BACKING UP NATE SUDFELD

Posted by The BEAST on 2019/07/09
Posted in: Conversations, free agents, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players, playoffs, Rants, Roster, Super Bowl. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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HAVING QB Nate Sudfeld as the back-up to Carson Wentz, isn’t risky! In fact, it’s a very smart move for the Front Office to have made. For someone to write that it’s “risky” because he isn’t a more veteran presence, is an almost stunning display of ignorance and lack of foresight. These rogue writers better back-up off my QB!

Sorry, I started out ranting. Let me take a step back and explain. I read a ton of Eagles articles in the course of doing research for my articles, in order to make sure that when I write it, you can quote it, and rest assured that you’re 100% correct. Yesterday I read an article that said that the Eagles going with Sudfeld, instead of more veteran QB’s like Tyrod Taylor or Ryan Fitzpatrick, was a risky move.

Now normally when I read something I disagree with, I shrug and go to the next thing. So naturally I attempted the same thing yesterday. However, the longer the day got, the more it crept into my thoughts. Not just because I oppose it philosophically, but because it is fundamentally wrong. Not just incorrect, but downright WRONG.

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First of all, Nate has been here for two years and is familiar with the coaches, players, playbook, and core concepts of the Offensive system. He already has a firm grasp of everything, so there is no internal learning curve for him. If he finds himself pressed into playing, during film study and meetings, he can focus on learning the opponent. He’s at a point in his career where all of his learning can be external.

Bringing in a veteran, free agent QB, means teaching them a new system, new players, yada-blah, and etcetera. That of course doesn’t take into account whether the new player fits the team culture.

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Sudfeld is already a fucking Yahtzee. So why re-roll? Plus he’s a young player that the Eagles can develop. That development is important, because with all the young QB’s drafted in the last few years, Sudfeld likely won’t have many, (if any) starting opportunities come his way. Especially if Wentz stays healthier than he’s been over the last two seasons, and so Sudfeld can’t showcase his skills.

Being a career back-up is no young player’s dream. However, the idea of having longevity in a game they love, and getting to belong to, and contribute to, an era of success over a decade or so… That’s nothing to sneeze at. For the Eagles organization, that level of stability is also nothing to sneeze at.

I was trying to write this article without bringing up QB Nick Foles, but even 852 miles away, he’s still the elephant in the room. This needs to be addressed so that we can forever gain some perspective, and not base our view of the past on a mythology that seems to be spreading.

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Part of the reason that article said we need a more veteran QB, is because that’s what Foles was. Foles was a back-up who had once been a starter. He was battle-tested. He’d played a playoff game. He was qualified to start. Hell, his seven TD game is still an NFL All-Time record (tied with QB Peyton Manning). Foles uniform from that game is ALREADY in Canton. Foles went on to become a Super Bowl Most Valuable Player. So apparently this is the formula, right?

Wrong. First of all, if your back-up is in, people generally expect less success. When Wentz went down, plenty of Eagles fans expressed serious doubts about Foles. No one cops to it NOW, but it was a real thing back during Weeks 15 – 17 in 2017.

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Should Wentz go down again, judging Sudfeld against Foles 2017 season is straight bullshit. If there’s a free agent QB out there who can keep a team in the hunt for a Lombardi, then why the fuck isn’t he starting?! Why is he a free agent?

Foles isn’t the standard, he’s the exception. He had a great run in late 2017, but basing our hunts for future back-ups on the 2017 season, is sheer madness. It’s unadulterated farce. Meanwhile, we have a great situation with Nate Sudfeld, right now. It’s important that we as Eagles fans recognize that, and don’t let these rogue writers promote the idea of the exceptional as the enemy of the good.

These rogue writers better back-up off my QB.

THE NFC EAST QB SITUATION

Posted by The BEAST on 2019/07/08
Posted in: Conspiracy Corner, Front Office (F.O.), NFC East, Offense, Players, Rivals, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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YOU can’t win without a Quarterback. In the last half century in the NFL, that statement has become axiomatic. Well, it’s been a month since the Eagles made it clear to the world, that warts and all, QB Carson Wentz is the franchise that this franchise is franchised around. (Let the Church say amen… Hallelujah.)

