Categories include an EXCLUSIVE weekly Offensive Line Report (Rushing TD’s (6 points)+ 3rd downs converted by handoffs(1 point) + sacks allowed (-2 points)= score); as well as Drive Killer (Int – FR – 4th down Tackles – FF – TD).
New Category Ace is for Kick return TD’s, Returners run-down, kicks blocked, etc.
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: 49ers did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Set Hard Edges: Set the edges and don’t fall for the misdirection stuff they like to do. The idea was not to shutdown the run, just make it unreliable. The idea was to make them one dimensional, and force them to pass. The result was that we held them to 71 rushing yards on 24 carries (2.9ypc). So the run game was unreliable. We also made them one dimensional. Forcing them to pass…not so much. Still, this one is easy to mark as accomplished. (DONE)
After Haason chopped, it wasn’t Purdy.
2) Pick Purdy: Once we took away the run game, we were supposed to force Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy (4/4 – 100.0% – 23 – 0 – 0) to beat us. But we knocked him out of the game pretty early, with an elbow injury that rendered him basically unable to throw. Then we knocked his back-up out of the game, forcing Purdy who was unable to throw, back into the game.
DT Ndaukong Suh knocks QB Josh Johnson out of the game
With them being unable to throw at all, all Purdy could do was hand it off, into the teeth of our predatory Defense. It was like feeding sheep to lions. I almost felt bad for them. Then I remembered them dressing the Rocky statue, and Jesus said “Fuck them dudes.”(DONE)
3) Run the Ball: We didn’t shatter any yardage records but we had an effective day on the ground (42 – 150 – 3.5 – 4 – 0) Gainwell once again led the team in yardage, but once again RB Miles Sanders (11 – 42 – 3.8 – 2 – 0) was were the load was really carried. Sanders was the early hammer, with Gainwell and Boston Scott (6 – 21 – 3.5 – 1 – 0) helping to salt the game away.
RB Miles Sanders hits paydirt. (Maybe literally.)
With drives of 13, 20,16, and 9 yards, our running gave our Defense time to catch their breath. As a result they were able to attack with reckless abandon. Much of this win has to be attributed to our ability to hold the ball for 37 minutes vs the 49ers 22. (DONE)
4) Throw It Deep: There were a few attempts over 20 yards, but the only one that went for yardage (the 29 yarder to Smith) wasn’t really a catch. Otherwise, Hurts was out of sync and very off target in this one. I suspected that the coaching staff had him on a pitch count last week. This week confirmed it.
The coaching staff was trying to protect Hurts still tender throwing shoulder. We were able to get away with it this week. (NOT DONE)
****
This week we did3 of the Four Things, and the resulting blowout punched our ticket to Super Bowl LVII (57 for Millennials). There we’ll meet up with Head Coach Andy Reid(after a Bye) and QB Patrick Mahomes.
****
On The Whole:
All week long, people talked like this game was evenly matched. I said plainly that it wasn’t. If this game were a boxing match, they’d have thrown the towel after we bounced Mr. Irrelevant’s back-up from the game. All the talk was about how physical the game would be. How good the 49er defense was. How well that QB with respectable mobility, manages his offense.
Folks! We’d already played and won this game. Remember? Week 13, it ended 35 – 10 vs the Tennessee Titans. We played that one at home too. (And it also featured knocking a player out of the game.)
RT Lane Johnson held DE Nick Bosa to 4 tackles and nothing else.
Like the Titans, we found that the 49ers don’t take punches as well as they throw them. Once they became frustrated, they just mentally unraveled out there. They committed personal foul penalties like they were part of their game plan. As I said in Four Things, they got fat off of teams that harm themselves. We aren’t that team.
ABSOLUTE domination from start to finish last week. The national media spent last week hyping a hollow giants team, and we beat the numbers off their jerseys. This week’s opponent has grown fat off of teams that specialize in hurting themselves. This week they have the wrong opponent. In the wrong house. In front of the wrong crowd.
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts is going to show what it means to lead a team to victory, instead of just being along for the ride. Which is what’s happening on the 49ers sideline. I mean, could you imagine hyping a QB for playing like the best version of Daniel Jones?
The national media isn’t saying “Look at him make jaw-dropping play after play!” They’re saying “Oh look at how he doesn’t make huge mistakes!”Well, OLB Haason Reddick, DT Javon Hargrave, SS Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, CBDarius Slay, and others, are about to put that kid to the test. Context is on the way!
A win punches our ticket to Super Bowl LVII. While I cannot guarantee a win like I did last week, the odds of winning are HEAVILY in our favor. We are all but inevitable.
A loss cannot be entirely ruled out here. The chance exists that we don’t pull this one. Having acknowledged it however, the chance is pretty damned small.
****
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: 49ers
DT Fletcher Cox, is on the hunt
1) Set Hard Edges: The 9ers are a run-based offense that uses lots of misdirection to open holes. Stay disciplined, and don’t fall for the eye-candy. With the way they like to goof around in the backfield, if we don’t fall for the smoke and mirrors, their ball carrier is liable to run smack into a defender.
Have DE’s Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat establish hard boundaries on the ends of the offensive line, to either bottle runs up inside, or force them far outside where there’s no blocking. Understand, the idea isn’t to “shutdown” their run. (They’re too good for that.) The idea is to just make it unreliable, and destabilize their offense.
2) Pick Purdy:You’ve heard the expression “Pick your poison”. Here we should pick their rookie QB. Yep! Just force them to beat us with a seventh round, rookie QB, making his eighth start, on the road, in one of sport’s most hostile environments. Oh, I promised you context.
