DRAFT Day is April 25th. Well actually it’s three days 25th, 26th and 27th, but you get the idea. Over the coming month, I’m going to do a position by position breakdown, of each team in the division. Just to compare known players apples to apples, and get everyone on the same page, before we start adding rookies, which can include anything from 1st round busts, to 6th round sure-fire Hall Of Famers.
Today we breakdown (cities are in alphabetical order): The War Machine
NOTE: To make this article, players must be either a DE, DT, or NT. Being listed at OLB, LB, or Edge, puts them in another article. This is done to keep down confusion and banish semantics like “Well he’s mostly a passrusher, so….” We’ll have none of that here.
DALLAS: The Cowboys lost some firepower with DE Dorance Armstrong defecting to rival Washington. While DE DeMarcus Lawrence is still a pro’s pro, he’s no longer anyone to fear. He’s collected just 24.5 sacks…over the last five seasons. On the other side, Sam Williams has shown flashes as a passrusher, but he’s not great vs the run. Chauncey Golston plays the end and also Nickle DT, but is more of a utility player than a threat.
DT Osa Odighizuwa is too small vs the run over 17 weeks
On the inside, DT Osa Odighizuwa is a 3-4 DE being used completely wrong. He starts the year almost foaming at the mouth, but wears down. Especially vs the run. DT Mazi Smith was a first round pick last year, and was statistically blanked in eight games, playing 20 or more snaps in just six games. With Jonathan Hankins and Neville Gallimore leaving, Smith will be asked to do more. Much more. Carl Davis is a NT that may not be with the team much longer.
NEW YORK: The heart of this 3 – 4 line is DE Dexter Lawrence. Strong and enormous, he presents obvious problems vs the run. He’s listed at DE, but the giants play essentially a 5 – 2 front with 3 DT’s. The other “End” could be Rakeem Nunez-Roches, or D.J. Davidson, or any other name picked out of a hat. They added DT Jordan Phillips during the offseason. While Phillips doesn’t put up numbers, he’s huge and he’s disruptive.
The giants will continue to rotate their linemen, in and out of those three spots along the line. It’s meant to keep their opponent guessing and create mismatches, but it seems to backfire at key times. Eye discipline is different for DE’s and DT’s, but this giants coaching staff doesn’t seem to get that. They should be stout inside vs the run though.
PHILADELPHIA: Losing a player like DT Fletcher Coxwould gut most teams. However, the Eagles have massive pocket-crusher DT Jordan Davis; DT Jalen Carter, who just finished 2nd for Defensive Rookie of the Year (despite starting just 1 game); and DE/DT Milton Williams. DT Marlon Tuipulotu also provided quality play in 2023. Last year DT Moro Ojomo, would have made most active rosters, but here he got caught in a numbers game. None of these players are older than 24.
DT Jordan Davis is hard to ignore or lose sight of.
The starters at DE will likely be Josh Sweat, and DE Bryce Huffadded from the Jets. Sweat is a mid-level passrusher, who’s killer first step creates consistent pressure. Huff is coming off of a 10 sack season, where he didn’t start a single game. The Eagles are hoping more snaps translates into more production.
Coming back for his 15th and final season, is DE Brandon Graham. Odds are, he’ll be a situational player who won’t play much, unless injury dictates. There are rumors that the Eagles will switch from a 4 – 3 to a 3 – 4. If that happens, then some of the DT’s will see time at DE. If they play more of a 5 – 2, like they did in 2022, this line will be formidable.
WASHINGTON: Once again, the Commanders raided the Cowboys cupboard, taking both DE Dante Fowler (4 sacks in 2023) and DE Dorance Armstrong (7.5 sacks), to bolster their passrush. Both played in every game, but only Armstrong got to start (just 1 game). As depth, Washington is relying on DE’s Clelin Ferrell and K.J. Henry.
DT Daron Payne closes in.
It’s the interior where this group shines. In the middle of this line are DT Jonathan Allen and DT Daron Payne. To call them headaches or disruptive, is to earn a PhD in Understatement. These two are an outright problem for offensive gameplans, as they both require a double team. In short, they wreck blocking schemes, which slows down offenses.
