SWEPT one division opponent, now we get to put work in on another. At one point in the game, we were down 3 -14, but we didn’t hang our heads. We tightened our chinstraps. We unleashed WR A.J. Brown. We remembered our run game, and fed RB D’Andre Swift. We fought our way back, and we won.
Our next opponent doesn’t handle the run so well, and now given that they are down to just TWO active, actual LB’s on their entire roster, if we decide to make this a physical game, they probably can’t say much about it.
A win puts us at 8 – 1, heading into our Bye Week. It would ensure that when we come back, we would still maintain both the lead in the NFC East, and the best record in the NFL. It’s too early to start talking (in-depth) about home-field advantage, so I won’t go there just yet.
A loss holds us to 7 – 2. That would be enough to hold the division lead for one more week. However, if Dallas wins during our Bye Week, the two teams would have identical records, with Dallas holding the head to head tie-break.
So the Eagles have to win this game.
****
The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. So here are theFour Thingsthat we need to focus on this week versus: the Cowboys.
Shaquille O’Neal and the late, great Alex Trebek, share a phonebooth.
1) Be Physical About Running the Ball:Feed RB D’Andre Swift, as LTJordan Mailata,LG Landon Dickersonand the rest of our O-Line dominates and wears down the Dallas defense. Their starting MLB is on Injured Reserve. So they’re down to just two LB’s with familiarity in their defensive scheme. (And one of those LB’s thinks he’s a DE.)
This deficiency means that Dallas has to trot out Safeties under 220 pounds, to man that third LB spot, whenever we use 21 Personnel (2TE, 1RB). They’re going to want to offset our power, with their speed. So we should negate their speed, and expose their power deficiency, by turning every carry into a fistfight in a phonebooth.
2) Win the Turnover Battle:Dallas has thrived on bad offenses turning the ball over in bunches. In the two games they lost, they lost the turnover battle first. Beating Dallas isn’t hard. There’s no mystery to it. The formula is: Just don’t help them win.
3) Alter Their QB’s Launch Points: If their QB can go “1-2-3-throw” like we’ve allowed lesser QB’s to do, he’s going to complete 97% of his passes, and we’re going to get shit-canned. We can’t let him run drives like he’s running a practice drill.
Playing some CB’s Darius ‘Big Play’ Slay and James Bradberry in more Man Press, or even some Zone Press, will force their QB off his first option, and make him read. At that point DT’s Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter can start to pressure their QB and move him around in the pocket, changing his delivery from how he practiced it.
DE Josh Sweat with a pick six vs Dak Prescott in 2022
Their QB’s arm is good, but pinpoint accuracy was never his strong-suit. Even from flat-footed in the pocket. If we can get him moving while throwing, he might serve us up a few of those delicious turnovers. We know that SS Kevin Byardloves them!
Kitchen Bitch, GO BAKE!
4) Bait the ‘Boys:Watching video of Dallas’s defense, I noticed that they flow hard and fast off of first motion. They’re under-sized, under-manned, under-powered, and they know it. So they try to win by beating opponents to the spot.
We should use play-action, misdirection, and RPO plays, sprinkled into a smash-mouth approach, to cause defensive overflows, early on. Later, when Dallas is tired and beat-up, those same play-action, misdirection, and RPO plays, will lead to hesitation. That’s when we can break the game open.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
This division can’t be won by a team with a glass jaw. The Eagles have proven repeatedly this season, that being down doesn’t mean we’re out. In two out of three games when the Eagles were down, we came back and won. In both of Dallas’s losses, they were knocked down, and stayed down. We are not the same.
Given that Dallas isn’t very good at running the ball this year, the load is being placed squarely on their QB. So we need to attack him. Make him uncomfortable. Make him run a little off-schedule. And hit him. For Fuck’s sake, hit him. A lot. If he’s thinking about not getting hurt, he’s already thinking less about the offense.
Final note. Given the nature of their LB situation, and how neither one of their LB’s can cover him, I’d say that TE Dallas Goedert and/or WR Julio Jones, could be looking at big days.
****
WARNING: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know FOOTBALL and that’s it. If you use Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
KELLY GREEN IS BACK! After a 27 year (a quarter century plus) hiatus, the Eagles will play a game wearing their Kelly Green uniforms again. It’s just one of two games this year, but I am ridiculously excited for it, nonetheless.
Now let’s get into it.
Last week, we lost the turnover battle 0 – 4 and still only lost by 6 points. Fellow Eagles fans, our team is not to be counted out. EVER! That loss however, likely comes with the silver lining that coaches have to fix things that we’ve been complaining about all season, so far. This week, we get a Dolphins team that everyone thinks is hot shit, because they put up 70 points on the Broncos. The Broncos!
Look, our opponent is 5 – 1, but all five of their wins are over teams (Chargers, giants, Panthers, Patriots, and Broncos), with a combined record of 5 – 24. The one team they’ve played with a winning record (Bills), blew them out 48 – 20. So you’ll excuse me if I seem to have forgotten how to be nervous this week.
A win will move us to 6 – 1, and keep us atop the NFC East. It would also get people to stop talking as if last week’s loss ended our season.
A loss, would drop us to 5 – 2 (.714). Since the #2 team in the division (Cowboys) is on Bye Week, it would be impossible for them to capitalize and improve their 4 – 2 (.666) record. Meaning: Even if the Eagles lose, we’re still at the head of the division!
