Special Teams Ace: CB Josh Jobe (2 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) stopped the Chiefs PR for no gain at the 9 yard line.
****
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: Chiefs did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Run the Ball:While the run game was effective when used, Swift didn’t see 16 carries. The Eagles fell behind 7 – 17 at the half, and also went three and out on the opening possession of the third quarter. So needing to play catch-up, before time became a factor, the Eagles leaned on the passing game more.
While both Swift and Hurts had 12 carries, one man had 76 rushing yards and the other had 29. Though Hurts had a couple nice runs, he looks anything but dangerous, when he runs. He looks much slower, and not at shifty now. Also I noticed that he was back to wearing a protective brace on that left knee. I’m a huge fan of that. (NOT DONE)
Somewhere out there, Dez Bryant is furious.
2) More Man Press: The were a few half-hearted stabs at it, but nobody was serious about it. In the second half, we lined up in press, but the physicality at the line never materialized. Hey here’s a question for our DB’s: If you know that you’re already lined up 5 yards off the WR, whyyyyyyy are you putting your hands on that WR, at all, during the down?! (NOT DONE)
3) Make It A Travis D: TE Travis Kelce (9 – 7 – 44 – 6.2 – 1) spent the night being harassed, and bracketed. He even had a fumble forced out of his arm. We took him away as an option, not allowing their vaunted QB/TE duo operate with impunity. That forced their QB to test his other receivers. The result were a number of dropped passes.
I’d said that to beat the Chiefs easily, we need their QB’s completion percentage at 63% or lower. So we (and his teammates), held him to 55.8%. We didn’t let him get into a rhythm, and made him spend the night scrambling, and tap dancing whilst reading. (DONE)
WR Devonta Smith hauls in 41 yard catch, but was downed at the 1 yard line.
4) Get the Slim Reaper Involved:Devonta was involved to the tune of leading both teams in receiving yardage. People may want to make the story about the Chiefs drops, but the real story isn’t about the plays that didn’t get made. No story is about what didn’t happen. Every story is about what did happen. So what matters, is that Devonta did show up and show out. (DONE)
++++
So this week we got2 of the Four Things done. Next week, we welcome an emotionally fragile Buffalo Bills team, into the Linc.
****
Game Hero: S Kevin Byard – Not only did his interception in the end zone murder a potential scoring drive; his work on TE Kelce impacted and impeded the Chiefs passing game, all night long.
SS Kevin Byard committing scoricide.
The touchdown that he allowed to Kelce, was partly the result of a pick/rub play, but more the result of how our defensive system is run. Neither Byard nor a LB was assigned to impede the TE’s release off the line. If that happens, the TE can’t reach depth for the pick/rub, and doesn’t get open quickly, which would have made the QB look elsewhere.
Game goat: OC Brian Johnson – There were at least three Bubble Screens called in this game from the shadow of our own goal post. One of which was swatted back, but could have been intercepted for a score (if Chiefs players knew how to catch). Also, calling any designed runs for a franchise QB in a knee brace, was stupid.
Coming off the field after the game, RT Lane Johnson lamented the points that were left on the field, and I don’t blame him. This week it wasn’t about stalling in the red zone. This week we gave up five sacks in one half of a game, and weren’t reaching the red zone. That can’t become a trend.
On The Whole:
Anyone taking that win lightly, doesn’t understand the sport. Oh, and with our 9th win, we are now guaranteed a winning 2023 season. But there’s more to do.
Before we get into how the Eagles “have yet to play our best game”, let it be said that the Chiefs have been kind of struggling this year as well. Then last night we met up and weren’t our best selves, together. Which was great. I believe that struggling against a quality opponent builds character, and last night we faced down the best coach in the game, and his QB who is all but assured a bust in Canton.
You want Rookie of the Year level hustle? I give you DT Jalen Carter. Look at him. Diving through legs, in an attempt to intercept a spike.
The Defensive players.They kept the game manageable when the Offense continued to sputter and shit the bed. Our defenders hustled, even when saddled with a four man rush that stopped reaching after the first sack. There were also no players on containment against the run, resulting in us being gashed repeatedly on the edges.
We didn’t start to affect their QB until after we went with a few five man rushes, but then we went back to a four man approach. Unlike the Chiefs DC John Spagnuolo, who was conjuring blitzes from everywhere. Makes me wonder what a guy like that could do with the talent on this roster.
WE’RE rested and ready! Just ask QB Jalen Hurts. The Eagles enjoyed a much needed Bye week, after showing the Cowboys just how second their place truly is. Week after week we’ve been outclassing opponents. We’ve either been a boxer with an alarming amount of power, or a brawler with disturbingly efficient footwork. Either way, we’ve been too good for pretty much anyone we didn’t play down to.
Enter Kansas City. They beat us in last season’s Super Bowl. Their Head Coach, Andy Reid, since defecting to K.C. is 10 – 3 coming out of a Bye. Including 2 – 1 when facing an opponent also coming out of a Bye. My point is, this is not a team that we’re going to “play down to”. Hey Andy, you might want to put a chinstrap on your hat.
Winning will move us to 9 – 1 and guarantee us a winning 2023 season. It will also maintain our two game lead in the NFC East, and our one game lead as the NFC’s top seed.
A loss, that would stall us at 8 – 2. It would also shrink our lead in the division to one 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. So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Chiefs
1) Run the Ball: Weather’s turning colder, so it’s time to re-ignite our run game. We haven’t piled up 150 rushing yards in a game, since Week Five. Prior to the Cowboys game, we had a streak of three games where we didn’t reach 100. It’s time to reassert ourselves. (I’ll be keeping a close eye on LT Jordan Mailatain this one.)
Getting RB D’Andre Swift16 or more carries, against a smallish defensive line, has to be part of the plan this week. The Chiefs are built almost solely to rush the passer. Hitting them in the mouth repeatedly, not only exposes that design flaw, but tires them out. Little, tired guys are the last thing a defense needs late in games.
2) More Man Press: I told myself that I wouldn’t list this again this season, because it’s clear that Defensive Coordinator Sean Desai doesn’t favor it. However, there is no other way to beat the Chiefs. If their QB gets to go “1-2-3 pass” and gets up around 70% pass accuracy, we’re dead. Over. Finito. Murdered.
To easily beat the Chiefs, we want their QB at 63% or lower. We need him to come off of his first option, and have to actually read our Defense. As long as he’s playing in rhythm, he’s a ball delivery system. We need to take that from him, and make him play QB. At that point our pass rush factors in. Our defender’s instincts factor in.
Otherwise we’ll have to win a shootout.
3) Make It A Travis D:Our Defense needs to focus on making life difficult for TE Travis Kelce. No free releases off the line! Before a S picks him up in coverage, our LB’s need to try to redirect Kelce. Just enough to throw off the timing of a play.
