FOUR THINGS: WK 18: EAGLES – COMMANDERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2026/01/02
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Draft, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, playoffs, Rivals, Special Teams, trade. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

WINNING the NFC East last week, clinched at least one home playoff game for us. Now that we’re assured of at least the #3 seed, we are resting some starters and manufacturing a Bye Week for ourselves. This is beyond smart. 

We beat the Commanders two weeks ago, and because after a touchdown, we went for a two point conversion instead of the extra point, they implied that we were running up the score. (Over a point!) Their coach said something like ‘if that’s how they want it, we’ll see them in two weeks.’

I don’t know if that was his way of hinting at putting bounties on our guys, or what. In any case, it’s better that we don’t risk key players, against a team playing for nothing, which also doesn’t have to worry about suspensions that could derail their current season.

With a win, we would finish at 12 – 5 (the record that I predicted in August). Note: Depending on the outcome of the Bears/Lions game we could end up as the #2 seed in the Conference.

With a loss, we stand on 11 – 6, settle for the #3 seed and host at least one playoff game.

****

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.

QB Tanner McKee contributes to our 41 – 7 win over Dallas.

[pic]

1) Start Tanner McKee: The rookie contract for QB Tanner McKee is up after the 2026 season. He’s talented, he wants to play, and he knows there’s no way we’ll elevate him above Hurts. In a nutshell, he won’t be resigning with us after 2026. So, if we’re smart, we’ll trade him ASAP (before the Draft). Before an injury (or a headline) can lower his trade value.

During the last game of last year, McKee guided back-ups to victory over the giants starters. If he can match that feat again on Sunday…  For teams like the Steelers, Jets, Falcons, and Cardinals, a proven player like McKee, paired with our 2026 first rounder (we don’t need another first round contract, right now), could be worth a lot of future draft capital

Give McKee three quarters, then play QB Sam Howell for the final one. If we trade McKee prior to the Draft, having a veteran, back-up QB already in harness, would be the smartest move. In regards to searching for a back-up, Howell (who is on an expiring contract), is as good a jumping off point as any. If he plays well Sunday, ink him for two to four years, and be able to trade McKee with full confidence in our QB room. 

2) Chase the Yards: He doesn’t have to play the whole game, but let’s get WR DeVonta Smith the 44 yards that he needs to get to 1,000 yards on the season. Just a bunch of routes that let him get out of bounds, or get down quickly. No need for him to be a hero. Just get the yards, and go change into street clothes at the half. 

RB Tank Bigsby rushed for 104 yards vs the giants in this game

It would also be great to see RB Tank Bigsby get a start and another 100 yard rushing day. I would also welcome an appearance from RB A.J. Dillon. I feel like we already have a sense of what RB Will Shipley can be with the ball in his hands, and I’m extremely not impressed.

3) Get A Long Look: There are a handful of defensive back-ups, that I really would like a good look at. Players like rookie DT Ty Robinson, LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., and CB Jakorian Bennett finally getting to start a real game, here. Offensively, it’d be great to see WR Darius Cooper get five targets, as well as a couple of balls to TE Cam Latu, who has yet to see a single target in his career. 

We need a sense of how these young players measure up against full-time starters. If we have players instead of just bodies in those spots, we’re less dependent of drafting depth, overspending for free agents, or reaching on old players with baggage or lengthy injury histories.

4) Don’t Shy Away From Kicking: We need to know before the playoffs, just how hard we can lean on K Jake Elliott. He’s again had a shaky season, but if we can show some confidence in him, maybe it will help him past his yips. If it doesn’t, then the coaching staff knows they have to compensate with the play-calling, for not being able to trust his foot.

****

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

Our advancement to the two seed partially depends on the outcome of another game, which we cannot influence in any way. So, while winning this game would be nice, it can’t be our only focus. We should use this game as a tool for inflating the trade value of some of our players, and to discern the difference between quality depth and bodies.

 

****

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.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 17: Bills

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

EAGLES escape with the “W”!

EAGLES 13 – Bills 12

 

EAGLES STATS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

****

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

++++

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

****

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

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

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

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

On The Whole:

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

Rookie LB Jihaad Campbell celebrates his fumble recovery.

Quit bitching, and celebrate!