So no matter how this weekend shakes out, the ending is the same. Meet the New Boss. Same as the Old Boss.
****
The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: The Dolphins
RB D’Andre Swift scores
1) Run the Ball: I hate having to say this, but apparently when I don’t write it in some form or fashion, the coaching staff forgets what a hand-off is. So run the ball! Even if it doesn’t seem to be working at first, get us 25 hand-offs or more.
Nothing fancy. No particular lineman to run behind. Just have QB Jalen Hurts jam a football into the belly of RB D’Andre Swift, 12 or more times.
2) Set the Edges: Miami’s offense features a lot of speed from small, quick players, and their run game is no exception to that. So set hard edges and force the RB’s into our LB’s laps. Avoid chasing these people around the perimeter. No good can come of that. Instead, funnel them directly into violence.
3) Redirect to the No Fly Zone: This Summer in THE 12, I mentioned how we need to establish a No Fly Zone in the middle of the field. The idea isn’t to injure, but to place a VERY steep price tag on catches over middle.
The redirect part… Miami has more speed at WR than we have at CB. Aggressive Man coverage could lead to CB’s being beaten for long scores. Zone just lets the receiver build-up a head of steam. Instead, use Press coverage to guide receivers into the middle, or trap them against the sideline early.
The idea is, don’t let their receivers run routes on us, like it’s 7-on-7 drills. Just throw off the timing a little. Delay a guy’s arrival to his landmark. Redirecting them early, will make it harder for their QB to place the ball properly, when throwing underneath.
4) Throw Some Uppercuts:Throw a few shots, right up the middle, and behind the defense. WR Quez Watkins was supposed to be that guy, but he’s always unavailable these days. WR Olamide Zaccheausis great with the ball in his hands, but the knocks on him are, a small catch radius and that he catches more like a RB, and less like WR.
For those wondering if Jones can still play, this 48 yarder was from 2022. Odds are strong that he still has some game left.
So the Eagles went out and signed WRJulio Jones. (I can’t believe that I just typed that!) If Jones works the intermediate (10 – 20 yards), middle of the field, and produces a couple of catches, D’Andre Swift might never see another 8 man box this season. It also means 1-on-1 on the outsides for WR’s A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
We have to get back to doing what we do, well. It’s not about Miami. They’re very fast and very flashy, but this is football, not a dance contest. All the action starts up-front, in the trenches. We are built for trench warfare. Miami is not. If we don’t get caught up, playing their game, this should become a game of attrition. In front of our home crowd. Make it physical. Make it tough. Make it a fight.
****
WARNING: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know FOOTBALL and that’s it. If you use Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
SEASON Reviews are usually done at the end of the season. A few are also done at the halfway mark. Starting in 2017, Eaglemaniacal.com began treating the season like a game, and breaking it into four quarters.
In 2021, the NFL expanded the season to 17 games, which makes for an uneven split. So this year (at least), these Quarterly Reports will come after Weeks 5, 9, 13, and 17. (Ugh. I hate even looking at that format.)
Since football is a hard sport, we’ll take a hard look at where our team currently stands, in relation to where it started. Then we can discuss where it needs to go next.
STATUS: 5 – 0, 1st place in the NFC East
DT Jordan Davis meeting QB Kirk Cousins
OPPONENTS:
W – New England
W – Minnesota
W – Tampa Bay
W – Washington*
W – Los Angeles Rams
OVERVIEW: So it’s 5 – 0, but with some issues. Chief among them being our inability to convert red zone trips into touchdowns (19 trips, 8 TD, 42.1%). We are not converting those into touchdowns at enough of a clip to expect to be a championship team. Moreover, we have surrendered to opponents 12 touchdowns, in 16 red zone trips (75%).
Injuries have robbed our Secondary of the kind of stability that a new Defensive Coordinator needs, to steady himself and find his method. All in all, it is a 5 – 0 team, but with many not so small cracks in the foundation.
GRADES:
QB:Jalen Hurts (113/168 – 67.3% – 1262 – 6 – 4) Had sort of a rough start, but that was to be expected. I bitched and moaned about him (and the other starters) not taking a single snap in the preseason, so Hurts (and everyone else) was predictably rusty. Couple that with working in a new Offensive Coordinator, in Brian Johnson, and you have the makings of six touchdowns and (already) 4 interceptions. As for his running (55 – 206 – 3.7 – 4), he’s averaging 11 rushes per game, which is too many. His low yards per carry is largely due to short, successful conversions while running the Brotherly Shove. (Grade: C)
RB D’Andre Swift scores at home.
RB:D’Andre Swift(76 – 434 – 5.7 – 2 – 0) Had one touch in Week One, then in Weeks Two and Three, exploded for 305 rushing yards on 44 carries (6.9 ypc). He’s so far caught 88% (17 – 15 – 75 – 5.0 – 0) of the passes thrown to him, but they’ve just been checkdowns thus far. Still, a couple more scores would look better with 76 carries.
