FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WILDCARD : 49ers

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

DISAPPOINTED, but not surprised.

EAGLES 19 – 49ers 23

 

EAGLES STATS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

****

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

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

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

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

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

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

++++

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

****

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

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

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

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

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

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

FOUR THINGS: WILDCARD: EAGLES – 49ers

Posted by The BEAST on 2026/01/08
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, playoffs. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

HEAD Coach Nick Sirianni, wisely manufactured a Bye week for our starters last week. Sadly, our back-ups fell just a little short of securing the #2 seed. Guess we’ll just have to settle for the #3 seed, and host at least one playoff game at home. This week’s opponent, the 49ers, chased seeding and played their starters last week. They not only lost the game, they got two of their starting LB’s injured, where they may miss this game.

So Nick was right.

With a 1,000 yard rusher in RB Saquon Barkley; two 1,000 yard receivers in WR A.J. Brown and WR DeVonta Smith; and TE Dallas Goedert who caught 11 touchdown passes this season, the Eagles can put all kinds of different stress on defenses. Our opponent, really has the one guy, in RB Christian McCaffrey.

Can Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio, scheme up a way to minimize McCaffery’s impact on the game? Can LB Zack Baun, CB Cooper DeJean, and our man-eating Defensive Line execute that scheme? The smart money is on ‘YES!’.

With a win, we move onto the Divisional round. There, we’ll most likely travel to Chicago, to face the Bears. (Unless something really weird happens.)

With a loss, our season ends, but our players at least wouldn’t have to get on a plane, to come home and clean out their lockers.

****

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 Forty-Niners.

1) Run At Their DE’s: The 49ers are small, don’t have much depth, and are banged up, up front. Making matters worse, are their injuries at LB. Particularly at MLB, where their current starter was at home, unemployed three weeks ago. Shouldn’t take much for us to cause confusion and miscommunication in their second level.

What’s more, their pass rush has been anemic. Catching their DE’s playing the pass on 2nd and 8, or 3rd and 4, would be a nice way to gash big holes for Barkley. As a team, we need to put up 150 rushing yards. This should be like beating a fish in a race, because it doesn’t have legs and can’t breathe air. Their disadvantages are our advantages. Use them!

2) Get Their QB’s Feet Moving: He already doesn’t have a rocket launcher for an arm. So forcing deeper throws, while getting him to throw off-platform, could turn this game into a blowout in our favor. No need to blitz him, just rush him with a plan, and don’t let him get his feet set!

3) Unleash A.J. Brown: That man should see at least 8 targets, and at least two of them should be Go routes. The 49ers have nothing remotely in the form of an answer for Brown. So, we should take full advantage and put on a vulgar display of power. This week’s game should leave our next opponent shaken to their core.

4) Muddy Coverage Underneath: Corners in Man Coverage, Safeties slight delays on dropbacks, Linebackers in shallow zones. The idea is to keep the passing windows tight, and delay quick releases by the QB. Causing the QB to hold the ball longer activates our pass rush, and works hand-in-glove with making their QB move his feet.

****

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

The 49ers let it slip last week, that the Eagles were not the opponent they wanted to face in the playoffs. Goes to show, they may talk a lot of shit, but they know exactly what the fuck is up. Every indication says that this game is essentially feeding rabbits to lions, and the San Francisco rabbits, KNOW IT.

This is provided that the Eagles can successfully muzzle our Offensive Coordinator. If we could somehow, get him into a large wooden crate marked “Fragile”, we could ship him somewhere, and the team would be safe! Alas, we may be stuck with him making actual decisions.

****

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 18: Commanders

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

MISSED opportunities.

EAGLES 17 – Commanders 24

 

EAGLES STATS:

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

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

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

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

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

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

****

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

++++

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

****

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

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

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

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

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

FOUR THINGS: 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: , , , , , , , , , . 1 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.