LET’S TALK WIDE RECEIVERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/04/29
Posted in: Conversations, Draft, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players, Rants, Roster, Special Teams. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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HELP me understand this. In 2016 we had trouble at WR, so we didn’t cut any of our primary WR’s in Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor, or Dorial Green-Beckham. Instead we ADDED Free Agents Alshon Jeffrey and Torrey Smith. Surely we weren’t going keep all five of these guys heading into September, so we’d need to shave at least Agholor. So why then are we drafting more WR’s? 

I could see drafting a WR if we were talking about Chris Godwin, whom QB Carson Wentz could mature with. I could see the logic if we were talking about JuJu Smith-Schuster or if we’d traded up to get a top-shelf guy. What I don’t get, is burning picks on WR’s who seem more like they were drafted with an eye towards them playing Special Teams here. You get those guys after the Draft.

We came into this Draft loaded with NFL quality veterans at the WR position. We had real depth in case of injury, for a team that generally keeps 5 active WR’s. So are we keeping 6 this year, or are we going to get rid of real depth to hold onto a Special Teamer or two? That’s not a question fans ask on Draft day, but come September ‘Cut Downs’, that very conversation will happen among Eagles coaches.

Remember how we kept Bryce Treggs over Paul Turner last year? Neither was drafted, but we deactivated a quality receiver for a fast guy who played Special Teams. Don’t look now, but I think we just set that same scenario up, when we drafted WR Mack Hollis in the 4th and Shelton Gibson in the 5th. In that scenario, who do you cut? Do you keep the quality vets, or do we cut one of our draft picks?

It’s easy to say if we keep five, “Cut Agholor since he’s a bust anyway”. That would mean cutting a vet and at least one of the WR’s we drafted. Given that the WR’s we drafted were 4th and 5th rounders, most fans won’t care if they get cut anyway. The odds are already stacked against 4th and 5th rounders to even make the team. Why bellyache over it, right?

Here is where I need you to explain this to me. If the odds are already long for a 4th and 5th rounder, why draft two guys at a spot where you already have plenty of help? You just stacked a stacked deck even more against either of these picks panning out. It’s basically giving away a draft pick. Or two! This is only made worse by the fact that we still need an OLB, or a RB to fill in for Ryan Mathews if, WHEN he gets hurt this year.

Maybe you can explain it to me. Please, when you do, use VERY small words. I don’t want to miss anything. Because the Eagles Draft already has me tilting my head like a dog.

WE DIDN’T ADMINISTER WITH BARNETT

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/04/28
Posted in: Conspiracy Corner, Conversations, Defense, Draft, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Players, Rants, Roster. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

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OUR first pick in the 2017 Draft was DE Derek Barnett, and it was a stupid pick to make. I’m not saying that the young man won’t get sacks. He will get sacks. Even DE Marcus Smith has gotten us sacks. I’m not saying Barnett won’t be a decent pro. I’m saying that given our needs at other positions, and how financially leveraged we are along the Defensive Line, it made no sense to pile more money in an area that will only prevent us from spending on other positions where we badly need the help.

I won’t even harp on the whole thing were we passed on talent at other positions. That’s a real issue, but I’ll let that walk until at least after round three. (The Eagles may surprise us. Again.) When I say it was a bad pick, I mean it from a purely mathematical standpoint. 

Let’s look at some numbers!

1) Over the next two years we’re still on the hook to DE Vinny Curry for 20M out of a guaranteed 23M (7M base and 2M bonus in 2017 / 9M base and 2M bonus in 2018). After that, we’re free to release him and eat 6M in dead money for two years due to an amortization of his 10M signing bonus.

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2) Over the next three years DT Fletcher Cox is guaranteed 49.3M of 63.3M (3M base, 5.2M bonus, 1.2M option in 2017 / 11.5M base, 5.2M bonus, 1.2M option in 2018 / 15.6M base, 5.2M bonus, 1.2M option in 2019). After that we’re free to release him and eat 6.4M in dead money.

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I know those numbers turn into a blur when you read them quick like that, but the point is that for these two players, out of about 167M in cap space, we already were on the hook for 18M in 2017, and 28.9M in 2018. Now to that same D-Line we just added a first round contract, which will fall somewhere in the area of 4years, 18M (DE DeForest Buckner #7 in 2016) and 4years, 10M (DE Shaq Lawson #19 in 2016).

We are loading money into one area, and it will keep us from being able to spread it around into other positions like OT, CB, and WR; none of which are ever cheap when you try to sign or re-sign quality players. This doesn’t even mention positions like LB, and RB which we badly need help at.

In the meantime, some fans are cheering this pick like it means the end of Curry. What those fans fail to understand is that Curry will impact this roster for at least the next two years. At least. That’s regardless of how things play out. Whether he starts the next 32 games, or is cut the moment you read these words, Curry will seriously impact the Eagles until at least 2019. The real question is would you like to try and recoup some value over these next two years, or would you rather see him cut (after never starting a single game) and just swallow it?

On the other hand, people talking like Barnett will be the next Reggie White because he broke White’s college sack record, crack me up. If they’re looking for Barnett to get us 13, 18, 21 and 18 sacks in his first four years, despite not being quick twitch, possessing an explosive step, or not being great at changing direction, boy are they gonna be disappointed. How many great NFL pass rushers are playing in the NFL today without at least one of those tools? How many? Oh yeah, that’s right. Not one.

This isn’t the case of a talent (Barnett) that was too good to pass up. There will be no takers in a trade for a guy (Curry) making 9M per year who has never started a game. This is an unforced error that will limit our options at other spots on the roster. We didn’t administer forethought to this pick. As a result, we’ve painted ourselves into a corner. (Ironically by not selecting one.)

WILL THE EAGLES BE BETTER?

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/04/24
Posted in: Conversations, Defense, Draft, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense. Tagged: , , , , , . 2 Comments

INSTEAD of keeping you in suspense, I’ll start by saying

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the Eagles will be better in 2017 than they were in 2016. When I say better, I’m not saying “They’ll show everyone that they’re on the right track.” I’m not saying “You’ll see that they’re poised to compete in 2018.” Nope, I’m not making any weak statements here.

I’m saying “Our record will be better than 7-9”. I’m saying “The Eagles will compete IN 2017.” I’m saying GET EXCITED DAMMIT!

We added some weapons for our young QB. We addressed depth issues on our Offensive and Defensive Lines, as well as in the Secondary. These were problem areas in 2016 and they were solidly addressed in a way that not only gave us players, but options in player style. We even added an insurance policy when we up-graded our back-up QB situation. So we are clearly a deeper team today. That part is beyond questioning.

What we haven’t addressed so far, is our lack of a top-shelf RB, or a second Starter at CB. Those positions headline the shopping list that the Eagles will be taking to the Art Museum-

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I’m proud to say I took this picture myself. This is the West Door of the Art Museum. Most people are familiar with the East Door or “The Rocky Steps”, but it’s this entrance that patrons primarily use when visiting the museum. The West Door also used to be my Dad’s security post when I was a kid. I practically lived here.

-on Thursday, when the 2017 Draft opens. Given how deep this draft is at both positions, we’re all but guaranteed to get a player we need, instead of just getting a placeholder that we hope will pan out.

My regular readers know that I’m not much of a cheerleader. That having been said, I’ve got my pom-poms in hand, and my pizzazz skirt on. If you truly want to see me in that outfit, CLICK HERE.

If you didn’t see me in a skirt, you can pity those who have, and be thankful you still have your eyesight. Better still, you can celebrate by watching our Eagles compete for the division crown this season.

I REALLY LIKE THIS SCHEDULE

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/04/20
Posted in: Conversations, Fans, NFL, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

(article)NEWS FLASH!!!

