Drive Killer: S C.J. Gardner Johnson(TD: 0/Int: 0 FR: 0 4th down stops: 1/ FF: 0)
Sack Leader: DT Milton Williams (Sacks:1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 2)
Special Teams Ace: N/A
****
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: ATLANTA did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Own the Line Of Scrimmage: The idea was to be physical with the Falcons offensive line. They don’t make holes at the line like a power running team. Instead they run to areas and try to take advantage of a RB already looking for space. Bumping and delaying the linemen, would have cluttered up the Falcons run game.
Instead what our Defensive Line did, was stand up and run laterally with the Falcons line. No penetration. No edges set. We let that team pile up 152 rushing yards, at a clip of 5.4 yards per carry. (NOT DONE)
2) Take the Free Yardage:I though the Kerrigan Plan would be great for this week. Take advantage of poor outside coverage on Outs and routes in the Flat. When the Eagles went there, it was good. However, we hardly did! Why does this team INSIST on doing everything the hard way? (NOT DONE)
3) Let’s Have Sacks:More bullying the Falcons o-line was prescribed here. Bull rushing the LG was specifically the order of the day. Instead, our d-linemen would standing up out of their stances, and get waltzed back past the QB. There was one sack all day, of a guy who barely moves in the pocket. (NOT DONE)
4) Take the Safeties Off: Employ a pump fake or two on their Safeties, to get DeVonta Smith some one-on-one match-ups. Ironically, the play that sealed our loss, was an interception by a Safety. Can’t help but wonder what a pump fake on that play would have led to. Probably a touchdown, three seconds later. (NOT DONE)
++++
So this week’s Four Things score is0 of 4. We played (and coached) down to the Falcons, and it allowed them to steal a win. Next week, there is a highly likely chance that we’re going to get dog-walked by the Saints, as we head down to New Orleans, for STD’s and crawfish. Should be fun!
****
Game Hero: DeVonta Smith – He was the only player out there who looked like himself, all game long.
Game goat: Head Coach Nick Sirianni– Up 18 – 15, on 3rd and 3, from the 10, with a 1:46 left on a TICKING CLOCK, Sirianni either called or greenlit a passing play. This right here was the problem. It wasn’t Barkley’s dropping of the pass. It was calling any sort of play that wouldn’t let the clock keep ticking down.
Two Brotherly Shoves would have picked up the yardage, and never let the clock stop running. We should be celebrating an 18 – 15 win. Not mourning this 21 – 22 loss.
On The Whole:
Does anyone know what we pay the Defense for? We’re giving up 25.5 points per game, so far. Our DE’s don’t set edges vs the run, and they can’t get within a fifty dollar cab ride of a QB, despite lining up almost in the Wide 9. Our DT’s line up over linemen, instead of in gaps.
At least twice, I saw MLB Nakobe Dean (7 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) covering WR Drake London (7 – 6 – 54 – 9 .0 – 1). Why is a 5’11” MLB covering a 6’4” number one receiver!?? Who drew that shit up? If we play like this on Sunday, We may find ourselves 4th place in the division.
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: PACKERSdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
RB Saquon Barkley scoring one of his three touchdowns on the night
1) Establish the Inside Run: The idea was to get Saquon Barkley going early, on inside runs. It didn’t happen early in the game (which is what I was aiming for), but it did happen early in his workload (by carry #7 of 24). That helped set the tone for the second half, where the Eagles did pile up points.
The Offense didn’t salt away the win, in terms of running the clock out, or scoring a back-breaking touchdown. However they tried to do both. On our last possession, 8 of those 19 plays, were hand-offs to Saquon, and we should have had that touchdown, but Jalen Hurts fumbled the snap. Heroically, Saquon was there to recover it, and we kicked a FG, putting us up by 5 points. (NOT DONE)
2) Take Away the Run: The idea was to stymie the Packers interior run game, and we did a great job of that. Our Defensive Linemen didn’t record a bunch of stats, but they did keep Zack Baun clean enough to make 13 tackles (9 solo) and 2 sacks.
