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.
Head Coach Nick Sirianni and Offensive Co-ordinator Kevin Patullo, trying to figure out which one of them is which
OFFENSIVE Co-ordinator Kevin Patullo will be the OC at least until the season ends. When they finally fire Patullo, there will be no more games on the schedule. There was never a scenario where he would be fired during the season. Earlier this season, when it seemed like Miami head coach Mike McDaniels was about to be fired, I suggested that we hire him as an advisor.I never suggested us jumping ship to a new OC, in the middle of a season.
Because it’s just not how the Eagles do business.
Remember in 2023, when Offensive Coordinator Brian Johnson and Defensive Coordinator Sean Desai helped us rise to 10 – 0; only to then help us fall to 11 – 6, with a first round playoff exit? We were sucking long before we got the first loss, but both men stayed employed in their roles until the season concluded.
In 2022 Jonathon Gannon was “allowed to remain behind in Arizona” after the Eagles Super Bowl loss out there. In 2019 Mike Groh was also canned as OC after a playoff loss. In fact, the last Eagles coach to get the ax during the season, was head coach Chip Kelly in 2015 with one game left to play. (In case it comes up as a trivia question, Pat Shurmurtook over for that one game.)
This is how the Eagles do business.
However, fellow fan, there’s a second part to this! It has to do with the fact that, when Head Coach Nick Sirianniwas hired, he had never called plays before. He took a swipe at it, and seven weeks later the Eagles were 2 – 5 and not showing much promise. So, it was suggested that Sirianni turn playcalling over to Shane Steichen, which he did. Sirianni gave a speech about flowers and from there the Eagles went on a 7 – 3 run, and even made the Wild Card round.
Flowers can’t be nightmare fuel??! Hold my beer.
Sirianni isn’t taking over the playcalling, because he knows that he sucks at it. He’s not an X’s and O’s guy. He’s a manager. A cheerleader. A camp counselor. So there is no “takeover” coming. As for re-assigning the duty… To whom? A QB coach who doesn’t know the strengths and weaknesses of players up and down the offensive depth chart? An outsider?? No. No. That’s not how the Eagles do business.
So get comfy with Patullo, because he ain’t going nowhere. His playcalling will almost definitely short-circuit our efforts to repeat as champions, but he ain’t going nowhere. The whole thing is a little bit sad. We have an identifiable issue, but we refuse to fix it out of habit. Sooo, because of how the Eagles do business, we probably ain’t going nowhere.
YET another supposed Super Bowl favorite, falls under the treads of the mighty Eaglesmachine. Defensively, we shutdown all recognizable aspects of a Lions team that publicly said that, they had been looking forward to the game for months. We made them look unprepared. Damned near unprofessional.
Now the schedule presents to us, a Cowboys team that we’d already beaten this year, without DT Jalen Carter. Beat them before we added OLB Jaelan Phillips. Before the return of LB Nakobe Dean. Before DE Brandon Graham came out of retirement. How many defenses can claim to be stronger at mid-season, than they were on open day? It’s amazing Howie do it. Meanwhile, their star QB is nursing a hip injury.
Aww.
Winning moves us up to 9 – 2. Our grip on the NFC East would tighten, and the top seed in the conference would still lean our way. (Plus, we’d have the pleasure of sending the Cowboys into battle with the Chiefs, on just four days rest.)
A loss would hold us at 8 – 3, but still firmly in charge of division. We’d still hold the top seed if the Rams lose to Tampa Bay, on Sunday.
****
The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus:
[pic]
DE Brandon Graham sacks QB Dak Prescott in 2023
1) QB Hits Are Hip:Get their QB on the ground! Shut their passing game down at the tap. No specific number of sacks is the benchmark. However, with their QB nursing a hip injury, if we can put him on it hard and aggravate it, it may affect his delivery of the football. Consider his pain an investment in our win.
2) Feed Our Big Dawgs: With playoffs approaching, we can’t give potential opponents the confidence of thinking we’re a passive team. This game can’t be about taking what we’re given. We need to show that we can take what we need. We need a 100 yard day, or a 2 touchdown day, from one of our Big Four (Barkley, Brown, Smith, Goedert).
3) Make ‘em Run:The Cowboys have spent this season building the interior of their defensive line. It would be silly to run right at it. Instead, we should make those big guys chase our RB’s (and maybe WR Jahan Dotson on a Jet Sweep). Get those defensive linemen winded, so they don’t have as much juice to pass rush with. We brawled for rushing yards last time. Let’s finesse them this time.
4) Take Away Quick Passes: The Cowboys QB and WR1 have been together for a few years now. They have a chemistry which allows the QB to get the ball out quickly. Nothing we can do will change that. What we can do, is make any quick catches expensive, with LB’s sitting seven or eight yards deep in zone coverage.