This kid’s wins? A bad Tampa Bay with no offensive line; Seattle’s 26th ranked defense; The Commanders; The Raiders 28th ranked defense; Arizona playing their 3rd string QB; Wild Card Seattle on the road; and Dallas last week. THIS is what all the hype has been about! So if I’m picking my poison, I’m picking that Purdy lil’ QB.
3) Run The Ball:Usually I mean hand-offs when I say this, but against this opponent, I mean anybody. While RB Miles Sanders should be our hammer early, RB’s Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott should each see at least 6 carries apiece, mostly in the second half.
Also, the 9ers defense is smallish upfront. The DE playing across from 365 pound LT Jordan Mailata, is only about 245. They don’t have a LB over 230. We need to physically wear them down, and then wear them out. It also bears mentioning that all four of their losses came against mobile QB’s. (Note: They didn’t face QB Kyler Murray at all this season.)
4) Throw It Deep: Do not allow their defense to dictate our attack. Two of their three CB’s are decidedly overrated. They all do a great job of taking away the quick stuff, but downfield, the Wards can be had.
They play a lot of Cover Three, but we should be able to short circuit that, with WR Quez Watkinsworking deep in the Slot. Even if they’re just dummy routes to hold the FS. With enough protection that’s a one-on-one down either sideline.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
There are a ton of surface indicators which make this game seem a lot more even, than it truly is. What people seem to be (deliberately) looking past, is context. As you know, I never look past context. Context is what makes facts come alive!
At times this season, when the kid has gotten into trouble, their coach has protected him by getting the ball out of his hands with either quick passes, or more running plays. If we take those away, he has to play big boy QB, which puts him right in DT Fletcher Cox’s cross-hairs.
****
Prediction: EAGLES 24 –49ers 15
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.
RB Kenneth Gainwell rips off 35 yard touchdown run on a day where he was also a giant killer
TOLD you we wouldn’t lose.
EAGLES 38 – giants 7
EAGLES STATS:
Categories include an EXCLUSIVE weekly Offensive Line Report (Rushing TD’s (6 points)+ 3rd downs converted by handoffs(1 point) + sacks allowed (-2 points)= score); as well as Drive Killer (Int – FR – 4th down Tackles – FF – TD).
New Category Ace is for Kick return TD’s, Returners run-down, kicks blocked, etc.
I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these Four Things articles. It’s to point out what we need to address BEFORE the game. Then AFTER the game, there’s a no-bullshit assessment of whether or not the Eagles did any of what they needed to do, to ensure the win.
So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: GIANTS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Feed Miles Sanders: Early on the Eagles made a point of feeding RB Miles Sanders (17 – 90 – 5.2 – 0 – 0), who led the team in carries. It wasn’t until the 4th drive that Philadelphia began using Sanders to impose our will on New York, but once we did, a tone was set, and then the volume was cranked way up.
We ran for 268 yards on those scrubs. Kenneth Gainwell led the team with 112 yards, but RB Boston Scott(6 – 32 – 5.3 – 1 – 0) also chipped in. Our run game allowed us to control the clock for 35:43 of the 60 minute contest. As a result our defense was well rested, and able to play fast and relentless. We used one side of the ball to enhance another. Excellent! (DONE)
2) Time for the Kerrigan Plan:Getting the ball to TE Dallas Goedert(5 – 5 – 58 – 11.6 – 1) worked like a charm! We were able to get it to him at will. Though we surely left some money on the table, the run game was too efficient to turn away from.
In the meantime, covering Goedert popped the giants defense open like a steamed clam. Since the run game kept chewing up real estate, there was no need to overdo things. That said, next week’s opponent won’t be getting much sleep this week.(DONE)
3) Set those edges HARD: We were a lot better about this in the middle of the game. We started slow and finished slow with this, but we did enough to make their run game unreliable, which was the entire point. (DONE)
4) You Shall Not Pass:Show everyone EXACTLY who QB Daniel Jones (15/27 – 55.5% – 135 – 0 – 1) really is. For weeks now, we’ve been hearing how awesome this awful QB is. The idea was to take away the run (CHECK!), put the game on his shoulders (CHECK!), and see just how great this overblown bust really is.
OLB Haason Reddick chops down QB Daniel Jones
We spent the game harassing him, and sacking him 5 times. He was not up to the pressure of the moment, and in no way resembled the QB who tore into a fraudulent Vikings team last week. See his numbers? See that final score?(DONE)
****
This week we hit ALL FOUR THINGS, and how! Next week some other poor sucker has to make the trip to Philadelphia for the NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, just to be put on a plane, and sent home to clean out their lockers. No clue who they’ll be, but with any luck it’ll be San Francisco.
****
On The Whole:
This game was worse than the 48 – 22 blowout from a few weeks ago. Not only was the point margin larger, but we dominated across the board. Anyone in the giants organization who doesn’t now see that the giants are years behind the Eagles, doesn’t have an opinion worth listening to.
DEFEATING the giants was enough to earn us the NFC East, the 1st seed in the NFC, and a bye week. Well apparently, sweeping them isn’t enough to convince their fans, nor the national sports media, that in this third match-up, they’re still thoroughly outclassed by us, this season.
We blew them out 48 – 22 in Week 14. They played their back-ups in Week 18, and the score was closer at 22 – 16. Because their second loss wasn’t as embarrassing, it has given their fans hope for a different result in these playoffs.