Before you point out the Packers RB Josh Jacobs (16 – 84 – 5.25 – 0 – 0) rushing stats, consider that 43 of those rushing yards, are from the Packers last two drives, and 32 of those yards are from one carry. We absolutely made their QB carry this game on his own. Which was the second half of this key. (DONE)
WR A.J. Brown scores on a 67 yard catch and run as WR Jahan Dotson trails
3) Drive A Dotson:Nawp! Didn’t get within 1,000 yards of this one. Only one pass was thrown to WR Jahan Dotson (no stats) all game long. Shame too! Looking at the meager rushing numbers put up by every Eagle not named Saquon, a little loser box, might have helped out quite a bit. Thank goodness that Brown delivers. (NOT DONE)
4) Mix It Up: Reed Blankenship making the interception out of Robber Coverage, almost took my breath away. Visions of Ronnie Lott’s 8 interception season with the Raiders, started to dance in my head. That interception was downright predatory! Not the catch. The way it was set-up.
S Reed Blankenship makes the interception. With an assist from LB Zack Baun.
Blankenship dropped out of the coverage window, leaving it open for a split second. Just long enough to bait the throw. Then he broke on the receiver. If the ball had gone elsewhere, he’d have been out of position to help deep. Instead, it was a pick that led to the go-ahead score (DONE)
++++
This week’s Four Things score is 2 of 4, though it could have been 3 of 4. Next week the Birds defend our nest, from an 0 – 1 Falcons team, that lost to 6 field goals and no touchdowns.
****
Saquon catching an 18 yard dime.
Game Hero: RB Saquon Barkley – He piled up 109 rushing yards, and three touchdowns (2 rushing, 1 receiving), in his Eagles debut. While his 26 touches feels a little high this early in the season, it was good to see him put them down with no injury, nicks, or otherwise ill effects.
Game goat: Eagles pass rush – MLB Zack Baun ran down QB Jordan Love (17/34 – 50 – 260 – 2 – 1) a couple of times, but none of our linemen got a good lick on the guy. That is, until DT Jalen Carter(2 – 0 – 0 – 0) tried to tackle Love (subsequently injuring him), as he fought to toss the ball to Josh Jacobs. We need sacks out of our linemen. Period.
On The Whole: The early miscues on both sides of the ball, justified every Eagles fan’s misgivings about the starters not playing at all in the preseason. Particularly Jalen Hurts who was not sharp, to say the least. Throwing two picks and fumbling twice, (once at the goal line), either indicates rust, or an outright lack of talent.
Though it’s too late to unspill that milk, I said it once before but it bears repeating now. Our starting guys should have played. The coach needs to hear that, for the next couple weeks at least.
LOST in the Wild Card round, 11 – 6, second in the NFC East, 25.5 pspg / 25.2 papg
The Eagles ripped out the gate to a 10 – 0 start. However, they aand may of us writers, never quite seemed comfortable, because the Eagles allowed the games to be more difficult than they should have been. Then the wheels fell of, the team utterly collapsed, and no explanation has yet to be given. (Good. I wouldn’t want to hear it anyway.)
The Eagles responded by replacing the offensive and defensive coordinators. They also allowed General Manager Howie Roseman, to go all Tanya Harding on the entire city of New York, by taking RB Barkley from one team, and trading OLB Hasson Reddick to the other.
OFFENSE:
QB Jalen Hurts
QB: Jalen Hurts experienced a little problem with turnovers last year. Whether it was an anomaly, or it’s because teams have figured him out, remains to be seen. He still has trouble punishing the blitz, but his 99 touchdowns in three seasons as a starter (despite four missed games) makes you wonder what he could be, if he fixed that glaring flaw.
Kenny Pickett has plenty of arm talent and moxie. Half of his 12 career wins, are comeback victories. Which is a heck of a feat, given the lack of protection he was working with in Pittsburgh. Tanner McKee is a big, strong, tough player, and his teammates like playing for him. He is however, the definition of a pocket passer. (+)
RB: Saquon Barkley. Seeing how good he’s been with trash players and coaching surrounding him, only makes you wonder how good he can be now. However, it’s him being over 230 pounds that most excites me. No knock on all-time leading rusher LeSean McCoy, but the Eagles have had a lot of success here, with guys 220 pounds and up.
Kenneth Gainwell is a man without a real role. He isn’t special at anything. Will Shipley is a 4th round rookie, who seems like a big effort, hard nosed type. Neither backup is built to be an NFC East style workhorse. Which raises the question of: Who carries the load if Barkley gets hurt? Barkley is a great starter to have, but the depth is a question. (+)
TE: Given some of the other names on this team, it can be too easy to overlook Dallas Goedert. However, even as a third option, he’s been quietly putting up around 600 yards per season, for the last five seasons. There doesn’t seem to be a plan for third year man, Grant Calcaterra, as his blocking never wowed anyone. Again, this is a case of excellent starter, no real depth. With just two active, the position is also thin. (-)
WR: A.J. Brownis flat-out uncoverable. Hands, speed, size, vertical leap, route running… He owns every tool in the hardware store. On the opposite sideline, is DeVonta Smith, who puts on a clinic with every route that he runs. He posted a 72% catch rate last year. As a BOUNDARY receiver, with over 100 targets. Those are star receiver numbers, and he’s the #2.
