FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 7: PANTHERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2018/10/22
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Reviews, Special Teams, trade. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

THIS was a well deserved loss. We earned that shit. Yay, us. Whether you want to point to the Special Teams celebrating before a kick-off, the Offense throwing shallow routes to players that then headed out of bounds in the 4th quarter, or the Defense being yet again incapable of generating a turnover, there is plenty of blame and SHAME to go around this week.

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Eagles 17 – Panthers 21

Don’t get cute. That’s what cost the Eagles this game. Just like the Titans game. Not being able to finish at the end, can be pointed to as a cause of this team now being sub .500. Let me say that again. The Eagles are SUB .500.

QB Carson Wentz (30/37 – 81.0 – 310 – 2 – 0) was completely on his game, save for that one errant throw that left his hand weird, on the last drive. WR Alshon Jeffery (7 – 88 – 12.5 – 1) and TE Zach Ertz (9 -138 – 15.3 – 0) were out there looking like the Dynamic Duo. They seemed to ZAP! POW! ZLORP! any coverage they faced all day. After watching RB Wendell Smallwood (9 – 32 – 3.6 – 0 – 0) demonstrate that he’s NEVER a threat to break one, and RB Corey Clement (8 – 6 – 0.7 – 0 – 1) nearly ruin a scoring drive, GM Howie Roseman is probably pantless and bent over a desk with Pittsburgh as you read this.

Defensively? Our defenders should be paid 75 cents on the dollar for this week. It would only be fair.

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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. We introduce an idea of what needs addressing BEFORE the game, so that fans have to honestly answer questions about those things, AFTER the game. This helps to get us, and keep us, all on the same page.

So, of the Four Things we were looking for in this last game, what exactly did we see?

1) Make their RB beat us: That was going well until the Defense shrugged their shoulders and left to get an early dinner or whatever. RB Christian McCaffery (7 – 29 – 4.1 – 0 – 0 / 6 – 51 – 8.5 – 0) was held in check even as the intermediate and deep passing game was taken away from the Panthers. It makes this part hard to grade, because for three quarters we were pitching a shutout with this approach. It wasn’t until we… You know what. When we did it, it worked, and we did it for over half the game. I’m going to grade it on a technicality and on that alone. DONE

2) Get a second WR involved: WR Nelson Agholor (6 – 20 – 3.3 – 0) didn’t even average 5 yards (just half a first down) per catch, so it’s hard to put him down as “involved”. As a result, the run game yielded 58 yards on 24 carries for a grand average of 2.4 yards. No serious offense can live that way. NOT DONE

3) Surprise me!: Given our thin cupboard at DT, the Eagles said this week that they had a plan. The “plan” turned out to be starting DT Treyvon Hester (1 – 0 – 0 – 0) and rotating in, DT Bruce Hector (0 – 0.5 – 0 – 0). I chose to be kind here and wonder if both players couldn’t get penetration, because they just ran out of gas late in the game. Especially given that Hester doesn’t generally see much playing time, and Hector was basically called off his couch a few days ago. Hector’s re-signing was hardly a surprise given that he was here during preseason. NOT DONE

4) Maintain balance: “Not 35, 37, or 38.9999999. We need at least 40 percent.” Those are my exact words from Four Things. In this game of  the 61 plays we ran, 37 were passes, 24 were runs. The run selection percentage? 39.3. Leading 17 – 14 with 7 minutes and change left in the game, is what your run game is for. That is not the time to throw short passes to the flat, near the sideline. This is is where getting cute HURTS. This is where you need to be able to FINISH. Instead, we let incompletions and poor choices allow time for the opponent to come back and cut our throats. NOT DONE

So this week’s score is a dismal 1 out of 4, bringing the yearly to 11 of 28. It’s an appalling score, but one befitting a 3 – 4 team that likes to give games away. Next week we travel across the pond to see if we can survive a reeling Jaguars team and claw back to .500.

On The Whole:

The more I write about this, the more stunned I become. You’d think the loss of the lead would have been the stunner, but nope. It’s all the ignored fundamentals that seem like they’re just dangling at the tips of our fingers. It’s almost like Head Coach Doug Pederson is waiting for the moment to turn it on.

For instance, why are we starting Wendell Smallwood? He has no big play ability and there isn’t a player, a coach, or a ball-boy who doesn’t know it. It’s a handicap that we’ve given ourselves.

Why are we bunching the WR’s up on the ends of the line, instead of spreading out the formation? This is hurting the run game, as it keeps more defenders around to clog up lanes. (And no, this can’t be used to exonerate Smallwood, since even when he does pop free, he’s easy to run down.)

Why are we leaving the outside arm of the DE’s uncovered so much? It makes it hard to set the edge on Sweeps, Jet-Sweeps, Tosses, and Pitches. It also means the QB doesn’t have to take a second look, before throwing a Screen.

Why doesn’t Doug TELL Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz, to blitz a little more often? We’ve gotten to a point where we get pressure, but it doesn’t cause turnovers. If anything it makes opposing QB’s look like old-school heroes. Week in and week out they seem content to stand in the pocket and trade a small hit for a big completion.

We’re 3 – 4 on a season where we should be 5 – 2. (The losses to Tampa and Minny were legit losses.) The more I think about this loss, the more stunned I become. By next Sunday, I may be catatonic. Pray for me.

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FOUR THINGS: WK 7: EAGLES-PANTHERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2018/10/18
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Preview. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

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THE Eagles need to string two wins together. Period. Last week we did what we should have, and thoroughly handled a bad giants team. This week offers a somewhat tougher opponent, whom we need to find a way to beat. This isn’t a “must win” game. It’s not a “test our mettle” game. We don’t need to “make a statement” this week. This is about hosting a team, beating their asses, and sending them home. This is TCB. Plain and simple.

QB Carson Wentz is looking better with every game. Right now we’re RB by committee, but RB Corey Clement is clearly the most effective RB on the roster. If I had any say, he would start. As of today, Fletcher Cox and Treyvon Hester (pffft, beats me) are our only fully healthy DT’s heading into Sunday, but the coaching staff claims to have a plan. (Uhhhh…yay?)