WR Ceedee Lamb hearing the footsteps, fearing the footsteps, making his FOURTH drop in the game.
The idea is, to either force their QB to hold the ball long enough for him to meet our pass rush; or get his receivers jacked up catching quick passes. Either way, we’re adding pain to the equation.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
The Cowboys have a defense that just gave up 16 points, to a Raiders team that had already been held to 9 points or fewer, in half of their games this year. The Cowboys defense can only hang with our Offense if they’re allowed to by our coaching staff. We should be about to blow the doors off that team.
****
WARNING: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know FOOTBALL and that’s it. If you use Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
TOP team in the NFC, and we didn’t even play Week 9! The Eagles took a week off and came back deeper, healthier, and playing from the high ground.
We made a couple of low risk/high reward trades to strengthen our defense; we’re getting back OLB Nolan Smith from IR; and the cherry on top: DE Brandon Graham has come out of retirement! While no one expects him to play like he did in his prime, his leadership in the locker room is the definition of the word ‘invaluable’.
It’s a good thing we have all of this going for us, because this week we do battle on Lambeau Field. At night. With a low of 25, and 15% chance of precipitation, (read: snow). Lambeau when the mercury dips below 30, is probably the toughest place to play in American sports.
I love it! This is a champion’s challenge, and a fitting welcome back! We already head the division. Now we’re playing to keep the number one seed, and home-field advantage through out the playoffs. Now QB Jalen Hurts and RB Saquon Barkleyneed to tighten those chinstraps, as we prepare, to push on.
With a win, we move to 7 – 2 and hold our position as the top team in the NFC.
With a loss, we’d be 6 – 3, but still be at the head of 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 week. 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 Packers.
RB Saqoun Barkley with a 12 yard scoring run.
1) Over A Buck Rushing:The Packers haven’t beaten any team that has reached 96 rushing yards, this season. They also have an undersized defensive line that’s built around pass rushing. The approach here is simple. Spend the night pounding on them. Then when they’re tired and their will is broken, pound on them some more.
2) Deal Out Aerial Hurts:Getting the ball to WR A.J. Brown and WR DeVonta Smith is absolutely critical to getting this win. If we get the ball outside with the passing game, we can run inside. We have to use our WR’s down the field, in order to give Barkley room to navigate.
3) Our DT’s Must Penetrate: We need a big night from DT Jordan Davis and DT Jalen Carter.
DT’s Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter.
Carter in particular, because with their QB being right-handed, when Carter gets penetration, it’ll make it more difficult for their QB to step into his throws. On a night as cold as Monday, the ball will be as hard and slick as marble. Since their QB doesn’t really wear gloves, the more awkward we can make his releases, the better.
4) Take Away Anything Easy: Their QB is going into what he thinks is a game, without his security blanket. He’s already going to have to do more reading, so turn that up a notch. Get LB’s dropping slowly into zones, and Safeties not immediately dropping deep, but running with their assignments upon approach.
This will put more stress on our CB’s to not get beat deep, but the idea is to force the ball into their areas. Think about it, a stressed QB to throwing a slippery brick, deep downfield, without being able to step into it. They may hit on some of those passes, but the chances of a turnover are so much greater.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
This is two teams potentially vying for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. This win has to make a statement. This is not a time to prove how clever we can be. We’re the bigger team. We’re more physical, and we have the deeper roster.
LB Zach Baun with a sack
On Monday night, that all needs to be on display. Don’t get cute. Just go up, and take the other kid’s lunch money. Get under Center and run the god-damned football. Their QB doesn’t handle pressure well. So we need to set the dawgs on him. This isn’t a game. It’s a hunt. Run ‘em down, grab ‘em, drag ‘em into the shadows, and… Bon appetite.
On a side note: It would really be great if we ran the Brotherly Shove, on our first snap of the night. I’ll be at home wearing my “PUSH ON.” t-shirt. I hope you will be too.
****
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 forFour Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
EXPLOSIVE stuff last week, as WR DeVonta Smithand WRA.J. Brown combined for 304 of QBJalen Hurts 326 passing yards. The giants enter this game with the 26th ranked pass defense in the league. So if they decide to sellout against the run like last time… we should have something for that ass!
Winning pushes us to 6 – 2, and a mostly restful Bye week. (Tweaks still must be made.)
A loss, would stall us at 5 – 3 and mean we were swept by the giants. Our record would be enough to keep control of the NFC East for another week, but under these circumstances, almost no one would take us seriously.
