FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 8: Commanders

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/10/30
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Reviews, Rivals, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
WR Devonta Smith jogs the last few yards to paydirt, on this 38 yard touchdown pass.

VICTORY has such a sweep taste to it!

EAGLES 38 – Commanders 31

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (29/38 – 76.3% – 319 – 3 – 0)

Rushing: RB D’Andre Swift (16 – 57 – 3.5 – 1 – 0)

Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (8 – 8 – 130 – 16.2 – 2)

Offensive Line Report: (TFL: 3/ Sacks: 2/ Scrums Won: 0/ Scrums Lost: 1)

Drive Killer: FS Reed Blankenship (TD: 0/Int: 1/ FR: 0/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)

Sack Leader: OLB Haason Reddick (Sacks: 1.0/ FF: 1/ Tackles: 3)

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 is 3 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.

FOUR THINGS: WK 8: EAGLES – COMMANDERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/10/27
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Preview, Rivals, Roster. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

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 Hurts knelt 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. Brown outright 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 Sirianni is 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 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 7: Dolphins

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/10/23
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Fans, Four Things, Offense, Players, Reviews, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
For people of a certain age, this is going to be HILARIOUS.

SORRY, Charlie!

EAGLES 31 – Dolphins 17 

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (23-/31 – 74.1 – 279 – 2 – 1)

Rushing: RB D’Andre Swift (15 – 62 – 4.1 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (15 – 10 – 137 – 13.7 – 1)

Offensive Line Report: (TFL: 4/ Sacks: 3(FL)/ Scrums Won: 4/ Scrums Lost: 0)

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: DOLPHINS  did 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 got 2 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: QB Jalen 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.

It was a good win. Buddy would have been proud.

Now let’s go cave Washington’s chest in.

FOUR THINGS: WK 7: EAGLES – DOLPHINS

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/10/20
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, free agents, NFC East, Offense, Players, Preview, Rivals, The 12. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

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 Zaccheaus is 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 WR Julio 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.

****

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.

****

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 6: Jets

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/10/16
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Reviews, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

WE earned this loss.

EAGLES 14 – Jets 20

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (28/45 – 62.2 – 280 – 1 – 3)

Rushing: QB Jalen Hurts (8 – 47 – 5.8 – 1 – 0)

Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (9 – 7 – 131 – 18.7 – 0)

Offensive Line Report: (TFL: 2/ Sacks: 2/ Scrums Won: 0/ Scrums Lost: 0)

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

Sack Leader: OLB Haason Reddick (Sacks: 2.5 / FF: 0/ Tackles: 5)

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

1) Kill Their Run Game: Our Defense held the Jets to 89 yards rushing, and with the exception of an 18 yard reverse, kept them to 3.5 yards per carry. (DONE)

2) No Quick Throws: We did a decent job of this early and their QB clearly was uncomfortable and frequently off target downfield. As the game wore on however, law of averages took over; and while their QB never got into a “rhythm”, he was able to do enough to provide his team with helps, not HURTS. (NOT DONE)

3) Run the Ball Downhill: The Eagles handed the ball off just 14 times in this game. Four of those were on the final drive. Despite leading nearly all game long, our dipstick Offensive Coordinator chose to be cute by calling 45 passes, and a handful of empty backfield QB runs, against just 10 functional handoffs.

QB Jalen Hurts runs for a touchdown, because handoffs are apparently taboo or something.

Incidentally, 14 handoffs and four turnovers was exactly how we lost to Washington last year. So I don’t put this loss on our idiot OC, who can’t call plays in the redzone. I put this right at the feet of Head Coach Nick Sirianni.

It’s on Sirianni to learn lessons, and lead his staff by them. Instead, he keeps needing to be re-eductated on the same shit, repeatedly. He had to learn to buckle in and lean on the run in 2021, followed by a 6 -1 win streak. He had to re-learn it in 2022 after that Washington game. Now in 2023, here he is again. It’s like he’s too simple, to keep it simple. (NOT FUCKING DONE. AGAIN)

4) Motion Slot to Brown: I saw this happen just once all game long. It worked out as the A.J. Brown catch that was challenged. That said, with the lack of running, it might not have meant much even if the Eagles had done it. (NOT DONE)

****

This week we did 1 of the Four Things and it showed. Next week, the circus known as the Dolphins comes to Philly, and our players don KELLY GREEN for the first time in decades.

****

OLB Haason Reddick celebrating one of his 2.5 sacks.

Game Hero: OLB Haason Reddick – The man has been on an absolute tear since he got his cast off. His 5 tackle, 2.5 sack performance today, clearly make the case that his slow start had to do with that thumb injury. Now that he’s got it going and will command attention on the edge, it might open things up inside (like it did today) for our DT’s.

