FOR what seems like five years now, that’s all anyone has been saying around here. There’s been a ton of speculation that we’re trading WR A.J. Brownto the Patriots. But why? Or a better question might be, for what exactly?
The early speculation is that Brown would be moved for basically a first round pick. Except the Patriots are a team clearly on the rise, that played in the Super Bowl just a few months ago. If they go as far, or even win it all next year, a first round pick from them, is practically a second rounder to us.
Do you think Eagles GM Howie Rosemanwouldn’t realize that? Does Howie strike you as less calculating than that? So why not trade with a team that has an actual first rounder? Perhaps even, a team that makes a habit of picking in the top ten! I’m thinking Jets or Browns.
Listen, I don’t like the idea of trading Brown. I think it’s a seriously stupid idea. But, if we’re doing it anyway, why fuck it up? Get real value in return for him. That way in the future, it helps to cushion the blow that’s likely coming. Which blow?
First, WR DeVonta Smith is great. Let me start by saying that. Having said that, it’s no question that Brown has been the more dominant player, and the one that QB Jalen Hurts has leaned on more. If Brown leaves and Jalen doesn’t look as good, oh my…
You think Hurts gets disrespected NOW? This trade will blow-up entirely in his face. Not Howie’s. Not Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion. Just Jalen’s. He’ll be the guy who “forced out A.J.” and in doing so, slammed the Eagles window shut. If this trade doesn’t go right, it will be the dismantling of a team that won a Super Bowl just year ago, in blowout fashion. And Hurts will get the blame for it.
I’VE been sitting this one out, because I find the subject matter silly. However, too many things are going unsaid, in order to help perpetuate a story with no story to it. So I’m weighing in, because an adult perspective is needed.
Since last season, there’s been a non-stop conveyor belt of rumors, regarding the Eagles trading WR A.J. Brown. Much of that has been fueled by Brown’s social media posts, sideline behavior, and post-game interview coyness. So for Brown’s part, he himself has helped feed the rumor mill.
For the Eagles part, (namely General Manager Howie Roseman), the team’s assertion is that Brown is a great player, and you don’t give away great players. Local media and many fans, are saying the Eagles must be tired of Brown’s antics, so surely they want to trade him. (To me that sounds like folks projecting their own frustrations.)
Understand, if a good enough deal comes down the pike, I think Howie jumps on it. We ask for a king’s ransom, and wait to see if the other court has a fool willing to part with it. It’s just smart business. That being said, for my part, I don’t think the Eagles have much real interest in trading Brown, and there are a few reasons for that.
First, I’m pretty sure they want Brown this year. In fact, I’m pretty sure they need him this year. Not just a really good wide receiver. Him. A.J. Brown specifically.
The Eagles have a brand new Offensive Coordinator, in Sean Mannion, whose system has yet to be demonstrated. So opposing defenses have no reason to fear, or even respect it yet. What they do have to respect, are the players we have operating that system.
Due to QB Jalen Hurts past success with Brown, they will generate different coverages than say, second year WR Darius Cooper can. That aspect cannot be replicated quickly or easily. So, Brown’s mere presence will dictate coverages, that help get other receivers open, and loosen the box for both the RB and QB run games.
Starting Mannion off without Brown, is to handicap both Mannion and Hurts. God forbid our Offense stinks, the first thing fans and the media (local and national), will say is “Well maybe if they didn’t get rid of A.J…” Mannion deserves at least one season with Brown.
Second, (and any of you with a background in Sales can vouch for this), the Eagles aren’t pricing Brown to move. When you really want to sell an item, you make the price attractive to as many potential buyers as possible. The Eagles are doing the opposite of that. They’ve made him almost prohibitively expensive, to all but the most niche of purchasers.
Third, the consensus is that the Eagles are waiting until after June 1st, to avoid a 40M$ dead money hit. If that was really their big concern, and Brown were truly so eager to leave, they could simply re-work his deal, like they just did for K Jake Elliottand G Landon Dickerson. They could even sweeten it by adding non-void years for the next team. But they didn’t.
Fourth and finally, if the plan was to play without Brown this year, then we’d want to make sure we brought in a new weapon for Hurts. The sooner the better. The cheaper the better. That means a draft pick. Why wait until after the draft, to get a player that we’ll likely need this season? Does that sound like Howie to you? Not by a damned sight!
