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FOUR THINGS: WK 15: EAGLES – RAIDERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/12/11
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Preview. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

ON Monday night we saw a resurgence of our run game, and our Defense collected seven sacks and two turnovers. There were some (ahem) other difficulties, but those are not characteristic of who we are; so it doesn’t bear worrying about at this point. This is a game for us to build on our strengths, and on the fixes we’ve made.

Our next opponent, the Raiders, are pretty damned awful at everything, on both sides of the ball. All the problems Eagles fans are imagining that we have, the Raiders actually do have. They are already officially, mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, and their players are now auditioning for jobs in 2026.

With a win we move to 9 – 5 and stop a three game skid. Our hold on the top spot in the division would also remain at 1.5 games over the team in second place.

A loss drops us down to 8 – 6. We’d still be on top of the division for the moment.

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The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the RAIDERS.

DT Jordan Davis is tied for the lead on the Eagles with 4.5 sacks

1) Try to Pick It: Fingers crossed that OLB Jalyx Hunt or DT Jordan Davis get their mitts on our former back-up, QB Kenny Pickett. This is our old pal’s first start of the year, vs an Eagles team he grew up rooting for and threw passes for, in the last Super Bowl. Butterflies are inevitable. His proud dad Ken, will almost certainly be in attendance.

Kill Kenny. Kill ‘im dead. Set the dogs on him. Get him flustered and running. He doesn’t have a guaranteed gig beyond this year, and if he doesn’t play well, it could be years before he sees meaningful snaps again. Put the pressure on him. Crack him. Break him. Also he’s been fairly easy to knock out of games. Beat on him.

2) Win On Third Down: With a back-up QB out there, and offensive line that sucks as badly as any in the sport, the Raiders aren’t likely to go for many 4th downs. So take care of business on third downs.

3) Fewer Comeback Routes: On every interception that QB Jalen Hurts threw on Monday night, the receiver was working back to the QB, and there was a defender sitting on the route. If that doesn’t demonstrate a high level of predictability, I don’t know how else to communicate it.

These routes (Curls, Hitches, Comebacks, et al), are part of of every team’s system, so we aren’t going to eliminate them from the playbook completely. However, if we could just go ahead and call fewer of them, and never have them run side by side, that’d be great. M’kay? Yeeeeah.

4) Second Half Run Game: We have to stop abandoning the run in the second half. That’s when it’s more dangerous, because it stacks fatigue in defenders, and eats up clock. It also keeps teams from teeing off on the QB. If we can get 12 hand-offs in the second half, we should be able to end our skid.

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

Last game we went 4 for 4 and lost, because FIVE turnovers is too much for almost anyone to overcome. (I’m sure it’s been done in the history of the NFL, but it’s far from the norm.) That said, if we’re us, and we nail this list, we should be golden.

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WARNING: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know FOOTBALL and that’s it. If you use Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.

Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 11: Lions

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/11/17
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, report, Reviews, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

EAGLES bat down Lions.

EAGLES 16 – Lions 9

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (14/28 – 50.0% – 135 – 0 – 0)

Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (26 – 83 – 3.1 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (11 – 7 – 49 – 7.0 – 0)

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

Sack Leader: OLB Jaelan Phillips (Sacks: 1.0/ FF:0 / Tackles: 5)

Special Teams Ace: K Jake Elliott 3/3 FG, 1/1 XP vs 35mph wind gusts

****

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

LB’s Zack Baun and Jihaad Campbell take down the Lions RB

1) Play the Run First: Since the game never got out of hand, we had to stay in this mode for the entire contest. In the end, we gave up just 74 rushing yards on the night, with no Lions player reaching 40. While we did successfully pass rush situationally, there never came a point where we could just pin our ears back and go. (DONE)

2) Gotta Feed the Dawgs: We did not get the 3 sacks that I set as a benchmark. Instead, we had to settle for just 2. We kept their QB’s feet moving, had him throwing off platform, and he even shared a pass with us. That however, had to do with a tipped pass by DT Jordan Davis (1 tackle) who would tip 3 passes in this game, with DT Jalen Carter (5 tackles) adding 2 of his own. We did a lot, but two isn’t three. (NOT DONE)

3) Use Our Wide Receivers: This one is a little murky. Between WR’s DeVonta Smith (5 – 1 – 8 – 8.0 – 0) and Brown, we didn’t hit the benchmark of 12 catches between them. However, it was a very windy night, and the Eagles ran the ball 40 times vs 28 pass attempts. It seems smarter that we didn’t try to get this one. (NOT DONE)

4) Run Hurts More: Hurts ran the ball 10 times for just 31 yards, but twice he picked up first downs on 12 yard runs. His running was far more decisive than it’s been most of this season. I do have one tiny gripe about it though: It wasn’t mixed into early drives quite enough. (DONE)

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This week’s Four Things score was 2 of 4. Next week, the best team in the NFC heads down to Texas to get the other half of this Cowboys sweep.