Understand, they have hope because no one is mentioning that we were up 19 – 0 in the third, realized that we had the NFC East in the bag, and started to pack it in.
No one mentions our injuries, or that we scarcely used some starters.
No one mentions how vanilla, how almost preseason level, our gameplan was.
Their fans ignore these things, so they can keep their playoff hopes on life support.
One of these teams won 14 games and swept the other. It’s high time we reminded these “giants”, of just who is who. As for their hopes, I can only say:
Winning sends us to the NFC Championship game.
There will be no losing.
****
The point of Four Thingsisn’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: giants.
1) Feed Miles Sanders:The Biggest difference between our 48 – 22 win and our 22 – 16 win was that in the blowout, we fed RB Miles Sanders early and set a tone for the game. He had a career high 144 rushing yards that day. (Read that last sentence one more time.) In the second game we sprinkled him in here and there. He never got a rhythm, and the Offense was lopsided. (For a few reasons to be fair.)
No pitch counts. No worrying about tomorrow. Feed him. Set a physical tone and use the run game to give our Defense enough of a breather between drives. The giants are going to want to control the clock with ball control. However, if we burn time from our side too, they won’t be able to stick with it, once we’re holding the lead.
2) Time for the Kerrigan Plan: For those who want a deeper explanation, details of the Kerrigan Plan are HERE. For other who just want me to nutshell it: The giants basically run a 5-2 scheme. So they can be exploited by certain routes. This is partly why RB Boston Scott has mangled that team during his career.
They giants make a point of occupying the TE with one ILB, so the RB has an easier time hitting holes and getting open. With Scott’s small stature, the remaining ILB has to be right when guessing where Scott will pop out of. (Like a high stress game of Whack-A-Mole.) The giants can be right on 8 carries, but it only takes being wrong once for this to happen:
3) Set those edges HARD: Funnel their RB’s back inside, toward waiting MLB T.J. Edwards. We’ve done it in both prior games, and it’s taken the teeth out of their run game both times. If it ain’t broke, LEAVE ‘LONE! LEAVE ‘LONE!
Also, QB Daniel Jones has become a very enthusiastic runner of the football over his last couple of games. Good for him! He really seems to have found his bliss. So yeah, we need to tone that down for him. Again, T.J. will be sitting back there. Being affectionate as always.
4) You Shall Not Pass: People have gotten carried away with the last couple of games by Daniel Jones. So the Eagles should remind everyone of exactly who he is. This is a man, who is in his best year as a pro, having thrown just 15 touchdowns in 16 games. (Folks, if I start talking about the double standard, my face will melt off.)
Meanwhile, the national media has the nerve to talk like the giants have a chance here. We managed to curb-stomp this guy in a game in which he didn’t even turn the ball over; and this is how they act?! Oh no, hell no! We are NOT running from this son-of-a-bitch! Take away the run game, and make this fraud play with his team draped across his shoulders.
****
If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
Nothing is an automatic. That’s why the games are played. Still, the Eagles are the far superior team, so this game should be feeding sheep to lions. The narrative that the giants have a chance, is entirely borne out of the final score from two weeks ago, and not how the game went.
Allow me to read from the Book of Eaglemaniacal and take you back:
Miles Sanders who played 45 snaps in the blowout, only played 29 in the second match-up. This was even though the Eagles coaches weren’t running QB Jalen Hurts. So our early ground game was practically nil. Despite that, our drives netted us a touchdown and four field goals, putting us up 19 – 0. That score again was 19 to crickets.
We needed to either win that game, or have the Dallas Cowboys lose, in order to clinch our division. A bit of scoreboard watching, revealed that Washington was already cooking Dallas. So of course, we mentally shrugged midway through the third quarter. We were up 19 – 0 and our actual competition, wasn’t even in the game we were playing. I seriously think if the lead hit 20, our starters would have been pulled.
Gambling with house money, with nothing to lose, the giants took chances with the ball, and let it all hang out. They finally got 3 points on the board with 50 seconds left in the third. Put bluntly: They didn’t check in, until we were already checking out. So their points were essentially scored in garbage time.
This, lads and lasses, is what has fools thinking the giants will leave Philadelphia with anything other than the scratches and bruises from our brooms.
****
Prediction: EAGLES 28– giants 13
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.
QB Jalen Hurts can only look on as we struggle past a rough patch vs the Saints
SEASON Reviews are usually done at the end of the season. A few are also done at the halfway mark. Starting in 2017, Eaglemaniacal.com began treating the season like a game, and breaking it into four quarters.
In 2021, the NFL expanded the season to 17 games, which makes for an uneven split. So this year (at least), these Quarterly Reports will come after games 5, 9, 13, and 17. (Ugh. I hate even looking at that format.)
Since football is a hard sport, we’ll take a hard look at where our team currently stands, in relation to where it started. Then we can discuss where it needs to go next.
STATUS: 14 – 3, NFC East Winner, NFC #1 Seed
[pic]
OPPONENTS:
(W ) Chicago 3 – 14
(L ) Dallas 12 – 5 (5th seed)
(L ) New Orleans 7 – 10
(W ) New York giants 9 – 7 (6th seed)
OVERVIEW:
When do our guys ever make it easy? Our Eagles made us sweat for it. Securing the top seed came all the way down to the last game of the year, due to two losses down the stretch. This was triggered by losing a flurry of key players to injury. In any case, instead of producing excuses, the Eagles produced the wins they needed. Our team didn’t choke when crunch time came around. They instead did what winners do. They reached down, and found the will to be the last one standing. Great practice. We’ll be needing it shortly.