****
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 likeRunning the ball; playing lots ofMan Press; andTackling 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 giants
1) Slant Against Their Run:Stop playing opposing run games straight up and down! The idea is to get a hat in a gap, to make their RB’s have to do extra work, just to get out of the backfield. The giants don’t exactly employ dangerous cutback runners, so we should, (especially on early downs), slant to a side to clog the lanes.
2) Don’t Abandon Saquon:In both of our losses this year, we got away from running the ball looong before we needed to. In those games RB Saquon Barkley finished with 6 carries in the 17 – 21 loss; and 12 carries in the 17 – 34 loss, (though we abandoned the run when the score was 17 – 20).
This week, if only to give our Defense long enough to catch their breath, we need to play complimentary football, and try to get Barkley in the area of 20 carries. It also helps to sell the play-action, as we just saw vs the Vikings. Nobody buys play-action from the Shotgun. Especially if we never actually hand it off.
3) Target our Wide Receivers:Last game against the giants, Hurts threw for 283 yards, and TE Dallas Goedert had 9 catches for 110 yards and a score. Goedert can run, but he’s no WR. So like last time, the giants will probably be willing to concede him. That would allow them to keep loading up the box, and short-circuiting our run.
If we’re going to create room for our run game, we’re going to have to spread their defense out. That means throwing the ball to the boundaries, and throwing the ball to real speed. We have to seriously threaten the giants this time around.
4) Complete the Sack: We get pressure on QB’s. What we don’t do, is bring them down once we have a hand on them. This results in sustained drives, and letting opponents remain competitive in games they shouldn’t. We got two sacks last time, we need at least four in this one.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
The un-retiring of DE Brandon Grahammakes me feel better about this team already. I’ve been saying for weeks now (nowhere on-line) that the Eagles need a spark-plug player, because once Graham retired, we were out of those. I have… concerns over how well he’ll hold up, but having his energy in the locker room should be great for everyone.
****
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.
OPERATION Bounceback begins, as Dallas looks to pick themselves up after they finished 2024 with a record of 7-10, 3rd in the NFC East, 20.6 pspg (21st), 27.5 papg (31st).
Injuries derailed this team last season. They managed to tread water for a while, going 3-3 until their Week Seven Bye. They came back and lost four straight games, dropping them to 3-7, behind two division rivals that were ho,t and refusing to cool off. Missing the playoffs became almost a mercy killing. Head coach Mike McCarthy was fired, and replaced with Brian Schottenheimer. Brian is the son of a personal favorite of mine, the late, great Marty Schottenheimer.
Heading into the pre-season, this is how things look today:
QB: Much is expected of Dak Prescott (185 – 286 – 64.7 – 1978 – 11 – 8) but at 31 years old, coming back from a second major lower body surgery, those expectations may now be unfair. Even before his 2024 season ended, his record was 3 – 5, including 3 straight losses. He’d also thrown 5 TD’s against 6 interceptions in his last four starts. It’s too early to declare him washed, but he no longer belongs anywhere near discussions of being elite.
Gone is back-up Cooper Rush. Enter Joe Milton. He’s huge (6’5, 246), with good mobility and an extremely live arm. In fact, his high throwing velocity is the biggest knock against him. He lacks touch, so he rockets every throw, which can make him wildly inaccurate on short passes. That being said, the lad has some tools. (+)
RB: Free agent Javonte Williams is a reclamation project from the Broncos. He’s never rushed for 1,000 yards, and hasn’t broken a 25 yard run since 2021. Former Eagle Miles Sandersstill showed the ability to be explosive in 2024, but will he see enough work in 2025, to make a contribution? Hunter Luepke (12 – 38 – 3.2 – 0) is the unofficial FB.
Deuce Vaughn (17 – 70 – 4.1 – 0 – 0) hasn’t seen much action in two years, and at 176 pounds, it’s doubtful that he ever will. Rumor has it, that Dallas wants a thunder and lightning duo, between rookies Jaydon Blue a 5th rounder, and 7th rounder Phil Mafah. Both are one dimensional players. Dallas has five question marks and no answers here yet. (-)
WR: Ceedee Lamb (101 – 1194 – 11.8 – 6) was clearly hurt by the loss of his QB last year. Another thing that hurt him was a shoulder injury that worsened as the season went on, causing the Cowboys to shut him down, with two weeks left in the season. There’s been no indication of any further difficulty with the shoulder.
