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FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 13: Bears

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/12/01
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Front Office (F.O.), Offense, Players, Reviews, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

EAGLES played to lose.

EAGLES 15 – Bears 24

 

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (19/34– 55.8% – 230 – 2 – 1)

Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (13 – 56 – 4.3 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (12 – 10 – 132 – 13.2 – 2)

Drive Killer: OLB Jaylx Hunt (TD: 0/Int: 1/ FR:. / 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)

Sack Leader: DT Jalen Carter (Sacks: 1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 4)

Special Teams Ace: NA

****

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: BEARS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

1) Ground and Pound: “This cannot be yet another game where our Offensive Coordinator shelves Barkley, early. We’ve had three such games and all three have been losses. Rushing yards are not the only thing that a hand-off can produce. Run plays tire out pass rushers.”

Despite the game being within one score, for three quarters, Eagles head coach Nick Siranni (all responsibility lies with him) simply abandoned the run. Handing off the ball just 13 times, despite averaging 4.3 per tote, is just mind-boggling. This wasn’t merely coaching malpractice. It was remedial in nature. It stunk of someone not being properly qualified before being hired.

Especially given all the time our Defense spent on the field. By which I mean the Eagles lost time of possession 20 minutes to 39. The Bears controlled the ball for nearly 2/3 of the game. They wore down a defensive line that is built more for rushing the passer. Particularly in cold and windy conditions. (NOT DONE)

DT Jalen Carter gets a sack after being called out in Four Things. I dare him to get THREE next week.

2) Put Their QB Down: We collected 2 sacks and hit their QB 6 times. We held him under 50%, and collected an interception to counter his single touchdown throw. We impacted him greatly. I mentioned Jaylx Hunt (3 – 0.0 – 1 – 0) and Jalen Carter (4 – 1.0 – 0 – 0), and both produced big plays this week. This, we can build on. (DONE)

3) Set Hard Edges: We came out firing. On the first possession, we had them go out on downs. Later in the game Hunt intercepted a Screen pass. These were not the only instances, but they were the most glowing examples. Over the course off the game, the weather and 42 hand-off got the better of our Defense that spent nearly 40 minutes on the field. We started strong, but couldn’t sustain. (NOT DONE)

4) Long, Slow Drives: Nope. Didn’t even try. I’ve never seen more amateurish coaching by this team. This wasn’t just a failure of play-calling. This was a failure to recognize environmental factors; to utilize environmental factors; to recognize basic tenets of the sport itself, which stretches almost a century back. (NOT DONE)

++++

This week’s Four Things score was 1 of 4. Next week we fly out to San Diego to take on a physical Chargers team. I somehow doubt they will fare as well as the Bears just did.

****

Game Hero: Nope. No one played up to that standard.

Game goat: Head Coach Nick Sirianni – The failure/inability to adjust, comes down to him. At this point, letting the team down has become a conscious decision. We know what is wrong. We know how to fix it. The decision to not, is exactly that: A decision.

Re-assigning play-calling duties is the cure here. While there are only three other people on the coaching staff who have play-calling experience, only one of them should be called on to guide the ship through this difficult period. That person is Sirianni himself.

Through rough water, the captain should take the helm. In this way, all decisions and fault will not be placed on others. It gives him an opportunity to show, rather than tell. To lead, rather than command. It would also allow us to see if there has been any growth in him, since he ran away from play-calling in mid 2021.

I have to wonder though. After going 10 – 0 to start 2023, Sirianni ushered us through a horrible collapse, and still managed to keep his job. That show of faith was rewarded with a Super Bowl win. Yet here were are again, looking at possibly another collapse. Honestly, how much embarrassment is Owner Jeffrey Lurie willing to endure?

Given the ages and contract situations of this roster, I wonder if Lurie would simply cut bait with Sirianni this time, and look for a head coach that wants to do their own play-calling. That way no one can poach our brain-trust, and our QB can finally enjoy some stability.

On The Whole: I was going to get into the sideline passivity of Jalen Hurts, since I really wish he was more into rallying his troops. Because to keep it a buck, I think it’s more what people don’t see from him, that keeps people from seeing him as elite. (But that’s a different article.) His attitude wasn’t great, but there were bigger issues.

What happened out there, is that the Bears heeded the weather, and wore us down with 42 hand-offs. It was Football 101, and you’d have to need remedial football classes to lose to it. Which is why we on the other hand, only handed it off 13 times, as we kept going three and out with 34 passing attempts. In gusty wind no less.

We were stupid and got the “L” that we earned.

