ONCE UPON A TIME…(giants)

Posted by The BEAST on 2016/08/16
Posted in: Crazy Talk, Rivals, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

ONCE upon a time…

Actually the exact year was 2012. The giants had just won their second Super Bowl in fours years. Any fan, of any of the other 31 teams, will tell you that both wins were flukes. However, the giants did win both games.

That’s the part that matters. That’s what history will show.

They have two Super Bowls in this millennium. The only other division rival to even make it to a Super Bowl in this millennium are the Eagles, who ended up with a 3 point loss in one, and an 8 point win in the other.

That having been said…You know that moment, when your 2-time Super Bowl MVP realizes that he’s no longer the special one at Thanksgiving dinner? You know what that moment looks like? It looks like this:

eli stunned.jpg

Once upon a time, it was a huge deal to be a Super Bowl MVP. Even bigger to be a 2-time MVP. But in this moment,

eli stunned

the player that the giants organization may one day call it’s greatest, immortalized the size of the shadow he will forever reside in. The greatest giant of all-time was reduced to a small boy, stuck in perpetual sibling rivalry. Never quite equaling up, and always chasing someone so far ahead that they never even look back to gloat.

Once upon a time the GIANTS were Lawrence Taylor, Y.A. Tittle, and Frank Gifford. Today, they are this:

eli stunned

They struggle mightily under him now, as he pads his stats while chasing and chasing, eternally on a treadmill, trying to out run the shadow.

THE END

ONCE UPON A TIME…(Redskins)

Posted by The BEAST on 2016/08/16
Posted in: Crazy Talk, Fans, Rivals, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

SON: Dad, tell me a bedtime story.

DAD: Okay. Once upon a time, the Redskins were really really good, and-

SON: I said tell me a story, not bullshit me.

DAD: No no! Really! It was in the 1990’s. Look it up. It really happened. So anyway, the ‘skins were in the Super Bowl and-

SON: Goodnight Dad.

Father and son at home

DAD: Would you just listen?

SON: Did you take your meds?

DAD: Yes! I took my meds! This isn’t one of the delusions.

SON: Alright, but I’m looking this up in the morning.

DAD: Fine. Anyway, we were in the Super Bowl against the Bills and-

SON: Against who?

DAD: No no! The Bills were really good back then. They went to four straight Super Bowls and-

SON: MOM! Dad’s gone off his meds again!

DAD: I took my meds!

MOM: What happened?

DAD: I was telling him about the Redskins/Bills Super Bowl.

MOM: Hard to believe that Buffalo lost four straight Super Bowls.

SON: So this is real??

DAD: That’s what I’ve been telling you! We used to be really good!

SON: So what happened?

MOM and DAD: Dan Snyder.

DAD: And there would never be a happily ever after, ever again.

ONCE UPON A TIME… (Cowboys)

Posted by The BEAST on 2016/08/16
Posted in: Crazy Talk, Rivals, Uncategorized. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

angry-old-man

KIDS! Get your asses in here! I want to tell you a story about your heritage. Everyone sit down and Grandpa will tell you about how once upon a time, he became a Dallas Cowboys fan.

Did you know that Grandpa started out as a Redskins fan? It’s true! Born and raised right here in New York City. After many years I decided I needed a change. The year was 1993 and since the ‘skins didn’t make it to the Super Bowl, Grandpa decided to jump ship. Someone told me that the Dallas Cowboys were America’s Team, and I said “Okay then. If it’s good enough for Americans, then it’s good enough for me too.”

Right then and there I felt a change coming over me. I couldn’t stop saying words like “hater”, and “Jerrah”. I’d wake up at night screaming “Dez caught it!”, though I wouldn’t know why for 22 more years.

See these five metal washers on my fingers? These are Grandpa’s Super Bowl rings. All fans get them whenever we win a Super Bowl. And we have five rings. Five. We have five rings. Jerrah hasn’t sent mine yet, so I wear these as stand-ins. But any day now…

One day you’ll all be proud and loud Cowboys fans like your gramps here. You’ll make a trip to Dallas, and the Texas weather will try to murder you. You’ll take your jersey and have it autographed by your favorite player during visiting hours at the penitentiary. You’ll sit in the stadium that Jerrah built for Eli Manning to win in, and you’ll watch go-go dancers and cheerleaders distract you from what’s happening down on the field. Later you can reminisce about the 1990’s, and how swindling Minnesota made it possible for us to win three rings, even though Barry Switzer was legally retarded for one of ’em.

Ah yes…good times. Now all you ugly bastards get scarce! We just lost to the Rams and these excuses won’t create themselves.