Back-ups include DT John Ridgeway, and DT Phidarian Mathis. Neither is a real threat, so the fall-off from starter to back-ups is absolutely massive.
SO WHO’S THE BEST?
On the interior, Philadelphia, New York, and Washington are all talented, but only Philadelphia has any depth. More to the point, they have loads of it. Again, on the outside, for THIS article, we are not discussing “passrushers” who play LB/Edge, but actual listed Linemen.
Of the listed DE’s in the division, Dallas is unremarkable, but at least know what to expect of their starters. New York’s DE’s are more like DT’s. Philadelphia may be the most explosive here, IF their new addition wasn’t a one year flash as a Jet. Washington has one defined starter, and everyone is in a new scheme.
DT’s Allen and Payne are a menace. An absolute MENACE!
Philly is tops inside, Dallas is top(ish) outside. However, Philly has question marks at DE, and Dallas’s interior is practically a liability. The giants line is built to occupy blocks, not make plays. Washington has two DE’s who, (while not stars) are both proven passrushers. So we’ll give this nod to the Commanders.
Special Teams Ace: P Braden Mann 4th down punt fake, 28yd pass
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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: COWBOYSdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Use A Brute Force Run Game:We didn’t really lean into handing the ball off, until the second half when we were down 6 – 24. Nearly all of the runs were between the Tackles, which was good. Not so good, was how often these tried to utilize misdirection from the Shotgun. That will fool fans in the stands, far more often than players on field.
Our leading rusher had just 11 carries, against 28 dropbacks, and 5 designed QB runs. I guess there’s a Zen sort of alignment in not investing in the RB position financially, since we no longer invest in it philosophically.
The Philadelphia region RESOUNDINGLY implored the team, to not be stupid this week, but alas, Head Coach Nick Sirianni and Offensive Coordinator Brian Johnson, could not help themselves. Nor the players they coach. Insult to injury: None of the three fumbles we lost, were by a RB. (NOT DONE)
Rookie DT Jalen Carter recovers fumble forced by DT Fletcher Cox, and takes it back for SIX!
2) Take Away the Quick Throws: At times we did this. We played more Man Press, challenged more passes, and got their QB to hold the ball longer than he wanted to, at times. The problem was, we didn’t do it consistently. This is an aspect to build on. I just hope they see that during film review. (NOT DONE)
3) Win the Turnover Battle:HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Okay, seriously, we gave away two red zone fumbles and a bonus third one, while only getting one in return. The lost fumbles are uncharacteristic for WR’s A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith (10 – 5 – 73 – 14.6 – 0). So there’s nothing to panic about with these two. Can’t say that for Hurts though, as fumbles are anything but rare for him.
Look. the turnover battle is hard to win, if you depend on your opponent to give you gifts. Turnovers have to be forced, and the two best ways to get turnovers; are violent hits on the ball (for fumbles), or close coverage (for interceptions). Our zone coverage and drag down tackling while pulling at the ball, won’t get the job done. (NOT DONE)
4) Spread Them Out: Not much was done to spread the Cowboys defense horizontally, until they decided to do so when blitzing. For a team that loves to throw Screen routes, we didn’t see one thrown to a RB all night. Even with frequent blitzing. (NOT DONE)
++++
This week we did none of the Four Things, which led to the shit-canning that we endured for a second week on national television. Next week we’re on national television again, as we travel to Seattle to beat up on the Seahawks.
****
DT Fletcher Cox forces a fumble.
Game Hero: DT Fletcher Cox (1 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) – Forced the fumble that was recovered by DT Jalen Carter and returned for a touchdown. This week’s hero designation could have gone to Carter, or Haason Reddick. It was razor thin. What tipped the scale for me, was Cox’s postgame interview at his locker.
It wasn’t just what Cox said, it was how he said it. He didn’t keep making attempts to leave. He stood there and answered the questions. He expressed trust in his locker room, and issued a challenge to the true leaders and elite players on this team. He was calm, and even keeled. He was every bit the leader the Eagles need right now.
Game goat: Jalen Hurts – The stoic body language may work for when the team is winning, but when we’re being embarrassed on national television, someone has to keep the troops dialed in and focused, and he cannot be counted on for that.
Rallying the troops?