FOUR THINGS: WK 13: EAGLES – BEARS

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/11/27
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, stats, Super Bowl. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

SPLITTING with the Cowboys sucks, but we’re still atop the NFC East by a mile. Time to punch the clock and get to work, punching the ball out of the Bears hands. Despite their winning record, on average they allow as many points (26.5) as they score (26.3). Particularly through the air. Oh, and they also give up 5.2 yards per tote, on the ground.

Don’t let their shiny record fool you. The 8 -3 Bears just beat the 6 – 5 Steelers, but otherwise, their other seven wins are over: The giants, Dallas, Oakland, Minnesota, Washington, Cincinnati, and New Orleans. Only Dallas is .500. The rest are worse.

With a win we move to 9 – 3, still atop the NFC East, and very much in the hunt for the number one seed in the conference.

With a loss we’d be 8 – 4. Still firmly atop the NFC East.

****

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. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: The Bears

RB Saquon Barkley

1) Ground and Pound: We need to get the run game going. We don’t need huge splash plays. What we need is a return to our Offensive Line smacking motherfuckers in their mouths. Be physical and help RB Saquon Barkley to get 3 or 4 yards on first down, to open up options on second down.

This cannot be yet another game where our Offensive Coordinator shelves Barkley, early. We’ve had three such games and all three have been losses. Rushing yards are not the only thing that a hand-off can produce. Run plays tire out pass rushers. Also, a balanced attack keeps the opponent guessing instead of dictating.

2) Put Their QB Down: I don’t get this thing where professional athletes who get paid here to bring down QB’s, all of a sudden seem like they don’t know how to do it. We’re not going to rattle a QB who comes into the game with impression that we can’t sack him. This is where we’d like to see OLB Jaylx Hunt. (Did you see what I did there?)

Last year DT Milton Williams 5 sacks got him a massive contract. I wonder if DT Jalen Carter knows how much money he’s leaving on the table, by only having 1 sack so far this season. Meanwhile, DT Moro Ojomo has 4, which currently leads the team.

LB’s Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell combine to contain a Lions RB.

3) Set Hard Edges: Most of the Bears success in the run game comes from run to the outside. Get our DE’s up-field so we can either expose their RB to kill-shots, or delay his approach to the line of scrimmage. The idea isn’t to shutdown their run, just make it unreliable, and put the whole offense on their QB.

4) Long, Slow Drives Due to injuries, the Bears are thin on defense. Keep them on the field and wear them down. For this week, third and two should mean we’re calling a run play. And run the Hurry-up in the second half! When the fourth quarter rolls around, we want fatigue to be setting in for them.

****

If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…

It’s time to start imposing our will again. We don’t need another week of RB Screens, and Hitch routes. Theres been entirely to much of that already. All it’s done is hold the team back, and get the Delaware Valley calling for one guy to get shit-canned.

Perhaps it’s time to learn a lesson. To evolve. Maybe listen to an outside voice. Run the ball. Actually sack the QB. These things should be an automatic for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. No more doublespeak. No more spin. We need to bear down and get our shit together.

****

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.

FOUR THINGS: WK 12: EAGLES – COWBOYS

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/11/22
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Rivals, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

YET another supposed Super Bowl favorite, falls under the treads of the mighty Eagles machine. Defensively, we shutdown all recognizable aspects of a Lions team that publicly said that, they had been looking forward to the game for months. We made them look unprepared. Damned near unprofessional.

Now the schedule presents to us, a Cowboys team that we’d already beaten this year, without DT Jalen Carter. Beat them before we added OLB Jaelan Phillips. Before the return of LB Nakobe Dean. Before DE Brandon Graham came out of retirement. How many defenses can claim to be stronger at mid-season, than they were on open day? It’s amazing Howie do it. Meanwhile, their star QB is nursing a hip injury.

Aww.

Winning moves us up to 9 – 2. Our grip on the NFC East would tighten, and the top seed in the conference would still lean our way. (Plus, we’d have the pleasure of sending the Cowboys into battle with the Chiefs, on just four days rest.)

A loss would hold us at 8 – 3, but still firmly in charge of division. We’d still hold the top seed if the Rams lose to Tampa Bay, on Sunday.

****

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. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus:

[pic]

DE Brandon Graham sacks QB Dak Prescott in 2023

1) QB Hits Are Hip: Get their QB on the ground! Shut their passing game down at the tap. No specific number of sacks is the benchmark. However, with their QB nursing a hip injury, if we can put him on it hard and aggravate it, it may affect his delivery of the football. Consider his pain an investment in our win.

