RB

All posts tagged RB

#2 HARD RUNNING MILES

Posted by The BEAST on 2022/05/31
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Offense, Players, Roster, The 12. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

RIGHT now, RB Miles Sanders is the most physical, proven runner on the roster. Let me repeat that. Right now, Miles Sanders is currently our “big back”. He’s the guy that we’d use to wear down defenses, and get the hard, short yardage. This has never been his role or what he specializes in, but right now, he’s the best suited to it, so he has to commit to it.

Before you get all worked up over rookie RB Kennedy Brooks, here’s some of his college tape: Exhibit A ; Exhibit B. Breaks tackles more like 195 than 213, doesn’t he? And that’s college! So as I was saying…

The Eagles have been a ‘RB by committee’ team, since 2014. We’ve rushed for over 2000 yards three times since then. We ran for 2115 in 2017 (Super Bowl); put up 2027 in 2020 with two QB’s running for about 300 yards each; then ran for 2715 last year. Rushing for 2000 yards in a season means that a team averages about 125 yards per game, on the ground. Which is very good.

The thing is, how a team gets those 125 yards, matters. In 2017 and in 2021 we had a big RB, and went to the playoffs. In 2020 we didn’t have a big back and we went 4 – 11 – 1. Big backs wear down defenses, making it easier to eat clock and score points. It also lends an intimidation factor, which yields a psychological advantage, making it easier to score.

Part of last year’s success was predicated on big RB Jordan Howard wearing down defenses with hard running, and then making them chase smaller, faster RB’s. If we don’t wear down opposing defenses, they’ll have more energy left to chase with. This could spell trouble for QB Jalen Hurts, who’s game is largely built upon being a runner. Remember his ankle sprain?

If this year’s rushing yards are 500 fewer than last year’s, and this year’s passing yards are 500 more than last year’s, then no one will care. (Especially if we’re winning.) However, right now, it seems that we don’t have the tools to replicate last year’s success on the ground.

I don’t know why we keep complicating this, by having seasons where we don’t have a big RB on the roster, but it’s something that we do. That said, if Sanders is our big back, we’ll need to see him finish his runs harder this year. Otherwise we might be screwed.

THE EAGLES RUNNING BACKS

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/05/16
Posted in: Conversations, NFC East, Offense, Players, Roster, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

WHEN the Detroit Lions released RB Kerryon Johnson, Eagles fans on social media started asking if we should sign him. I immediately bellowed “NO! That guy gets injured too much! Why should we stick our necks our for blah blah blah, yadda, blah blah blah…”

And I was wrong.

I was ignorant, loud, and wrong. I didn’t know quite as much about Johnson as I thought I did, and initially I didn’t do any further research. I was sloppy. I was lazy. I didn’t give my full effort, which is not who I am. I’m sorry, and I’m ashamed. No excuses.

The national sports media has given the Eagles up for dead. I watched a segment on ‘Undisputed’ where the NFC East was discussed, and only three teams were talked about. Rich Eisen held a similar discussion on the NFL network. Again, apparently just three teams play in the NFC East.

Desperate to read about the Eagles, sheer boredom is what got me looking further into the Eagles roster. Starting with Johnson.

I loved his interview. Especially the part where he discussed his reputation as being one of the league’s best RB’s at pass protection. (Which I didn’t know.) His prowess for pass pro, is extremely important. It makes him a genuine three-down back. It also means whether situationally or due to injury, when Johnson is on the field, the Eagles can use their entire playbook.

There are a couple of things he’ll want to work on here. Things like hitting the hole with more immediacy, and holding the ball tight to his body. That of course ,is why the coaching staff gets paid. While Johnson isn’t a genuine home run hitter, he can gash a defense for serious yards, runs with some pop, and can finish runs falling forward.

Some ask if his presence means that RB Boston Scott is out. Others say that he’s a threat to RB Jordan Howard.

I beg to differ. Having a stable of players like RB Miles Sanders, Howard and Johnson, gives the Eagles loads of high level insurance against injury. When all three are healthy, they can be shuttled in and out, or lined up in different combinations to create horrifying mismatches.

As for Boston Scott, I happen to think his biggest threat, is rookie RB Kenneth Gainswell.