Kenneth Gainwell (39 – 128 – 3.2 – 0 – 0) has been running the same plays, behind the same offensive line, but isn’t nearly as effective or threatening as Swift has been, and seems to have lost his starting gig because of it. Boston Scott (6 – 43 – 7.2 – 0 – 0) missed a week while in concussion protocol. (Grade: B)
TE:Dallas Goedert(28 – 21 – 205 – 9.8 – 1) The Eagles suddenly remembered that he starts, and so he had a big game (9 – 8 – 117 – 14.6 – 1) in Week Five. Until then, to call him underutilized would be a massive understatement. He still contributed as a blocker in the run game, but the Eagles coaching staff has to run more plays for him. Jack Stoll is a great blocker. (Grade: C)
WR A.J. Brown’s 59 yard TD catch and run. OZ gave him a block.
WR:A.J. Brown (51 – 3 5 – 541 – 15.5 – 2) had a to a slow first two games. Then he put the word in his QB’s ear, and has posted 433 yards over the last three games. Maybe we should all chip in and get him a chef’s hat, because he’s been out there just cooking secondaries. Devonta Smith(34 – 23 – 290 – 12.6 – 2) has three games this season of just 5 targets. That can’t keep happening. He’s too reliable and he needs to be more involved.
Quez Watkins (5 – 4 – 21 – 5.3 – 0) isn’t wowing anybody, but then again, he’s not being put in a position to be successful. He’s making his catches (80%), but as his 5.3 average is testament to the shallow routes they have him running. He’s a downfield threat, not a guy who catches short and makes defenders miss in space. Olamide “OZ” Zaccheaus(5 – 3 – 69 – 23.0 – 1) is the guy that catches short and makes defenders miss in space. However it was his 34 yard TD catch that probably has put Watkins on the hot seat. (Grade: B)
OT: RT Lane Johnson continues to be arguably the best OT in the NFL. (San Francisco’s LT Trent Williams is the other side of that argument.) During the Eagles overtime victory over Washington, it was Johnson’s fourth quarter recovery of a Gainwell fumble, that saved an Eagles drive, resulting in a field goal. Without that field goal, there is no overtime. LT Jordan Mialata has absolutely no right to be as good as he is. He’s reliable as a pass protector, but an outright mauler in the run game. (Grade: A)
OG: LG Landon Dickerson is a bear in the run game, but he has to get the penalties under control. He’s been flagged 5 times (4 accepted for 24 yards). One of those however, was that bullshit offsides he was hit with against Washington, as the officials have joined in the hunt for finding a way to stop the Brotherly Shove. RG Cam Jurgenwas great for three weeks, then suffered a foot injury and is currently on Injured Reserve. Filling in for Jurgens is Sua Opeta. He has not drawn any flags, but more importantly, this year he just looks more comfortable, and seems like a more physical presence. (Grade: B)
The Brotherly Shove formation. See how the Washington player’s hand is UNDER the ball. Yeah well, Dickerson was called for being offsides here, and the hand beside the ball, belongs to Kelce.
C:Jason Kelcebrings the passion, the vocal leadership, and the ability to get to the second level in the run game, that makes the Eagles Offense almost impossible to duplicate. He is also the tip of the spear on the Brotherly Shove. (Grade: A)
DE: At the beginnings of games Brandon Graham (3 tackles) is listed as a starter, but he’s not who lines up at the LDE spot. (More on that later.) Over the last five games, Graham has only played 72 of the defense’s 318 snaps (22.6%). So his low production makes sense. Josh Sweat(15 – 2.5 – 0 – 0) has also contributed 2 Forced Fumbles, but we need to see more out of him as a pass rusher. Derek Barnett (2 tackles) has also played just 72 snaps. My gut tells me that the Eagles are going to try to move him by the trade deadline, and they don’t want him hurt, or to put out more tape of him getting flagged for stupid shit. In his career, of his 26 penalties, 11 are for some form of roughing. We just can’t have that. (Grade: D)
DT:Fletcher Cox (10 – 0.5 – 0 – 1) missed the last game with back problems. Still, his numbers do not suggest just how much of a game wrecker he’s been out there. Jordan Davis (14 – 1.5 – 0 – 0) is clearly coming into his own as a controlling force on the inside. Jalen Carter(12 – 3.5 – 0 – 0) has also chipped in 2 FF, and seems to be the odds on favorite to be the Defensive Rookie of the Year. (I still can’t believe that he fell to us!)
MLB Nick Morrow and DT Jalen Carter force a fumble.
Milton Williams (12 – 0 – 0 – 0) is off to a stronger start than at this point, last season. Marlon Tuipuluto (5 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) looks far better than he did last year, when he seemed to be an outright liability vs the run. Rookie Moro Ojomo (no stats) got to play 4 snaps in the last game, due to Cox being out with the back injury. (Grade: A)
OLB:Haason Reddick (5 – 3.0 – 0 – 0) is the player who actually lines up at LDE. He started out slowed by his hand in a cast. He didn’t make excuses, he just produced when the cast came off, racking up all of his sacks in the last two weeks. I’m not a fan of using his 240 pound frame against OT’s without the benefit of speed inside, but we’ll see how it shakes out over 17 games.
Zach Cunningham(33 – 0 – 0 – 1) doesn’t have the flashy stats, but he’s been solid vs the run. Rookie Nolan Smith (2 tackles) has played in all five games, and needs to step up his production unless he wants to keep watching from the bench. (Grade: B)
MLB: During Week One, Nakobe Dean (7 – 0 – 0 – 0) was lost for four weeks with a foot injury. Since then Nicholas Morrow (21 – 3.0 – 0 – 1) has been lights out. Adding a FF and a safety, to 7 tackles for losses, he has shown up EVERY SINGLE WEEK, in all four games that he’s played, since he was activated from the Practice Squad, as a fill-in for Dean.Christian Ellis(5 tackles) looks more than just solid when he’s out there. Especially against the pass. His numbers don’t signal that, but he’s also only played 46 snaps. (Grade: A)
MLB Nick Morrow collecting one of his THREE sacks in this game.
