QB Tanner McKee is sacked on the first play of the game

THE skid continues.

EAGLES 14 – Panthers 25

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Tanner McKee (26/45 – 57.7% – 215 – 1 – 0)

Rushing: RB Dameon Pierce (12 – 35 – 2.9 – 1 – 0)

Receiving: WR DeVonta Smith (14 – 7 – 75 – 10.7 – 1)

Drive Killer: N/A

Sack Leader: OLB Nolan Smith (1.0 – 0 – 3)

Special Teams Ace: N/A

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

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

1) Get Their QB Moving: We did a fair job of this. Especially in the first half. However, by the fourth quarter our Defense was gassed, from all the extra time they were forced to play; because our Offense couldn’t stay on the field. Also we’d lost Nolan Smith to a concussion. (DONE)

RB Dameon Pierce runs for a short touchdown.

2) Lean On the Run: NOPE! McKee had 45 attempts, was sacked three times, and scrambled once. That’s 49 called passes. We handed the ball off just 12 times for 35 yards. That’s a ratio of 49:12. This is not how to support a QB making his fourth career start, behind a patchwork Offensive Line. (NOT DONE)

3) Make Catches Expensive: We had a couple of nice hits in the first half, but by the time the second half rolled around, we were chasing runners through zones instead of meeting them in zones. (NOT DONE)

4) Establish Hot Routes: Aside from routes that run receivers into or through the backfield, I didn’t see many places for McKee to go with the ball, in blitz situations. This has been a problem for weeks now. Not having a solution for it by now, is either the result of coaching incompetence, or mental retardation.

Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion, is hanging our QB’s out to dry, on a weekly basis. As long as teams can look at their film study, and see every week that we aren’t making adjustments, they will continue to have an easy time of keeping us off the scoreboard. (NOT DONE)

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This week’s Four Things score was 1 of 4. Next week we get to face the 2 – 4 Dallas Cowboys, in a game that somebody has to win. Because we can’t have a second intra-division tie, right? Reality wouldn’t do that to us, right? RIGHT!?

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Game Hero: N/A

Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion

Game goat: OC Sean Mannion – The scheme that our players are being handed, isn’t putting them in positions to succeed. There are fundamental issues that are keeping the run from being effective. There are fundamental issues keeping the passing game inconsistent. On a week in and week out basis, there is nothing to show that the coaching staff has learned anything from prior weeks; and today was no different.

On The Whole: Injuries be damned! Despite all the injuries, the Eagles have been in every one of these games, with the exception of Chicago.

This level of offensive coaching malpractice, has to be addressed. The play selection of 49 passes to 12 hand-offs, a with a QB making his fourth career start, is practically like sabotaging him. Our QB had no hot routes to address blitzes. He had no run game to check the opponent’s pass rush, or to help sell play-action. Then to top it all off, the offense was run through him.

For yet another week, our Defense kept us in the game, but fatigue yet again caught up to them late in the game. Special Teams continues to be a non-factor in games. By which I mean, it’s nothing that ever poses a threat to our opponents. Yet in spite of all of this, we remain in the hunt for the division crown.