FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: Game 4: Rams

Posted by The BEAST on 2026/10/05
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Rants, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

DEFEAT, snatched from the jaws of victory!

EAGLES 20 – Rams 24

 

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (12/27 – 44.4% – 93 – 2 – 0)

Rushing: RB Tank Bigsby (14 – 55 – 3.9 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: WR Darius Cooper (7 – 3 – 33 – 11.0 – 2)

Drive Killer: S Cooper DeJean (5 – 0.0 – 1 – 0)

Sack Leader: OLB Nolan Smith (1.0 – 0 – 2)

Special Teams Ace: PR Britain Covey (3 – 59 – 19.6 – 0 – 41)

****

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

1) Figure Out the LG: The Left Guard position was yet again a trouble spot. When the Eagles finally got something going with the run game, it was off to the right, towards rookie RT Markel Bell, who was filling-in at just about the last minute, for future Hall Of Fame RT Lane Johnson. (Lane is dealing with something personal, and I wish him well. Football can wait.)

When running behind a rookie Tackle, is a better option than running behind a veteran Guard; it’s time to bench somebody. When your QB is sacked four times and hardly ever has a pocket to step up into; it’s time to bench somebody. That somebody is C Cam Jurgens, who is an outright liability while he plays LG. (NOT DONE)

2) Sack Stafford: The Rams QB, despite being virtually a statue, was only sacked once on the day. One sack per game will not do the job. The pressure simply has no time to get home, because the ball is out of opposing QB’s hands so fast. We have got to start covering tighter, and stop giving opposing QB’s such an easy game of pitch and toss. (NOT DONE)

3) Man Or Boom: The Rams didn’t run as much traffic over the middle, as we saw last week. Instead, they spent the day throwing thirteen passes (ten were caught), to a RB repeatedly wide open in the flat. Both of our interceptions however, did come in the middle of the field, from Safeties driving on the ball. This represents a huge adjustment from last week’s passive play. (DONE)

4) Get Some Passes Slotted In: Hurts didn’t have many completions on the day, but he did wedge in a couple to slot guys, including the second touchdown that he threw to Darius Cooper. The only rub with these throws, is that they weren’t quick hitters. If we’re not going to protect Hurts with competent Guard-play, then Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion has to find ways to help the receivers uncover faster. (DONE)

++++

This week’s Four Things score was 2 of 4. Which is a great way to end up with a either a close win, or a close loss. We get to try to claw our way above .500, next Sunday in London against a 3 -1 Jaguars team. Fun fact, the only NFL team more popular in London than the Eagles, is the Jaguars.

****

Game Hero: Darius Cooper – This young man is making a serious case for more playing time. Especially as a red zone target! When WR DeVonta Smith gets back and is garnering more attention, Cooper may find more room to roam, than he did in this game. Provided he actually does get more opportunities.

Game goat: Head Coach Nick Sirianni – I don’t fault him for not kicking the field goal on 4th down. It wouldn’t have won the game anyway. The issue with Sirianni, is Mannion wants less input on his system, than Sirianni is used to giving. With Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio, being left alone to run his unit, questions about “What does Sirianni do?” are only getting louder.

For example: Who was responsible for making adjustments at the half? A coach can set a tone, but the calls come from the people actually running the systems. In these last two games (especially at Chicago), Sirianni looked so disconnected. Not that he looked like he didn’t care. He just looked like he didn’t know what his game day role was.

All the HC stuff during the week? Sure, he heads up the culture, the meetings, the practices. However, on the sidelines during games now, he almost seems like he’s in the way. He has to get a handle on that, before it starts to cost him the locker room.

On The Whole: The Eagles are philosophically built on trench warfare. Problem is, they are no longer physically built on it.

The Eagles have two starting Guards who can’t get vertical displacement, one-on-one in the run game. Fact is, no team should even have a back-up Guard, who can’t generate interior push. This may not have an in-season fix. We’ll have to wait and see what shakes out when LG Landon Dickerson gets back.

The Eagles have Defensive Ends who try to generate rush by crashing in, instead of first setting an edge. These shortcuts are opening passing lanes and escape routes for running QB’s. Jumbling the line like this, is generating more traffic for our Defensive Tackles to swim through. This can be fixed by next week.