The rest of the NFC East seems well…a bit unsettled at QB. What I mean is, the other two football teams and the Redskins, have yet to declare the guy who they want to build their futures with. At first glance it may not appear so, but if you lean in (and you don’t even have to lean in close), you’ll see what I mean.

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The giants are essentially held hostage by the no-trade clause in QB Eli Manning’s contract, and so will pay his 23M$ salary, to avoid eating 11M$ of dead money and bad karma, from just cutting him.

So their front office is going to let him start, probably (secretly, silently) hoping for him to get injured just enough to start the QB they picked #6 overall, out of Duke. (Yes Duke.) You know who I mean. QB Whatshisname. John Doe? Joe Smith? Tom Blank? Daniel Jones? Whatever. They’re basically waiting for a medical reason to yank Manning. Or to let him stink so badly that he himself will suggest riding pine to avoid further weekly embarrassment.

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The Redskins. Picture a blindfolded child, swinging at the air with a stick, and hoping to make contact with a pinata 10 feet behind them. Right now the ‘skins aren’t looking for candy. Just a thump that says there may be a chance at some candy. They too have a rookie QB in Dwayne Haskins, and he’s looking to make everyone who passed on him “pay”. (Which to me, seems almost like him saying that he’s mad that he isn’t elsewhere.)

The ‘skins may start the rookie. Or they may start QB Case Keenum who they brought in to start, before they decided he wasn’t good enough, and drafted a QB in the first round. However, a report from last month, also says that last year’s back-up, QB Colt McCoy, could end up the starting QB. That’s if he isn’t cut. Wait, what?! How do you go from potential starter to… Never mind. Redskins.

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I understand the youth movements in DC and NY. Those are 100% organic processes. Dallas however, has given me pause. Like trying to line up a shot on a pool table, I’ve been looking at Dallas’s situation from different angles and imagining the follow through. Here’s what I came up with.

Cowboy’s owner Jerry Jones is the groom. He’s locked in the bathroom on the day of his wedding, refusing to come out. It’s time to walk down the aisle and commit to QB Dak Prescott. However, Jones has reservations about the marriage. Prescott is good, but is he ring good? Jones has his doubts.

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That in itself says absolutely everything. Jones has had QB’s Troy Aikman and Tony Romo. He’s also had QB’s Quincy Carter and Steve Walsh. He knows what a franchise QB looks like. However, he also knows what they don’t look like. So this much hesitation on Prescott, is telling.

On the surface, we all know that after spending three years singing Prescott’s praises, Jones now has to sign him. That being said, signing him and keeping him are two very different things. Especially if Dallas has eyes for making a major move in or around the 2020 Draft. It’s the only thing that explains why Prescott has been allowed to remain unsigned as Jones watches his price tag steadily increase.

It’s highly unlikely, but it’s entirely possible that Prescott could play this year out, move on, and the Cowboys would have to start at square one. Calm down. Calm down. I said possible, but highly unlikely. More likely would be a delayed sign and trade scenario.

Picture this: Prescott is signed to a 5 year deal during training camp. During the season, his play still can’t convince Jones that he is a great long term answer. Why hold onto a player like that for 32M$ per year? The answer is, no team would.

Given all the pieces that the Cowboys currently have in place, Jones has to make a move if he thinks he still doesn’t have a franchise QB. He has to. Otherwise he risks missing the team’s window.

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Dallas will sign Prescott. They’ll do so just in case he pans out this year, or to have leverage to get something for him, if their front office decides that they need a new QB. That way they can get a jump on the seller’s market.

But who would want Prescott next year? The short list of places he’d end up are… We’ll save that for another day.