If the Eagles are offered an absolute haul, I think they leap at it. That being said, my money is on Brown scoring double digit touchdowns as an Eagle this season.
(Add-on: If we do move on from Brown, I like Draft prospect WR Josh Cameron, as a 4th round pick, or even as a 3rd round reach.)
Sack Leader: DE Za’Darius Smith (Sacks:1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 3)
Special Teams Ace: N/A
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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: BRONCOS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Run Fewer Bunch Formations: The Eagles refused to spread their formations. Thus, all the defenders stayed bunched up inside, making it easier to combat our run and run various blitzes. I don’t know which was worse. Hurts inability to get rid of the ball quickly (5 sacks), or the coaching staff not adjusting for his weakness. (NOT DONE)
2) Limit Their Run Game: Hold them under 120 rushing yards. That was the ask. We gave them 130 on some of the least creative, ugliest running I’ve seen since November of 2022, when Washington beat us 21 – 32. After that loss we were still in first place, but we’d been sleepwalking and needed a loss to wake us up.
Sound familiar? Click that link up there, and you’ll shake your head until you feel like a bobblehead doll. Why do Nick Sirianni’s teams KEEP repeating this pattern? (NOT DONE)
3) Don’t Overthink It: The idea was to use our bigger line to run the ball a ton, and overpower their smaller line. Our leading rusher got all of 6 carries. Our 20 million dollar per year, former 2,000 yard rusher, saw just 6 carries. This is not just an oversight. It’s downright unprofessional.
If I’m Owner Jeffrey Lurie, I want a word with Sirianni, not his hired help. I would ask him “Nicholas John, why I’m paying a man 20 million dollars, for 6 carries, in front of our home crowd?” Each time I hear an answer I don’t like, I’m saying, “That’s the wrong answer. Give me the right one.” (Specifically: This won’t happen again.) (NOT DONE)
4) Box Them In: We did a really good job of this, as LB’s Zack Baun (12 – 1.0 – 0 – 0) and Jihaad Campbell (11 tackles) led the team in stops. The scheme did a great job of playing team concept defense. The problem was the silly number of late opportunities the Bronco’s offense got, because the Eagles kept going three and out. (DONE)
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This week’s Four Things score was1 of 4. We get a short week here, as we have to be back at it on Thursday night vs the 1 – 4 giants.
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Game Hero: N/A
Game goat: Head Coach Nick Sirianni – I’m through blaming the Offensive Coordinator. Sirianni preaches situational football, but in real-time, he seems totally unaware of too many situations on his team.
On The Whole: Like that Washington loss n 2022, this loss was overdue. Lack of offensive clarity is the root of this team’s issues. It’s always trying to do two things passably, instead of one thing at a time, well. For instance: Why an RPO, and not an Off-Guard run? Why so many deep routes that meet in the same area? Why does Hurts hold the ball so damned long?!
On Defense, our line is neither slowing the run, nor getting to the QB. Today CB Kelee Ringo(6 tackles) has been more impactful, than DT Jalen Carter (4 tackles). That’s a fact, and it shouldn’t be.
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
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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: RAMSdid 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.)
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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.
So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: BROWNSdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
RB Montrell Johnson leading the ground game
1) Get Our Run Game On Track:We ran for 33 yards. For four quarters, all we could muster was (19 – 33 – 1.7 – 0) less than what RB Will Shipley(No stats – DNP) ran for last week. For posterity, RB Montrell Johnson (6 – 20 – 3.3 – 0) led the Eagles rushing attack.
When a rushing attack is this anemic, usually the culprit is an offensive line getting whipped in the trenches, but that wasn’t the issue here. The problem was a dink and dunk passing attack, that kept everyone within 5 yards of the line of scrimmage. (NOT DONE.)
2) A Sack By A DE: This week the Eagles managed 3 sacks, and yes, one was by a DE. At least it was by a guy lined up at the position. During the second quarter “DE” Azeez Ojulari(3 – 1.0 – 0 – 0), who had been getting pressure consistently, finally got home and brought the QB down.
