

Similarly, Gannon has been squandering the talent on the defensive side of our roster. Yes, yes, I know! We got 70 sacks in 2022. But what else did we do? Let me give you a quick rundown:

We got turnovers in bunches at the beginning of the 2022 season. When those dried up, no adjustment was made. Just more and more soft coverages, allowing easy completions which kept our Defense on the field. Look at how we finished the season:

Ryan Tannehill: 14/22 – 63.6% – 141 – 1 – 0

Daniel Jones: 18/27 – 66.6% – 169 – 1 – 0

Justin Fields: 14/21 – 66.6% – 152 – 2 – 0

Dak Prescott: 27/35 – 77.1% – 347 – 3 – 1

Andy Dalton: 18/22 – 81.8% – 205 – 0 – 1

Davis Webb: 23/40 – 57.5% – 168 – 1 – 0

That 3rd and 30 vs Dallas? Our four man rush allowed Dak Prescott to move gently left, and heave a 50 yard strike, to a guy who had recently been on his couch! Who dialed up that rush? Who called for that loose coverage?

Looks like our Secondary wasn’t set right?
NOPE! We were set. This alignment is just how it was called.

Hey, how about the development of the rookies, DT Jordan Davis and LB Nakobe Dean?

Davis was injured in Week 7, and sat out three games. Prior to his injury, he had five starts. Once he returned, he would never again see 20 snaps in a game under Gannon. Free agent additions DT Ndamukong Suh and DT Linval Joseph, helped give DT Fletcher Cox relief during Davis’s injury, but they should have never out-snapped Davis after his return. Both did in every game.

Dean played all of 34 snaps all season long. He played a total of 43 if you count the playoffs. There is no way to convince me (or most of you), that Dean should have played behind LB Kyzir White for most of this season. Don’t even get me STARTED about CB Zeck McPhearson barely seeing the field.

Does anyone want to discuss his adjustments in the Super Bowl? What adjustments? Great question. The Chiefs played pitch and catch all game long. I’ve seen clouds under more pressure than QB Patrick Mahomes saw that night. And yet how often did we see a five man rush? How about Man-Press? A Fire Zone Blitz?

When asked what defensive system he ran, Gannon answered with “Multiple”. I hated that answer right from the get-go! Multiple should mean that we see all kinds of exotic looks, but this guy didn’t come with the resume for Multiple. (Few in history have.)

Instead of “Multiple” what we got was mostly 4 – 3, off-Corners, 2 Deep Zone. Translation: Missionary, under the covers, in the dark, while wearing pajamas. Just get me someone who wants to play with his toys, and dreams up inventive things to do with them. Handcuff her behind her knees, and hit it from the back with your foot on her cheek. Let’s see some imagination!

My fear was that Gannon was going to stick around, and continue to squander talent. However, his fucking off, opens the door to a quick return to the Super Bowl. Maybe even as soon as next season, despite free agent departures like DT Javon Hargrave and CB James Bradberry! We could stumble into a dynasty here, folks.

Hold on. Let me dial it back a sec. I haven’t been a fan of any of our DC’s since Jim Johnson. Most of you have ridden that ride with me (hey, remember Juan Castillo?), so I don’t have to go into detail. We could still screw this up, but as of now, we’re stronger for having lost him. Today, we had some addition by subtraction.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: PLAYOFFS SUPER BOWL: CHIEFS

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/02/14
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, playoffs, Reviews, stats, Super Bowl. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

HORSESHOES and hand grenades.

EAGLES 35 – Chiefs 38

EAGLES STATS:

Categories include an EXCLUSIVE weekly Offensive Line Report (Rushing TD’s (6 points) + 3rd downs converted by handoffs (1 point) + sacks allowed (-2 points) = score); as well as Drive Killer (Int – FR – 4th down Tackles – FF – TD).

New Category Ace is for Kick return TD’s, Returners run-down, kicks blocked, etc.