NECESSARY LUXURY CONNOR BARWIN

Posted by The BEAST on 2019/06/30
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, free agents, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players, Rants, Roster, Special Teams. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment
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Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz

AGAIN, LB/DE Connor Barwin has made his wish to comeback to Philadelphia, publicly known. It was a good idea when I wrote about it last March, and it’s still a good idea now. The only question is: Are the Eagles smart enough to pull the trigger? By the way, we should also grab RB Darren Sproles while we’re at it.

No. I’m not interested in an Eagles reunion tour.

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What? No! Wrong Eagles! Ooooohh in it’s entirety? No. Never mind that.

Look, I’ve been a fan of bringing back Barwin for years now. On Sproles, I’ve had a recent change of heart, following a recent change of heart. However, as it stands now, both players would be a Necessary Luxury. Yes, the statement is oxymoronic. Allow me to explain.

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Barwin is more of a 3-4 OLB than a typical 4-3 DE. However, in a Wide 9 front, the DE position operates more like an OLB with space around it. This puts emphasis on containment and then penetration, as opposed to block stacking and then penetration. Both are examples of setting an edge, but the tactic is different. Last time I checked, Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz still employ a Wide 9 front.

With the recent retirement of DE Chris Long, there is a hole here. Second year DE’s Josh Sweat and Joe Ostman, along with rookie DE Shareef Miller, would all like a shot at the 4th spot behind DE’s Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett and Vinny Curry. In fact, it makes sense to elevate a youngin. The trouble is the lack of versatility, which the Eagles covet. Every guy on this list is a defensive lineman. They aren’t meant for playing in space.

Barwin can play with his hand in the dirt, and can can also offer some value as zone coverage LB. He’s played both ILB and OLB, so the Eagles can move him around either situationally, or in the case of an injury. True or false: LB depth has been an issue for the Eagles for a while now? See? Necessary luxury. Barwin is a great locker room influence and also truly embraces the city of Philadelphia itself. In the absence of Long, you really can’t ask for better.

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Sproles, is a quietly intriguing case. When I talk to people about him, they always go right to discussing how we don’t need him, because we have RB Miles Sanders. While there may be some truth to that, there is no such thing as too much depth at RB. (Just compare 2018 to 2017.) Besides, if Sproles doesn’t come here, he’s going to New Orleans. Do we need that? Do we?

Also, what most people fail to realize is that right now, as you read this on June 30th 2019, the two most accomplished return men on the Eagles team are WR DeSean Jackson, and RB Corey Clement. Using DJax as a regular returner AND starting WR is stupid. Especially at his age and with his hamstring history. As I said in a prior article  Clement has a grand total of 6 (I say again, just 6) career punt returns and just 15 kick returns.

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Seems like maybe an on-field mentor would be good to have around. Teach the young guys? See? Necessary luxury. In addition to that, RB Coach Duce Staley has indicated that there might be a budding coach in Sproles. If we can transition him here, it’d be a ton of current wisdom to have in our stockpile.

HOW TO SWEEP THE NFC EAST: COWBOYS

Posted by The BEAST on 2019/06/29
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, NFC East, Offense, Players, playoffs, Preview, Rivals, Roster, stats, Super Bowl, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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FREE Agency rounds 1 and 2 have passed, as has the Draft. At this point, teams have basically added all their desired starters and key depth. Now it’s just a matter of seeing who everyone loses between now (with stupid vacation injuries), and the end of Training Camp. This article assumes the Eagles operating at their peak vs rivals operating at their peak, for 17 straight weeks.

Here, is how the Eagles can sweep the NFC East in 2019. Today we’ll talk about the Cowboys.

2019 - Criminal.jpgDefensively the Cowboys haven’t been hard for the Eagles to score points against. In 6 meetings since Doug Pederson took over as Head Coach of the Eagles, the Eagles are 2 – 4, but the average score of those games is 21.6 Eagles – 18.8 Cowboys. (It’s true. Look it up.) Minus the 0 – 6 game where the Eagles played mostly third stringers, the Eagles average 26.0 points per game vs Dallas.

