WINNING with solid fundamentals, is the best way to do it, because those things show up on film, and can be built upon. We did that last week vs the Browns. We didn’t turn the ball over. We kept running the ball, even when it wasn’t producing a lot of yards. We tackled, and our coverage challenged routes, giving our pass rush time to notch five sacks.
It was a game that we never trailed in, and never seemed to lose control of. Pay no attention to the final score. Our actual play in that game, was better than that score indicates.
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 gives you.)
A win gets us to 4 – 2, and likely another week as second in the division, since Washington gets yet another easy assignment, vs the Panthers this week. It would also give us our first win this season, against a division rival.
A loss would make us 3 – 3, but we’d go from second in the division, to third. That’s because not only would Dallas have a division win when we wouldn’t, but it would be against the team we just lost to.
So this isn’t a must win game or anything like that, but it would sure be nice to get it.
****
The point ofFour 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 aside from running the ball, tackling over stripping, and playing lots of Man Press, here are the four things that we need to focus on this week versus: the giants.
If this picture doesn’t make you giggle now, you probably are a giants fan
1) Use A Metric Fuck-ton of Play-action:RB Saquon Barkleyis returning to the place he played for the first six years of his career. He carried that offense for six years, and they thanked him by rewarding the heaviest part of his burden, while making Saquon beg for scraps. So the Eagles gave him a huge deal, and now… now he’s with us.
Having Saquon go back to New York Shitty and bust their asses wide open, would embarrass everyone in that organization. From the owner, down to the guy who changes the player’s diapers. So expect their defense to aggressively react, every time it even looks like Saquon may touch the ball.
With them playing so aggressively towards him, if we can get them to bite on play-action, it should spring a few easy, big plays downfield. This game could be a huge day for our TE and Slot positions.
2) Chip Off the Block:With LT Lafoga Mailataout with an injured hamstring, OT Fred Johnson now gets the start. It would be foolish not to get TE Jack Stollout there, to help by chipping Johnson’s assignments. After giving a chip block, Stoll could hang out along the hashmark, to give QB Jalen Hurts an outlet receiver, if he has to run to his left.
Offering Johnson chip help isn’t because he can’t play. He can play. It’s to prevent what happened to Winston Justice in 2007, when he allowed 6 sacks in a game. At no point did the Eagles coaching staff send him any help. Due to Mailata being out, the giants will no doubt attack our LT. We have to be ready to force them out of whatever game-plan they prepared.
3) Speed Up Their QB’s Clock: Every QB has an internal clock in his head, which tells him when the ball needs to be out of his hand. We want to speed up that clock in Daniel Jones’s head, to force the ball out of his hand too early, and possibly into ours.
This week (like us), the giants are without their starting LT. Instead of trying to beat their back-up LT with only brute force, we should also overwhelm him mentally. Consistently walk a second defender into the ‘B’ gap, and force their LT to make decisions without the advantage of experience.
4) Win On First Down: It’s going to be a long day, if we keep allowing the giants to see 3rd and 3 or shorter. So we cannot constantly allow easy yardage on 1st and 10. Despite losing the game, the giants found a kind of spark last week vs Cincy. We have to make them believe that that spark, was a once in a season occurrence.
****
If the Eagles do those Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
With the giants keying on Saquon, I’m not expecting big things from the run game. That means offensively, this game is on Hurts. While he has his top two outside receivers, the chemistry with everyone else that he’ll be throwing to, is sort of a work in progress.
I’d feel better if RB Boston “The giant Killer” Scott, was still somewhere on the roster. I’m just kidding. I liked Scott, but it’s nice to see our RB’s run through arm tackles and move piles. It would be nice to see rookie RB Will Shipleyget his first NFL touches, and play well.
****
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.
Drive Killer: NA (TD: /Int: / FR: / 4th down stops: / FF: )
Sack Leader: DE Brandon Graham (Sacks:1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 2)
Special Teams Ace: CB Kelee Ringo returns blocked XP (CBIsaiah Rodgers) for 2pts
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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 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 in Four Things: BUCCANEERS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
WR Parris Campbell looks in a touchdown pass
1) Our Reserves Must Gainwell: Aside from WR Parris Campbell(4 – 4 – 17 – 4.2 – 1) no other reserve Offensive player made a difference, or even a noticeable contribution in this game. Part of is it because some of these guys are actual trash, and part of it is because our Offense is routed through the not-so-swift brain, of QB Jalen Hurts.
This was the back-ups week to step up and demand the ball. To signal that they could be relied on. None of their body language or sideline activity, indicated that. The spotlight was on them and nearly all of them shrank from it. (NOT DONE)
2) Get to Baker: We sacked QB Baker Mayfield (30/47 – 63.8 – 347 – 2 – 0) all of twice. We played soft coverage nearly all game long, so Mayfield just sat back and played catch with his receivers. Especially in the first half. Things tightened up a little in the second half, but mostly it was Busc receivers running free, and making uncontested catches. They had four players with 50+ yards receiving. (NOT DONE)
DE Brandon Graham collection one of the Eagles two sacks
3) Run the Ball:AHEM!!! Twelve million dollar RB Saquon Barkley, had 10 carries in this game. Jalen Hurts had 8 for 20 whole yards. A couple of those were Brotherly Shoveplays, but most of them were designed keepers. As long as the play-callers think Hurts is our second RB, our Offense is going to keep finding itself sputtering, just like it keeps doing. (NOT DONE)
4) Own the GCG Box: Our DT’s were somewhat disruptive, but at no point did they take over the interior of the offensive line. They did a great job of occupying blocks, which allowed MLB Nakobe Dean (6 – 0 – 0 – 0) to whiff on tackle after tackle. Or to be an inch too short to get a deflection. We didn’t allow a lot of rushing yards (111), but they did seem to be able to run it at will, which complemented their short, quick passing game. (NOT DONE)
++++
This week’s Four Things score is0 of 4, which is precisely why we, got shit beat down our leg. Next week we get to stay home and lick our wounds. It’ll be nice to see a weekend without a Jalen Hurts turnover.