Jahan Dotsonwas traded for, to give the Eagles a legit slot receiver and real depth. Rookie 6th rounder Johnny Wilsonis the #4 receiver. He’s 6’6” 228 pounds, but he has slow feet for this position. Having played at 245, if his blocking improves, a position switch might suit him. Britain Covey is primarily a return man. (+)
LT Jordan Mialata
OT: LT Jordan Mialatahas become a team captain. It still feels a little premature to call him ‘elite’, but his name does keep coming up in the national conversation. RT Lane Johnson is elite. There is no media outlet that refers to him, without calling him a future Hall Of Famer, somewhere in the conversation. It can be debated who the best OT in the league is, but there is no debate that the Eagles have the best starting pair.
LT Fred Johnsonhas been with the team since last year, and even saw a little bit of action. While RT Darian Kinnard played a lot during the preseason, you could tell he was a lock to make the team. I think coaches just wanted to be sure he was really as good a he seemed out there. (+)
OG: While LG Landon Dickersondoesn’t get the credit, he’s the real reason that the Brotherly Shove works as well as it does, as consistently as it does. As if to acknowledge this, the Eagles low-key made a point of giving him a four year extension, in March.
At the RG position is Mekhi Becton. He was a 2020, #11 overall draft pick, who the Jets had at RT, until he suffered two right knee injuries. At 6’7” 363 pounds, he’s an absolute monster of a man. So instead of playing him at RT, the Eagles chose to kick him inside, where he can wrestle with opponents in a phonebooth. He was good enough in camp to take the starting spot.
Tyler Steen is the second year man, who was supposed to start. Until Becton came along. I wasn’t big on Steen last year, but word is he’s improved noticeably. Rookie Trevor Keegan was selected in the 5th round this season. Not much is expected of him yet. (+)
C: Cam “Beef” Jurgensis taking over for the retired future Hall Of Famer Jason Kelce. Jurgens has 28 career starts at G, although the pivot is his natural spot. Not only did Kelce helped hand-pick Jurgens in the 2022 Draft, he mentored him. Groomed him to be a ready when the moment comes. This is that moment. Oh and there is no back-up. (+)
In A Nutshell: This roster is so stacked it’s ridiculous. And there may be even more help on the way.
DEFENSE:
DE: Brandon Graham is returning for his 15th and final ride, with the only NFL roster that was ever lucky enough, to have him grace it. He’s no longer a starter, but his snaps are impactful, as he plays the position classically. By which I mean, he plays the run on the way to the pass. Most modern players at this position, just play pass first, and so often fail to contain the edge.
Free agent Bryce Huff, comes over from the Jets, and will likely be the starter that Graham rotates with. He didn’t start a game last year and still led that team with 10 sacks. So of course, instead of starting him, the Jets let him walk. (+)
DT: I won’t keep you in suspense. The Eagles are literally SIX players deep at this position. Every guy here could start on a team somewhere in this league. Jordan Davis is a mountain of a man and the centerpiece of the Defensive Line. By his own admission he wore down in 2023, and has dedicated himself to his conditioning in 2024. Stay tuned. Jalen Carter grabbed 6 sacks and finished in second place for rookie of the year, last year. Milton Williams is a tweener, who gets moved around, to create and enhance mismatches along the line.
Moro Ojomo has made plenty of noise in preseason games. Now it’s time to translate that to games that count. Byron Young was a 3rd rounder last year, but was a victim of a 2024 numbers crunch in Las Vegas. Thomas Booker was an End in Houston last year. All three of these guys are tweeners, in that they’re Big End/high motor Nickel Tackle, types. Too much depth here. (+)
OLB: Josh Sweaton paper, changes position from DE, but in no way will that change how the Eagles utilize him. He gets lots of pressure and hits on passers (23 in 2023). The Eagles are just trying find a way to turn those into sacks (just 6.5 last year.) Nolan Smithwas supposed to be a steal in the 1st round of last year’s Draft, but he can’t produce from the sideline.