The main reason we aren’t getting sacks is because the ball is out of opposing QB’s hands, well before the rush can get there. Our coverage isn’t tight enough and LB Jihaad Campbell (9 tackles) has coverage speed, but no coverage instincts. Buy him some cheesesteaks and rotate him at DE. In the meantime, start LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (15 tackles, 1 pass defensed).

These were the big issues this week, and so far all four weeks. This is the handful of things that have to be worked on, if we’re to get back to the franchise this team envisions itself as. All hope is not lost.

See that? At no point did I hide behind the laundry list of today’s injuries.

FOUR THINGS: GAME 4: EAGLES – RAMS

Posted by The BEAST on 2026/10/02
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, playoffs, preseason, Preview. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

OH no! We’re 2 – 1 and tied for the division lead! Quick, hit the panic button!

Or, we could take the loss like men, and just get to fixing what’s broken. Speaking of broken, the 1 – 2 Rams are limping into Philly on Sunday. You remember, they’re the team that every pundit had going undefeated on their way to the Super Bowl. Did I mention that they’re 1 – 2?

After a couple weeks on the road, this home game would be a great place for our Defense to get its first turnover of the year. Or for RB Saquon Barkley to have his first 100 yard rushing game. Hell, it’ll be nice to see TE Zach Ertz making his return home, after a five year separation.

With a win, we’d advance to 3 – 1, maintaining our current spot atop the division.

A loss would drop us to 2 – 2, and no worse than tied for second.

****

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 RAMS

C Drew Kendall and RG Willie Lampkin block for a rushing touchdown this preseason.

1) Figure Out the LG: Whether we started G Landon Dickerson or C/G Cam Jurgens, this spot has been the weakest point of the Offense, since the season began. Dickerson was trying to hide a lingering injury, and has since been moved to Injured Reserve. Jurgens however, is being outright overpowered. Seemingly on every snap.

Having C Drew Kendall help him with double-teams might help alleviate some strain, but that makes the Eagles predictable in their protection schemes. We can’t have that.

The real best answer would be to bench Jurgens.

Problem is, neither of our back-up Guards (Willie Lampkin and Micah Morris) has ever played a down in the regular season. So, either would be a gamble, and we’d essentially be putting QB Jalen Hurts up as our stake. So it’s either one of the kids, or more Jurgens. If I had a say… I’d go with Lampkin. 

2) Sack Stafford: The Rams QB is practically a statue. If we come out of this game without a sack, it’s time to bench someone. I’m looking at you DE Jalyx Hunt! We need our DT’s to win the ‘A’ gap, and our DE’s to keep contain. Fewer stunts, and more straight-up whipping their man. No excuses. Just get there.

3) Man Or Boom: The amount of loose Zone that we played against the Bears, will have the Rams setting records on us. We either need our Man Coverage to be in the receivers hip pocket at all time; or we need our players in Zone, to arrive at receivers with near homicidal intent. Running around in our Secondary with impunity MUST end this week.

LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. recovers a fumble, in a 2024 playoff game.

With LB Zack Baun out with a concussion this week, we should be about to get an extended look at LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (Fucking FINALLY!) He’s not the hitter that his old man was, but something tells me that he’d understand the assignment, if the Rams decide to risk the health of their receiving corps.

4) Get Some Passes Slotted In: We aren’t using the Slot WR enough, downfield. The Bunch Receiver formations are bad enough. As the receivers crowd closer to the Offensive Line, so do the defenders covering them. That just means nine guys in the area (more traffic), on running plays.

Because we historically never prioritize the Slot WR, at the snap whoever is assigned to him, can take an extra beat to look at our RB. Well, we can re-write that narrative with a couple of quick-hitters to the Slot. Even better, it can be presented as a blitz beater, to discourage attempts. WR Hollywood Brown is nursing an ankle injury, but this would be a great spot to get WR Makai Lemon going.

****

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

(In my George Thorogood voice) “I said look maaan, got the Browns 3 – 1. Raiders 3 – 0. Rams 1 – 2. This loss to a substitute Bear? Hmph. That don’t confront me. Long as we get this win on this Sunday.”

With WR DeVonta Smith and TE Dallas Goedert not playing this week, we’re already going to be leaning on WR Dontayvion Wicks. So we really could use either a breakout game from Lemon; or for WR Darius Cooper, to show that he’s ready for more opportunities.

