IF teams are going to commit to double teaming DT Jalen Carter #98 (usually with a G and their C) then DTJordan Davis #90 should spend a lot of time in one-on-one. More to the point, when the C leans into his right ‘A gap’ to help on Carter, he will naturally widen that ‘A gap’ to his left.
Davis needs to fill that extra space. To rush in, right into opposing QB faces, to force them out of the pocket. After a few downs of that, opposing coaches will have a choice to make. Do they keep doubling Carter, and allow Davis to keep parting their o-line like the Red Sea? Or do they try to double both DT’s, and make life easier for our DE’s?
Honestly, it won’t matter. Once they start juggling those thoughts, we’ve already won.
TOTAL domination! It was a blowout/shutout, where we allowed just 75 yards all game long, while scoring 31 points. We adjusted to the weather, and instead of throwing it a ton, we ran for 183 yards, controlling the clock for 39 minutes. We responded well to what was happening around us, and stayed in control of what we could control. For example, not playing down to the opponent.
This week’s opponent, the 4 – 10 Commanders, didn’t build enough foundation in the off-season. Now injury, age, and a lack of depth, have them already eliminated from playoff contention. Usually teams like that want to play spoiler. However, with nine other teams with records of 4 – 10 or worse, the Commanders coaching staff may tank to keep or improve their top ten spot in the upcoming Draft.
A win moves us to 10 – 5, clinching both the 2025 NFC East title and a playoff berth.
A loss holds us to 9 – 6. While we would still be in the lead to win the division, we would make things much more complicated for ourselves.
****
The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the COMMANDERS.
RB Saquon Barkley rips off a 60 yard TD run.
1) Exploit Age On the Perimeter:Between the Commanders starting DE’s and OLB’s, the respective ages are 33, 30, 29 and 36. Let’s get a couple of toss/pitch runs to RB Saquon Barkley, and maybe a Jet Sweep to WR Jahan Dotson. Let’s challenge any steps those defenders may have lost to age, as well as stress their joints with change of direction.
That’s not to say that we shouldn’t test the middle. We need to. Especially between C Cam Jurgens and RG Tyler Steen. We haven’t had much success running there this season. If opponents see us avoid trying to, it makes us easier to scheme against. There are no yardage goals here, but let’s get for at least four runs in that hole, to assess later.
2) Exploit the Loaded Box: The leading pass rusher for the Commanders is OLB Von Miller with 7 sacks. They like to play him over the RT. He has no real coverage responsibilities and doesn’t make plays in that phase of the game. Quick completions outside to TE Dallas Goedertshould be easy.
In the event that the Commanders rock and roll their Safeties, that should put their one player in Single-high coverage and leave their RCB in one-on-one. If we see that early, we need to test that early. Otherwise, lean on the run, throw to Goedert when he’s open, and let the clock keep ticking.
3) Stay Fresh Up Front: You may not know it, but the #4 rushing attack in the league belongs to the Commanders. They don’t have one scary player, instead it’s a group effort. Mobile QB, fresh RB’s cycling in and out. (None of whom are great receivers.)
We need to counter that with staying fresh up front. Keep a close eye and when they sub, we sub. Their RB’s aren’t more talented than our defenders. So it makes no sense to allow them clutch plays, just because we got tired. Rotate our stock out there.
4) Force Longer Passes:If we play Cover Two and take away most of the quick underneath stuff, early in the game, it will also aid us in limiting yards off of QB scrambles. This places a lot of emphasis on making tackles at the catch point.
OLB Zack Baun punches the ball out for a turnover.
It also invites the possibility of the Commanders hitting on big plays, in front of their home crowd. So it comes with a little risk. That said, QB Marcus Mariota isn’t exactly known for accuracy, and even if their LT plays, his oblique injury will keep him from being anywhere close to 100%.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
Players play for pride, and many Commanders players are at this point, auditioning for jobs next year. So winning matters to them. Commanders coaches on the other hand, may be itching to move as far up as possible in next years Draft, to start being able to build around QB Jayden Daniels.