Jalyx Hunt is a 3rd round rookie, who had no business still being on the board when the Eagles got there. Patrick Johnson’s value lies in his flexibility (LB/DE), and his Special Teams play. While Eagles have parts here, getting production from them has proven to be challenge. (-)
ILB: Free Agent Devin White came over from Tampa. His resume shows that he can be a playmaker, but with most Eagles starters playing no preseason snaps, it’s impossible to judge how he fits. Zach Baun comes over from New Orleans, having been a spot starter and situational player. When the Eagles go to their 5 – 2 alignment, these two head the depth chart.
Nakobe Dean has so far not panned out as planned, but this new defensive coaching staff, seems excited about him. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. will initially get stuck on Special Teams, but his heads-up style of play, suggests that coaches will find defensive snaps for him. Oren Burks was a late preseason acquisition who has starting experience, and has made some plays. Ben VanSumeren is a born Special Teamer.
The position is stable and solid up top. Still, I can’t shake the feeling that the free agents we added, are stunting the growth of the young guys we have (who seem to have more upside), by keeping them off the field. (+)
S C.J. Gardner-Johnson (CJGJ) intercepts a pass
S: C.J. Gardner-Johnson returns, after a year in Detroit that he’d probably like to forget. His 2022 season here, saw him lead the NFL in interceptions and play in the Super Bowl. He’s back to get a taste of that again. Reed Blankenship isn’t a burner, but he possesses pretty much any other trait you’d want at this position. If the communication between these two is good, the middle of the field will be a dangerous place to venture.
Rookie 2nd rounder Cooper DeJean, fist best at this position. Yes, the coaches love his schematic flexibility, but ultimately, player play best where they play best. Tristin McCollumwas a longshot to make this roster, but here he is. (+)
CB:Darius “Big Play” Slaydoesn’t get the respect that he deserves. Even playing in a heavy cushion cover scheme, he’s picked off 8 passes in three seasons. Isaiah Rodgers was brought in a year ago while on suspension. We have yet to see him play. Quinyon Mitchell is a 1st rounder from this year. While he’s well thought of, he’s still a rookie. There’s an education coming.
Kelee Ringo is a big guy, who plays with an aggression and swagger that will either make him a star pr run him out of the league eventually. Eli Ricks is another tall one, who made a few clutch plays as a reserve in 2023. Fact is, Slay is great, but there’s no way to vouch for the other side yet. (-)
In A Nutshell: This unit should be strong down the middle. The edges of the defense is where the question marks are.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
LS: Rick Lovato notched 3 tackles and forced a fumble, in 2023. (+)
P: Braden Mann posted a punt average of 49.8, and a net of 43.8. Both of which were career bests for him. (+)
K: Jake “The Make” Elliottmade a career-high 93.8% of his field goals, and even made 7 of 8 from 50 or more. (+)
In A Nutshell: The Eagles have long understood the battle of hidden yardage, and it continues to show.
BOTTOM LINE:
This is team went on a 10 – 0 start last year, while never looking like a dominant team. I personally am getting the vibe that they won’t get out to a long undefeated streak, but they will absolutely land on a few teams this year.
As for 2024: A record of 12 – 5 seems to fit like Cinderella’s glass slipper. Let’s go with that.
LOST in the Wild Card round, 12 – 5, first in the NFC East, 29.9 pspg / 18.5 papg
Despite a 3 – 2 start, the Cowboys just plugged away, and generally beat whomever was on the schedule. They worked their way into first place in the division, only to get shit-canned in their own home, by a young Green Bay team in the playoffs.
Head coach Mike McCarthy has just put together three 12 – 5 seasons in a row, with a playoff record of 1 – 3, over that same span. He’s replaced his ex-defensive coordinator with Mike Zimmer, but everything else, has been just making small adjustments. Chances are, without a deep playoff run, McCarthy is likely getting fired. Not in spite of his three year 36 – 15 record, but rather because of it. Owner Jerry Jones, isn’t patient enough to endure much more of “close, but no cigar!”
OFFENSE:
QB: Dak Prescott is the starter, but he has no idea whether or not the Cowboys want him back next year. So why did I lead with that, instead of whether he’s any good or not? One, because anyone reading this, already knows he can play. Two, because potentially having to shop himself as a free agent next year, will affect how he regards injuries this year.
You have to ask, how much will Prescott hold back, in an attempt to limit damage to an already 30 year old body? Since any holding back will affect any athlete’s play, it stands to reason that we may not see the best version of Prescott in 2024. Especially with his primary weapon missing all of camp and the preseason.