George Pickens (59 – 900 – 15.3 – 3) was traded from Pittsburgh. He’ll loosen coverage on Lamb and help clear out the box. The threat of him alone, upgrades the entire offense. Jalen Tolbert (49 – 610 – 12.4 – 7) will likely see his role reduced, with the addition of Pickens, but he’s a quality third. KaVontae Turpin (31 – 420 – 13.5 – 2) insists on being a real receiver, but his true value to Dallas is returning kicks (27 – 904 – 33.5 – 1). Jonathan Mingo (5 – 46 – 9.2 – 0) will likely round out the roster. (+)
TE: Jake Ferguson (59 – 494 – 8.4 – 0) should be able to produce more on the field, since opponents are usually focused on defending other players. Despite 59 catches, he produced no scores and just 18 first downs, in 2024. Luke Schoonmaker (27 – 241 – 8.9 – 1) was a 2nd round selection in 2023, but so far, has not been able to take the top spot from Ferguson.
Brevyn Spann-Ford (9 – 88 – 9.8 – 0) is a big target, but he’s a slow, lumbering runner. He won’t run many crisp routes, and offers little after the catch. There are also a couple of Special Teamers/camp bodies here. This position is practically a liability. (-)
OT: Last year LT Tyler Guyton struggled to the point of being benched. Instead of leaving him in the doghouse, the Dallas coaching staff worked with him in the offseason and they are so far pleased with what they’ve seen in OTA’s and early training camp. Terence Steele has started the last 34 games at RT. Though he’s not the greatest, he provides stability that can be built around.
Matt Waletzko, Dakoda Shepley, are experienced Cowboys back-ups, but that’s all they will ever be, barring injury. They are joined by free agent Hakeem Adeniji, who hasn’t been a starter since 2023 when he had 4 starts with the Vikings. There are a couple of late round picks down here, but no one on this bench, will ever develop into a regular starter anywhere. (+)
Rookie Guard Tyler Booker
G: With the retirement of perennial All-Pro Zack Martin, LG Tyler Smith takes over as the leader of the Cowboys offensive line. He’s been worlds better since he was moved inside in 2023. Even before OTA’s, 1st round pick Tyler Booker, was basically anointed the starter at RG. He’s a 1st rounder, but the NFL has a steep learning curve.
Depth is interesting. Saahdiq Charles comes over from division rival Washingtion, where he played OT. Not only has he changed teams, but also positions. Robert Jones comes over from Miami, where he started every game last year at LG. Both T.J. Bass and Asim Richards were Cowboys last year. Bass with three starts and Richards with one. So if Booker doesn’t pan out, there are plenty of veteran options. (+)
C: Cooper Beebe started 16 games as a rookie last year, which is an endorsement in itself. He leapfrogged Brock Hoffman, who has been with the team since 2022. There is nothing broken with this position, so the Cowboys made no move to fix it. (+)
In A Nutshell: There’s a line, some weapons, and QB who’s familiar with his supporting cast. They have the ingredients for a top ten unit. (+)
DEFENSE
Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs address the media during Cowboys training camp activities.
DE: If you go to the Cowboys website, Micah Parsons (43 – 12.0 – 0 – 0) is listed under this position. Some will want to argue that, but with Matt Eberflus hired to be the new defensive coordinator, we can’t be certain of what changes he has planned. Parsons has requested a trade over his contract situation, but as of when I hit ‘publish’, he was still on this roster.
Dante Fowler returns from Washington, where he had 10.5 sacks last year. Fowler hasn’t started double digit games since 2020, and Parsons’ could possibly end up sitting out games. So it’s a pretty strong bet that Dallas will have to lean heavily on their depth here.
Sam Williams is a 2022 2nd rounder, is coming back from an ACL tear, which robbed him of his 2024 season. Marshawn Kneeland a 2024 2nd rounder, is seen more as a run defender than a pass rusher. Payton Turner, a 2021 1st rounder, comes over from the Saints, with no career starts, but two long I.R. stints on his resume. Right now, there are no committed starters, and no back-up has any meaningful experience. (-)
DT: Mazi Smith (41 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) started every game last year and anchored the NFL’s 29th ranked run defense in yards allowed. He’s huge, but he tires quickly, and then gets pushed around easily. Osa Odighizuwa (47 – 4.5 – 0 – 0) posted career-highs in tackles and sacks, while starting every game for the third straight year. He’s disruptive, but undersized for the inside.
Solomon Jones comes over from the Jets. He’s played End most of his career, but he’s apparently being moved inside, because the Cowboys are paper thin there. Of his career 18.5 sacks, 8.5 have come in the last two years. They also have two rookie 7th rounders in Jay Toia and Tommy Akingbesote. Like I said. Paper thin. (-)
OLB: Donovan Ezeiruaku, rookie 1st rounder, was the 12th pick overall. So getting him on the field early, may be the reason why “others”, find themselves changing positions. Honestly, with Ezeiruaku’s body type, he might still line up with his hand in the dirt, quite a bit. Marist Liufau (50 – 1.5 – 0 – 1) will likely be the second starter, but with the new DC, it’s impossible to be sure.