While I don’t expect the Commanders to just roll over for us, we may not get their best effort, top to bottom. I don’t care. I just want to clinch this playoff berth. We’d do them a favor by winning, and they’d do us a favor by losing. So, let’s go pick up this “W”, and start officially working on our bid to get RT Lane Johnson and DE Brandon Graham, their third Super Bowl wins.
****
WARNING: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know FOOTBALL and that’s it. If you use Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
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.
CONGRATULATIONS giants and Broncos! For two straight weeks, teams not only beat us, but they celebrated like they had won a trip to the Super Bowl itself. Smoke machines in their locker room. Ripping off shirts in front of reporters. Taking a victory rides down Broad Street… Jeez! Talk about living rent-free in someone’s head.
The fact is, teams hold the Eagles in extremely high esteem. Heck, even this week’s opponent, the Vikings, find themselves rallying behind an old ex of ours. You know. The one without the statue. Yeah, when he thinks of what could have been, I wonder if it ever… Hurts.
A win and we’re 5 – 2, solidly atop the NFC East.
A loss, means we stumble to 4 – 3, leaving Washington in a position to take over first place in the division. (Eagles fans: This week we’re rooting for Dallas over D.C.)
****
The point ofFour Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Vikings.
[pic]
1) Get Barkley 18 Carries: Getting RB Saquon Barkley at least 18 hand-offs in this game, should be the Eagles most important mission for the week. In some regards, it’s even more important than the win itself. Listen. Without actual hand-offs, we can’t sell play-action or set up QB Jalen Hurts for productive keepers on RPO’s.
Also, with us going three and out so much, our Defense is on the field too much. They’re getting tired earlier and earlier in games, as the season wears on. We need to take back time of possession, so that the Defense isn’t too worn down come playoffs. Giving Barkley 18 carriers has long term benefits for the stability of the Offense.
2) Lead the Receivers:We’re seeing a lot of turn and stop routes for Eagles WR’s. It’s allowing for quick tackles, and for defenders to contest many of these passes. Let’s keep them at a disadvantage and throw the ball to our receivers on the move.
Doesn’t need to be a deep throw either. (For example: Play-action to draw the LB’s up, and then hit WR A.J. Brown on a 7 yard Crosser.) Put the ball in front of them so they doesn’t have to stop or gear down. It would also help make illegal contact or pass interference very easy to identify.
Admit it. You want to see another moment like this one.
3) Pinch the ‘A’ Gaps: In recent weeks, our DT’s have spent too much time playing G’s straight up. As a result, we’re getting no penetration and blown off the line of scrimmage vs the run. This needs to stop.Deliberately knife into at least one of the gaps on every play. Ruin every run concept that isn’t a 23 Dive. Ruin the timing. Ruin the landmarks established in practice. Ruin the trust.
4) Contest TE’s Releases: The Vikings go to their TE a lot. Don’t give him clean releases off the line. Muddy the underneath coverage and force the Vikings QB into bis third and fourth reads. Give our pass rush time to get home.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
Give LB Jihaad Campbell some reps at LDE. As I said in my Draft Report, it seems like this was the Eagles plan the entire season. We’ve spent the last two weeks watching QB’s outrace our DE’s. They won’t be able to pull that off vs Campbell.
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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.
LAST week’s win over Tampa Bay, gave us our third consecutive win over a team that won their division last year. We hit some rough chop in the second half, but we have a very talented, very battle tested roster. We’re led by celebrated battlers on both sides of the ball like, RT Lane Johnson and DT Jalen Carter. The Broncos can’t make that claim.
A win improves us to 5 – 0. We would enjoy another week as the only undefeated team in the conference, remaining firmly atop the NFC East.
A loss, would leave us standing at 4 – 1. Still atop the division, but now tied at the head of the conference with the 49ers.
****
The point ofFour Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Broncos.
Look at all the room in that box! SPREAD. OUT!