S: With injuries changing the make-up of this group weekly, it’s unfair to give them a low grade. Reed Blankenship (34 – 0 – 1 – 0) already has as many tackles and interceptions, as he had in 2022 when he came out of nowhere and made us take notice of him. Terrell Edmunds(15 – 0 – 0 – 0) played every defensive snap in Week Four, and not a single one in Week Five. Justin Evans (15 – 0 – 0 – 1) still seemed to be ironing out his role, when a knee injury put him on I.R. for at least four weeks. Rookie Sydney Brown(3 tackles) has caught the imagination of fans, but he’s also missed then last two weeks with a hamstring injury, and those have a way of lingering when a player rushes back. (Grade: C)
CB:Darius Slay (25 – 0 – 1 – 0) has already had a pick six and knocked down 4 passes. He’ll miss Week Six with a knee injury. James Bradberry(14 – 0 – 0 – 1) had to sit out Week Two, and when he returned, he spent time filling in at NCB. Avonte Maddox(6 tackles) was lost for the season with a torn pectoral muscle. When Bradberry filled in for Maddox, Josh Jobe (13 – 0 – 0 – 0) started in Bradberry’s place, and didn’t fare to well with the extended snaps. Mario Goodrich(5 tackles) has allowed QB’s to go 10/10 for 118 yards and TD. He started Week Five, but only saw 18 snaps in that game. Kelee Ringo and Eli Ricks have 2 tackles each, in limited action. Bradley Roby(1 tackle) was just signed last week. (Grade: C)
LS:Rick Lovato has been solid, steady, and uneventful. (Grade: A)
P: Braden Mann (5 – 208 – 41.6) so far there have only been 14 return yards against him, with zero touchbacks. That means in the three games he’s punted for us, opponents generally stay where he puts them. (Grade: B)
K:Jake Elliott (16/17 FG – 94.1% – 11/12 XP – 91.6%) Those numbers include four makes from over 50 yards (4/5). His foot is a big part of the team’s 5 – 0 record. (Grade: A)
PR/KR: WR Britain Covey punt returning (11 – 186 – 16.9 – 0) has been a plus. He leads the NFL in yards, returns of 20 yards or more (4), and average (16.9) for those with 10 or more returns. No Eagles player has more than 1 kickoff return. (Grade: C)
KC: On the season, opponents have returned 6 punts for 54 yards (9ypr), and 3 kickoffs for 91 yards (30.3ypr). Neither average is good, but the low number of attempts is a testament to player hustle. (Grade: C)
SINCE LAST QUARTER: N/A
MISSION FOR THIS QUARTER: Go at least 2 – 2, and beat either the Dolphins or the Cowboys, if not both. We need a win over a team that isn’t seen as a bottom feeder. If only for our players own psyches. No one will be impressed by wins over the Jets and Commanders.
DEFEATING a division rival, in a fist-fight that went into overtime? Been there, done that. Man, finding ways to win, is this team’s superpower. Now we get a chance to prove that again, against a Rams team that’s scrappy, but doesn’t have nearly as much talent as we do. If we don’t play down to them, this “W” is ours for the taking.
A win elevates us to 5 – 0. It also cements our lead in the NFC East for at least the next two weeks, regardless of the outcomes. Even better, 4 – 0 San Francisco is playing 3 – 1 Dallas this week.
If San Fran wins, we open up a 5 – 0 to 3 – 2 lead over Dallas, the number two team in the division. If Dallas wins, we’d be the only undefeated team in the NFL, and thus at the top of the NFC. So as long as we win this week, the Dallas/San Fran game helps us out, no matter how it ends. Even with a tie.
A loss holds us at 4 – 1. Combined with a Dallas loss, it would see us still atop the division with a two game lead. A Dallas win, would see us still atop the division, but only by a conference tie-breaker.
****
The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Rams.
1) Ground and Pound:Against Tampa Bay, we ran it 40 times, threw it 37, in a double digit win. Against the Commanders, we ran it 27 times, threw it 37, in an overtime squeaker. Eagles fans, we are great at running the ball. So why do our coaches keep over-thinking it?
You know what? Let’s not bitch about it, let’s just get at it. Hit the Rams on the ground with 15 – 20 carries by RB D’Andre Swift; and pound on the LB/S boundary with 9 to 12 yard passes to TE Dallas Goedert. Work the box like a taffy puller. Pull them in with the run, push them back with the pass.
2) Pave the Lane:We had better run a whoooole lot behind RT Lane Johnson this week. The Rams have 6’4, 310 pound OLB Michael Heocht. He’s built like a DT, but they play him on the end of the line. Not in a three point stance, but standing up. Like a true LB! He’s a liability waiting to be exposed!
Standing up with his dimensions, destroys any chance of him gaining leverage vs the run. Running right and firing Lane Johnson into this guy’s exposed lap, would be a hard-hearted and mean-spirited thing to do. So we should do it until either the game ends, or until the Rapture starts. Ten or more runs to the right, would be golden.