DeMarvion Overshown (90 – 5.0 – 1 – 1) tore his ACL, PCL and MCL late last season, and will miss part of 2025. If he were healthy, he’d start over Liufau. James Houston is a recent signing, as pass rush insurance for the Parsons situation. The other three players at this position, probably won’t even make the Practice Squad. (-)
MLB: Kenneth Murray comes over from the Titans, in a bid to salvage his career as a starter. Already labeled as a 1st round bust for the Chargers, the Titans gave him a two year deal. Then they traded him for peanuts, after just one season. He’s athletic, and a hard hitter, and decent guy… The issue is his poor instincts when diagnosing plays. Yikes!
MLB Jack Sanborn in coverage
Jack Sanborn was a Bear for three years, and has played in Eberflus’s system. So it’s not a stretch that he could win the starting gig. But if he doesn’t, he’s great depth to have. Damone Clark started every game in 2023, but was demoted in 2024, with just two starts in fourteen games. Don’t be surprised if he’s the first ‘backer off the bench, inside or outside. (+)
S: Both Donovan Wilson (82 – 4.5 – 1 – 1) and Malik Hooker (81 – 0.0 – 2 – 0) started every game last season, and they’ll return as a tandem in 2025. Even with a new system being installed this should be an area of strength, because their communication will make it easier for them to digest the changes.
Markquese Bell (6 tackles), Juanyeh Thomas (14 tackles), and Israel Mukuamu (19 – 0.0 – 2 – 0) have all been Cowboys for at least two years. So all five of these players have been in two systems with each other, and can discuss where the similarities and differences are, in the incoming system. So they should be able to teach each other and adapt to it quickly. (+)
CB: Trevon Diggs (42 – 0.0 – 2 – 0) is coming back from 2024 cartilage damage in the same knee that he tore his ACL in, back in 2023. In the last two seasons, he’s played just 13 of a possible 34 games. Questions about his durability, and how much his athleticism is impacted, are legitimate at this point.
After losing Jourdan Lewis (Jaguars), DaRon Bland (41 – 0.0 – 0 – 1) will be the new starter. Can he regain the form he had before a stress fracture in his foot, took the first half of 2024 from him? Currently engaged in what will be expensive contract talks with him, the Cowboys will soon literally be banking (gambling) on it.
Josh Butler (21 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) started three games with the Cowboys, as a 28 year old rookie last year. He’s currently on their PUP list, as he’s rehabbing a torn ACL. In the 3rd round of the 2025 Draft, the Cowboys selected Shavon Revel. He is currently rehabbing a torn ACL and will not be available during Training Camp. Or for the start of the season. Oh, and Caelen Carson (27 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) the 2024 5th rounder who had five starts last year, is out for weeks with a hyperextended knee.
I am making NONE of this up.
So, just who is healthy? Kaiir Elam a former 1st round pick that Buffalo gave up on and traded to Dallas for basically a handful of pocket lint. (Actually, it was him and a 6th round pick, in exchange for a 5th and a 7th round pick.) The remaining six bodies at this position have a total of 1 career interception between them, and a combined 3 starts since 2023. (-)
In A Nutshell: How do you not bring in ANY serious help, for the 31st ranked defense?
SPECIAL TEAMS:
K: Brandon Aubrey (40/47 (85.1%), 30/30 (100%)) hit a 65 yarder to let NFL teams know, that if his team reaches the 50, he’s gonna be a problem. (+)
P: After boasting a 51.4 yard per punt average in 2023, Bryan Anger came back down to Earth with a 48.5 yard average in 2024. That number is almost perfectly in line with the 48.4 that he posted in his first two years as a Cowboy. His net punt however was down to 41.7 yards, his lowest as a Cowboy. Not awesome, but serviceable. (+)
In A Nutshell: The legs are reliable, and aren’t losing the field position game for this team.
The Cowboys GM be like…
BOTTOM LINE: The Cowboys are going to have to use the same formula as the Bengals to win. Every game will have to be a shoot-out, because defensively this team is trash. And that’s regardless of how the Parsons situation turns out. They went 3-3 in the division last season, this year will probably be 1-5, repeating their 7-10 mark from last year. If they stay healthy.
WE’RE back on our Brotherly Shove again! In the 2024 Wild Card game, we defeated the Packers by putting up 22 points to their 10. In the 2025 offseason, we defeated their proposal to ban the Shove, by getting only 10 votes to their 22. They had more points but still lost! We Bugs Bunny’d them!
That level of fail has to hurt. There is no possible way, that it doesn’t hurt in the deepest, darkest, most ouchiest places.