DEAR Schedule Makers, thank you for not fucking my team over this year. Also, thank you for not putting all the division games at the end of the year, which has a way of making half the season irrelevant. Folks, in case you can’t tell, I really like this schedule.

We have a Week 10 Bye, where 14 days elapse between games. That gives our guys some time to let bruises heal, small sorenesses to alleviate and legs to freshen. This is GOOOOOOD, folks. Fresh legs and then a “Get Hype!” game against a division opponent. Oh, and did I mention it’s a road game, which means the pressure to win is mostly on the home team.

My favorite games are Week 1 and Week 17.

Week 17 has my two favorite teams being served up to me on Christmas Day. I get Football for Christmas, and no matter who wins, I get to smile about it. If there are playoff implications, then I likely get to watch a hell of a game to boot. I have to love that.

Week 1 has us going against a Redskins team that has had our number for a few years now. Not winning that game would say that, we still need to prove we’re better than last season’s team. No big deal since well duh… it would just be Week 1. A win however, says that we’re already better than last season, or that the Redskins are already worse. Either way, it still would put us over them in the standings.

This is a good schedule! It’s a fun schedule! I like this one! Can I take it home, Pa? Can I? Yeah. In case you didn’t get the hint, I really like this schedule.

2017 NFC EAST PRE-DRAFT PREDICTION

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/04/14
Posted in: Conversations, Crazy Talk, Defense, NFL, Offense, Players, Preview, Rivals, Roster, Special Teams, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

Keep in mind, when these predictions come out, no one knows who will be drafted, and by which team. This is an assessment of the teams as they are staffed by veteran players with track records. Rookies don’t usually shake up the NFC East division, so there’s a pretty good chance that what you see here, will be how it shakes out for the year.

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Yikes! Last year showed a couple exceptions to the general rule cited in the above Preamble. The first example was the Dallas Cowboys. They powered their way to the top of the division behind the play of two rookies, one of which was a QB forced to make 16 starts, when the long-time incumbent pulled up lame. (Again.) The Philadelphia Eagles were the second exception. They thought so much of their rookie QB that they traded away their Starter, and let the rook do his thing all year long. While that may have cost them a game or two last year, it was clear to fans, media and Free Agents alike, that the Eagles may be onto something.

Now we separate the men from the boys:

Strongest Offense: DALLAS

While Dallas is returning all of their skill position Starters, they suffered a couple of hits to their offensive line. Those hits are simple enough to patch over, but where those hits will show up is in depth. Last season when La’el Collins went down, there was a player of Ron Leary‘s caliber to step in for him. This year they have no such luxury.

Will the Cowboys be who they were last year? No they won’t. Teams have film on them now, and the system they run is so simple, it shouldn’t take much to slow them down. That said, each of Dallas’s rivals have some issue that keeps their own offenses from being complete, let alone scary. The Cowboys are the only team in the division who are not suffering from a key deficiency.

Weakest Offense: WASHINGTON

I can tell you firsthand that the loss of WR DeSean Jackson changes the way teams play against your offense. It also takes away a number of easy underneath options that a QB comes to think of as their’s for the taking. Jackson was on the roster when Kirk Cousins became the Starter, so he is coming into a completely new reality in 2017. (Assuming that his mind is on 2017, and not on preserving his body for a long-term contract in San Francisco next year.) Washington’s one-dimensional run game won’t be of much help either, since most of it is derived from what the offensive line creates, instead of what the RB creates when the line gives him an opening.

While they have a good offensive line and a TE situation worthy of envy, they don’t have the glue to hold it all together. Their losses on defense will require them to throw more, and may yield more yards and touchdowns, but if you look under the surface at the end of 2017, you will see a clearly less effective and diminished offense on this team.

Strongest Defense: PHILADELPHIA

Dallas’s junior GM, Stephen Jones is on record agreeing that his team is worse off since Free Agency. Washington was already in the toilet before they lost DE Chris Baker. New York losing DT Johnathan Hankins and not being settled at MLB, puts a hole right down the center of their run defense (ranked #3 in 2016). Also, nothing so far has been done to bolster their 23rd ranked pass defense. Philadelphia on the other hand has added depth up front, but still hasn’t clearly addressed their Secondary concerns. However, their 2016 pass defense was ranked 13th not 23rd. (Note: There isn’t a team in this division that doesn’t have issues with it’s Secondary)

This isn’t a question of the strongest of the weak. There is no doubt about the Eagles strength at every level of their defense. Particularly on the Defensive Line. Better still, they have depth in most places. Last year the Eagles weakness was at CB, and so both starters are no longer on the roster. Patrick Robinson was to added to play slot CB, not as an outside starter. The remaining CB’s aren’t household names, but given the way Jalen Mills played in 2016 (his rookie season), he might become one soon.

Weakest Defense: DALLAS

They literally have problems at every level of their defense, and in every facet of it. Talent, depth, experience, and even health coming into OTA’s. Everything is wrong here. This defense is going to allow too many games to turn into shootouts, and force their offense away from the run just to keep up. Barring every other team in NFC East suffering a rash of injuries, this team has no shot at 12-4 again. The GM responsible for creating this mess should be fi– oh wait… Never mind.

Strongest Special Teams: PHILADELPHIA

This isn’t even close. Kicking, Punting, Returns and limiting return yards, The Eagles are the only team in the division that is good in all of these areas. Not just okay, or passable. Legitimately good. They are proficient across the board, where the other three teams have at least one deficiency.

Weakest Special Teams: NEW YORK

Playing musical Kickers as you habitually post lackluster numbers, while also making no attempt to improve neither your personnel nor your coaching staff… That says in plain language that the organization doesn’t give a damn about this facet of the game.

 

Projected Winner: PHILADELPHIA (10-6)

After being 0-2 these last 2 years picking the Eagles, it scares the hell out me to be picking them again after a second 7-9 season. I kept going over this to make sure I wasn’t overlooking something, or missing something, because I have no interest in wearing 0-3. However, the fact is, right now, before the Draft, as these teams are staffed today, the Eagles are the team best equipped to survive the 17 week meat grinder known as an NFL season.

The Eagles are the only team in the NFC East that didn’t get worse in some regard, during this offseason. While it has yet to be proven that they fixed their 2016 offensive problems, those problems weren’t ignored (like the giants pass defense for example). The Eagles attempted to fix their problems, and so they run the risk of actually improving in 2017.

The same cannot be said for the defenses of the Cowboys, Redskins and giants. Dallas’s defense is so bad that their Front Office is already making excuses. Now that they have definitely lost Hankins at DT, New York’s run defense (ranked 3rd) is likely to fall steeply. Their pass defense was already an issue in 2016, and so far, they‘ve done nothing to fix or even upgrade it. Washington’s defense was already crap in 2016, and now they have offense to match it. In fact, their offense (both in the long and short term), have football pundits shaking their heads from coast to coast.

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Look Out For: DALLAS

I don’t think they stand a chance in Hell, of upsetting the Eagles, but it would h ave been tacky to write “NOBODY” as the team to look out for. Since the Pokes won the division last, I figured they were owed the respect of a write-in.

2017 – PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/04/13
Posted in: Defense, Offense, Players, Preview, Rivals, Roster. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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LAST year…the Eagles went 2-4 in the division, and 7-9 overall. The team started out a very hot 3-0, and then went a very tepid 4-9 for the remainder of the season. After a second consecutive 7-9 season, the Birds found themselves in sole possession of the division’s basement.

That was last year. The following is a report on the team looks today, prior to the NFL Draft….

OFFENSE

QB:
Carson Wentz turned in a statistically “meh” season, throwing 16 touchdowns against 14 interceptions. He did a number of little things (mostly pre-snap) that many rookies don’t usually do. That however won’t mean squat in 2017, because he won’t be a rookie anymore, and no one will be judging him on that sliding scale anymore. (Thank God!)