Game goat: QB Jalen Hurts – Three turnovers. I get that a couple of them were a little fluky, but with his number being called at least 47 times in this game, you would think that a GOOD leader, would ask for help from his team.

What things could he have asked for? Maybe he calls a few audibles to a run play? Maybe doing more than pouting in his seat, on the sideline? Maybe bootlegging left, away from the two back-ups that now comprise the entire right side of his Offensive Line?! These are just off the top of my head.

After the game, I heard a term used that I haven’t heard here in couple of years: Hero Ball. That’s sounds like the hounds are about to be released. Hurts has at times been a prickly with a local media that has largely treated him with kid gloves. I’m not sure how he holds up, if the media’s tone shifts on him.

On The Whole: You know that part in movies when the the bad guy has a gun and the hero doesn’t; then (because of the script) the bad guy decides he doesn’t need a gun and wants to fight the hero hand to hand? That’s Nick Sirianni and our run game.

Sirianni has the Eagles run game, but in the heat of battle, doesn’t tell his staff to dial up the runs. Makes no sense to me! (Then again, I’m the kind of villain that shoots you in the knee, puts the hot gun muzzle in your crotch, and THEN says “Give me the codes.”) If you have an unfair, induplicable advantage, why not go to it often?

As a result, everything about the Offense is devolving into a shitshow. Weapons (players) that go under-utilized for weeks. Red zone execution regression. Now we’re looking at dropped passes, and our QB has become Dak Prescott??! At what point do these things become concerning to people inside the Eagles organization?

For weeks, the Eagles attitude has been “Shut up. Yeah we stunk, but we won! How can you complain about being undefeated?” There’s a sports axiom that states “Winning is great deodorant.” Okay, but losing to the Jets is like bathing in a landfill. Maybe now that we’ve seen a loss, we can stop glossing over our problems.

K Jake Elliott after missing his only FG attempt

2023 QUARTERLY REPORT: QUARTER 1

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/10/16
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Offense, Players, report, Reviews, Roster, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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: 5 – 0, 1st place in the NFC East

DT Jordan Davis meeting QB Kirk Cousins

OPPONENTS:

W – New England

W – Minnesota

W – Tampa Bay

W – Washington*

W – Los Angeles Rams

OVERVIEW: So it’s 5 – 0, but with some issues. Chief among them being our inability to convert red zone trips into touchdowns (19 trips, 8 TD, 42.1%). We are not converting those into touchdowns at enough of a clip to expect to be a championship team. Moreover, we have surrendered to opponents 12 touchdowns, in 16 red zone trips (75%).

Injuries have robbed our Secondary of the kind of stability that a new Defensive Coordinator needs, to steady himself and find his method. All in all, it is a 5 – 0 team, but with many not so small cracks in the foundation.

GRADES:

QB: Jalen Hurts (113/168 – 67.3% – 1262 – 6 – 4) Had sort of a rough start, but that was to be expected. I bitched and moaned about him (and the other starters) not taking a single snap in the preseason, so Hurts (and everyone else) was predictably rusty. Couple that with working in a new Offensive Coordinator, in Brian Johnson, and you have the makings of six touchdowns and (already) 4 interceptions. As for his running (55 – 206 – 3.7 – 4), he’s averaging 11 rushes per game, which is too many. His low yards per carry is largely due to short, successful conversions while running the Brotherly Shove. (Grade: C)

RB D’Andre Swift scores at home.

RB: D’Andre Swift (76 – 434 – 5.7 – 2 – 0) Had one touch in Week One, then in Weeks Two and Three, exploded for 305 rushing yards on 44 carries (6.9 ypc). He’s so far caught 88% (17 – 15 – 75 – 5.0 – 0) of the passes thrown to him, but they’ve just been checkdowns thus far. Still, a couple more scores would look better with 76 carries.

Kenneth Gainwell (39 – 128 – 3.2 – 0 – 0) has been running the same plays, behind the same offensive line, but isn’t nearly as effective or threatening as Swift has been, and seems to have lost his starting gig because of it. Boston Scott (6 – 43 – 7.2 – 0 – 0) missed a week while in concussion protocol. (Grade: B)

TE: Dallas Goedert (28 – 21 – 205 – 9.8 – 1) The Eagles suddenly remembered that he starts, and so he had a big game (9 – 8 – 117 – 14.6 – 1) in Week Five. Until then, to call him underutilized would be a massive understatement. He still contributed as a blocker in the run game, but the Eagles coaching staff has to run more plays for him. Jack Stoll is a great blocker. (Grade: C)

WR A.J. Brown’s 59 yard TD catch and run. OZ gave him a block.