GRADES:
QB: C / Jalen Hurts injured his throwing shoulder vs Chicago. He finished the game, but missed the next two. When he returned in the finale, he clearly wasn’t himself yet . Over the last quarter season, he’s thrown zero touchdowns vs three interceptions. He will exit the regular season with a 14 – 1 record as a starter this season.
Gardner Minshew(42/72 – 58.3% – 629 – 3 – 3) has been unfairly lambasted these last couple of weeks. He’s credited with 3 interceptions, but it’s a very misleading stat. While one was a fatal pick six vs the Saints, the two against the Cowboys were both, literally pulled out of the same receivers hands. In neither game did the coaching staff do much to support him with the run, yet he still managed 34 points against the Cowboys.
RB Miles Sanders laments a fumble as LT Jordan Mailata comforts him.
RB: D / Miles Sanders (55 – 201 – 3.6 – 0 – 2) has been used sparingly over these last four games, not just in terms of volume, but situationally. His touches in the red zone have all but disappeared.Kenneth Gainwell (22 – 57 – 2.5 – 0 – 0) and Boston Scott (11 – 60 – 5.4 – 1 – 0) have been underwhelming, save for Scott’s (9 – 54 – 6.0 – 1 – 0) game against the giants.
In full disclosure, over these last four games this position has suffered as much from coaching as anything else. No early touches to set a tone, or tire out opponents. Running a system set up for movement and a mobile QB, through a pocket passer with no threat of stressing a defense horizontally. My hope is that these games were red herrings regarding our tendencies.
TE: F / Dallas Goedert(16 – 12 – 158 – 13.1 – 0) came back from injury and has been working his way back into his role as the catalyst. Jack Stoll and Grant Calcaterra combined for a 6 yard catch, over the last four games, on just three targets.
WR: C / Devonta Smith(41 – 29 – 421 – 14.5 – 2) on almost any other team would be the guy teams game-planned to stop; but have you met A.J. Brown(43 – 23 – 476 – 20.6 – 1)? While he’s in no media conversation as the best receiver in football, he doesn’t seem to mind it. He just plays like he is. Keep in mind, the numbers you see here, are for just the LAST FOUR GAMES.
Quez Watkins (16 – 7 – 49 – 7.0 – 0) on the other hand, may have played his way out of Philadelphia. Turnovers have been an issue for him, and this quarter saw two balls ripped from his hands for interceptions, in the same game. And it was against DALLAS! Behind Brown and Smith, he has one of the cushiest Slot gigs in the sport, and hasn’t been able to capitalize on it, despite possessing elite speed, and having two coverage draws
Zach Pascal caught a ball for six yards vs the Cowboys, but is mostly a blocker and a decoy. The A.J. and Devonta Show has kept people from noticing that the rest of the Offense is faltering. Notice, only half of this position is producing. And did you do the math? This quarter: 60 catches, but just 3 TD’s. No more smoke and mirrors. This MUST BE addressed.
OT: C / LT Jordan Mialata once again didn’t miss a single snap out of 272 in the quarter. He was flagged just once for a hold, which was declined, in the win over the giants. RT Lane Johnsonwas Lane Johnson until he suffered a groin injury (torn adductor) vs Dallas. Filling in for him has been Jack Driscoll. He’s held his own, but speed rushes suggest that he could use chipping help, if we have to rely on him long term. Truthfully he’s a much better interior battler than edge guardian.
OG: C / Landon Dickerson has been hit for three penalties for 20 yards this quarter, including a couple of crushers while trailing the Saints by 10 points. Isaac Seumalo hasn’t missed a snap this quarter. He was flagged just once, but it was during a disastrous drive while trailing the Saints by 10. Our recent interior play would be good for most teams, but for this team, it’s below what’s expected based on what’s been previously delivered.
RG Isaac Seumalo ad C Jason Kelce open a crack, just wide enough for RB Boston Scott to shimmy through.
C: B / Jason Kelcehasn’t missed a single one of the 272 snaps during this quarter. He’s had a couple of questionable snaps, but his movement skills are still top tier, and his understanding of angles is honestly second to none in the game.
DE: B / Josh Sweat(10 – 3.5 – 1 – 0) was injured early in the loss vs the Saints, and missed the season finale. Still he managed to return an interception for a touchdown, and add enough sacks to push his total to 11 on the year. Brandon Graham (7 – 2.5 – 0 – 0) also brought his total to 11, posting double digit sacks for the first time in his career. His only start of the year was the season finale, in place of Sweat.
DE Josh Sweat with the pick six.
DT: A/ Fletcher Cox (6 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) finished the season strong, reintroducing himself to opposing passers. Javon Hargrave(14 – 3.0 – 0 – 0) ran his sack total up to 11, becoming one of four Eagles to post double digit sacks in one year. No other team has ever done that. This position is the engine of the Defense.
Milton Williams(9 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) also has 3 tackles for losses over the last three weeks, and plays the edge as well as the inside. Jordan Davis (4 – 0 – 0 – 0) has played in two games this quarter where he didn’t reach 10 snaps. He hasn’t played 20 snaps in a game since Week 6. So you have to wonder what the coaching staff has in mind for the first rounder, who’s been back from his leg injury since Week 13. We’ll have to keep an eye on this.