Scott has proven that he can be a quality role player, but Gainswell has way more wiggle in his run, and is also a superior route runner. While I wouldn’t project him as a long-term starter, Gainswell seems to have way more upside than Scott has shown, when pressed into the role.

With Sanders, Howard, Johnson and Gainswell, the Eagles have three, possibly four quality starters on the roster. That’s amazing depth! This was a well-rounded group before the Draft. Since then the Eagles have added just two players, but are exponentially better at this position.

The best part of all this? This sort of commitment to loading up the RB position, indicates that the Eagles are going to lean pretty heavy on the position. Think about it. They haven’t loaded up like this at WR or TE, have they? Nope. Not at all. By the way, this guy is still the starter:

Running the ball more, should really help the starting (Jalen) QB, whomever (Hurts) he turns out (Jalen) to be. After all (Hurts), the coach did say (Jalen) that it would be (Hurts) a completely (Jalen) open competition. I’m excited to see how the competition shakes out. I expect that QB Jalen Hurts and the other one, will make it hard for the coaches to decide on who our Jalen QB will be.

But the RB’s though! Very excited about this group, and I’m happy to be wrong about Kerryon Johnson. As for being lazy, I will give my standard effort in the future.

Flacco! The other QB is named Flacco. Wow. What a weird first name. 

SIGN McCOY ALREADY!

Posted by The BEAST on 2020/06/09
Posted in: Conversations, free agents, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players, Rants, Roster, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

player-leseanmccoy

WHAT the fuck is the hold-up!? While the Eagles are solid with RB Miles Sanders as our starter, we still could use a veteran insurance policy, just in case (knock wood) Sanders gets hurt. The Eagles brass apparently thinks the same way, which is why it’s no secret that they’ve kicked the tires on RB’s Carlos Hyde, Devonta Freeman, and former Eagle LeSean McCoy. That being said, we still haven’t signed anybody.

Hyde signed with the Seahawks, so he’s off the board. Freeman has has had trouble staying healthy in recent years, yet still expects to make north of the 4 million dollar offer (from the Seahawks) that he turned down. Last season for the Chiefs, McCoy had a salary of 3 million, so he could VERY likely be brought in for that figure or less.

Super Bowl LIV: LeSean McCoy says, 'We want to do this for Andy ...

In addition to being affordable, his familiarity with the Offense that Head Coach Doug Pederson runs, allows him to hit the ground running. Add to that, the fact that he’s a complete three down RB. Add to that, the idea that he knows he’s coming in as a role player/mentor. Now add to THAT, the fact that respected veterans WR DeSean Jackson and RT Lane Johnson are actively stumping for McCoy’s return.

When you add all of those factors up, it damn near breaks your abacus. McCoy not being signed already, makes as much sense as double D’s on a fish.

That’s not to say that I don’t trust RB’s Corey Clement, and Boston Scott. What I’m saying is, as an insurance policy, I trust the Eagles all-time leader in rushing yards, just a little bit more. Perhaps not as a workhorse, but definitely the top half of a RB tandem, until he was outplayed by the other half.

player-leseanmccoybelt.profootballzone

We need to quit dicking around and sign McCoy. We know that we’ve made magic with him. Hell, since 2014 he’s become the standard by which we’ve judged all who’ve followed him. Overthinking this is only outsmarting ourselves, and benefiting our rivals We want him. We need him. So let’s just sign McCoy already.

DON’T RUSH FOR MILES SANDERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2019/05/15
Posted in: Conversations, Fans, free agents, Offense, Players, Roster, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

2019 Miles Sanders Duce Staley

EAGLES fans have already fallen for rookie RB Miles Sanders. He has yet to log a single Training Camp carry, and already I’m seeing talk of how he’ll be the starting RB next season. Not during the 2019 season, but the 2020 season. There are some people who are already looking past offseason trade acquisition, RB Jordan Howard.

This is a mistake, and proof that some members of our fan base, keep failing to grasp a fundamental NFL truth. That truth being: You can never have too much talent in a position.

2002: The Eagles had CB’s Al Harris, Lito Sheppard, Sheldon Brown, Troy Vincent, and Bobby Taylor, all on one roster. By 2004 all but Sheppard and Brown would be gone.