2) Feed Our Big Dawgs: With playoffs approaching, we can’t give potential opponents the confidence of thinking we’re a passive team. This game can’t be about taking what we’re given. We need to show that we can take what we need. We need a 100 yard day, or a 2 touchdown day, from one of our Big Four (Barkley, Brown, Smith, Goedert).

3) Make ‘em Run: The Cowboys have spent this season building the interior of their defensive line. It would be silly to run right at it. Instead, we should make those big guys chase our RB’s (and maybe WR Jahan Dotson on a Jet Sweep). Get those defensive linemen winded, so they don’t have as much juice to pass rush with. We brawled for rushing yards last time. Let’s finesse them this time.

4) Take Away Quick Passes: The Cowboys QB and WR1 have been together for a few years now. They have a chemistry which allows the QB to get the ball out quickly. Nothing we can do will change that. What we can do, is make any quick catches expensive, with LB’s sitting seven or eight yards deep in zone coverage.

WR Ceedee Lamb hearing the footsteps, fearing the footsteps, making his FOURTH drop in the game.

The idea is, to either force their QB to hold the ball long enough for him to meet our pass rush; or get his receivers jacked up catching quick passes. Either way, we’re adding pain to the equation.

****

If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…

The Cowboys have a defense that just gave up 16 points, to a Raiders team that had already been held to 9 points or fewer, in half of their games this year. The Cowboys defense can only hang with our Offense if they’re allowed to by our coaching staff. We should be about to blow the doors off that team.

****

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.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 10: Packers

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/11/12
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Reviews, Special Teams, stats, trade. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
S Reed Blankenship forces a fourth quarter fumble and recovers it.

EAGLES colder than Lambeau.

EAGLES 10 – Packers 7

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (15/26 – 57.6% – 183 – 1 – 0)

Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (22 – 60 – 2.7 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: WR DeVonta Smith (7 – 4 – 69 – 17.2 – 1)

Drive Killer: S Reed Blankenship (TD: 0/Int: 0/ FR: 1/ 4th down stops: 1/ FF: 1)

Sack Leader: LB Nakobe Dean (Sacks: 1.0/ FF: 1/ Tackles: 7)

Special Teams Ace: K Jake Elliott 1/1 FG and 1/1 XP under windy conditions

****

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: PACKERS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

1) Over A Buck Rushing: We put up 111 as a team. Benchmark. The ground was hard packed, and multiple players showed issues with slipping on the grass. I know that (going back to the prior article) I keep harping on the weather, but in these conditions, the stadium itself becomes another opponent.

Saquon faced loaded box after loaded box, but we stuck with the run, feeding him 22 times. Not for nothing, but the formations that we keep coming out in, with the WR’s packed inside, are helping to keep boxes loaded against him. In any case, we got the rushing yardage. (DONE)

WR DeVonta Smith mossing a dude for six.

2) Deal Out Aerial Hurts: I said that getting the ball to our WR’s downfield, was critical to getting this win, and our only touchdown was a 36 yard pass to DeVonta Smith. Benchmark. Without that score this is a 3 – 7 loss. (DONE)

3) Our DT’s Must Penetrate: I said in particular, we needed a big night from DT Jalen Carter (3 tackles). I didn’t say anything about sacks or tackles. What I brought up was, making it difficult for the Packers QB Jordan Love (20/36 – 55.5% – 176 – 0 – 0) to step into his passes. The plan was to affect his releases.

The result was Carter deflecting two of those passes, and Love being forced backward frequently. Once for an 11 yard sack, and again for a forced fumble. Benchmark. Then there was DT Moro Ojomo (no stats) calling out the Packers play before they ran it, resulting in a fumble by RB Josh Jacobs (21 – 74 – 3.5 – 1 – 1). Our DT’s were huge. (DONE)

4) Take Away Anything Easy: Josh Jacobs led all Packers with 5 receptions, as Jordan Love was forced into inaccurate deep passes and checkdowns for most of the game. Benchmark. He finished with 4.9 yards per attempt, 3 sacks, a lost fumble, and a QB rating of 68.8. We reduced him to trash and made the night sheer Hell for him. (DONE)

++++

This week’s Four Things score was 4 of 4. While there wasn’t a great deal of visual spectacle, the benchmarks that were requested were met, as soundly as any 4 of 4 score, I’ve ever recorded here.

Next week we host the Lions in South Philly. Let’s make sure it turns into a zoo.

****

Game Hero: Defensive Co-ordinator Vic Fangio – Fangio spent the night out-coaching Packers head coach Matt LaFleur, seen here ignoring the game while desperately searching for answers against Fangio:

This is what Vic Fangio reduced Green Bay’s coaching staff to.