****
Game Hero: Whoever fired the gun at the end of the game.
Game goat: QB Jalen Hurts – This was a week, where Hurts should have taken the team on his back. Instead, there was no sense of urgency, no fire to him. Just that same look of boredom that he always displays on the sideline. Others call it “stoic”. I call it, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. I’ve seen players excited to play. I’ve been one. That’s never the vibe that our leader transmits.
In 2021, I wrote an article, where I said that Jalen Hurts would never become a true franchise QB, and I have never moved off of that assessment. How has that 2021 assessment aged? Well, Hurts, despite being in his FIFTH year, still can’t punish a blitz, and has become a turnover machine, hasn’t he? He’s regressed badly from 2022 hasn’t he?
In fact, check out my 2021 article and tell me if you aren’t seeing the exact same things today, that you were seeing in 2021. Granted, today he uses his TE better, and no longer avoids throwing over the middle. Otherwise, his failure to grow or to evolve, doesn’t indicate much future success for the lad. Or us.
On The Whole: There is a ton of blame that can be handed out for this match. But the truth is, on top of all the things the coaches didn’t get right; and the QB did wrong; and the tackles that got missed; are the facts that 1)we were playing shorthanded, 2) on the road, and 3) in 100 degree weather.
CB Kelee Ringo recovers blocked extra point and returns it for two points
It was a damned tough assignment, and we quickly wound up on the wrong end, of a 0 – 24 score. But did we quit? Hell no! We got it as close as 16 – 30. Even hustling on Special Teams for a blocked extra point, that was returned for 2 points. While we didn’t walk away with the “W”, it’s efforts like this, that help forge a team’s identity.
EAGLES in flight, don’t look backwards. This week we get a Saints team that has dismantled two one-dimensional teams. What do I mean by one-dimensional? I mean neither of them could run the ball (Panthers 29th , Cowboys 26th). So it was easy to play defense against those teams, and repeatedly get them off the field quickly, resulting in lots of possessions for the Saints.
This ain’t that type of party. The Eagles are the 8th ranked rushing team in the league, and RB Saquon Barkley is the #5 runner. So we can mix it up, work the clock, and not hand a bundle of quick possessions to our opponent. So whatever else happens, the Saints won’t be scoring 40 points again this week. That streak has come to a end.
Winning this week, moves us to 2 – 1. Where we’d be sitting in the division standings doesn’t really matter, because it’s just Week 3. It would be nice to be at the top, but if we’re in second place heading into Week 4, big deal.
A loss, would mean another week of listening to my fellow Eagles fans whine.
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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 Saints.
1) Win the Line Of Scrimmage: I said this last week and we let Atlanta’s zone blockers off the line too easily. Part of the problem was with our interior defensive linemen lining up across from their offensive linemen, instead of across from gaps.
This week we need DT’sJordan Davis andJalen Carter to put their helmets in the “A” gaps; and let the Saints release into their blocks for cheap and easy penetration. Don’t try to delay their blockers. Instead, defend the space he’s vacated, and right there, should be a confused RB.
2) Set the Edges: These last couple of weeks have featured no DE’s setting the edge, vs the run. They line up angled in, and then crash inside, allowing the Tackles to close the gap to the Guard. This creates the clusters that we keep seeing our pass rushers in.
We need for DE Bryce Huff and OLB Josh Sweat, to make their first step up the field instead of inside. This is to keep those Tackles wide of the Guard, and give the DT’s room to work. We can’t make our four man rush effective, if all four guys are clumping themselves into one area, and almost blocking themselves.
3) Go To Goedert: The Saints defense is full of players who like to “shoot their gun” and their players been given the green light to do so. Their aggression is evidenced by their last two games, and the number of guys they already have on their injury report. This is perfect for us!
Again, we’re the #8 team in rushing. The Saints will be looking to shut that down. So, play-action passes to TE Dallas Goedert, will make their players slow down to read more. That takes them out of the comfort zone that they’ve had these last two weeks. It makes them function not at their best.
4) Don’t Settle for Early Field Goals: Many fans complained about the Eagles going for a 4th down, instead of taking a field goal early in the Atlanta game. Not me. It was the 100% right thing to do. The Saints can move the ball. Explosively. We do not want to get into a match where we’re trading field goals for touchdowns, while we don’t have the services of WR A.J. Brown.