This week the Eagles get to decide if last week’s win was us getting our mojo back, or just the giants being worse than we were that night. Aside from this being a conference match-up, there isn’t much to hype about it. This is largely the Panthers team we beat last year. It’s us who’s undergone more significant change since then. For that reason, don’t try to match or compare last year’s game with this one. Don’t think that last year’s formula will yield last year’s results. Don’t expect the Panthers to fold quite as easily as they did last time we played. (Emphasis on the word ‘quite’.)

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So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus Carolina :

1) Make their RB beat us: Take away the deep ball, to take away the big play. Panther QB Cam Newton is a guy who plays well only when things go well. He turns into a petulant CHILD when they don’t.

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Seriously. What kind of woman fucks a guy like this?

Take him emotionally out of the game, put the offense squarely on the shoulders of their RB, and turn it into a boring, grind out style ballgame.

2) Get a second WR involved: WR Alshon Jeffery has been a beast. His being doubled and bracketed is getting TE Zach Ertz all kinds of open. That said, the Eagles need a second WR (Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor, Clifford Franklin…)

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to step up, and stretch opposing defenses horizontally, to open up big plays for runs up the middle.

3) Surprise me!: We’re heading into this game with just three DT’s, one of which (Haloti Ngata) should probably be on a pitch count. We have a few DE’s who log snaps at DT, but no one who should play on running downs. Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz had better have one hell of a wrinkle up his sleeve, because right now, this sort of looks terrifying.

4) Maintain balance: It would be disingenuous of me to tell the Eagles to “run the damned ball”, again. Disingenuous and beating a dead horse. It seems like they may have gotten my message. They also seem to like it when Wentz doesn’t get beat to shit, during a game. That said, we DO need to maintain a run-play selection of at least 40 percent. Not 35, 37, or 38.9999999. We need at least 40 percent.

If we do all these things, we’re just about guaranteed to win. Now that we’ve covered what should happen, let’s get into what likely will happen:

The Eagles will split carries between RB’S Wendell Smallwood and Corey Clement, in order for GM Howie Roseman to determine if he needs to make a move by the October 30th trade deadline. Out of 32 teams, the Panthers are 15th against the run. Sso while they aren’t a huge challenge, they are a legitimate proving ground on which Roseman can base his assessment.

While the Eagles rank in the lower echelon of the NFL in offensive rankings, it needs to be stated that we’ve worked past many of the difficulties and injuries that hampered us earlier this season. We also seem to be understanding who we need to be, in order to win.

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The same cannot be said of a Carolina team that is still missing both offensive tackles, who started every game for them in 2017 (Ouch!). Despite a good QB passer rating, they are a 26th ranked passing team, whose run game is mostly smoke and mirrors. Their RB had 184 of his 349 rushing yards, come in one game. He otherwise averages 41 per game. Newton chipping in (45 – 208 – 4.6 – 3) on the ground this year, inflates the appearance of the Panthers rushing attack, on paper.

The Panthers live on their defense getting pressure and forcing turnovers. If an opponent doesn’t feed these paper tigers, they usually fold by about a touchdown. We don’t commit a ton of turnovers, so as long as we stick to that, we should win a close one that comes down to the last possession or so.

PREDICTION: EAGLES 28 – Panthers 21

yeah-bitch

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 6 :GIANTS

Posted by The BEAST on 2018/10/12
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Reviews, Rivals, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

DIDN’T I tell you to relax? Last night, the Eagles did enough to let everyone know that WE, PHILADELPHIA, are still the class of the NFC East. To be the man, you have to beat the man. The giants issued a challenge and we said, “Fuck it. You can pick where.” The fight went down in their house, and we used their asses to break every stick of furniture in the joint. Then we lit a cigarette, dropped it on the carpet, and strolled out.

And their fans paid to sit in the rain, and watch that shit! BAHAHAHAHA! Yeah, I’m clownin’. What of it?

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EAGLES 34 – giants 13

Where do I start? Oh I know! How about 31 rushing attempts to 36 passes? You know what that’s called? Balance! You know what it means? It means that the giants bought our play-action, because they actually had to respect our run game. It means that QB Carson Wentz (26/36 – 72.2% – 278 – 3 – 0), was sacked just once all night. There were times when he had time to stand upright, with his feet FLAT in the pocket, and read the defense. Three touchdowns and no interceptions. That’s what balance means.

RB Wendell Smallwood (18 – 51 – 2.8 – 0 – 1) got the nod and the bulk of the carries, but he was clearly outperformed by RB Corey Clement (11 – 43 – 3.9 – 1 – 0). Not only that but Clement told GM Howie Roseman before the game that the Eagles don’t need to trade for a RB, to which Howie responded with “Make me believe.” We need this guy starting next week. As fans we need to pound the table (tweets, call-in shows, website comments) for him.

WR Alshon Jeffrey (8 – 74 – 9.2 – 2) and TE Zach Ertz (7 – 43 – 6.1 – 1) gave Wentz that inside/outside, pick your poison,scoring combo that made us the best team in the league last regular season. WR Nelson Agholor (3 – 91 – 30.3 – 0) made a heads up play when he practically intercepted a tipped ball, and turned it into a 58 yard catch that set up Ertz’s 10 yard TD.

Today WR Odell Beckham (6 – 44 – 7.3 – 0) is on milk cartons all across the country. So that’s what a 90 million dollar WR looks like? Pffft! Thank goodness we only pay Alshon 52! Hats off to our Secondary for playing solid team concept coverage. They gave the Defensive Front time, to get to QB Eli Manning (24/43 – 55.8% – 281 – 0 – 1). I told you that the D-Line would visit him at least three times, and three linemen (Vaeao, Bennett, and Cox) got to eat last night. OLB L Nigel Bradham (6 – 1 – 0 – 0) also managed to snag himself a sack as well.

I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well Billy, that’s the reason for these “Four Things” articles. We introduce an idea of what needs addressing BEFORE the game, so that fans have to honestly answer questions about those things, AFTER the game. This helps to get us, and keep us, all on the same page.