3) Man Coverage on Nacua:This is a money game for CB Darius Slay. We aren’t going to “stop” the Rams offense, so banish that idea from your minds. Their coach is simply too smart and too experienced for such nonsense. While the Rams are hard to strategize against, they’re as susceptible to being slowed by shenanigans, as any other team.
There’s talk of WR Cooper Kupp coming back from injury this week, but he won’t be his sharpest. Rookie WR Puka Nacua has become Stafford’s go-to, but he’s more of a possession receiver, not a burner. Cover at least him in man, and force Stafford to read. The idea isn’t to stop, but to slow. To cause hesitancy. To cause mistakes.
4) Blitz off their LT: Rams starter Alaric Jackson is an undersized 285 pound LT, dealing with a hamstring issue. His back-up, Joe Notebloom is a pile of smoldering garbage, dealing with a groin injury. As of now, both are out for Sunday’s game. The third stringer Zach Thomas may have to start against DE Josh Sweat.
This is feeding sheep (giants fans?) to lions. This match-up should make me happy enough, but I’m greedy. Throw and fake blitzes primarily to their LT. Confuse him. Scare him into couple of false starts. Piss off their crowd and make them fall silent.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
Mark it down! This week is historic. Due to the back injury to DT Fletcher Cox, this Sunday, DT’s Jordan Davis and Jalen Carterwill be starting alongside each other. Ladies and gents (and the rest of you), we are getting a glimpse of the Eagles future.
All in all, this is one of the ones we should win. And if we don’t play down to the opponent (like we did last week), we should run away with this one. The Rams are scrappy, but they can’t hang with us in the trenches.
****
WARNING: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know FOOTBALL and that’s it. If you use Four Thingsas a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
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: BUCCANEERSdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Run to Set-up the Pass: We were late to the party on this one. We got around to it, but not until the second half. As a result, Jalen Hurts looked shaky and threw two interceptions on the night.
Head Coach Nick Sirianni, said this would be a RB by committee team, and that the Eagles would “ride the hot hand” at RB. Well hands don’t get much hotter than D’Andre Swift starting of with 4 runs for 36 yards (9.0ypc). So why the sudden shift to a less effective RB Kenneth Gainwell (14 – 43 – 3.0 – 0 – 0)? We are over-thinking this. (NOT DONE)
2) Rush Five:Nope! This game was started with us in an honest to goodness 4-3 alignment, with OLB Hasson Reddick (No stats) used as part of 4 man rushes. The result was our third straight week of just two sacks.
LB Nick Morrow and DT Jalen Carter, combine to force a fumble
This isn’t to say that we never rushed five. It was just damned infrequent, and on some of those occasions, a late blitzer was the fifth rusher. While there was plenty of pressure provided, the QB who committed the most turnovers, was ours. I’m pretty sure there’s a lesson in here somewhere… (NOT DONE)
3) More Man Coverage: NOPE! Our Secondary play is eerily reminiscent, of the Jim Schwartz era. Big cushions, resulting in quick and easy completions, and a neutered pass-rush. Regardless of our record, you cannot look at this Defense and say that it doesn’t fell like we’ve regressed. (NOT DONE)
4) Unleash the Pass: The middle of the field was open for business, with A.J. Brown making a couple of big snags of over 20, going over the middle. New Eagles WR Olamide Zaccheaus (3 – 2 – 58 – 29.0 – 1) hauled in a beautiful 34 yard TD strike from Hurts, giving the Birds a lead that they would never relinquish. (I told you that OZ would see an opportunity.) (DONE)
This week’s Four Things score is 1 of 4. That being said, the stats, the box score, none of it tells the story of of this game, quite accurately. No time to whine about it though. Because next Sunday, we get a 1:00 game against division rival, Washington.
****
Game Hero: RB D’Andre Swift – His running (specifically HIS running), forced the Buccaneers to load the box, Which opened up opportunities for the receivers over the middle.
Game goat: DC Sean Desai – Still has no idea of how to use OLB Hasson Reddick properly.
On The Whole: We are 3 – 0, but are still, a work in progress. While this one wasn’t a blowout, it is the first win of the season, that’s by a double digit margin. Imagine what we may look like, once we’re firing on all cylinders.
There are a lot of hidden details in this one. For instance, Tampa Bay came into this game, having trouble running the ball. However, instead of playing down to them, the Eagles Defense put shackles on the Tampa’s run game (17 – 41 – 2.4 – 0 – 1). It forced the Bucs to be one dimensional, and allowed the Eagles to walk away 3 – 0.
Special Teams Ace: LB Nicholas Morrow: 3 Tackles, 1 FR
****
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: VIKINGS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Run Swiftly: Boy, did we ever! I suggested 12 – 15 carries. Instead, the Eagles gave him 28, and he went off for 175 yards. Collectively, the Eagles ran 48 times, for 259 yards (5.3ypc). Take that, cherry necks! (Matt, that was for you.)
Most of our run game’s success tonight, was set up by the Vikings inability or unwillingness to adjust. If you get a chance to watch the replay of this game, look at how often the Vikings went with a three Safety look in the middle. With two cornerbacks on the outsides, that’s five in the secondary, leaving just six up around the line scrimmage.