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Game Hero: Defensive Co-ordinator Vic Fangio – The Lions offense came into this game second in the NFL in scoring, with 31 points per week. Fangio came up with a concept that neutralized the Lions weapons, and kept them off-balance, all game. Also, getting players to buy into the little things, was huge!

Watching LB Nakobe Dean (3 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) on a surgically repaired knee, covering the speedy Lions players; or DT’s repeatedly getting their hands up to deflect passes; or committing to run containment, before pass rushing. Our Defense was amazing, largely because of how selflessly they played. That’s credit to Fangio.

Game goat: Offensive Co-ordinator Kevin Patullo – This was another game filled with questionable play-calling. The running from Shotgun. The WR bunch formations. Throwing on first down when backed up against our own endzone! Throwing passes to WR’s behind the line of scrimmage… I’m exhausted talking about this guy.

The only thing that I think got him off the hook this week, was Lions head coach Dan Campbell committing outright coaching malpractice, by deciding to try to convert FIVE fourth downs, and rolling snake-eyes each time. His desire to be seen as a tough guy, followed by how often he tears up at press conferences, really makes me wonder if he doesn’t need serious counseling for something.

On The Whole: The Lions came here talking shit about wanting a fight, and seeing this game as a measuring stick, and having circled the game, and yadda yadda blab blah blah. But by the second quarter, we had their QB screaming:

Again, we faced another so-called NFC contender, and ground them under our boot heel, while the world screamed about how “troubled” we are. Surely with all of our internal turmoil, we would fall apart and be easily vanquished, right? Right? WRONG! This was yet another example of the mantra “Everyone can beat the Eagles, until it’s time to beat the Eagles.”

Offensively we looked terribly out of sync, but at no point did we trail, or give the impression of not being in control. Again, that did have something to do with their head coach’s inability to learn; but it also points to a poise and resiliency within our team, that other teams just don’t possess.

We’re 8 – 2 Eagles fans. We’re number one in the conference. Enjoy this moment.

FOUR THINGS: WK 10: EAGLES – PACKERS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RB Saqoun Barkley with a 12 yard scoring run.

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

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

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

DT’s Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter.

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

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

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

****

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

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

LB Zach Baun with a sack

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

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

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WARNING: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know FOOTBALL and that’s it. If you use Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.

Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.

FOUR THINGS: WK 4: EAGLES – BUCCANEERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/09/26
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Preview. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

 

COMING back during the “Silencing of the Rams” last week, the Eagles showed the entire league; that even if they’re an undefeated team, with a 19 point lead, your ass ain’t safe! This team is going to fight for four quarters. As made evident by DT Jordan Davis blocking a field goal, and returning it 61 yards for a touchdown, to ice the game.

The Buccaneers have had to comeback in each of their three wins, against opponents with a combined record of 1 – 8. Last week they were up 23 – 6 over the Jets, and ended up having to comeback and win it 29 – 27. The Eagles are a much stiffer test than that. When we get a lead: We keep it.

A win over the Buccaneers makes us a perfect 4 – 0. That would be good enough to be at least tied for top record in the NFC. It would also be the cannibalization of a second consecutive, undefeated, conference opponent.

A loss would leave us at 3 – 1, and falling a step behind in the race for home-field advantage.

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The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Buccaneers

1) Feed the Dawgs: Last time we saw this team, we were without WR A.J. Brown, WR DeVonta Smith, and RT Lane Johnson. While RB Saquon Barkley started, RB Kenny Gainwell had to play nearly half the game in his place. The Buccaneers jumped out to a 24 – 0 lead, but that game still ended 16 – 33, with our back-ups getting as close as 16 – 30.

Whole different monster this Sunday. Time to feed the dawgs! Time to get the ball to our big players! Time to let ‘em eat! If we’re going to provide room for Barkley to run, then Smith and Brown need to see at least seven targets each.