This indicates that the Offensive system is fine doing what it does, and that Pederson and staff already have a feel for how to call a game in real-time, vs this team. The Cowboys trading for DE Robert Quinn, would have had the ability to shift those tones…had the Eagles not on the same day, traded for RB Jordan Howard.

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If the Eagles feed Howard (see what I did there), it’ll force Dallas to put leashes on their pass rushers, to keep Howard from exploiting open edges. This means QB Carson Wentz would see more manageable 3rd downs, and wouldn’t have to hold the ball long enough for Quinn to make much of an impact. Even without a run game last year, the Eagles managed 20 points or more in both games. A run game will only make the Offense smoother, if not more effective.

Offensively the Cowboys managed all of 15 points in two games against the Eagles in 2017. However in 2018, given the Eagles Secondary issues, the Cowboys exploded for 56 points. QB Dak Prescott threw 4 touchdowns against the Eagles in 2018 (two games), when he’d only thrown a total of 3 in two previous seasons (four games). Still, both 2018 games were hotly contested, with the margins of victory in both games being 7 and 6 points.

With the Eagles Secondary on the mend from a million injuries in 2018, odds are that the Cowboys go back to the 14.25 points per game they averaged in the first four games against the Eagles, instead of the 28.0 points per game they posted in 2018.

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That said, Dallas is a deeper and more talented team than our other two rivals, and so a sweep here will take work. The Eagles have to take away all the parts of the Cowboys offense that make it stable. Everything that makes it run on time, has to be made to run slightly off-schedule. Force them to have to subsist on the big play. That is, if they can make enough of them to sustain drives.

The key to beating the Cowboys offense will be to overwhelm their offensive line. Get into the backfield and make plays run “off-script.” Dictate to the RB where the hole has been moved to, and have a tackler waiting. Make the QB reset his feet, to disrupt short timing routes. Fake a blitz, and have a deep route audibled to a shallow one. Basically hand them death by 1,000 cuts.

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Cowboys watching the Eagles in the 2019 – 2020 playoffs.

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HOW TO SWEEP THE NFC EAST: REDSKINS

Posted by The BEAST on 2019/06/28
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, free agents, Front Office (F.O.), NFC East, Offense, Players, Preview, Rivals, Roster, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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FREE Agency rounds 1 and 2 have passed, as has the Draft. At this point, teams have basically added all their desired starters and key depth. Now it’s just a matter of seeing who everyone loses between now (with stupid vacation injuries), and the end of Training Camp. This article assumes the Eagles operating at their peak vs rivals operating at their peak, for 17 straight weeks.

Here, is how the Eagles can sweep the NFC East in 2019. Today we’ll talk about the Redskins.

2019 BURNED ALIVE

Ha-ha! Just a joke. Collins doesn’t cover WR’s. Wait. Is it doesn’t or can’t?

Defensively, the Redskins ranked in the middle of the pack last year, giving the impression that their defense is a building block. Nope. Typically teams that lean heavy on their run game and get production from it, are practically immune from falling into the lower one-third (21st to 32nd) in defensive rankings. Those teams simply hold the ball too long for opponents to rack up yards. Sort of a statistical sleight of hand.

Between two QB’s last year, the Eagles hung 52 points and 527 passing yards on this team, despite not having a balanced attack. In response to that, and the Eagles adding the NFL’s #1 deep threat, the Redskins ran out and overpaid for in the box SS Landon Collins, without benefit of a FS to balance the back-end out. Seriously, they did that. Honestly, the Redskins should give free tickets to firefighters, just so someone will be there to put their secondary out this season.

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The Redskins 3-4 system has allowed the Eagles an average of 26.3 points per game since Doug Pederson became the Eagles Head Coach. The lowest number of points being 20, and the highest being 34. That isn’t a ton of deviation, which implies that the Eagles system simply has the number of the Redskins system. The Eagles simply have to run their offense and the points will be there waiting for them. 