FOUR THINGS: WK 17: EAGLES – BILLS

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/12/27
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, playoffs. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

WINNERS of the NFC East for a second year in a row! The division’s first back -to-back winner, since we last did it in 2004. With the clinching of our division comes the clinching of a playoff spot, and at least one playoff home game. However, all that good stuff is for later. There are still two more regular season games on our dance card.

After victories over two losing teams (Raiders and Commanders), we could really use a sparring match against an actual heavy hitter. Lucky for us, we face the 11 – 4 Bills this week. Even better, they have a difference making QB. That makes this exactly the kind of measuring stick game, that the Eagles need right now.

For the last couple games, it looks like our Offense (especially our run game), has gotten back on track. We need to demonstrate that against a playoff team. The Bills have been known this year for their generosity vs the run. Regardless of how generous they feel on Sunday, we need to show that if we want the yards, we can take them.

With a win, the Eagles would be 11 – 5, with the conference’s number two seed still up for grabs.

With a loss, we stall out at 10 – 6, and will likely stay locked in as the 3rd seed.

****

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 Bills.

RB Saquon Barkley gets loose for another explosive run.

1) Run Off-Guard: The Bills top two DT’s are either going to either be out, or far from 100 percent. Also, after the brawl with Washington last week, it would be nice to see our Guards get more opportunity to unleash some violence, work up to the second level, and throw the Bills undersized LB’s, out of the club.

More than looking for rushing yards from this, I’m just looking for 10 or more hand-offs that hit the gap between the Guard and the Tackle. That’s the easiest path to get RB Saquon Barkley some explosive runs, so we need to be practicing it, to master it for when we call on it during the playoffs.

2) Exploit Our TE Mismatch: The Bills OLB’s haven’t made many plays vs the pass this season, and vs TE Dallas Goedert, I wouldn’t expect them to suddenly improve in that area. There’s just too much of a physical mismatch. It will be a crime if Goedert sees fewer than 6 targets in this game.

TE Dallas Goedert scoring a touchdown last week.

3) Mush the Rush: We need our DE’s to play the outside edges of the Tackles they’re facing. Their RB is no bulldozer. If we can keep the gaps narrow and trap him behind his blockers, it’ll make it hard for them to run off-Guard. For any plays that involve pitching or sweeping, those DE’s on the edge can now give chase, or spill plays wide.

Their QB has already run for 500 yard this season, usually because defenses vacate the middle of the field, and it allows him to run for drive sustaining first downs. Using LB Jihaad Campbell in a spy/shallow zone coverage, would give us the speed needed to quickly run their QB down, and take away easy passes over the middle.

4) Move Their QB’s Platform Left: Again, regarding their QB’s mobility, he can also throw on the move. Like most QB’s, he’s a righty, so the objective is to move him to his left. Take some velocity off of his throws, and alter his typical release angle, and he may just share one or two passes with us.

DE Brandon Graham sacks QB Josh Allen in 2023

****

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

While this game could help us improve our seeding, it’s real value (beyond the seeding thing), is that it practically doesn’t count at this point. That allows us to use it almost as a practice game, and lets us give quick hooks to key starters. We can also give our deep back-ups some game experience in case we need to call on them.

****

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.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 16: Commanders

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

OUR Eagles got the job done.

EAGLES 29 – Commanders 18

 

EAGLES STATS:

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

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

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

Drive Killer: CB Cooper DeJean (TD: 0/Int: 1/ FR: 0/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)

Sack Leader: DE Brandon Graham (Sacks: 1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 1)

Special Teams Ace: N/A

****

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

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

1) Exploit Age On the Perimeter: I mentioned working in a couple of Pitch/Toss runs and we did. Most notably on the 22 yard touchdown run by RB Tank Bigsby (4 – 37 – 9.2 – 1 – 0), in the fourth quarter, that salted the game away. I also mentioned working in a Jet Sweep. It wasn’t exactly a Sweep, but we did use WR DeVonta Smith (8 – 6 – 42 – 7.0 – 1) on a Shovel pass and run to the edge, that lost a yard.

As far as using the C/RG hole to run behind, I counted 7 hand-offs. One that went for double digits. In this case I wasn’t counting yards, but it was still a box hat we checked off. (DONE)

2) Exploit the Loaded Boxes: With the Eagles using fewer receiver bunch formations, the Commanders couldn’t quite pack the box, like teams have been doing for almost a year now. Our Offensive Line wasn’t looking at a man (or a man and a half) in every gap, so, Saquon started plays with time to at least reach the line.