2) Set the Edges: Their QB likes to run. Keep him and any RB’s in the Tackle Box, where our hitters can get clean killshots on them in the hole. This is going to be a hot, and humid game. So drive up the frustration, and beat fatigue into them. Take away the required energy for them to stage late heroics.

3) Keep Their Receivers Wide: Clean releases to the inside have to be minimized to give our Safeties room to jump passes. The Buccaneer’s QB is willing to share the football, but you have to bait his natural arrogance, first. Challenge him to dot the sideline and then cut off his access. Especially from an unsettled platform.

4) Blitz the Blitz: We need QB Jalen Hurts to punish the blitz. The Buccaneers SLB is Haason Reddick. On a blitz, we all know that Reddick ain’t covering. So when Reddick rushes in, anyone lined up in front of him, will have a open release along the hash. Unless a Safety picks them up… meaning one-on-one on the outside.

We need Hurts to see that, and hit that quickly. We’re going to continue to see these quick blitzes and loaded boxes until he starts to change the narrative, that he’s susceptible to them.

****

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

Managing the heat is going to be important. The heat itself, the moisture loss, possible cramping. Seems like job for pickle juice. It’s already proven it’s worth to this franchise during the Pickle Juice Game.

Back in 2000, we beat the brakes off the Cowboys 41 – 14 (in their own home) because we were better prepared for the 109 degree temperature. In fact, temperatures on the field were in excess of 120 degrees. Their players were folding like origami, while we chugged along, mostly by chugging pickle juice.

Athlete Josh Mansour drinks a shot of pickle juice during a National Rugby League match in 2017

If we can somewhat even the environmental odds, then we can just let the better roster and better coaching staff, decide the outcome of this 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 for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 3: Rams

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/09/22
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Reviews, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment
The game was put on QB Jalen Hurts shoulders and the Eagles are 3 – 0

THE Thrilla in South Phila!

EAGLES 33 – Rams 26

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EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (21/32 – 65.6% – 226 – 3 – 0)

Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (18 – 46 – 2.6 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (10 – 6 – 109 – 18.1 – 1)

Drive Killer: DT Jordan Davis (TD: 1/Int: 0/ FR: 1/ 4th down stops: 1/ FF: 0)

Sack Leader: DT Jordan Davis (Sacks: 1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 5)

Special Teams Ace: DT Jordan Davis 1FG Block, recovery, scoop and score

****

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

1) Pound the Rock: In the first half, Saquon Barkley had 7 carries for 13 yards (1.8ypc). We didn’t do enough to establish the inside run, and the passes to Saquon, behind the Line of Scrimmage, only served to keep defenders close to the line. We doubled down on beating ourselves here.

WR A.J. Brown breaking the fuck out of a tackle

Things opened up in the second half, as Jalen Hurts just started winging the ball to A.J. Brown, which opened up the box, just enough for Saquon to be legitimate threat on his remaining 11 carries for 33 yards (3.0ypc). If we’d come out with this mindset, there would have never been a 19 point hole to climb out of. (NOT DONE)

2) Make Their QB Run: Right off the bat, I’ll say that we didn’t do this. However, we might have either, just spoiled the Rams entire season, by exposing a tell to their future opponents; or set ourselves up to beat them again in the playoffs.

QB Matt Stafford (19/33 – 57.5% – 196 – 2 – 1) when facing pressure, more often elected to throw off his back foot, or not step into a throw, instead of scramble. The result was that more than a few of his passes were uncharacteristically high or long, of their target. That could be useful information if we face them in the playoffs. (NOT DONE)

3) Involve Goedert Early: It wasn’t until the third quarter when TE Dallas Goedert (2 – 1 – 33 – 33.0 – 1) saw a target. It was an easy 33 yard strike for a touchdown. Right down the hash. He only saw two targets on the day. Not having to cover him, kept the box loaded and neutered our run game. Great job, Kevin! (NOT DONE)

4) Let’s Safety Dance: It was a relatively quiet day for rookie S Andrew Mukuba (3 tackles) who spent much of the day in deep coverage, because CB Adoree Jackson (5 tackles) is a liability. After he went out with an injury, CB Jakorian Bennett (5 tackles) took over as the guy who allows completions. (DONE)

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This week’s Four Things score was 1 of 4. Which is exactly how we ended up being down 7 – 26 in the third quarter. The thing is, we’re a team that can push past adversity, and the Rams are a team that unravels when they get punched in the mouth. That won’t be the case next week. Next on the docket are the Buccaneers, and they seem to thrive on getting punched in the mouth. Worse yet, they’ve had our number as of recently.