1) Run Fewer Bunch Formations: We’re less effective when we do that, because it makes it easy for opponents to crowd running lanes, give us different blitz looks, and muddy any underneath passing lanes, while they drop into coverage. So how about we stop doing our opponents any favors.
Let’s get our WR’s split from the ends of line, to pull defenders laterally, and create spacing for RB Saquon Barkley to run. We’re going against a VERY smart coach this week. It’s important that we understand where our natural advantages are, and exploit those beyond his ability to scheme solutions.
2) Limit Their Run Game:Under 120 rushing yards they are 0-2. Over 120 they are 2-0. Make their QB carry the offense, since it’s highly unlikely that he can. The Broncos offense is a decent stew, meaning that their ingredients (the players) combine to make a final product that is richer and more complex, than any of the ingredients alone.
That being said, they are a decent stew, not a great one. They have no special ingredients. The Broncos don’t have any truly scary players, that you have to worry about taking over a game. So stymie their run enough to make their attack unreliable. Get their young QB trying to forcing things. Then capitalize on his mistakes.
3) Don’t Overthink It: The Broncos defensive linemen are prioritized for quickness, so their line is on the smallish side. They use a 3-4 front, dressed up as a 4-3 or a 5-2. It looks a little like this:
This is what we should look like spread out, to force those lineBackers into coverage, and out of blitzes. The 49 back there is former Eagle Alex Singleton. (Everyone wave hi!) Let’s get him chasing Saquon all day. If they want to go with a small line, let’s spread it thin and run over it!
In any case, their front five averages about 274 pounds, (291 across the middle three.) Our front five averages 329, (middle three 318). Our Offensive Line features multiple All-Pro players, and their defensive line does not. We have the size and talent advantage up front. So spread them out, and run the ball down their throats.
4) Box Them In: Set the edges and walk the middle of the pocket back to the QB. If their very average o-linemen are busy fighting our talented Defensive Linemen, then they shouldn’t be able to leak out and affect LB’s Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell, making them free to roam, hit, tip passes and catch tipped passes.
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
The Broncos are coached by Sean Payton, who is not just clever, he’s downright sneaky. He’s wringing more out of his team than he probably should be at this point.
Having given him more than fair praise, the fact is, coaches don’t score points, players do. The Broncos players just aren’t on the same level as the Eagles, and we should make that crystal clear. We need to come out and just bully this opponent. Make it a physical beat-down, and change Sean Payton’s mind about the Brotherly Shove.
Speaking of the BruvShove, the Broncos have just one defensive line player on their entire roster, who is 320 pounds. Hoo boy!
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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.
Look at how offsides he is. THAT my dear reader, is called FEAR.
BROTHERLY Shove, forever! I’m a huge fan of the play, but I’m an even bigger fan of the fact that, opposing teams can rarely stop us when we run it. So when I first heard that the NFL was seriously taking a vote to ban the play, I was understandably…upset.
Once again it was a professional sports league, targeting Philadelphia for innovating and perfecting something. Like when the NBA outlawed Allen Iverson’s Crossover dribble , then later outlawed his Spin Cross dribble (sometimes called the El Nino).
This push to ban the Shove, felt unfair and I was very pissed over it. Until recently. Now the more I think about it, the more I find myself, sort of looking forward to the Brotherly Shove being banned. This is because I’m a student of the game. I see its history everywhere, and I can’t wait to see the fallout from this.
Consider Air Coryell. One aspect of that offensive system, was to put receivers into motion, to read if a defense was playing Man or Zone. It was hard to stop when that first came out, but teams caught on, and now you see it as part of every offensive system, on nearly every play.
Consider the original West Coast Offense. Joe Montana and the Forty-Niners virtually owned the 1980’s with that system. Then other teams began to copy it and mutate it. Now almost every team either runs a version of the WCO, or their own system is heavily impacted with basic tenets of the WCO.
(sigh)
Buddy Ryan and Bud Carson invented the 46 Defense, which made legends of Eagles and Bears defenders, from the mid 1980’s through early 1990’s, Then teams caught up to it, and no one runs the 46 any more.