For the record, I’ve never been a fan of Hurts’ sideline demeanor, as my nature is very different. On a sideline, I was Brian Dawkins. Bill Romanowski. An agitated doberman roaming without a leash. I was fire, and rage, and an absolute head-case. But I was always a constant source of energy for my side. I was downright contagious at times.
Watching the postgame show, it was interesting to see pundits who’d been praising Hurts’ stoic body language, suddenly say they didn’t like it. They said he was almost sulking. To be fair to Hurts, I didn’t see much different from how he usually is. What I think is happening here, is that losing is robbing him of the benefit of the doubt. Which is bullshit. Ride with his demeanor or don’t. Don’t waffle on him.
During his first couple of years, the local media largely backed off of our young QB. Then last year, and up until now, all the winning brought passes for his flaws. So Jalen Hurts has never experienced the Philadelphia media with their claws out. It’s been easy going the whole time he’s been here.
Well, losing the number one seed, by losing to Dallas, while giving away the ball in the red zone, and appearing visibly dispassionate about the whole thing, may end up changing some things for him. Very shortly, he may end up experiencing pressure and adversity that he can’t simply transfer out of.
On The Whole:
Before I get into it. I won’t discuss Defensive Coordinator Sean Desai, because I’m tired of saying the same shit over and over, with Sirianni never making sure that change happens. But add to the regular defensive woes, our three offensive fumbles, and suddenly Desai is largely off my hook this week.
Missed it byyyyy that much!
This was another one where we were out-coached folks! Fundamentals? What are those!? Instead of trying to win the game, once again our coaching staff was hell-bent on showing us how clever they are. The result was three drives ending in turnovers, two ending in field goals, and one turned over on downs.
While Brian Johnson can’t be blamed for those fumbles, Nick Sirianni certainly can. His team came out flat, played uninspired, and ended up looking tighter and tenser as the game wore on. In instances like that, a team needs someone to rally them back into the fight, and ignite their pride and their passions.
Knowing that his QB either can’t be, or won’t be that guy, Sirianni needs to be that spark. He can’t just be a preening cheerleader, posing with his kids after his team wins. He also needs to be someone his players can lean on during adversity IN games, not just a blah-blah guy between the games.
Understand, the Eagles didn’t just lose this game. We were thoroughly defeated in it. Both from the inside and the outside. It won’t take much to fix what ails us, but it WILL require actually fixing it. Let’s see if darling Nicky has more in store for us than lip service this week.
Drive Killer: CB James Bradberry(TD: 0/Int: 1/ FR: 0/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)
Sack Leader: DE Brandon Graham (Sacks:1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 2)
Special Teams Ace: DT Jalen Carter(3 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) FG block
****
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: BILLSdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
CB James Bradberry picks off a pass
1) Frustrate WR Stefon Diggs: This one didn’t get done, but there’s a weird disqualifier to it. There were a few key third downs where the Bills themselves pulled Diggs off the field. This made it impossible to render him frustrated with his QB not going to him in key situations. Their coaching staff took that bullet instead. Weird. (NOT DONE)
2) Get To the QB Early: Once again the four man rush was anemic. So was the predictable and lame delayed blitz that we bring every week. From the same players. In the same gaps. (NOT DONE)
3) Run The Ball: I said 14 carries from Swift, and that was the exact number that we parked at. Of course, it did take a carry in overtime to get there. A single carry. On a nine play drive. A drive where the QB ran three times. On the day, Swift had as many carries as Hurts did. Again, that was 14 carries.
Let’s not forget about RB Boston Scott (2 – 14 – 7.0 – 0 – 0) and RB Kenneth Gainwell (2 – 26 – 13.0 – 0 – 1). For those keeping score at home, we’re talking 31 passes, 14 QB runs, and 18 hand-offs. Our RB’s ran for 101 yards on 18 carries (5.6ypc), but were mere co-stars in the run game. Technically we accomplished this, but it feels empty.(DONE)
4) Speed. Kills: Go deep early in order to loosen the box. Didn’t do it. In the first half, every time the Offense took the field, it felt like they should all have been wearing red noses and piling out of a tiny car. We cut it on the second half, but the call was to do it early. And we didn’t. (NOT DONE)
++++
This week we got just1 of theFour Things done, which explains how we limped to overtime, instead of bludgeoning the whole sordid pile in regulation, and getting the fans out of the cold rain! Next up, we have what I think will be a loss to San Francisco.