Eagles 2002 Secondary

2002 Secondary Top row Left to right: Brian Dawkins, Al Harris, Bobby Taylor, Rashard Cook, Troy Vincent. Bottom row: Michael Lewis, Blaine Bishop, Lito Sheppard, Sheldon Brown

2008: The Eagles added CB Asante Samuel to a roster that already included CB’s Sheppard and Brown. Immediately the chatter began about who to bench or not re-sign (Lito) because we had Samuel and Brown. Instead of learning from 2003’s mistake and embracing depth, we made depth a detriment. Again.

2018: A QB room that looked like Carson Wentz, Nick Foles and Nate Sudfeld. Foles was allowed to walk for nothing, ostensibly because the Eagles couldn’t afford him. Foles subsequently signed a 4 year contract with the Jaguars. Since then, Eagles GM Howie Roseman has found a way to gin up/create/conjure roughly 21M$ in cap space. That’s 21M counting the rookies. Oh yeah, Foles 2019 salary cap figure: 12M$. The Eagles didn’t let Foles walk over money. Don’t let anyone fool you about that. Not now.

Three Headed Monster

In 2017 the Eagles had RB’s LeGarrette Blount, Jay Ajayi, Corey Clement, and Darren Sproles. Until Sproles got hurt. However, even with Sproles being hurt, we were still ridiculously stocked at the position. In fact, we leaned heavily on those RB’s in our Super Bowl win. After which, Blount was allowed to leave.

That left us Ajayi, Clement and Sproles in 2018. The idea was to make Ajayi “the guy”, and let him be spelled by Clement. Sproles was never supposed to figure in heavily. Then Ajayi got hurt, and Clement got nicked up, then injured. Suddenly a position that was embarrassingly deep in 2017, was a bare cupboard in 2018. Raise your hand if you missed Blount in 2018.

Learn the lesson Eagles fans.

adams_td

Right now RB looks like Jordan Howard, Miles Sanders, Corey Clement and Josh Adams. (Scuttlebutt has it that Wendell Smallwood is on the outside looking in.) However, as I said, many fans are already looking forward to the days (2020) when Howard has moved on, and the onus gets thrust upon Sanders. That’s a short-sighted thing to wish for.

First of all, depth is NEVER bad. NEVER. Second, playing these guys as a platoon, keeps them fresh during the season, and could prolong their overall careers. Third, if we find a guy who works for us, we should by any and every means at our disposal, lock him down. Even if it’s just so that our rivals can’t find their salvation in him. If this group works, it’s only smart to keep it intact.

It’s time to learn the lesson Eagles fans. It’s time to stop making the great, the enemy of the great. Sanders is great to have. I’m excited about him too. However, even greater than Sanders, is Sanders when surrounded by big-time help.

Jordan Howard.jpg

GOODBYE WENDELL SMALLWOOD?

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/05/22
Posted in: Conspiracy Corner, Crazy Talk, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players, Roster. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

card.wendell.smallwood

EVERYONE seems to be talking about what RB LeGarrette Blount means for the Eagles Offense. Conversely, no one seems to be talking about what signing Blount means for 2nd year RB Wendell Smallwood. Sure they discuss how Smallwood may be used. How many touches per game he would, should or could see, but not what the Blount signing really means for him. Long term means for him. Well friends, allow me to enlighten you.

Howie to players

The Eagles went into the 2017 Draft wanting to draft a RB with second round pick. Let me repeat that. They went into the Draft with that desire. For Smallwood, the Eagles initial desire to draft a RB with a second round pick, says they didn’t feel that they have a star or even a starter in Smallwood.

The Eagles FO (Front Office) reportedly wasn’t able to move up in the 2nd round in order to get RB Dalvin Cook, so they took CB Sidney Jones instead. Since they didn’t sign a RB in Free Agency’s first round, and didn’t get their man in the Draft, the FO was left scrambling.

Realizing that they’d screwed the pooch, the FO took a hard look at the options already available on our roster. Those options were A) pay RB Ryan Mathews for 16 starts while only getting 6 to 8 out him; or B) they could release him, and go with a roster full of runts at the position. What happened next was no less than a repudiation of Wendell Smallwood himself.

Once they whiffed on Cook in the Draft, the FO didn’t trade for a promising young RB, nor did they get behind any back currently on the roster. They essentially decided that they would eat a year at the position. Yet even with that decision, Smallwood would still not be “the guy”. Not even in a throwaway year.