Green Bay is all about holding onto the past. Frozen tundra, Vince Lombardi, the Packer Sweep, and all that crap. So you KNOW that Packer fans will hold onto both losses. Why not rub some salt in, and squeeze some lemon juice on those wounds? I swear, when we visit Lambeau in November, the first play we run, should be the Shove. Just make a point.
I woke up Wednesday, fully expecting the NFL to ban the play. I’d already made peace with it, and discussed why and how I did, in my last article. Back in April when the owners voted on it, the vote was tied 16 to 16. Instead of accepting that vote, the NFL moved the goal post on the issue, so that Green Bay could re-word the proposal, to pick up 8 more votes in May.
Well, their new rule proposal only picked up an additional 6 votes. Likely because the new language in the proposal, would have banned any pushing, of any runner. For ALL teams. For owners trying to turn the NFL into flag football, that change is just an evolutionary step. For owners who want football to stay football, that change is a seventy degree slope, coated in oil.
I’ll be interested in seeing how often Green Bay and Buffalo still runs the Tush Push, since they are “so opposed” to it. In fact, any team running the play besides the Ravens, Browns, Lions, Jaguars, Dolphins, Patriots, Saints, Jets, or Titans, is full of shit if they attempt it even once.
I didn’t name the Eagles in that group, because the Eagles don’t run the Tush Push. We run the Brotherly Shove. That is not a semantic, or just a matter of nomenclature. It’s the distance between why we’re so successful at what we do, and other teams are not as successful at what they do. We simply aren’t doing the same thing!
When talking about why we’re so good at the Shove, announcers, as well as opposing players and coaches, frequently cite how QB Jalen Hurts can squat 600 pounds. Meanwhile, often during the play, his feet aren’t even on the ground! They mention the pushing of the butt. Yet Hurts frequently makes the distance without needing that push.
Teams are making incorrect assumptions about the play, and therefore aren’t studying or approaching executing it properly. They’re trying to imitate what they think it is, instead of what it truly is. Which is why they both keep getting it wrong, AND failing to stop it. The biggest secret of the Shove, is us never pointing out what opponents are misunderstanding.
It’ll be interesting to see what new basis they’ll try to ban it on, next year; as well as how often opponents fake a short-term injury, in order to create injury data that heretofore hasn’t existed. I doubt however, that the next charge will be led by Green Bay. Because we keep proving, on or off the field, the slack-jawed Packers are simply no match for us.
CRUSHING Dallas to move into first place. Was there ever a more joyful sentence? On a short week, we get to face the team that was in first place, before we took the spot. Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio, gets to sink his teeth into a 7 – 3 Commanders offense, led by a rookie QB. Meanwhile, RB Saquon Barkley gets to square off against the 28th ranked rushing defense in the league.
Winning moves us to 8 – 2, and expands our division lead over Washington. It would also maintain our position as the number two team in the conference, currently behind Detroit (8 – 1).
If we were to lose, we’d be 7 – 3, and back in second place in the division.
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The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots ofMan Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: The Commanders
1) Run ‘Em Down:This isn’t my typical “Run the ball” request. This is a game, where we should lean heavy on the run. Even if it’s not working early. The Commanders are awful against the run. On Sunday, they gave up 140 rushing yards, as the Steelers wore them down and wore them out, with their physical, downhill style.
The Commanders have not yet had time to physically recover, and with DT Jonathan Allen on Injured Reserve, they are no match for an Eagles line which will get back LTJordan Mailata. There should be a game that sees 30 non-QB rushing attempts, with Saquon seeing more than 22.
2) Torment Single-high Coverage:The Commanders awful run defense, will frequently borrow a Safety to help load the box against our run game. When that happens, there will only be one Safety back deep to help with coverage, and he can’t help double both WR A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. One of them will have a one-on-one match-up.
When that happens, even if it’s third and one, there needs to be an audible called, and whomever the Safety doesn’t help cover, gets the football. We need to keep the box open, so that Saquon has room to operate.
3) Hit Their Quarterback: Even if we don’t get sacks, just hit him as early, and as often as possible. He’s a slender rookie, playing through a rib injury. Since sustaining that rib injury, his accuracy has declined sharply. Prior to the injury, the team was averaging 29.6 points per game. In his three games since, they haven’t seen 29 points.
QB Carson Wentz no longer plays for Washington, but in the path of DT Jordan Davis, this is what QB Jayden Daniels needs to look like
Hitting him isn’t about scaring him. It’s about scaring his coaches. To prevent them from calling certain things. That organization has been looking for a franchise QB since 1993. Now that they may have him, they’ll want to guard against RG3-ing him. If we can get his coaches to be his first obstacle, the entire game is much easier.