4) Get the Slim Reaper Involved: Spreading the ball around makes it easier on any offense, and we are no different. So we should make a point of getting WRDevonta Smith involved early. We’re at our best when he gets some deep shots going his way. We tend to bog down when we overfeed him short passes.
It would also loosen up coverage on whomever is filling in at TE this week. They aren’t used to playing as a target in this Offense, and Hurts isn’t used to trusting them. So giving both the QB and the TE room to operate, would help ease their learning curves somewhat.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
Usually I craft these to focus on a couple of our opponents weaknesses. This week is all about the Eagles and refocusing, reconnecting to the identity that made us, US. We need to reassert (there’s that word again) what makes us strong, and build on the foundation that has made this an elite NFL team. The focus needs to be on US winning, not on them losing.
The reality for the Chiefs, is that they’ve spent a lot of this season struggling to overcome an offensive talent deficit. Specifically, a lack of explosiveness. If this game turns into a shootout, the Chiefs simply don’t have the tools to keep up, but that doesn’t mean we should help them try to.
We have yet to play our best game, and in some cases have managed to overcome opponents through the sheer amount of talent on our roster. In many cases we just overpower, overwhelm and overtake opponents. While that’s amazing, it won’t see us through the playoffs. It’s time to play our best games. Starting with this one.
And now for the elephant in the room: This is not a revenge game. If any part of you is hoping for some small measure of vengeance, even if we win 100 – 0, there will be no “avenging” our Super Bowl loss to them. We lost. Both teams played a hell of a game, on the same questionable field, and no one should feel slighted by the result.
Now, let go kick in their front door, and burn down their home.
****
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.
SEASON Reviews are usually done at the end of the season. A few are also done at the halfway mark. Starting in 2017, Eaglemaniacal.com began treating the season like a game, and breaking it into four quarters.
In 2021, the NFL expanded the season to 17 games, which makes for an uneven split. So this year (at least), these Quarterly Reports will come after Weeks 5, 9, 13, and 17. (Ugh. I hate even looking at that format.)
Since football is a hard sport, we’ll take a hard look at where our team currently stands, in relation to where it started. Then we can discuss where it needs to go next.
STATUS: 8 – 1, 1st place in the NFC East, 1st place in the NFC, best record in the NFL.
Darius really slays ’em
OPPONENTS:
L – New York Jets
W – Miami
W – Washington*
W – Dallas*
OVERVIEW:
We’re 8 – 1, with a 2 game lead and the head-to-head tie-breaker over 5 – 3 Dallas. After we swept 4 – 5 Washington, they immediately hung up their season, and traded away their two starting DE’s. Our Defense held Miami’s 37 point per game offense, to a single scoring drive, on national television, as we donned our Kelly Green uniforms for the first time in over twenty years. Amid a four turnover game, we earned a loss vs an oddly scrappy Jets team.
What’s crazy is that the Eagles have struggled with turnovers and penalties, but keep finding ways to claw back and claim wins. This team has yet to play the sort of game befitting an 8 – 1 record. The mantra this year has been: “Just you wait ‘til we put it all together!” The thing is, we’re 9 games into a 17 game season. Real talk? This is starting to look like who we are.
GRADES:
QB:Jalen Hurts (97/137 – 70.8% – 1,085 – 9 – 2) has stepped up his game in every regard as a passer. Much of that has to do with the reported bone bruise in his left knee, limiting his effectiveness as a runner (33 – 110 – 3.3 – 3). He still runs, but he’s clearly not as dangerous right now. Still, 50% of Hurts as a runner, is still more of a problem than half the QB’s in the league right now. His per carry average is also deceptively low, as it includes both kneel downs and Brotherly Shoves. (Grade: A)
RB:D’Andre Swift (59 – 180 – 3.0 – 1 – 3) was abysmal as a rusher last quarter. Don’t hand me the “injuries to the O-line” excuse. We were down ONE guy! Added to that, his receiving (18 – 15 – 91 – 6.0 – 1) isn’t lighting the world on fire, either. He’s helping to get the ball out of his QB;s hand and move the sticks, but it’s not the sort of performance that ends in a long term deal. Neither are his three fumbles this quarter.
Kenny Gainwell remains underwhelming whether rushing (15 – 47 – 3.1 – 2 – 1), or receiving (8 – 7 – 35 – 5.0 – 0); but the coaching staff seems to love him. Head Coach Nick Sirianniraves about him. Remember when this team was all about competition? Sirianni was paying rock-paper-scissors, and shooting hoops… You wonder how much competition Swift feels with Gainwell behind him. My guess is, he seems to feel pretty safe. Boston Scottand Rashaad Pennyeach logged just 2 carries during the quarter. (Grade: F)
Goedert finds paydirt.
TE:Dallas Goedert (24 – 17 – 205 – 12.0 – 1) was the only player at this position to touch the ball last quarter. His production had been consistent with 205 yards per quarter. However, the broken arm that he suffered vs Dallas, will shelve him for at least four games. His receiving will be missed, but where his absence will most be felt, is in the run game. Both in terms of blocking, and ability to draw defenders out of the box. Jack Stoll (no stats) is a very good blocker. Not developing depth here was stupid of us. (Grade: C)
WR:A.J. Brown (41 – 32 – 464 – 14.5 – 4) has been an outright menace. Despite frequent double coverage, he’s operated as volume receiver, while still catching 78% of the passes thrown to him. Oh, and he set an all-time NFL record, with six consecutive games of 125 or more receiving yards. Not Jerry. Not Megatron. Not T.O., Fitz, or even Julio. Just A.J. Alone.
I said before, that Devonta Smith (26 – 19 – 243 – 12.7 – 2) needs to be involved more. Instead, he saw a drop-off in targets, despite a 73.0% catch rate. Speaking of usage drop, start checking milk cartons for Olamide Zaccheaus (7 – 3 – 18 – 6.0 – 0). Quez Watkinshas been out with injury since Week Five. Julio Jones (3 – 2 – 11 – 5.5 – 1) may see more time next quarter, due to injury at TE. The ball needs to be spread around more, but there are loads of production coming from here. (Grade: A)
OT:Lane Johnson is the premier RT in the sport. Due to an injury beside him, he’s had to help compensate, and yet the Eagles are still 8 – 1, while averaging 27.7 points, last quarter. On the other hand, LT Jordan Mailata hasn’t been quite as smooth recently. He drew a false start against Washington, and allowed a sack vs Dallas. Nothing to cry about, but to this point Mailata has spoiled us. So it’s easy to notice when he’s not perfect. (Grade: B)
That blue line is where their defense lined up. So much for that shit!