****
Game Hero: QB Jalen Hurts – The man threw three scores, and ran for two more, one of which was an overtime walk-off. After caving in the Bills forehead with a mushroom-stamp on national television, how could I call anyone else the game’s goat?
Game goat: Defensive Coordinator Sean Desai – A year ago under Jonathan “He doesn’t make adjustments” Gannon, with many of these same players, our Defense had amassed 23 turnovers and was sacking QB’s at will.
Fast forward to you reading this sentence, and we have 14 turnovers, and a pass rush that’s recorded just one sack in each of the last two games. In the last two games we were gashed for 168 and 173 rushing yards, respectively. We’ve also given up 14 TD’s on third and long.
I hate to keep harping on how much I hate the job that this guy is doing, but explain to me what we have to hang our hat on. We’re lousy on defense at EVERYTHING now. We’re 20th in points allowed! That’s bottom third of the league!! So please, just please stop telling me what a great job Desai is doing. He clearly isn’t.
On The Whole:
The segment that was originally here, was removed to turn into another article. (There was that much of it.) It will be entitled “On The Whole” and I’ll put it out tomorrow. Very different tone. Right now, let’s celebrate the win.
Finding out that RT Lane Johnson couldn’t play due to a hamstring injury, was a blow. In fact, most teams would be crippled if they lost an All-Pro OT. The Eagles however, have swingmanJack Driscoll! Jack filled in admirably against one of the leagues tope pass rushers in DE Leonard Floyd (1 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) and kept him sackless.
DT’s Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter
We lost DT Fletcher Cox(not stats) during the game, and were already thin at DT with veteran Milton Williams out with a concussion. So of course our young guys stepped up! DT’s Jordan Davis (5 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) and Jalen Carter were strong in the middle, as most of the rushing yardage we surrendered, came on the edges. Also, if Carter doesn’t block that FG, there is no overtime.
WR Olamide Zaccheaus making his one catch count
Talk about stepping up, WR Olamide Zaccheaus (1 – 29 – 29.0 – 1) made his only catch of the game count, with a touchdown grab between one of the best Safety tandems in the NFL. And please! Don’t think you get out of here without me mentioning K Jake “The Make” Elliott(1/1 FG, 4/4 XP) through the wind, through the driving rain, and into the inkwell of night, drove in a 59 yard field goal, that would have been good from 65, to send us to overtime.
Clutch was everywhere in this one. Tiny purses were EVERYWHERE! Quick, get me some cargo! Get me a cobra! Every player pulling in one direction and stepping up when their moment came. And now we’re guaranteed a playoff spot.
Because we clutched it.
Hello, I’d like to make a reservation for the playoffs.
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.
I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these Four Thingsarticles. 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 inFour Things: RAMSdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Ground and Pound:I called for 15 – 20 carries for RB D’Andre Swift (17 – 70 – 4.1 – 0 – 0). Boom Shaakalaaka! Ask and ye shall receive! I called for 9 to 12 passes to TE Dallas Goedert (9 – 8 – 117 – 14.6 – 1). Boom Shaaklaaka! It is done!
TE Dallas Goedert scores a TD
We controlled the ball, the clock, the pace of the game, the prices at the concession stands. No one got caught over-thinking this week. No one got cute. The Rams focused on taking away our explosive plays. So we countered by gashing them on early downs, repeatedly setting up 3rd and manageable, while milking the clock. (DONE)
2) Pave the Lane: Were it up to me, most of our running would have been behind RT Lane Johnson in this one. However, what I specified was ten or more runs to the right. We ran it to the right 16 times for 64 yards (4ypc). That looks better on paper than it did in reality, as 4 of our 6 negative runs were on this side.
As for exposing OLB Michael Hoecht (5 tackles) as a liability, he was caught in coverage on Dallas Goedert, and Jalen Hurts ripped a pass and excised 49 yards of flesh from the Rams for their foolishness. (DONE)
3) Man Coverage on Nacua: Rams rookie WR Puka Nacua (11 – 7 – 71 – 10.1 – 1) faced man coverage at least 8 times (by my count) in key situations this week. Despite catching a touchdown, this was his worst outing so far as a pro, in terms of yardage, and catch percentage. So he was challenged.
