hidden yardage

All posts tagged hidden yardage

#10: BRITAIN IN PHILADELPHIA

Posted by The BEAST on 2022/06/08
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, NFL, Offense, Players, Roster, Special Teams, The 12, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

DARREN Sproles was the last Eagles Returner, who made Special Teams feel like a legitimate contributor in every game. Helping to win the hidden yardage battle, is what former Special Teams Coordinator Dave Fipp used to call it. These days Special Teams has been de-prioritized, and it shows up in our starting field position.

Right now on the Eagles roster, we have 6 RB’s, and 12 WR’s. Of those 18 players, only 2 have serious collegiate experience returning both punts and kicks. (Don’t even ask about pro return experience.) Those players are WR Jalen Reagor, and undrafted rookie WR Britain Covey. Reagor and WR Greg Ward are our only options with over 20 pro punt returns.

So we have Ward not being dangerous, or Reagor muffing the ball twice in a game. Honestly, the Eagles players who have tried their hands as return men, have sucked horribly at it. Mostly because it takes more than speed to be a great returner. The most important thing you need, are nerves of steel.

For that reason, I think we need to take a serious look at Covey. By “serious” I mean at least until final cuts. We need to see what, if anything, we can squeeze out of his 5’8” 170 pound frame. Yep, he’s a little fucker. This coaching staff has an absolute fetish for small offensive players. And not even the fast ones! Just a bunch of tiny, short legged guys, getting caught from behind.

In five college seasons, Covey posted 4 punt return touchdowns on 92 attempts, racking up 1,092 yards for an average of 11.9. No Eagles player had college numbers anywhere near that, and they’ve been worse as pros. Covey also averaged 25 yards on 33 kick returns, but with all the touchbacks in today’s NFL, the punt numbers are far more significant.

As a receiver, he’s kind of in the mold of Raiders WR Hunter Refrow, just smaller. Like Refrow, Covey does his damage in the Slot; is fearless in traffic; and understands how to settle into another receivers wake to give his QB a clean target. At least that was his game in college. We don’t need him to be a starter, but if he can be a 5th WR, we’d be golden.

So we should take a long look at him. No need to rush, but try to develop this kid a little. Because if he can give us a PR/KR/WR, then he’s more than worth one roster spot. In fact, at that point I think the five WR’s we keep are Devonta Smith, A.J. Brown, Quez Watkins, Zach Pascal, and Covey. And if Covey doesn’t pan out, I guess we keep… Ward?

DARREN SPROLES = SUPERBOWL?

Posted by The BEAST on 2019/07/20
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, free agents, Front Office (F.O.), NFC East, Offense, Players, playoffs, Roster, Special Teams, Super Bowl. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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JUNE 30th 2019: I wrote an article saying that we needed to bring back RB Darren Sproles, mostly to be a Punt Returner. The question was: Did the Eagles see the same need that I saw? Well, after signing him on July 19th, part of a statement on the Eagles website reads: “His dynamic punt return skills are second to none. We can’t wait to get started next week.”

Nowhere in that article does the team mention his role in the Offense, but they get right down to talking about him as a PR man, don’t they!? If I were to venture a guess, I’d say that once the Eagles staffer who reads my articles took my idea upstairs, the brass hurt their necks nodding in agreement.

Really, the Eagles need to just hire me, so that I can suggest these moves much sooner, and behind closed doors.

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Just so that we’re clear, it’s probably not wise to expect a huge offensive role for Sproles. He can still contribute there, but with so much young talent, why not let his load be to help develop them, and start him on his way as a member of our coaching staff? Sort of a player/coach, in the mold of former Cowboys RB Dan Reeves.

(Few words of advice to the Eagles: When we get to the playoffs, don’t try to add extra packages for Sproles, just to manufacture a few big moments for him. Do what got you there. “Dance with the girl who brung ya”. Don’t. Get. Cute. Let being on the field be good enough for him. )

Now that it’s happened, I can sigh a sigh of relief. This signing was massive. Without it we still narrowly win the division, but we likely crash on the rocks in the second round again. Just one more fun-to-watch, plucky team, that doesn’t win enough hidden yardage to squeak ahead in a playoff fist-fight. (Pssst! That’s the hidden reason why we beat Atlanta 15 – 10 in 2017.)

This time with a PR man, improved edge rushing, AND deep speed on the perimeter, we should smother opponents and advance to the NFC Championship Game, almost in a walk. Injuries could change this, but as of now, EXPECT the Eagles to at least play in this Super Bowl.

At least.

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SHOW A SPECIAL PLAYER SOME LOVE

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/08/18
Posted in: Coaching, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players, Rants, Roster, Special Teams. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

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CLEARLY the Eagles Special Team Kick Coverage unit has lost something since last season. In my opinion what they lost was OLB Bryan Braman. In fact, it already looks similar to the falloff we experienced when we foolishly let LB Ike Reese go to Atlanta, after the 2004 Super Bowl.

For the last three years, Braman was a ST demon for this team under ST Coordinator Dave Fipp. Funny thing is, while we’re experiencing a slide in our kick coverage, Braman is sitting at home. Unsigned. Last I heard, he was visiting with the Saints earlier this month, but apparently that didn’t work out.

Typically football fans undervalue the importance of great Special Teams kick coverage. They don’t realize how it sets the table for a defense. Forcing poor field position, followed by a three and out (or a turnover), sets up an offense with a short field and an ability to score quickly.

Frequently the only yards fans and pundits discuss, are what an offense produces or what a defense allows. The “hidden yardage” of Special Teams generally gets ignored. Not investing in a kick coverage unit, can cost a team that hidden yardage battle, many times over the course of a season. Losing that battle can easily contribute to losing the game. With that in mind, it seems like someone in our Front Office needs to make a phone call, and get Fipp a guy he can work with.