FOUR THINGS VS PITTSBURGH

Posted by The BEAST on 2016/08/15
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Offense, Players, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , . 4 Comments

ccard.jim.schwartz

LAST week vs the Buccaneers, we saw that the Defense seems to be well ahead of schedule with absorbing their concepts and jelling together. We saw Cover Two coverage result in some big-time plays, and the interior was stingy vs the run. We also saw that the Offense is still (and I’m being kind here), a “work in progress”. Now let’s take a look at the next four things we need to do, in this game vs the Steelers.

1) The Defense needs to pick up where it left off last week. The Steelers are a much better offensive team than the Bucs are. In every aspect. If we can put on a good showing for the first half, then Defensive Coordinator Jim Schwartz can start writing the top of his depth chart in ink, and the last two games will be primarily a search for depth and package assignments.

2) More of starting QB Sam Bradford. Not a lot more though. Normally, I’d want to see him until midway through the second quarter. However, since his back-up, Chase Daniel really seems to need the work, yanking Bradford at the end of the first quarter would be the smart way to go. Bradford has a long injury history, so odds are that we’ll need Daniel at some point this year. It’s better if Daniel gets as much live practice vs starting defenses as he can get, before we have to count on him.

3) Let’s see someone other than Lane Johnson start at RT. Whoever is going to be our starter this season (10 if 16 games), needs as much live work as he can get. Halapoulivaati “Hal” Vaitai was an all out disaster there last week. If RG Brandon Brooks (bicep injury) can play, then Isaac Seumalo should start at LG and Allen Barbre should get a long look at RT.

4) Rookie RB Wendell Smallwood running the ball inside. smallwood

Last week RB Ryan Mathews looked good on a couple of carries right through the teeth of the defense. However, when he came out of the game, most of the night was spent unimpressively trying to run outside with RB Kenjon Barner and rookie WR/RB Byron Marshall. With our WR’s, that won’t help this Offense at all. We need to be able to run the ball inside to draw opposing Safeties closer to the hash-marks, so that our WR’s have more room to create separation on the boundaries.

Again, this is just the preseason. It’s a diagnostic tool/laboratory. It is very important that we don’t get too up over any win, or too down over any loss. As long as guys stay healthy and motivated to compete, we’ll get a better result in 2016 than we had in 2015.

DOUG PEDERSON’S DEBUT

Posted by The BEAST on 2016/08/14
Posted in: Conversations, Defense, Offense, Players, Reviews, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment

steven.means

THERE were four things I told you that I was looking for in Doug Pederson‘s debut as Eagles Head Coach. The two things I wanted to see on Defense were encouraging. It looks like we are well on our way to being not just respectable, but downright dominant. Offensively, we still have some major concerns. Then again I said that we would, so there’s no reason to act shocked about that.

There were two things I liked. First, until the 4th quarter, we were absolute tyrants by not allowing rushing yards up the middle. Second, was how much Cover Two we played. We got a coverage sack, an interception, and a couple of key pass break-ups in that coverage. There were still plenty of downs where we played some Single-high Safety, but it wasn’t exclusive, and it wasn’t our base.

I said I wanted to see nine carries up the gut by the half. However, even though we looked good doing it, I counted only FIVE runs up the gut by half-time. I dunno, maybe I missed one when I went back to the kitchen to get some milk, but the point is that we were well shy of nine carries.

I also wanted to see teammates picking up a guy who was down. However, despite the goof-ups that led to our Offense being unable to move the ball the length of my coffee table, no one seemed to be too put out by their contribution to our struggle. There was no need to pick a guy up, because even though plenty of players were sucking ass wholesale out there, no one seemed upset about dropping passes or throwing passes that required a ladder to catch them. Or allowing pass rushers to race by them off the edge.

The players that stood out to me were ILB Joe Walker, DE Steven Means, DT Taylor Hart and S Ed Reynolds. DT Beau Allen was a pleasant surprise. I predicted that he’d be an early cut due to his lack of lateral quickness. However, the improved ability to push the pocket and his sheer girth could help him hold down his roster spot.

The players that looked like shit out there were, RT Halapoulivaati Vaitai, G Josh Andrews (played at C), and of course QB Chase Daniel. Decidedly unimpressive was WR/RB Byron Marshall, who didn’t seem to be able to make a single yard that wasn’t presented to him on a silver platter.

The temptation to grade or judge this team’s offseason progress, is almost overwhelming, but I’m going to hold off on doing that until after this next game. I’m going to chalk this last game (good, bad and indifferent) up to an airing out. But in the next game I expect to see growth in the following areas…

PsG1: BUCS

Posted by The BEAST on 2016/08/12
Posted in: NFL, Reviews, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , . 2 Comments

EAGLES 17 – Buccaneers 9

THE story of the night was Sam Bradford (1 – 1 – 3 – 0 – 0). He didn’t throw a single incompletion all night long, and led the Eagles to a touchdown on every drive he was a part of. He hardly had to break a sweat last night.