Vic did that, while simultaneously folding in a brand new trade acquisition OLB Jaelan Phillips (6 – 0.0 – 0 – 1); a player returning from I.R. in OLB Nolan Smith (2 – 1.0 – 0 – 0); and player returning from retirement in DE Brandon Graham (no stats). Did I mention this was done on the road? In Green Bay? In freezing weather? Well it was.

Game goat: CB Jaire Alexander – C’mon man. He didn’t even travel with the team. This is the sort of game that we got him for, and not only doesn’t he suit up, he’s not even on the sideline in street clothes, bonding with the team.

As a result of him not playing, we had to start CB Adoree Jackson (3 tackles). Jackson wasn’t bad, but it’s better when he doesn’t have to be out there.

Note: Alexander has opted to step away from football, to focus on his health. Oddly, if this article had come out on time, I wouldn’t be able to tell you that. I almost revised this and went with Offensive Co-ordinator Kevin Patullo again, but I thought I should stick to my original statement. Besides, I’m sick of mentioning Patullo.

On The Whole: Everyone else seems to have been expecting a shootout, while all I did was talk about how difficult playing in that weather is. In FT, I even alluded to the Packers QB being affected by it: “Think about it, a stressed QB to throwing a slippery brick, deep downfield, without being able to step into it.”

While the Eagles coaching wasn’t very creative, circumstances also didn’t really allow for razzle-dazzle. This was ‘frozen tundra’ throwback football. It was a defensive struggle, in which we won Time of Possession 32 to 27. Let’s save trying to be clever, for when the ball is more catchable.

RB Saquon Barkley’s 41yd catch and run. Dig WR A.J. Brown blocking out front. It’s nothing fancy, just the little things that separate champs from chumps.

My favorite part of this game was establishing our ownership of the Packers. Whether in Brazil, our house, their house, the NFL Rules Committee… Anywhere we see them, we close a car door on their head, and take their wallet. Feels good.

 

FOUR THINGS: WK 10: EAGLES – PACKERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/11/09
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, playoffs, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

TOP team in the NFC, and we didn’t even play Week 9! The Eagles took a week off and came back deeper, healthier, and playing from the high ground.

We made a couple of low risk/high reward trades to strengthen our defense; we’re getting back OLB Nolan Smith from IR; and the cherry on top: DE Brandon Graham has come out of retirement! While no one expects him to play like he did in his prime, his leadership in the locker room is the definition of the word ‘invaluable’.

It’s a good thing we have all of this going for us, because this week we do battle on Lambeau Field. At night. With a low of 25, and 15% chance of precipitation, (read: snow). Lambeau when the mercury dips below 30, is probably the toughest place to play in American sports.

I love it! This is a champion’s challenge, and a fitting welcome back! We already head the division. Now we’re playing to keep the number one seed, and home-field advantage through out the playoffs. Now QB Jalen Hurts and RB Saquon Barkley need to tighten those chinstraps, as we prepare, to push on.

With a win, we move to 7 – 2 and hold our position as the top team in the NFC.

With a loss, we’d be 6 – 3, but still be at the head of the NFC East.

****

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 week. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Packers.

RB Saqoun Barkley with a 12 yard scoring run.

1) Over A Buck Rushing: The Packers haven’t beaten any team that has reached 96 rushing yards, this season. They also have an undersized defensive line that’s built around pass rushing. The approach here is simple. Spend the night pounding on them. Then when they’re tired and their will is broken, pound on them some more.

2) Deal Out Aerial Hurts: Getting the ball to WR A.J. Brown and WR DeVonta Smith is absolutely critical to getting this win. If we get the ball outside with the passing game, we can run inside. We have to use our WR’s down the field, in order to give Barkley room to navigate.

3) Our DT’s Must Penetrate: We need a big night from DT Jordan Davis and DT Jalen Carter.

DT’s Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter.

Carter in particular, because with their QB being right-handed, when Carter gets penetration, it’ll make it more difficult for their QB to step into his throws. On a night as cold as Monday, the ball will be as hard and slick as marble. Since their QB doesn’t really wear gloves, the more awkward we can make his releases, the better.

4) Take Away Anything Easy: Their QB is going into what he thinks is a game, without his security blanket. He’s already going to have to do more reading, so turn that up a notch. Get LB’s dropping slowly into zones, and Safeties not immediately dropping deep, but running with their assignments upon approach.

This will put more stress on our CB’s to not get beat deep, but the idea is to force the ball into their areas. Think about it, a stressed QB to throwing a slippery brick, deep downfield, without being able to step into it. They may hit on some of those passes, but the chances of a turnover are so much greater.