I hope to see Head Coach Nick Siriannimake the same call this week, if presented with the same choice. To hell with early field goals. You saw what happened to Dallas. If it’s in the first half, if we’re inside their 30, on 4th and 3 or less, just go for it. Don’t think, just go. If it’s the second half, that’s different. Then you weigh the situation.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
We fans complained during the preseason. We said this team, (running a new offensive scheme and a new defensive scheme), needed shakedown time in live situations. We were worried that the players wouldn’t be on the same page. Well, we were right! So let’s stop being mad over what we all saw coming, two months ago. Let that shit go..
This week, Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio, said he was sticking with Bryce Huff as his starter at DE. Of course he is! If Huff’s contract didn’t dictate that, then the fact that he needs time to learn how to be starter, absolutely does. He was a situational rusher with the Jets. Now he has to read situations and manage his energy. He has to make the mistakes, before they can be corrected.
Offensively, I’m not too worried about the Birds. We can run the ball, and WR DeVonta Smithhas stepped up. He needs more help than WR Britain Covey can provide, which is why I brought up Goedert. That said, QB Jalen Hurts needs to get WR Jahan Dotson, more than one target per game. Starting this Sunday.
****
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.
LOST in the Wild Card round, 11 – 6, second in the NFC East, 25.5 pspg / 25.2 papg
The Eagles ripped out the gate to a 10 – 0 start. However, they aand may of us writers, never quite seemed comfortable, because the Eagles allowed the games to be more difficult than they should have been. Then the wheels fell of, the team utterly collapsed, and no explanation has yet to be given. (Good. I wouldn’t want to hear it anyway.)
The Eagles responded by replacing the offensive and defensive coordinators. They also allowed General Manager Howie Roseman, to go all Tanya Harding on the entire city of New York, by taking RB Barkley from one team, and trading OLB Hasson Reddick to the other.
OFFENSE:
QB Jalen Hurts
QB: Jalen Hurts experienced a little problem with turnovers last year. Whether it was an anomaly, or it’s because teams have figured him out, remains to be seen. He still has trouble punishing the blitz, but his 99 touchdowns in three seasons as a starter (despite four missed games) makes you wonder what he could be, if he fixed that glaring flaw.
Kenny Pickett has plenty of arm talent and moxie. Half of his 12 career wins, are comeback victories. Which is a heck of a feat, given the lack of protection he was working with in Pittsburgh. Tanner McKee is a big, strong, tough player, and his teammates like playing for him. He is however, the definition of a pocket passer. (+)
RB: Saquon Barkley. Seeing how good he’s been with trash players and coaching surrounding him, only makes you wonder how good he can be now. However, it’s him being over 230 pounds that most excites me. No knock on all-time leading rusher LeSean McCoy, but the Eagles have had a lot of success here, with guys 220 pounds and up.
Kenneth Gainwell is a man without a real role. He isn’t special at anything. Will Shipley is a 4th round rookie, who seems like a big effort, hard nosed type. Neither backup is built to be an NFC East style workhorse. Which raises the question of: Who carries the load if Barkley gets hurt? Barkley is a great starter to have, but the depth is a question. (+)
TE: Given some of the other names on this team, it can be too easy to overlook Dallas Goedert. However, even as a third option, he’s been quietly putting up around 600 yards per season, for the last five seasons. There doesn’t seem to be a plan for third year man, Grant Calcaterra, as his blocking never wowed anyone. Again, this is a case of excellent starter, no real depth. With just two active, the position is also thin. (-)
WR: A.J. Brownis flat-out uncoverable. Hands, speed, size, vertical leap, route running… He owns every tool in the hardware store. On the opposite sideline, is DeVonta Smith, who puts on a clinic with every route that he runs. He posted a 72% catch rate last year. As a BOUNDARY receiver, with over 100 targets. Those are star receiver numbers, and he’s the #2.
Jahan Dotsonwas traded for, to give the Eagles a legit slot receiver and real depth. Rookie 6th rounder Johnny Wilsonis the #4 receiver. He’s 6’6” 228 pounds, but he has slow feet for this position. Having played at 245, if his blocking improves, a position switch might suit him. Britain Covey is primarily a return man. (+)
LT Jordan Mialata
OT: LT Jordan Mialatahas become a team captain. It still feels a little premature to call him ‘elite’, but his name does keep coming up in the national conversation. RT Lane Johnson is elite. There is no media outlet that refers to him, without calling him a future Hall Of Famer, somewhere in the conversation. It can be debated who the best OT in the league is, but there is no debate that the Eagles have the best starting pair.
LT Fred Johnsonhas been with the team since last year, and even saw a little bit of action. While RT Darian Kinnard played a lot during the preseason, you could tell he was a lock to make the team. I think coaches just wanted to be sure he was really as good a he seemed out there. (+)
OG: While LG Landon Dickersondoesn’t get the credit, he’s the real reason that the Brotherly Shove works as well as it does, as consistently as it does. As if to acknowledge this, the Eagles low-key made a point of giving him a four year extension, in March.
At the RG position is Mekhi Becton. He was a 2020, #11 overall draft pick, who the Jets had at RT, until he suffered two right knee injuries. At 6’7” 363 pounds, he’s an absolute monster of a man. So instead of playing him at RT, the Eagles chose to kick him inside, where he can wrestle with opponents in a phonebooth. He was good enough in camp to take the starting spot.