WR Darius Cooper catches game winner two weeks ago against the Titans

The Rams come into this one, also missing a couple of key players. So it’s not like they have a massive health advantage over us. Just maybe, if we can get our shit together for a bit, we might be able to claw our way to a win. But it won’t be easy! Unless we do all Four Things, in which case, it should be a piece of cake.

****

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: Game 3: Bears

Posted by The BEAST on 2026/09/29
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Reviews, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

WE got whupped.

EAGLES 7 – Bears 27

 

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (16/25– 64.0% – 153 – 0 – 1)

Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (15 – 82 – 5.4 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: WR DeVonta Smith (8 – 6 – 65 – 10.8 – 0)

Drive Killer: N/A

Sack Leader: N/A

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

1) Power Via Doubles: Nearly all of Barkley’s success came from running off-Tackle, instead of inside. This is mostly because our interior linemen cannot be trusted to keep themselves between the ball carrier and the defenders. I said last week “We can bury the narrative that Philadelphia has one of the best O-Lines in the NFL”. Tonight we got the headstone dropped on our foot.

LG Cam Jurgens

While C Drew Kendall is solid, the Guard-play on either side of him, is sinking this team. Both players are liabilities! Watching LG Cam Jurgens get pushed around like a shopping cart yet again, had me wanting to see him benched. As far as RG Tyler Steen, I haven’t been a fan since we drafted him, as you can see here. (NOT DONE)

2) Get Hollywood In the Slot: Not possible, as WR Hollywood Brown was listed among the Inactives for this game. The Inactive list. Great place to keep a one year, 5M$ rental, who has speed to burn. (NOT DONE)

3) Win the ‘A’ Gaps Faster: We got our asses kicked here. The Bears essentially started a 38 year old statue at QB, but we couldn’t touch him. Largely because he was able to get the ball out quickly, to wide open receivers, all game long. We were decent against the run, allowing just 128 yards on 35 totes (3.7 ypc); but there was simply no time to mount a pass rush. (NOT DONE)

4) Sub In Some Size: While DT Ty Robinson (2 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) did get snaps in this one, he mostly rotated with DT Jordan Davis (3 – 0.0 – 0 – 0), and logged no snaps at LDE. (NOT DONE)

++++

This week’s Four Things score was 0 of 4. Which is the sort of score that will absolutely result in a blowout kind of loss. Luckily, it’s a short week. So Sunday we’re back home to host the 1 – 2 Los Angeles Rams. That is not a typo. What can I say? It’s been a weird season so far. The Raiders are 3 – 0, baby!! Yeah… Weird.

****

Game Hero: The game’s 61st minute.

Game goat: QB Andy Dalton (0/1 – 0% – 0 – 0 – 1) – Jalen Hurts had to visit the blue tent to be checked for a concussion. That gave back-up QB Dalton, the chance to babysit the team for just three downs. THREE DOWNS! Two were hand-offs and the third was his lackadaisical toss for an interception, from the three yard line.

If like me, you were in the “Why is this fuck-nugget still taking up a roster spot on my team!??” group; Dalton just threw you a little validation tonight. If like me, you wanted QB Tanner McKee (Inactive tonight) to be our back-up, get on the call-in shows and make your “I told you so!” heard loud and clear.

Dalton’s interception was just one of our three turnovers, but his was the one that felt like the arrow in the ankle. It even drove Hurts to display anger on the sideline.

On The Whole: Sometimes an early season loss has value because of the lessons that come out of it. Or because it can serve as a wake-up call to a team just going through the motions. This is not one of those losses. This was just a bad loss. Mostly because we may not have the player(s) or coaching, to fix the Offensive Line.

Hey, someone explain to me why we couldn’t cover any of their receivers. Small receivers running constant crossing routes across the middle, has a time honored solution. One guy on a stretcher would have totally changed the way that the Bears called plays. And given the out of bounds hit on Jalen Hurts, I don’t mind saying that.

Sadly enough, no adjustment was made there. Speaking of no adjustment, I’m still feeling major Patullo vibes with these poorly designed Screens, inability to run the ball inside, bunch formations, and over-reliance on the Shotgun formation. Yes, Jalen is throwing over the middle more, but seriously. We just fired a guy over this kind of offense, didn’t we? Is he back on the payroll?

Fortunately, all this was also a night where nothing was going our way. From a few ticky-tack calls, to the way the ball bounced into the Bears hands on two fumbles, there was no luck to be had for the Eagles.