(Fun Fact: We played away at the Bucs on 9/28/24 and it was 88 degrees. This year we play away at the Bucs on 9/29/25. As of now, the weather forecast calls for 88 degrees.)

****

DT Jordan Davis didn’t just block this field goal, he damned near caught it.

Game Hero: DT Jordan Davis – Our only sack. A fourth down Tackle For Loss. A field goal block to win the game. The scoop and score after the block, was just icing on the cake and a reward for me having started the Eagles DST in my fantasy football league. (If I win tomorrow, Davis’s TD will be a key reason why.)

All game long, the Rams K was getting credit for knuckle-balling his kickoffs, so that they would dribble along the ground, making it hard for our returners to corral them. What I think happened, was too much of the his kickoff mechanics, found their way into his field goal mechanics. Hence the low trajectory and two blocks.

Game goat: Offensive Co-ordinator Kevin Patullo – He called the first half of game like he doesn’t know who his players are. Once the decision was made to let our QB throw down the field, the entire game changed complexion. Which proves that the only thing missing initially, was his will to threaten our opponent.

Listen, when Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniels is fired, I would love to see him added to this staff as a “consultant” or whatever, and transitioned to OC in 2026. His head coaching run in Miami was so disastrous, that it’ll be years before he gets another nibble. So we’d get to keep an offensive innovator for multiple years.

On The Whole: Once LB Zack Baun (7 – 0.0 – 1 – 0) intercepted Stafford on the Rams first drive, and we scored a touchdown off of it, I just knew that we were about to blowout the Rams. And then, all four of our frickin’ wheels fell off the car.

The Rams beat us deep for six (getting the extra point), and then we surrendered four field goals, while being shutout of the second quarter. At the half it was 7 – 19. After the half, we fumbled our first possession, and the Rams added another touchdown. Now we were down 7 – 26. A deficit of 19 points.

As a teen, I read that a final difference of 20 points, is a blowout. I have used that metric as a guideline for over thirty years now. It’s why I never said that we blew the Chiefs out, in the Super Bowl. Today however, we were in danger of being blown out at home.

WR DeVonta Smith catches the game winning touchdown.

Then, as if flipping a switch, Jalen Hurts threw Geodert a touchdown. The Rams punted, and Hurts throws Brown a touchdown. Suddenly were down by five points. They go out on downs. We go out on downs. Then DT Jalen Carter (3 tackles) blocks a FG! Are you serious!? Hurts throws WR DeVonta Smith (9 – 8 – 60 – 7.5 – 1) a touchdown, and for the first time since the first quarter, we have the lead!

We go for two, and miss it. Our lead is one point, and the Rams have ball.

The Rams only need a field goal and have 1:48 to get it. They play to ensure that our Offense will not see the ball again. With three seconds left in the game, the Rams attempt a 44 yard field goal.

IT’S BLOCKED! The Eagles have w- Wait! Did Jordan Davis recover the football! He did! He’s running with it! There’s a convoy behind him! Look at the big man go, look at- Oh my god, he’s going to score! There are no flags! HE’S IN THE ENDZONE!

DT Jordan Davis returns a field goal that he blocked and recovered, 61 yards for a touchdown

This game was one for the books. But it still doesn’t get Patullo off the hook! Mike McDaniels in Philadelphia? Think about it.

FOUR THINGS: WK 1: EAGLES – COWBOYS

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

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

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

At least at first.

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

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

****

The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Cowboys.

WR DeVonta Smith goes for 6!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

****

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

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

****

WARNING: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know FOOTBALL and that’s it. If you use Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.

Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP : Commanders

Posted by The BEAST on 2025/01/27
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC Championship, NFC East, Offense, Players, playoffs, Rivals, Special Teams, stats, Super Bowl. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

 

PHILADELPHIA is going to the Super Bowl.