****

If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…

This is two teams potentially vying for home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. This win has to make a statement. This is not a time to prove how clever we can be. We’re the bigger team. We’re more physical, and we have the deeper roster.

LB Zach Baun with a sack

On Monday night, that all needs to be on display. Don’t get cute. Just go up, and take the other kid’s lunch money. Get under Center and run the god-damned football. Their QB doesn’t handle pressure well. So we need to set the dawgs on him. This isn’t a game. It’s a hunt. Run ‘em down, grab ‘em, drag ‘em into the shadows, and… Bon appetite.

On a side note: It would really be great if we ran the Brotherly Shove, on our first snap of the night. I’ll be at home wearing my “PUSH ON.” t-shirt. I hope you will be too.

****

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.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 8: Giants

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/10/27
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Reviews, Rivals, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

REVENGE is a dish, best served cold.

EAGLES 38 – giants 20

 

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (15/20 – 75.0% – 179 – 4 – 0)

Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (14 – 150 – 10.7 – 1 – 0)

Receiving: WR DeVonta Smith (9 – 6 – 84 – 14.0 – 0)

Drive Killer: N/A (TD: /Int: / FR: / 4th down stops: / FF: )

Sack Leader: 5 players (Sacks: 1.0/ FF: / Tackles: )

Special Teams Ace: RB Will Shipley (3KR – 99 – 33.0 – 41 – 0)

****

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: GIANTS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

1) Slant Against Their Run: We didn’t do much of this early, but after the half, movement along the Defensive Line vs both the run AND the pass picked up. The upshot was a day that saw us hold New York to 68 rushing yards on 21 carries and add five sacks. (Three in the second half.) It’s certainly something to build on. (DONE)

2) Don’t Abandon Saquon: “In the area of 20 carries” was what I said. Saquon had 14. However, I’m giving credit for this, because he was on his way to that target, when he tweaked his groin muscle; and Head Coach Nick Sirianni wisely decided to rest him.

RB Tank Bigsby runs over the people like a… tank.

Besides, although Saquon could have come back if needed, with RB Tank Bigsby (9 – 104 – 11.6 – 0 – 0) killing it on the ground, why not let our starter get a jump on resting for the Bye week? Especially after watching giants RB Cam Skattebo (3 – 12 – 4.0 – 0 – 0) get carted off the field with a dislocated ankle, earlier. We played it smart. (DONE)

giants Rookie RB Cam Skattebo, dislocates his ankle.

3) Target Our Wide Receivers: Jalen Hurts threw just 20 passes on the day, for 179 yards. Of those passes, 12 targeted WR’s for 8 catches, and 124 yards, with a touchdown on a 40 bomb to WR Jahan Dotson (1 – 1 – 40 – 40.0 – 1). Hurts made WR’s his mission in this one. (DONE)

4) Complete the Sack: We got 5 sacks in this game. There could have been more, but…baby steps. Let’s not be ungrateful. (DONE)

++++

This week’s Four Things score was a perfect 4 of 4, as we head into the Bye week with a win. Not just a win, but a win where we showed up in all four quarters. We’ll rest up, and then get ready to tackle the second half of the season.

****

Game Hero: Offensive Coordinator Kevin Patullo – A lot of this has to do with the C position. First, we had OL Bret Toth filling in for starting C Cam Jurgens. Patullo didn’t call plays like Jurgens was out there. He instead frequently called plays where Toth had combo help.

We also ran the ball more from under C today. That makes it easier to sell play-action, because with the QB closer to the line, it’s harder to see if it’s a real hand-off or not. It also changes the timing of when the RB hits the hole, as Saquon demonstrated on his first carry going for a 65 yard score.

One of the best parts of the game was calling the 40 yard ‘Go’ route for Jahan Dotson. Knowing that Dotson validated his Coordinator and QB’s trust, by coming down with that ball, now makes him someone that future opponents have to account for. A loaded box with Dotson on the field, is now something opposing defenses have to weigh.

WR Jahan Dotson wins jump ball for 40 yard touchdown.

That wasn’t the case coming into this game.

Game goat: The Defense – In two games vs New York, our Defense has not forced a single turnover, despite the giants reliance on rookies. In this game, there wasn’t even a turnover on downs from them. Every time they surrendered the ball, it was either voluntary (a punt), or a score. We have to do better than that.

On The Whole: Offensively, this game featured 26 hand-offs to just 20 pass attempts. That ratio helps to stabilize the feel of a game, and allows any back-ups playing significant time, to not get swept away by the moment. We also won the Time Of Possession 33 minutes to 26, ensuring that our Defense wasn’t run into the ground.