I said fortunately, because every season has one or two of these. Why have a bad luck game when we’re actually playing better? Just get the bad ju-ju out of the way, during a shitty performance. Fans who aren’t superstitious will dismiss that. The rest of us, would never. (Because it’s bad luck to say Luck doesn’t matter.)

Well at least the season is properly underway now. Because it’s not really football season, until you have to talk an Eagles fan off a ledge.

FOUR THINGS: GAME 3: EAGLES – BEARS

Posted by The BEAST on 2026/09/27
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Preview, Roster, The 12. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment


LISTEN, 2 – 0 is 2 – 0, despite how fans of lesser teams want to spin it. Right now, except for us, our division is in a tailspin, and this week we’re being fed a weakened opponent. Yes, yes. It’s always better to be able to say that we beat a team at it’s best, but the fact is, at the end of the season, they just count the wins.

This game, while not a division game, is a conference game. Even better, it’s a conference game covered in a sauce called REVENGE! Last time we saw this opponent, they whipped us 15 – 24. So we owe them a punch in the mouth. And boy, do we love doling out mouth punches.

The biggest possible mouth punch, would be if we got RB Saquon Barkley and the rest of our run game, on-track in this game. To see the Offense fully activated and show the league what they have to fear. To put it all together on prime-time television, with the nation watching, and all of it just dripping in REVENGE!

Yeah. Sign me up for that.

With a win we go to 3 – 0, and are still alone atop the NFC East.

If we lose, we hold at 2 – 1, and at worst would still be tied for the lead in the division.

****

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 BEARS

RB’s Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby.

1) Power Via Doubles: Since no member of our interior Offensive Line seems to be able to generate vertical movement at the line (shoving a motherfucker backwards), we need to get RB Saquon Barkley running behind some double-teams. If he gets the chance to do that, he should end up trapped in the backfield less. (I said should.)

2) Go Hollywood In the Slot: The proper replacement this week for TE Dallas Goedert isn’t TE Zach Ertz (damn it feels good to see his name like this again!) The proper replacement is WR Marquis “Hollywood”Brown, lining up in the Slot. Hollywood’s speed demands instant and constant attention, so let’s abuse it.

As the Slot he’d be a concern. As part of a four receiver spread, he’d be poison just for being on the field. A four WR formation would demand the Bears defense go into their Dime. This would be a physically smaller alignment, that we could more easily run the ball against. Hollywood wouldn’t have to catch a ball to massively affect the game.

3) Win the ‘A’ Gaps Faster: We need DT Jordan Davis to win hs ‘A’ gap faster. We’re getting pressure up the middle and pushing QB’s out of the pocket, but a lot of it is with twists and stunts between our DT’s and DE’s. It gets pressure, but it takes longer to unfold and frequently leaves our edges open.

DT Jordan Davis.

Because DT Jalen Carter is going to see the majority of the interior double-teams, Davis has to win his one-on-ones, quickly. It’s a more straight-up style of play, but it means our DE’s can focus more on keeping contain.

4) Sub In Some Size: Even if DE Jonathan Greenard returns from injury in this one, Defensive Co-ordinator Vic Fangio, is likely going to put him on a pitch count. So this would be a great game to see DT Ty Robinson log some snaps at the LDE spot. (I mentioned some of this in THE 12.) This would be less for pass rush, and more to set a hard edge against the run.

The Bears don’t have a particularly large offensive line. In fact, at 325 pounds their RT is their biggest guy. He’s not huge by NFL standards, but I still don’t want him to spend the day leaning on 240 pound OLB Nolan Smith, vs the run. So let’s get some size and strength out there, to combat size and strength.

****

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

You can’t beat a strategist if you don’t cover small details, and Bears coach Ben Johnson is a strategist. We cant forget the RMT fundamentals that I mentioned earlier. Last week, Fangio mentioned some of our defenders missing 12 tackles, because they were going for the ball. This game is going to feature three of the NFL’s most innovative thinkers, but it will be won by the team with better fundamentals.

****

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: Game 2: Titans

Posted by The BEAST on 2026/09/21
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Reviews, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

HURTS pockets another win.