First the bad news. You’d like to see a rookie’s performances tighten up towards the end of the season, but Wentz’s games were still all over the map. The inconsistency of his performances indicate a QB who is allowing how he plays to be dictated to him by his opposition. Again, that is the bad news.

Now the good news. Dallas games 1&2, NYG games 1&2, Washington games 1&2. In every one of those match-ups Wentz was better in the second meeting. This indicates that he consistently learns from experience, and assimilates what he learns. While his game performances did fluctuate, so did the cast around him, almost weekly. Smooth sailing never made a good sailor, and Wentz started out with some pretty rough chop under him. Regardless, he was still unflappable for the duration. You cannot teach that trait. (Right, Jay Cutler?)

Behind Wentz is returning Eagle Nick Foles. Foles represents a massive upgrade over last year’s #2, Chase Daniel. Many fans unreasonably soured on Foles in 2014, after he came back to Earth after his miracle 2013 season that (I warned) he could never duplicate, after teams figured out the gimmicky system the Eagles ran back then. Foles is now back, and in a more traditional system that actually fits him. He’s not a star, but he’s a legitimate NFL QB who can handle the Philadelphia media, as well as win games (20-16 (.555) as a starter, 16-9 (.640) when not with the Rams). So even if Wentz were to go down, the Eagles season would still have some life in it. (+)

RB:
Ryan Mathews is still on the roster today, but that won’t be the case for long. Darren Sproles is a nifty weapon to have, and is a match-up nightmare. The problem is, that his 33 year old, 190 pound body has 12 years of NFL wear and tear on it. He cannot be the bell-cow. Wendell Smallwood was amazingly unremarkable as a RB in his rookie year, turning not one carry, nor catch (in 83 touches) into a 20 yard gain. Terrell Watson was picked up off the street for the last game of the year, and showed enough tough inside running to warrant a long look in OTA’s. The Eagles lack a threat in the backfield that teams can consistently take seriously, let alone fear. Until that changes, the entire Offense will rest on the shoulders of the QB. (-)

WR:
Answer: Santa Claus, Superman, and Nelson Agholor. Question: What are three things you’ve learned to not believe in? (Pause for applause.) Dorial Green-Beckham is a tease as a big target with good speed. Whether he can put those pieces together remains to be seen at this point. As for the rest of the receivers, Jordan Matthews is legit and proven, as are new Eagles Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith.

On paper it’s not a scary group, at first. Then you realize that unlike last year, this is a stable of decent-to-good, proven veterans who as a group, constitute a consistent red zone match-up nightmare. Matthews is a 6’3” slot receiver, Jeffery is 6’3”, and Green-Beckham is 6’5”. Smith is a weapon to be deployed between the 20’s, due to his ability to stretch the field. It’s an easy group to overlook. Hell, I almost did it myself. It isn’t at all scary at first glance, but bundled together like this, you can count on this group to cost a lot of defensive coordinators, an awful lot of sleep this year. (+)

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TE:
For yet another year the Eagles are three deep at this position. Zach Ertz is a very good receiver, but his “improving” work as a run blocker is why the team grossly overpays Brent Celek. Celek still can and will catch the ball (when he gets a chance at it), but he’s mainly used as a blocker in the run game now. Posting 37 catches for 327 yards, most teams would be lucky to have Trey Burton as a back-up TE. Some (ATL, JAX, DEN, MIA, NYG) could have used him as a Starter, but Philadelphia has the luxury of him as their third. This position lacks a classic Jason Witten type (then again so do most teams), but unlike most teams, the Eagles have varied depth that provides them the ability to create mismatches or match-up deficiencies. Rare birds here. (+)

OL:
Jason Peters and Lane Johnson are solid at OT, but people seem to be staring at their watches, waiting for Peters to begin falling apart. Depth at OT comes in the form of disappointing Halapoulivaati Vaitai, and swing-men Matt Tobin and Allen Barbre. (Both of whom are better at G than at T.) Former DT/DE Taylor Hart is getting a look at OT. If the Eagles can find themselves an Alejandro Villanueva type, (that they don’t let get away this time), they will look like geniuses. If it doesn’t work, who cares? The guy was DT. At G they have Brandon Brooks, Stefen Wisniewski, and new Eagle Chance Warmack. Issac Seumalo could also be depth at G, provided the Eagles don’t use him to replace C Jason Kelce (as per some rumors). This is a position with a few really good players, but Offensive Line is never about how good each man is. O-Line is about how well those men play together. Until we see who the Eagles put out there together, it’s impossible to say this group has it’s act together yet. Until they prove it… (-)

In a nutshell:

With the exception of a RB, this unit has all the individual pieces, it’s just a matter of whether or not the team can put them together. “Is it soup yet?” is the question. The Offense has the potential to be far more than the sum of it’s parts, but so far without a proven track record from the QB, no real threat at RB, and an Offensive Line that still needs to be defined, there is no way to assume they will get everything ironed out. There is a difference between giving someone the benefit of the doubt, and being flat out biased. Assuming this Offense will “just click” would be flat out bias. If this unit can put the parts together it will not be a surprise. In fact it’s to be expected. But they haven’t done it yet, so…(-)

DEFENSE

DE:
Between Brandon Graham and new Eagle Chris Long, the team has a pair of relentless pass rushers who also play decent vs the run. What the Eagles don’t have, is anyone that will keep opposing coaches awake at night. Contract constraints will likely to force the Eagles to set politics aside this year, and finally start Vinny Curry (likely over Long). The rotational method employed by Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz keeps players healthier, fresher, and maximizes their abilities. It ensures consistent pressure regardless of who is out there. It even managed to wring good play from a Draft bust who’d been reduced to a situational rusher, in Marcus Smith. Smith not only started reaching QB’s, but he was bringing consistent pressure whenever his feet hit the field. He was a direct beneficiary of no longer playing in a bullshit system. That said, pressure isn’t sacks. The Eagles need sacks. They need sack-fumbles. This position has no star, but it’s stacked with guys who have blue-collar mindsets and good work ethics. While it could stand to be scarier, from top to bottom this position is undeniably solid, with little fall-off between the Starting Wave and the Second Wave. Likely no other team can boast that, and if they draft a stud… (+)

DT/NT:
Fletcher Cox is just about as good as it gets in the NFL at this position. While the team lost Bennie Logan to Free Agency, and Beau Allen for (at least) half the season to a pectoral injury, they did pick up Timmy Jernigan in a suh-WEET trade with the Ravens. There is no fall-off in starting quality here. In fact, you could argue that the the Eagles Starting interior is more dangerous in 2017, than it was year ago. I said Starting interior. Depth is not as clear cut.