So, of the Four Things we were looking for in this last game, what exactly did we see?

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1) Dammit, run the fucking ball: We ran the ball 31 times, which established balance and allowed the Offense to flow, instead of fighting against itself. Hopefully this becomes a trend, Doug! DONE

2) Box that boy: The Eagles Secondary did a great job of not allowing Beckham room to roam, and having someone in the area whenever he did get the ball. It forced the giants into a small-ball format, which put handcuffs on their offensive potential, and slowly suffocated them. DONE

3) Play some press: While the Secondary did things to affect the timing and location of receivers, it can’t really be said that we played any true man-press. NOT DONE

4) Air Jordan: In Weeks 4 and 5, WR Jordan Matthews (2 – 26 – 13. 0 – 0) was targeted once. In this game (Week 6) against the giants, he saw 3 targets, for a season-high 2 catches. So he did in fact, see more passes come his way. DONE

This week’s score is a hearty 3 out of 4, bringing the year’s tally to 10 of 24. Next week we get the Panthers. Last year we headed into Carolina with a 4-1 record, yet everyone was looking past us, at the Rams. This year Carolina comes here. We’re 3 – 3 and everyone is looking past us at the Rams. We’re taking on a lot of key injuries again as well.

On The Whole:

Now do you see it? This game was needed less for positioning in the division, and more for our guys to reset and get back to what made them great last year.

No one forgot how to block, or tackle, or cover, or catch or throw. What the team seemed to forget was the ability to enjoy playing. Last night when they got that feeling going, they in no way resembled the team they’ve been for the last three weeks. (They get a pass for the two weeks under QB Nick Foles.)

In this giants game, they looked like Carson’s team. The team that did the Electric Slide last year. eaglectric slide.gif

The team that beat the Panthers and the Rams. That dismantled the 49ers, Broncos and Bears. That swept the giants and Redskins, going 5 – 1 in the division by a score of 162 – 109. This is still that team. And we are still the class of the NFC East.

COOLSPIN

FOUR THINGS: WK 6: EAGLES-GIANTS

Posted by The BEAST on 2018/10/10
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, NFL, Offense, Players, playoffs, Preview, Rivals. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

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PUMP the brakes. This isn’t a must win game. The media sells it that way, because it generates ratings, clicks, and comments, but step back and look at the standings with your own eyes. Really look at the NFC East for what it actually is right now.

Win or lose, it’s still too early in the season for there to be a make or break week yet. The regular season is ALL about making the playoffs. It’s not about getting a first round Bye. It’s not about repeating. (Because you can’t do that during the regular season.) Right now is just about making the playoffs. There is a LOT of track to still lay down, before we can say that we’ve made it or that we didn’t. So relax. Breathe. This game is important. As a division game, it’s huge. But it’s FAR from “must win” status.

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QB Carson Wentz is still playing at the MVP level he was at this time last year. (Look it up.) The difference is in how teams play us, because we aren’t running the ball as much as a competent offense should. Losing RB Jay Ajayi for the year with a torn/damaged ACL, doesn’t inspire confidence that Head Coach Doug Pederson will try to lean on the run more. However, in order to get the next man up (hopefully RB Corey Clement) situated, leaning on the run is exactly what we need to be about.

The Secondary continues to not cover, to rack up penalties, and to miss tackles. If Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz feels that any of this is a problem, he certainly needs to demonstrate it by benching a guy (CB Jalen Mills) or two (CB Sidney Jones). Scheme-wise, last week the cushions were smaller, but we still played no man-press.

If we’re going to beat the giants, we have to slow down their receiving corps and generate turnovers. Depending on how we approach this game, it will either be impossible to lose, or impossible to win.

So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week, versus the giants :

1) Dammit, run the fucking ball: Play-action is set up by running the ball effectively. Dear Doug, faking a handoff is not the same as running the ball. Teams are ignoring our play-action, because we fake it more than we actually run it. Also every time Wentz hands the ball off, it’s a play where he won’t get hit. He could use a couple of low-abuse games. Regardless of who the RB is, run the damned ball, Doug!

2) Box that boy: Don’t let WR Odell Beckham have the sideline.

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Don’t double him outright, but keep him bracketed where the FS can reach him with a hit. Beckham will see a fair amount of targets, even if he’s well covered. Forcing QB Eli Manning to throw the ball into a tighter window, could result in one (or more) of those delicious turnovers he likes to feed defenses.

3) Play some press: (This likely won’t get done, but I’d be remiss not to mention it.) Man-press would throw a receivers timing off and let the rush reach the QB. It also would also create a traffic jam and set the edge, when the giants ran a Screen play.

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4) Air Jordan: WR Jordan Matthews needs to see more passes thrown his way. Last week we did a great job of getting the ball down and across the middle to TE’s, but if we want to open up the run game, we need to spread the defense out horizontally.

If we do all these things, we’re just about guaranteed to win. Now that we’ve covered what should happen, let’s get into what likely will happen:

We need to establish our ground game, and the giants are 27th in the NFL at defending the run! We are 0 – 2 when we run for under 100 yards this year. We are 2 – 1 when going for 113 or better. (The one loss was in overtime. We had 117 yards.) All of this points toward a concerted effort to run the ball on Thursday.

In five games, the giants defense has just 6 sacks to their credit. Their pass rush is anemic at best. This should be a game where our Offensive Line can start to figure some stuff out, and have it carry forth through the season.

Manning is going to complete a lot of passes if we play loose coverage yet again. He’ll carve us up the way he did the last time we faced him. (We won that game though.) He’ll do his best to get the ball out quickly, but our Defensive Line is going to pay him 3 or more visits on Thursday night.

Yet again, I’m picking the Eagles this week. It’s because I’m a homer, right? Wrong. Just look at the teams we’ve faced so far. Of course I was picking the Eagles. Now we get a 1 – 4 team with no pass rush, and who can’t stop the run. Really, who am I supposed to pick here?