EAGLES 24 – Titans 20 

 

EAGLES STATS:  

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (26/37 – 70.0% – 264 – 2 – 2)

Rushing: RB Tank Bigsby (13 – 33 – 2.5 – 1 – 0)

Receiving: WR DeVonta Smith (13 – 10 – 117 – 11.7 – 1)

Drive Killer: N/A

Sack Leader: OLB Nolan Smith (1.0 – 0 – 3 )

Special Teams Ace: K Jake Elliott (1/1 FG 3/3XP) 58yard FG

****

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

1) Our Power vs Their Size: I think we got a little cute this week and we paid for it. Instead of just having backup LG Drew Kendall fill in for injured LG Landon Dickerson; the coaching staff decided to start Kendall at C, and move C Cam Jurgens to LG. The result was RB Saquon Barkley (4 – 9 – 2.2 – 0 – 0) being hit in the backfield and getting a stinger on the first play.

Barkley returned to the game for a few downs, but will need further evaluation. The rest of the day was spent trying to cobble together a run game, between Bigsby and RB Will Shipley (7 – 24 – 3.4 – 0 – 0). While Bigsby can be an “all gas and no brakes” runner as a back-up, in the lead role, behind this line he was mostly pedestrian. (NOT DONE)

2) Unleash DeVonta: It was time to demonstrate to the world that DeVonta Smith is indeed our WR1. Friends, the Eagles went and planted the fuck out of that flag. The goal was 100 yard receiving or two scores. Well, he had over 100 yards and a 22 yard score.

WR DeVonta Smith scores from 22

Yet his best catch of the day, was a 19 yard snag down the sideline, between two defenders, that set-up the game winning touchdown. Today, DeVonta was clutch like a handbag! Proving once again, that One plus Six equals seven. (DONE)

3) Our DE’s Must Contain Better: Our pass rush in this game, was much more disciplined than last week’s. So we didn’t have to spend the day watching their QB break contain and extend plays. In fact, he ran for just 7 yards on only 4 carries. Two of those runs were scores, but they were both from inside the five yard line. (DONE)

4) Let’s Have Sacks: As a result of improved pass rush discipline, our Defensive Line was able to post both of our sacks.

DT Jalen Carter notches a sack

OLB Nolan Smith gets a sack

Despite playing with a cast on his hand, DT Jalen Carter (1.0 – 1 – 0 – 0) was able to notch one of them. Not much more than that needs to be said. (DONE)

++++

This week’s Four Things score was 3 of 4. Normally that would indicate a larger margin of victory, but the Offensive Line was still shaky today. Next week, we visit the 1 – 1 Chicago Bears, in prime time! (I’m hoping for the all black uniforms.)

****

Game Hero: QB Jalen Hurts – He hit nine different receivers in this game, including WR Darius Cooper (3 – 2 – 26 – 13.0 – 1) for the game winning score, with justs nine seconds left in the contest. He ran sparingly (5 – 16 – 3.2 – 0 – 0), and instead carved up the Titans defense, mostly from the pocket.

WR Darius Cooper’s first NFL touchdown, is a game winner

On a day when he was playing behind a shuffled O-Line, lost Saquon on the first snap, and TE Dallas Goedert (2 – 1 – 4 – 2.0 – 0) during the game; Hurts kept a cool head, and guided the Offense past every obstacle. All at once, the Offense’s struggle were evident, but Hurts put on a clinic in how to shoulder past adversity. Proving once again, that when the going gets tough, the tough hands you a fucking loss. Eat a dick, Jeffery Simmons.

Game goat: The Coaching Staff – I’m not sure who’s idea shuffling the line was, but it was bush league. It reeked of amateur hour, and showed just how far Offensive Line Coach Chris Kuper is from Jeff Stoutland. We can bury the narrative that Philadelphia has one of the best O-Lines in the NFL. Our interior is an absolute mess right now.

On The Whole: I said in Four Things that all season long, the Offense was going to be a work in progress. For at least the first eight games, you have to expect some messiness. That said, the Eagles put up three touchdown drives of nine plays or more. Even the two drives where we turned the ball over, were eleven plays or longer. So there’s a stability looking to assert itself, once the players start to master the system.

Defensively, we didn’t generate any turnovers. Again. It’s hard to complain about that too loud, when this same Defense helped us win this game, despite losing the turnover ratio 0:2. However, if the Eagles could win a turnover battle, these final scores might not be so close, so often.