OG: LG Landon Dickerson has shown improvement since last report, by drawing zero flags. He’s also a huge reason why the Brotherly Shove works as well as it does, as the left side of the line is far more dominant at generating a new line of scrimmage. At RG Sua Opeta filled in while Cam Jurgens was on I.R. Opeta is a gamer, but his lack of physicality is likely what led to him being benched for rookie Tyler Steen. With Steen’s first start being against Dallas, he acquitted himself well, recovering a fumble that could have changed the flow of the game. We still weren’t able to run the football the way we like, and that is an area for concern. (Grade: B)
C: Finalist for People magazine’s 2023 World’s Sexiest Man award, Jason Kelce has been burning so hot, that it’s starting to concern me, about how much he’ll have left in January/February. Nice worry to have, right? (Grade: A)
DE:Josh Sweat(9 – 4.0 – 0 – 0) has indeed stepped up his game as a pass rusher, with 4 sacks in four games to go with 5 tackles for losses (TFL). Now if he can start to get the ball out of opposing QB’s hands, that would be faaaaantastic. Brandon Graham (4 – 2.0 – 0 – 0) made a cameo in the Dallas game, getting to the QB on two consecutive downs. It was a moment of absolute fucking cool. Very much on the order of David Bowie’s cameo in Zoolander.
How Brandon Graham showed up vs Dallas.
Derek Barnett (1 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) played 27 snaps over three games, and was inactive vs Dallas. He’s healthy and has had no penalties, but the window to trade him has passed, so I have no clue what the plan for him is. This position is one player deep, and then staffed with part-timers. That allows us to surprise teams, but not to know what we can count on from down to down. (Grade: C)
DT:Fletcher Cox (7 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) is still a very disruptive force inside, but more and more, he’s gimping to the sideline during games. (Playing him as an End would mitigate some the abuse that he takes fighting through traffic.) Jordan Davis (7 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) isn’t making as many plays on the other side of the line of scrimmage. In fact, neither man has a TFL last quarter.
Jalen Carter (4 – 0.5 – 0 – 0) missed the Jets game (back pain), and therefore is undefeated as a pro. Milton Williams (8 – 0.5 – 0 – 0) has decreased in effectiveness with each game last quarter. This position was money for the Defense in the first quarter, but has taken a nose-dive since. Get it together! (Grade: D)
Once again… HAASON, CHOP!
OLB:Haason Reddick(14 – 4.5 – 0 – 0) also has 5 TFL last quarter, as if to underscore what a nightmare he is for opposing offensive lines. Zach Cunningham (21 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) has stepped up in coverage, breaking up 3 passes over the last two games. While his numbers aren’t flashy, his play has been rock solid. Rookie Nolan Smith (5 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) so far, has never seen more than NINE snaps in a game. That’s too few. The guy can’t be productive without a chance to produce. Patrick Johnson(1 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) is a Special Teamer who was drafted as a DE/LB hybrid. He’s since been rendered pointless by the additions of Reddick and Smith. Unless he can be a stop-gap for Barnett, he’s entering his last half season here. (Grade: B)
MLB:Nakobe Dean (23 – 0.5 – 0 – 0) makes tackles, with 2 for losses. What he doesn’t do (right now) is make plays. What he also doesn’t do, is stay on the field. He’s looking at a second I.R. stint this season. He’s also a bit of a liability in pass coverage. Some of it, (by the eyeball test) seems to be related to his height and short arms. Neither of which can be coached up. He’s got good instincts for the run, but until he becomes a factor in either underneath coverage or pass rushing, he’s running a serious JAG risk. (Just A Guy)
When Dean returned from I.R, Nick Morrow(10 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) saw a steep drop in his snaps. However, with Dean going out again, Morrow returns to the starting line-up. I think Morrow is the better option anyway, as he has a better feel for underneath coverage. (I’m already interested to see what our Front Seven’s production will look like, at the end of this next quarter.) Christian Elliss (3 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) hasn’t logged a defensive snap since Week Three. All of his quarterly production has been on Special Teams. That should change shortly. (Grade: C)
S: Before I get into this, I want to tip my cap to traded STerrell Edmunds (13 – 0.0 – 0 – 0). He deserved better than going from a 6 – 1 team that he helped build, to a Tennessee team with no shot this year. That being acknowledged, let’s dig in.
Reed Blankenship (21 – 0.0 – 1 – 0) missed the game vs Miami, but still managed to break up 4 passes and recover a fumble. He’s been up and down this year, but I have to keep reminding myself that he’s in just his second year. In all honesty, he’s probably playing way more than coaches planned for, when they didn’t draft him at all last year.
This is how you Reed a QB!
Who we did draft, was Sydney Brown (15 – 0.0 – 0 – 1). Lots of energy and wants to hit, but he seems slow to process routes, and ends up late to the play. Fans end up cheering a tackle, when they could have been cheering an interception. We traded to get Philly native Kevin Byard(16 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) only to handcuff him to a system that doesn’t let him challenge routes, and reduces him to a tackler only. Which is what we had with Edmunds. Meaning that we’re getting the same thing, but with higher expectations now, which is why the disappointment feels sharper. Hopefully the Bye will help our coaches realize their error.
Justin Evans (no stats) has been on I.R. since Week Four. Injuries have been the 2023 story of this position, so far. After the Bye, there should be a full stable to work from, but so far this position hasn’t been our strength. (Grade: D)
CB:Darius Slay(19 – 0.0 – 1 – 0) was out vs the Jets, but made a huge, possibly game saving interception vs Miami. He also has broken up 3 passes this quarter. James Bradberry (17 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) has 4 pass break-ups, but the completions and the FOUR touchdowns he allowed last quarter, are reason for alarm.
For comparison, while Slay has given up two this season, Bradberry has given up seven. Much of that can be laid at the feet of Bradberry being a Man-press player, forced to play off-coverage, thus exposing his lack of top-end speed. Put simply, the defensive coaches are hanging him out to dry.
Bradley Roby (1 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) returns from I.R. soon, and will almost certainly take over the Nickel spot. Refresher: We added Roby after Josh Jobe(4 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) proved to be an easy mark for QB’s to throw on, through the first quarter of the season.
Eli Ricks (7 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) took over the Nickel job, after Roby went on I.R. and Jobe still seemed to struggle. Respectively, Ricks and Jobe have broken up 1 and 2 passes this quarter. However, until the Dallas game, where he was frequently matched up with WR Ceedee Lamb, Ricks was seeing little traffic. He’s generally done a good job of making QB’s look off of his man.