WR: A.J. Brown (51 – 3 5 – 541 – 15.5 – 2) had a to a slow first two games. Then he put the word in his QB’s ear, and has posted 433 yards over the last three games. Maybe we should all chip in and get him a chef’s hat, because he’s been out there just cooking secondaries. Devonta Smith (34 – 23 – 290 – 12.6 – 2) has three games this season of just 5 targets. That can’t keep happening. He’s too reliable and he needs to be more involved.

Quez Watkins (5 – 4 – 21 – 5.3 – 0) isn’t wowing anybody, but then again, he’s not being put in a position to be successful. He’s making his catches (80%), but as his 5.3 average is testament to the shallow routes they have him running. He’s a downfield threat, not a guy who catches short and makes defenders miss in space. Olamide “OZ” Zaccheaus (5 – 3 – 69 – 23.0 – 1) is the guy that catches short and makes defenders miss in space. However it was his 34 yard TD catch that probably has put Watkins on the hot seat. (Grade: B)

OT: RT Lane Johnson continues to be arguably the best OT in the NFL. (San Francisco’s LT Trent Williams is the other side of that argument.) During the Eagles overtime victory over Washington, it was Johnson’s fourth quarter recovery of a Gainwell fumble, that saved an Eagles drive, resulting in a field goal. Without that field goal, there is no overtime. LT Jordan Mialata has absolutely no right to be as good as he is. He’s reliable as a pass protector, but an outright mauler in the run game. (Grade: A)

OG: LG Landon Dickerson is a bear in the run game, but he has to get the penalties under control. He’s been flagged 5 times (4 accepted for 24 yards). One of those however, was that bullshit offsides he was hit with against Washington, as the officials have joined in the hunt for finding a way to stop the Brotherly Shove. RG Cam Jurgen was great for three weeks, then suffered a foot injury and is currently on Injured Reserve. Filling in for Jurgens is Sua Opeta. He has not drawn any flags, but more importantly, this year he just looks more comfortable, and seems like a more physical presence. (Grade: B)

The Brotherly Shove formation. See how the Washington player’s hand is UNDER the ball. Yeah well, Dickerson was called for being offsides here, and the hand beside the ball, belongs to Kelce.

C: Jason Kelce brings the passion, the vocal leadership, and the ability to get to the second level in the run game, that makes the Eagles Offense almost impossible to duplicate. He is also the tip of the spear on the Brotherly Shove. (Grade: A)

DE: At the beginnings of games Brandon Graham (3 tackles) is listed as a starter, but he’s not who lines up at the LDE spot. (More on that later.) Over the last five games, Graham has only played 72 of the defense’s 318 snaps (22.6%). So his low production makes sense. Josh Sweat (15 – 2.5 – 0 – 0) has also contributed 2 Forced Fumbles, but we need to see more out of him as a pass rusher. Derek Barnett (2 tackles) has also played just 72 snaps. My gut tells me that the Eagles are going to try to move him by the trade deadline, and they don’t want him hurt, or to put out more tape of him getting flagged for stupid shit. In his career, of his 26 penalties, 11 are for some form of roughing. We just can’t have that. (Grade: D)

DT: Fletcher Cox (10 – 0.5 – 0 – 1) missed the last game with back problems. Still, his numbers do not suggest just how much of a game wrecker he’s been out there. Jordan Davis (14 – 1.5 – 0 – 0) is clearly coming into his own as a controlling force on the inside. Jalen Carter (12 – 3.5 – 0 – 0) has also chipped in 2 FF, and seems to be the odds on favorite to be the Defensive Rookie of the Year. (I still can’t believe that he fell to us!)

MLB Nick Morrow and DT Jalen Carter force a fumble.

Milton Williams (12 – 0 – 0 – 0) is off to a stronger start than at this point, last season. Marlon Tuipuluto (5 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) looks far better than he did last year, when he seemed to be an outright liability vs the run. Rookie Moro Ojomo (no stats) got to play 4 snaps in the last game, due to Cox being out with the back injury. (Grade: A)

OLB: Haason Reddick (5 – 3.0 – 0 – 0) is the player who actually lines up at LDE. He started out slowed by his hand in a cast. He didn’t make excuses, he just produced when the cast came off, racking up all of his sacks in the last two weeks. I’m not a fan of using his 240 pound frame against OT’s without the benefit of speed inside, but we’ll see how it shakes out over 17 games.