FOUR THINGS: WK 2: EAGLES – TITANS

Posted by The BEAST on 2026/09/18
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

LAST week was a fist-fight that came down to DT Moro Ojomo, denying Washington a two point conversion. That conversion would have tied the game, and likely forced overtime. Being a division game, you expect that sort of thing though.
This week’s victim, doesn’t play in our division. Our players don’t see each other twice a year, so our rosters don’t really know each other. I expect a more pure representation of how our new offensive scheme really looks, and what it should like when we’ve mastered it.

With a win, we move to 2 – 0 and would be alone atop the NFC East, unless the giants can find a way to travel to Los Angeles and beat the Rams. In which case, both they and us, would still share the top of the division, with them holding a conference tie-breaker. (But it’s way too early to start with tie-breaker talk.)

A loss would drop us to 1 – 1. Since both Washington and Dallas (who face each other Sunday) are both 0 – 1, the best one of them can do is 1 – 1, the other will own the basement. A giants win would put them alone atop the division, but a loss will still see us tied for a three-way lead. So we have to win this 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 TITANS

1) Our Power vs Their Size: Get our run game going. This should be a big week for RB Saquon Barkley, as last week the Titans, while at home, surrendered 152 rushing yards to the Jets. It might have something to do with having a smallish defensive line, as their starting four average just 276 pounds. The Eagles Offensive Line isn’t huge, but even with LG Drew Kendall starting for LG Landon Dickerson, it still averages 324 per man.

Just getting downhill and putting hats on defenders, should be enough to give our RB’s the holes they need to punch through for big gains. So don’t get cute! Get mean! Be bullies! Don’t get mad. Take pleasure in pushing these little fuckers around. Let’s put more rushing yards on them, than the Jets did.

2) Unleash DeVonta: Let’s make it emphatically clear to the world, that WR DeVonta Smith, is our WR1. Let’s get him 100 yards or two scores, in this one.

Between how dramatically we established TE Dallas Goedert last week, and the Titans trying to take away our run game, the middle of the field should often be crowded. That means we should see a good amount of isolation on the corners. When that happens, we need to capitalize on it.

3) Our DE’s Must Contain Better: All last week, the opposing QB kept getting outside the pocket to either pick-up rushing yards, or extend plays until he could find an open receiver.

Most of that was due to our DE’s running themselves out of plays, and not keeping the QB corralled. Often the only pursuit was a trailing DT, with no chance to close the distance. This week our DE’s need much better edge discipline, and they have to keep the QB from bootlegging out of the pocket, so there are multiple angles to hit him from.

4) Let’s Have Sacks: Mistakes come from trying to avoid and make up for sacks, so we have to go get some. We need plays that result in lost yardage, and take their offense off-schedule. Not a tackle just behind the line of scrimmage. A real, honest to God, “Somebody get him some milk!” kind of sack.

DT Jordan Davis running over a Carr (Derek)

To hell with all these empty hurries. If it still results in a completion, or doesn’t result in an interception, then we didn’t force their QB into a mistake. If we didn’t cause him to make a mistake and we didn’t bring him down for lost yardage, then their offense wins that down. Fuck that! We need to get their QB on the ground this week.

****

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

This Offensive system will be a work in progress until the season ends. At no point in this season, will we be able to say that it has been mastered. Our players are just getting to run it, in real game situations. Sunday was the first time they got their feet wet against a real opponent, while not being vanilla in trying not to reveal anything.

Share this with your friends. Maybe it’ll help keep their blood pressure down.

****

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 1: Commanders

Posted by The BEAST on 2026/09/14
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Reviews, Rivals, Special Teams, stats, The 12. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

TE Dallas Goedert scores on a 43 yard catch and run, His second score in the game.

WE got some work to do.

EAGLES 24 – Commanders 22  



EAGLES STATS:


Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (14/25 – 56.0% – 203 – 3 – 0) 


Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (15 – 83 – 5.5 – 0 – 0)


Receiving: TE Dallas Goedert (5 – 4 – 77 – 19.2 – 2)


Drive Killer: N/A


Sack Leader: LB Jihaad Campbell (1.0 – 0 – 9)


Special Teams Ace: P Braden Mann (7 – 361 – 51.5 – 0 – 4 – 64)


****


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) Use the Kerrigan Plan: The Eagles barely tried to work the Flats, or throw Outs to the TE. Instead, everything seemed to be “hold ball for 20 seconds and throw deep”. We escaped with the win, but we also had seven punts. Being that inconsistent, is not how to build a championship Offense. (NOT DONE)


2) Force Passes Deep: We did a really good job of keeping them in 3rd and long, and forcing QB Jayden Daniels (18/34 – 52.9% – 164 – 2 – 0) to hold the ball too long, and then just throw passes away. We hardly gave him anywhere easy to go with the ball, and as a result he spent much of the game under 50% passing. (DONE)


3) Blow Up the Middle: We spent much of the game flushing Daniels from the pocket and into bootlegs. Our DE’s however were never able to capitalize on that, mostly due to overrunning their rush and losing outside contain, over and over and over. We got outflanked a lot in this game. That has to get fixed. 