I have to say, I’m not a huge fan of an OLB lining up at DE, with his hand in the dirt. For example, Ojulari is 240 pounds. so I don’t want him squared up against 300+ pound RT’s. Listen, when Ojulari got his sack, it was on 2nd and 5. That could have easily been an audible to a run, and then Ojulari is overmatched. But he got it here. (DONE)
3) Win the Nod:The idea here was that the second CB spot would be decided by the play of CB Kelee Ringo(1 tackle) and CB Adoree Jackson (3 tackles). The truth is, neither distinguished themselves. So we head into the final week of the preseason, still not having even a foundation to make an argument for one over the other. (NOT DONE)
QB Kyle McCord throwing a 9 yard TD strike
4) Bench Our Back-up:We sat Tanner McKee (DNP)! It was the logical thing to do, which is why I was absolutely certain he’d play. We already know what we have in him. Why play him, and risk him getting injured? Then I saw him in pads, and my stomach knotted up. But then he sat on the sideline and I began to relax.
As for the third spot between QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (5/8 – 62.5% – 17 – 0 – 1) and rookie QB Kyle McCord(8/16 – 50.0% – 47 – 1 – 0), we should flip a coin and then just pick McCord anyway. He’s a rookie 6th round pick, so it makes sense for him to suck right now. (Besides, he’s a local kid, who went to St. Joe’s Prep, on Girard Avenue here.) DTR just looked so… flustered and shitty out there. Against back-ups! Hard pass! (DONE)
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This week’sFour Thingsscore was 2 of 4. This Friday we close out the preseason with a trip up to the Big Apple! There, we’ll face the Jets, in a game where the main objective is to leave with a healthy roster.
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S Andrew Mukuba returning an interception 75 yards to paydirt.
Game Hero: S Andrew Mukuba (1 – 0.0 – 1 – 1) – All 13 of our points in this game were owed to Mukuba’s amazing 2nd quarter. First, he intercepts a ball and returns it 75 yards to paydirt. Then when the Browns botched a hand-off exchange, Mukuba was there for the fumble recovery. Which helped set up a 9 yard touchdown strike.
Game goat: Offensive Coordinator Kevin Patullo – He had no kind of plan for the Offense, and made no discernible adjustments.
On The Whole: Whether it was the miss opportunity for the CB battle to be decided. The missed opportunity for the third QB spot to be decided. Or the in ability of any of the WR’s to establish themselves as a consistent factor. This was a game where players should have come to impress. The only ones who seemed to make an impact, were the guys who are already locks to make the team.
WE’RE back on our Brotherly Shove again! In the 2024 Wild Card game, we defeated the Packers by putting up 22 points to their 10. In the 2025 offseason, we defeated their proposal to ban the Shove, by getting only 10 votes to their 22. They had more points but still lost! We Bugs Bunny’d them!
That level of fail has to hurt. There is no possible way, that it doesn’t hurt in the deepest, darkest, most ouchiest places.
Green Bay is all about holding onto the past. Frozen tundra, Vince Lombardi, the Packer Sweep, and all that crap. So you KNOW that Packer fans will hold onto both losses. Why not rub some salt in, and squeeze some lemon juice on those wounds? I swear, when we visit Lambeau in November, the first play we run, should be the Shove. Just make a point.
I woke up Wednesday, fully expecting the NFL to ban the play. I’d already made peace with it, and discussed why and how I did, in my last article. Back in April when the owners voted on it, the vote was tied 16 to 16. Instead of accepting that vote, the NFL moved the goal post on the issue, so that Green Bay could re-word the proposal, to pick up 8 more votes in May.
Well, their new rule proposal only picked up an additional 6 votes. Likely because the new language in the proposal, would have banned any pushing, of any runner. For ALL teams. For owners trying to turn the NFL into flag football, that change is just an evolutionary step. For owners who want football to stay football, that change is a seventy degree slope, coated in oil.
I’ll be interested in seeing how often Green Bay and Buffalo still runs the Tush Push, since they are “so opposed” to it. In fact, any team running the play besides the Ravens, Browns, Lions, Jaguars, Dolphins, Patriots, Saints, Jets, or Titans, is full of shit if they attempt it even once.
I didn’t name the Eagles in that group, because the Eagles don’t run the Tush Push. We run the Brotherly Shove. That is not a semantic, or just a matter of nomenclature. It’s the distance between why we’re so successful at what we do, and other teams are not as successful at what they do. We simply aren’t doing the same thing!
When talking about why we’re so good at the Shove, announcers, as well as opposing players and coaches, frequently cite how QB Jalen Hurts can squat 600 pounds. Meanwhile, often during the play, his feet aren’t even on the ground! They mention the pushing of the butt. Yet Hurts frequently makes the distance without needing that push.