Passing : (S) QB Jalen Hurts (27/38 – 71.0% – 304 – 1 – 0)

Rushing : (S) QB Jalen Hurts (15 – 70 – 4.6 – 3 – 1)

Receiving : (S) WR Devonta Smith (9 – 7 – 100 – 14.2 – 0)

Offensive Line Report/Enforcer : (3 (18) + 2:3 (2) – 2 (-4) = 16) LG Jason Kelce

Drive Killer : NA

Sack Leader : NA

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

1) No Clean Releases: All we did, was give them clean releases into their routes across the board. They were running routes unimpeded, like they were in unopposed drills. The Chiefs QB could have thrown the ball just on timing, with his eyes closed. This was an embarrassing display of non-adjustment by the coaching staff. (NOT DONE)

2) Attack their LB’s and NCB: We lived on this in the first half. It lulled the Chiefs to sleep, opening up a nice 45 yard scoring strike to WR A.J. Brown (8 – 6 – 96 – 16.0 – 1). The second half seemed to feature more runs for our QB, which led to points, but seemed to leave most of our weapons a lot less involved. We still made use of the TE and such, but it wasn’t nearly as pronounced later. (DONE)

3) Force their QB Left: We didn’t do this. Instead he mostly went to his right repeatedly, and gutted us for 3 scores, and not one turnover. We let him do what he’s good at, and we let this game become a shootout. Which is the only kind of game they can win.

Our pass rush sacked him all of ZERO times, as we rarely sent five and allowed receivers to roam where they chose.

Some may choose to blame a shitty field surface, but the Chiefs had to play on that field too. Beating us for two touchdowns on a play, run twice, based on quick change of direction. (NOT DONE)

4) Quick Throws Off of Play-action: The Eagles handed the ball off, all of 17 times, to three RB’s. No one had more than 7 carries. The Chiefs simply didn’t buy the play-action and Hurts was the QB who spent most of the day under duress. (NOT DONE)

****

So we end the season on a note of 1 out of the Four Things getting done. The score was only this close because the Chiefs defense was really, really porous.

****

On The Whole:

While everyone else wants to fawn over Hurts three rushing touchdowns, I feel it necessary to bring up how his fumble was the biggest single moment, difference in the game. Those seven points off the board, would have netted him a Lombardi. Instead, there is no guarantee that he ever sees another opportunity.

Though that moment was indeed huge, it wasn’t why we lost.

Defensive coaching is why this game was lost. Or better said, a lack of defensive coaching is what lost this game. I’m on record REPEATEDLY expressing my lack of trust in Defensive Coordinator Jonathon Gannon. I was really hoping that he was going to take a head coaching job, and leave Philly. Sadly, it looks like we’ll still have him next year.

I know some will point out 70 sacks, but I’m pretty sure most DC’s could find success with this much talent. In fact, other DC’s may have found a way to keep the turnovers coming. Given that we likely won’t be able to afford as much talent next season, Gannon may have blown our shot.

FOUR THINGS: PLAYOFFS SUPER BOWL LVII : EAGLES – CHIEFS

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/02/09
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Defense, Draft, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, playoffs, Preview, Roster, Super Bowl. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

WHEN the Eagles last took the field, we knocked two QB’s out of a game, and set a record for rushing touchdowns (39) in a season, breaking a 50 year old record of 36 (not 37 that’s a typo) set by Vince Lombardi’s 1962 Packers. Sorry Vince, Eagles got you again. 

In two playoff games, the Eagles have allowed exactly 7 points in both. Both games were blowouts (38 – 7 , and 31 – 7 respectively). This is despite QB Jalen Hurts still nursing an injured shoulder, and playing far from his best. Let me type that louder for the people in the back: WE’RE DOMINATING DESPITE PLAYING FAR FROM OUR BEST BALL.

RT Lane Johnson having his way with DE Nick “Forty-Whiner” Bosa

Now as a final hurdle, we get a Chiefs QB with a bum leg, and everyone is waiting for the kid’s next miracle finish. What’s hilarious is that no one seems to understand that he’s going to spend the night running for his life, and fucking up because of it.

Seriously, he was sacked 3 times in his last game, by a Bengals team that managed 30 sacks all season long. That Bengals pass rush was the 4th worst in the NFL! And now they get to face the Eagles?! This isn’t sheep being fed to lions. This is Apollo being fed to Drago. This game may get very sad before it’s over.

Game wrecking OLB Haason Reddick racks up yet another forced fumble

A win makes us the champs. It means the mission was completed. It means a bunch of our guys will deserve to ask for a little bit more at the bargaining table. It means that us picking 10th overall in the upcoming draft, is a vulgar display of power, and fistful of dirt and salt in the wound of EVERY team that picks after us.