4) Jump A Couple of Short Passes: With the underneath coverage that we’ve been playing recently, it’s time to take it to the next step. The Commanders like to throw to their RB’s. Awesome! Those are great routes to jump. Or jumping a crossing route! Both excellent examples of routes to jump.
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
Win or lose, it sets up an awesome Week 16 re-match. It could even get flexed to prime time, given the current status of both the 3 – 7 Cowboys, and the 4 – 6 Buccaneers. For now, they are scheduled for the 8:15 slot, while our game is at 1:00. Again, for now.
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WARNING: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know FOOTBALL and that’s it. If you use Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
Drive Killer: LB Nakobe Dean (TD: 0/Int: 1/ FR: 0/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)
Sack Leader: DE Josh Sweat (Sacks:2.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 4)
Special Teams Ace: S Sydney Brown FF on punt coverage (CB Kelee Ringo FR)
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I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these Four Things articles. It’s to point out what we need to address BEFORE the game. Then AFTER the game, there’s a no-bullshit assessment of whether or not the Eagles did any of what they needed to do, to ensure the win.
So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: JAGUARS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) More Jalen Under Center: We started out doing a fair amount of this, but we got away from it too often. The first drive featured 3 plays Under Center (UC), vs 4 in Shotgun. Balanced, right? In the half’s remaining five drives, Hurts was UC exactly 6 times. That’s 9 times in the first half. We ran 11 plays UC in the second half, for a total of 20 all game long. Out of 73 offensive plays.
The worst part of all of this, is that we scored each of our 5 TD’s, from the Shotgun. Even Barkley’s 19 yard run was a delayed hand-off from the ‘gun. (NOT DONE)
2) Screen Their Ends: We flat out didn’t even try to do this. (NOT DONE)
3) Lots of Defensive Shifts: The Jags started out with a back-up LG, playing next to a newly minted starting LT. Then the LG went down and a third stringer went in. This should have been an eight sack day, but instead, we got just two. No attempt was made to confuse their blocking scheme, and our Defensive Line played from where they lined up.
Look, I get it. The Jags don’t have a good line, so there’s no need to put out tape, that better teams can use to scout us. Makes total sense. But we could have showed something. (NOT DONE)
4) Take Away the Short Pass: We did an exceptional job with this. Our LB’s didn’t just drop into weak zones, they played some Man Coverage vs RB’s and TE’s, instead of getting caught covering top shelf WR’s. There were times when we let their QB complete quick passes and other times where we tightened the screws. The alternation proved effective.
I mentioned that taking away the short windows would help us make the most of deflections, and what happened? LBZach Baun (10 – 0.0 – 1 – 0) managed to grab an interception because of exactly this. Josh Sweat also notched a great 3rd down sack. (DONE)
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This week’s Four Things score was 1 of 4. If the Jags were a better team, we probably would have lost this game. Fortunately for us, they’re a shaky team, with deep injury problems. We’re being served a second helping of that, next week! The Eagles travel down to Dallas, to take on the (0 – 3 at home) Cowboys.
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LB Nakobe Dean seals the win with an interception in the endzone, as LB Zack Baun looks on
Game Hero: LB Nakobe Dean – It’s very easy to make the case that this should have been Hurts or Barkley. However, it was Dean that stepped up, trusted his gut and made a play on the ball, to seal our victory. If that play doesn’t get made, and the receiver catches it, we’re looking at a 29 – 28 ballgame with seconds left. Dean rescued us.
Game goat: Replay Assistance – Even with using replay, the officiating crew got the fumble by Barkley wrong. That fumble recovery was subsequently returned for a touchdown by Jacksonville.
If that bogus 7 points weren’t on the board, the Eagles win 28 – 16. Had we gotten to keep that ball, and scored a field goal, that final would have been 31 – 16. And had we scored a touchdown, we’d have ended the day 35 – 16. Well, 33 – 16. We’d have gone for two and missed it.
On The Whole: I have bad news. You can’t separate the coach from his victories. Yes, Head Coach Nick Sirianni, did take extra points off the board several times. However, it was his game-planning that led to the touchdowns I n the first place. You may not like his antics, or the way he wears his heart on his sleeve. You may hate his over aggressiveness. That said, he gets his guys motivated and ready to play on Sundays.
DRAFT Day is April 25th. Well actually it’s three days 25th, 26th and 27th, but you get the idea. Over the coming month, I’m going to do a position by position breakdown, of each team in the division. Just to compare known players apples to apples, and get everyone on the same page, before we start adding rookies, which can include anything from 1st round busts, to 6th round sure-fire Hall Of Famers.