Teams are making incorrect assumptions about the play, and therefore aren’t studying or approaching executing it properly. They’re trying to imitate what they think it is, instead of what it truly is. Which is why they both keep getting it wrong, AND failing to stop it. The biggest secret of the Shove, is us never pointing out what opponents are misunderstanding.
It’ll be interesting to see what new basis they’ll try to ban it on, next year; as well as how often opponents fake a short-term injury, in order to create injury data that heretofore hasn’t existed. I doubt however, that the next charge will be led by Green Bay. Because we keep proving, on or off the field, the slack-jawed Packers are simply no match for us.
Look at how offsides he is. THAT my dear reader, is called FEAR.
BROTHERLY Shove, forever! I’m a huge fan of the play, but I’m an even bigger fan of the fact that, opposing teams can rarely stop us when we run it. So when I first heard that the NFL was seriously taking a vote to ban the play, I was understandably…upset.
Once again it was a professional sports league, targeting Philadelphia for innovating and perfecting something. Like when the NBA outlawed Allen Iverson’s Crossover dribble , then later outlawed his Spin Cross dribble (sometimes called the El Nino).
This push to ban the Shove, felt unfair and I was very pissed over it. Until recently. Now the more I think about it, the more I find myself, sort of looking forward to the Brotherly Shove being banned. This is because I’m a student of the game. I see its history everywhere, and I can’t wait to see the fallout from this.
Consider Air Coryell. One aspect of that offensive system, was to put receivers into motion, to read if a defense was playing Man or Zone. It was hard to stop when that first came out, but teams caught on, and now you see it as part of every offensive system, on nearly every play.
Consider the original West Coast Offense. Joe Montana and the Forty-Niners virtually owned the 1980’s with that system. Then other teams began to copy it and mutate it. Now almost every team either runs a version of the WCO, or their own system is heavily impacted with basic tenets of the WCO.
(sigh)
Buddy Ryan and Bud Carson invented the 46 Defense, which made legends of Eagles and Bears defenders, from the mid 1980’s through early 1990’s, Then teams caught up to it, and no one runs the 46 any more.
The history of the NFL is innovation, domination, transformation, repeat. Innovation, domination, transformation, repeat.
Except here, no one is figuring out the Brotherly Shove. Teams are just dropping to the floor, going fetal, and screaming “No Mas!” They ran to mommy Goodell, hid behind her skirt, and cried for her to stop the big, bad Eagles. And she said “Roger that.”
If the Shove is banned, it will mean that at least a two-thirds majority of the league’s owners, realized we can’t be stopped on the field, so they ambushed us, off of it. Unlike Air Coryell and the WCO, and the 46, our innovation will go down as having never been solved. With a ban, our ownership of all those teams, will be written indelibly into NFL history itself.
So yeah. I’m kinda looking forward to that silver lining.
Head Coach Nick Sirianni argues that WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside was running a route, not setting a pick. Sirianni was unsuccessful because everyone knows that Whiteside doesn’t run routes. He’s here to throw blocks. Like the illegal one that was just flagged.
MAYBE our headcoach can’t learn?
EAGLES30 – Chiefs 42
EAGLES STATS:
New categories include an EXCLUSIVE weekly Offensive Line Report (Rushing TD’s + 3rd and 4th downs converted:missed of 2 yards or less – sacks allowed); as well as Drive Killer (Int – FR – 4th down Tackles – FF – TD).
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 inFour Things: Chiefs did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) The back Seven: The idea here was to use the LB’s to do more than stand around and watch the game. Instead, we got another week of the same. This thing where our LB’s seem to be waiting for an invitation to each play from the offense, is the root cause of us allowing over 40 points in two straight games.
We dictated no action and allowed the Chiefs to impose their will on us. What is the point of having two of football’s better man coverage CB’s, just to sit them back on 6 and 8 yard cushions every play?
And why was LB Eric Wilson ever stuck with covering WR Tyreek Hill (12 – 11 186- 16.9 – 3)? He got a pick covering TE Kelce. THAT made sense. (NOT DONE)
2) Run the ball: This weeks play selection was 48 passes and 19 rushes. That’s means 71.6% of the time, we were passing. Oh, and of those 19 rushes, 8 of them were by the QB. So the ball was handed off just 11 times. At one point in the 4th quarter the score was 28 – 23 Chiefs. So it’s not like there was ever a reason to abandon the run. Yet we did. Again.