PREDICTION: EAGLES 21 – giants 13

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FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: Week 5: VIKINGS

Posted by The BEAST on 2018/10/08
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Rants, Reviews, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

“WATCH the Vikings game!” they said. “It’ll be fun” they said. That game had all the subtle enjoyability of being hit by a car. If you didn’t spend part of Sunday saying “Wait. What?” then odds are, you aren’t an Eagles fan.

As for those of us who ARE Eagles fans, allow me replay some of yesterday’s soundtrack: Roughing my ass! Wait hold on, so he just fumbled it? Jalen, sit your silly ass the fuck down! Fuck him up Fletcher! We’re trying to draw them offsides on 4th and 20?? The onside kick bounced up! It bounced up! We might be able to…Arrrrrghhh Sonofawhore!

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Eagles 21 – Vikings 23

The tackling dummy known as Carson Wentz (24/35 – 68.5 – 311 – 2 – 0) had a really good game yesterday, for a guy who spent the day getting beat to shit. Wentz even added 26 yards while running for his li- (Let me whitewash that.) He added 26 yards while rushing. Watching LG Isaac Seumalo “protect”Wentz, made me think perhaps he has QB Nick Foles on his fantasy football team. Speaking of fantasies, a coach thinking that he can beat an NFL team, while running it only 16 times, and passing it 35 times, must love Mary Jane. RB Jay Ajayi (8 – 29 – 3.6 – 0 – 1) led the team in rushing yards with just 29. Yes! Those numbers were our best numbers. This game was some Reggie.

I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well Billy, that’s the reason for these “Four Things” articles. We introduce an idea of what needs addressing BEFORE the game, so that fans have to honestly answer questions about those things, AFTER the game. This helps to get us, and keep us, all on the same page.

So, of the Four Things we were looking for in this last game, what exactly did we see?

1) Get chippy: The idea was to try and use the TE’s to help the OT’s. The Eagles employed no version of that and opted for TE’s releasing quickly into their routes. It worked for them getting catches, but on the whole Wentz took a beating that could have been severely lessened. NOT DONE

2) Do the obvious thing: Our Secondary didn’t give up as many big cushions this week, but instead of playing some press, the Corners bailed on virtually every play. That allowed the Viking to complete 30/37 (81.0%) of their passes. No team can survive that. NOT DONE

3) Get vertical inside: TE Zach Ertz (10 – 110 – 11.0 – 1) made a living today, while working straight-line routes right off the line. Adding a few chip blocks would have changed the outcome of this game, but you can’t have everything, right? DONE

4) Do your job: Part of a Secondary’s job is tackling. Part of an Offensive Lineman’s job is blocking. Did it look like those units did those things? Nope. NOT DONE

For a second week in a row, we limp away with a Four Things score of 1 of 4. That brings the season tally to 7 out of 20. In just a couple days we get our first division game of the year, and given the state of the NFC East, it’s not quite must-win, but it is damned critical.

On The Whole:

The second half comeback effort was ice to see. Largely, this years team has looked like a boxer, with his back against the ropes, covering his ribs to avoid more body shots. Well our head keeps being exposed, and teams are going up top to beat us. The fix for this is obvious, but it remains to be seen if Doug Pederson is willing to take those two steps.

FOUR THINGS: WK 5: EAGLES-VIKINGS

Posted by The BEAST on 2018/10/04
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Preview. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

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FIRST quarter of the season is done. The table has been set. Now it’s time to eat! This is the part of the year when teams with a real shot at deep playoff runs, start to pull away from the teams that will fight for wild card spots or get early draft picks. No more measuring sticks.

QB Carson Wentz gets to dig his talons into the Vikings soft defense, this Sunday. A playoff team last year, the Vikings haven’t been the same team, since QB Nick Foles shelled them 38-7, in the place that still bears their chalk outlines.

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We’re 2 – 2, they’re 1 – 2 – 1. Neither of us looks like the team we were in January, but we didn’t lose to a Buffalo team, led by a rookie. Correction: We didn’t get blown out by a Buffalo team, led by a rookie.

The Vikings come into this game coughing up nearly thirty a game. In fact, over the last 3 games, they’ve surrendered 31.3 per week. I feel a WIN coming on!

So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus the Vikings :

1) Get chippy: RT Lane Johnson will draw LDE Danielle Hunter as a dance partner. Hunter’s 4 sacks leads his team, but at 252 pounds, it’s not like he’ll overpower Lane. So get a chip block on him from a TE. Negate any speed rush from him, and let him get tired, wrestling with Lane all day.

2) Do the obvious thing: Due to a lackluster offensive line, the Vikings not only give up sacks, but they have trouble running the ball. In fact, they are dead last in the NFL at it. Throw off the timing of the routes that their receivers run. That’s it. The entire offense is on the passing game. Their QB is reachable. They can’t run the ball. Don’t let the receivers get open easily. That’s it. One more time. Come out of the cushions, and don’t let the receivers have free releases.

3) Get vertical inside: That same TE that is used to chip, can be deployed over the middle between MLB Eric Kendricks (6 feet) and SLB Anthony Barr (6 foot 5), neither of whom is accomplished in coverage. Our top two TE’s are both 6’5”, and hitting them right down the hash marks, will draw the Safeties in more and open up the WR’s on the outside. Minnesota is strong against the run and weak against the pass. Let’s undo the delicate stitchwork holding their secondary together, and then stab them in their wound once they can’t stop the bleeding.

4) Do your job: Coming off of a close loss, the urge to get back on track, has to weigh heavy on the players minds. They need to just do their job, and trust the man beside them to do the same.

If we do all these things, we’re just about guaranteed to win. Now that we’ve covered what should happen, let’s get into what likely will happen:

We should man-handle Minnesota. They’re offensive line is pure trash. Defensively they’re without the teams best pass rusher in DE Everson Griffen, due to a mental health issue. If we cover the receivers, this game will be cake.

Like with the Colts, if this were an away game, I’d pick the Vikings. But since this is home, in front of a sold-out crowd of Eagle Maniacs, I’m sticking with the Eagles for the win.