Tyler Steen is the second year man, who was supposed to start. Until Becton came along. I wasn’t big on Steen last year, but word is he’s improved noticeably. Rookie Trevor Keegan was selected in the 5th round this season. Not much is expected of him yet. (+)
C: Cam “Beef” Jurgensis taking over for the retired future Hall Of Famer Jason Kelce. Jurgens has 28 career starts at G, although the pivot is his natural spot. Not only did Kelce helped hand-pick Jurgens in the 2022 Draft, he mentored him. Groomed him to be a ready when the moment comes. This is that moment. Oh and there is no back-up. (+)
In A Nutshell: This roster is so stacked it’s ridiculous. And there may be even more help on the way.
DEFENSE:
DE: Brandon Graham is returning for his 15th and final ride, with the only NFL roster that was ever lucky enough, to have him grace it. He’s no longer a starter, but his snaps are impactful, as he plays the position classically. By which I mean, he plays the run on the way to the pass. Most modern players at this position, just play pass first, and so often fail to contain the edge.
Free agent Bryce Huff, comes over from the Jets, and will likely be the starter that Graham rotates with. He didn’t start a game last year and still led that team with 10 sacks. So of course, instead of starting him, the Jets let him walk. (+)
DT: I won’t keep you in suspense. The Eagles are literally SIX players deep at this position. Every guy here could start on a team somewhere in this league. Jordan Davis is a mountain of a man and the centerpiece of the Defensive Line. By his own admission he wore down in 2023, and has dedicated himself to his conditioning in 2024. Stay tuned. Jalen Carter grabbed 6 sacks and finished in second place for rookie of the year, last year. Milton Williams is a tweener, who gets moved around, to create and enhance mismatches along the line.
Moro Ojomo has made plenty of noise in preseason games. Now it’s time to translate that to games that count. Byron Young was a 3rd rounder last year, but was a victim of a 2024 numbers crunch in Las Vegas. Thomas Booker was an End in Houston last year. All three of these guys are tweeners, in that they’re Big End/high motor Nickel Tackle, types. Too much depth here. (+)
OLB: Josh Sweaton paper, changes position from DE, but in no way will that change how the Eagles utilize him. He gets lots of pressure and hits on passers (23 in 2023). The Eagles are just trying find a way to turn those into sacks (just 6.5 last year.) Nolan Smithwas supposed to be a steal in the 1st round of last year’s Draft, but he can’t produce from the sideline.
Jalyx Hunt is a 3rd round rookie, who had no business still being on the board when the Eagles got there. Patrick Johnson’s value lies in his flexibility (LB/DE), and his Special Teams play. While Eagles have parts here, getting production from them has proven to be challenge. (-)
ILB: Free Agent Devin White came over from Tampa. His resume shows that he can be a playmaker, but with most Eagles starters playing no preseason snaps, it’s impossible to judge how he fits. Zach Baun comes over from New Orleans, having been a spot starter and situational player. When the Eagles go to their 5 – 2 alignment, these two head the depth chart.
Nakobe Dean has so far not panned out as planned, but this new defensive coaching staff, seems excited about him. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. will initially get stuck on Special Teams, but his heads-up style of play, suggests that coaches will find defensive snaps for him. Oren Burks was a late preseason acquisition who has starting experience, and has made some plays. Ben VanSumeren is a born Special Teamer.
The position is stable and solid up top. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that the free agents we added, are stunting the growth of the young guys we have (who seem to have more upside), by keeping them off the field. (+)
S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (CJGJ) intercepts a pass
S: C.J. Gardner-Johnson returns, after a year in Detroit that he’d probably like to forget. His 2022 season here, saw him lead the NFL in interceptions and play in the Super Bowl. He’s back to get a taste of that again. Reed Blankenship isn’t a burner, but he possesses pretty much any other trait you’d want at this position. If the communication between these two is good, the middle of the field will be a dangerous place to venture.
Rookie 2nd rounder Cooper DeJean, fist best at this position. Yes, the coaches love his schematic flexibility, but ultimately, player play best where they play best. Tristin McCollumwas a longshot to make this roster, but here he is. (+)
CB:Darius “Big Play” Slaydoesn’t get the respect that he deserves. Even playing in a heavy cushion cover scheme, he’s picked off 8 passes in three seasons. Isaiah Rodgers was brought in a year ago while on suspension. We have yet to see him play. Quinyon Mitchell is a 1st rounder from this year. While he’s well thought of, he’s still a rookie. There’s an education coming.
Kelee Ringo is a big guy, who plays with an aggression and swagger that will either make him a star pr run him out of the league eventually. Eli Ricks is another tall one, who made a few clutch plays as a reserve in 2023. Fact is, Slay is great, but there’s no way to vouch for the other side yet. (-)
In A Nutshell: This unit should be strong down the middle. The edges of the defense is where the question marks are.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
LS: Rick Lovato notched 3 tackles and forced a fumble, in 2023. (+)
P: Braden Mann posted a punt average of 49.8, and a net of 43.8. Both of which were career bests for him. (+)
K: Jake “The Make” Elliottmade a career-high 93.8% of his field goals, and even made 7 of 8 from 50 or more. (+)
In A Nutshell: The Eagles have long understood the battle of hidden yardage, and it continues to show.
BOTTOM LINE:
This is team went on a 10 – 0 start last year, while never looking like a dominant team. I personally am getting the vibe that they won’t get out to a long undefeated streak, but they will absolutely land on a few teams this year.
As for 2024: A record of 12 – 5 seems to fit like Cinderella’s glass slipper. Let’s go with that.