The idea here wasn’t to “stop” the Rams, but to slow them down. Every NFL pundit and and even the game announcers, expected a shootout. The gambling line was over 50 points between the two teams. That’s precisely the game we didn’t want to find ourselves in. So the Eagles played to slow. To smother. And it worked. (DONE)
DT Jalen Carter collects a sack
4) Blitz off their LT: We actually did this more in the first half and git away from it in the second half. Doesn’t matter. The second half is where the sacks happened. So to Hell with what I wrote. YAY SACKS! Also, did I mention that DT Jalen Carter(4 – 2.0 – 0 – 0), also had two sacks? I didn’t? Well, DT Jalen Carter also had two sacks. So there. (NOT DONE)
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So this week we nailed down 3 of The Four Things, in a game that was never actually as close as the score. Next week we travel to New York, to face a Jets team that may have found it franchise quartb- HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Couldn’t type it with a straight face. That kid couldn’t even look good against Denver’s defense today. What’s the expression? Couldn’t get laid in a whorehouse. Yeah, we’ll be fine.
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Game Hero:Defensive Coordinator Sean Desai – I’ve been roasting this guy’s balls over a blowtorch for about a month now. So it feels good to be able to switch gears, and give him credit. After all, as a fan, I want him to be successful. If he’s fired because he’s a bum, we have to gamble on someone else, and hope they don’t turn out to be worse.
So this is nice.
While many will tell you that Jalen Hurts is the hero of this one, they’d be wrong. Desai made some killer adjustments during half-time. The result was the Rams being shutout in the second half. They had 5 drives, for 70 yards, 3 punts, 1 turnover on downs, and 1 time expired, with a total Time Of Possession of 9:44. Way to go Sean!
Game goat:WR Quez Watkins (3 – 2 – 4 – 2.0 – 0) – Blazing 4.3 speed, everyone! (Round of applause.) Catches a pass, and makes a bee-line not between these two blockers,
Which line did WR Quez Watkins (not pictured) follow? The blue one. Motherf-
but behind them, heading straight out of bounds. There could only be two explanations for this. A) His fantasy football opponent has him starting this week; or B) He was trying to avoid contact. In football. Not a good look.
That said, I don’t want to jump the gun, and say that WROlamide Zaccheaus(no stats) should be our WR3. I’m frustrated with Quez, but he also ran a route where he was jumping around at the back of the end zone, and Hurts didn’t see him. That was another of the touchdowns that we left on the field, in this one.
To be honest, we spend a lot of time using Quez wrong. He’s a speedster. His job should be less about catching the ball, and more about blowing up coverages. Aim him at the Safeties, run him down middle, see if A.J. or Devonta Smith(5 – 1 – 6 – 6.0 – 0) gets one-on-one, then exploit that match-up. We’re making this harder than it should be.
On The Whole:
As I said, the Rams are a scrappy team. They’re a well coached team, but they just don’t have the talent to stay with an Eagles team playing at even 80% capacity.
Speaking of coaching, why are we always running the play clock down so far? I get that it also eats into the actual clock, but it’s leading to complications that we don’t need, such as wasted time outs. Just thought I’d mention it.
Now, go enjoy this 5 – 0 record, and our perch atop the division!
OLB Haason Reddick gets a second sack forcing a turnover on downs
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.
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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 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.
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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.
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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 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.
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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.
DT Jalen Carter – (No stats) Easily discarded a Guard and nearly ran down a sack on his first NFL snap. How is the 9th overall pick still a steal? Thank you Atlanta!!!!
DT Moro Ojomo – (3 tackles) Baltimore couldn’t keep him out of their backfield. It was against their third unit, but he’s a 7th round rookie, so he warrants more study.
S Sydney Brown – (9 tackles) Made stops and brought a physical presence as well.
CB Eli Ricks – (1tack – 1 int TD) Got his hands on two passes, knocking one down and taking the other to the house.
WR Greg Ward – (5 – 53 – 10.6 – 0) Still does an excellent job of giving his QB an easy, early target.