The backup, is Preseason Hall of Famer Cooper Rush. He’s 5 – 1 lifetime, in games that count. His only career loss came vs a Philadelphia Eagles team, that went to the Super Bowl that year. He’s extremely smart and very hard to fool. Unfortunately, his physical tools are underwhelming. Because of this, the Cowboys are looking past him for their next starter.
Third stringer Trey Lance, has all the physical tools of a star. However, he’d been a goofy disaster since the 49ers overdrafted him #3 overall in 2021. He started four games, went 2 – 2, and the 9ers felt they’d seen enough. Just FOUR starts, for a first round pick, and they threw the towel in on him!?
So when Dallas traded the 9ers just a fourth round pick for him, during the 2023 offseason, everyone assumed Dallas had fleeced them. Wrong. WRONG! When Dallas realized the scope of the project he was, they basically red-shirted him all last season. So far this preseason, vs vanilla defenses, Lance appeared to have regressed.
So while this team does have two good players at this position, neither is motivated to do anything besides audition for other teams right now. (+)
RB: Ezekiel Elliott returns to Dallas! Not the old version that could eat clock with a lead, batter a defense, and put away games. Instead, Dallas is getting the new version, that hasn’t seen a 100 yard game, broken a run of longer than 27 yards, or had an average of 4.0 per carry, since 2021. They’re getting the version that hasn’t averaged 7 yards per catch, since 2019.
Elliott is the best they have for now. Rico Dowdle is an undrafted, career backup who plays like it. In thirty-six games, not one is a start, and instead of promoting him, they brought in Elliott. At 5’6” 176 pounds, and being easy to arm tackle, Deuce Vaughn will never see many carries.
The Cowboys signed Dalvin Cook to their practice Squad, and it’s wise to assume he won’t stay there long. The Vikings cut him over money in 2023, and the move didn’t work out for them. He spent the 2023 regular season as a backup with the Jets. ( He signed with the Ravens for one playoff game). Though he looked like a bad fit in New York, he still showed home run capability in 2022, with a career long 81 yard run. Unless Cook can lift this group, it’s a bad one. (-)
TE: Jake Ferguson is more of a receiver than a blocker, but he’s not going to scare anybody who has to cover him. Luke Schoonmaker is more of a blocker than a receiver. Undrafted rookie Brevyn Spann-Ford, is big (6’6” 268) target. That said, he’s not much of blocker, and his feet turn over at an alarmingly slow rate. This guy is going to get cooked at this level. (-)
WR: Did the Cowboys just pay 30M$ per year for a slot receiver? Given that in 2023, 60% of Ceedee Lamb‘s targets and 66% of his receptions came from the slot, the numbers would strongly suggest that’s exactly what the Cowboys did. Look, there is no disputing that Lamb can get open, make catches, and score. The question is: Can he do it consistently against an opponent’s best cover guy; or does he need to be matched up vs a Nickel player?
Once upon a time Brandin Cooks was electric and explosive. He’s not those things anymore, but he still caught 8 scores last year. Jalen Tolbert is going to be the second outside receiver, so that Lamb can stay inside. At 153 pounds Kavonte Turpin is just considered a gadget player. Jalen Brooks is a 7th rounder from last season. Couple players, but no depth. (+)
OT: The loss of Tyron Smith was inevitable and necessary. The problem, is not having replaced him with a high caliber player. At LT, Chuma Edoga is starting the season on Injured Reserve, for the first four weeks. It’s also the sort of injury (toe) that tends to linger. So rookie 1st rounder Tyler Guyton, will protect any realistic hopes that this franchise has of the postseason.
At RT Terence Steele returns for his fifth year as the starter in this spot. Not much has been said about him recently, and the general thinking is, if not much is said about an offensive lineman, he must be doing his job. Seems weird to me, though. The NFL is always talking about future Hall Of Famer, RTLane Johnson; and how fast LT Jordan Mailata has come along. (-)
G Zack Martin making it look easy
OG: Speaking of lineman who always get a mention, future Hall Of Famer RG Zack Martin, comes back for his eleventh year as a starter for this team. Opposite him, at LG Tyler Smith returns fresh from his first All-Pro nod. Am I painting you a picture?
Behind them for depth, they have T.J. Bass who saw two starts last season. There’s also swingman Asim Richards, a 5th round pick last year, and native of Philadelphia. (+)
C: Rookie 3rd rounder, Cooper Beebe made the transition from Guard, and seems to have snatched the starting spot here. He’s a wide, squat, fan of running the ball. However, he has some physical shortcomings that could make him a liability as a pass protector, over the long haul.