With Allen sidelined, the Eagles will miss his (and Logan’s) run-plugging. Destiny Vaeao acquitted himself nicely as a rookie, but he, Cox, and Jernigan are more gap penetrators than gap pluggers. None of these players have trouble playing the run, so the Eagles are good here. There are a couple more guys, but they aren’t proven. For depth purposes the Eagles may want to invest in a low budget, wide bodied, late round/post-Draft Free Agent, to eat space. (+)

OLB:
Nigel Bradham led the team with 102 tackles, grabbed a couple sacks, and made his presence felt in pass coverage. A full service SAM (I told you) who started 16 games is nice to have. Mychal Kendricks in the WILL spot…is less to cheer about. He only started 8 games out of the 15 he played, but those starts were throughout the year, and at no point was he ever actually demoted. More important than number of starts was how ineffective he was during the year. There was no hint of an ability to make big plays, and he was a clear liability in pass coverage. Worse still is the fact that there isn’t really anyone to demote Kendricks in favor of. The reserves seem to be signed with an eye more towards Special Teams than regular downs. (-)

M/ILB:
Jordan “Cowboy Killer” Hicks led the team (yes the team) in interceptions with 5 last year. While his 85 tackles look a little lean for a MIKE, his 11 pass break-ups has to scare the hell out of teams. The idea of a MLB collecting 7 picks in 21 career starts is nothing to take lightly. Last year Stephen Tulloch was signed as a back-up on a 1 year deal, 3 days after Joe Walker tore his ACL. Instead of signing Tulloch for another year, the Eagles felt good enough to ride with returning Walker as Hick’s solo understudy for now. This isn’t a flashy position as you don’t hear Hick’s name mentioned much. It’s more like a snake hiding in the grass. Teams often don’t see the danger until it’s too late. (+)

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S:
This is a great group. Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod are an excellent duo. Notching 3 interceptions apiece in their first year together (while both were learning a new scheme), portends great things for the future. Much of the damage they did was early in the season, before the Corners were exposed and traffic in the middle was abandoned for easier pickings on the outsides. Jaylen Watkins is the primary back-up with the ability to also play the Nickle, though he lacks the speed to line up on the outside. This group lacks a thumper, but they do everything well, and are technically as sound as a dollar. (+)

CB:
This position is a total reconstruct. Of last years Starters, Nolan Carroll was allowed to walk via Free Agency and Leodis McKelvin was shown THE DOOR. Neither will be missed. At all. In their place is a gaggle of guys looking for a chance to prove they were overlooked before. Rookie Jalen Mills was feisty in coverage, but also a little to grabby. If the team names him a Starter, don’t be surprised by the move. Ron Brooks was part of the Eagles 4-2 start, but then finished the season on Injured Reserve for the third time in his five year career. Dwayne Gratz was on 3 rosters (JAX, LAR, PHI) in 2016, playing only in 6 games with no starts. The Eagles brought in Patrick Robinson via Free Agency. Robinson is a well traveled underachiever, but former Saint teammate Malcolm Jenkins help convince him to sign here. Aaron Grymes had no business being cut in 2016. Favoritism for being a former Jim Schwartz player, was clearly a factor against him last year. Hopefully this year that mistake won’t be made again. All that being said, on paper this is a VERY weak position. If the Eagles can draft Jesus at CB, they’d better do so. (-)

In a nutshell:

This team could have been better in 2016, but politics (like starting Connor Barwin over Vinny Curry, and blatant favoritism towards players who’s played in Jim Schwartz’s scheme before), figured into lesser performances by the players who benefited, and got to start when they clearly shouldn’t have. If the Eagles put such nonsense behind them, they can be in 2017 what they should have been in 2016.

Last year this team looked like a nightmare waiting to happen, and they were that exactly, until leaky CB play undercut the Defense as a whole. Even with that problem, the Eagles finished 13th vs the pass and 12th in points allowed. The Defense was for real. This year with most of those players returning, or having been upgraded from, they look every bit as imposing again. The caveat is that the CB position is now a known Achilles Heel. Teams will come out targeting it until the Eagles can prove it’s no longer a problem. However, if this team can get even decent CB play this year, bullshit and shenanigans will have to happen for the Eagles to miss the postseason. (+)

SPECIAL TEAMS

P:
Last season Donnie Jones only launched 63 punts over the course of 16 games. That number was 23 fewer than the season before, and also the lowest since Jones became a regular (Starter?) in 2005. This isn’t to say that he was ineffective. In fact, for a second year in a row his average was over 45 yards (45.8) and his net was still over 40 (40.7). He put up a long punt of 72 yards, and only surrendered 202 return yards (12.6 per game) and one touchdown, on just 25 returns (39.6% return rate). Jones was a monster last year. (+)

K:
Caleb Sturgis is coming off of the best Field Goal kicking year of his career so far. Career long of 55. Career attempts of 41. Career makes of 35. Career accuracy of 85.4%. Oh and the average kickoff return allowed was just 18.7 yards. This all sounds great until you realize that from 39 yards and in, he was 24/24 with an accuracy mark of 100%, but beyond 40 yards, he fell to 11/17 (64.7%). That’s a hell of a tumble. He had a 40 yarder blocked, but his remaining misses are 44, 46, 49, 51, and 55. All were outdoors, and 5/6 misses came in November or later. Those are playoff game and playoff game qualifying, kinds of kicks. This is to say that Sturgis serviceable, but he doesn’t seem to have “clutch” in him. I have to grade him based on what he has done, not on the failures he has yet to suffer. Eagles fans just better hope that the season doesn’t come down to his foot. (+)

RS:
The Eagles were (no doubt) more dangerous with WR Josh Huff returning kicks last year as he posted 252 yards on 7 returns (36.0), with a 98 yard score. Sadly, he did something stupid and had to be released into the wild, to roam free with other idiots (aka Tampa Bay). This left the Eagles stuck with only Kenjon Barner (9/277/30.8) and Wendell Smallwood (9/261/29.0/1TD) on Kickoff Returns and Darren Sproles (17/224/13.2/1TD) on Punt Returns. Boo hoo, right? All three of those players return in 2017, but you can bet the Eagles will still be on the prowl for more help there. (+)

In a nutshell:

While other teams are scrambling to find and/or keep a good returner, the Eagles have a stable of them. While the Kicker is technically sound, there is an obvious hole in his game. Unfortunately there isn’t even a camp leg on the roster to push him, so it’ll be what it’ll be. The Eagles owe so much to their punting and punt coverage. It has a clockwork way of setting the Defense up to be successful. This is hands down the best Special Teams unit in the division, and it’s not even remotely close. (+)

Bottom Line:

Like last year, expect this team to be carried by the Defense, as the Offense tries to catch up. That said, this team is so close in so many regards. Much of it is easy to overlook because as football fans we’ve been trained to look for that one standout guy. We star hunt. What this team is (even before the Draft) is cleverly assembled so that the pieces complement each other, and the whole team then becomes much more than the mere sum of it’s parts. There are still a couple of missing pieces, but when this team does click, they won’t be merely good, they will be dominant. Seemingly overnight.

 

2017 – DALLAS COWBOYS

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/04/12
Posted in: Defense, NFL, Offense, Players, Preview, Rivals, Roster. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

cowboysstars660px

LAST year…despite posting an NFC best 13-3 record, the Cowboys only managed to go 3-3 in the division. This time last year, there was no way for anyone to know that they would be propelled from the outhouse to the penthouse, behind the play of two rookies. One of whom was a QB pressed into starting, in place of (and ultimately unseating) long-time incumbent Tony Romo. (That was the first time I ever had to underline Romo’s name. Feels weird even looking at it.)

That was last year. The following is how the team looks today, prior to the Draft….

OFFENSE

QB:
Dak Prescott was the man last year. I mean how do you not like a 23:4 touchdown to interception ratio? How you not like a 104.9 passer rating? How do you not like a 67.8 completion percentage? From a rookie! Clearly he’s the future of the franchise, right? If he can do all that as a rookie, he’ll only get better from here, right? Right? Not so fast.

Here’s a piece of information that you won’t get anywhere but here. Eight games from last year cast a dark shadow on Prescott’s remaining career: NYG 1&2, WAS 1&2, PHI 1&2, GB regular season and Playoff game. In every case last year, Prescott was less effective in a second meeting with teams. So far every coaching staff to face Prescott once, managed to figure him out to a noticeable degree within the same year. (FYI: This was not the case with every rookie QB last year). This indicates that the league is adjusting to Prescott, faster than he is adjusting to the league. Given the simplicity of Dallas’ offensive system, that should be alarming to fans.