A loss still says we got the formula right, but couldn’t quite ring the bell. What’s FUNNY is that since this is two #1 seeds, with identical records, a loss couldn’t be classified as a “choke”. So that bullet is already dodged. Still, let’s just go win the game. GO BIRDS!

****

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. So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week, versus the: Chiefs

1) No Clean Releases: No one is saying that OLB Kyzir White and NCB Avonte Maddox have to play tight Man Coverage, but the Chiefs are accustomed to free releases into their pass routes. This leads to their passing game running like open drills. Stop that. Get hands on them for a second or two.

Let’s get their passing game to run just a couple seconds off-schedule. That’s all we need. That gives our pass rush time to get more pressure. Also if we can get their QB routinely improvising, it minimizes the detailed planning of Head Coach Andy Reid, and their likelihood for making mistakes goes waaay up. So take away those free releases. Especially for their TE.

2) Attack their LB’s and NCB: Their second level isn’t very instinctive. In an effort not to waste steps, they tend to watch a lot of football, before firing into the play. So let’s pick on that weakness. They’re already going to be struggling with our RPO game, so we won’t need to make them do anything they aren’t already doing.

TE Dallas Goedert scoring on KC in 2021

So if their second level is going to be frozen in space, TE Dallas Goedert should romp and frolic, finding open spaces 10, 11, 12 yards down. (No need to rely on Screens and risk illegal man downfield penalties!) This will keep the pocket loose for RB Miles Sanders to run, and not tax Hurts shoulder too much.

3) Force Their QB Left: While the Chiefs QB has displayed ambidextrous ability as a passer, he’s at his best as a right-handed QB. All of his muscle memory, processes, and mechanics are for his right hand. Forcing him left, also means that he can’t step into his passes. So they won’t arrive as accurate, nor as fast, as his receivers are used to. (See how this all adds up?)

If the routes unfold slower, and he has to read more, while moving unnaturally, we’d already be keeping him from being the best version of himself. All of which is subtle. The more subtle it is, the harder it is to diagnose, so it goes on longer before it’s fixed. While they look for ways to protect his leg, let’s attack his habits instead.

4) Quick Throws Off Play-action: EAGLES FANS! Remember how when Andy was the coach here, our LB’s were employed more as clean-up guys, and almost never got to dictate the action? Well the same thing is happening to the Chiefs LB’s under Andy and DC Steve Spagnulo. That “bend but don’t break” bullshit that we all hated.

QB Jalen Hurts wins the motherfucker.

Eyes not instincts, are what their LB’s rely on, and they do so heavily. Trying not to finish behind our run game, is going to lead those guys into leaving gaping holes underneath. The only reason why they wouldn’t, is if the Chiefs are hanging back and letting us run the ball. Which would be wonderful! Hand-offs > Passes. 

****

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

Let me talk about our opponent first. In 17 games, they allowed 20 points 12 times. At no point did they hold a team to a single digit score. They’re a team that scores a lot, because they have to. This is despite playing in a poor division, vs anemic pass rushes. That team is nowhere near as good as it’s advertised, which is why they frequently require miraculous last minute plays, and stunning overtime wins (2).

Top to bottom the Eagles are the better team. In just 8 games did we allowed 20 points, with 4 games holding opponents to 8 points or fewer. Two of which were playoff opponents! Our division featured three playoff teams, and none of our wins were in overtime. Guess which team had more blowouts (wins by a 20 point margin). Go ahead. I’ll wait…

We don’t rely on smoke and mirrors. We’re physical. We’re methodical. We don’t generally beat ourselves. For our opponents to get a win, it requires lots of help from us…

And I don’t see the Chiefs getting much help from us on Sunday.

One more game, folks. GO BIRDS

****

Prediction: EAGLES 28 – Chiefs 21

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, you are 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.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME : 49ERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/01/30
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFC Championship, NFL, Offense, Players, playoffs, Reviews, stats, Super Bowl. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

TOLD you it wasn’t close.

EAGLES 31 – 49ers 7

EAGLES STATS:

Categories include an EXCLUSIVE weekly Offensive Line Report (Rushing TD’s (6 points) + 3rd downs converted by handoffs (1 point) + sacks allowed (-2 points) = score); as well as Drive Killer (Int – FR – 4th down Tackles – FF – TD).

New Category Ace is for Kick return TD’s, Returners run-down, kicks blocked, etc.