Linval Joseph (10 – 0 – 0 – 0) is block eater who has seen his snap percentage drop over the last quarter. There may not be much to it, but keep an eye on how much Davis gets to play going forward. Ndamukong Suh (4 – 0.5 – 0 – 0) has been plugging away inside, offering more disruption than Joseph.
OLB Haason Reddick with one of his two sacks in this game.
OLB: C / Haason Reddick(14 – 6.0 – 0 – 2) and throw in 4 tackles for losses this quarter! The 16 sacks he racked up this year, is his career-high. Kyzir White (31 – 1.0 – 0 0 – 0) gets in on stops, but it would be nice if he didn’t let so much of the action be dictated to him. Too often he makes tackles and not plays.
Nakobe Dean (no stats) saw just three defensive snaps this quarter. Three. Patrick Johnson (5 – 0 – 0 – 0) plays on the line more than he stands up, but seems mostly like a place holder in either instance. Coaches may laud his understanding of his role, but those same coaches will take that role, if another player makes two plays in his stead.
MLB: B / T.J. Edwards (44 – 0 – 0 – 0) posted 159 tackles this year, shattering the Eagles all-time record of 137 set just last year, by current Bronco, Alex Singleton. Edwards role in the Defense has definitely become more passive.
S: D / Marcus Epps(24 – 0 – 0 – 0) has just two passes knocked down this quarter, and just 6 this season and no turnovers, despite playing 1,096 snaps. More is needed here. Reed Blankenship (20 – 0 – 0 – 0) started two games and missed one with an injury. K’von Wallace(11 – 0 – 0 – 0) started in the win at Chicago, and recorded 9 stops. Over the last three games he saw just 12 defensive snaps. Chauncey Gardner Johnson(7 – 0 – 0 – 0) came back from injury and started the finale.
CB: D /Darius “Did He Play?” Slay (12 – 0 – 0 – 0) hasn’t produced a big play, since his deflection in Green Bay last quarter. What’s worse, opposing teams no longer fear targeting him. He hasn’t gotten his hands on a pass since Week 6. It would help to see him assert himself soon. James Bradberry (15 – 0 – 0 – 0) is also seeing more challenges, having no picks since Week 9.
Avonte Maddox(9 – 1.0 – 0 – 2) missed the last two games with a toe injury, and it’s unclear whether he’ll play or practice again this season. Josiah Scott (7 – 0 – 1 – 0) has spent this quarter being plucked, roasted and sauced as the Nickle. The job is simply too big for him.
LS: A /Rick Lovatoadded a tackle to no bad snaps.
P: C / Brett Kern (10 – 408 – 40.8 – 36.6 – 0) was brought in because Arryn Siposs was put on IR. Not a lot of distance, or hang-time, or pin-pointing with his punts; but he’s an aging, late season addition. How much could he possibly have left? Over the last 4 games there have been 5 returns for 42 yards (8.4). Fine under the circumstances, but it suggests a slight out-kicking of the coverage.
K: A / Jake Elliott (9/10 FG, 8/8 XP) has been super reliable. Even from 50+.
PR/KR: D/ Boston Scott (6 – 161 – 26.8 – 0) on Kick-off duty and WR Britain Covey (4 – 44 – 11.0 – 0)
SINCE LAST QUARTER:
After Chicago, the Eagles hit some major injury snags. As a result, we had some trouble securing the win needed to salt away the division and the NFC’s #1 seed. It took until the last game of the season, but it DID get done. While many have questioned the play they see on the field, I’ve had more questions about some of the coaching decisions.
I question the lack of commitment to the run game, during a stretch where the back-up QB had to start. I question a steady diet of off-coverage. I question the sparse use of Miles Sanders, while not elevating RB Trey Sermon from the practice. I question fans who swallow non-answers about these questions.
MISSION FOR THIS QUARTER:
We posted a conference (and league), best record of 14 – 3, which earned us a first round bye in these 2022 – 2023 playoffs. We get to flash our VIP pass, and cruise right past the (peasants) Wild Card round, and hop in at the Divisional level. That puts us one win away from the National Conference Championship, and two wins away from the Super Bowl itself. Once there, everything is on the table. So the mission is simple: WIN. WIN. And then WIN.
LAST week was a total disaster. We lost to a bottom-feeder team, when we stood to gain directly from their loss. We blew it from stem to stern. Worse yet, we had a player (DE Josh Sweat) leave the game in an ambulance.
On the menu this week, is a giants team that we carved up 48 – 22, just four weeks ago, while playing what I said, was our best game of the season. It’s unlikely that the giants have gotten 26 points better in the last four weeks, so if we put our hardhats on, we should be able to exploit the same weaknesses this time around.
With a win we lock-up the NFL’s best record this season, at 14 – 3. A win would also mean that we lock-up the division, and the #1 seed in the National Football Conference. That’s regardless of whatever else happens. More importantly, it would mean that we went 4 – 2 in our division, and not 3 – 3. We would have at least swept the giants.
A loss opens the door to Dallas winning the division, and us falling to the 5th seed in the conference. The NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint, and the finish line is ahead of us, not behind.
****
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: giants.
1) Give Sanders the Ball:For fuck’s sake, run the damned ball! Specifically with RB Miles Sanders. Do it to beat up their defensive front. Do it to give our Defense a chance to catch their breath. Do it to set up play-action. Do it because Sanders is one of the best backs in the league, when he gets carries like a real starter.
This is not a game where QB Jalen Hurts should have more than TWO designed runs. (QB Sneaks don’t count.) Scrambling is fine, but it should be the aim of this Offensive line that Hurts’ jersey should still smell like Tide when the game is over. Hand-offs will help that immensely.