Are the Eagles trying to replace RB Miles Sanders (7 – 13 – 1.8 – 0 – 0) with RB Kenneth Gainswell (3 – 31 – 10.1 – 1 – 0)? Gainswell had the better stat line today, but that generally hasn’t been the case this season. Nor is Gainswell the blocker that Sanders is. Seems silly to rock this boat right now. (NOT DONE)
3) Ends Gotta Sweat Mahomes: The DE’s needed to show up in this one, and they didn’t. We did get another Bonehead Barnett personal foul, which helped the Chiefs on the touchdown drive that put them up 21 – 13 at the half. So at least Barnett is being consistent? (NOT DONE)
4) Throw the ball deep: We did air it out, which opened up the intermediate passing game, and gave the passing attack the feel of efficiency.
TE Dallas Goedert gets my fantasy team 7 points, on the way to my 141 – 106 lead, heading into Monday night. I have a Kicker to play and my opponent has no one left.
The problem is, without a balance of real run game, passing attacks become 50/50 in the red zone. We aired it out, but we were operating half of an offense again. Still, if our WR’s can be coached to run their routes in bounds, we might have something here. (DONE)
So we got1 of the Four Things, this week. Next week we limp into Carolina, to face the 3 – 1 Panthers. There, we’ll get to see if our coaching staff is still incapable of learning from their repeated mistakes.
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On The Whole:
Down 10 – 14, on first and goal from the KC 3, we threw two passes, and ran the ball once. To the outside. From the Shotgun. So we of course settled for a FG.
That there is a microcosm of everything wrong with Eagles football. It’s meant to be cute. Clever. It’s razzle-dazzle for the highlight reels. What it is not, is fundamentally sound. What it is, is 1 – 3.
Unsound football leads to losing. However, our coaching staff doesn’t seem to grasp that. In fact, this coaching staff, despite being just four games old, is already displaying an almost arrogant unwillingness to learn or adjust. This is both in-game and week to week.
Hurts has led the Eagles in rushing yards, in 3 of 4 games this season. The one he didn’t, was the game we won. We’ll see if the offensive coaching staff can pick up on that little nugget.
Playing the CB’s on cushions, and putting the LB’s in zone coverage on nearly every down, has opponents completing 72.7% of their passes, with 9 touchdowns against 1 interception. We’ll see if the defensive coaching staff can make anything resembling an adjustment, to stop that bleeding.
For the record, I don’t think this staff can. They are already too enamored with their own ideas of how things should be done. The trend is that things are getting worse. If we give up a 50 burger this season, someone needs to be fired.
LET’S clear the air. Last week wasn’t a sprint. It was Week 3 of a 17 week marathon. It wasn’t winner take all. It was part 1 of 2. Don’t get the story tangled. The Eagles aren’t done with the NFC East. Not by a damned sight.
This week we get the 1 – 2 Kansas City Chiefs, in our house. We have a Top 10 Defense being 10th in points allowed, and 7th in yards allowed. We’re going against a team that hemorrhages both points (32nd ) and yards (30th ). So this game IS winnable. Especially if RB Miles Sanders is allowed to play.
At the moment we’re in third place in the NFC East. A win gets us to 2 – 2 and keeps us very much in the running for the division. Especially if our rivals have a tough week. A loss would drop us to 1 – 3. While there would be plenty of time to make it up, playing catch-up is never a good thing.
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The point ofFour Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics will practically guarantee our Eagles this win. CAUTION: 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 FT as a gambling tool, you are trying to lose your money, and will deserve it when you do.
So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus the Chiefs:
1) The back Seven: We have to use our Linebackers more aggressively and creatively. Allowing the opposing blocking scheme to dictate the action, too often takes our LB’s out of plays, and makes it seem like we’re playing 8 vs 11. Let’s see some blitzing out of OLBEric Wilson.
We also need our CB’s to play more man press. Giving up big cushions, leads to quick throws with zero pressure. It’s how we gave up a completion percentage of 80.5 last week, and 73.3 the week before.
2) Run the ball: ATLANTA – We handed the ball off 24 times, and won in a blowout. SAN FRAN – We handed the ball off 19 times, and lost a close one. DALLAS – We handed the ball off just 3 times, and got our O-rings blown out.
There exists an obvious pattern here, dear friends
Running the ball will keep the clock running, and the ball out of the hands of the Chief’s offense. That means our Defense gets a chance to rest. Nothing good comes from a gassed defense. We need 24 or more hand offs this week, with 18 or more going to Sanders.