PREDICTION: EAGLES 27 -Vikings 20

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2018 SEASON REVIEW: QUARTER ONE

Posted by The BEAST on 2018/10/03
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Offense, Players, Reviews, Roster, Special Teams. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

SEASON Reviews are usually done at the end of the season. (Duh.) A few are done at the halfway mark, and/or at the end. Starting in 2017, Eaglemaniacal.com began treating the season like a game, and breaking it into four quarters. Since football is a hard sport, we’ll take a hard look, at where our team stands at the moment (in relation to where it started), and where it needs to go.

STATUS:
2 – 2 overall, 0 – 0 division, 1 – 1 conference, 3rd place in the NFC East

We rise 9.26.15

OPPONENTS:
W: Falcons (1 – 3)
L: Buccaneers (2 – 2)
W:Colts (1 – 3)
L: Titans (3 – 1)

OVERVIEW:
While the Eagles do have a couple of major issues to clean up, the team has both the player talent and coaching expertise to do so. The most glaring problem is defending the pass. Some people would also throw in a lack of QB pressure, but that’s symptomatic of the pass defense problem. If the coverage can get QB’s to hold the ball a second or two longer, that QB pressure issue, immediately goes away on it’s own.

The other great concern is protecting the QB. We’ve allowed 14 sacks in 4 games. Only 5 teams have allowed more. We’ve also allowed 34 hits on the QB. Only one team has allowed more. Then again when your play selection is 61% pass, and half your rushes come out of the Shotgun formation, no one is going to buy your play-action. That’s going to leave the QB getting beat to shit. Run the ball from under Center, and QB Carson Wentz might actually finish the season on the active roster.

None of this requires a detective to figure out. None of it requires a genius to scheme. None of it requires weeks to implement or trades to make happen. We have the coaches, we have the players, we can do this on the fly.

GRADES:

QB: (B) This isn’t me grading on a curve. Nick Foles started the season and got us to 1 – 1, before handing the keys to the Carson Wentz. Wentz looks better than he has any actual right to, coming back from ACL and LCL reconstruction. My only knock on the QB’s is that they haven’t elected to keep the ball more often when running RPO’s.

RB: (A) Running the ball hasn’t been a problem. Jay Ajayi has 155 yards and 4.2 per tote. Wendell Smallwood 123 yards and 5.6 per tote. Corey Clement 112 and 4.1. Throw in Josh Adams for 5.0 per tote (just 30 yards rushing), and the only issue with our run game is that we don’t lean on it heavy enough. That however, is on the coaches, not the players.

TE: (A) Does anyone realize that Zach Ertz is on pace to catch 123 balls for 1300 yards this year? Not saying he will, but he is on pace to do so. Add in Dallas Goedert, and Josh Perkins and the Eagles have a level of depth that borders on obscene.

WR: (D) This grade would be higher if I was just looking forward, but this report is based on what we actually did in the first four games. Injuries to Mike Wallace and Mack Hollins have helped to so far hobble us.

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Alshon Jeffery’s return helps immensely, but until Nelson Agholor learns how to catch again, or until a light goes on for Shelton Gibson, we’re essentially down to one threat at this position. I don’t understand the role Kamar Aiken is playing on this team.

OT: (D) Jason Peters and Lane Johnson need to do a better job of slowing down speed rushers on the edge. Perhaps less lining up in the Shotgun would be of some assistance? During stints where Halapoulivaati Vaitai has had to fill in for Peters, he’s looked okay actually. Not good, but okay. His feet still are a tad slow, but at least he doesn’t require a RB to baby-sit him, and the team is no longer rolling plays away from his side.

OG: (C) There are entirely too many plays where a guy comes running up the gut at our QB. When blocks get made, they’re sustained, but at other points there’s a miscommunication and the rusher comes free. Otherwise Stefen Wisniewski and Brandon Brooks are looking pretty good in the run game.

C: (C) The pivot is the communications hub for the O-Line. There is no excuse for a veteran like Jason Kelce, to have so many communications breakdowns, this early in the year.

DE: (B) Brandon Graham doesn’t have a single sack yet, but he is setting the edge, stacking vs the run, and getting pressure here and there. Derek Barnett is getting after it as a pass rusher. I still miss Vinny Curry vs the run, but Barnett is no slouch. Micheal Bennett is listed as a DE, but it seems like he does most of his damage when he kicks inside on passing downs. Chris Long is the man, both on AND off the field. The reason I don’t give this position a higher grade, is because rookie Josh Sweat has yet to play a down. Now is the time to get him some reps, so that when the inevitable injury happens, he’s already up to speed. The stakes are still low right now. You don’t want to have to lean on a green rook, when a loss could knock you from playoff contention.

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DT: (B) Fletcher Cox leads the team with 3 sacks and leads the interior vs the run and for goal line stands. Destiny Vaeao was the Week One starter in place of the injured Timmy Jernigan, but Vaeao has apparently been subplanted by Haloti Ngata. Cox and Ngata are holding the fort, but Ngata wasn’t brought here to play this much, this early. As a result, the rotation strategy that helped so much last year, isn’t really being used now. It makes one worried about how fresh players will be for the late season push.

OLB: (D) Nigel Bradham was suspended for a game, but in the three games since returning, he’s made his presence felt. Kamu Grugier-Hill has started the last three games, but hasn’t yet put his stamp on the defensive unit. If he doesn’t get in gear soon, he may only be remembered as an emergency Kicker. Nate Gerry got one start on opening day (presumably as a fill-in for Bradham) but hasn’t recorded a stat in three games since. This layer of the Defense hasn’t been bad, they just haven’t stood out at all.

MLB: (B) In 4 games, Jordan Hicks already has 31 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and 3 passes defensed. If you wondered if we missed him last year, the answer is YES! With 2/3 of our starting LB’s playing at a high level, it allows the Defensive Line to do what they need to do to wreak havoc, knowing that someone has their back.