Offensively prior to the Draft, the thinking was that QB Case Keenum would get the starting nod in 2019. However, the Redskins spent their first round pick (15th overall) on QB Dwayne Haskins. Despite all the hoopla surrounding Haskins during mini-camp, there has been no clear indication that he’ll get the nod. This was muddied further by a June 20th report that QB Colt McCoy could still win the starting job, in 2019.

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Starting job! Keep your eye on the starting job.

No clear starter means no offseason workouts at the QB’s hacienda before training camp. That means a lag in chemistry. That means gaps in leadership and other players NOT buying in.

If the Redskins already have chemistry and leadership issues, they will fare poorly vs an Eagles team running the same defensive system, which surrendered just 13 points to the ‘skins, in two games last year. Especially with fewer injuries during week one, as the opening day dance partner for whoever plays QB. Get some pressure and the miscues will become turnovers.

Objectively speaking, even at optimal, the Redskins may be in a worse place than they were when the Eagles swept them in 2018. Which is scary because the Eagles have since improved.

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HOW TO SWEEP THE NFC EAST: GIANTS

Posted by The BEAST on 2019/06/27
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, NFC East, Offense, Players, Preview, Rivals, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

 

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FREE Agency rounds 1 and 2 have passed, as has the Draft. At this point, teams have basically added all their desired starters and key depth. Now it’s just a matter of seeing who everyone loses between now (with stupid vacation injuries), and the end of Training Camp. This article assumes the Eagles operating at their peak vs rivals operating at their peak, for 17 straight weeks.

Here is how the Eagles can sweep the NFC East in 2019. Today we’ll talk about the giants.

Defensively they shouldn’t present the Eagles much of a problem. While their interior should be hard to run against, they lack a high level pass rusher. They didn’t have one when I wrote my Pre-Draft Preview, and they didn’t add one during the Draft, nor in free agency part deux. They will apparently be relying on their system to magnify the impact of each man. As long as they follow instructions, I’m sure they’ll be fine….

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No one follows instructions as well as New Yorkers.

The Eagles have proven adept at handling 3-4 systems which rely on OLB’s for pass rush, because it leaves no one to cover TE Zach Ertz. This is not a specialized situation, it’s a down in, and down out deficiency vs the Eagles, who have only gotten deeper at TE.

The Eagles just have to chip away at the edges on first down. The only way for the giants to cope with that, would be to come out of their base defense. In which case they are already at a disadvantage, sacrificing pass rush, and stressing a very questionable secondary.

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Offensively New York has an issue with firepower. Their best weapon aside from RB Saquon Barkley is probably rookie WR Darius Slayton. Problem with that, will be getting him on the field behind less dangerous receivers, with bigger contracts. At least at the start of the season. If he outplays his elders, he’ll see more action. Regardless of how much they’re making.

In any case allowing Barkley short catches and almost no YAC, will pull the plug on the giants offense. Without a safety net, QB Eli Manning has to hold the ball longer to get it downfield to one of his WR’s, who probably will be as well covered as a trench-pig in a whorehouse.

Hey, remember WR Golden “Little Man” Tate? Master of the 2 yard catch for a 4 yard gain? He’s one of the giants top receivers. Stop laughing. I’m serious. (Hi, Serious!)

GOLDEN TAINT ORIGIN

That said, as things stand now, the giants stand no chance of winning either game vs the Eagles. They’ll be lucky if they aren’t blown out both times.

 

 

GIANT SHOES TO FILL

Posted by The BEAST on 2019/06/26
Posted in: Conversations, free agents, NFC East, Offense, Players, Rants, Rivals, Roster, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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REGGIE White Jr. is a WR for the giants, and his jersey number is 13.

Sounds like a storm brewing, right? Nope. First of all, he’s not the son of THE ^Reggie White^, as in the Hall of Fame DE who made most of his rep as an Eagle. This guy’s dad was just an NFL Reggie White, who played D-line for the Patriots and Chargers. He’s one of three or four such players with that same name, strewn about NFL history.

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Odell Beckham‘s jersey number just so happened to be available when the young lad was signed as an undrafted free agent. An unfortunate confluence of events, to be sure. 