(Sigh)

Okay, so he was only out there for ONE drive, but please don’t make me talk about Chase Daniel (4 – 10 – 15 – 0 – 0). I really don’t wanna talk abo– Daniel took over on possessions 2 through 8 and just generally stunk up the stadium. The announcers kept talking about how no WR’s were getting open, but Daniel (unlike the rookie who followed him) seemed reluctant to even challenge Tampa Bay’s DB’s. 

Rookie Carson Wentz (12 – 24 – 89 – 0 – 1) was scheduled to take over in the third quarter, but they sent him out right before the half. He looked athletic and poised, but also erratic, and his ball placement was very spotty. (A point that I made back in May.) Before you start trying to grade him on curve, remember that Wentz was playing against a 3rd string defense, running a vanilla scheme. He’s a million miles from being ready to start.

Defensively we looked very good out there, holding the Bucs to 31 yards on 21 carries, with 3 sacks and 3 picks. There were enough guys contributing from all over the Defense and that fact bodes well for the future.

It was a messy win, but indications so far are that the team is headed in the right direction.

SURVIVING THE SUSPENSION

Posted by The BEAST on 2016/08/09
Posted in: Coaching, Front Office (F.O.), Offense, Players, Roster, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

players-eagleslines.600px.gcobb

LANE Johnson getting a potential 10 game suspension doesn’t have to spell absolute disaster for our Eagles season. Fact is, we have players who can not only fill in, but who can also help us to remain competitive. While we may not be stellar at RT in Johnson’s absence, don’t for a second delude yourself into thinking we’ll be any less than competent there.

The knee-jerk reaction is to think that veteran lineman Dennis Kelly or rookie Halapoulivaati Vaitai would fill in at RT. Depending on if Vaitai looks good in the preseason, letting him gain experience wouldn’t be a bad idea. Kelly’s back problems have taken a toll on his explosiveness out of his stance and gives him trouble with speed on the edge. We’ve seen that show. No need to repeat it.

In the event that Vaitai doesn’t look the part during the preseason, we still have Allen Barbre. Frankly, Barber is my solution of choice. He has played both T and G spots over the course of his career, including filling in pretty well for Jason Peters at LT when he was hurt a few years ago.

Barbre was expected to be pushed for his starting LG gig by rookie G Isaac Seumalo. However depending on how the suspension shakes out, it might be best to just pull Barber from LG early, and let him re-acclimate to RT while focusing in on the rookie mastering his future role. Odds are that Matt Tobin will step in for Peters during the preseason as he’s done during the last coaching regime.

Speaking of the regime change! The ability and flexibility to weather this storm, is only possible because we finally got a Head Coach who made an investment in acquiring talent on the Offensive Line. Even with a Peters – Seumalo – Jason Kelce – Brandon Brooks – Barbre, O-line, we’d still have Tobin, Stefen Wisniewski, and Andrew Gardner as depth. Every one of those guys is an experienced starter, and that’s not counting any rookie (I’m looking at YOU Darrelle Greene) who flashes in the preseason. So we’re better off than you may be thinking we are right now.

Like you, I would rather have Lane out there Day One. However, since the Eagles are built along the lines of scheme appropriateness and versatility, this is a storm we are more than ready to weather. So don’t you dare give up. Don’t you dare be afraid. We were literally MADE for this.

NO BROKEN LINC!

Posted by The BEAST on 2016/08/08
Posted in: Conversations, Rants, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

field

EVEN after a night of sleep, I’m still irritated over last night’s Hall of Fame game being called off on account of paint on the ground still being wet. I was already not a fan of the “NFL Hall of Fame” screwing over football purists by becoming the “Tom Benson Hall of Fame”, but I was letting that slide because there would be football. But then that first corn cob in the cornhole was joined by the second corn cobb. It seemed by nights end that the only cob NOT in our collective ass was Kevin Kobb.

So Eagles fans, join me. Let’s all get together and check out the field at the Linc TOMORROW. Just to make sure that all the paint on the ground is nice and dry. Lord knows, the last thing we need is a cancellation of the game because players were afraid that their delicate “wittle tootsies” would slip on something wet.

In fact, let’s just cover the field in dried hay and sandpaper. Oh wait. That might constitute a fire risk. Or even scarier, the risk of a skinned knee! accident-skinned-knee.jpg

Remember years ago when they banned dancing to keep from bruising the egos of players who had just sucked at their job? This is just more of that.