Look, he does have a calm nature about him, a very good arm, good mobility, (and great run game supporting him). All great traits. No one can deny his tools, and based on last year’s success, I have to say he’s a good QB today. As for what’s behind him, the safety net of Mark Sanchez and Tony Romo are gone. The Cowboys Plan B is Kellen Moore. Moore is more inexperienced than he is awful, but if pressed into duty, that won’t matter. (+)

RB:
Ezekiel Elliott ran for over 1,600 yards as a rookie, but the most important stat was that he lost only one fumble all year long. Just one. He did almost as good a job carrying the ball, as he did of carrying his QB. Behind Elliott are Darren McFadden and Alfred Morris. Morris made some noise early last year, but it soon became clear that he’d lost any trace of NFL level explosiveness. McFadden was given a one year deal for 2017. However, if Dallas drafts someone they like, expect McFadden to hit the bricks since less than 100K of his deal is guaranteed. Lance Dunbar is a nifty receiver, but he’s hardly a legit RB. Elliott is one of the best RB’s in the game right now, but everything else about this position is in ruins. That said, as long as Elliott is healthy, there is no other way to grade this position. (+)

WR:
I said last year, that without Romo, Dez Bryant seemed to evaporate. That was based on a 2015 season that saw both Cole Beasley and Terrance Williams post career numbers. True, the Cowboys had injury issues in 2015 (which included Bryant), but no similar excuse can be applied to 2016. For a second straight year, Bryant has seemed like a former Top 10 WR. The big dog in Dallas now seems to be the nugget-sized Beasley, who led the team both in catches (75) and receiving yards (833), despite only starting 6 games. Williams on the other hand, started 15 of the 16 games he played, and still had the worst year of his career. This receiver corps is experienced, but it’s a shadow of the position it used to be under Romo, and they have added no help so far. (-)

TE:
I’m a Jason Witten fan. Not even closeted about it. Right now it seems that 70 catches, 700 yards and 3 TD’s per year are still his for the asking. At least on paper. Watching him play last year it was clear that he hadn’t found the Fountain of Youth, but that he was plugging along. It would be foolish to say that he can’t still act as the stabilizer in this offense, going into year 15. That said, when the wheels fall off they fall off suddenly. I still think he can play, but he really should have walked away after 2016. Behind Witten are James Hanna, Geoff Swaim, and Rico Gathers. Hanna is the reason that guys like Swaim and Gathers (who wouldn’t make most NFL rosters) have chance at starting if Witten gets hurt. Swaim is a 7th round pick drafted to block for the run game. Gather’s declaration that he is the heir apparent to Witten, is the funniest thing he’ll ever say in his life. This position is valid as long as Witten is okay, but if he has to miss any time… the Cowboys entire offense will go into an ugly tailspin. (+)

romo witten.jpg

OL:
RT Doug Free retired and G Ronald Leary left to join the Broncos. Granted, this is a massive shake-up, but it’s far from insurmountable. In fact, if I were to arrange the Cowboys offensive line myself, just from what they already have, it would be cake. (l-r) Tyron Smith, La’el Collins, Travis Frederick, Zach Martin, and whomever wins the job between Byron Bell, and Chaz Green. Even as a rival fan, I can tell you they have plenty of options. Oh, and did I mention there’s a Draft coming up? (+)

In a nutshell:

It’s hard to argue against their youth, offensive line, and last year’s stats, but there is something very unsettling about this unit. It wouldn’t take much to unravel it from a few different positions. On almost every team there is a fall-off in talent behind a Starter, but for this team, all of the fall-offs are precipitous. Everything must remain perfect for this unit to not regress in 2017. There is no Ronald Leary to replace an injured La’el Collins this year. There will be no Tony Romo or Mark Sanchez waiting in the wings if Dak Prescott stumbles. I won’t even mention the RB position. Still, the Cowboys offense can be nearly as good as they were last season. As long as no one gets hurt all year long. (+)

DEFENSE

DE:
Randy Gregory is suspended for 2017. So at the moment, 2017’s starting DE’s look like Tyrone Crawford and Benson Mayowa. Crawford isn’t really a DE, but he had to fill in there last year, and so far the Cowboys have added no better solutions. Also, his 4.5 sacks (3rd on the team) don’t hurt his chances of starting again. Mayowa came on strong at the end of 2016, as he collected 4 of his team-leading 6 sacks in the last 5 games (4 of which were starts). The Cowboys may have found a pass rusher, but it comes at the expense of a run defender, since at 240 pounds, Mayowa hasn’t proven difficult to drive off the line.

Under the radar is Charles Tapper, a 4th round pick from 2016 who didn’t play a snap last year, due to a congenital birth defect in his spine. Apparently he was treated(?) for it and is looking to make his debut this year. They also (for some reason) signed Damontre Moore. If Dallas doesn’t get a stud DE in the Draft this position will haunt them for 17 agonizing weeks. (-)

DT/NT:
Maliek Collins as a rookie in 2016, was second on the team with 5 sacks. Losing Terrell McClain wouldn’t mean much to most teams, but it’s a huge loss for this one. Candidates to fill the void he left include, Stephen Paea, David Irving, and former Eagle Cedric Thornton. Thornton was signed last year to unseat McClain, but ended up not starting a single game. This year since McClain isn’t there, you have to figure that Thornton may have a chance at the spot again. (-)

OLB:
It would be nice to just say “Hey, this position is all good”, but this team just won’t let you have that. Sean Lee for years was a heck of a playmaker when he was healthy. The problem was keeping him healthy. Well last year he was healthy all season long with 15 starts and 1 game of rest, prior to the playoffs. He racked up 145 tackles, which was almost 60 more than the next closest Cowboy. The downside is that since moving from ILB, he is far less effective in pass coverage and offers no value as a pass rusher on the edge.

On the other side, the hope is that 2016 rookie Jaylon Smith can perform at a high level, despite suffering from a damaged nerve in his knee, that causes him to have Foot Drop. Dallas is trying to offset the Foot Drop with a lower leg brace to keep the toes of Smiths foot from dragging the ground. Depth behind him is almost non-existent. Kyle Wilbur is a glorified Special Teamer with 16 starts in 73 games over a 5 year career, and Damien Wilson is just some guy. (-)

M/ILB:
Anthony Hitchens is no great shakes, but given his situation as a 235 pound MLB, who’s defensive line doesn’t keep offensive linemen off of him, you have to be impressed with what he manages to get done. Behind Hitchens the most experienced man is John Lotulelei. Completely out of football in both 2014 and 2016, started just 2 of his 18 career games, and racked up all of 12 tackles in the process. (I’m wondering how many Cowboys fans didn’t realize that it was quite this bad.) (-)

S:
FS Byron Jones was the Cowboys second leading tackler last year, but he’ll have to step up and become the mentor for two youngsters in Jeff Heath and Kavon Frazier. Between these three Safeties there are 28 career starts, 27 of which belong to Jones alone. This group is wet behind the ears and not very talented to start with. The Cowboys are going to need some strong Cornerback play to offset this weakness. (-)

CB:
Once again the Cowboys raided the Eagles garbage can for a player in CB Nolan Carroll. Apparently they didn’t learn the lesson last year with Cedric Thornton. To be fair, there are some positive aspects of Carroll’s game. He’s a good man press corner for short routes. He’s a decent tackler for his position. If he picks off the ball, he looks to score with it. The only problems are that he can be handsy and has trouble covering receivers. Those are his only drawbacks. Anthony Brown figures to build on a solid though not spectacular rookie year. Orlando Scandrick is a solid veteran who plays well in the Nickle and can even hop outside as long as you don’t lean on him there. (-)

In a nutshell:

Bad drafting and Free Agent defections have decimated this unit. Even Stephen Jones has said that the defense is now worse off. They are weak at practically every tier, with weaknesses in one position that threaten to expose or exacerbate weaknesses in other positions. This defense is what happens when you spend good money on things, without really looking into them first. (-)