While the Commanders did run for 132 yards, it was never in a consistent or reliable sense. Aside from a handful of QB scrambles, their ground game produced just 101 yards on 27 carries (3.7 ypc), with the longest run being 11 yards. Had our Offense not allowed the game to stay so close, the Commanders would have long abandoned the run game. (DONE)


4) Exploit Loaded Boxes: Can’t say that we did this. Then again, I can’t say that they ever loaded the box. With the Eagles lining up WR’s in bunches near the ends of the Offensive Line, it naturally draws defenders closer, in order to cover the receivers.


The result is the defense isn’t spread out, and it makes it that much harder to find room to run. Did you notice how hard it was to generate rushing yards today? (NOT DONE)


++++


This week’s Four Things score was 2 of 4. Next week we travel to Tennessee to take on a Titan’s team that just got corn-holed, at home, by the Jets. The Jets! We have no business struggling against the Titans in any fashion. 


****


Game Hero: Jalen Hurts – He protected the ball, and made plays with his legs (7 – 46 – 6.5 – 0 – 0) when he was needed to. I said in THE 12: #10 that we would need this from him, and right out of the gate, I was shown to be right.


A.J. who? WR Dontayvion Wicks catches his first touchdown as an Eagle.


Game goat: The Offensive Line – Penalties and an inability to keep defenders from hitting Barkley in the backfield, handicapped our attack all afternoon. I don’t know yet if this something to blame on the players; or new Offensive Line Coach Chris Kuper; or just the growing pains of switching systems, without the starters playing a single snap in the preseason. (So then, wouldn’t I have to blame Head Coach Nick Sirianni?) Whatever. It’s Week One. Let’s be patient. 


At least for now. 


On The Whole: We didn’t win this game, so much as we survived it. We spent entirely too much time in Shotgun, when we were told that we’d operate primarily under Center now. Seeing a drawn-up WR Screen, thrown behind the line of scrimmage, was enough to elicit from me, a diatribe of colorful metaphors, questioning the genealogy of our Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion. 


At one point on Facebook, I asked if Sean Mannion was Kevin Patullo’s new legal name. I can’t speak for you, but to me, at times it was hard to see a difference between what we did today, and the shit we rolled out last year. 


But! At the end of the day we sit at 1 – 0. Tied for first place in the NFC East; with the 1-0 giants who beat a Cowboys team, that many said would win this division. So yeah… We got work to do. 

	


	

							



	

					
FOUR THINGS: WK 1: EAGLES – COMMANDERS
				

			Posted by The BEAST on 2026/09/12
					


		

						Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Rivals, The 12.			
						Tagged: , , , , , , , , , .			
							1 Comment
					


	


	

		


PHILADELPHIA begins our season with the sacrificing of a division rival. Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni, and Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio return with the goal of another Super Bowl parade, here in Philly. Joining them is rookie Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion, as he rolls out a vastly different scheme than the Birds have run in the past.


Rookie WR Makai Lemon, joins Super Bowl LIX MVP QB Jalen Hurts, 2024 Offensive Player of the Year RB Saquon Barkley, and future Hall Of Famer RT Lane Johnson, as they revive what became an anemic offense last year.


Despite the offensive woes, the Eagles repeated as NFC East winners, due to the strength of a top Defense. Spearheading that unit are DT Jordan Davis and DT Jalen Carter, LB Zack Baun, and CB Quinyon Mitchell. 


Playing the part of the sacrifice are the Washington Commanders. Already nursing some bumps and bruises along both their offensive and defensive lines, a match-up against the Eagles is the last thing the doctor would order. This game could get out of hand very quickly. 


With a win, we move to 1 – 0 and tied with the winner of the Cowboys/giants game for first place in the NFC East. 