I stumbled across this while researching the giants roster for tomorrow’s upcoming article. Upon seeing the name and jersey number, I immediately felt uneasy that the blood of Eagles royalty, was now a member of a rival team. A closer look however, revealed that it was just some schmuck who’s dad was just some schmuck. Worse yet, Schmuck Jr. was assigned a number that may be more curse than blessing.

Woefully, the young man comes into the start of his career, wearing a number that may be too big for him, and carrying a name that he can’t live up to. Worse yet, not being a draft pick, he was officially on the bubble the moment he signed his contract. Tragic though it is, you have to be tough enough to earn your life in the NFL.

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You know what would be peachy? If after the giants cut him, the Eagles sign him to the Practice Squad, convert him to Nickel CB, and then on a blitz, he gets a sack fumble vs the giants. That? Well now. Wouldn’t that just be hilarious?

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WHAT IF CARSON WENTZ FAILS?

Posted by The BEAST on 2019/06/22
Posted in: Conversations, NFC East, Offense, Players, Roster, stats, Super Bowl, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
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Courtesy Daily Express

FIRST of all, I don’t think QB Carson Wentz is going to fail at either winning a Super Bowl (while playing in it), or becoming the Eagles GOAT at QB. Let’s get that out of the way right now. However, it’s a slow offseason, so we have time to ruminate, and to discuss the flip-side of our expectations. A rare occasion amongst Eagles fans, no doubt!

Wentz has always had good arm strength, but no one has ever said he had a cannon. So his game isn’t reliant on that. His knee situation is unlikely to repeat in the same leg, and even if it did, his game isn’t that of a running QB. Long story short, barring a serious injury to his throwing shoulder (knock wood), his career should survive pretty much any serious football related injury.

As far as coaching stability, and stability of system, he has those. He’s mastered the system he plays in. As far as not having weapons, his weapons are top shelf. Right now he has a TE who just set the NFL all-time record for catches in season; the NFL’s top deep threat; a WR who makes 50-50 balls into 85-15 balls (even in double coverage); and a slot WR who’d be a #1 or 2 receiver for a number of teams (Detroit, Washington, New York (either), Buffalo, Tennessee, and New England to name a few).

So Wentz has weapons, coaching stability, system mastery, and the youth to recover from pretty much any serious football injury. He also has a well demonstrated devotion to his craft. So what could stop him, since Father Time hasn’t begun to work against him yet?

Circumstance. Carson Wentz can be stopped, by circumstance. No one ever sees how big a role circumstance plays in the day to day. We generally only think of the broad strokes. Let me give you an example of Circumstance.

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Courtesy Daily Express

Last year we were swept by the Dallas Cowboys, so Carson Wentz goes 0 – 2 against that team in 2018. This means Dallas QB Dak Prescott went 2 – 0 vs the Eagles in 2018. Those are immutable facts. Let’s not ignore them, but let’s look a little deeper, shall we?

Game 1:
Prescott: 26 – 36 – 72.2% – 270 – 1 – 0 – 102.8/ 6 – 9 – 1.5 – 1 – 1
Wentz:    32 – 44 – 72.7% – 360 – 2 – 1 – 102.5/ 2 – 7 – 3.5 – 0 – 0

Game 2:
Prescott: 42 – 54 – 77.8% – 455 – 3 – 2 – 104.9/4 – 2 – 0.5 – 1 – 1
Wentz:    22 – 32 – 68.8% – 228 – 3 – 0 – 120.3/4 – (-3) – (-0.8) – 1 – 1

It’s impossible to look at those numbers and come away thinking that Prescott was the better QB last year. Yet Dallas got the sweep. That could have something to do with the fact that the Eagles Secondary was so beat up, that slowing people down was hard enough. Totally stopping opposing offenses was next to impossible.

Factoring that in, you understand how circumstance helped net Wentz those two loses, in games he played well in. (It also explains partly why Dallas is so hesitant to commit big money to Prescott, who is also a victim of circumstance. I’ll explore that if enough of you ask for it.)