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SPECIAL TEAMS

P:
What can you say about Chris Jones in 2016? He sported a 45.9 yard average on his punts, with 40.5 of that being net yards. Fewer than 200 return yards allowed on his punts all season long, and a 30 yard run on a trick play, too boot. This is how you help your team win the field position/hidden yardage battle. (+)

K:
Dan Bailey saw his accuracy drop 9.4% from 93.8 to 84.4, as he missed five FG’s last year. He hadn’t missed that many in one season since his rookie year. It’s nothing to be alarmed over, but it is something to keep an eye on. 2016 was just an off year. Until he proves otherwise, he’s still one of the best in the game. (+)

RS:
The Cowboys seemed be phoning it in on returns last year. There wasn’t a single return (punt or kickoff) for longer than 39 yards. WR Lucky Whitehead‘s KR average of 23.2 yards, makes me wonder why they’d risk anything other than a fair catch. Speaking of which, a PR average of 7.8 yards doesn’t go with a 25:6 return to fair catch ratio. If you’re going to be aggressive and risk the ball, do it in a good cause. The Cowboys looked for a number of solutions last year, but no one proved explosive enough. In two years Whitehead has shown initiative, but he apparently doesn’t have the eyes for the job. (-)

In a nutshell:

Dallas has been better on Special Teams, but they are carried by an extremely reliable Kicker and Punter who helps them win the field position battle. If they could threaten in the return game, this unit would be the envy of many teams. (+)

Bottom Line:

This is a team in transition that caught fire in 2016. Now in 2017, with almost none of of the internal pieces needed to sustain that sort of success, they will be expected to not only deliver it again, but improve on it. Offensively they may be as productive as last season. Provided everyone stays healthy. Defensively they are going to catch all manner of hell, as 2/3 of their division rivals have made a point of making their offenses more dangerous.

2017 WASHINGTON REDSKINS

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/04/11
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, NFL, Offense, Players, Preview, Rivals, Roster. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Redskins_logo_by_junkfunkio-d4po4ge

LAST year…The Redskins finished 8-7-1 overall, and 3-3 against the division, while allowing a division worst 383 points. The original idea was to build on winning the division in 2015 behind their 9-7 record. Instead, 2016 saw the ‘skins hit a number of bumps in the road. Many of those problems were self-inflicted wounds from a team that bought into their own hype.

That was last year. The following is how the team looks today, prior to the Draft….

OFFENSE

QB:
Good news ‘skins fans! Kirk Cousins didn’t go to San Francisco, and you leased him for another year! That means that the ‘skins have a reliable QB. At least for the 2017 season. This is more than some teams (like San Francisco) can currently boast right now. Who knows who the 49ers may sign next year, right? So at least in this regard the ‘skins are okay. In 2017 at least. The concern comes in the form of Cousins’ chemistry with his revamped receiving corps, and whether he’s even interested in developing such a thing with new players on this team. For reasons that will unfold as you keep reading, he may spend 2017 thinking about his next team in San Fr- As far as depth, Colt McCoy is a proven, veteran back-up. (+)

RB:
Matt Jones began the season as the Starter, then he got hurt in Week 7, missed Weeks 8 and 9, was deactivated Week 10, and then demoted to 3rd string. He would never play another down for the remainder of 2016. The guy who took over for him is Rob Kelley, who came on with fresh legs, and he played like gangbusters. For a couple of weeks, that is. Then he came back down to Earth as the one dimensional, downhill runner that he is. They also have Chris Thompson who used to be the 3rd string, but now is ahead of Jones, who used to be the Starter. They have no idea what they’re doing there. (-)

WR:
Last year the ‘skins boasted two WR’s (Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson) who went over 1,000 yards. Today both players are on other rosters. Bright spot Jamison Crowder did grab nearly 70 balls for over 800 yards in 2016. Of course some of that had to do with the room created by teams respecting Jackson’s deep speed. Crowder may find 2017 more…crowded. This year’s bunch also includes second year man Josh Doctson, QB-turned-WR Terrelle Pryor, and former Ram Brian Quick. Pryor himself caught 77 balls for over 1,000 yards last year, in Cleveland. There is some talent here, but this group won’t scare anybody. (-)

Terrelle Pryor

TE:
This team is set at this position. Jordan Reed is more of a receiver than a blocker, but his prowess as a receiver keeps teams from loading the box. That means Washington is able to run the ball, regardless of whether or not he’s on the field. (Yes, you did detect a note of envy.) Behind him the team has Vernon Davis, who found the Fountain of Youth last season. This team has no worries here. (+)

OL:
The ‘skins return all five Starters from a unit that allowed only 23 sacks and managed to carve out 4.5 yards per rush, from a stable of underwhelming RB’s. I’d give this unit two pluses if it wouldn’t be a violation of protocol. (+)

In a nutshell:

Man, oh man. What none of these positional breakdowns can tell you is, this franchise is drowning in dysfunction. They fired their GM on the doorstep of Free Agency ‘s beginning, and given their player losses, it’s clear that his firing has had a negative impact already. What remains is a mixed bag. On offense they have a really good offensive line, protecting a QB who is likely eying the door. Cousins must be thrilled about losing two 1,000 yard receivers, and having them replaced with question marks, (in what for him, is yet another contract year). Had he known that was going to happen, he may not have agreed to let Washington rent his body for another year. Their decision to keep a RB on the roster that they demoted, and then made a healthy scratch for over half the season was priceless. An absolute stroke of genius. Or maybe just the result of a stroke. This unit is clearly less than it was a year ago. Barring brain damage, even the most devout ‘skins fan would have to admit that. Nice TE’s though. (-)

DEFENSE

DE:
This position is a mess. The loss of Chris Baker has left the cupboard bare at DE. Ziggy Hood is the anchor right now at this position, which has to be depressing for anyone who genuinely cares about this team. Former Temple Owl Matt Ioannidis, (barring a draft pick here), has to be the guy in line to step into the void left by Baker, even though Ionaiddis is more of a DT. There’s also a guy named Anthony Lanier, who can now be glad that something (this article) comes up when he Googles his name. (-)

DT/NT:
So many bodies at this position and– Hey! Wanna hear a joke? Phil Taylor is on this roster. Phil Taylor…Yeah, him. The former Brown who can’t stay healthy and hasn’t played a down since 2014. That guy. Washington is giving him money for some reason. They also poached(?) Terrell McClain from the Cowboys, and Stacy McGee from the Raiders. Between the two, they recorded 24 starts, 57 tackles and 5 sacks last year. (Shrug.) There is also A.J. Francis who seems to specialize in getting cut from teams. Odds are strong that all of these guys will see time being moved around between NT and DE, to see who gives the team the lowest failure rate in each position, along the ‘skins three man defensive line. (-)

OLB:
I like Ryan Kerrigan. I wish he could be a very good DE in a 4-3, instead of being a one-dimensional OLB in a 3-4. He of course was the model of reliability with his 6th straight year of 16 starts, while tossing in 11 sacks for good measure. On the other side, second year man Preston Smith also started 16 games but notched just 4.5 sacks. Trent Murphy didn’t log a start all year, but notched 9 sacks, which was 3 more than his prior career total of 6. What’s disturbing is that not one of these players reached 50 tackles, and in a combined 48 starts, there were only 6 pass break-ups, and 1 interception between them. This position is staffed by players who are more like DE’s and less like true OLB’s, ultimately trading effectiveness for statistics (i.e. sacks). It is this position’s one-dimensional nature that is really keying the ‘skins slide. (-)