Our five Linemen, plus the Running Back, plus a Quarterback who has to be accounted for in the ground game, means either we should have been calling run plays, or audibling into them. And we DID! (DONE)
2) Rush Five: The Vikings offensive line was down two starters and they lost a third during the game. They couldn’t run the ball, and their QB isn’t very mobile. Yet all we got, were two sacks in this game. Our Secondary just isn’t covering long enough, for a four man pass rush to get home. (NOT DONE)
3) Slay Jefferson: Going by the stats, Vikings WR Justin Jefferson (11 – 159 – 14.4 – 0) looks to have gotten the better of CB Darius Slay in this one. What actually watching the game will show, is that it took Jefferson about 400 yards of running, to earn the 159 that he posted.
For most of the night, the Vikings coaching staff had Jefferson in pre-snap motion to change his match-up; or they had him running crossing routes running away from Slay’s side of the field. Slay less took Jefferson away, and more escorted him to his own little play-area, where he couldn’t damage us, and others had to step up.
SS Terrell Edmunds was JUSTIN time to help WR Jefferson turn the ball over to us.
The result was 159 of the emptiest calories ever consumed on prime time television. You probably can’t recall the last time you saw a player with nearly 160 yards, have so little impact on a game. That is, aside from his fumble, which prevented mini-sota from a touchdown and instead resulted in a field goal for us. (DONE)
4) Oh My Goedert: The idea was to get TE Dallas Geodert(7 – 6 – 22 – 3.6 – 0) involved to open up the run game, by loosening the box. However, instead of running him down the field, the coaching staff had him horizontally stretch the box. While it was gross to watch Goedert catching balls in the backfield, it helped allow us to run for 259 yards. So we can’t bitch about it, too loud. (DONE)
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Not bad! We did 3 of the Four Things, and improved to 2 – 0. Now we get ten days off, before we travel down to Tampa Bay, to lock horns with Ryan Lea- Johnny Manz- Sorry, Baker Mayfield, in our quest for 3 – 0.
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Game Hero: RB D’Andre Swift (Stats above) – Hometown boy makes good! I can walk out my front door over to the 15 bus stop, and take it to Saint Joe’s Prep, where Swift played. He’s not a “local product” likeJoe Flacco, or Matt Ryan, or Corey Clement. Swift is Philly. Honest to god, Philly.
A great deal of the credit goes to our Offensive Line, for being smart enough to exploit the weakness (6 man box) that the Vikings wouldn’t stop presenting. However, all of Swift’s traits which I extolled in Four Things, were on display in this game. I’m telling you, if they try to start RB Kenneth Gainwell in Week Three, there will be a fan uprising.
Me looking at Sean Desai continue to not reach with four
Game goat: Defensive Coordinator Sean Desai – It was another toothlessly called game, and the result was QB Kirk Cousins (31/44 – 70.4 – 364 – 4 – 0) being sacked only twice. The turnovers that we generated weren’t coming from our scheme forcing mistakes, but from our player’s hustle. At this point Desai is passenger, not a driver.
On The Whole:
We are 2 – 0, having played two games where the game was in question, in the last five minutes of the game. Both wins were what we’re calling ugly.
Not so fast.
Do you realize that in two weeks we’ve scored 59 points? While 7 were the result of a defensive return (and extra point), the other 52 have resulted from driving the ball. That’s an average of 27 points per game, with an offense that we would describe as “sputtering”, “inconsistent”, and “rusty”. Can you imagine what this team is going to look like when they start to put it together?
Mama, there goes that man again! WR Devonta Smith on a blazing 63 yard catch and run touchdown
Defensively, we’re dealing with more injury issues than it seemed we had all last year. We had guys out there in this game, who had been elevated from the Practice Squad, who had previously been cut altogether. Nick Morrow was one of them, and he got us a turnover. WRBritain Covey is another, who… Let’s not talk about him.
I don’t want to sweep our troubles under the rug, but I think it’s important to point out, that the Kings of the NFC may be wounded, but we are far from dead.
WE opened the season with a road win, over Bill Belichik. Now our Eagles get to come home, and play in front of 69,000 of their nearest and dearest. This week’s animal sacrifice managed to lose to the Buccaneers, last week.
Injuries to the their offensive line, probably won’t bode well for a rushing attack that gave away RB Dalvin Cook in the offseason, then ran for 41 yards on 16 carries (2.5ypc) last week. This basically means that, to move the ball, the Vikings have to throw it. Which could play right into our hands.
A win makes us 2 – 0. A loss drops us to 1 – 1. Either way, it would be far too early to party or panic.
Who’s Out:
PHI – MLB Nakobe Dean(foot) is OUT/ CB James Bradberry (concussion protocol), S Reed Blankenship (ribs), RB Kenneth Gainswell (ribs), all likely to play Thursday.
MIN – LB Marcus Davenport (ankle) likely OUT/ OT Christian Darrisaw (Ankle), C Garrett Bradbury (lower back) are day-to-day.
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The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. So here are the Four Thingsthat we need to focus on this week versus: the Vikings.
1) Run Swiftly:I’m already on record as saying that Gainwell is a utility player. He’s nifty, but he’s not gifted enough, or hard-nosed enough, to be a bell-cow or to head a rotation.
On the other hand, RB D’Andre Swift is quicker, faster, has better balance, and is a more creative runner when setting up his blocks in space. I understand that the Eagles have an investment in Gainwell as a draft pick, but the object is to win games, not justify picks. Let’s get 12 – 15 carries in Swift’s hands this week.