Kelee Ringo (2 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) hasn’t seen a defensive snap since Week Two. Last quarter’s tackles are from Special Teams. According to Sports Illustrated, the Eagles want to develop him into a S, which makes sense when you see his body type and see him move. If that’s the case, unbury him from this depth pile, and move him to where he’ll see actual snaps. Another unforced coaching error! (Grade: D)
LS:Rick Lovato has been solid, steady, and uneventful. (Grade: A)
P:Braden Mann (10 – 514 – 51.4) is kicking the ball over half the field, which is a 10 yard improvement over the first quarter. Only 1 of those 10 punts has been a touchback, and 2 have been inside the 20. Over that same period, we’ve given up just 50 return yards on only 4 returns (12.5 ypr). Meaning that, generally Mann shifts the field position by half the field, and then you stay where he puts you. This is all awesome sauce! (Grade: A)
K:Jake Elliott (2/3 FG 66.6% – 15/15 XP 100%) Four games, just three field goal attempts. Should we get mad at the Offense? The miss was in the Jets game. Everything went wrong that day. Just shake it off and throw the game tape away. Elliotts is balling. Shows up in the clutch like a G when we call him. (Grade: A)
PR/KR: WR Britain Covey (5 – 38 – 7.6 – 0 / none) missed the game vs Miami, but otherwise is doing little to deserve a roster spot, if he’s not going to be more aggressive about helping with field position. No other Eagles has attempted a punt return season. RB Boston Scott had a 38 yard kickoff return vs Miami, but that’s really the highlight of the return game this quarter. It’s one thing to have poor results. It’s quite another to make no effort. (Grade: F)
SINCE LAST QUARTER:
We went 3 – 1, beating BOTH the Dolphins and Cowboys. Getting the sweep of the Redsk- Commanders, was big. Coupled with the win over the Cowboys, that sweep puts us up 3 – 0 in the division, holding a tie-breaker. Right after the sweep, the Commanders hung up their season at 4 – 5, and traded away both starting DE’s.
So that’s a kill.
MISSION FOR THIS QUARTER:
This is the tough part of the schedule. By “tough” I mean all the teams we face, are playoff caliber. Then again, so are we. Everyone in this arena is a killer, but every one of these teams has more losses than we do. So let’s not forget, they have to play US too. And no one is covered in more blood than we are.
I’m on record predicting a loss to the 49ers. I said as recently asJuly, that I expect to lose a close one to them.On December 3rd, we will be playing in that team’s Super Bowl. Meanwhile to us, it’ll just be a game. They’re not just going to want that game, psychologically they already NEED it. If we win that one, it could cause that whole roster to emotionally spiral out.
I want that game!
Getting out of this stretch 2 – 2 is fine, as long as one of the wins is over Dallas. That would put us at 10 – 3 and them at 9 – 4, even if they win their next three. The Eagles going 3 – 1 over this stretch puts us at 11 – 2. So if we go 3 – 1 or better, it won’t matter what Dallas does. If we go 4 – 0 it would break the NFL.
Guess which one I want!
(I gotta simmer down. Simmer down! Don’t burn up before the games get here!) So the mission is 2 – 2, with a win over Dallas at minimum. More than two wins removes conditions.
The Eagles make #11 (Micah Parsons), body-surf three yards. Backwards.
PHILADELPHIA has designed an unstoppable version of the QB Sneak. Initially, it was referred to as “Snoopy” by the Eagles players, However, since the Eagles didn’t make that known, others around the league, and media detractors of the play, pejoratively called it the “Tush Push”. So a few weeks later some of us fans began circulating the name “Brotherly Shove”, on-line and through word of mouth.
The name made it’s way to Head Coach Nick Sirianni’s ear, at his press conference on September 27th. When Coach heard it, he closed his eyes and nodded his approval.
Lookit that mug! Have you ever seen a more Italian face?! Total classic, right here!
Soon after that, the Eagles began referring to the play, as the Brotherly Shove. Then on October 10th, the organization filed a trademark application for the name.
While some assholes are still using ‘Tush Push’, that name is fading fast. What is not fading fast, is our opponents hatred of it. They see it, and can’t stop it. They try it, and can’t execute it. So now a number of teams have stomped their foot, shit their diapers, and wailed for the play to be banned outright. Awww, poor babies!
They want the NFL to ban it on the grounds that:
1) Someone could get injured running the play – This is based on the giants having two players injured on the same down, while trying to execute the play. It does not take into account, the flagrant stupidity of the giants as an organization. If you asked each man there, to conduct ten separate counts of his own balls, none of them would ever get the same number twice. So banning the Brotherly Shove on that merit, lacks any. Next!
2) Someone could get injured by the play – This is true. That could happen. This is, players also get hurt running regular QB Sneaks; or being tackled legally; or landing from a jump; and let’s not forget all those popped Achilles and ACL tears, which are nearly always the result of no contact plays. So players get hurt playing Football. So quitcherbitchin. Next!
3) Players shouldn’t push the ball carrier from behind – The fuck?! Literally every game you or I have ever seen or played in (involving helmets and pads), has featured a pile being pushed from behind. Seriously, I don’t know how they ban the play based on this, without changing all of Football, and how linemen are coached from Pop Warner, through the Hall of Fame.
4) It’s an ugly play – So is every play run by Washington!
5) It’s more of a Rugby scrum than a football play – STOP!! ! This is some of the most rank bullshit I’ve seen propagated on America, since Little Caesar’s was promoted as food. It’s taking advantage of the fact that most Americans have never seen a game of Rugby, and so don’t know what an actual ‘scrum’ looks like. (I’ve watched it, and even considered joining a local league in my late 30’s.) Here’s an example of a scrum:
THIS…is a Rugby scrum.
Notice the arm and head placements? Now here’s how it usually moves:
Eagles opponents never put up this kind of fight.
The Brotherly Shove looks nothing like those. However, what the Shove has going for it, is that it is clearly a throwback to Football’s Rugby roots. For those who don’t know, Football was invented around 1870, as a refined version of Rugby. The forward pass wasn’t introduced until 1906. So Football looked a lot like Rugby, or Australian Football for almost 40 years.
I do watch Aussie “footy” when I can get it. The West Coast Eagles for mostly obvious reasons.
In addition to the name, Philly’s city colors are blue and gold.
I hate Collingswood because they dress like a team of referees. Incidentally, that sport is also born of Rugby, but it has more Soccer mixed in it. You might actually like it if you stumble across it.
The Brotherly Shove is literally Football returned to it’s beginnings. It’s gone caveman. It’s what happens when Football gets in touch with it’s roots. Gets barefoot, butt naked, and runs in the bush. The Brotherly Shove is primal. It’s hunter gatherer. It’s a fistfight in a phone booth. It’s an 11 man, 3,000 pound masculinity check, that nearly every opponent fails, every time.
And that’s the real reason why they want it banned.
Sack Leader: DE Brandon Graham(Sacks:1.5/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 2)
Special Teams Ace: RBRashaad Penny downed KO out of bounds to induce a penalty.