FINALLY! Eagles football will be played again, for real stakes. After Head Coach Nick Sirianni decided to not play the starters at all in the preseason, we’re finally getting a look at our team. I wish it weren’t in Brazil, but right now I just want FOOTBALL!
A win means that we don’t start the year in the bottom of our division. There! There’s the motivation.
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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 Packers
1) Establish the Inside Run:Getting RB Saquon Barkleygoing early, between the Tackles. It sets a tone, and later will draw their safeties into the box. Once that happens, it opens up the deep passing game for QB Jalen Hurts to pile on points, and salt away the game.
2) Take Away the Run:The Packers interior o-line averages 310 pounds. Get DT Jordan Davisand DT Jalen Carter into the ‘A’-gaps, pinch the C, and clog up the run. Shift the game solely onto their young QB’s shoulders. Speed up his internal clock, and let him make mistakes, as he tries to force the ball to his mid-level (at best) receivers.
3) Drive A Dotson:Adding WR Jahan Dotson should make our offense corrosive to even the best defenses. This is where we need Dotson to do his thing, and to step-up, as a complement to WR A.J. Brown and WR DeVonta Smith. Good slot play will also loosen the box for our run game.
4) Mix It Up: If we’re going to play off-coverage, we need to at least sprinkle in some aggressive man. We can’t keep telegraphing our coverages and expecting opposing QB’s to be too stupid to figure it out.
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
I just want them to get out to a fast start. I want to see the Eagles do something this year that they didn’t do even once last year. I want them to blow a team out.
****
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 useFour 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.
WITH the 14 – 13 win over the Patriots, we moved to 2 – 0 and locked in a winning preseason. We capitalized on a couple of key turnovers, one changing the momentum of the game, and the other sealing the win. This week we go against a Vikings team whose starting QB is a turnover machine. If he doesn’t play, then it should be even easier to take the ball away.
Usually going undefeated in the preseason is a fool’s errand. Teams that chase it to “set a winning tone” often do it at great cost. Costs like, playing their starters more than their opponents; game-planning vs a team that didn’t; exposing their playbook too early, etc. In short, they run greater injury risk, and tip their hand.
They miss out on getting deep looks at their rosters, to make the best choices when building depth, in a sport where injuries are inevitable. Thee teams frequently compromise their ability to win real games, in pursuit of false wins. We however, went a different route.
The Eagles won both games essentially without playing our starters. Even let our back-ups play their way out of a hole, in that second game. There can be no better test of depth than that. Grit isn’t usually something you see in a preseason game, but our second and third stringers showed quite a bit of it, in two down-to-the-wire games.
A win here would have no bearing on anything, but it would be nice to get.
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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 Vikings
Offensive Co-ordinator Kellen Moore
1) Starters Must Play: Particularly with the addition of WR Jahan Dotsonvia trade yesterday. He’s had no opportunity to acclimate to QB Jalen Hurts, and we don’t have another preseason game or inter-team practice, until 2025. So give Dotson one or two simple things to do, and let him and Hurts have a couple of series to experiment with it.
We also need to let our starting Offensive Line get its feet wet, with C Cam Jurgens running the pivot, during real action. If there are any wrinkles to iron out, finding it out now, is better than finding it out in Brazil.
2) Offensive Line Must Deliver: Aside from keeping the QB upright, we need to see the interior run game come alive. We need holes, not creases. We need the line of scrimmage moved forward, before the RB hits that hole.
3) Make A Defensive Statement: We need a sack from a starting defensive lineman. So far we’ve done nothing to communicate to the rest of the NFL, that their QB’s aren’t safe against us. That needs to change this week.
4) No Key Contributors Play the Second Half: Playing the starters and key back-ups for three series is great. It’s even ideal. That said, they shouldn’t play an entire half; and under NO circumstances should they play a single down, after the half. They shouldn’t even leave the locker room with pads on.
Injuries are not on a schedule. They don’t happen after X number of snaps. However, the more snaps played, the greater the risk. So let’s not take on too much risk. Besides, winning this game with starters is meaningless. So don’t even attempt it.
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
Mostly what we want from this game is a little practice, and to get out of it mostly healthy. If we cando those two things, then even if we lose 0 – 99, it’ll still be a productive game.
Just a couple more notes on the O-Line. C Jason Kelce was undersized for the position. It’s why he spent the first half of his career getting handled. Then Offensive Line coachJeff Stoutland shows up, and teaches Kelce how to use his gifts, so he can offset being smallish. The result is, five years from now Kelce will be putting on a gold jacket.
Jurgens is similar in build and athleticism to Kelce, but I think he might be a little stronger than Kelce was early on. I’m interested to see if Jurgens will also be a finesse player, or if he’ll bring a little more of the hammer to his game.
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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 forFour Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.
LAST weeks thrilling victory over the Ravens, featured an impressive game from our young defensive backs. Given that this week’s opponent doesn’t have a top tier QB, I would expect that trend to continue in this game.
If we can win this game, great. The focus however, should be on getting a good look at the roster, and getting a sense of what needs tightening up, before Week One. Besides, now that we have one preseason win, I don’t care if we win another one or not. Just so long as we didn’t go 0 – 3.
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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 the game. Except in preseason. These games are just tune-ups. So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on tuning up, this week versus the: Patriots
Head Coach Nick Sirianni and QB Jalen Hurts.