M/ILB:
Mason Foster was a tackling machine last year, pulling down a career high 124. Will Compton added 106 stops of his own. If the stops are there to make, you have to give the players credit for making them. (Though it does raise the question of why so few stops get made by the line.) They also added Free Agent Zach Brown, so I’m guessing that Compton will now serve as depth or play situationally on the outside. Rookie Su’a Cravens filled in for three starts missed by Foster last season, and came nowhere close to filling his shoes out there (thus the addition of Brown). Cravens’ small frame may be ill-suited for finding a starting role in the defensive scheme currently favored by this team. His best days may be a coaching staff away. (+)

S:
This may be the worst Safety corps in the NFL. While Duke Ihenacho and Donte Whitner weren’t great, losing them without replacing them leaves the ‘skins relying on a bunch of question marks and whatever is left of CB turned FS, DeAngelo Hall. If you’re a giants, Cowboys, or Eagles fan, this is great! If you root for the ‘skins… you have to be hoping for a Safety in the first round. (-)

CB:
Between Josh Norman being moved around to protect him from having to cover #1 wideouts, and with Bashaud Breeland being beat like a dusty rug, it seems easy to give this position a failing mark. Funny thing is, other sports outlets (PPF, Fox Sports, etc.) seem to view them favorably. This only seems funnier when you realize it’s a steep amount of praise for two players who keyed a 25th ranked pass defense. (But what do I know, right?) Kendall Fuller looks like he’ll be the Nickel again. Unless he’s unseated by Tharold Simon or Quinton Dunbar. (Yeah, me neither.) In my heart of hearts, I think this is a subpar unit. However, as gesture of humility, I won’t post my (-). Instead I will post the grade set by “professional evaluators”. However, it’ll be interesting to see whom fans think was right, at the conclusion of the 2017 season. (+)

beat rug.JPG

In a nutshell:

This was a bad unit that was made worse through key losses. It would be different if veterans were jettisoned to make way for promising youth, or if the Redskins had a bunch of early round draft picks, but that isn’t the situation. This situation is so bad that I just posted someone else’s ranking of a position, because it won’t mean dick to the overall unit’s outcome. It’s a one-dimensional group of sack hunters, that can be had easily on the edges. Without a ball control offense to hide behind, Washington’s defense is going to get skinned in 2017. (-)

SPECIAL TEAMS

P:
Tress Way regressed for the second straight year in a row. Average punt, longest punt, net average… all of these came down again for him. Luckily, he only needed to punt 49 times last year (vs 70 times in 2015, and 77 in 2014). What was alarming however is the percentage of his punts that were returned last year. 49 punts vs 27 returns (55%), vs 2015’s 70 punts and 30 returns (42%). The more opportunities he provides opponents, the more likely it could cost the ‘skins. (-)

K:
Dustin Hopkins saw his FG accuracy tumble by more than 8 points (89.3 to 81.0), and missed 3 extra points on the year. Novice fans would say that he’s just a Kicker, but those kicks win and lose games. Their loss last year to the Lions and their tie with the Bengals are two examples that very thing. (-)

RS:
This is where it gets a little weird. Jamison Crowder would seem to have a lock on the PR spot, but that’s only if they screw him over at #1 WR, a spot which he earned last year. Trying to make him do both will only grind him into dust. As for KR, five guys across 16 games got a shot at the job, and as a team they amassed a meager 570 yards. Not a dangerous unit. (-)

In a nutshell:

Special Teams across the board took a tumble for this team. This all but screams a lack of emphasis by the coaching staff. Seeing as there was no competition brought in at either K or P, you have to assume that the ‘skins have decided to live with what they have. This is not the way you inspire improvement. (-)

Bottom Line:

There is far more wrong with this team, than there is right with it. Had they let Cousins leave, they’d at least be able to claim that they were rebuilding. Instead, Washington remains a team with high external expectations, that is rotting internally. Expect them to be a 6 win team this year.

2017 NEW YORK GIANTS

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/04/10
Posted in: Defense, NFL, Offense, Players, Preview, Rivals, Roster. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

new-york-giants-champs-jeff-stein

LAST year…The giants went 4-2 in the division and improved from 6-10, to 11-5 and a playoff appearance. The 284 points they allowed were the lowest in the division, but they also posted the fewest scored with only 310. Still, rookie head coach Ben McAdoo seemed to hit the ground running.

That was last year. The following is how the team looks today, prior to the Draft….

OFFENSE

QB:
Eli Manning is the unquestioned starter for this team. Last year, (for the seven millionth year in a row) he started all 16 games and threw for 4,000 yards. His 2015 numbers were so close to his 2014 numbers that it borders on creepy. After two consistent years in Ben McAdoo’s offense, it’s safe to assume 4,400 yards, 30 TD’s and 14 Ints from Manning. Behind Manning sits Maytag repairman, Ryan Nassib. (+)

I wrote that about this position last year, and in 2016 Manning posted 4,027 yards. 26 TD, and 16 picks. He’s clockwork. Geno Smith crossed the hallway to what has to be a better situation for both him and the giants That is, provided that Smith doesn’t owe any teammates any money. (+)

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RB:
Okay so at the moment Paul Perkins looks like the guy they’re going with in 2017. They can’t be serious about that because not only is Perkins not built to be a primary back (208lbs), but his longest run in 112 carries last year, was for 22 yards. In 127 touches he didn’t manage to find paydirt even once. Shane Vereen is returning from injuring the same triceps twice in one season. That has to raise concerns about his ability to catch passes, if he can’t reliably extend his arm. FYI: Vereen has more receiving yards and scores, than rushing yards and scores, to this point in his career. Catching passes is the cornerstone of his game. The remaining RB’s are just guys at this point. The departure of Rashad Jennings seems to indicate that at some point N.Y. will draft a RB high this year. (-)

WR:
Last year it was Odell Beckham and whatever was left of Victor Cruz. This year it’s Beckham and whatever is left of Brandon Marshall. Beckham is talented, but is a headcase. Given Marshall’s diagnosis of Borderline Personality Disorder, you have to wonder if working closely with someone like Beckham is the right thing for him. When you add the pressure of playing in a tougher division, and for the team that New York fans and media actually care about… Given the obvious decline in his durability and skills, it doesn’t seem like a good look for Marshall at all. Slot receiver Sterling Shepard gives Manning a nifty place to go with the ball in the red zone, but he’s less of an every down threat and far more of a situational player. This group can be explosive in one of two ways, and one way could wreck the entire team, not just the offense. (-)

TE:
Last year I said that Will Tye would be a disappointment and that’s exactly what happened. So the giants went out and upgraded, right? Wrong. Well maybe. It depends on what their plan is. They added former Viking, Rhett Ellison. He isn’t exactly a weapon as a receiver, but is an accomplished blocker. His signing may signal that the team is tweaking their expectation of the position. If that’s true then my evaluation of this position may be suspect this year. (Yeah, I can admit that.) I can’t give a position that may be in flux a passing grade, but I am by no means taking a hard line on this overall grade. (-)

OL:
Pass protection improved again as last year Manning was sacked just 21 times, as opposed to 27 the year before. The downside was the yards per rush dropping from 4 yards per crack to just 3.5. To address that, former Charger RT D.J. Fluker was signed. Fluker can be exposed in pass pro, but can be an absolute mauler in the run game. (+)

In a nutshell:

The right side of the offensive line is screaming that something fundamental just shifted in the New York offense. The addition of Fluker and Ellison more than hint at the giants looking to be more physical. One of the last things the NFC East needs is Eli Manning behind a power running game. Currently the giants lack the RB needed to pull this all together, but this Draft is loaded with guys who’d easily fit that role. While this offense is full of holes, it could be patched enough for another playoff berth, despite a tougher schedule this year. That being said, due to a host of personality conflicts, getting this unit on one page may be the hardest part of McAdoo’s job. (-)