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I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these Four Thingsarticles. 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: COWBOYSdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Be Physical About Running the Ball: We had 23 hand-offs to 23 pass attempts. Also, most of the runs were between the Tackles. So it cannot be said that the runs weren’t called, or that we didn’t try to thump in the middle. We clearly did the things we needed to do. We just weren’t very productive at them. (DONE)
2) Win the Turnover Battle: This one speaks for itself. The Eagles didn’t turn the ball over at all, meanwhile Dallas fumbled on the game’s final play. It was recovered by Blankenship (7 – 0.0 – 0 – 0). It could be argued that Blankenship had two turnovers in this game. One being the fumble recovery, the other being the 4th and goal tackle, which rendered Dallas about 3 inches short of a touchdown. (DONE)
DE Brandon Graham sacks QB Dak Prescott
3) Alter Their QB’s Launch Points: We did a lot of this, but some of it looked like Dallas had planned to move him around anyway. Whatever. It played into what we needed to do, and held his completion percentage to 65.9, instead of the 71.0 that he’s been averaging this season. We did not not get a repeat of last week, where we allowed 75% to a lesser player. (DONE)
4) Bait the ‘Boys:Nope. Our run game did nothing clever in this game. It was all hand it off, and get out of the way. Look I get it. We’re trying to protect Jalen’s hurt knee; as well as not tip our full hand, to a team we have to face again, in a few weeks. Still, it would have been nice to see them playing with no confidence in the 4th quarter, as opposed to the nail-biter that we had to endure. (NOT DONE)
++++
So that’s 3 of theFour Things done in this one. It would have been nice to see things done more effectively. However, I’m not going to bitch about a division win, that makes us the NFL’s top team. Coming up next week, we get our Bye. Following that, we get a Chiefs team also coming off a bye. (Great! Andy Reid with two weeks to prepare is practically Batman.)
****
With the touch of a knee, FS Reed Blankenship brings down the TE, short of the goal line on 4th down,
Game Hero: FS Reed Blankenship – For my money it was Reed Blankenship. True, he got beaten quite a bit when covering WR Ceedee Lamb (16 – 11 – 191 – 17.3 – 0), but Defensive Coordinator Sean Desaihad no business putting Blankenship on Lamb. To Blankenship’s credit, he didn’t focus on his failures, kept his head in the game, and snuffed out two drives inside the 5 yard line. Take away either play and this game is a 28 – 29 loss.
Game goat: TheOffensive Line – Eeking out a paltry 3.3 yards per run was bad enough; but allowing our gimpy QB to be sacked 3 times, and hit 4 more??? It was primarily this unit that stalled out in the 4th quarter, precipitating two punts which gave Dallas hope. If the line had done it’s job late in the game, this would have been a double digit win. The play-calling was dreck, but the execution was also shitty.
On The Whole:
It was a divisional game for high stakes, so you had to know that Dallas was coming here to play. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that we played down to Dallas. Their roster has so many obvious holes. Their defensive system has so many blatant deficiencies. Seems like we should have been able to exploit these, and turn this game into a route.
Instead, once we got a double digit lead, the play-calling became very questionable. We had three drives stall, none of which lasted two minutes (1:31, 1:40, 0:31). Instead of leaning on the run game, and chewing up clock (like we usually do), we put the first two drives on the shoulders and legs of Hurts.
You know, for all the talk of what Hurts is “going through”, the coaching staff doesn’t seem to mind dangling him out there, like steak in front of tigers. At this rate, I hope Foles stays by his phone once the playoffs roll around.
SWEPT one division opponent, now we get to put work in on another. At one point in the game, we were down 3 -14, but we didn’t hang our heads. We tightened our chinstraps. We unleashed WR A.J. Brown. We remembered our run game, and fed RB D’Andre Swift. We fought our way back, and we won.
Our next opponent doesn’t handle the run so well, and now given that they are down to just TWO active, actual LB’s on their entire roster, if we decide to make this a physical game, they probably can’t say much about it.
A win puts us at 8 – 1, heading into our Bye Week. It would ensure that when we come back, we would still maintain both the lead in the NFC East, and the best record in the NFL. It’s too early to start talking (in-depth) about home-field advantage, so I won’t go there just yet.
A loss holds us to 7 – 2. That would be enough to hold the division lead for one more week. However, if Dallas wins during our Bye Week, the two teams would have identical records, with Dallas holding the head to head tie-break.
So the Eagles 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. So here are theFour Thingsthat we need to focus on this week versus: the Cowboys.
Shaquille O’Neal and the late, great Alex Trebek, share a phonebooth.
1) Be Physical About Running the Ball:Feed RB D’Andre Swift, as LTJordan Mailata,LG Landon Dickersonand the rest of our O-Line dominates and wears down the Dallas defense. Their starting MLB is on Injured Reserve. So they’re down to just two LB’s with familiarity in their defensive scheme. (And one of those LB’s thinks he’s a DE.)
This deficiency means that Dallas has to trot out Safeties under 220 pounds, to man that third LB spot, whenever we use 21 Personnel (2TE, 1RB). They’re going to want to offset our power, with their speed. So we should negate their speed, and expose their power deficiency, by turning every carry into a fistfight in a phonebooth.
2) Win the Turnover Battle:Dallas has thrived on bad offenses turning the ball over in bunches. In the two games they lost, they lost the turnover battle first. Beating Dallas isn’t hard. There’s no mystery to it. The formula is: Just don’t help them win.
3) Alter Their QB’s Launch Points: If their QB can go “1-2-3-throw” like we’ve allowed lesser QB’s to do, he’s going to complete 97% of his passes, and we’re going to get shit-canned. We can’t let him run drives like he’s running a practice drill.
Playing some CB’s Darius ‘Big Play’ Slay and James Bradberry in more Man Press, or even some Zone Press, will force their QB off his first option, and make him read. At that point DT’s Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter can start to pressure their QB and move him around in the pocket, changing his delivery from how he practiced it.
DE Josh Sweat with a pick six vs Dak Prescott in 2022
Their QB’s arm is good, but pinpoint accuracy was never his strong-suit. Even from flat-footed in the pocket. If we can get him moving while throwing, he might serve us up a few of those delicious turnovers. We know that SS Kevin Byardloves them!
Kitchen Bitch, GO BAKE!
4) Bait the ‘Boys:Watching video of Dallas’s defense, I noticed that they flow hard and fast off of first motion. They’re under-sized, under-manned, under-powered, and they know it. So they try to win by beating opponents to the spot.
We should use play-action, misdirection, and RPO plays, sprinkled into a smash-mouth approach, to cause defensive overflows, early on. Later, when Dallas is tired and beat-up, those same play-action, misdirection, and RPO plays, will lead to hesitation. That’s when we can break the game open.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
This division can’t be won by a team with a glass jaw. The Eagles have proven repeatedly this season, that being down doesn’t mean we’re out. In two out of three games when the Eagles were down, we came back and won. In both of Dallas’s losses, they were knocked down, and stayed down. We are not the same.
Given that Dallas isn’t very good at running the ball this year, the load is being placed squarely on their QB. So we need to attack him. Make him uncomfortable. Make him run a little off-schedule. And hit him. For Fuck’s sake, hit him. A lot. If he’s thinking about not getting hurt, he’s already thinking less about the offense.