EAGLES 55 – Commanders 23

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (20/28 – 71.4% – 246 – 1 – 0 / 10 – 16 – 1.6 – 3 – 0)

Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (15 – 118 – 7.8 – 3 – 0)

Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (8 – 6 – 96 – 16.0 – 1)

Drive Killer: MLB Zack Baun (TD: 0/Int: 0/ FR: 1/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 1)

Sack Leader: OLB Nolan Smith (Sacks: 1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 4)

Special Teams Ace: RB Will Shipley KR: 3 – 87 – 29.3 – 0 (36L)) / KC: FF/ Rush: (4 – 77 – 19.2 – 1 – 0)

****

I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these Four Things articles. It’s to point out what we need to address BEFORE the game. Then AFTER the game, there’s a no-bullshit assessment of whether or not the Eagles did any of what they needed to do, to ensure the win.

So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: COMMANDERS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

RB Saquon Barkley rips a 60 yard TD run on the Eagles first offensive play. LB’s Bobby Wagner and Frankie Luvu are reminded of why teams keep letting them walk.

1) Torment Single-high Coverage: We didn’t take advantage or refine many opportunities to do this at all. Many of our passes thrown, absolutely challenged one-on-one coverage of the outsides; but many of those were out-breaking routes that started from bunch formations.

We have to find ways to capitalize on loaded boxes, designed to slow down our run game. One of those would be to play with few WR bunches. The earlier Hurts can identify an open man, the faster he can get the ball out. (NOT DONE)

2) Limit the Scrambling: The Commanders QB finished the game with 48 rushing yards, but he only ran the ball 6 times in this game. In the prior two games he ran 16 and 13 times respectively. While he didn’t have a bunch of yards in any of the games, those runs help extend plays and mine opportunities for big plays.

We limited his chances to run and in that way made him play straight-up. The result was that he looked like a rookie who couldn’t match the pace of the game. (DONE)

3) Muddy the Coverage: We did an excellent job of this, especially in the first half. They got a single big passing play on a 36 yard catch and run, but most of what their QB Jayden Daniels (29/48 – 60.4 – 255 – 1 – 1) was forced into, was dumping off to his security blanket, TE Zach Ertz (16 – 11 – 104 – 9.4 – 0).

Just to illustrate how limited we kept Daniels, Ertz saw a full one-third of his QB’s attempts. Once we took away Daniels legs as an x-factor, it exposed how limited his supporting cast was, forced him to read more, and form there the hunt was on. (DONE)

4) Goedert As Hot Read: This one makes me grumble a bit, because instead of discussing general use of TE Dallas Goedert (8 – 7 – 85 – 12.4 – 0), I got hung up on discussing his third down use. While the Eagles put him to excellent use today, most of it was not as a receiver on third down. So we used him like an outlet, but not on the specific down that I wrote about. We did this, but it’s a technical: (NOT DONE)

++++

This week’s Four Things score was 2 of 4, but it we did enough to post a blowout.

Now we get a week’s rest, and then we travel down to the Big Easy, for a Super Bowl win that won’t be. Bring on the challenge. Our guys wouldn’t have it any other way.

****

LG Landon Dickerson started the game at C, but had to leave with a knee injury. But he kept rooting for his guys!

Game Hero: The Offensive Line – The hidden story of the day is 29 rushes for 229 yards (6.3ypc) and 7 rushing touchdowns. That’s not a typo. We ran for SEVEN MOTHERFUCKING TOUCHDOWNS, in one game. And we did it behind a line featuring two injured Centers, tag-teaming the spot.

Game goat: K Jake Elliott (0/1 FG 7/7/XP) – I’m going to go with Elliott here, despite the fact that I didn’t care about the 54 yard field goal miss. Part of that has to do with the fact, that he’s been ass from 50+ this year; but I also wasn’t feeling the vibe in that moment. We’d unraveled on that drive, and were essentially hoping that a struggling guy might save us. So when he missed, it almost seemed like what needed to happen.

On The Whole: The 55 points that we put up in this game were the most point EVER put up in a Conference Championship Game, NFC or AFC. The Eagles own that record. Period. We scored 8 touchdowns in this game. All on Offense.

I made it clear in Four Things, that I wasn’t the least bit worried about Washington, and now you see why. We collected three Defensive turnovers, and one on Special Teams (by a RB who also ran for 77 yards and TD), along with ending two drives on unconverted fourth downs. One being a sack by Nolan Smith.

DT Jordan Davis makes his presence felt during a sack.

How bad was this blowout? If you doubled Washington’s score, and spotted them an extra touchdown and a two point conversion, they would have still lost by a point. So spare me all of that “Super Rookie” garbage. We just dragged his team’s face across stucco, in front of the nation, and he was helpless to stop it. Because what can one man do, against a superior team of superior men? The scoreboard is the answer.