DEFENSE

DE:
Jason Pierre-Paul (7.0 sacks) and Olivier Vernon (8.5) are the giants pass rush. I said they would be competent but not great, and that’s what happened. There are a few bodies here, but not much that you would call depth in the event that JPP or Vernon were out for a game or three. (+)

DT/NT:
This position was a pillar for this team last year but without Johnathan Hankins in the middle, they are gonna have problems. It will be easier to consistently double-team Damon Harrison, as Jay Bromely lacks the power to assist there. Not only will they find it harder to defend the run, but the pass rush is likely going to suffer. At the moment Hankins is a Free Agent so he could very well end up back on the team. However if it were that easy, he likely wouldn’t have tested Free Agency to begin with. (-)

OLB:
Jonathan Casillas was his usual, consistent self last year. He made tackles. Devon Kennard also made a few tackles. In fact, you might say that Kennard made too few (61), given that he started 9 of the 16 games he played. Remember Pepper Johnson and Carl Banks? Even today, if you say “LT” everyone knows who you’re talking about. Today if you mention the words “giants linebacker” or one by name, no one even shrugs. (-)

M/ILB:
Unani Unga, Keenan Robinson and Kelvin Sheppard. Last year they were all chasing the starting job. Today only Robinson (who just re-signed) is on the roster. He made 6 starts last year, so odds are that he’ll get the nod over Deontae Skinner. However, the lack of interest Robinson generated as a Free Agent is not to be overlooked. (-)

S:
In 2016 SS Landon Collins had 125 tackles, 5 picks and 4 sacks. Jesus! If they had a second Safety to go with him, this position would be scary. FS Andrew Adams has to be graded on curve due to having been a rookie. They also added a couple guys whose resumes seem to only consist of being cut by Seattle. Other than Collins, there doesn’t seem like much to be excited over. It literally is an “avoid this one, pick on the rest” situation here. Until that changes, there is no way even ardent fans of this team can sign-off on this position. (-)

CB:
The giants started 3 corners for much of 2016 and it seemed to work well for them. “Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie is a total flake, but he’ll hurt you if you get careless with the ball around him”. I said that last year, and DRC proved my point with 6 picks in 2016. Janoris Jenkins chipped in with 3 thefts. Native Philadelphian and lifelong Eagles fan, Eli Apple started 11 games as a rookie. This trio gives the giants a measure of depth that they lacked going into last season. This position has come up. (+)

eliapple-21217.jpg

In a nutshell:

In spite of an appalling lack of depth on this side of the ball, the giants defense played pretty well last year. They established things to build on. Then they lost some key starters to compound a still existing depth issue. They lost their key DT and there is no MLB. You can’t see it, but there is a huge sucking wound in the middle of this defense. Like a black hole, it will negatively impact everything surrounding it. Barring a Draft miracle, a surprise trade, or Johnathan Hankins caving on his salary demands, you can expect this to be a bottom ranked unit in 2017. (-)

SPECIAL TEAMS

P:
For a second straight year Brad Wing made improvements in both his punting average and his net average. His Fair Caught to Returned Punts ratio gives reason for concern though. In 2015 it was 21 : 30, in 2016 it skyrocketed to 16 : 37. That may be why so many of his punts were finding their way out of bounds. Last year he put 12 OOB, which his more than twice what his career total was (5) until last year. He’s still getting the job done, but he looks like he may have been rattled on some level. (+)

K:
Tom Obarski. An untested, 177 pound Kicker, cutting his NFL teeth kicking against NY/NJ ocean wind, in front of NY fans and their rivals. He may one day be a household name, but as of today, he’s a liability. (-)

I wrote that last year, but Obarski didn’t kick for N.Y. last year. Instead that job was split between Josh Brown and Robbie Gould. Neither is a giant today. Today the only Kicker on the roster is Aldrick Rosas. An untested, 195 pound Kicker, cutting his NFL teeth kicking against NY/NJ ocean wind, in front of NY fans and their rivals. He may one day be a household name, but as of today, he’s a liability. (-)

RS:
In 2015 WR Dwayne Harris brought back both a punt and a kickoff for TD’s, while averaging 10.0 and 28.7 yards per return, respectively. Beyond Harris there isn’t much help in either category, and with him also entertaining fantasies of being a real WR, you have to wonder how effective Pinocchio will continue to be as a returner. I have to give this a plus grade now, but that could (and likely will) go off a cliff real fast if Harris splits time as the #2 WR.

I said that last year, and the result was that Harris sucked both as a WR and as RS. Then again so did anyone else they let do the job. (-)

In a nutshell:

The giants clearly don’t think much of special teams and that will likely cost them not only the hidden yardage game, but some games outright next year. There has been no change to their Special Teams coaching since 2007 (Tom Quinn) nor a player brought in to help with a weak unit. (-)

Bottom Line:

The giants went to the playoffs last year, and were quickly shown THE DOOR. They had no business being there and everyone knew it. All indications are that they will fall back to Earth in 2017. They have some pieces on offense, but their defense and special teams are a mess. I always say about the giants, that they will be as good as the rest of the division lets them be. This year it seems every team in the division besides N.Y. has something to prove. So I wouldn’t count on the level of generosity that the giants benefited from last year.

THE 12: #12 MAKE HOWIE’S DOING MATTER

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/03/30
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Fans, Front Office (F.O.), Players, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

THE122017#12

WHEN Howie Roseman is screwing up, we let him know about it, and rightfully so. As fans that’s part of what we’re required to do to keep up our end. There is however, another part that we aren’t so good at. When Howie gets it right, we tend to be damned quiet about giving the man his due credit. As of today, that has to change, and by the time you finish this article, you’ll want to make sure it does.

This franchise is trying to get back to where it was from 2000 to 2008. Back then, we were amongst the powerhouse teams in the NFL. We were part of every serious conversation about who would win it all during those years. Now, after almost a decade as a fringe team, the Eagles Front Office has decided to bite the bullet and do what I’ve been screaming for since I was still writing on YardBarker, back in 2009. Whatever they choose call it, or however they want to brand it, the Eagles are rebuilding.

The last time the Eagles rebuilt it was done without fan input. Remember when so many people wanted RB Ricky Williams but the Eagles instead drafted QB Donovan McNabb? Remember how fans reacted? Today McNabb is the greatest QB in franchise history, and many local (let me stress the word local) fans still shrug over it. This is why the F.O. ignores us. If all we can or will do is complain, they have every reason to tune us out.

On the other hand, we screamed and screamed for them to get McNabb a WR while they flat out ignored us. When they finally did get McNabb that WR, what happened? We went to the Super Bowl that same year, and McNabb had the best year of his entire career. No other season even comes close. Eagles fans are frequently called by announcers “the most knowledgeable fan base in the league”. Maybe F.O. would be wise to listen to us here and there. Conversely, maybe we should focus on saying something worth hearing.

When Roseman gets it wrong we need to be vocal, but we need to be equally as vocal when he gets it right. It would represent a change in fan type that the F.O. would have to look into. Even if only (at first) to better understand how to adjust their marketing strategies.

So how do we do it? Get on WIP just as you always have, but find something to also praise, when you issue your next complaint about Roseman or Owner Jeffery Lurie. Mention a guy who’s jersey you wouldn’t mind seeing on your kids. Talk about why you don’t want certain types of players on this team. Go to the Eagles Message Boards (that I’m still banned from), and do these same things.

Elevate the discussion so that it literally pays for them to listen to you, and make it cost them to ignore you. Make it clear that ignoring you has a negative impact. If not on the roster, then at the very least on the team’s bottom line.

Fellow fan, you can help this rebuild. You can be a part of steering the Eagles. Yes you can. But to do that, something has to change, and it has to, starting today.