Zach Cunningham (33 – 0 – 0 – 1) doesn’t have the flashy stats, but he’s been solid vs the run. Rookie Nolan Smith (2 tackles) has played in all five games, and needs to step up his production unless he wants to keep watching from the bench. (Grade: B)

MLB: During Week One, Nakobe Dean (7 – 0 – 0 – 0) was lost for four weeks with a foot injury. Since then Nicholas Morrow (21 – 3.0 – 0 – 1) has been lights out. Adding a FF and a safety, to 7 tackles for losses, he has shown up EVERY SINGLE WEEK, in all four games that he’s played, since he was activated from the Practice Squad, as a fill-in for Dean. Christian Ellis (5 tackles) looks more than just solid when he’s out there. Especially against the pass. His numbers don’t signal that, but he’s also only played 46 snaps. (Grade: A)

MLB Nick Morrow collecting one of his THREE sacks in this game.

S: With injuries changing the make-up of this group weekly, it’s unfair to give them a low grade. Reed Blankenship (34 – 0 – 1 – 0) already has as many tackles and interceptions, as he had in 2022 when he came out of nowhere and made us take notice of him. Terrell Edmunds (15 – 0 – 0 – 0) played every defensive snap in Week Four, and not a single one in Week Five. Justin Evans (15 – 0 – 0 – 1) still seemed to be ironing out his role, when a knee injury put him on I.R. for at least four weeks. Rookie Sydney Brown (3 tackles) has caught the imagination of fans, but he’s also missed then last two weeks with a hamstring injury, and those have a way of lingering when a player rushes back. (Grade: C)

CB: Darius Slay (25 – 0 – 1 – 0) has already had a pick six and knocked down 4 passes. He’ll miss Week Six with a knee injury. James Bradberry (14 – 0 – 0 – 1) had to sit out Week Two, and when he returned, he spent time filling in at NCB. Avonte Maddox (6 tackles) was lost for the season with a torn pectoral muscle. When Bradberry filled in for Maddox, Josh Jobe (13 – 0 – 0 – 0) started in Bradberry’s place, and didn’t fare to well with the extended snaps. Mario Goodrich (5 tackles) has allowed QB’s to go 10/10 for 118 yards and TD. He started Week Five, but only saw 18 snaps in that game. Kelee Ringo and Eli Ricks have 2 tackles each, in limited action. Bradley Roby (1 tackle) was just signed last week. (Grade: C)

LS: Rick Lovato has been solid, steady, and uneventful. (Grade: A)

P: Braden Mann (5 – 208 – 41.6) so far there have only been 14 return yards against him, with zero touchbacks. That means in the three games he’s punted for us, opponents generally stay where he puts them. (Grade: B)

K: Jake Elliott (16/17 FG – 94.1% – 11/12 XP – 91.6%) Those numbers include four makes from over 50 yards (4/5). His foot is a big part of the team’s 5 – 0 record. (Grade: A)

PR/KR: WR Britain Covey punt returning (11 – 186 – 16.9 – 0) has been a plus. He leads the NFL in yards, returns of 20 yards or more (4), and average (16.9) for those with 10 or more returns. No Eagles player has more than 1 kickoff return. (Grade: C)

KC: On the season, opponents have returned 6 punts for 54 yards (9ypr), and 3 kickoffs for 91 yards (30.3ypr). Neither average is good, but the low number of attempts is a testament to player hustle. (Grade: C)

SINCE LAST QUARTER: N/A

MISSION FOR THIS QUARTER: Go at least 2 – 2, and beat either the Dolphins or the Cowboys, if not both. We need a win over a team that isn’t seen as a bottom feeder. If only for our players own psyches. No one will be impressed by wins over the Jets and Commanders.

FOUR THINGS: WK 6: EAGLES – JETS

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/10/13
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, X's and O's. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

LAST week, the Eagles flew to the opposite side of the country, and soundly defeated a credible opponent. That effort earned us a 5 – 0 record, and a two game lead in the NFC East. This week, we stay in our backyard, going just a two hour bus ride up I-95; to take on what is essentially half of a football team, in the Jets.

While the Jets have a talented defensive unit, their offense is led by an underwhelming QB, and leaky offensive line. Against the Eagles Defense, those two weaknesses are essentially a death sentence for an offense. Especially if OLB Haason Reddick has truly shaken off the rust.

A win pushes us to 6 – 0 and tightens our grip on the division. In fact, regardless of what our rivals do, an Eagles win will cement our place at the top of the NFC East, for at least another two weeks.

A loss, would drop us to 5 – 1, but we’d still be at the top of the division.

****

The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Jets.

DT Jordan Davis

1) Kill Their Run Game: This season when the Jets don’t rush for 100 yards, they’re a 10 point team. When they do hit the century mark, they average 24.3. That’s still four points fewer than we average, but there’s no sense in playing with our food. Their QB is made out of trash, so we should thrust the game onto his narrow shoulders, and then beat on him until he questions his life choices.