And now onto New Orleans, to add to this poster.

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 15: Steelers

Posted by The BEAST on 2024/12/17
Posted in: breakdown, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, playoffs, Reviews, Roster, Special Teams, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

OUR green monster, rages on.

 

EAGLES 27 – Steelers 13

 

EAGLES STATS:

Passing: QB Jalen Hurts (25/32– 78.1% – 290 – 2 – 0)

Rushing: RB Saquon Barkley (19 – 65 – 3.4 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: WR A.J. Brown (11 – 8 – 110 – 13.7 – 1)

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

Sack Leader: OLB Nolan Smith (Sacks: 1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 3)

Special Teams Ace: K Jake Elliott 2/2 FG 3/3 XP

****

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

1) Run Behind Becton: The Eagles didn’t run much behind RG Mekhi Becton, but that’s fine, because we weren’t finding much success there anyway. Man, did I swing and miss with this one! (NOT DONE)

2) More Big Fella: I mentioned how we’ve been running DT Jalen Carter (2 tackles) into the ground, with the number and percentage of snaps that we play him. This week he still had a high percentage (91), but his number of actual snaps were low (39), well under his average of 52 per game.

DT Milton Williams, DT Jordan Davis and S Reed Blankenship, stop by to say “hi”

My suggestion for getting Carter rest, was playing DT Jordan Davis (1 tackle) for at least 40% of the snaps in this game. Well at 18 snaps, that put Davis at 42% for the first time since our loss at Tampa Bay. The result was a Steelers team that ran the ball 17 times for 56 yards (3.2ypc), and a fumble. Some more of this please! (DONE)

CB Darius Slay recovers a fumble

3) Set the Edges: The Steelers repeatedly tried to get to the edge with their rushing attempts. Unfortunately for them, all they found out there, were Eagles jerseys and fumbles. Again, we gave up just 56 rushing yards for the WHOLE game! To the STEELERS! And this is a good Steelers team. They came in 10 – 3, leading their division! Yet we absolutely punked and bullied that team up front. (DONE)

4) Punish Their Single-high Coverage: Hurts made a point of punishing the Steelers when they were in this coverage. He sprinkled five deep shots throughout the game, completing three. The best one was the first one. A 22 yard strike to TE Grant Calcaterra (1 – 1 – 22 – 22.0 – 0), that set the tone for our Offense.

The Eagles managed SIX passing plays of of 20 or more yards, due to a few balls that were completed just beyond the box area. Allowing us to still take advantage of their coverage, since defenders were not in place to to cover, because they were playing the run. The result was not one, but TWO 100 yard WR’s. Good stuff! (DONE)

++++

This week’s Four Things score was 3 of 4, and the score reflects it. Especially on Defense. We’re going to need some of that mojo when Washington shows up on Sunday. The keys we used to beat them a few weeks ago, won’t work this time. We’ll need a whole new plan.

****

Game Hero: Jalen Hurts – Accounting for 335 yards (290 passing, 45 rushing) and 3 scores (2 passing, 1 rushing), counts as carrying your team to victory. In recent weeks Hurts hasn’t really been driving the car. He’s been a passenger seat navigator. Not driving, but consistently contributing.

This week Hurts was asked to drive again. To his credit, he made it clear that despite his obvious and seemingly non-evolving flaws, he’s still one of the NFL’s more dangerous weapons.

Game goat: Special Teams Co-ordinator Michael Clay – Why on Earth, is CB Cooper DeJean (1 tackle) out there returning punts (3 – 23 – 9.6 – 0)!? As a regular defender, he has no business wearing a bull’s eye on a kick return of any sort.

Understand, this isn’t me lamenting the fumble that he lost. I don’t blame him for doing poorly, in a position that he should never have been placed in. His straight line speed is fine, but he is NOT elusive at the NFL level. Playing DeJean at PR is just an attempt to get him killed. And I 100% blame Clay for this.

On The Whole:

This week however, while national media wanted to try to make a story out of the players, I think the real story, was the offensive coaching staff feeling put on the spot by their own players. So this game was given a passing motif, as much to send a message to their own players, as any fan or pundit, or upcoming opponent.

Much will be made about the great job that we’re doing on Defense, and deservedly so. However, the offensive coaching staff just put the league on notice. The point was made against yet another physical, playoff caliber team, that the Eagles can hurt you any way we chose.