The history of the NFL is innovation, domination, transformation, repeat. Innovation, domination, transformation, repeat.
Except here, no one is figuring out the Brotherly Shove. Teams are just dropping to the floor, going fetal, and screaming “No Mas!” They ran to mommy Goodell, hid behind her skirt, and cried for her to stop the big, bad Eagles. And she said “Roger that.”
If the Shove is banned, it will mean that at least a two-thirds majority of the league’s owners, realized we can’t be stopped on the field, so they ambushed us, off of it. Unlike Air Coryell and the WCO, and the 46, our innovation will go down as having never been solved. With a ban, our ownership of all those teams, will be written indelibly into NFL history itself.
So yeah. I’m kinda looking forward to that silver lining.
LAST week we clinched a playoff spot. It wasn’t our best showing, but we didn’t panic, or point fingers. We just stayed at it, got the “W”, and then set-up to get this next one. This week’s opponent doesn’t have any glaring or obvious weaknesses. That means our stars like QBJalen Hurts, RB Saquon Barkley, WRA.J. Brown; as well as DT Jalen Carter, LB Zack Baun, and CB Darius “Big Play” Slay, are going to have to keep the troops focused and in the moment.
A win gets us to 12 – 2. Couple that with a Washington loss to New Orleans, and we would clinch the division. However, if Washington also wins, then we have to hold the confetti.
A loss would hold us to 11 – 3. It would also add significance to the upcoming row of division games for us.
****
The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Steelers
1) Run Behind Becton: The Steelers list themselves as a 3-4, but often present as a 4-3 with OLB T.J. Watt playing as a DE. Doesn’t matter what it is, or what it looks like. We need to beat on it. If they want to line-up a 250 pound LB directly across from our 320 pound RT Lane Johnson, we should run the ball that way.
What does that have to do with RG Mekhi Becton? If we run tosses and pitches behind Johnson, Watt gets to use speed to go around Johnson. However, if the runs go behind Becton, Watt has to put himself in Johnson’s cross-hairs to help make a tackle. Let Lane spend the day beating on a man 70 pounds smaller, to reduce his impact on the game.
2) More Big Fella: We’ve been running Jalen Carter into the ground. Against Washington, he played 100% of the 66 snaps. Since then it’s been 54 (84%), 71 (99%), and 64 (90%) vs Carolina. Most of this is vs double teams. If we want him to have anything left for the playoffs, we need to start subbing him out more.
On the flip-side, DT Jordan Davis hasn’t played 40% of snaps in any game, since our loss to Tampa. If he were 34 years old, I’d get it. But he’s a 24 year old, first round pick, in his third year. He can’t be productive on the bench, playing just 3 in every 10 snaps.
DT Jordan Davis runs over a Carr (QB Derek in N.O.)
What does any of that have to do with the Steelers specifically? They’re a physical, running team. Especially in a week where their number one WR will either be out with an injury, or not quite his actual self. Davis’s 6’6 frame and long arms, will also create vision issues for the Steelers 5’10” QB. Use this!
3) Set the Edges: We’ve been pretty bad at this lately, and have allowed 108 rushing yards to QB’s in the last two games. We have too much speed on the outside for this to be happening. The problem is that, our DE’s aren’t setting the edges. They are instead crashing down, and then being easily blocked out of the plays.
Playing the run on the way to the QB. That’s an old piece of NFL wisdom, and this is where we really miss DE Brandon Graham. Our younger Edge guys don’t do this. Instead, they strictly hunt QB’s, overrun the play, give up contain, and allow QB’s to improvise and rescue plays. This needs to stop.
4) Punish Their Single-high Coverage:Single-high means one S in deep middle coverage splitting the field into left and right halves. The other S will be playing close to, or in the box. What that means is, at least one WR will be in true one-on-one, vs this coverage. If that deep S declares that he’s leaning left or right, the read is to go deep the opposite way.
We can’t of course do this every time they come out in Single-high, but we can go to ths well more than just once or twice. And we should.