Final note. Given the nature of their LB situation, and how neither one of their LB’s can cover him, I’d say that TE Dallas Goedert and/or WR Julio Jones, could be looking at big days.
****
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.
Special Teams Ace: Hands Devonta Smith recovers Commanders onside kick attempt
****
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) Run the Ball:D’Andre Swift had just one carry in the first half. One. As a result, we had little offensive rhythm or cohesiveness. We got back on our horse in the second half, and Swift finished with around fifteen carries (16), as I said he should. Hurts had 4 carries, but only two were actual carries. The other two were kneel downs.
RB D’Andre Swift runs for a 7 yard score from the Brotherly Shove formation.
We attempted the Brotherly Shove just once with Hurts (he fumbled it away). The other time we lined it up, we pitched a Brotherly Sweep™ to Swift for a 7 yard touchdown run. The assholes wanted us to not run the Brotherly Shove, and we were happy to OH-bliiige them. Congratulation dickheads, you’ve made the Eagles more dangerous. (DONE)
2) Run Swift to Brown:I said that Washington wasn’t going to let A.J. Brown go off for 175 yards and 2 touchdowns again, and I was right! They instead let him catch all 8 of his targets for 130 yards and 2 more TD’s, while basically giving an entire coaching staff PTSD, whenever they see anything shaped like an 11. Poor Jack Del Rio, staring at his fork and just screaming and screaming and screaming.
I said they would weaken their secondary trying to keep a man in the box, and that’s precisely how WR Devonta Smith (7 – 7 – 99 – 14.1 – 1) was able to get loose for a 38 yard touchdown pass. He was so wide open on it, that he had to stop and catch it like a punt. Let’s not forget to mention WR Julio Jones(2 – 1 – 8 – 8.0 – 1) catching his first touchdown as an Eagle. Still, we ran more up the middle than to Brown’s side. (NOT DONE)
FS Reed Blankenship secures this interception.
3) Get At Least One Turnover: On a day when we allowed a mutt QB to complete 75% of his passes, FS Reed Blankenship managed to snag an interception. Our coverage again allowed free releases, while giving up five yard cushions. Really hard to generate turnovers when the ball never gets near a defender. That said, we got one in this game, and one is what was asked. (DONE)
4) Lock Up Their Run: I won’t keep you in suspense. We did this one. Their run game (13 – 73 – 5.6 – 0 – 0) looks decent until you take away their 29 yard run, and are left with (12 – 44 – 3.6 – 0 – 0) a more accurate picture of what they were relying on, down in and down out, during the game
We limited their run (12 hand-offs), and made them put the game on their QB (52 pass attempts). He threw four touchdowns, but he also threw the interception that helped put the Eagles up for good. (DONE)
++++
This week’s Four Things score is3 of 4. Normally you’d expect a larger margin of victory with 3 of 4 posting, but the Eagles waited to run the ball, and waited to play smart enough to get a turnover. This gave Washington life they should never have had.
Next week we return home to the Linc, to face the 5 – 2 Dallas Cowboys; as we wrap up the second quarter of our season, and go into our Week 10 Bye.
****
WR A.J. Brown once again hits Washington with the all-night electric freak show, on one of his two touchdown grabs.
Game Hero: WR A.J. Brown – The guy was flat-out uncoverable, and he kept us in the game even when the Offense was unbalanced and had no rhythm.
Game goat: RG Sua Opeta – The drop-off between he and starter Cam Jurgens(Injured Reserve), is huge. That’s not to take a swipe at Opeta, it just is what it is. There is a noticeable lack of re-active quickness to his game, as defenders seem to get into his frame too fast, too often. It’s allowing pressure in the middle of Jalen Hurts’ protection, and is becoming more and more problematic for the run, by the week.
On The Whole:
Offensively, turnovers and injuries are killing us, right now. The injury at RG leads to a back-up who struggles create reliable run holes, and to protect a QB who is himself nursing an undisclosed injury (I’m sure Vegas bookies LOVE that).
Not to mention that Hurts mobility usually acts as a threat, which enhances our RB run game. Hurts inability to run now, is negatively impacting the RB’s and so the Eagles run game as a whole. It would be different if we had a big back who could impose his will and force the issue, but…
OLB Haason Reddick getting the Eagles only sack of the game, on Washington’s last down of the game. Look at Haason CHOP! that ball out.
Defensively, the unwillingness to rush five, or use more press man coverage, is resulting in opposing QB’s looking like dads playing catch with their kids. This game was no different. We got one sack at the very end of the game, when Haason Reddick murdered their last gasp of hope. A QB who’d been sacked 40 times in 6 games (6.6 sacks per game), and we reached him just once.
Lesser pressure and five yard cushions with free releases, will let even a novice QB carve up a defense. Which is why we allowed that team to put 30+ points on us, twice. The only other team they put 30 on, was Denver. The way this Defense is being called, is a formula for failure, vs really good teams.
Many will say that I should be celebrating the win. However, at this point, with the gauntlet that faces us starting Sunday afternoon, I’m more concerned with cleaning up the sloppiness. These turnovers, these easy completions, this repeated stalling out in the red zone, the lack of explosiveness in the run game…
Yay for the win, but if we’re going to go anywhere in the post-season, we can’t expect that playing like scrubs will get us where we’re trying to go.
WE not only beat a 5 – 1 team on national television, but we looked damned good while doing it, in our throwback Kelly green uniforms. We also looked good converting red zone trips. On six trips, we posted four touchdowns and one field goal. On the last trip QB Jalen Hurtsknelt three times to run out the final two minutes. So that trip should hardly count.
This week we head down to D.C. (brooms in hand), to handle the trash and start buttoning up the NFC East. A few weeks ago it took overtime to put the Commanders away. It won’t go that way a second time.
A win and we move to 7 – 1, and remain the top team in the conference. It would also mean a divisional sweep, and turn down the volume on needing overtime, in that last game.
A loss would drop us to 6 – 2. We however, would still lead the division, by virtue of win percentage, over opponents who this week can’t finish better than 5 – 2.
****
The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Commanders.
Around 15 carries (or more) for RB D’Andre Swift would be great
1) Run the Ball: It’s silly that I should have to say this, but when I don’t, they forget what a hand-off is. Not only should we run for all the regular reasons (balance, sets up play-action, chews clock, physically wears down pass rushers, breaks defenders will, prevents big momentum swings, etc.), but it would also limit the number of hits Hurts (and his knee) would have to take.
In fact, on the Brotherly Shove play, we should send someone else in to run it. Not QB Marcus Mariota. We may need him soon, so we don’t need to lose him over something dumb. My pick would be RB Rashaad Penny, but he won’t be active. Aside from him, maybe TE Dallas Goedert? Or maybe LS Rick Lovato?