Another example of Circumstance, is the Super Bowl that Wentz helped us win. This is not to take anything away from QB Nick Foles. If I were the GM, Foles would still be on the roster. So understand, I’m not trying to knock his contribution in any way, shape, or form. But let’s sprinkle a lil’ context on these facts. You know how much I love context…

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When Wentz went down against the Rams in 2017, it was in the act of giving us the lead, to help keep us the #1 seed in the NFC. Foles came in, baby sat for a couple of drives, and then the defense put the game on ice with a score. The following two weeks saw Foles win a shootout vs a 2 -12 giants team, and a “closer than the score would indicate” 19 – 10 squeaker over a 6 – 9 Raiders team. Foles held the fort in a 15 – 10 playoff win over Atlanta, but didn’t shine.

However, Foles had two weeks of absolute magic in the NFC Championship game, and in the Super Bowl itself. Those two weeks cannot be denied, but they are still only two weeks. They belie the fact that many in the Eagles fan base, had doubts about Foles. (Not me. I was pumping out supportive meme after meme.)

But after just two magic weeks, Foles is a Philly legend, complete with a statue, and Wentz is rhetorically in the backseat trying to get on that level. Fact is, Wentz built the stage that Foles was able to perform on. Yet circumstances make it appear otherwise.

With the NFL being a pass first and second league right now, there is no doubt that Wentz will soon overtake Donovan McNabb for franchise GOAT at QB. You can practically set a date and start a countdown. (I just typed ‘cuntdown’. LOL) The Super Bowl win is less of a given, but still I wouldn’t bet against Wentz.

If he doesn’t meet both of these marks, I won’t be angry. What I’ll be is shocked.

REDSKINS, giants, ERECK FLOWERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2019/06/19
Posted in: Conversations, free agents, Front Office (F.O.), NFC East, Offense, Players, Rivals, Roster, trade, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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SEEMS like the Redskins are going to make an upgrade to their offensive line. Not a serious upgrade (Chase Roullier is still the Center), but an upgrade none the less. Specifically, they are moving free agent OT Ereck Flowers to LG. The move is pure genius. Which is probably why I saw it coming AND TOLD YOU THAT IT WAS, two months before the Redskins put it out there. 

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Flowers has been a train wreck at OT, both on the left and the right spots, whether for the giants, Jaguars, or a brief stint in mini-camp for Washington in the absence of LT Trent Williams (who may have played his last snap in DC).

True to form, the brain-trusts both in New York and Jacksonville failed to realize that a powerful mountain of a man who has trouble with speedy/agile opponents, might be better off being moved one space over. The Redskins sort of stumbled over it, and lo and behold, it should work out well for them. Hooray!

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Trying to play devil’s advocate it would have made sense not to move him to G, if the giants or Jags had a pair of All-Pro’s both at RG and LG. However, neither team had ONE such player at the time. The giants have since drafted Will Hernandez, who ‘Will’ likely be a good one for a years to come. (And no, I’m not sorry for that pun.) However, I can’t even play devil’s advocate on this one.

The notion that both teams tried him at only two out of five spots, the same two spots mind you, with one team (Jacksonville) knowing the that his prior team tried the same thing, is pure FARCE.

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Somewhere out there in NFL-Land, are two front offices loaded with professionals who have degrees, and references, Who’ve logged hundreds, possibly thousands of hours lifetime, of pouring over the details of scouting, and draft minutia, player background investigations, along with interviews they have sat in on, and/or conducted, to say nothing of all the football they’ve watched. The notion that NOT ONE of these professionals ever said “Hey. Could that guy move over just one spot?” is mind-boggling. 

Yet there Flowers sits. Smiling that Lennie Small smile. About to greatly benefit a division rival, when he should still be in NY keeping them from having to trade for grossly overpaid journeymen like Kevin Zeitler. Moves like this are why giants fans are always so sad and frustrated.

giants fans

If Flowers goes onto have a great year in 2019, a handful of people in two cities (but especially New York) should be tied to a stake, doused with gasoline, and simply walked away from. They will likely, accidentally, agree upon a way to set themselves on fire.