2) Set the Edges:Last time we didn’t let them run inside. This time we want to send the message that we can also handle size on the perimeter. Especially after what “QB” Taysom Hill did to us last week. It was just 46 yards on 14 carries (3.2ypc), but he muscled his way for almost all of it. We can’t let that happen!
Force smaller holes, and funnel everything down and inside to MLB T.J. Edwards. For more pop, it would be great if LB Nakobe Dean started over OLB Kyzir White, but that’s not likely to happen just yet.
3) Show Dallas Some Love: Running TE Dallas Goedert down the seam can keep the run game open. Nothing about this needs to be clever or complicated. Put Goedert on a few routes up the field, and to the outside of the box. Some play-action, then a short pass. Boom. That’s it. Shorter passes will also preserve Hurts shoulder, and get the ball out of his hand quickly, cutting down on hits he takes.
Executing a couple of these early, will make the giants do one of two things. Either pull an OLB to the outer edge of the box, which will open up the run game. Or if they pull a S down into the box, daring Hurts to go deep, his deep passes will be easier to place.
4) Go Get Ball!: The Eagles have to be better about forcing turnovers. Over the last 3 games we have 8 giveaways to just 4 takeaways. The giveaway issue goes without saying. That said, aside from clawing at the ball during tackles, I can’t say that I’ve seen many Eagles defenders go for the ball, in the last few weeks.
That has to change this week. We need two turnovers in this one. We haven’t had two turnovers in a game since Green Bay in Week 12. Enough. Go get the ball!!
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
This game isn’t about beating the giants. It’s about not choking. For 17 weeks we’ve been at the head of the class of the NFL. Sadly, due to two late stumbles, we face being pulled back into the middle of the pack. Now we face either never being the road team in these playoffs, or possibly never being the home team.
Whether we play in our house or on the road, isn’t the issue. The Eagles can beat anyone put in front of us. The issue is the perception that the Eagles can be had if there are stakes to play for. We don’t need to empower opponents with that, or let the idea creep into our own player’s heads.
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Prediction: EAGLES 28 – giants 20
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.
Categories include an EXCLUSIVE weekly Offensive Line Report (Rushing TD’s (6 points)+ 3rd downs converted by handoffs(1 point) + sacks allowed (-2 points)= score); as well as Drive Killer (Int – FR – 4th down Tackles – FF – TD).
New Category Ace is for Kick return TD’s, Returners run-down, kicks blocked, etc.
Sack Leader : (S) DE Brandon Graham(3 – 2.0 – 0 – 0)
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: SAINTSdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Run the damned ball:The Eagles had TWO hand-offs (back to back), in the first half for 9 nine yards. There were 12 (for 58 yards (4.8ypc) in the second half, but Offensive Coordinator Shane “Possibly Retarded” Steichen, wanted to show everyone how clever he is, while starting a back-up QB and a back-up RT. The result was 10 points. (NOT DONE)
2) Tight man on the Corners: Nope! Not at all. Once again we were playing our Corners 5 to 8 yards deep, making them late to Screens and outside run fits. There was no excuse for this. Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon called a spineless game, in which got his Defense jerked around like kittens on a leash. This was embarrassing (NOT DONE)
3) Get Chunk Plays: Eagles seemed to want to do this, but an inability to protect Minshew (6 sacks allowed) short circuited any attempt to establish a rhythm offensively. This was made worse as no commitment to the run game, meant that the Saints didn’t buy our play-action. (NOT DONE)
4) Blow up the “A” Gaps: Early in the game, they had us on our heels with this. It was made worse by the Offense giving the Defense no time to rest, with three and out after three and out. Later in the game we got to a point where we were holding our own at the point of attack, but that’s not the same as winning. (NOT DONE)
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This week we didn’t do any of the Four Things and we got… Have you ever gotten your butt crack waxed?
That’s sort of what happened to us out there. Because of this, next weeks game vs the giants is a MUST WIN. A win next week means that no playoff opponent will have home-field advantage over us. So we need this. NEED. Think of it as our first playoff game of the year.
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On The Whole:
Get off of Gardner Minshew’s back! He’s a back-up QB who had to split reps this week, playing behind a damaged O-line, with a coaching staff that decided to rest the game squarely on his shoulders. Minshew has been fine over the last two weeks. Not great, but fine.
OFFENSE: We ran 15 plays in the first half. Just 2 were hand-offs. This was versus the #23 rushing defense in the league. I said in Four Things this is free yardage, and what happened? Miles Sanders averaged 5.0 yards per tote on his 12 carries. He had just 12 carries despite making solid gains when he did see the ball.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Poor play-calling is always a problem, but it’s an even worse problem with perpetually shitty field position. It is well past time to cut PR Britain Covey. He’s an out right liability at this point. When he isn’t fair catching everything, he’s getting blown up in ways that energize our opponents. We’re getting no energy, momentum, and no contribution from our not so Special Teams.
DEFENSE: Anybody care to explain why we were in deep zones again, allowing the QB to complete passes like it was a 7 on 7 drill? Because I sure as hell can’t! Nothing we did made sense today. It’s like the coaching staff was TRYING to throw the game. This cost us a clinch and a higher draft pick.
Calling this game an embarrassment, is like saying the Washington Commanders organization has a couple of things to correct. Adding injury to insult, DE Josh Sweat was carted off the field, and taken to a nearby hospital (probably Methodist since they’re part of Jefferson now), and scheduled to be released Sunday night.