2) Rush five:Last year’s 70 sacks were the result of a lot of five man pass rushes. This past Sunday, our new DC spent the day mostly rushing four, and we didn’t sack the QB until the 4th quarter. Last year’s DC? He’s out in Arizona, with a team that collected 6 sacks, which was #2 in the NFL. Coincidence? Not at all.
Someone actually said this. In print. And then posted it. With their NAME on it.
This week, we get to tee-off on a statue, standing behind a beat-up offensive line, supported by a piss-poor run game. We need to turn the heat up, and hit their QB to force him to speed up his internal clock, and maybe make a couple of stupid mistakes.
3) Slay Jefferson: Last year CB Darius Slay, put Vikings WR Justin Jefferson, on a milk carton. Rookie WR Jordan Addision has potential, but without RB Dalvin Cook, Jefferson is the Vikings only proven, big-time playmaker. Taking him away again, should effectively rip the undercarriage out the Viking’s offense
4) Oh My Goedert:Part of why the Offense struggled last week, was the lack of involvement from TE Dallas Goedert. TE is a force-multiplier position. A TE active in the middle of the field, both loosens the box, and keeps the Safeties from squeezing deep routes on the edges.
To get QB Jalen Hurts looking like he did last year, Goedert needs at least 3 catches. That will re-set the Offense and get us clicking again.
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
There is still going to be some rust this week. Even at the end of last week’s win, it didn’t look like, or feel like the Offense had figured something out. Defense didn’t look as rusty as the Offense. What it looked, was far less aggressive. That at least, has a quick fix that can be applied on Thursday night.
We could use another one of these.
The difference in this Vikings game, will probably be Philadelphians. Last week the Eagles had to fight off a football team and a hostile crowd, because it was ‘Tom (wank wank) Brady Day’. This game will be Opening Day at the Linc, and you expect our fans to be even more amped than our players.
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WARNING: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know FOOTBALL and that’s it. If you use Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
While any idiot can say “Hey let’s sign every high-priced Free Agent on the market”. THE 12 focuses on what we can do with what we already have, to fix or improve our team.
THERE’S an old expression in sports: “Dance with the girl who brung ya.” Well that girl, (running the ball), brought us all the way to a Super Bowl. So let’s stay right here. Dancing cheek to cheek with our run game.
Now that QB Jalen Hurts, has become more expensive, some may find it tempting to get pass happy. Others may want to run every single play through him. Well, either of those approaches would be stupid. Now that he’s more expensive, we should risk him less, not more.
Last year we averaged 31.2 rushes per game, 21.5 of which were hand-offs, with Hurts chipping in another 165 totes (in 15 games), for an average of 11.0 per game. We should scale down on the abuse he sees, and turn some of those 11, into hand-offs. Especially since it would be a waste of talent not to.
RB D’Andre Swift wearing the number “0”.
Although Kenneth Gainwell is (currently) listed atop the depth chart, let’s be serious here. Replacing RB Miles Sanders with RB D’Andre Swift, has the potential to be transformative to this Offense. While Sanders was very productive in his four years as an Eagle, Swift is a faster and more decisive runner. Which explains why even on a team with little supporting talent, he was able to be such an explosive player.
In each of his his three seasons, Swift has at least one run of 50 yards, with almost no help to draw attention from him. Here he has WR’sA.J. Brownand Devonta Smith. He has TE Dallas Goedert. He’s never had an Offensive Line like this. Oh, and his QB being a threat to run, makes every defense re-act half a step slower. This should be a career year for Swift.
The only way to screw this up, would be not feed Swift enough for him to get into a rhythm. If he sees 15 to 20 carries per game, we should be golden. That said, it’s not all about him. The RB room on this team currently includes: Swift, Gainwell, Boston Scott,Rashaad Penny, Trey Sermon, and Kennedy Brooks.
Ideally:
Swift should start, and see at least 15 carries in the game.
Gainwell could be sprinkled in for 2 carries per quarter, to give Swift some rest (and to play well enough to push him).
Penny comes in as the closer in the fourth. A big, fast, well-rested closer, capable of ripping off 60 yard runs to paydirt. Penny coming in basically ends Swift’s day, and we pack all of Penny’s carries (6 or so) into the fourth.
If the Eagles can put up 29 hand-offs per game, we should be unbeatable. In fact, last year we were 5 – 0 when hitting 29 hand-offs. In games of 17 hand-offs or fewer, we were 3 – 3 including a 17 hand-off Super Bowl. So yeah. Dance with the girl who brung us. Run the ball.
DRAFT reviews usually come out immediately after the event. Everyone is in such a race to get it to you first, that they rarely ever give it to you good. Not me. I like to take my time and go deeper. Really explore all those places that others tend to ignore. I want to make sure that you’re satisfied. (And accurately informed)
First off, General Manager Howie Roseman is on another level. On the surface, this Draft haul is so amazing, that it’s easy to want to jump to the end of the season, and start spouting a bunch of expectations; but we really need to pump the brakes. Me included.
Now let’s get into it.
Round 1 (9th overall): DT Jalen Carter– We started with the 10th overall pick, but Howie made a deal that moved us up one spot, to take a player widely said to be the most talented player in the entire draft. Some teams were concerned about character issues, but since when did the Eagles make a habit of taking head cases? So I have to trust their judgment on this one.
DT Jalen Carter celebrates his sack by raising the QB into the air.