S: (C) Starring Malcolm Jenkins as The Sheriff. As far as the rest of this group, Rod McLeod was merely okay until he was lost for the season. As the guy who’s primary job it was to stay and play deep, he never seemed to even be in on tackle attempts when we got hit for big plays. This is passed off as other players getting beat on their assignment, but it makes me wonder where McLeod’s eye discipline was taking him. Having lost him for the season, Corey Graham is now the guy back there, and he inspires so much confidence that the Eagles are advertising that they’re cross-training CB Rasul Douglas (an idea that I love), and looking at available free agents. Graham is a heck of a sub/Nickle/Dime player, but he’s not an every down player.

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CB: (F) This grade is accurate but it’s very unfair. I know. If it’s accurate, how is it unfair, right? The system that the Eagles play in, has our Corners giving up cushions that start at 4 yards. This means opposing WR’s are never re-routed, so they end up at the spots where they practice being. Their timing is never delayed, so they end up where they should be when the QB hits that 3rd, or 5th step in his dropback. 1-2-3, balls out. 1-2-3-4-5, balls out. This retards our pass rush. So our opponents end up playing catch, and leave the game with completion percentages of 70%. Or higher. I’m highly critical of Jalen Mills, but most of my criticism is of his mouth. He’s a physical, man-press CB. He lacks the catch-up speed of a zone Corner. There’s a reason he fell to the 7th round and didn’t go in the 2nd despite his size, fieriness, and work ethic. If there was a player that I think should thrive in this system, it’s Ronald Darby. Then again maybe he just hasn’t had enough chances since teams seem to pick on Mills. I’m still waiting to see Sidney Jones start, but that’s a coaching decision, so you can’t blame a player for it. Most of this is circumstantial and not on the players, but it still is an accurate picture of the position, despite it not being a fair assessment of who the players are, from a talent standpoint.

LS: (C) Haven’t had a real reason to bitch about Rick Lovato. My issue with the Long Snapper position is the same as it ever was: “Is this ALL that this guy does?!” Back when we had Mike Bartrum as a LS, he also was our third TE who caught touchdowns in goal-to-go situations. In six seasons here, Bartrum caught 9 balls for 4 scores, recorded 22 tackles and even recovered a fumble. Jon Dorenbos got us 37 tackles. We get none of that stuff with Lovato.

P: (C) I miss Donnie Jones. Cameron Johnson punts deep, but he doesn’t place them well. Hitting it hard isn’t always the same as hitting it well. (Ladies, you know what I’m talking about.) Out of 20 punts 9 have been returned and 5 have been touchbacks. Only 3 were fair caught and only 2 have been downed by coverage. That means the opponent not us, is dictating their field position. His kicks don’t have to pin the opponent down, just get the returner penned in. I know he’s young, but he doesn’t seem to be picking up the idea that his placement should help the coverage team. He has to stop out-kicking his coverage.

K: (C) Jake Elliott has a couple of missed field goals, but they were longer range kicks. Also with only 8 total attempts this year, it’s not like he’s been spraying misses all over. He’s been serviceable, but not not clutch yet.

PR/KR: (B) The only thing that stands out in memory when it comes to punt returns this quarter has been RB Corey Clement bobbling a few. Honestly, even before that happened, the smarter move would have been to save him for Offense, and let a guy like WR DeAndre Carter earn his keep doing that, when RB Darren Sproles couldn’t. Between Sproles and Carter we’ve amassed 71 yards on 5 returns (14.2ypr). Clement only averages 2.8 with a long return of 10. No reason to put him back there again. As a team we’re averaging 19.0 per kickoff return, so it seems to make more sense to just take the touchback unless we’re down double digits in the third and are trying to make something happen. This is more or less exactly what the Eagles are doing.

KC: (A) Of 18 kickoffs, only 3 have been returned, for an average of 16.0 yards with a long of 25. On 20 punts, we’ve seen 9 returns, vs 3 fair catches, for an average of 5.6 yards with a long of 11. These are great numbers, but they would be better if punt placement dissuaded returners from even trying to run one back.

 

SINCE LAST QUARTER:
Last quarter was last year. We locked up home-field advantage and subsequently won the Super Bowl, as underdogs every week. Under the circumstances, the first quarter of a season will be letdown regardless of what a team does. So getting all pantie bunched over a 2 – 2 start seems unnecessary.

This first quarter showed us where we are, and what we need to fix. It also showed us the rest of the league. (Aha!) NOW we get to REALLY start with the season. This is where Head Coach Doug Pederson can start to ratchet up the sense of urgency.

doug-pederson ABOUT IT

Remember when I made this last year prior to the playoffs?

MISSION FOR THIS QUARTER:
The NFL recorded a record number of touchdown passes through four games this year. That’s likely due to drives extended by penalties that favor the offensive side of the ball. What that means is teams are going to be living and dying by the pass on offense.

We get Minnesota, New York (giants), Carolina and Jacksonville in the next 4. Three of those teams were 2017 playoff teams. A 3 – 1 second quarter (with one win being the giants) would put us solidly in the drivers seat, in terms of controlling our destiny. Let’s see where we get with that, before looking any further.

Our mission this quarter is tighten up the pass defense so that we can resurrect our pass rush. If we’re going to have any hope of winning the division, we need to get out ahead of problems caused by rule changes. This team lived on our Defense last year, and that’s how we need to be in order to make hay in 2018.

The suggestion is to play more bump-and run on 3rd and under 10, and on 2nd and over 12. Cushions are part of DC Jim Schwartz’s scheme. After winning a Super Bowl with them, he’s not going to ditch them due to a couple of bad regular season games. That being said, he has to realize that he needs to adjust to this year’s trends and not be one more dinosaur who couldn’t recognize the change.

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FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 4: TITANS

Posted by The BEAST on 2018/10/01
Posted in: Conversations, Defense, Fans, Four Things, Offense, Players, Reviews, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

 

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RELAX, everybody! Relax! Yes. This should have been a win, but there’s a lot of good to be mined out of this loss. I stated in the opening paragraph of Four Things that “This is the “look in the mirror” game that you need in Week 3 or 4.” Prior to the game, our QB said that the team is still trying to find it’s identity.