2) No Quick Throws: Their QB is trash. So don’t do anything to help him out. Take away the quick and easy, underneath throws. Make him struggle right out of the gate. Then, we throw a drowning man an anchor, by tempting him to go deep.

Make him read deep, and hold the ball too long, behind his shitty offensive line. If he’s looking deep, he won’t see the first few hits coming. When the mistrust sets in, the mistakes should come out. This week, I’d like to see our Secondary eat, and this is just the chump for FS Reed Blankenship and CB Darius Slay to get fat off of.

3) Run the Ball Downhill: The Jets favor a 3-3-5 defensive alignment. Their d-linemen are of a good size, but their LB’s are smallish. What this means is, even when they have a loaded box, it can be out-muscled and worn down.

RT Jordan Mialata celebrates RB D’Andre Swifts TD run

Don’t make this game about being too clever. Some misdirection would be great. However, this should mostly be about getting RB D’Andre Swift behind RT Jordan Mialata and RG Landon Dickerson, and just letting our guys outright maul any Jet dumb enough to suit up for this game.

4) Motion Slot to Brown: There is an excellent chance that the Jets are going to try to cover WR A.J. Brown, with CB Sauce Gardner. Our Slot WR should start out away from Brown, and then run over to his side to either drag his man over there, or expose zone coverage. But that’s the Football 098 stuff.

The real reason for the shift, is to give QB Jalen Hurts a quicker read. An uncovered Slot should be getting the ball. Period. A Slot in man coverage (by the NCB), puts CB’s one-on-one with both Brown, and WR Devonta Smith. So two outside CB’s and the NCB are spoken for. Leaving two Safeties, either in Single-high or Cover Two.

In Single-high, a S will come down to cover TE Dallas Goedert. In a Cover Two, Goedert will be left to a LB. Versus Single-high that’s five in coverage and six in the box. Versus Cover Two, that’s six in coverage and five in the box. In either case, we’d have five linemen, plus Hurts and Swift. So it’s either seven on six, or seven on five.

Remember how I mentioned quick reads for Hurts? So now, Hurts can read either run or pass. Or Hurts can also read Single-high man coverage, and throw where the deep S isn’t. Or read Cover Two zone, and throw quickly to the uncovered receiver. He can read all of this quickly, and from just motioning the Slot over to Brown.

Regardless of whatever play we’ve called.

****

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

said…

The Jets are not in our proverbial weight class. That’s not to insult them. It’s just being honest. They had to fight off Denver last week. Fucking Denver! It was 31 to 21. Versus Denver! They have no business even being competitive in this game. We would have to play down to them, in order for that to be a thing.

This of course, is how trap games get created. By overlooking the validity of an opponent. By not taking into account, that on any given Sunday, that any team can beat any- It was fucking Denver!

We cannot lose to this team! They signed QB Trevor Siemian as a possible solution to their quarterbacking woes. Trevor Siemian wasn’t even good when he was good. He’s a career 13 -17 starter. He hasn’t started and won a game since 2017, when he was 5 – 5. This is how bad it is in New York right now! For Jets fans, Aaron Rodgers’ ankle is up there with 9/11. Four downs, one attempt, one sack and the season was OVER!

We cannot lose to this team.

****

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 5: Rams

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/10/09
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Reviews, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
DE Josh Sweat with the tackle

EAGLES locked it down.

EAGLES 23 – Rams 14

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (25/38 – 65.7 – 303 – 1 – 1)

Rushing: QB Jalen Hurts (15 – 72 – 4.8 – 1 – 0)

Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (8 – 6 – 127 – 21.1 – 0)

Offensive Line Report: (TFL: 6/ Sacks: 1/ Scrums Won: 5/ Scrums Lost: 1)

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

Sack Leader: OLB Hasson Reddick (Sacks: 2.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 2)

Special Teams Ace: K Jake Elliott 3/3 FG, 2/2 XP

****

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

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

1) Ground and Pound: I called for 15 – 20 carries for RB D’Andre Swift (17 – 70 – 4.1 – 0 – 0). Boom Shaakalaaka! Ask and ye shall receive! I called for 9 to 12 passes to TE Dallas Goedert (9 – 8 – 117 – 14.6 – 1). Boom Shaaklaaka! It is done!

TE Dallas Goedert scores a TD

We controlled the ball, the clock, the pace of the game, the prices at the concession stands. No one got caught over-thinking this week. No one got cute. The Rams focused on taking away our explosive plays. So we countered by gashing them on early downs, repeatedly setting up 3rd and manageable, while milking the clock. (DONE)

2) Pave the Lane: Were it up to me, most of our running would have been behind RT Lane Johnson in this one. However, what I specified was ten or more runs to the right. We ran it to the right 16 times for 64 yards (4ypc). That looks better on paper than it did in reality, as 4 of our 6 negative runs were on this side.