1) Starters Must Play:The last time our starters played, we were blown out and utterly humiliated in front of the nation, 9 – 32. That finish got two coordinators fired, and many thought the head coach should have followed them. We jumped out to a 10 – 0 record, and still didn’t win the division. I tell you, we collapsed! This Eagles team has nothing to rest on their laurels about. Get the starters out there!
2) Stop the Inside Run:We seemed to get gashed inside, during the early part of last weeks game. The overall game numbers looked okay, but most games won’t come down to our third stringers vs theirs. How our starters handle other starters will decide most games. So we need to be sharp there.
I won’t get into specifics about how we should attack, because I have no idea who will play or how much. (For either side.) What I will say is, I need to see more from ILB Zach Baun this week. If he’s going to be a starter, he can’t watch as much football as he did last week. If he does, LB’s Nakobe Dean andJeremiah Trotter Jr., should see reps.
3) Open Up the Offense:Last week’s Dink-And-Dunk-athon led to no turnovers and a win. Alright! Go Birds! That said, it also made it hard to score, since every scoring drive was 150 plays long. Taking a few downfield shots helps loosen the box, for the run game. It’d be nice to see a couple ofcompletions over 20 yards in the air.
4) Show Up:The Patriots as a team, are not as talented as we are. That’s not even debatable. I just don’t want our guys to come out and play down to them. I don’t care about the win or loss, but if we play how were supposed to, this is a double digit win.
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
They might have no interest in doing these things. There may be other things the coaching staff wants to get a look at. So just enjoy the game.
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Prediction: EAGLES 24 – Patriots 10
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, you are 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.
PLEASE do not watch this preseason game trying to discern whether the Eagles “fixed” what was wrong last year. Nothing you see in this game, will indicate that. Especially since Head Coach Nick Siriannidoesn’t like to play starters much in the preseason.
What you should be looking for, is how different ‘Motion’ will make the Offense look. What you should be looking for, is how each of our MLB’s performs. What you should be looking for, is Big Dom.
A win or a loss is meaningless this week. What matters, is how hard guys play. What matters, is if they’re upset with mistakes. At this point in the year, passion should hang in the air so heavy, that you could scoop it by the handful. How bad do we want it, at the outset?
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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 the game. Except in preseason. These games are just tune-ups. So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on tuning up, this week versus the Ravens:
From 2023, Jason Kelce imparting some wisdom to Cam Jurgens
1) Running the Ball Inside: Teams already disrespect QB Jalen Hurts, by throwing the sort of blitzes at him, that only rookies usually see. To relieve pressure on him, we have to be able to run. With the retirement of C Jason Kelce, we need to immediately establish that opponents must respect C Cam Jurgens.
What that means, is a few early runs between the C and one of the G’s. Real runs, not theBrotherly Shove. Hell, we shouldn’t even attempt one of those this week. It’d be nice to see rookie RB Kendall Milton get a couple of early totes, against better players.
2) Stopping the Run: As last season ended, it seemed like our Defensive Line had worn down, as they kept losing ground at the point of attack. They didn’t even occupy blocks to free up our LB’s, and allow them to flow to the play. It became hard to watch. With the retirement of DT Fletcher Cox, guys like DT Jordan Davis must show improvement.
DT’s Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter are the future.
In this regard, Baltimore is probably the stiffest test the NFL can throw at us. They are the absolute best test we hope for. Given that we see them again in Week 13, it would also be a huge confidence boost, if we can contain, or even stop their run game.
3) Dynamic Slot Play:Adding a good Slot WR to this Offense, would make it corrosive to even the best defenses. This is where another WR needs to step-up, as a complement to WRA.J. Brown and WR Devonta Smith. A good Slot will also loosen the box for our run game.
I think WR Britain Covey is already a lock at WR5 as a KR/PR. So between the DJax-like speed of WR John Ross, and the 6’6” frame of WR Johnny Wilson, those are the two candidates that I hope become our WR’s 3 and 4. In the event of an injury, WR Austin Watkins needs a long look here.
4) Contested Routes: It’s not enough for our Secondary to make tackles after completions. It’s not enough to contest a completion, late in the receiver’s route. We need for our Defensive Backs to be running with their receiver for most of, if not the entire route.
Playing off-coverage, and letting receivers quickly get to their spots, lets the opposing QB get the ball out of his hand, fast. This retards the pass rush, and then everyone blames the Defensive Line for not getting sacks. We need to make QB’s search for openings, and in the process, hold that ball longer.
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then they will be sowing seeds for massive success this season. We need to see indications on the field, that they have turned the page from whatever ailed them at the end of last season. These Four Things would make that case beyond the shadow of a doubt!
On a personal note, I’m sure well see some WR Screens, but I don’t want to see one on 4th and 12 again! I will absolutely lose my shit, if that happens. Regardless of if we convert or not. I’m looking forward to seeing this new look Offense; but with us moving to basically a 3-4 Defense, I’m a little less enthused about this side of the ball.
But we’ll see.
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Prediction: EAGLES 13 – Ravens 27
Why: Road game and the Eagles will be playing to evaluate, not really to win.
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, you are 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.