Defensively, despite the 5 sacks, there were many instances of our linemen not keeping to rush lanes, and allowing their QB to escape all too frequently. It may also be why (in two games), we haven’t put enough pressure on their rookie QB, to intercept him even once. These are the sort of small problems that good teams correct.

DT Moro Ojomo gets the sack as LB Joshua Uche helps finish it.

There was also plenty of good on Defense! LB Nakobe Dean (5 tackles), LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (1 tackle), and DT Jalen Carter (2 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) played with a level of violence, that becomes more infectious as the season wears on. Did anyone else notice that we didn’t hear much about CB Kelee Ringo (2 tackles) in this game? Or that no giant had more than 3 catches, and their top guy had just 48 receiving yards?

FOUR THINGS: WK 5: EAGLES – BRONCOS

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/10/03
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Preview, Roster, X's and O's. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

LAST week’s win over Tampa Bay, gave us our third consecutive win over a team that won their division last year. We hit some rough chop in the second half, but we have a very talented, very battle tested roster. We’re led by celebrated battlers on both sides of the ball like, RT Lane Johnson and DT Jalen Carter. The Broncos can’t make that claim.

A win improves us to 5 – 0. We would enjoy another week as the only undefeated team in the conference, remaining firmly atop the NFC East.

A loss, would leave us standing at 4 – 1. Still atop the division, but now tied at the head of the conference with the 49ers.

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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. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Broncos.

Look at all the room in that box! SPREAD. OUT!

1) Run Fewer Bunch Formations: We’re less effective when we do that, because it makes it easy for opponents to crowd running lanes, give us different blitz looks, and muddy any underneath passing lanes, while they drop into coverage. So how about we stop doing our opponents any favors.

Let’s get our WR’s split from the ends of line, to pull defenders laterally, and create spacing for RB Saquon Barkley to run. We’re going against a VERY smart coach this week. It’s important that we understand where our natural advantages are, and exploit those beyond his ability to scheme solutions.

2) Limit Their Run Game: Under 120 rushing yards they are 0-2. Over 120 they are 2-0. Make their QB carry the offense, since it’s highly unlikely that he can. The Broncos offense is a decent stew, meaning that their ingredients (the players) combine to make a final product that is richer and more complex, than any of the ingredients alone.

That being said, they are a decent stew, not a great one. They have no special ingredients. The Broncos don’t have any truly scary players, that you have to worry about taking over a game. So stymie their run enough to make their attack unreliable. Get their young QB trying to forcing things. Then capitalize on his mistakes.

3) Don’t Overthink It: The Broncos defensive linemen are prioritized for quickness, so their line is on the smallish side. They use a 3-4 front, dressed up as a 4-3 or a 5-2. It looks a little like this:

This is what we should look like spread out, to force those lineBackers into coverage, and out of blitzes. The 49 back there is former Eagle Alex Singleton. (Everyone wave hi!) Let’s get him chasing Saquon all day. If they want to go with a small line, let’s spread it thin and run over it!

In any case, their front five averages about 274 pounds, (291 across the middle three.) Our front five averages 329, (middle three 318). Our Offensive Line features multiple All-Pro players, and their defensive line does not. We have the size and talent advantage up front. So spread them out, and run the ball down their throats.

4) Box Them In: Set the edges and walk the middle of the pocket back to the QB. If their very average o-linemen are busy fighting our talented Defensive Linemen, then they shouldn’t be able to leak out and affect LB’s Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell, making them free to roam, hit, tip passes and catch tipped passes.

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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…

The Broncos are coached by Sean Payton, who is not just clever, he’s downright sneaky. He’s wringing more out of his team than he probably should be at this point.

Having given him more than fair praise, the fact is, coaches don’t score points, players do. The Broncos players just aren’t on the same level as the Eagles, and we should make that crystal clear. We need to come out and just bully this opponent. Make it a physical beat-down, and change Sean Payton’s mind about the Brotherly Shove.

Speaking of the BruvShove, the Broncos have just one defensive line player on their entire roster, who is 320 pounds. Hoo boy!

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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.

FOUR THINGS: WK 2: EAGLES – CHIEFS

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/09/12
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Super Bowl. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

DESPITE losing DT Jalen Carter before the first snap, we rallied against a division opponent and came away with the “W”. We used our run game to dictate both the action and the pace, which is not something our upcoming opponent can do. That means they’ll be reliant on passing to move the ball. So, we’ll just have to turn up the heat on our pass rush this week.

A win and we’re 2 – 0, alone atop the NFC East.

A loss, could drop us into a three way tie for the top of the division.

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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. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Chiefs.

DT Jordan Davis will need to be huge this week.