Who looked bad:
QBIan Book – (1/4 – 25% – 11 – 0 – 0) Was reluctant to throw the ball too often.
OL Tyler Steen – Got the start at LT and struggled, giving up an early sack. Moved to RG and still failed to impress.
DE Tarron Jackson – (1 tackle) did not make his presence felt despite great interior play.
DE Kyron Johnson – (No stats) Was practically invisible.
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The broad strokes are usually covered by lots of other publications and podcasts. You can go a hundred places and read the same four or five bullet points, mentioned in ninety-seven of those places. Stats aside, what about the Four Thingsyou came here to review, right? Let’s see if we scored a HIT or a MISS on the areas I discussed.
1) Throwing to the RB’s: Aside from a lone checkdown to RB Trey Sermon in the second half, there were no other completions to a RB, all game long. So far there doesn’t seem to be much difference between this and the last few year’s offense, in that regard. I understand not wanting to divulge pertinent information to opponents, but we have to practice what we do, if we’re going to be any good at it. MISS
2) Getting Defensive:Hits that draw flags. I was looking for two or three of those, and we didn’t have one. Yes, there were a few hits that laid the wood, but nothing that will “impact” opponents mentally, as Defensive Coordinator Sean Desai says he wants. While S Justin Evans and rookie S Sydney Brown provided some physicality, no one is going to see those guys in their sleep. MISS
3) Who’s On First?: Offensive Line Coach Jeff Stoutlandtold everyone last week that RG Cam Jurgens hadn’t locked up the starting job. I told you on Thursday that that was bullshit. Result? Jurgens spent Saturday night wearing a white Eagles t-shirt. So, you know, keep coming here to find out what’s what.
While I didn’t expect Jurgens to play much, I was surprised that he didn’t play at all. That’s an unforced error by the coaching staff. Jurgens isn’t a seasoned NFL starter who can just step back into where he left off last season, because last season he saw exactly 35 snaps. A guy as green as he is could use the work. If only to work on his muscle memory moving from bench C to starting RG.
I was interested in seeing if he got any game snaps at C, just in the interest of letting him play the spot that we all know he’ll inherit. It wasn’t a serious point, but him not playing at all, doesn’t sit well with me. MISS
4) Listening for a POP!: Sadly, MLB Nakobe Dean didn’t start. In fact, he didn’t play. He wasn’t even wearing an unpadded jersey on the sideline. Call me crazy, but I think zero career starts is too early to grant a player sacred cow status. Same as Jurgens, he could have used the work. And for those who ask “What if he’d gotten injured?”, my answer is, preseason game one is the time to find out if a guy is fragile. Not Week One.
No one popped at second or third string DE, which was surprising considering how much of a runaway train DT Moro Ojomo was out there. He was in the Ravens backfield so much, that it wouldn’t have been weird to see him pick up a blitz, or take a hand-off. It’s hard to believe he was still available in the seventh round.
The Eagles didn’t move CB Kelee Ringo around at all. Surprising since he has seen time at S and NCB in camp. Instead, he got a long look at LCB, where he made a hustle play to corral a long run, but then was later beaten for a 7 yard TD pass. He was all at once more than I expected, and less. MISS
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This week we had four misses, and no hits. (Don’t worry, during the season it will go back to Done/Not Done.) Understand, the misses aren’t really failures, any more than hits would necessarily be successes. Hits and misses are just a way of charting the outcomes of what was discussed, during the preseason. That’s it.
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On The Whole:
Our second string Offense moved the ball well against their second string defense. QB Marcus Mariota didn’t look very comfortable out there, except for throwing to WR Greg Ward. Though I wonder if thatwasn’t more Ward than Mariota. RB DeAndre Swift looked nifty, but the play-calling included too much east-west running.
Third string QB Tanner McKee took more shots downfield, but he has to, given the fact that he’s a statue. Any career he has, will be birthed by his arm, not his legs. He made a couple of nice back-shoulder completions (one was called back due to offensive pass interference).
RB Rashaad Pennylooked like he was saving his body for the regular season, because we all know that he can run harder than he did in this game. At no point did he look like a man worried about being cut.