WR A.J. Brown had THREE touchdown catches in this 2022 game
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
I expect a better more focused Eagles team than we saw last week. While I don’t think the players were looking past the Panthers, I firmly believe that they didn’t really get “up” for them either. This is different. This is bragging rights, vs a playoff caliber opponent, while defending home turf.
This is also an opportunity to change the narrative from media click-bait, to serious discussions about this team’s role in this year’s playoffs. Last time we faced the Steelers, the Eagles needed to make statement to the world. Two years later and here we are again.
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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.
PHYSICALITY. After last week’s domination of the Ravens, that’s the word that keeps popping up, in relation to the Eagles. Whether it’s our unstoppable Brotherly Shove, or our unblockable DT Jalen Carter; everyone now expects the Eagles to just beat up opponents. And they aren’t wrong about that.
This week we host a Panthers team that, despite still being awful, has been improving of late. The thing is, they aren’t a very physical or mentally clever ball club. That however, is no reason to “play down” to them. Now is the time of year when we should be sharpening our skill at putting opponents away, as early as possible.
With a win, we rise to 11 – 2, tightening our grip on the NFC East crown.
With a loss, we stall at 10 – 3, and still lead the NFC East.
****
The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Panthers
RB Saquon Barkley makes a 25 yard house-call.
1) Get the TE Involved:Last week the Offense was stagnant, punting on each of our first four drives. Then a quick pass to TE Dallas Goedert out in the Flat, turned into a 17 yard TD. While the points we nice, that pass forced the Ravens to stretch their defense laterally, thinning out the middle and making it easier for RB Saquon Barkley to do his thing. That pass helped to stabilize the Offense.
This week, Goedert is out with a knee issue. Practice Squad TE C.J. Ozumah has been moved to the active roster, but what we really need is, for TE Grant Calcaterra to step up and produce something like 5 catches for 40 yards on Sunday. The earlier he’s involved, the better.
2) Show Blitzes Off Carter:Opposing teams have decided to frequently double-team Jalen Carter. While he’s been good at physically beating those doubles; our coaching hasn’t done a good job of scheming him free; or of making the decision to double him, a costly one. There’s an easy way to rectify that.
Walking a blitzer up between Carter and the DE, immediately means either:
A) the G has to block the blitzer, and the C must go one-on-one with Carter; OR
B) the double on Carter stays, but the T has to pick up the blitzer, letting the DE go unblocked.
C) No change in the blocking scheme, would mean the blitzer runs free, unless the RB can to pick him up. Which is a real problem if the play is a run. So let’s show blitzes off of Carter’s outside hip.
3) Take Away Quick Passes:We need to show a lot of blitz, but rarely bring one. The real focus should be clouding and crowding the receivers early in their routes.
LB Zack Baun helps himself to a fresh turnover.
Since his return from being benched, the Panther’s young QB has made getting the ball out of his hand quickly, a major priority. We want to either force him to hold the ball longer, or to quickly force the ball into dangerous places. Mentally, we want him to feel like he’s regressing.
The guy they have at C is just a guy. He didn’t have a true position even in college, was a 6th round pick, and is only starting because the real starter was lost for the year. This will be just the 11th start of his six year career, in a position he’s still learning. With a young QB! Versus our D-Line!! The idea here isn’t to batter them. It’s to confuse. Demoralize. Bring out those feelings of Impostor Syndrome, and let the errors compound from there.
4) Take YES For An Answer: We are the number one rushing offense in the NFL. We are going against the dead worst rushing defense in the NFL. So I’m not even going to say it, because it shouldn’t need saying. What I will say is, If we get up big, let the young guys eat. Give the pups their chance at the prey.
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
The mission here, is to NOT play with our food, and have another game like the Jaguars (W 28 – 23). This is where we should start signaling that we can take care of business. We want to break this team’s will to compete, and have them take themselves out of the game. This week there are only two objectives,1) Win, and 2) Don’t struggle to do it.