As an athlete, Carter is explosive, and powerful. He’s an interior penetrator and disruptor, who also can stand a blocker up at the point of attack, not allowing a hole for the run. Better still, from what I watched of him, he keeps a QB’s feet chopping. That means the QB’s normal throwing platform, is compromised.
It’d be a mistake to judge Carters rookie season by sacks and tackles. Those numbers can’t tell the true tale of his value. What Carter does best, is make offenses run off-schedule. He has the ability to make opponents a lesser version of themselves. Wreck a blocking scheme. Make the QB throw off-platform. There’s no stat for those things, but watch how often you’ll see him do it. Pick Grade: A+
Round 1 (30th overall): LB Nolan Smith – His highlights make him seem like a DE and pass rusher, but he only had 12.5 sacks over 4 years at Georgia. Smith is an active, high-motor player, who was used more like an x-factor than a player with a dedicated role. Watching him vs Clemson, a few things jump off the screen.
The first thing I noticed was the size mismatch. He’s only 238 pounds, but Georgia liked to deploy him as a DE/Edge player too often. If the Eagles don’t make this mistake, Smith should be just fine. The next thing you notice is his speed. The guy is blur off the line, and can run with just about any RB or TE.
Georgia used him as more as a Edge player, but the Eagles are going to have to transition him into a bonafide OLB. While he’s shown an ability to set an edge and corral RB’s, as well as rush the QB; he’s also displayed the speed and movement skills to handle coverage in zone and shallow man. So he has the tools to make the adjustment. Pick Grade: A
Round 2 (65th overall): OT Tyler Steen– There is talk of moving him inside to RG, but the move will likely not suit him well. Steen isn’t a lunch pail sort of guy. He had a round 3 or 4 estimate on him, but we reached and grabbed him in the second. From what I’ve seen, there’s no way he should have been drafted at all.
Watching him in the Alabama/Tennessee game, hurt me to my heart. There was no aggression in his game. He fell off of blocks constantly; lunged and ended up on the ground a lot; and his hand usage is atrocious. In the game vs Texas, he looked like outright trash. Finishing no blocks, and watching entirely too much football.
Not an entirely accurate statement, but you get the idea.
Sometimes teams will take a diamond in the rough, because he’s extremely explosive; or has the nimble feet of Ginger Rogers; or is freakishly strong, or has other in-born traits that can’t be taught. That said, I honestly don’t see what the Eagles will try to build off of with this kid. Then again, I’m not on a coaching staff. Pick Grade: F
Round 3 (66th overall): S Sydney Brown – Word is, that he’s an in the box thumper. (I used to have a pet rabbit named Thumper, so this term always tickles me when it’s used in football).
However, watching video of him vs Wyoming, was underwhelming. It shows him watching a lot of football, when others are swarming to the ball, as well as missing tackles.
I usually don’t watch highlight vids, but even his highlight reels don’t back up the hype of him being a hitter. Maybe there’s a Special Teamer here, but I don’t see much else. Pick Grade: D
Round 4 (105th overall): CB Kelee Ringo – Watching him against Oregon, it was hard not to like the potential that was clearly on display. Rarely do I fall in love with measurables, but 6’2, 207, running a 4.36?! Yet my favorite part was watching how when he played man-press, the QB ignored his half of the field.
His tackling could be better, and his mirroring needs polish, but these things are what coaches are paid to improve. This kid has excellent tools, and will spend the next three years learning from CB’s Darius Slayand James Bradberry. Pick Grade: A
Round 6 (188th overall): QB Tanner McKee – Watching bis game against Arizona State made me wonder why the Eagles spent a pick on him. He showed zero pocket awareness, happy feet in the pocket, and seemingly has no idea what a “touch pass” is. Seriously, he strong-armed every throw on a straight, flat line.
Initially when I saw him as a pick, I figured maybe he’d compete with QB Ian Bookfor the third string. After seeing him play, he seems like just a camp arm. Essentially a salaried jugs machine. Pick Grade: D
Round 7 (249th overall): DT Moro Ojomo– Video against Alabama is always quality study material, and that’s what we have here. Ojomo is active inside, but doesn’t rush with much of a plan. So he can muddle a blocking scheme, but he runs himself out of plays just as often.
He looks like a solid rotation piece. They type who can come in later in the game, vs a tired o-line, and rely on raw strength to shine for a possession or two. Pick Grade: B
While the trade for native Philadelphian RB D’Andre Swift happened during the Draft, it’s not a pick, so it won’t be graded. It was also further demonstrated proof that the Eagles don’t draft RB’s in the first round. (At least not under this GM.) Fans clamored for RB Bijan Robinson, but I said we wouldn’t go that route, and I even told you why. I wanted two defensive lineman and that’s what we took.
Notable Post-Draft signings:
WR Joseph Ngata – 6’3 217, not a burner, but makes tough grabs in traffic, as well as YAC.
CB Mehki Garner– 6’2, 212, needs to be moved to S/NCB.
I know other sites and publications gave the Eagles (and nearly everyone else) A-pluses, A’s and B’s, but they’re grading on curve so gentle, you’d think they were a public school teacher on probation.
On the whole, after taking a deeper look than the national media could afford to, for every team, I’d give our Draft a C+. While we hit some home runs here, three of four picks just don’t look like they’ll fit here. Reaching for one of them just makes that pick hurt worse.
EAGLEMANIACAL.com 