As for exposing OLB Michael Hoecht (5 tackles) as a liability, he was caught in coverage on Dallas Goedert, and Jalen Hurts ripped a pass and excised 49 yards of flesh from the Rams for their foolishness. (DONE)

3) Man Coverage on Nacua: Rams rookie WR Puka Nacua (11 – 7 – 71 – 10.1 – 1) faced man coverage at least 8 times (by my count) in key situations this week. Despite catching a touchdown, this was his worst outing so far as a pro, in terms of yardage, and catch percentage. So he was challenged.

The idea here wasn’t to “stop” the Rams, but to slow them down. Every NFL pundit and and even the game announcers, expected a shootout. The gambling line was over 50 points between the two teams. That’s precisely the game we didn’t want to find ourselves in. So the Eagles played to slow. To smother. And it worked. (DONE)

DT Jalen Carter collects a sack

4) Blitz off their LT: We actually did this more in the first half and git away from it in the second half. Doesn’t matter. The second half is where the sacks happened. So to Hell with what I wrote. YAY SACKS! Also, did I mention that DT Jalen Carter (4 – 2.0 – 0 – 0), also had two sacks? I didn’t? Well, DT Jalen Carter also had two sacks. So there.  (NOT DONE)

****

So this week we nailed down 3 of The Four Things, in a game that was never actually as close as the score. Next week we travel to New York, to face a Jets team that may have found it franchise quartb- HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Couldn’t type it with a straight face. That kid couldn’t even look good against Denver’s defense today. What’s the expression? Couldn’t get laid in a whorehouse. Yeah, we’ll be fine.

****

Game Hero: Defensive Coordinator Sean Desai – I’ve been roasting this guy’s balls over a blowtorch for about a month now. So it feels good to be able to switch gears, and give him credit. After all, as a fan, I want him to be successful. If he’s fired because he’s a bum, we have to gamble on someone else, and hope they don’t turn out to be worse.

So this is nice.

While many will tell you that Jalen Hurts is the hero of this one, they’d be wrong. Desai made some killer adjustments during half-time. The result was the Rams being shutout in the second half. They had 5 drives, for 70 yards, 3 punts, 1 turnover on downs, and 1 time expired, with a total Time Of Possession of 9:44. Way to go Sean!

Game goat: WR Quez Watkins (3 – 2 – 4 – 2.0 – 0) – Blazing 4.3 speed, everyone! (Round of applause.) Catches a pass, and makes a bee-line not between these two blockers,

Which line did WR Quez Watkins (not pictured) follow? The blue one. Motherf-

but behind them, heading straight out of bounds. There could only be two explanations for this. A) His fantasy football opponent has him starting this week; or B) He was trying to avoid contact. In football. Not a good look.

That said, I don’t want to jump the gun, and say that WR Olamide Zaccheaus (no stats) should be our WR3. I’m frustrated with Quez, but he also ran a route where he was jumping around at the back of the end zone, and Hurts didn’t see him. That was another of the touchdowns that we left on the field, in this one.

To be honest, we spend a lot of time using Quez wrong. He’s a speedster. His job should be less about catching the ball, and more about blowing up coverages. Aim him at the Safeties, run him down middle, see if A.J. or Devonta Smith (5 – 1 – 6 – 6.0 – 0) gets one-on-one, then exploit that match-up. We’re making this harder than it should be.

On The Whole:

As I said, the Rams are a scrappy team. They’re a well coached team, but they just don’t have the talent to stay with an Eagles team playing at even 80% capacity.

Speaking of coaching, why are we always running the play clock down so far? I get that it also eats into the actual clock, but it’s leading to complications that we don’t need, such as wasted time outs. Just thought I’d mention it.

Now, go enjoy this 5 – 0 record, and our perch atop the division!

OLB Haason Reddick gets a second sack forcing a turnover on downs

FOUR THINGS: WK 5: EAGLES – RAMS

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/10/06
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Fans, Four Things, Offense, Players. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

DEFEATING a division rival, in a fist-fight that went into overtime? Been there, done that. Man, finding ways to win, is this team’s superpower. Now we get a chance to prove that again, against a Rams team that’s scrappy, but doesn’t have nearly as much talent as we do. If we don’t play down to them, this “W” is ours for the taking.

A win elevates us to 5 – 0. It also cements our lead in the NFC East for at least the next two weeks, regardless of the outcomes. Even better, 4 – 0 San Francisco is playing 3 – 1 Dallas this week.