TE Dallas Goedert hits paydirt

Commanders OLB Von Miller (1 tackle) was virtually invisible as a pass rusher in this game, and outlet passes to TE Dallas Goedert (3 – 3 – 32 – 10.6 – 1) and WR Jahan Dotson (3 – 3 – 13 – 4.3 – 0) were there for the taking, as every pass thrown to them, was completed.We took advantage of the few opportunities to exploit loaded boxes, that we were presented with.(DONE)

3) Stay Fresh Up Front: Washington came out playing No Huddle, but we still managed to get guys on and off the field okay. Until they got inside our 20 and then kept running it inside of our five yard line. They scored a touchdown on that drive.

Otherwise, we managed substitutions pretty well. Partly because, when the Commanders back-up QB (who had started this game) was knocked out of the game; they continued to try running the No Huddle with their third stringer. Which at times blew up in their faces, and then gave us opportunities to make substitutions. (DONE)

4) Force Longer Passes: We gave up a 40 yard pass that led to a later touchdown, and a pass interference in the end zone that led to another touchdown. Those were the kind of big plays that I said we risked giving up, with this strategy. However, we consistently took away options that would have let them be consistent.

CB Cooper DeJean intercepts a pass.

We took scrambling off the board, as the Commanders QB’s combined for 0 rushing yards on 2 carries. As far as passing they were 12/23 – 52.1% – 130 – 0 – 1. At no point were they allowed to be consistent, and so they eventually fell out of the game. (DONE)

++++

This week’s Four Things score was 4 of 4. This is the third week in a row like this, and one of the weeks was a loss. It feels weird, but this is what’s happening. Next week we head up north, in a measuring stick game vs the Bills. That game isn’t about winning or losing. It’s about looking at where our Offense truly is, when the other team is good at scoring.

****

Game Hero: Defensive Co-ordinator Vic Fangio – It wasn’t “just the Raiders”. This was a division rival, that knows us well. Big deal. Fangio’s defense held them to 130 yards passing, and 91 rushing. For perspective, Washington averages 191 passing yards and 137 rushing yards, per game. Both are modest numbers, and we managed to keep them from even that.

Game goat: Special Teams – This game featured a Kick Returner fumbling the opening kickoff; a Punt Returner who is no threat to bring one back; and a Kicker with the yips. Aside from the onside recovery, this unit was an outright embarrassment.

On The Whole:

I liked the physicality that I saw in this game. From Saquon’s man-sized touchdown run, to the brawl after our fourth quarter two-point conversion. It was nice to see the Eagles fired up and dominating up front.

DT Jordan Davis tackle for loss.

Speaking of which, DT Jordan Davis (6 tackles, 2 for losses) seemed to single-handedly shutdown the Commanders run game. Davis of course had plenty of help, but every time you looked up, there he was. Blocking out the sun. Looking like a king-sized mattress with the number 90 printed on it. Totally engulfing ball carriers. Kick-ass!

FOUR THINGS: WK 16: EAGLES – COMMANDERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/12/18
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, playoffs, Rivals, Super Bowl, X's and O's. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

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 Goedert should 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.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 15: Raiders

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

EAGLES plow through Raiders.

EAGLES 31 – Raiders 0

 

EAGLES STATS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

****

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

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

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

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

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

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

++++

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

****

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

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

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

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

On The Whole:

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

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

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

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

FOUR THINGS: WK 15: EAGLES – RAIDERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/12/11
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Preview. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

ON Monday night we saw a resurgence of our run game, and our Defense collected seven sacks and two turnovers. There were some (ahem) other difficulties, but those are not characteristic of who we are; so it doesn’t bear worrying about at this point. This is a game for us to build on our strengths, and on the fixes we’ve made.

Our next opponent, the Raiders, are pretty damned awful at everything, on both sides of the ball. All the problems Eagles fans are imagining that we have, the Raiders actually do have. They are already officially, mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, and their players are now auditioning for jobs in 2026.

With a win we move to 9 – 5 and stop a three game skid. Our hold on the top spot in the division would also remain at 1.5 games over the team in second place.

A loss drops us down to 8 – 6. We’d still be on top of the division for the moment.

****

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 RAIDERS.

DT Jordan Davis is tied for the lead on the Eagles with 4.5 sacks

1) Try to Pick It: Fingers crossed that OLB Jalyx Hunt or DT Jordan Davis get their mitts on our former back-up, QB Kenny Pickett. This is our old pal’s first start of the year, vs an Eagles team he grew up rooting for and threw passes for, in the last Super Bowl. Butterflies are inevitable. His proud dad Ken, will almost certainly be in attendance.