(Hey, wouldn’t RB Derrick Henry look great in Kelly green? I’m just saying…)
2) Run Swift to Brown: Back in Week 4, WR A.J. Brownoutright torched the Commanders for 9 catches, 175 yards (19.4ypc), and 2 touchdowns (from 59 and 28). He hit them with the all-night, electric freak show, and there was nothing they could do, but watch and get clowned on.
WR A.J. Brown chased by groupies during a 59 yard score
They will NOT be looking to let him romp and frolic in their wilderness, for a second time in five weeks. Especially since he would set the all-time record for most consecutive 125 yard receiving games, essentially on their backs. So expect heavy bracket coverage from a Cover Two shell, this time. That’s where our advantage lies.
If they have to keep a Safety back deep on Brown’s side, then “the box” is light and soft there. Getting RB D’Andre Swift around 15 carries, mostly to Brown’s side, will either pull the Safety off of Brown, or force the Commanders to weaken another area of their defense to compensate. Paging WR Devonta Smith. Paging Devonta Smith…
3) Get At Least One Turnover:The Commanders are 2 – 1 when they don’t turn the ball over. Their only loss, was our overtime victory. So that should paint you a picture of how hard it is to beat them without a turnover. Of course, it’s real hard to pick a ball off, when the receivers are always granted five yard cushions and free releases.
Our coverages are going to have to be tighter, than they were a few weeks ago. If not, we won’t be in a position to create turnovers; and we’ll just give up another 70% completion day, to a mediocre QB.
It’d be nice to get one. Or two. Or four.
4) Lock Up Their Run: The last two times we played this team, they were tough to beat, partly because they committed to the run. They weren’t any good at it, but they kept doing it. They used it to control the pace of the first half of both games, and were up at the half, in both games.
Nothing fancy here. Just wrap-up the ball-carriers, and throw points on the board. Their run game can’t get them out of trouble, and their QB isn’t suited for comebacks. Even if he was, he lacks the tools to make it happen. Lock up the run, put the ball in their QB’s hand, and feed sheep to lion.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
This is a division game, and the Commanders are trying to avoid being swept, in their own home. So expect a fight.
It’ll be interesting to see the evolution (if any), of Defensive Coordinator Sean Desai, over these last few weeks. What he has learned (and hasn’t), will be on display. As this is the first rival he’s coached against twice, we will see how fast he learns and utilizes new information. Can he grow over weeks, or does he need an entire offseason?
Offensively, unless Head Coach Nick Sirianniis a fool, he will have Offensive Coordinator Brian Johnson protect Hurts from himself. If Hurts has to scramble, that’s one thing. However, there should be no called runs for him, this week.
Two things. Devonta Smith’s focus seems to have slackened since he became a father. That’s fine. Totally acceptable and to be expected. Before the baby was born, his expectation was probably with him as the breadwinner, the mother would tend to baby.
That all ends abruptly, when mama becomes willing to bulldoze a neighborhood, for an hour of uninterrupted sleep. So believe me, Devonta is pulling long nights too now. So his focus isn’t going to be razor sharp this season. It just isn’t. Don’t bother expecting it.
After about four days, that “I’m the breadwinner!” argument goes out the window, and you become just some dude that “HAD BETTER look after this damned baby, so I can get some mother$%^&*^# SLEEP!!!”
What he can do, is wet and rub his hands down, before he puts his gloves on. Nothing fancy. Just regular H2O. It’ll keep his gloves from shifting against his skin, and cut down on the double clutching and drops. (That’s some way old school stuff right there!)
****
WARNING: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know FOOTBALL and that’s it. If you use Four Thingsas a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
Drive Killer: CB Darius Slay(TD: 0/Int: 1/ FR: 0/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)
Sack Leader: DE Josh Sweat (Sacks:2.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 2)
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: DOLPHINSdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Run the Ball: I said 25 handoffs, we had 23. I said hand it off to D’Andre Swift 12 or more times, he got 15. Close enough. Bulls-eye. I’ll take it! Even RB Kenneth Gainwell(8 – 16 – 2.0 – 1 – 0) got in on the action, with a twisting, turning 3 yard touchdown run. This game featured some of the toughest running I’ve ever seen from Gainwell.
I hated that Hurts ran it 11 times, but I’m guessing the coaching staff will call his number a little less next week; with him wearing a knee brace, and sporting a slight gingerness to his gait. They’re either going to have to realize that he’s not a RB, or we’re going to get an extended look at back-up QB Marcus Mariota. Soon! (DONE)
DT’s Milton Williams (93) and Jordan Davis (90) got together and decided that Miami wasn’t going to run FORWARD in this game.
2) Set the Edges: The Eagles did a great job of this in the first half, as OLB Haason Reddick(4 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) was having none of it! Then in the second half, on back to back runs, they let the Dolphins get to the perimeter. After that, the Defense got their run game corralled, and limited the NFL’s #1 rushing attack, to 45 yards all night. (DONE)
3) Redirect to the No Fly Zone: Absolutely none of this was done. Dolphins receivers got free release, after free release, after free release all night. Often it looked like a game of pitch and catch out there. This is not playoff level coverage. (NOT DONE)
4) Throw Some Uppercuts:We didn’t work that area, so Swift didn’t have a whole lot of room inside, like he did early in the year, before WR Quez Watkins went on Injured Reserve.
TE Dallas Goedert powers his way into the end zone.
However, to continue borrowing from the boxing vernacular; instead of uppercuts, we threw a few kidney punches, involving TE Dallas Goedert (5 – 5 – 77 – 15.4 – 1) early. Kidney punches are illegal in boxing, but if you’ve been hit with one, that hit can’t be taken back. The damage is done, and a fighter will watch out for it.
Once Goedert became a threat, and since we stuck to the run, it let A.J. Brown run his routes easier, essentially headhunting. When Hurts hit Brown with that 42 strike in the fourth quarter, that was basically the knockout punch; leaving Miami to search for the softest part of the mat to land on. So no uppercut, but still a great tactic. (NOT DONE)
****
This week we got2 of Four Things done, which would usually indicate a closer score, but their penalties (10/70), and some timely plays on Defense really moved the needle in this one. Next week, we grab our brooms and head south on 95, to wrap-up the Washington Commanders.
****
Game Hero: CB Darius Slay – The Eagles were nursing a 7 point lead and Miami had the ball. After driving 45 yards on seven plays, Miami heaved the ball toward the endzone, to their RB mismatched with LB Zach Cunningham (1 – 0.0 – 0 – 0). Slay read the ball and peeled off of his man, to go make a touchdown saving interception.
CB Darius “Big Play” Slay, kills Miami’s drive at the goal line with this interception.
Instead of them tying the game, our lead was preserved, and our Offense went down and scored; leaving 4:46 in the game, for Miami to try and score twice. The Fish would instead turn the ball over on downs. Without Slay’s Big Play, Miami scores and the entire complexion of the game changes. We might even be 5 – 2 right now.