Passing :(S) QB Jalen Hurts (15/25 – 60.0% – 121 – 0 – 0)

Rushing : (B) RB Kenneth Gainwell (14 – 48 – 3.4 – 0 – 0)

Receiving : (S) WR Devonta Smith (3 – 2 – 36 – 18.0 – 0)

Offensive Line Report/Enforcer : (4 (24) + 3/6 (3) – 1 (-2) = 25) RT Lane Johnson

Drive Killer : (S) OLB Haason Reddick (0 – 1 – 0 – 1 – 0)

Sack Leader : (S) OLB Haason Reddick (3 – 2.0 – 0 – 1)

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: 49ers did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

1) Set Hard Edges: Set the edges and don’t fall for the misdirection stuff they like to do. The idea was not to shutdown the run, just make it unreliable. The idea was to make them one dimensional, and force them to pass. The result was that we held them to 71 rushing yards on 24 carries (2.9ypc). So the run game was unreliable. We also made them one dimensional. Forcing them to pass…not so much. Still, this one is easy to mark as accomplished. (DONE)

After Haason chopped, it wasn’t Purdy.

2) Pick Purdy: Once we took away the run game, we were supposed to force Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy (4/4 – 100.0% – 23 – 0 – 0) to beat us. But we knocked him out of the game pretty early, with an elbow injury that rendered him basically unable to throw. Then we knocked his back-up out of the game, forcing Purdy who was unable to throw, back into the game.

DT Ndaukong Suh knocks QB Josh Johnson out of the game

With them being unable to throw at all, all Purdy could do was hand it off, into the teeth of our predatory Defense. It was like feeding sheep to lions. I almost felt bad for them. Then I remembered them dressing the Rocky statue, and Jesus said “Fuck them dudes.” (DONE)

3) Run the Ball: We didn’t shatter any yardage records but we had an effective day on the ground (42 – 150 – 3.5 – 4 – 0) Gainwell once again led the team in yardage, but once again RB Miles Sanders (11 – 42 – 3.8 – 2 – 0) was were the load was really carried. Sanders was the early hammer, with Gainwell and Boston Scott (6 – 21 – 3.5 – 1 – 0) helping to salt the game away.

RB Miles Sanders hits paydirt. (Maybe literally.)

With drives of 13, 20,16, and 9 yards, our running gave our Defense time to catch their breath. As a result they were able to attack with reckless abandon. Much of this win has to be attributed to our ability to hold the ball for 37 minutes vs the 49ers 22. (DONE)

4) Throw It Deep: There were a few attempts over 20 yards, but the only one that went for yardage (the 29 yarder to Smith) wasn’t really a catch. Otherwise, Hurts was out of sync and very off target in this one. I suspected that the coaching staff had him on a pitch count last week. This week confirmed it.

The coaching staff was trying to protect Hurts still tender throwing shoulder. We were able to get away with it this week. (NOT DONE)

****

This week we did 3 of the Four Things, and the resulting blowout punched our ticket to Super Bowl LVII (57 for Millennials). There we’ll meet up with Head Coach Andy Reid (after a Bye) and QB Patrick Mahomes.

****

On The Whole:

All week long, people talked like this game was evenly matched. I said plainly that it wasn’t. If this game were a boxing match, they’d have thrown the towel after we bounced Mr. Irrelevant’s back-up from the game. All the talk was about how physical the game would be. How good the 49er defense was. How well that QB with respectable mobility, manages his offense.

Folks! We’d already played and won this game. Remember? Week 13, it ended 35 – 10 vs the Tennessee Titans. We played that one at home too. (And it also featured knocking a player out of the game.)

RT Lane Johnson held DE Nick Bosa to 4 tackles and nothing else.

Like the Titans, we found that the 49ers don’t take punches as well as they throw them. Once they became frustrated, they just mentally unraveled out there. They committed personal foul penalties like they were part of their game plan. As I said in Four Things, they got fat off of teams that harm themselves. We aren’t that team.

Result: 31 – 7

FOUR THINGS: NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: EAGLES – 49ERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/01/27
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFC Championship, NFL, Offense, Players, playoffs, Preview, Roster, Super Bowl. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

ABSOLUTE domination from start to finish last week. The national media spent last week hyping a hollow giants team, and we beat the numbers off their jerseys. This week’s opponent has grown fat off of teams that specialize in hurting themselves. This week they have the wrong opponent. In the wrong house. In front of the wrong crowd.