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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 forFour Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
WE feasted on Bengal last week, in a 37 – 17 win. Acquired a taste for big cat, we did! So this week we’re staying home, and having some Jaguar delivered. Lugging the grub to our hub this week, is no other than Doug Pederson. The Jags will be staring down the barrel of QB Jalen Hurts, as he heads the NFL’s #10 scoring unit.
Yep. We’re top ten, despite only playing 7 games. Oh, did I mention that the Jags are 29th in scoring defense? I didn’t? Well the Jags are 29th in scoring defense. While many of us still have love, for the man who coached our first Super Bowl win; our Eagles are going to beat his team’s sorry 2 – 6 ass, tomorrow.
A win moves us to 6 – 2 for definite. However, with a Washington loss to the giants, it would also move us into first place in the division.
A loss holds us at 5 – 3, but we’d still maintain second place in the division with two head to head games vs Washington later this season. Actually, regardless of whatever happens this week, we maintain at least second place, since it’s now November-
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The point ofFour Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Jaguars.
1) More Jalen Under Center: The Eagles have recently been using an increasing amount of plays from under Center, especially in each of the last three weeks. I’ve been begging for this wrinkle since Hurts became the starter. It’s been hard to reliably sell play-action from a QB in Shotgun. Particularly when he runs as much as his RB’s do.
However, we now have RB Saquon Barkley, who is super-effective and comfortable in the Singleback formation (shown here)
See the three guys in the bubble? They have to determine/guess whether it’s a real hand-off or a fake. Then they have to chase the appropriate man, and hope that they aren’t wrong. The result 37 – 17 Eagles.
This formation naturally places Hurts under Center. With Hurts under C, he has to turn his back during the fake, so the play-action is automatically much easier to sell! Especially now that our RB carries more than the QB.
2) Screen Their Ends: The Jags DE’s don’t offer much more than outside pass rush. What that means is, they rely on an explosive first step, up the field, to get the edge on OT’s. That’s great when it works, but when it doesn’t… Well, only the Panthers (33.8) and the Cowboys (28.2), give up more points per game than the Jags (28.0).
Their own scheme creates holes for mobile QB’s to leak through, and opens up the Screen game. So let’s hit the Easy button, and throw Screens from under Center.
3) Lots of Defensive Shifts: Neither of the Jaguars starting G’s practiced this week. So regardless of who plays or starts this week, we should dictate the action, and work to confuse their blocking scheme. Adding to the bounty, is a LT about to make his second start. This should be a 4 or 5 sack day.
4)Take Away the Short Pass: The Jags QB likes to get rid of the ball quickly. Take that away from him. If our LB’s aren’t playing Man Coverage, then their drop into Underneath Zone should be delayed. That way we take away short windows, and can make the most of any deflections.
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
The thing we have to worry about the most, is the Jags 2 – 6 record. For some reason we like to “play down” to bad opponents. The only thing that usually stops the Eagles, are our coaches wanting to be a little too cute, when the moment calls for an outright murder. No playing with our food this week. Just kill it, and eat it.
I also want to mention the other new wrinkle in our Offense. The use of back-up LB Ben VanSumeren as a FB in the I-formation, absolutely has my enthusiastic support. . Usually, (in the I-formation) the RB and the FB are directly behind the QB, in a straight line. VanSumeren however, has been lining up not in a straight line, but “offset”.
Not a prediction but, wouldn’t it be nice to see VanSumeren get a carry or catch a pass? Maybe make him into a genuine two-way player, since he’s a back-up and FB’s aren’t really part of the NFL landscape anymore.
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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.
LAST week, the Eagles flew to the opposite side of the country, and soundly defeated a credible opponent. That effort earned us a 5 – 0 record, and a two game lead in the NFC East. This week, we stay in our backyard, going just a two hour bus ride up I-95; to take on what is essentially half of a football team, in the Jets.
While the Jets have a talented defensive unit, their offense is led by an underwhelming QB, and leaky offensive line. Against the Eagles Defense, those two weaknesses are essentially a death sentence for an offense. Especially if OLB Haason Reddick has truly shaken off the rust.