If San Fran wins, we open up a 5 – 0 to 3 – 2 lead over Dallas, the number two team in the division. If Dallas wins, we’d be the only undefeated team in the NFL, and thus at the top of the NFC. So as long as we win this week, the Dallas/San Fran game helps us out, no matter how it ends. Even with a tie.

A loss holds us at 4 – 1. Combined with a Dallas loss, it would see us still atop the division with a two game lead. A Dallas win, would see us still atop the division, but only by a conference tie-breaker.

****

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 Rams.

1) Ground and Pound: Against Tampa Bay, we ran it 40 times, threw it 37, in a double digit win. Against the Commanders, we ran it 27 times, threw it 37, in an overtime squeaker. Eagles fans, we are great at running the ball. So why do our coaches keep over-thinking it?

You know what? Let’s not bitch about it, let’s just get at it. Hit the Rams on the ground with 15 – 20 carries by RB D’Andre Swift; and pound on the LB/S boundary with 9 to 12 yard passes to TE Dallas Goedert. Work the box like a taffy puller. Pull them in with the run, push them back with the pass.

2) Pave the Lane: We had better run a whoooole lot behind RT Lane Johnson this week. The Rams have 6’4, 310 pound OLB Michael Heocht. He’s built like a DT, but they play him on the end of the line. Not in a three point stance, but standing up. Like a true LB! He’s a liability waiting to be exposed!

Standing up with his dimensions, destroys any chance of him gaining leverage vs the run. Running right and firing Lane Johnson into this guy’s exposed lap, would be a hard-hearted and mean-spirited thing to do. So we should do it until either the game ends, or until the Rapture starts. Ten or more runs to the right, would be golden.

3) Man Coverage on Nacua: This is a money game for CB Darius Slay. We aren’t going to “stop” the Rams offense, so banish that idea from your minds. Their coach is simply too smart and too experienced for such nonsense. While the Rams are hard to strategize against, they’re as susceptible to being slowed by shenanigans, as any other team.

There’s talk of WR Cooper Kupp coming back from injury this week, but he won’t be his sharpest. Rookie WR Puka Nacua has become Stafford’s go-to, but he’s more of a possession receiver, not a burner. Cover at least him in man, and force Stafford to read. The idea isn’t to stop, but to slow. To cause hesitancy. To cause mistakes.

4) Blitz off their LT: Rams starter Alaric Jackson is an undersized 285 pound LT, dealing with a hamstring issue. His back-up, Joe Notebloom is a pile of smoldering garbage, dealing with a groin injury. As of now, both are out for Sunday’s game. The third stringer Zach Thomas may have to start against DE Josh Sweat.

This is feeding sheep (giants fans?) to lions. This match-up should make me happy enough, but I’m greedy. Throw and fake blitzes primarily to their LT. Confuse him. Scare him into couple of false starts. Piss off their crowd and make them fall silent.

****

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

Mark it down! This week is historic. Due to the back injury to DT Fletcher Cox, this Sunday, DT’s Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter will be starting alongside each other. Ladies and gents (and the rest of you), we are getting a glimpse of the Eagles future.

All in all, this is one of the ones we should win. And if we don’t play down to the opponent (like we did last week), we should run away with this one. The Rams are scrappy, but they can’t hang with us in the trenches.

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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.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 4: Commanders

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/10/02
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Rants, Reviews, Rivals, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
They called a penalty on US on this play, despite all the neutral zone violations, and a Washington player actually touching the ball. Trying everything they can to stop the Brotherly Shove.

PHILLY wins a street fight.

EAGLES 34 – Commanders 31 (OT)

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (25/37 – 67.5% – 319 – 2 – 0)

Rushing: RB D’Andre Swift (14 – 56 – 4.0 – 1 – 0)

Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (13 – 9 – 175 – 19.4 – 2)

Offensive Line Report: (TFL: 0/ Sacks: 3/ Scrums Won: 3/ Scrums Lost: 0)

Drive Killer: N/A (TD: /Int: / FR: / 4th down stops: / FF: )

Sack Leader: LB Nicholas Morrow (Sacks: 3.0/ FF: 1/ Tackles: 11)

Special Teams Ace: K Jake Elliott 4/4 FG including OT game winner

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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 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) Unleash Reddick: Didn’t happen. OLB Haason Reddick (2 – 1.0 – 0 – 0), all 230 pounds of him, spent the day playing DE in a 4 – 3 alignment. Although DE Brandon Graham (no stats), was listed as a starter at the beginning of the game, it was Reddick who spent most of the day there.

To his credit, Reddick did record his first sack of the season, but the new defensive scheme is keeping him from being the player he was last year, when the Eagles frequently rushed five players with Reddick mostly at OLB, not DE. Is there a difference? You saw those games, and you watch these. So you tell me. (NOT DONE)

WR A.J. Brown waved hello to the red zone, on his way through it, on this 59 yard catch and run TD.