Instead, the FO spent as much as 2.8M on a 30-year old, one-dimensional player, just to act as a stop-gap for 16 games or so. He’s a one year role player, here to play (what even he called) “situational football”. Next year, either through the Draft or Free Agency, you can bet your sweet ass that the Eagles will prioritize getting QB Carson Wentz a RB he can grow with. 

The Eagles blatant disregard for Smallwood in particular has to be jarring for his confidence, considering that the team didn’t even invest much in the guy they gave his spot to. Blount is here long enough for the team to have a full spate of options to pick from in 2018. At which point they’ll be looking past Smallwood again. I hope his agent is preparing him.

Maybe I’m wrong and Smallwood will have a huge year, be a top 5 rushing leader, and become a breakout star. Maybe the Eagles will decide they don’t need to spend an early draft pick on a RB in 2018. Maybe Donald Trump will be the best thing that ever happened to America, and maybe the Eagles and Browns will play in the Super Bowl this year. Oh wait, I don’t take hallucinogenics. Never mind.

This signing basically tweets to the world what the Eagles think of Wendell Smallwood. If he can still be an effective Kick Returner this year, then I can see him getting a deal to stay beyond his rookie contract. If not… This Philly (guy) is 75% sure that Smallwood will be packing his bags with Blount at the end of this year.

BACK THAT UP!

Posted by The BEAST on 2016/05/29
Posted in: Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players, Roster, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , . 5 Comments

Eagles RBs 2016

SO am I the only one here who’s concerned about our depth at Running Back? Honestly we could do worse than Ryan Mathews as a starter. However, only once in six NFL seasons has he been available for all sixteen games. He has also never started more than fourteen in any year so far. So common sense demands that we get a back-up who we can lean on in case he goes down.

Looking at who’s behind him, it’s hard not to get nervous.

Darren Sproles is a spark plug who can and has turned games around (that comeback against Jacksonville started with Sproles). The thing is, he’ll be 33 in less than a month, is 190 pounds soaking wet, and is coming off of one of the worst seasons in his career as a RB. If Mathews goes down, Sproles cannot be our bell cow. He just can’t handle the rigors of the job at this point. (FYI: His career high for carries in a year is 93. In 2009.)

Some people are excited about Kenjon Barner, but I don’t see why. He’s been in the NFL since 2013 and has yet to ever earn serious playing time. On two teams. In fact, in 2014 he was out of football altogether. Last year his college coach (TIK) pulled him off his couch to return kicks, and Barner excelled at it. However, he still offered little to no value as an NFL RB.

Then we have rookie Wendell Smallwood who is a little on the smallish side at only 201 pounds. I still take issue with him saying that 75% of the men in Philly are gay and that he doesn’t want to be here.

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Even when I put that to the side, when I watch his film what I see is an amazingly ordinary athlete. Average burst to and through the hole, not much in the way of second effort yardage, taking what is blocked for him because he doesn’t create… To be fair he is a fifth round pick, but where he was picked won’t be a good enough excuse if his number is called and he can’t respond.

Then we have rookie Free Agent Cedric O’Neal. He’s got decent size at 213, so that’s a plus. My big knock on him is he doesn’t have game tape that I can spot tendencies on. He just has a bunch of highlight reel stuff out there. While highlights are frequently unreliable, these do show that the guy’s style of play is Fizz E. Kal. I have to question the level of competition he played against, but seeing him run over and run away from guys made me think of (former Redskin) John Riggins, just in a smaller package.

There is also Byron Marshall but he’s more of a WR than a RB. He didn’t log a single carry in 2015 at Oregon.

So that’s it. That’s every RB on the roster. So you’ll have to excuse me if I’m slightly panicky over the idea of Mathews getting so much as a mosquito bite.

At this point we don’t even have the right parts for a RB by committee approach. (An approach that I detest by the way.) So I’m certain at some point that the Eagles will have to dive back into Free Agency in the next couple of weeks to get us some real depth. I just hope they get us something good.

NOTE: For my money, I’d like to get a long look at this O’Neal kid and maybe add someone like (former Eagles) Bryce Brown or Chris Polk. Both are unsigned as of today.