A win pushes us to 6 – 0 and tightens our grip on the division. In fact, regardless of what our rivals do, an Eagles win will cement our place at the top of the NFC East, for at least another two weeks.
A loss, would drop us to 5 – 1, but we’d still be at the top of 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. So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Jets.
DT Jordan Davis
1) Kill Their Run Game: This season when the Jets don’t rush for 100 yards, they’re a 10 point team. When they do hit the century mark, they average 24.3. That’s still four points fewer than we average, but there’s no sense in playing with our food. Their QB is made out of trash, so we should thrust the game onto his narrow shoulders, and then beat on him until he questions his life choices.
2) No Quick Throws: Their QB is trash. So don’t do anything to help him out. Take away the quick and easy, underneath throws. Make him struggle right out of the gate. Then, we throw a drowning man an anchor, by tempting him to go deep.
Make him read deep, and hold the ball too long, behind his shitty offensive line. If he’s looking deep, he won’t see the first few hits coming. When the mistrust sets in, the mistakes should come out. This week, I’d like to see our Secondary eat, and this is just the chump for FS Reed Blankenship and CB Darius Slay to get fat off of.
3) Run the Ball Downhill: The Jets favor a 3-3-5 defensive alignment. Their d-linemen are of a good size, but their LB’s are smallish. What this means is, even when they have a loaded box, it can be out-muscled and worn down.
RT Jordan Mialata celebrates RB D’Andre Swifts TD run
Don’t make this game about being too clever. Some misdirection would be great. However, this should mostly be about getting RB D’Andre Swift behind RTJordan Mialata and RGLandon Dickerson, and just letting our guys outright maul any Jet dumb enough to suit up for this game.
4) Motion Slot to Brown: There is an excellent chance that the Jets are going to try to cover WR A.J. Brown, with CB Sauce Gardner. Our Slot WR should start out away from Brown, and then run over to his side to either drag his man over there, or expose zone coverage. But that’s the Football 098 stuff.
The real reason for the shift, is to give QB Jalen Hurts a quicker read. An uncovered Slot should be getting the ball. Period. A Slot in man coverage (by the NCB), puts CB’s one-on-one with both Brown, and WR Devonta Smith. So two outside CB’s and the NCB are spoken for. Leaving two Safeties, either in Single-high or Cover Two.
In Single-high, a S will come down to cover TE Dallas Goedert. In a Cover Two, Goedert will be left to a LB. Versus Single-high that’s five in coverage and six in the box. Versus Cover Two, that’s six in coverage and five in the box. In either case, we’d have five linemen, plus Hurts and Swift. So it’s either seven on six, or seven on five.
Remember how I mentioned quick reads for Hurts? So now, Hurts can read either run or pass. Or Hurts can also read Single-high man coverage, and throw where the deep S isn’t. Or read Cover Two zone, and throw quickly to the uncovered receiver. He can read all of this quickly, and from just motioning the Slot over to Brown.
Regardless of whatever play we’ve called.
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being
said…
The Jets are not in our proverbial weight class. That’s not to insult them. It’s just being honest. They had to fight off Denver last week. Fucking Denver! It was 31 to 21. Versus Denver! They have no business even being competitive in this game. We would have to play down to them, in order for that to be a thing.
This of course, is how trap games get created. By overlooking the validity of an opponent. By not taking into account, that on any given Sunday, that any team can beat any- It was fucking Denver!
We cannot lose to this team! They signed QB Trevor Siemian as a possible solution to their quarterbacking woes. Trevor Siemian wasn’t even good when he was good. He’s a career 13 -17 starter. He hasn’t started and won a game since 2017, when he was 5 – 5. This is how bad it is in New York right now! For Jets fans, Aaron Rodgers’ ankle is up there with 9/11. Four downs, one attempt, one sack and the season was OVER!
We cannot lose to this team.
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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 Thingsas 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.