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts is going to show what it means to lead a team to victory, instead of just being along for the ride. Which is what’s happening on the 49ers sideline. I mean, could you imagine hyping a QB for playing like the best version of Daniel Jones?

The national media isn’t saying “Look at him make jaw-dropping play after play!” They’re saying “Oh look at how he doesn’t make huge mistakes!”Well, OLB Haason Reddick, DT Javon Hargrave, SS Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, CB Darius Slay, and others, are about to put that kid to the test. Context is on the way!

A win punches our ticket to Super Bowl LVII. While I cannot guarantee a win like I did last week, the odds of winning are HEAVILY in our favor. We are all but inevitable. 

A loss cannot be entirely ruled out here. The chance exists that we don’t pull this one. Having acknowledged it however, the chance is pretty damned small.

****

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. So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week, versus the: 49ers

DT Fletcher Cox, is on the hunt

1) Set Hard Edges: The 9ers are a run-based offense that uses lots of misdirection to open holes. Stay disciplined, and don’t fall for the eye-candy. With the way they like to goof around in the backfield, if we don’t fall for the smoke and mirrors, their ball carrier is liable to run smack into a defender.

Have DE’s Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat establish hard boundaries on the ends of the offensive line, to either bottle runs up inside, or force them far outside where there’s no blocking. Understand, the idea isn’t to “shutdown” their run. (They’re too good for that.) The idea is to just make it unreliable, and destabilize their offense.

2) Pick Purdy: You’ve heard the expression “Pick your poison”. Here we should pick their rookie QB. Yep! Just force them to beat us with a seventh round, rookie QB, making his eighth start, on the road, in one of sport’s most hostile environments. Oh, I promised you context.

This kid’s wins? A bad Tampa Bay with no offensive line; Seattle’s 26th ranked defense; The Commanders; The Raiders 28th ranked defense; Arizona playing their 3rd string QB; Wild Card Seattle on the road; and Dallas last week. THIS is what all the hype has been about! So if I’m picking my poison, I’m picking that Purdy lil’ QB.

3) Run The Ball: Usually I mean hand-offs when I say this, but against this opponent, I mean anybody. While RB Miles Sanders should be our hammer early, RB’s Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott should each see at least 6 carries apiece, mostly in the second half.

Also, the 9ers defense is smallish upfront. The DE playing across from 365 pound LT Jordan Mailata, is only about 245. They don’t have a LB over 230. We need to physically wear them down, and then wear them out. It also bears mentioning that all four of their losses came against mobile QB’s. (Note: They didn’t face QB Kyler Murray at all this season.)

4) Throw It Deep: Do not allow their defense to dictate our attack. Two of their three CB’s are decidedly overrated. They all do a great job of taking away the quick stuff, but downfield, the Wards can be had.

They play a lot of Cover Three, but we should be able to short circuit that, with WR Quez Watkins working deep in the Slot. Even if they’re just dummy routes to hold the FS. With enough protection that’s a one-on-one down either sideline.

****

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

There are a ton of surface indicators which make this game seem a lot more even, than it truly is. What people seem to be (deliberately) looking past, is context. As you know, I never look past context. Context is what makes facts come alive!

At times this season, when the kid has gotten into trouble, their coach has protected him by getting the ball out of his hands with either quick passes, or more running plays. If we take those away, he has to play big boy QB, which puts him right in DT Fletcher Cox’s cross-hairs.

****

Prediction: EAGLES 24 –  49ers 15

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, you are 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.

EAGLES TRADE FOR DeMARCUS LAWRENCE?

Posted by The BEAST on 2022/10/22
Posted in: Conspiracy Corner, Conversations, Crazy Talk, Defense, Front Office (F.O.), NFC East, NFL, playoffs, Rivals, Roster, Super Bowl, trade, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

ARMING for a Super Bowl run. That’s the whole point in making a mid-season trade. It’s getting that last piece, which should put your team over the hump. It’s shoring up a glaring weakness, or giving an obvious strength the Barry Bonds treatment. It’s saying “Damn the consequences. I’m all in!”

Defensive line and pass rush, are already deep and dominant areas for this Eagles team. There isn’t an NFC team that can beat us now. Adding Dallas Cowboys DE DeMarcus Lawrence to this team, would almost act as a reservation to play in the upcoming Super Bowl.