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 Triggermen
DALLAS: Dak Prescott started every game last year and went 12 – 5 in the process. His 36 touchdown passes led the NFL last year, contrasted against just 9 picks. Many would call it a bounce back year, but I said last year, that the media was over-blowing the 15 picks he threw in 2022.
Judging his abilities, and not weighing any pieces around him, Prescott can make every NFL throw, and has the experience to diagnose coverages. He doesn’t have dangerous mobility, but he can get himself out of most trouble, and make a play here and there. His arm however, doesn’t always react to his eyes in real-time, resulting in picks that seem like head scratchers.
Cooper Rush will someday own a bar, where his regulars extrapolate his limited career stats, into a HOF career “if only he got to play more”. He’s a cerebral back-up, with a mid-level arm. Two season’s ago vs the Eagles, he missed his only shot at stardom.
Now, Rush will be making room for Trey Lance, who is trying to resurrect his career, after just two years as a pro. Lance is seen as a reclamation project with high upside; and with Dallas electing to not extend Prescott, Lance could end up becoming the Cowboys starter in 2025.
NEW YORK: It’s been said that when he’s healed from his 2023 ACL tear, that Daniel Jones is the starter. His entire tenure as a giant, has been a dumpster fire that keeps re-igniting itself. BUT, he’s a personal favorite of the owner. He played 6 games last year, lost five and ended the season on I.R. (Injured Reserve), for the second time in his short career.
QB Daniel Jones on an 80 yard run, being tackled by the grass.
In five seasons, he’s thrown 20+ touchdowns, just once (24 as a rookie). His remaining 48 career scoring strikes, are spread out over four years! (Read that last sentence again.) His mobility and moxie helps him make plays with his legs, but it’s also costing him chunks of seasons. If his mobility is any way diminished, he becomes a statue who’s passing is an outright liability.
If not for Jones’s bloated and over-guaranteed contract, Tommy DeVito would probably open up this season as the guy. He plays like a guy who’s trying to get noticed and earn something. Which is more than can be said for a quarter of the players in the league. But again, Jones’s 40M per year contract, cannot be ignored.
At the third string, somehow, Drew Lock is still drawing NFL paychecks. What his role is expected to be, is anybody’s guess. If the idea was to sign a veteran player, the giants nailed it. If they were hoping for a special player that they could turn into a project… Swing and a miss! So much mediocrity here.
PHILADELPHIA:Jalen Hurts started every game last season, went 11 – 6, threw for career-highs in both yardage (3858), and TD’s (23). He also rushed for a career-high 15 scores. Yet, it was easy to see, that he regressed badly last year. Did I mention that he also threw a career-high 15 interceptions? I didn’t? My bad. He also threw a career-high 15 interceptions.
Some of that is likely due to a lingering lower leg injury that he suffered early last season. It robbed him of his explosiveness as a runner. So opponents stopped regarding his running as dangerous, and played to limit his passing options. His reads and inability to handle the blitz (as 3rd year starter!) were exposed, and the Eagles Achilles Heel became front page news.
Kenny Pickett was recently added, via a trade with the Steelers. He was the 20th overall pick in the 2022 Draft, but nothing in his pro game, says that he should have been. From everything I’ve seen so far, he looks like an average QB. A very average QB. Tanner McKee is the third stringer, at the moment.
WASHINGTON: At this moment in time, this position has only two quarterbacks and Jake Fromm, on the Commanders roster. The best one of them, is Marcus Mariota; and he doesn’t even have a picture on the roster page of their website.
So yeah. The level of that team’s commitment to him, is apparent. The other placeholders are the oft traveled Jake Driskel, and Fromm, who hasn’t been on an active roster since 2021.
This is it! No joke. If the season started tomorrow, this is their QB room. So you can bet your ass, that this team is drafting a QB on the 25th of April. If he turns out to suck, the NFL might be morally obligated to black-out Washington’s games, until a messiah is born unto them. This is bad. I cannot recall seeing a worse QB situation, and that includes the expansion teams.
SO WHO’S THE BEST?
Right now, the nod has to go to DALLAS. Their starter has a clear command of his system, his weapons, and the same Offensive Coordinator as last year. Hurts is close, but he going to have a new OC, and his inability to handle the blitz is an outright liability. Until he shows that he’s gotten that problem solved, Hurts can’t be said to be elite, or even possess all the tools of a pro.
Dallas also has a proven back-up who can win them games. That gives them the deepest QB room going into 2024. In addition to that, they may have their next long-term starting QB already on the roster. The Eagles might also claim this, but Pickett doesn’t have nearly Lance’s upside.
Note:With all the speculation immediately following the game, I wanted to hang back a day or two, before putting my take out there. What’s the point of being one more voice yelling, right? Instead, I chose to step back a bit, then mosey up, once I didn’t have to raise my voice to be heard.
Drive Killer: NA (TD: /Int: / FR: / 4th down stops: / FF: )
Sack Leader: DE Brandon Graham (Sacks:1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 3) *3TFL
Special Teams Ace: NA
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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: BUCCANEERSdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Run To Set-up the Pass:Considering that Hurts dislocated a finger on his passing hand just a week ago, the smart money was on the team leaning on the run in this game. At the half, Swift had 4 carries for 16 yards.
Was our passing game helping us score points at a blistering pace? No. We had 9 points at the half. Then we of course, made no adjustments after the half. Which of course, resulted in us scoring 9 fewer points, in the second half. Maybe you are wondering why we didn’t run the ball, like we did when we beat this team a few months ago.