What’s more, when we have you torn and bleeding at the end of a 10 minute drive, with first and goal inside the 10… We can take a knee and mercy kill you. Folks, our Eagles team IS the monster under the bed. And we are 100% real.

FOUR THINGS: WK 15: EAGLES – STEELERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2024/12/14
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, playoffs, X's and O's. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

LAST week we clinched a playoff spot. It wasn’t our best showing, but we didn’t panic, or point fingers. We just stayed at it, got the “W”, and then set-up to get this next one. This week’s opponent doesn’t have any glaring or obvious weaknesses. That means our stars like QB Jalen Hurts, RB Saquon Barkley, WR A.J. Brown; as well as DT Jalen Carter, LB Zack Baun, and CB Darius “Big Play” Slay, are going to have to keep the troops focused and in the moment.

A win gets us to 12 – 2. Couple that with a Washington loss to New Orleans, and we would clinch the division. However, if Washington also wins, then we have to hold the confetti.

A loss would hold us to 11 – 3. It would also add significance to the upcoming row of division games for us.

****

The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Steelers

RG Mekhi Becton celebrates RB Saquon Barkley’s TD run.

1) Run Behind Becton: The Steelers list themselves as a 3-4, but often present as a 4-3 with OLB T.J. Watt playing as a DE. Doesn’t matter what it is, or what it looks like. We need to beat on it. If they want to line-up a 250 pound LB directly across from our 320 pound RT Lane Johnson, we should run the ball that way.

What does that have to do with RG Mekhi Becton? If we run tosses and pitches behind Johnson, Watt gets to use speed to go around Johnson. However, if the runs go behind Becton, Watt has to put himself in Johnson’s cross-hairs to help make a tackle. Let Lane spend the day beating on a man 70 pounds smaller, to reduce his impact on the game.

2) More Big Fella: We’ve been running Jalen Carter into the ground. Against Washington, he played 100% of the 66 snaps. Since then it’s been 54 (84%), 71 (99%), and 64 (90%) vs Carolina. Most of this is vs double teams. If we want him to have anything left for the playoffs, we need to start subbing him out more.

On the flip-side, DT Jordan Davis hasn’t played 40% of snaps in any game, since our loss to Tampa. If he were 34 years old, I’d get it. But he’s a 24 year old, first round pick, in his third year. He can’t be productive on the bench, playing just 3 in every 10 snaps.

DT Jordan Davis runs over a Carr (QB Derek in N.O.)

What does any of that have to do with the Steelers specifically? They’re a physical, running team. Especially in a week where their number one WR will either be out with an injury, or not quite his actual self. Davis’s 6’6 frame and long arms, will also create vision issues for the Steelers 5’10” QB. Use this!

3) Set the Edges: We’ve been pretty bad at this lately, and have allowed 108 rushing yards to QB’s in the last two games. We have too much speed on the outside for this to be happening. The problem is that, our DE’s aren’t setting the edges. They are instead crashing down, and then being easily blocked out of the plays.

Playing the run on the way to the QB. That’s an old piece of NFL wisdom, and this is where we really miss DE Brandon Graham. Our younger Edge guys don’t do this. Instead, they strictly hunt QB’s, overrun the play, give up contain, and allow QB’s to improvise and rescue plays. This needs to stop.

4) Punish Their Single-high Coverage: Single-high means one S in deep middle coverage splitting the field into left and right halves. The other S will be playing close to, or in the box. What that means is, at least one WR will be in true one-on-one, vs this coverage. If that deep S declares that he’s leaning left or right, the read is to go deep the opposite way.

We can’t of course do this every time they come out in Single-high, but we can go to ths well more than just once or twice. And we should.

WR A.J. Brown had THREE touchdown catches in this 2022 game

****

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

I expect a better more focused Eagles team than we saw last week. While I don’t think the players were looking past the Panthers, I firmly believe that they didn’t really get “up” for them either. This is different. This is bragging rights, vs a playoff caliber opponent, while defending home turf.

This is also an opportunity to change the narrative from media click-bait, to serious discussions about this team’s role in this year’s playoffs. Last time we faced the Steelers, the Eagles needed to make statement to the world. Two years later and here we are again.

****

WARNING: I don’t have the faintest clue as to what a point spread is, and I know even less about how it works. I know FOOTBALL and that’s it. If you use Four Things as a gambling tool, then you are a fool trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.

Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how this game went.