We needed this game. Not in terms of the win, but in terms of being knocked on our ass. Easy wins feed the win column, but gritty losses can build a champion. Just think back to how we lost to the Chiefs in Week 3, last year. You can’t respond to adversity until you face some. I

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On a positive note (and there were some positives), the Eagles WR situation is now a building block instead of a stumbling block, or a weakness to hide. WR Alshon Jeffrey (8 – 105 – 13.1 – 1) played in his first game of the season and looked every bit the #1 option we need him to be. Returning Eagle WR Jordan Matthews (1 – 56 – 56.0 – 1) chipped in by hanging six, on Bill Belichik’s favorite CB. The problem was the 2015 version of WR Nelson Agholor (5 – 22 – 4.4 – 0 ). He seemed to drop as many passes as he caught. QB Carson Wentz (33/50 – 66.0% – 348 – 2 – 0) was sacked four times, and it felt like he got hit every time he dropped back, despite heavy use of play-action. Then again, if you want to sell play-action, you need to run the ball more than 22 times (22 – 109 – 4.9 – 0 – 0). Play selection that looks like 50 passes to 22 rushes (69.4% pass) will get your play-action ignored and make your QB a sitting duck.

Our Defensive Line was amazing. As usual. Our LB’s were solid as well. We amassed 3 sacks and held the Titans to 70 yards on 22 carries (3.1ypc). What blew chunks out the ass, was the Secondary. Again. Especially CB Jalen Mills (3 – 0 – 0 – 0):

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FS Corey Graham (9 – 0 – 0 – 0) starting his first game in place of the injured Rod McLeod, seemed out of position on a few plays. Too many pass attempts seemed to be deeper than he was. (Not a good look!)

I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these “Four Things” articles. We introduce an idea of what needs addressing BEFORE the game, so that fans have to honestly answer questions about those things, AFTER the game. This helps to get us, and keep us, all on the same page.

So, of the Four Things we were looking for, in this last game, what exactly did we see?

1) Rattle the cage: We needed to hit QB Marcus Mariota (30/43 – 69.7% – 344 – 2 – 1/ 10 – 46 – 4.6 – 1 – 0), early, often and hard. We didn’t. Instead, we allowed him to get comfy and complete just about 70% of his passes. Then again, that’s what happens when our Secondary is committed to playing a bad scheme. NOT DONE

2) More power running: I wanted ten to twelve runs up the gut and we had eleven, out of twenty-two rushes, got up the middle. This might have produced the desired effect, had our own play selection (50 passes, 22 rushes) not undercut the credibility of our play-action. Still, we did get it done. DONE

3) Start fast: We allowed the Titans to score on us on their opening drive, and didn’t score a single point until the second quarter. NOT DONE

 

4) Play our game: Wentz said that this team is still looking to find it’s identity, and that he was looking to see who’d step up. Well it would seem that we’ll be waiting yet another week for that answer. NOT DONE

This week we limped away with a 1 of 4 score, and even that was more of a technicality. For the year we sit at 6 of 16. Hopefully we get some of this cleaned up before our match-up against a Vikings team that will be using us as a measuring stick, next week.

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On The Whole:

The knee jerk reaction is to be pissed over this loss. Every mistake in it gets magnified, and every great moment, grows an instant layer of dust. This would be an over-reaction. The idea of a measuring stick game, is that it tells a team what they need to sharpen, and what they can build on. There can be no excusing or getting around problems that so obviously presented themselves. Now the coaching staff can get down to the business of making the necessary improvements. (Pass defense, defensive scheme adjustment, securing catches…)

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THE RIVALS 2018 (PT 1 of 3)

Posted by The BEAST on 2018/09/29
Posted in: Conversations, Defense, NFC East, Offense, Reviews, Rivals, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

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IT’S THAT TIME AGAIN KIDDIES!!!

GENERALLY when I talk football, it’s about my Eagles. I tend to keep mum about our rivals, unless we have a game coming up against one of them. Otherwise, I’ve reserved most talk about them for my Pre-Draft Preview, which drops each April. (Look for it).

In 2017 however, I decided to try something new, and give our fan base a running commentary of what the division is doing around us. This ensures that Eagles fans ARE actually the best informed, and most knowledgeable fans in the NFL. (Provided that you visit this site often.) These updates will come out three times during the season: After Weeks 3, 9, and 15.

New York Giants: 1 – 2 , 4th place in the NFC East

The giants left 2017 with a 3 – 13 record, and in 4th place in the division. They were ranked 31st in scoring, and had trouble with a leaky offensive line. Ripped out the coach, GM, acquired a big time free agent for their offensive line, had a great Draft and presto change-o! The giants open 2018 at 1 – 2, and 4th place in the division. They’re ranked 27th in scoring (18.1ppg) and only four teams have allowed more sacks.

I don’t know what else to say. I’m just… It seems like they…
On defense, they have yet to allow an opponent to reach 30 points, and are a pretty middle of the pack unit (scoring 13th (20.7ppg), yards 15th (343ypg)). They aren’t particularly good vs the pass or run and don’t have any standout stars. SS Landon Collins tried to be that guy, when he called out Cowboys QB Dak Prescott. However, the Cowboys went on to beat the giants, mostly by leaning on Prescott.

After inking WR Odell Beckham to a long-term deal and drafting RB Saquon Barkley, all indications were that the giants would have more than enough firepower to make a run at the division crown. Although it is still early, it would appear that all their firepower, is in the hands of unskilled marksmen.

Dallas Cowboys: 1 – 2, 3rd place in the NFC East

Top 10 defense right here. Points allowed per game 7th (17.7). Yards allowed per game 3rd (281). Passing yards allowed per game 4th (182). Rushing yards allowed per game 11th (98). Those are killer numbers, folks.

The Cowboys have more killer numbers for you. Points scored per game 31st (13.7). Yards per game 30th (277). Passing yards per game 31st (145). While the Cowboys are 7th in rushing yards per game, it’s meaningless if the QB can’t find a guy to make plays in the passing game.