Well, Head Coach Nick Sirianni figured, if running the ball was the obvious thing to do, then of course he shouldn’t run the ball, thereby taking his opponents by surprise. But his opponents would expect him to deduce that, so of course he should run the ball. Ah ha! Laughable that they would think that he’d fall for such an amateurish ploy! So instead, Coach Nick poisoned all of our cups. And Tampa watched as we all died. Brilliant. (NOT DONE)
2) Get the Ball Out Quickly: The idea (again) was to help the QB with the injured finger. Here’s a copy and pasted excerpt from Four Things : Give him some short routes, especially over the middle, where he can take advantage of a blitzer. The Buccaneers like to blitz S Antoine Winfield Jr., and they need to be made to pay for that.
Instead, the plan was to hold the ball forever, in the face of the blitz, and try to force deep passes to a VERY covered Devonta Smith. And shit kiddies, sometimes it even worked!
This isn’t a real stat, but to Eagles fans, it sure as hell FEELS like it is.
Other times, the plan was to rely on a play that hasn’t worked all season: The WR Screen. Everyone look under your chair! WR Screens for everyone!!! You get a Screen! And you get a Screen! And you get a Screen! And Devonta already covered in the backfield? He gets a Screen too! See my forehead? Yeah, put the bullet right here. Right the fuck here! (NOT DONE)
3) Challenge the Throws:The idea was for the Secondary to contest throws, but you have to be somewhere in the zip code of the receiver, or not running into each other, to contest passes.
In this game (and for the last month), this Secondary has convinced me that a group of blind kindergarteners, couldn’t possibly be worse at covering NFL receivers. And it just kept getting worse and worse! Luckily, the season has ended. Because at this rate of decline, I am abjectly terrified to find out what they’d look like, in another two weeks. (NOT DONE)
4) Box the MLB: Keeping the MLB in the box, instead of dropping him into a shallow zone, would force the Bucs to assign a blocker to him, which wouldn’t allow them to double team a defensive lineman. Today instead of LB Nick Morrow (10 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) playing the middle, LB Zach Cunningham(9 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) took over those duties.
Early on, seeing Cunningham in the box made me feel great. Then an offensive lineman sauntered out to block him, and Cunningham stuck to that block like Velcro. (Aw, noice!) We were frequently gashed vs the run early, but the front seven seemed to settle things down somewhat later in the game.
Also, to his credit, Cunningham did get his hands on two passes over the middle, nearly intercepting one of them. (DONE)
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So this week we completed just 1 of the Four Things, as the score indicates. Next stop, the Hefty bags outside of our lockers.
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WR Devonta Smith on a 56 yard catch and run
Game Hero: Devonta Smith – The young man balled out. Using his killer route running, he still put up nearly a buck fifty, despite the opposing secondary keying on him, as our only downfield threat. Anyone wondering if he could be #1 WR, just had that question resoundingly answered. If this team had a legit Slot who worked the middle of the field, this Offense would break scoreboards.
Game goat: The coaching staff – The shitty gameplan was bad enough, but not making adjustments after the half is unforgivable. Anyway you cut it, we’re getting new coordinators. The only question is, are we also getting a new coach? We’d be stupid to fire Sirianni, but then again, I said it was stupid to fire Doug Pederson.
On The Whole:
At no point did some of our players look fired up about playing in this game. For many of our players, this game was the first opportunity towards “unfinished business”. However, for guys who weren’t here last year, and who came from teams with cultures of failure, the stakes were not the same for them. That motivation simply didn’t exist.
There was also an air of tightness about the team. (Has been for weeks now.) The play, the play-calling… All of it seemed less geared towards succeeding, and more geared towards not failing. The trust was gone. The energy was gone. The joy was gone. Football is a hard sport to win when one of those is missing, but it’s impossible to win when all three are.
Picking on individual aspects of this loss, is a pointless endeavor. Especially since many of the failings will change with new personnel. I however, need to discuss the Eagles inability to handle the blitz, and the Secondary’s inability to play defense.
Jalen Hurts is in his fourth year as a professional, and his third as a starter. Despite that, the kind of blitzes that the Bucs threw at him, are the kind that teams throw at rookies. And Hurst responded like one, with rushed throw aways, and backing up extra steps, from the Shotgun.
QB Jalen Hurts under pressure.
His inability to punish a blitz, comes down to one of two possibilities. The first is, perhaps our coaches aren’t allowing him the freedom to change even a single route, upon recognition of a possible blitz. The second possibility is, Hurts simply isn’t smart enough to read, process, and adjust to increased pressure. Only one of those can be fixed with coaching. The other says the Eagles need to draft a 1st round QB.
As for the Secondary, coverage, tackle angles, tackle execution, all of it. These are the things they get paid to do. None of them are paid to run city government, or build spacecraft, or handle spin control for Kanye West. And yet, to a man, no one was doing what they get paid to do out there.
CB James Bradberry getting beaten like a drum. Again!
Easy knee-jerk response is “Cut ‘em!”. With guys on one year deals? Sure! See ya! Bye! However, not everyone’s contract will allow for that, without putting the Eagles on the hook for dead money, on par with that of a rebuilding team. So we have to tread lightly here. Weakening ourselves, is strengthening our division rivals.