Understand, this move is highly unlikely at the moment. The current NFL playoff structure includes seven teams, three of which are Wild Cards. If the playoffs started today, Dallas would be in as the sixth seed. With playoff hopes still alive, no team is parting ways with a player like Lawrence.

That said, the November 1st trade deadline is two Cowboys games away from now, and currently there are six, 3 – 3 teams in the NFC. The math will turn suddenly and sharply for at least one of these teams. If the the 4 – 2 Cowboys split these next two weeks, they’d be 5 – 3. If they drop both, they’re 4 – 4 with a very murky franchise picture going forward.

Get this: Lawrence is 30 years old, and set to count 35M$ against the 2023 salary cap. He last had a 10 sack season in 2018. Since then, he’s put up 5.0, 6.5, 3.0, and currently sits at 3.0 through six games. This year, that’s half a sack per game. Over seventeen games that projects as just 8.5 sacks, and he’s under contract until 2025, when he’ll be 33.

Hell, with DE’s Chauncey Gholston and Sam Williams waiting in the wings, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones might welcome a chance to dump Lawrence’s contract. Especially if he can get us to cough up a second rounder and fourth rounder in 2023; or a 2023 second, and a 2024 third.

For the Eagles it would also work out well. Part of Lawrence’s production issues have to do with him never having an interior presence like DT Fletcher Cox. With OLB Hasaan Reddick on his left arm, and Cox on his right, there may not be enough players left to block him! Lawrence isn’t a long term building block, but he can be this year’s Chris Long or Michael Bennett, and really help further a playoff run.

As far as figuring out the money, The Eagles are already projected to have a loose estimate of 11M in cap space for 2023; they should have about 10M in rollover; and no one knows exactly what the cap ceiling will be. Also General Manager Howie Roseman can take a bad contract, and turn that water into wine. So if you think of the money as an impediment, DON’T.

I’m writing this on my personal laptop, with my work laptop open to my lock screen. The picture on that screen, is of the Eagles 2018 parade. Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles is holding the trophy in the air, as the bus travels (the wrong way) on 15th Street. Crazy thing is, I’m in this picture. (Don’t look for me. Even I can’t make me out in this shot, and I know exactly where I’m standing in it.)

Super Bowl MVP Nick Foles holds up the Lombardi trophy, in front of the Municipal Services Building. Kevin Bacon’s father Edmund, designed it. FYI: When this was taken, I was standing across the street from it, with no clue that I’d ever work there. I work there now. Life can be funny.

This trade would put us in a real position to see another one of these, at seasons end. Again, this move is highly unlikely at the moment. So share the shit out this article! Spread the rumor! Speak it into existence. We have two weeks to get it to the right set of ears, and maybe make it happen. Be that 12th man, and I’ll see you on in February on 15th Street.

PUTTING A FOOT IN DOUG’S ASS

Posted by The BEAST on 2022/09/27
Posted in: Conspiracy Corner, Crazy Talk, Fans, Four Things, Front Office (F.O.), Rants, Super Bowl, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

WHAT’S it like to get a foot in your ass, in a building, with a statue of you in front of it? Well, on Sunday around 5p.m. we should be able to ask former Eagles and current Jaguars Head Coach Doug Pederson. So far he has the Jacksonville Jaguars looking, and playing like a professional football team.

My prediction of course, seems like pure fan speculation. I have yet to even start assembling the Four Things article, for this upcoming game. So I can’t have a grounded sense of how this one will shake out, right? I mean, the Jags have the NFL’s second highest differential (+46) in points scored to points against. The Eagles come in third (+36) in that category.

Given the Eagles tendency to sleepwalk through the second half of football games, and Jacksonville coming alive after the half, this game has all the makings of a nail biter. Predicting a win this early, with no due diligence just seems like talking shit. Right? Perhaps.

But there’s a deeper narrative to this Eagles season.

The NFL schedule makers forcing us to put down Doug, the week after putting down QB Carson Wentz, almost seems cruel. It also portends that Week 11, QB Nick Foles may be starting in place of QB Matt Ryan, on the day that we face head coach Frank Reich’s Colts. (If it happens, don’t be shocked.) Do you see the pattern forming?