Half the time I don’t know what I’m watching anymore. Guys are running around in jewelry, wearing pink, or just full-on being Odell Beckham. I feel like a caveman when I realize that this current crop of game commentators are the last wave of guys who will remember what it was like before QB’s were covered in bubble-wrap prior to games, or the days when a “horse collar” was just called a tackle. (I know, I know, “and the movies were just a nickle…”)

I realize that I can’t protect the game from (Roger Goodell) the sort of (Roger Goodell) man who (Roger Goodell) wouldn’t have the slightest idea of what it means to have to bring down a charging 220 pound RB, or to rush back from injury to make sure his roster spot was still his roster spot. While I can’t protect the sport from that sort of person, I feel like I can at least protect Thursday’s game by making sure that the paint is dry.

Ps G1: BUCCANEERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2016/08/06
Posted in: Defense, Offense, Players, Preview, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

TBps1

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

7:00 Lincoln Financial Field, PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania

NEEDS TO STEP UP:

card.sam.bradford

QB Sam Bradford: If he doesn’t show a basic command of the Offense, the media will be all over the coaching staff, and asking questions to sow (further) dissent among the roster over whether or not Carson Wentz should start over Bradford this season. The job is Bradford’s to lose.

WE MUST CONTAIN:

mike evans

WR Mike Evans: This guy is the straw that stirs the Buccaneers drink. If you take him away, then you can load the box and take away RB Doug Martin, thereby shutting down the Bucs offense. That’s not to say that WR Vincent Jackson is no longer a threat, but he clearly isn’t what he used to be. Take away QB Jameis Winston‘s big toy and the whole thing bogs down.

STORY LINE:

Battle of the virgins! We’re about to get our first look at our rookie Head Coach Doug Pederson. Interestingly enough, the Bucs head coach (Dirk Koetter) is also breaking his cherry that night. Preseason games rarely feature much game-planning and are pretty vanilla to boot. However, these coaches would be wise to open their play books a little wider, to get an idea of just how well their respective rosters have absorbed their schemes, or how much more work is left ahead for them.

BOTTOM LINE:

The Eagles are the deeper, more talented team, and are playing at home.

PREDICTION:

EAGLES 24 – Bucs 18

THE HITTING IS BACK!

Posted by The BEAST on 2016/08/06
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Fans, Players, Rants, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

 

 

WP2-historic-1280x1024_hwp.jpg

NOW that the Eagles have gone back to practicing like a professional football team again, there has been a rash of contact related injuries. Some to key players. While these injuries have been minor and run of the mill for NFL teams during Training Camp, they have many fans here (and some young players) spooked. To my fellow fans, let me say calm down. The hitting is back. And so are we.

Years ago, former Eagles RB Brian Westbrook said something that has stuck with me ever since. He said “No one is really healthy after that first hit in Training Camp.” He may have been half joking when he said it, but it was only half joking. What he was doing there was dispensing some time-worn wisdom. Under Andy Reid it was standard procedure to hit in Camp. If you recall, Westbrook played on some pretty good Eagles teams. No fan seemed concerned about hitting back then.

andre-waters2After three years of tea-dance practices, (held by a coach who never won an NFL playoff game, and whose teams fell apart EVERY YEAR), fans are now questioning the time-worn wisdom that used to make us a successful franchise. Putting aside the utter and complete contempt that emanates from the core of my soul for (TIK), the empirical data of how his approach has worked out, should have fans dying to go back to doing what we’re doing, because we’ve all seen it work.

 

Worse than fans panicking, players like TE Zach Ertz, who never went to camp under another NFL head coach, are irked by the nature and ferocity of the hitting. Specifically, he took issue with a DB going low to take him down. This is hilarious when you consider that this been the way that 190 pound DB’s generally tackle 250 pound TE’s. (This also serves as another example of the prior regime’s poor developmental management of it’s draft picks.)

flyingtackle

Head Coach Doug Pederson didn’t invent hitting in camp, but he trusts it because he has seen it work. If you’ve been an Eagles fan for longer than 7 years, you are likely also familiar with the results that those methods yield. Getting away from those methods led nowhere that we wanted to be. It led to a soft team that lacked a killer instinct when we needed it most.

I’m not saying that Pederson should go as far as ^Buddy Ryan^ did, and encourage mayhem at his own practices, but ferocity is not a switch you flip on and off. If you want to see it at all this season, then it needs to be instilled at camp. Especially among the young players.

Cheer-joyner

I can’t speak for you, but as a native Philadelphian, the only things I want soft are my pretzels and my Amorosos. I have no desire to keep rooting for a soft football team, and it seems like our new HC has no desire to present us with one. So I for one, am glad the hitting is back.