FOUR THINGS: WK 13: EAGLES – RAVENS

Posted by The BEAST on 2024/11/30
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, playoffs. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

THAT Rams game was a statement win. Despite missing WR DeVonta Smith (hamstring), the Eagles still scored nearly 40 points, while rushing for over 300 yards, and even got 100 yards and a TD from WR A.J. Brown.

If we get Smith back, we just might end up terrorizing this week’s opponent, as they are the second worst pass defense in the entire league. Their problem isn’t a lack of talent or experience. It’s a fatal flaw built into the very structure of their defensive philosophy, and it has reared it’s head in each of their four losses.

This is a measuring stick game. This game will tell us that we are either ready for a deep playoff run; or it will tell us what needs tightening up, before the playoffs start. Win or lose, we needed a game like this.

A win raises us to 10 – 2, and ensures that we will hold the division lead, at least until our Week 16 re-match with Washington.

A loss would stall us at 9 – 3. We would however, still enjoy a 2 game in-division cushion over Washington.

****

The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. Often I list fundamentals, as some of the four things. BUT NO MORE! Unless something specific is needed, fundamentals like Running the ball; playing lots of Man Press; and Tackling instead of going for the strip, will be automatically included. (Like the five consonants and a vowel that Wheel Of Fortune automatically spots you.) So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week versus: the Ravens

1) Control the Tackle Box: We have to make sure that two keys happen against the Ravens offensive line. The first key, is not allowing the middle of our Defensive Line to get blown off the Line of Scrimmage. With DT Jalen Carter getting double-teamed a lot, we’re going to need DT Jordan Davis to blow up a couple of inside runs.

The second key, is setting the edge. This will also help contain QB scrambles, and any Jet Sweep action. Setting the edge is where we are going to miss DE Brandon Graham (I.R.), the most. If we do both of those things, we’ll congest the running lanes and make it harder for them on the ground.

2) Unleash Goedert: The Ravens play a 3 – 4 defense, and their primary pass rush comes from their OLB’s. It’s a fatal flaw built into the very structure of the Raven’s philosophy of defense. That plays right into the Kerrigan Plan (if don’t know what that is already, click that link), and TE Dallas Goedert is exactly the man to execute that plan.

For a TE to be disruptive to the Ravens, he doesn’t need a bunch of yards or catches. He just needs to be important enough to the offense, that the Ravens have to pull an ILB to the outside, or keep a S over the TE. Either of these moves will weaken interior of the box. And you know what happens if the box is loose! Ohhh, say can you ‘quon…

Just get Goedert going early. He doesn’t need to finish the day with a ton of stats. We just need to force the Ravens to cover him. Or, if they choose not to, let him keep doing damage. We don’t need specific numbers from him, but you’ll recognize his impact if the interior run game looks good.

3) Keep Our Linebackers Clean: Tackling the Ravens RB will be a chore. Especially if he gets up a head of steam. Fortunately for us, he’s really big, at roughly 250 pounds. So he won’t fit through the smaller holes, and we can trap him in the trash on early downs, to help set up third and longs.

However, for those downs when he does see a decent hole, we need LB Nakobe Dean and LB Zack Baun to meet him in those holes. So blockers have to be kept off of them, so that they can see, and bring both arms cleanly to their tackle attempts. That might mean using more of the 5 – 2 alignment than we have been recently.

4) Take Deep Shots Early: To make Goedert more effective, and thereby open up the run, we need to get the ball downfield. That will clear space for the intermediate stuff. It’s not about making the catch (though it would be nice if we do). It’s about making the attempts. So don’t be bummed if a couple of early bombs don’t connect. Those passes are for stabilizing the Offense.

****

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

This game is a Test. This is to see if we are Conference Championship game material. While a road win over an 8 – 4 team, would strongly suggest that we are ready for a run; a loss (at this point in the season), doesn’t mean that we aren’t. It would just be pointing out the things we need to work on.

Understand, right now, as long as we don’t get blown out, either result is a good result, due to the caliber of our competition. Why pad our late season, with bottom-feeder wins? That’s what the Cowboys do, and what happens to them in the playoffs? Like clockwork, you can almost set your calendars to Dallas losing in the Divisional round. It should damned near be a holiday!

Look, let’s take this test, and dissect it afterwards. Win or lose. The goal is a parade in February, and this Sunday in December, is an important study tool in helping us to accomplish that.

****

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.