Defensively, I was surprised to see DT Jordan Davis slotted at 4-3 DE at the start of this game, but then it occurred to me that he was actually more of a DT in a 5-2. Seeing rookies DT Jalen Carter and OLB Nolan Smith nearly combine for a sack was nice. What was even better, was how quickly they created that pressure. If we stay healthy, we’re going to be a problem up front this year.
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.
IMAGINE the monster we could create, if someone could teach DT Jordan Davis, Reggie White’s Hump Move.
Lot’s of players have used some version of the Hump, but not many have been able to use White’s version of it. Not many could have. For example, J.J. Wattflat out said he couldn’t replicate it. Neither could Aaron Donald who insteadbuilt his career on the “Bull Snatch”.
These two have been premier rushers over this last decade. They however lacked the tools to replicate White’s move, but Jordan Davis has those tools. Yes, I just said that Davis has tools that Watt and Donald lack. More to the point, those tools could elevate him to the level of dominance that Reggie White, and Jerome Brownproduced.
In football, leverage is king, if you can get under your opponent, you’ll have an easier time of controlling him, and not being controlled by him.
The Hump takes advantage of this, by starting low and forklifting the opponent not just upward, but backward. It’s the Chinese finger trap of football moves. The further up you go, the further back you go, and the further back, the further up.
The crazy part is, there is no “figuring it out”, because it’s not a trick. It’s just how physics work on Earth. As long as the game is taking place on Earth, White’s Hump Move will work for a player who has the tools to pull it off. Period. Debate over. So what are these tools?
Reggie White played DE at 292 to 305 pounds. Keep in mind, this was at the dawn of the 300 pound offensive lineman. Back then Offensive Tackle John “Jumbo” Elliott was considered huge at 305 pounds. The Cardinals Luis Sharpe played OT at 267. The Steelers Tunch Ilkin at 265. The Rams Jackie Slater at 287. The Bengals Anthony Munoz at 287. All of these guys were Pro Bowlers. The last two are Hall of Famers.
White was country strong, but he was also flat-out bigger, than the men that lined up across from him. Think about how today OT’s are generally over 320 pounds, and DE’s are nearly always under 270. Watt played under 290, and Donald plays the interior at just 280. They were never physically set up for doing what Reggie did.
Jordan Davis on the other hand…
Jordan possesses the sort of natural strength that you can’t pick up in a weight room. He doesn’t have workout warrior strength, it’s just good ol’ fashioned see-that-there-bring-it-here type strength. That farmhand strength. Reggie had that. At 336 (listed) pounds, Jordan is also bigger than a number of the G’s he’s going to match-up with.
Now come the details. The context. These are easy to miss parts that you come here for, that other writers don’t have the insight to give you. Damn I’m humble!
On passes, the OT’s take two steps back, and the Guards take one. This forms the pocket that the QB is supposed to sit in. Reggie played on the end vs opponents taking two steps. Jordan will be playing in the middle, over guys taking one step, with a QB just behind them. Jordan will start out closer to the QB than Reggie usually did. (Though sometimes Reggie also lined-up inside).
Reggie also faced double and triple-team blocking most of the time. That’s easier to do on the edge, because coaches can help an OT with a TE and/or a RB. That’s harder to do in the middle of the offensive line without obstructing the QB’s view of the field.
Jordan would have to be be doubled with a G/C combo, which would leave DT Jalen Carterone-on-one. Keep in mind, Jordan plays beside someone who is expected to be better than him. Carter is the more natural pass rusher, and the one seen more as a generational talent. So blocking Jordan will not be the priority.
For those remember this Defense
imagine if back in 1991 our defensive interior consisted of Brown, and a version of White that was schematically nearly impossible to double-team. This is what I’m proposing here.
For those who have been fans for fifteen years or fewer, even if Davis doesn’t learn the Hump Move, the interior of the Eagles defense will likely be unlike anything you’ve ever rooted for. I don’t want to oversell it, but you should be very excited.
If Jordan does learn the Hump, it will essentially be the White version. If that happens, you will see something that for years has sounded like mythology to most of you, but I assure you it happened. NFL records will confirm it. That 1991 Eagles Defense gave up 150.8 passing yards per game. (That’s 37 fewer than the 2000 Ravens.)
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.