Game goat: QBJalen Hurts – Most will sing his praises due to him playing through a knee issue. I on the other hand, see a quarterback who is rapidly turning into a turnover machine. We give Cowboys fans shit about QB Dak Prescott. We roasted giants fans over QB Eli Manning. Fellow fans, it’s time for us, to tell it like it actually is.
Seven of the Dolphins seventeen points came directly off of Hurts hand. You can call it a fluke play if you like. Except, he had a similar fluke play happen just last week. It’s not a fluke it it’s weekly! And of course there was his fumble that led to a Dolphins field goal. Meaning that Hurts helped contribute 10 points to the opponent in this one.
On The Whole:
“Oh no! The Dolphins Offense is so fast!”
“Oh no! They put 70 on Denver!”
“Oh no! So may weapons!
As I said in Four Things: “They’re very fast and very flashy, but this is football, not a dance contest. All the action starts up-front, in the trenches. We are built for trench warfare. Miami is not.”
With the way they hyped that Miami receiver, you’d think he was as good as WR A.J. Brown here.
The result, all their speed accounted for just one touchdown all night. One. After all, we are not Denver. We have a few weapons too, and some of them are also pretty damned fast. Every media pundit talking like our season was over at 5 – 1. The disrespect was stifling. And all Miami’s vaunted offense managed was a weak 6 points. The rest was off of defense or toes.
Also let me say this, we got a guy out there who contributes to a 6 – 1 unit, and helped keep a game close last week, despite four turnovers. The guy I’m talking about, is S Terrell Edmunds (9 – 0.0 – 0 – 0). He has played every defensive snap, of each of the last three games he’s played in. Give the man some credit.
OLB Nolan Smith gets his first NFL sack.
Hey! Did you notice when rookie OLB Nolan Smith (1 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) broke his cherry and got his first NFL sack? Or rookie CB Eli Ricks (1 PBU) broke up a pass on Miami’s final fourth down? Or (not rookie) WR Julio Jones (1 – 1 – 3 – 3.0 – 0) catch his first pass as an Eagle, and how the crowd welcomed him? Great stuff!
Now I want to take a minute to address the Kelly Green jerseys. They were SWANKY!
Do you realize that back when the Eagle wore those, our Offensive Line was never very good? In this game, we finally got to see Kelly Green jerseys on the best O-Line in football.
Also, it felt good to see Julio Jones wearing an 80 number as a WR. Most of our receivers look like Quarterbacks, Punters and Kickers out there. Same with Defensive backs and now Linebackers. It’s a holdover from college, which mentally leads pros, (read: grown men) in the wrong direction. I’m not a fan of that. (To put it mildly.)
Watching those green jerseys terrorize a QB, took me back. Every time they got him on the ground, I had thoughts of Reggie and Clyde; Jerome and the Mikes; Harmon and Fuller. Rhett Hall and those damned blood clots…
I felt the age of my fanhood, and the distance traveled. Super Bowls. Brotherly Shove. Philly Philly. Smoothies. The time is your’s. For who? For what? I’ll be back, scramblin’. They’ll have to be carted off in body bags… Decades distilled into a color.
KELLY GREEN IS BACK! After a 27 year (a quarter century plus) hiatus, the Eagles will play a game wearing their Kelly Green uniforms again. It’s just one of two games this year, but I am ridiculously excited for it, nonetheless.
Now let’s get into it.
Last week, we lost the turnover battle 0 – 4 and still only lost by 6 points. Fellow Eagles fans, our team is not to be counted out. EVER! That loss however, likely comes with the silver lining that coaches have to fix things that we’ve been complaining about all season, so far. This week, we get a Dolphins team that everyone thinks is hot shit, because they put up 70 points on the Broncos. The Broncos!
Look, our opponent is 5 – 1, but all five of their wins are over teams (Chargers, giants, Panthers, Patriots, and Broncos), with a combined record of 5 – 24. The one team they’ve played with a winning record (Bills), blew them out 48 – 20. So you’ll excuse me if I seem to have forgotten how to be nervous this week.
A win will move us to 6 – 1, and keep us atop the NFC East. It would also get people to stop talking as if last week’s loss ended our season.
A loss, would drop us to 5 – 2 (.714). Since the #2 team in the division (Cowboys) is on Bye Week, it would be impossible for them to capitalize and improve their 4 – 2 (.666) record. Meaning: Even if the Eagles lose, we’re still at the head of the division!
So no matter how this weekend shakes out, the ending is the same. Meet the New Boss. Same as the Old Boss.
****
The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: The Dolphins
RB D’Andre Swift scores
1) Run the Ball: I hate having to say this, but apparently when I don’t write it in some form or fashion, the coaching staff forgets what a hand-off is. So run the ball! Even if it doesn’t seem to be working at first, get us 25 hand-offs or more.
Nothing fancy. No particular lineman to run behind. Just have QB Jalen Hurts jam a football into the belly of RB D’Andre Swift, 12 or more times.
2) Set the Edges: Miami’s offense features a lot of speed from small, quick players, and their run game is no exception to that. So set hard edges and force the RB’s into our LB’s laps. Avoid chasing these people around the perimeter. No good can come of that. Instead, funnel them directly into violence.
3) Redirect to the No Fly Zone: This Summer in THE 12, I mentioned how we need to establish a No Fly Zone in the middle of the field. The idea isn’t to injure, but to place a VERY steep price tag on catches over middle.
The redirect part… Miami has more speed at WR than we have at CB. Aggressive Man coverage could lead to CB’s being beaten for long scores. Zone just lets the receiver build-up a head of steam. Instead, use Press coverage to guide receivers into the middle, or trap them against the sideline early.
The idea is, don’t let their receivers run routes on us, like it’s 7-on-7 drills. Just throw off the timing a little. Delay a guy’s arrival to his landmark. Redirecting them early, will make it harder for their QB to place the ball properly, when throwing underneath.
4) Throw Some Uppercuts:Throw a few shots, right up the middle, and behind the defense. WR Quez Watkins was supposed to be that guy, but he’s always unavailable these days. WR Olamide Zaccheausis great with the ball in his hands, but the knocks on him are, a small catch radius and that he catches more like a RB, and less like WR.
For those wondering if Jones can still play, this 48 yarder was from 2022. Odds are strong that he still has some game left.
So the Eagles went out and signed WRJulio Jones. (I can’t believe that I just typed that!) If Jones works the intermediate (10 – 20 yards), middle of the field, and produces a couple of catches, D’Andre Swift might never see another 8 man box this season. It also means 1-on-1 on the outsides for WR’s A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith.
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
We have to get back to doing what we do, well. It’s not about Miami. They’re very fast and very flashy, but this is football, not a dance contest. All the action starts up-front, in the trenches. We are built for trench warfare. Miami is not. If we don’t get caught up, playing their game, this should become a game of attrition. In front of our home crowd. Make it physical. Make it tough. Make it a fight.
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WARNING: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know FOOTBALL and that’s it. If you use Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
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