REPLACING LESEAN MCCOY

Posted by The BEAST on 2015/01/09
Posted in: Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players. Tagged: , . 4 Comments

card-chrispolk

THE idea of trading away RB LeSean McCoy is just speculation at this point. In all truth, there’s been more talk of cutting him (because of his salary) than there’s been of trading him. For his part, McCoy has said he’d like to be back but “I can’t control it”. Whether he’s traded or simply released, it’s important to have a plan to replace him.

Keep in mind, the idea of replacing McCoy is just about getting a guy who can create problems for a defense. It not about getting a clone of the guy we lost. We didn’t replace Brian Westbrook with a Westbrook, or Duce Staley with a Staley. Yet both times we were in good hands, as players already on the roster stepped up. So let’s see what we already have on the shelves!

RB Darren Sproles is a nifty player, but he’s 190 pounds and will be 32 when next season rolls around. Last season McCoy carried 312 times, and in 2013 he carried 314 times. Sproles’ career high is 93 carries. In 2009. And his game logs from that year show that he was less effective when given more carries.

RB Chris Polk is intriguing. While he’s played 29 of 32 games in the last two years, and has looked good when he touches the ball, he carries the knock of being fragile due to a mysterious shoulder condition. I say mysterious because running down clear information about Polk’s shoulder was annoying and repetitive. But I DID IT. It’s DONE.

Let me nutshell it for you: (In 2011 while in college, Polk had labrum surgery. NFL teams were concerned about his shoulder having a degenerative or chronic problem, so Polk had it looked at by renowned sports surgeon, James Andrews. The good doctor said that there was some scarring (meaning tissue not skin) from the surgery, but that there was nothing chronic or degenerative. Many teams said “Yeah. Right.”  and Polk went undrafted and signed here.)

Polk had major shoulder surgery in January 2014, and while nowhere can I confirm if it’s the same shoulder, it would be somehow worse to find out that it isn’t. In the event that it is the same shoulder he had labrum surgery on in 2011, it would lend credence to teams worrying about his durability, and would raise questions about whether or not he could be the guy to replace McCoy.

Recently the team re-signed RB’s Matt Tucker and Kenjon Barner (I shit you not)  to the reserve list, but it’s a long way from off-the-street, to 300 carry a year starter.

Then of course there are various RB prospects in the Draft, but I’m going to save that until after Free Agency (March 10th). Right now I’m mostly going to pay attention to what we already have in the cupboard and Unrestricted Free Agents.

IS THERE A WAR ON RUNNING BACKS?

Posted by The BEAST on 2014/09/13
Posted in: Conspiracy Corner, NFL, Offense, Players. Tagged: , . 1 Comment

Image courtesy of profootballzone.com

Image courtesy of profootballzone.com

THEY put too much balsamic vinaigrette on my turkey hoagie, and I practically had to drain the damned thing before it overpowered the sandwich. Del Rossi’s uses a Sarcone’s roll, so you know I didn’t want the taste from that pushed down too far.

I was shaking my head and saying, “They’re against me and NFL RB’s this week”. Then a question hit me that made me put my hoagie down.

WHY ARE RB’S GETTING PUNISHED HARDER FOR THAN OTHER POSITIONS FOR SIMILAR INFRACTIONS?

For example:

San Francisco DE Ray McDonald is accused of hitting a pregnant woman. Criminal proceedings may follow. He’s still playing.

Carolina DE Greg Hardy was convicted of assaulting a woman. He continues to play as he appeals the conviction.

Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger settled with a woman who accused him of rape. He continues to play.

 

Now on the flip side:

Minnesota RB Adrian Peterson is deactivated due to an indictment of negligent injury.

Former Baltimore RB Ray Rice knocked his fiancé out in an elevator and she felt bad enough about it to marry him. No conviction or likely trial. Despite that, Rice has effectively been kicked out of the NFL.

There are more examples, but when you couple it with the NFL’s sudden and systematic devaluation of the position in general over these last few years, these examples make you wonder why the playing field is being stacked so steeply against RB’s. Especially after decades of it being the sports longest tenured high honor position. (Seriously. Before the forward pass, HB’s and FB’s were the key offensive positions.)

Former Steelers RB and certain HOFer Jerome Bettis links the devaluation to the new rules in the concussion savvy NFL. Whatever the case, the fact that RB’s seem to be the NFL’s punching bag right now is getting harder and harder to ignore or dismiss as circumstantial.

Eyes peeled.