1) Right Side, Strong Side: The Chiefs LT will be starting the second game of his career on Sunday. Their LG will be starting his fourth. So the right side of our Defensive Line has to be dominant. The best way to do that, is get inside of those inexperienced heads. To confuse them and make them less sure of their reads.

Running a bunch of stunts, might be doing too much. However, some line shifts and LB walk-ups, will definitely stress the blocking calls/assignments. Especially when it happens closer to the snap. The Chiefs are a passing team. They cannot operate effectively if we strip away their faith in their blindside protection.

2) Trigger Their PTSD: In the Super Bowl, the Chiefs ran a lot of eight man boxes to take away RB Saquon Barkley. We also saw a ton of that last week vs the Cowboys. The result was Barkley being held to 60-ish yards in both games. While we did win both games, we can’t let teams think they can just keep employing this tactic.

An eight man box means, at least one of our WR’s is one-on-one, with little to no deep help. We need to exploit that coverage, like we did with “The Dagger”.

WR DeVonta Smith catches 46 yard “Dagger”

We need to make the Chiefs an example to the league, about what happens when opponents load up against the Philadelphia Eagles run game.

3) Much Smaller Cushions: Half of what kept the Cowboys drives alive last week, was our CB’s lining up too far off the receiver, and practically conceding the underneath pass. If we give the Chiefs a similar look, this game will become a shootout, when it should us blowing the Chiefs out.

Instead of five and six yard cushions, reduce the space to three yards, max. Give the DB’s a chance to jump a quick pass, or give the pass rush time to get home. To get Mahomes. If we aren’t going to play Bump and Run, at least stop just turning receivers loose.

4) Spread the Ball Around: Part of what is hurting our run game, is the ball not finding enough different players. Teams know who we’re trying to get the ball to, so they don’t worry about having to defend our other options.

By all means, get the ball to our main dudes. Just try to get WR Jahan Dotson another pass that’s 20+ yards in the air. A Screen to RB A.J. Dillon, could be extremely dangerous. Let’s get WR John Metchie involved.

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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…

The Chiefs are coached by some guy named Andy Reid. He’s the Batman of NFL coaches, in that he’s almost unbeatable with extra prep time. Reid lost his first game of the season and has eight days to prepare, instead of the usual six.

On the other hand, the Chiefs have dropped their last two vs the Eagles; one of which was a manhandling during the Super Bowl; and now they’re dealing with a couple of key injuries, to a roster that even at full capacity wasn’t anywhere near as talented as the Eagles.

I’d like to say that this should be a good game, but it really shouldn’t. Unless the Eagles play down to the Chiefs, this one shouldn’t be close. I’m thinking 17 – 7 at the half, and 31 – 14 when everyone heads to the locker rooms.

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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.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 1: Cowboys

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/09/05
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Reviews, Rivals, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

NOT exactly a banner night.

EAGLES 24 – Cowboys 20

 

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (19/23 – 82.6% – 152 – 0 – 0)

Rushing: QB Jalen Hurts (14 – 62 – 4.4 – 2 – 0)

Receiving: WR Jahan Dotson (3 – 3 – 59 – 19.6 – 0)

Drive Killer: CB Quinyon Mitchell (TD: 0/Int: 0 / FR: 1/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)

Sack Leader: N/A (Sacks: / FF: / Tackles: )

Special Teams Ace: P Braden Mann (3 punts – 48.7avg – 2 inside 20)

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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: COWBOYS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

QB Jalen Hurts dives for the touchdown

1) Don’t Get Bullied: Dallas (as anticipated) over-committed to stopping the run. All night long, there were eight players (and on a couple of occasions, 9 players) in the box. Instead of audibling around it, we took plenty of opportunities to crash directly into it.

We opted to meet them in the street, and slugged it out. In the first half they seemed to be keeping pace, but by the end of the third quarter, it was clear that they simply lack the artillery to hang with us in a firefight. So we didn’t get bullied, and we still established our run game. (DONE)

2) Play the Hits: At no point did we get the Dallas QB on the ground. I would say it looked like we left our pass rush at home, but we played this game AT HOME. This was embarrassing. (NOT DONE)

3) Settle the Hash: The goal was 7 to 10 targets to WR Jahan Dotson and TE Dallas Goedert (7 – 7 – 44 – 6.2 – 0). They came up with 10 exactly, and our three RB’s (24 – 96 – 4.0 – 1 – 0) laid the groundwork for the 62 rushing yard added by Hurts. This was despite the loaded boxes we saw all night long. (DONE)

4) Take Their Heart Away: We didn’t really ever go to our five man defensive front, as DT Jalen Carter was ejected before the first snap of the game, for spitting on the Dallas QB. Stepping up was DT Jordan Davis (6 – 0.0 – 0 – 0), who had to play more snaps than usual. He managed a tackle for loss and pass deflection, but he’s still playing too upright at the snap. (NOT DONE)

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This week’s Four Things score was 2 of 4. It wasn’t pretty, but it’s still a “W”. Luckily we get ten days to tend to our injured, and find our pass rush, before we visit the Chiefs.