Honestly, the Cowboys offense is miserable. Through three games they have just ONE completion longer than 20 yards. Their QB has been sacked 11 times. Their best reciever right now is Cole Beasley (12 – 132 – 11.0 – 0). Their second best receiver is RB Ezekiel Elliott (11 – 37 – 3.4 – 0). If 3.4 yards per catch seems small, let me bring that into sharper focus: Elliott averages 5.7 yards per rush. Some will say that the culprit is owner Jerry Jones not replacing retired TE Jason Witten, or released WR Dez Bryant, but the Cowboys were having problems passing even last year. (Which I stated and outlined in the last edition of this report, which you can read HERE.)

On defense, OLB Jaylon Smith is rewarding the Cowboys for their faith in his ability to recover from a torn ACL and LCL, which also included serious damage to a nerve in his leg. Through three games he leads the team with 22 tackles and is second with 2 sacks. Rival or not, you can’t help but feel good for the guy.

Washington Redskins: 2 – 1, second place in the NFC East

Note: I’m not sure how the ‘skins are second in the division, when neither of us has played a division opponent, but they have a 2-0 record in the conference, while we’re 1 – 1. However, that is how the NFL has it stacked as of this moment (9.29.18 5:50pm), so we’ll go off of that.

Another Top 10 defense. Across the board Top 10, defense! Points 2nd (14.7), Yards 2nd (278), Passing 5th (187), Rushing 8th (90). Killer numbers. Then again if you and a couple of your friends got to play the Cardinals, Colts and then Green Bay (with a damaged Aaron Rodgers), you could probably put off a similar feat. After an early Bye during Week 4, they get Drew Brees and then Cam Newton. So let’s not get too crazy until we see how those games shake out.

Washington is solidly upper-middle class on offense (Points 17th (21.3), Yards 10th (383), Passing 15th (245), Rushing 4th (137)). In fact, QB Alex Smith and RB Adrian Peterson are making the Redskins GM look like a genius right now, right? Right? Hold up. Pump the brakes.

Smith has gotten off to faster starts than this. In fact, take a look at where he was after Week 3 last year. This isn’t the AFC West. You can’t run out of steam near the end, and have it work out for your team.As for Peterson, a Week 4 Bye is of no help to a 33 year old RB, who is so far on pace for 288 carries. That’s a workload that he hasn’t seen since 2015. All with no WR help to speak of.It would be different if the ‘skins were developing some young guns, but right now they seem content to let the old guys carry the team.

So that’s the state of our division rivals as our Eagles head into Week 4.

FOUR THINGS: WK 4: EAGLES-TITANS

Posted by The BEAST on 2018/09/27
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Preview, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

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THIS week we get a perfect measuring stick game. We’re on the road, (likely) short-handed at WR, and still trying to tighten up our pass defense, despite an injury to FS Rodney McLeod. We have an external threat to handle, while coping with some internal weaknesses. This is the “look in the mirror” game that you need in Week 3 or 4.

Both teams come into this game tied atop their divisions with a 2-1 record. (Although the Titans holds a head-to-head tie-breaker, over the Jaguars.) A win would give either team a tiny cushion and clear control of their division for at least one more week.

Lady Luck may have given us a wink, since we are slated to get back RB’s Jay Ajayi, Darren Sproles, and possibly WR Alshon Jeffery this week. That might offer Offensive Coordinator Mike Groh, a chance to show some creativity.

So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus Tennessee :

1) Rattle the cage:

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The Titans head coach is on record saying that his QB still can’t make certain throws. (Due to an elbow injury.) That means we need to hit him early, and hit him hard. Yes, that means a couple of early flags, but it’ll be worth it when we stroll out with the “W”. If we put it into his head that we’re about to make his injury worse, he’ll be less accurate with his throws for the balance of the game.

2) More power running: I say it every week. This team needs to run the ball right up the gut. Nothing stops pass rush like a power run game. When a speed rusher has to look inside first, it means he’s not rocketing off the edge. Translation: He has already slowed himself down a step. So far this season, we’ve done a lot of outside running, and it plays to OLB’s already setting the edges. If we make the run a threat in the middle, then our WR’s have more room to get open around the numbers. I’ll say it again. We need to run up the gut. Ten to twelve carries would be amazing, but I’ll settle for seven.

3) Start fast: Let’s try for a couple of early knockout shots. Tennessee is not an explosive team. They make their living off of a plodding, but dogged run game. If we get up on them early, they basically have no chance of coming back. Especially with their QB’s injury situation. If we can lead 14 – 3 or 17 – 7 by halftime, that should be enough to put it on cruise control, and get QB Nate Sudfeld some mop-up snaps late in the 4th quarter.

4) Play our game: That’s not just an Offensive or Defensive key, that’s Special Teams too. This is an opponent that would be very easy to play down to, but that would be a mistake in two parts. First, it would open the door to possibly losing to them. Second, this team hasn’t had an opportunity to play the way we’d like it to. This is a chance to floor it, and learn things about ourselves that will help us against tougher opponents.

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If we do all these things, we’re just about guaranteed to win. Now that we’ve covered what should happen, let’s get into what likely will happen:

This is probably going to be a boring game to watch. (Unless the Eagles light it up.) Playing tight or nervous against a bad team, only opens the door to losing. Head Coach Doug Pederson knows this, and so the Eagles will likely come out playing with an almost reckless abandon. So expect QB Carson Wentz to throw the ball downfield more than he did last week.

The Titans situation at WR is far worse than ours. In fact, their entire passing game is a nightmare. They have 2 passing touchdowns and 3 interceptions. One of those 2 scores was thrown by their Punter on a fake. It’s a dismal team. As long as CB Jalen Mills doesn’t assist the Titans in moving the ball this week, or he doesn’t getting juiced for another pair of scores, we should be able to keep Tennessee in check. Last week I’d have picked the Colts if they were at home. This week I don’t think it matters where the game is played, Eagles win it in a walk.

PREDICTION: EAGLES 24 – Titans 13

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