LET’S not try to spin last week’s loss to the Cowboys as a “good” thing. That said, let’s not ignore how many great lessons we learned from it. We put up 34 points, despite 4 turnovers, and playing with a back-up QB. The next time we face them, QBJalen Hurts should be back, and we won’t be giving the ball away four times.
Now the league means to entertain the world, by ushering Saints into the Colosseum that is Lincoln Financial, to be devoured by the BEAST of the East.
Winning will make us 14 – 2, give us the NFC East crown, install us as the Number One Seed in the Conference, and position us to pick in the top ten of the upcoming Draft. Whether we win by one or one thousand, the results will be the same for us.
A loss here would drop us to 13 – 3, leaving the door open for the Cowboys to win the East, the Vikings to win the NFC, and leaving the Saints alive for a possible playoff berth, which would drop our potential top ten pick, all the way down to twenty-first. At best.
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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) Run the damned ball: By run the ball, I don’t mean run the QB, I mean hand it off to RB Miles Sanders. The Saints come into this game giving up 4.5 yards per tote, and have a smallish front 7 seven vs our huge Offensive Line. This is free yardage! For the love of Pete, just take it!
Also, hand-offs set up play-action. Why not make life easy on our QB, (regardless of which plays), if we can?
2) Tight man on the Corners:The Saints don’t have a WR that we need to be overly concerned about. The real reason for our CB’s playing tight to the Line Of Scrimmage, is to already be in position to create a funnel, when they throw any Screen passes. The idea is to funnel the receiver back into a million hands clawing at the ball and vicious collisions.
3) Get Chunk Plays:Instead of Hurts attempting forty-five 9yard passes, how about we whittle it down to fifteen 20yard passes. Let’s put up 20 first half points, and let Gardner Minshewtake over. There is no sense in sacrificing a deep playoff win, just to get the top seed. Preserve Hurts shoulder. No playing with our food this week. Go for the killshots, early.
4) Blow up the “A” Gaps:Seriously folks, QB Andy Dalton is a statue. His rushing stats are 71 – 244 – 3.4 – 0. Since 2020! Get after him. Make him change his launch angle by making him move his feet. This should impact their passing game as well as the inside run game, and make it hard for them to move the ball in any regard.
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
No need to talk a bunch here. Last week we didn’t handle business, and here we are with everything we worked this season, on the verge of being stolen at the last moment.
No more chit-chat. Go win.
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Prediction: EAGLES 24 – Saints 13
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.
CLINCHING a playoff spot last week, validates the Eagles efforts so far. Goal number one of any season, in any sport, is to qualify for the playoffs. Well, that part is in the books. Goal number two is to win our division, so that we get to host at least one playoff game.
Standing in the way of that goal, are the run-dimensional Chicago Bears. (See what I did there?) Should be fun to watch QB Jalen Hurtsstalk these animals in their den, and fire multiple touchdowns right though the heart of their secondary.
Skinny Batman Alert!!! WRDevonta Smith has 775 receiving yards. He needs 225 more in the next four games, to reach 1,000. The Eagles already have one 1,000 yard receiver in WR A.J. Brown. The franchise has never had two in the same year.
A win pushes us to 13 – 1, and helps us hold onto a two game lead in our division, as well as our two game lead as the NFC’s top team.
A loss sees us sag to 12 – 2. We’d still be the top team in the NFC East, and the NFC, regardless of how Sunday works out. Still, the Bears are an opponent who has already been eliminated from playoff contention. It’s our duty to help them improve their position in this upcoming Draft.
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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: Bears
1) Lock The Box: Because of QB Justin Fields’ ability to run past pass-rushers, many teams opt to “mush rush” him, where they gradually try to shrink the pocket, instead of penetrating. It usually works, but it allows the Bears to hang around in games they shouldn’t be in. Why give up a ton of easy yards and points?
Here’s what we should do with our front seven. No mush-rush. Full rush our four D-Linemen, and put the LB’S in shallow zones. That way, if and when Fields slips by our Line, we already have LB’s closing on him, and hoping to trade paint. We also need to be ready to corral their RB’s. Once we have the lead, just continue to “dance with the girl who brung ya.” Stick with the strategy.
2) Man Coverage on the Corners: The Bears receivers are trash, and their QB is no miracle worker. Take them off the board as options immediately, to force the QB to either run, or dump it underneath. Otherwise, he’s putting the ball in harms way.
3) Use Play-action: That immediately means that RB Miles Sanders needs to receive actual hand-offs, to get the defense to bite on the fakes when they happen. Play-action to Sanders, then a deep shot to Devonta Smith, sounds like six already!
4) Quick Hook: At any point, if we get up by 20 points, we need to immediately pull our starters. Two reasons:
1) It protects our players from potential injuries, in a game that could quickly become mean-spirited, if the Bears feel humiliated.
2) The earlier we pull our starters, the more the Bears will feel we don’t take them seriously. Bears players were gut-punched earlier this year, when DE Robert Quinn was traded here. That was followed by a shoryuken, when the Bears traded away LB Roquan Smith. Bears players were publicly questioning what they were playing for. The humiliation of watching us sub early, would send that team into Quit Mode. DO IT! (If we get the chance.)
If we never see a 20 by the 4th quarter, then frequently bring in Offensive Lineman as eligible receivers, then run off-Guard power stuff. Switch to a physical run style. Punish the Bears to advertise that when opponents make us give them our undivided, then there’s going to be trouble.