STABILITY AT QUARTERBACK

Posted by The BEAST on 2019/06/18
Posted in: Conversations, Front Office (F.O.), NFC East, Offense, Players, Reviews, Roster, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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CARSON Wentz has missed 8 of a possible 48 regular season games, and all 5 of the Eagles postseason games in the last two years. Still with the amount of talk about him being injured, you’d think he’d missed whole seasons, and didn’t contribute heavily to BOTH of the Eagles playoff runs.

The perception is that he’s always hurt, but let’s step back and look at the facts:

1) In 2017 he suffered a common football injury, when he tore up his knee whilst diving for a touchdown in a game where we were down 24 – 28. The touchdown was called back, but he got up on that torn up knee and threw a touchdown on the subsequent play. The victory would go a long way towards our playoff seeding, helping us secure our fourth championship via our first Super Bowl win

2) The first two games he missed in 2018 were the team holding him out, until they got medical clearance to allow him to play. This was done despite Carson’s insistence that he could practice and play.

3) The last three games he missed in 2018 were due to the team shutting him down when damage was found to his vertebrae. This was also despite Carson’s insistence that he could play.

4) Only three of Wentz’s missed regular season games were directly the result of his injury. Five of his misses were the Eagles organization being cautious with their Franchise QB, and shutting him down over his public objections. That’s not fragility. That’s a smart organization thinking of the big picture.

Offense

Yes, Wentz has missed 8 starts in two years, 13 counting playoffs. Those are facts, and indisputable as such. However, facts without context leads to poor perception, which leads to poor understanding. Garnering facts without understanding them, is in many ways worse than not having the facts at all, as it leads people to assume that they get what’s happening, when nothing could be further.

Now with a mega-deal in place. Wentz will be expected/allowed to play through things the team used to shut him down over. That’s not to say he’ll never miss time. He has a history of injuries and the body doesn’t age in reverse. What it means is, it will likely take a catastrophe to get him off the field, going forward. Expect to see him out there.

That said, this article is called STABILITY AT QUARTERBACK. That means the whole position not just at Starter. So let’s look a little deeper in the bag and see what we have in here.

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Many fans are wishing QB Nick Foles was still an Eagle and they might get that wish granted. In a roundabout way. QB Nate Sudfeld has a similar build, a sneaky sort of athleticism, and also plays within himself, while trusting the system he plays in. Nothing about him screams Pro Bowler, but he’s been nothing but solid when asked to step in.

He hasn’t been as bold as Foles, but then again he hasn’t had the benefit of ever being a team’s starter. He’s going into his third season with the same system and core players. He’s on a 1-year deal, but with the plethora of young QB’s all over the league, even if he left after this season, he’s walking into another back-up job. With a brand new system to learn. So expect him to be here in 2020.2019 Clayton Thorson .jpg

Rookie QB Clayton Thorson reminds me a lot of Carson, back when he came out of college. Word has it that Clayton didn’t look great in mini-camp, so he’ll have a steep hill to climb to challenge for that #2 spot in Training Camp. Which is almost certainly for the best. A year wearing a baseball cap, carrying a clipboard, and asking Nate questions is probably the best thing for him.

It’s hard to tell if QB Cody Kessler is just a camp body, or the Eagles hedging to have depth already on the roster, just in case of injury during Training Camp. Word is, he’s looked good in mini-camp, but what else would you expect from a 4 year vet, with starts on his resume?

So lets re-cap. Carson doesn’t miss with injuries that often, Nate is experienced within the system, with the players, and even with the weather we get late in the year. Cody is the second most experienced QB, and Clayton is all up-side. Of all of them, Carson and Cody are the oldest at 26. It would take very little to sign a couple of these guys to long-term deals. So yeah. The Eagles are stocked and stable at QB.

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