2) Finish in the Red Zone: On the day we had ten possessions, three were touchdowns, four were field goals, three were punts. Only two of our drives saw the red zone. One produced the 5 yard touchdown run from Swift, the other a 36 yard field goal by Elliott. That puts us at exactly at 50% in terms of touchdown production.

I said that touchdowns are the mission, and right behind that, I said that coming away with a field goal, beats coming away empty handed. Again, we only saw the red zone twice, but we scored a TD 50% of the time, and points 100% of the time. It’s good to have high standards, but folks, we also have to remember to be reasonable. (DONE)

3) Get ‘Em Down: Last year, the Commanders beat us by running 44 times for 142 yards (3.2 ypc). They didn’t do a great job of it, just a committed one, and our inability to tackle on 3rd and 4th and short, resulted in 1st down after 1st down. So of course they started out trying that approach again.

Getting the Commanders RB’s on the ground was done resoundingly. Their RB’s combined rushing numbers (20 – 64 – 3.2 – 1 – 0), produced the same overall average, but moment to moment they weren’t able to duplicate last year’s game flow, and had to lean on the pass in this one. (DONE)

4) Make Penny Make Sense: This one was contingent on RB Rashaad Penny being on the active roster for this game, but he was left inactive instead. So this one almost shouldn’t count for this week. But…

Real talk? With the Eagles piss-poor commitment to running the ball in this game, I doubt that Penny would have seen a single touch. (NOT DONE)

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So this weeks Four Things was a dissatisfying 2 of 4. This is how you end up having to win it in overtime. Next week we head out to Los Angeles, to take on the 2 – 2 Rams, who also needed OT to win this week.

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Game Hero: Lots of people will tell you it was Jake Elliott, or A.J. Brown, but for my money it was Nick Morrow. I was high on his signing to replace Kyzir White, and felt a little salty when he was cut this year.

LB Nicholas Morrow, FEASTING!

The Eagles brought Morrow back due to the LB Nakobe Dean (foot) injury, and he’s been an unsung impact player every week. He had a fumble recovery vs Minnesota; he recorded the safety vs Tampa Bay; he notched 3 sacks, a forced fumble, and 11 tackles in this game. He has done nothing but ball-out since he got here, and it’s high time he got his flowers.

Game goat: Defensive Coordinator Sean Desai – For the third straight week, I’m naming the same person. I’ve been complaining about the cushions that we give WR’s for weeks now. Cut to this game. On 3rd and 6, with 9:21 left in the 4th quarter, our CB’s lined up with 5 yard cushions. Commentator Daryl “Moose” Johnston even mentioned how weird that was. We would give up an quick, uncontested 7 yard pass on the outside, for a 1st down.

Desai is not only misusing Haason Reddick, but his coverage concept is resulting in easy completions like we were giving up under Jim Schwartz, and Bill Davis. I was no fan of Jonathon Gannon, but his man concepts at least forced QB’s to read, meaning hold the ball. That helped result in sacks. Remember those?

Speaking of Gannon, we lamented his inability or unwillingness to make in-game adjustments. Desai seems to have caught that same disease, because not only is he not making adjustments in-game, but he also seems to not make them game-to-game. We are discussing the same problems every week!

As of now, the giants and the Seahawks have yet to play, but at the moment, we rank as the 5th worst pass defense in the NFL. With CB’s Darius Slay and James Bradberry making 80M$ over the next three years. With a deep and talented defensive line, featuring DT’s Fletcher Cox and Jalen Carter, we rank 27th out of 32.

Player talent is not the issue. We’ve seen these players perfom better under other leadership. It feels as if at DC, we’ve gone from Jimmy Johnson, to Barry Switzer.

On The Whole: I can’t be too angry at a 4 – 0 team. It just feels ungrateful. There’s much to clean up, but between rust from not playing guys in the preseason, rookie coordinators, a rash of injuries in the Secondary, at RB, and our signal calling MLB; look, this team being 4 – 0… I will take it. And I will show gratitude for it.

RB D’Andre Swift evens up the game with this 5 yard TD run.

That said, we need to see improvement soon. The winning will stop if we don’t flat out fix a few glaring issues. An evolution on Defense, and more commitment to the run, being the primary two. This game featured 37 passes, 9 Jalen Hurts runs, and just 18 hand-offs. 

You know, because of the Eagles coaching staff’s resistance to learning, I have QB Marcus Mariota on my bench in fantasy football. At this pace, the question isn’t if. It’s not even when. It’s “How long this time?”