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Game Hero: WR Ceedee Lamb (13 – 7 – 110 – 15.7 – 0) – He had 4 drops (3 in the second half), that hit him in the hands. Seems like 136 million dollars would buy a clutch grab, here or there. In any case, his efforts helped the Eagles win this one.

Game goat: Jalen Carter (no stats) – Getting thrown out of the game before the first snap, is all at once a new low to be ashamed of, and a new low to be celebrated! The Eagles were deep enough however, to make up for the loss. We’ll see what further punishment the league intends to hand down.

On The Whole: Not a big fan of the way the game was called by Offensive Co-ordinator Kevin Patullo. At no point did we try to exploit their weakened secondary. This resulted in WR A.J. Brown (1 – 1 – 8 – 8.0 – 0) going nearly the entire game without noticing that he wasn’t being targeted. It had the feeling of playing down to the opponent.

FOUR THINGS: WK 1: EAGLES – COWBOYS

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/09/03
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, NFL, Offense, Players, Rivals. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS! We’re starting the season at home, vs the Cowboys, and we’re hanging our Super Bowl banner with them on the field! After which, we’re going to tie another beating to their asses, and send them back home, with a shiny new “L”.

The Cowboys were 29th in the league at stopping the run last year. Want to guess which team was the only one that had a RB run for 2,000 yards last year? It was the Eagles! We had RB Saquon Barkley gouging teams for chunk plays, on a near weekly basis. Which is likely the approach we’re going to attempt this week.

At least at first.

A win over a division rival in the first week, would give our Eagles a two game gap over the Cowboys. Unfortunately, because the giants and Commanders are playing each other, the winner of that game enjoys the same sort of divisional leg up.

A loss, that would put our team, two games back. So let’s avoid that.

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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. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Cowboys.

WR DeVonta Smith goes for 6!

1) Don’t Get Bullied: This season, every defense we face, at the top of their To-Do List, will be stopping Saquon. This is especially true of the Cowboys, after their owner traded away their best pass rushing LB, for a run defending DT. They will come in with a point to make, and we cannot let them get away with attempting to make it.

During the Super Bowl, the Chiefs threw everything they had at stopping Saquon, and while they did hold him to just 57 yards on 25 carries (2.2ypc), they committed so much to it, that Super Bowl MVP QB Jalen Hurts was out there essentially playing catch with WR’s A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. If the Cowboys want to follow that plan, we should exploit it.

2) Play the Hits: Their 32 year-old QB is coming back from a leg injury, which cost him the last nine games of the year. So let’s knock him down, early. Make him pick himself up off the ground a few times. Get Father Time whispering in his ear.

Ultimately the idea is to force the Cowboys coaching staff to go with more max protect, and limit how many receivers our guys have to cover.

(Unless it’s their plan to let him get beat up, so they can get their back-up out there… But I’m not one to gossip!)

3) Settle the Hash: All the talk is about the Cowboys trying to improve vs the run, while proving that they can still rush the passer. That points to an over-commitment to their front seven, and exploitable holes in their secondary. (See: Jalen Hurts in Super Bowl 59.)

Get the ball to TE Dallas Goedert and WR Jahan Dotson. Set a goal of 10 targets and 7 catches. The yards don’t matter, it’s the higher number of targets that are important. The idea is to force the Cowboys to cover, to loosen the box, and facilitate our run game. To do that, we have to be better this year at involving the TE and Slot WR.

4) Take Their Heart Away: When the Eagles go to our five man defensive line, DT Jordan Davis has to move the line of scrimmage backward, as often as possible. That means driving the C (the heart of their blocking schemes), back into the running lanes, and warping the pocket, so that the QB can’t step up into his passes.

Taking away the C also means that he can’t help the G’s, which would allow DT Jalen Carter a few opportunities to play without being double-teamed.

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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…

The traps here, are potential overconfidence, and underestimation of the opponent. Our players have to show up. Not just their names or reputations. We have to run, hustle, hit, and communicate at maximum effort. One down at a time. It sounds corny, but it’s how teams are built. It’s how games are won. It’s how trophies are hoisted.

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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.