Kill Kenny. Kill ‘im dead. Set the dogs on him. Get him flustered and running. He doesn’t have a guaranteed gig beyond this year, and if he doesn’t play well, it could be years before he sees meaningful snaps again. Put the pressure on him. Crack him. Break him. Also he’s been fairly easy to knock out of games. Beat on him.

2) Win On Third Down: With a back-up QB out there, and offensive line that sucks as badly as any in the sport, the Raiders aren’t likely to go for many 4th downs. So take care of business on third downs.

3) Fewer Comeback Routes: On every interception that QB Jalen Hurts threw on Monday night, the receiver was working back to the QB, and there was a defender sitting on the route. If that doesn’t demonstrate a high level of predictability, I don’t know how else to communicate it.

These routes (Curls, Hitches, Comebacks, et al), are part of of every team’s system, so we aren’t going to eliminate them from the playbook completely. However, if we could just go ahead and call fewer of them, and never have them run side by side, that’d be great. M’kay? Yeeeeah.

4) Second Half Run Game: We have to stop abandoning the run in the second half. That’s when it’s more dangerous, because it stacks fatigue in defenders, and eats up clock. It also keeps teams from teeing off on the QB. If we can get 12 hand-offs in the second half, we should be able to end our skid.

****

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

Last game we went 4 for 4 and lost, because FIVE turnovers is too much for almost anyone to overcome. (I’m sure it’s been done in the history of the NFL, but it’s far from the norm.) That said, if we’re us, and we nail this list, we should be golden.

****

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.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 14: Chargers

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

FIVE turnovers Hurts Eagles.

EAGLES 16 – Chargers 19 OT

EAGLES STATS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

****

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

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

RB Saquon Barkley goes 52 yards for that tasty treat.

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

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

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

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

++++

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

****

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

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

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

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

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

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

FOUR THINGS: WK 14: EAGLES – CHARGERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/12/05
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

TAKING a loss to the Bears has no dishonor in it. However, the way we lost, requires redemption. Our front seven is better than being pushed around like that, and we need an opportunity to prove it.

Lo and behold the Chargers appear! They are a team that believes in running the ball and running it violently. This is perfect! This is the fight that we need, or the fight we need to learn from before the playoffs begin. Understand, Chicago did us a favor by exposing a weakness. The Chargers now get to help us fix it.

With a win we’re 9 – 4, extending our lead over the NFC East, and still in the conversation for winning the #1 Seed in the conference.

A loss drops us to 8 – 5, but still in the lead for the division, though still catchable.

****

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 Chargers.

1) Get Saquon 90 Rushing Yards: We have to get RB Saquon Barkley back on track. Not the team. Saquon. This team’s identity is as a running team. It’s time to get back to making the main thing the main thing, by doing what we do the main way.

2) Beat On Their QB: They have a QB with a broken (non-passing) hand and they’re starting him anyway. If they were concerned about how much we might hit him, they wouldn’t be doing that. A message about us, is being sent to us, and the rest of the NFL. At the end of the day, they will either be correct to have sent it, or they will have to admit it was a massive mistake.

3) Overwhelm Their Offensive Line: Every team’s offense starts with their offensive line, and the Chargers don’t have a good one. Make a point of showing that. They’re a big group, but not a particularly nimble footed one. Get them on E/T stunts, and diagonal surges.

4) Throw the Uppercut: If they load the box against our run, to keep us from jabbing the body; then we should throw the uppercut and hit them down the seams with TE Dallas Goedert and WR Jahan Dotson. That will keep their Safeties in the middle of the field and set up our Hooks, when we go deep to WR’s A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

****

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

The Eagles have hit some pretty rough sailing this season, and people are wondering if we’re about to be sunk. That has everyone looking at next week against the Raiders as our “get right” game. That said, I think beating a bottom-feeder should hardly count as getting right. We need to beat a winning team in order to say that we’re righting the ship. So going cross-country to chalk the Chargers in their home, sounds like exactly what we need.

****

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.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 13: Bears

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

EAGLES played to lose.

EAGLES 15 – Bears 24

 

EAGLES STATS:

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

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

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

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

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

Special Teams Ace: NA

****

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

++++

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

****

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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