3) Ends Gotta Sweat Mahomes:DE’s Josh Sweat and Derek Barnetthave to show up this week. Not only do they need to get pressure on the QB, but they have to do a better job of setting the edge vs the run. Run the OT up the field, and either force the RB to cut back inside, or run back and around the block in the backfield. The Ends needn’t make every tackle, just cause them.
4) Throw the ball deep: The deep ball needs to be used to keep a defense honest. Early in this game, there needs to be a pass where the ball is in the air for 20 yards or more. We can’t run the underneath stuff, if opposing CB’s don’t even back pedal. You’d think a former WR would know that…
WRDevonta Smithneeds to see at least two deep shots. Right now it seems that we spent a high draft pick, just to turn a talented kid into Josh Huff. We need to put the pressure on Smith to deliver, and not treat him like his confidence is delicate. Competitors, remember? Paper, rock, scissors?
If we do these Four Things,
At home? In front of our crowd? If we do these things, a win is in the bag. Scoring on the Chief is a given. If we can’t get laid in that whorehouse, we need to fire the coach before his post-game presser. Scoring is the easy part.
The hard part will be making sure they don’t score when they have the ball. Eating up the clock could act as a brake on the number of opportunities they see, but that means little if they can cash in those opportunities. Sadly, I think this is where we run into a problem, because Andy Reid is just a flat out better coach than Nick Sirianni.
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PREDICTION: EAGLES 24 – Chiefs 30
Check back in a couple of days for Four Things Reviewed, and we’ll discuss how it went.
New categories include an EXCLUSIVE weekly Offensive Line Report (Rushing TD’s + 3rd and 4th downs converted:missed of 2 yards or less – sacks allowed); as well as Drive Killer (Int – FR – 4th down Tackles – FF – TD).
I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these Four Things articles. It’s to point out what we need to address BEFORE the game. Then AFTER the game, there’s a no-bullshit assessment of whether or not the Eagles did any of what they needed to do, to ensure the win.
So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: Cowboys (a)did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Erupt, disrupt, corrupt:
Crash the “A” gaps and disrupt the flow of their offense. There were just two clear instances of this being done. The first was when Hargrave made QB Dak Prescott fumble in his own end zone, which DT Fletcher Cox (0 – 0 – 0 – 0) recovered for a touchdown. The other was on a QB hurry near the first half.
Otherwise, useless LB and invisible DE play, did nothing to help the effort. Especially against the run, where the Eagles defensive front looked almost weightless at times. (NOT DONE)
2) Exploit the youth:Hurts had two drives where he remembered his legs. We scored on both. Otherwise, he seemed almost to be making a point of staying in the pocket. He also showed me something else that I think will put to bed any question of him being a Franchise QB.
If you get to see a replay of this game, look at Hurts’s head on passes. He doesn’t turn it. He’s not progressing through reads. He’s deciding where he wants to go with the ball, and holding it until the target is available. This is why defenders were able to squat on his routes and wait. His youth and inexperience were showing. Oh the irony! (NOT DONE)
3) Clear A Run Lane: Head Cock Nick Sirianni, dialed up 39 pass plays and just 3 handoffs. THREE! ALL GAME LONG! WHO DOES THAT!? Even Andy Reid (get well soon, Big Red!), would find that sort of play-calling lopsided. (NOT DONE)
4) Give Them Doubts: Hard to jump passes when you give up 7 and 8 yard cushions. I swear it’s like Jim Schwartz still coaches here! (NOT DONE)
This week we did none of the Four Things. Therefore, we were utterly, and deservedly, shit-canned on national television. Next week we get to host Andy and his 1 – 2 Chiefs, in the house that he essentially built.
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On The Whole:
This was humiliation on a national stage. This game was less about how well the Cowboys played, as much as it was about how corrosive and self-destructive the Eagles were.
The Cowboys didn’t decide that we would hand the ball off 3 times and throw it 39.
The Cowboys didn’t decide to keep our CB’s on deep cushions.
The Cowboys didn’t keep dialing up 6 yard routes for us, that their CB’s were able to sit on.
The Cowboys didn’t decide to keep us in zone vs a run game that was making a point of whipping us.
The Cowboys didn’t make us commit penalty after bone-headed penalty.
The Cowboys didn’t tell us to start a one-read QB.