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If the Eagles do these Four Things, then we’ll be virtually impossible to beat. That being said…
The number one rushing team in the NFL is the Bears. Mostly because 1) their QB is a gifted runner, and 2) in proud Bears tradition, their QB isn’t very good at the QB part of playing QB. So how afraid should we be?
The Bears have lost a lot of close games this season. If we let them hang around, we’ll have problem, later in the game. That’s why getting up early and resting starters, is so important.
[eagles celebrating]
We’re dealing with an opponent that went into the Trade Deadline with a front office screaming “Fire Sale!”. So don’t tell me they want to win a couple for pride. Perhaps the players may, but from the head coach on up, the Bears want to tank to move up in the 2023.
So we should help them out!
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Prediction: EAGLES 29 – Bears 20
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.
QB Jalen Hurts celebrates clinching a playoff berth
PLAYOFFS, here we come!
EAGLES 48 – giants 22
EAGLES STATS:
Categories include an EXCLUSIVE weekly Offensive Line Report (Rushing TD’s (6 points)+ 3rd downs converted by handoffs(1 point) + sacks allowed (-2 points)= score); as well as Drive Killer (Int – FR – 4th down Tackles – FF – TD).
New Category Ace is for Kick return TD’s, Returners run-down, kicks blocked, etc.
Rushing : (S) RB Miles Sanders (17 – 144 – 8.4 – 2 – 0)
Receiving : (S) WR A.J. Brown (6 – 4 – 70 – 17.5 – 1)
Offensive Line Report/Enforcer : (4 (24) + 2 (2) – 4 (-8) = 18) C Jason Kelce
Drive Killer : (B) DE Patrick Johnson(0 – 1 – 0 – 0 – 0)
Sack Leader : (S) DE Brandon Graham(4 – 3.0 – 0 – 1)
Ace :K Jake Elliott: 6/6 XP, 2/2 FG, 35 yd punt (no return)
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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: GIANTS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
DE Brandon Graham collecting one of his THREE sacks in this game.
1) The T.J. and Nakobe Show: This section was given this title because I figured MLB T.J. Edwards (6 – 0 – 0 – 0) and LB Nakobe Dean (1 – 0 – 0 – 0) would be best suited to carrying out the strategy of holding RB Saquon Barkley (9 – 28 – 3.1 – 0 – 0) to under 4 yards per carry, to shift the game onto the shoulders of QB Daniel Jones (18/27 – 66.6% – 169 – 1 – 0).
The strategy worked like a charm! Only thing is, the LB’s didn’t need to be who pulled it off. Once again the Defensive Line stepped up and made the day easy for Edwards, by getting their own mitts on Barkley. I could call it “half done”, but I won’t. The TACTIC is what is important, not who gets the snaps.(DONE)
2) Run Miles Run: Miles Sanders 17 carries were more than everyone else’s on the team, combined. As a result, the Offense flowed smoothly ALL GAME LONG. Their defense was never able to key solely on Hurts, and they also fell much harder for play-action. What you saw today, is a formula for winning playoff games. (Although a big RB would be a nice addition, right about now!) (DONE)
3) Use A Release Valve: We came out doing this, as TE Grant Calcaterra (4 – 2 – 24 – 12.0 – 0) caught both of his passes on the opening drive. I mentioned getting TE Jack Stoll (2 – 2 – 20 – 10.0 – 0) involved and it led to them having to respect him. It was a simple, simple thing, yet it helped open up all kinds of room for the run game. (DONE)
This 41 yard TD grab by WR Devonta Smith was NASTY. Just nasty.
4) Don’t Collapse: “We need to keep scoring in the second half. Stalling out on points is not an option this week”. Those were my exact words. The result was scoring 24 points in BOTH halves of the game. We even managed a touchdown drive with our second unit out there. (DONE)
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This week we did a 4 of the Four Things, in a game that was nowhere as close as the score indicates. While their playoff hopes aren’t completely dead yet, the contract is down on them. “The guys. The guns. The lime pit’s already dug.” Next week we travel to Chicago, to help them move up in the 2023 Draft.
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On The Whole:
FINALLY! This was the best game the Eagles have played all season. Offense, Defense, and Special Teams, all played well. We played two halves of football. We got stops without having to rely on multiple turnovers. It wasn’t a flashy, splashy win. It was quiet domination.
RB Miles Sanders setting a career high for the second time in three weeks
Along the way, RB Miles Sanders secured his first 1,000 yard rushing season, and WR A.J. Brown eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving, in his first year as an Eagle. In the next 4 games WR Devonta Smith needs 225 to reach 1,000. The Eagles have never had two 1,000 yard receivers in the same season. Time for “a new page when they go look in the notebook.”
(I’m out of control. I’m on here using NY based quotes, after we dismantled their team. The irony resulting from showing our mettle at winning high stakes. Not everyone is Mary Lou Retton behind the eyes. So for some, that may take days to get, but don’t flip out. It’s just true craftsmanship. Words from the mind of a Master.)
I don’t know if you noticed this, but this was the third game where we rested our starters, once we got a big lead. It says something about a coach when he doesn’t risk his starters, just to run up the score vs a bad team. Nice to root for a team with some class.
If the playoffs were to start now, they’d have to hand us the Lombardi, because we’re the only team with a guaranteed berth. Even better, Minnesota fell to 10 – 3, giving us a two game margin of error in the race for the #1 seed in the NFC.
Time to close the book on New York, and see Chicago.
EAGLEMANIACAL.com 