The Universe loves irony, and it has a poetic way of punishing those who ignore it. Nick should have stayed in Philly, but took a shaky contract, and had a horrific time in Jacksonville. Both on and off the field. (I often wonder if Philly’s better hospitals could have saved his unborn child.) During Week One, Carson beat Doug, who didn’t stick up for him here. Then last week, we pounded Carson who requested a trade, into the ground. Reich has gone from guru to damned near punchline in Indianapolis.

Now Doug gets to come back, and get a foot in his ass, at the foot of his statue. Everyone connected with the collapse of our Super Bowl team, has had to swallow bitter medicine as a result of their actions immediately following that demise. So clearly Doug has an ass whipping coming.

And don’t think for a moment that General Manager Howie Roseman won’t get his. The Universe doesn’t fuck around when it dishes. At the moment, EVERYTHING Howie does seems like genius. The world can’t pat him hard enough on the back. Which only sets him up for the biggest fall of them all. Gifted with opportunity by the Universe, they each spat in it’s face.

Understand, I’m not saying that the Universe is angry that the Eagles dynasty was shaken down. I highly doubt it cares about football or any sport. What I’m saying, is that a lot of negative energy went into destroying what was constantly advertised, as good men coming together. Hypocrisy. Being a turncoat. Ingratitude. These things scream at Karma in defiance of it. And that only ends one way.

With the Universe putting foot directly to ass.

TAKING THE BROWNS TO THE BOWL

Posted by The BEAST on 2022/07/07
Posted in: Conspiracy Corner, Conversations, Crazy Talk, Players, Super Bowl, trade, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

WHILE I really couldn’t care any less about the DeShaun Watson situation, I am infinitely curious about how this is going to shake out for the Cleveland Browns. With the NFL gearing up to place Watson on possibly a one year suspension, the Browns have an absolute shit-show on their hands.

(Full disclosure: I wrote this article on June 27th, but I kept balking at publishing it. If the Browns and QB Baker Mayfield had kissed and made-up (and there were stories saying that it could have happened), then this article would look pretty silly. Well now that Cleveland has been dumb enough to trade Mayfield, I can finally release this bad boy.)

Let me catch you up: Cleveland spent twenty-six years without a playoff win; get one with QB Baker Mayfield; do Mayfield dirty, by signing a pervert (Watson) to replace him; and now looks as if they’ll have to play this season without their pervert, or Mayfield. So ladies and gents, I present to you, third string QB Jacoby Brissett!

Big deal, right? All a third string QB does, is set Cleveland up for early draft picks, right? Nope. Cleveland has no first rounders until 2025. So the team has zero motivation to tank for draft position until then. It’s either win or humiliation. As for Brissett, he’s twenty-nine, and on a one year 4.6M$ deal. So an opportunity to start in 2022, is an audition for his 2023.

A closer look at him reveals a 14 – 23 record as a starter for a “less than good” Colts team. It also reveals a career mark of 36 touchdowns against 17 interceptions, with another 13 scores rushing. So he can play. The issue with him has been that his opportunities have always been with crap teams.

Before anyone forgets, the Browns have a pretty good roster. They went 8 – 9 last year, in a division that was won by the 10 – 7 Bengals. Honestly, with the Steelers now grooming a rookie QB, all it would take for the Browns to win the AFC North, would be an injury to Bengals QB Joe Burrow, and the Ravens continuing to be predictable.

Two years ago, Cleveland went to Kansas City and lost by just five points, in the Divisional round of the 2020 playoffs. This is largely still that roster. If the Browns made the playoffs this year, and suddenly got hot… Hey, weirder has happened.

My question is this: What if the Browns fuck up and succeed? What would the Browns do next year, if Brissett gets the Browns to The Show this year? What if they actually win it behind him? Where would that leave Watson? Remember, this team has no first rounder next year, so this year they have no reason not to go all in. Their QB needs this season, to possibly still have a career in a year. So a lot is at stake.

I don’t have any speculation for what the Browns might do. While the factors for a deep playoff run are all easily possible, it’s their aligning, all at the right time, that is highly unlikely. That said, a competent QB, plus a good roster, and a tight division, equals a chance.

Dear Browns fans, your team could very well stumble towards greatness in 2022. Just kidding! All it would take is a little errant luck, and your DeShaun Watson shit-show, could become a full-blown shit-nado. I hope you all brought a towel, because it’s almost time for you to…

This is going to sound weird to Browns fans, but did you know that most NFL fan bases look forward to football season? C’mon over. Let’s get you out of that abusive relationship. What’s happening to you, is not normal.