Today we breakdown (cities are in alphabetical order): The War Machine
NOTE: To make this article, players must be either a DE, DT, or NT. Being listed at OLB, LB, or Edge, puts them in another article. This is done to keep down confusion and banish semantics like “Well he’s mostly a passrusher, so….” We’ll have none of that here.
DALLAS: The Cowboys lost some firepower with DE Dorance Armstrong defecting to rival Washington. While DE DeMarcus Lawrence is still a pro’s pro, he’s no longer anyone to fear. He’s collected just 24.5 sacks…over the last five seasons. On the other side, Sam Williams has shown flashes as a passrusher, but he’s not great vs the run. Chauncey Golston plays the end and also Nickle DT, but is more of a utility player than a threat.
DT Osa Odighizuwa is too small vs the run over 17 weeks
On the inside, DT Osa Odighizuwa is a 3-4 DE being used completely wrong. He starts the year almost foaming at the mouth, but wears down. Especially vs the run. DT Mazi Smith was a first round pick last year, and was statistically blanked in eight games, playing 20 or more snaps in just six games. With Jonathan Hankins and Neville Gallimore leaving, Smith will be asked to do more. Much more. Carl Davis is a NT that may not be with the team much longer.
NEW YORK: The heart of this 3 – 4 line is DE Dexter Lawrence. Strong and enormous, he presents obvious problems vs the run. He’s listed at DE, but the giants play essentially a 5 – 2 front with 3 DT’s. The other “End” could be Rakeem Nunez-Roches, or D.J. Davidson, or any other name picked out of a hat. They added DT Jordan Phillips during the offseason. While Phillips doesn’t put up numbers, he’s huge and he’s disruptive.
The giants will continue to rotate their linemen, in and out of those three spots along the line. It’s meant to keep their opponent guessing and create mismatches, but it seems to backfire at key times. Eye discipline is different for DE’s and DT’s, but this giants coaching staff doesn’t seem to get that. They should be stout inside vs the run though.
PHILADELPHIA: Losing a player like DT Fletcher Coxwould gut most teams. However, the Eagles have massive pocket-crusher DT Jordan Davis; DT Jalen Carter, who just finished 2nd for Defensive Rookie of the Year (despite starting just 1 game); and DE/DT Milton Williams. DT Marlon Tuipulotu also provided quality play in 2023. Last year DT Moro Ojomo, would have made most active rosters, but here he got caught in a numbers game. None of these players are older than 24.
DT Jordan Davis is hard to ignore or lose sight of.
The starters at DE will likely be Josh Sweat, and DE Bryce Huffadded from the Jets. Sweat is a mid-level passrusher, who’s killer first step creates consistent pressure. Huff is coming off of a 10 sack season, where he didn’t start a single game. The Eagles are hoping more snaps translates into more production.
Coming back for his 15th and final season, is DE Brandon Graham. Odds are, he’ll be a situational player who won’t play much, unless injury dictates. There are rumors that the Eagles will switch from a 4 – 3 to a 3 – 4. If that happens, then some of the DT’s will see time at DE. If they play more of a 5 – 2, like they did in 2022, this line will be formidable.
WASHINGTON: Once again, the Commanders raided the Cowboys cupboard, taking both DE Dante Fowler (4 sacks in 2023) and DE Dorance Armstrong (7.5 sacks), to bolster their passrush. Both played in every game, but only Armstrong got to start (just 1 game). As depth, Washington is relying on DE’s Clelin Ferrell and K.J. Henry.
DT Daron Payne closes in.
It’s the interior where this group shines. In the middle of this line are DT Jonathan Allen and DT Daron Payne. To call them headaches or disruptive, is to earn a PhD in Understatement. These two are an outright problem for offensive gameplans, as they both require a double team. In short, they wreck blocking schemes, which slows down offenses.
Back-ups include DT John Ridgeway, and DT Phidarian Mathis. Neither is a real threat, so the fall-off from starter to back-ups is absolutely massive.
SO WHO’S THE BEST?
On the interior, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington are all talented, but only Philadelphia has any depth. More to the point, they have loads of it. Again, on the outside, for THIS article, we are not discussing “passrushers” who play LB/Edge, but actual listed Linemen.
Of the listed DE’s in the division, Dallas is unremarkable, but at least know what to expect of their starters. New York’s DE’s are more like DT’s. Philadelphia may be the most explosive here, IF their new addition wasn’t a one year flash as a Jet. Washington has one defined starter, and everyone is in a new scheme.
DT’s Allen and Payne are a menace. An absolute MENACE!
Philly is tops inside, Dallas is top(ish) outside. However, Philly has question marks at DE, and Dallas’s interior is practically a liability. The giants line is built to occupy blocks, not make plays. Washington has two DE’s who, (while not stars) are both proven passrushers. So we’ll give this nod to the Commanders.
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