A loss would drop us to 0 – 1 and scratching our heads. The truth is, this is a divisional game, so it will likely be hard fought. That said, we just have to go out and take care of business. 


****


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


TE Dallas Goedert hits paydirt


1) Use the Kerrigan Plan: Yet again this season, the Commanders primary pass rush comes from two OLB’s, who don’t cover. Why do they keep making this so easy, year in and year out!? Passes to the Flats, and Outs into the areas vacated by the rushers, has generally served us well against this rival. No reason to change up until they do.


I’ll be watching when we play 11-personnel, to see if they remove one of those OLB’s or a defensive lineman. I’ll be keeping an eye on that, because it would signal an evolutionary step. They have a new defensive coordinator, and I’m not very familiar with his work. So it’ll be interesting to see how fast he learns.


2) Force Passes Deep: Use a Two Deep Zone with LB’s playing Man Coverage underneath. This may result in a few big plays and penalties, but the idea is to take away quick, easy completions, and make it hard for their offense to be consistent.


3) Blow Up the Middle: We need to blow up the middle of their offensive line. The starters aren’t very talented, and they have injury issues there already. If we cave in their offensive line, it stymies their run game and gets their QB running and throwing from a moving platform. I discussed that plan, in detail, in THE 12. 


DT Jordan Davis stops a run before it starts.


Despite their QB having good mobility, we want to get him running. He comes with a lengthy injury history already. In fact, we didn’t play against him last year, because he was injured for both games. We want to get their fragile QB out where he knows danger surrounds him.


4) Exploit Loaded Boxes: The Eagles want their identity to be running the ball, and we have Saquon Barkley, one of the most dangerous, and explosive RB’s in the league. So expect to see some eight man boxes, especially early in the game.




What we need is for Jalen Hurts to identify where that eighth man is being walked up from, and audible to a play that specifically targets the area where the eighth man should have stayed or covered. This sends an immediate message to the opposing defensive coach, and should get them back into seven man fronts again. 


****


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


We’re going to be without offseason acquisition DE Jonathan Greenard for at least this week. That makes this a perfect opportunity to get DT Ty Robinson, a few reps at DE, as I mentioned in THE 12. 


As far as the Offense goes, expect some growing pains, because everyone is new to running this system. Particularly under game conditions, because Sirianni doesn’t play his starters in the preseason. So expect some missed timing, missed routes, maybe an uncharacteristic turnover. 


Again, this is a division rival, so this game could go all the way to the wire. More likely, the Eagles jump all over the Commanders, and it’s ugly from the get-go. 


****


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.



	


	

							



	

					
#12: WITH JORDAN DAVIS AS MOSES
				

			Posted by The BEAST on 2026/09/10
					


		

						Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Players, The 12, X's and O's.			
						Tagged: , , , , .			
							Leave a comment
					


	


	

		


IF teams are going to commit to double teaming DT Jalen Carter #98 (usually with a G and their C) then DT Jordan Davis #90 should spend a lot of time in one-on-one. More to the point, when the C leans into his right ‘A gap’ to help on Carter, he will naturally widen that ‘A gap’ to his left.




Davis needs to fill that extra space. To rush in, right into opposing QB faces, to force them out of the pocket. After a few downs of that, opposing coaches will have a choice to make. Do they keep doubling Carter, and allow Davis to keep parting their o-line like the Red Sea? Or do they try to double both DT’s, and make life easier for our DE’s?


Honestly, it won’t matter. Once they start juggling those thoughts, we’ve already won.

	


	

							



	

					
#11: TEST ROBINSON AT DE
				

			Posted by The BEAST on 2026/09/10
					


		

						Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, preseason, The 12.			
						Tagged: , , , .			
							Leave a comment
					


	


	

		


DURING this preseason 288 pound DT Ty Robinson was able to dominate the interior (mostly) by using his strength, combined with his above average movement skills. To keep it 100 though, that was mostly against second string players. Facing starters, he may find that at 288, his strength is nothing special on the inside.


So here’s how we maximize him. Most OT’s these days are used to facing 250, 255, and 260 pound DE’s, reliant on speed and quickness to get to the QB. Used on the edge however, Robinson has the power and movement skill to set a hard edge vs the run, and fight his way through when passrushing. Think of him bigger, stronger Brandon Graham.


To be able to rotate Robinson with DE’s Jalyx Hunt and Jonathan Greenard, would give us years of security on the ends.