Behind him is Brock Hoffman, an undrafted free agent from 2022, who expected to inherit the role after two starts last season, and the defection of Tyler Biadasz. The drafting of Beebe, should have been a clue. If the offensive system were different, I would grade this position different. But since the system keeps these players in their wheelhouse, it’s fine. (+)
In A Nutshell: Injuries are part of football, and depth is a serious issue for this unit. They’ll have to stay very lucky to stay competitive this season.
DEFENSE:
DE: DeMarcus Lawrence played every game for a second straight season producing 50 tackles and 4 sacks. That however, doesn’t offset the loss of pass rush, with Dorance Armstrong going to Washington. It’s doubtful that Dallas will trust Chauncey Golston or Tyrus Wheat, with the spot. Partly because of 2nd round rookie Marshawn Kneeland.
Then there’s this other thing. While he’s not listed at this position, all the chatter (and this includes the depth chart on the Cowboys own website), says that Micah Parsons will play opposite Lawrence. I’ve said for the past two years, that this day was coming. Mostly since Parsons offers little value in off-ball applications. In any case, Dallas has a few pieces to move around. (+)
DT Osa Odighizuwa
DT: Osa Odighizuwa is a high motor player, who should be moved to End. Instead, they play him inside, and the season wears him down. Last season he had no solo tackles for the final four weeks of the season, a similar disappearing act has been pulled in each of his three years.
Mazi Smith was brought in to help stop the run, but he dropped under 300 pounds to try and get sacks. The new defensive coordinator told him to knock that off, and go get fat again.
Speaking of fat, Dallas traded for oft-traveled Jordan Phillips, and signed oft-traveled Linval Joseph. They played together in Buffalo last season. This position is stocked with underachievers and guys who live out of their suitcases. Not a good sign for Dallas. (-)
OLB: Damone Clark looked like a reliable tackle machine last year, until about week 14. At that point teams realized that it was easier to make yards attacking him downfield in the passing game, than it was by trying to screen him. Of the 224 passing yards he gave up in 2023, 86 were in the last four games, with 8 catches on 9 targets.
DeMarvion Overshown missed all of last season, his rookie season, with a torn ACL. Rookie 3rd rounder Marist Liufau, seems to be in competition with Overshown, over that second starting spot. This is a great way to let iron sharpen iron. If at least one of these kids can play, Dallas may have struck oil here. Until then, everything here is a huge, glowing question mark. (-)
MLB: Free agent addition Erick Kendricks, has racked up over 1,000 tackles in his nine year career. He also has some playmaking ability.
Buddy Johnson screams red flags. He was a Steelers 4th round draft pick, who signed a four year contract in 2021. The following preseason the Steelers cut him, and didn’t even add him to their practice squad. Since then, he’s been on four different practice squads, played 86 Special Teams snaps, and recorded 8 tackles. Kendricks had better stay healthy. (-)
S: Donovan Wilson and Malik Hooker return for a third year of working together. That should make adapting to their new defensive system easier. Markquese Bell entering his third year here, offers experienced depth and again, interpersonal familiarity. Juanyeh Thomas and Israel Mukuamu offer depth.
All of these guys knowing each other so well, should make assimilating the new system a snap. These players have already played together and played well. If there are problems in the secondary, you know the issue is the coaching, not the players, or misunderstandings. This is still the deepest group in the division. (+)
CB Trevon Diggs seems upset about something here
CB: Trevon Diggs returns after missing fifteen games in 2023, with an ACL tear. He’s a feast or famine type gambler, who probably gave up half as many big plays, as he made. The question is: What percentage of the gambler’s luck, was left on the operating table. With the departure of Stephon Gilmore, second year man, Caelen Carson is starting opposite Diggs. .
From the Nickel, DaRon Bland led the NFL with 9 picks and returned 5 of them for TD’s, last year. Unfortunately, he has a stress fracture in his foot that will require surgery, and keep him out at least six games. Stepping in for him, is Jourdan Lewis. He has a ton of experience, and even some fair measure of success. C.J. Goodwin and Andrew Booth play Special Teams. (+)
In A Nutshell: Up front they can still be pushed around. Their two best ballhawks having suffering lower body injuries, raises serious questions about this secondary.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
LS: Since college Trent Seig has never played any other position. He’s essentially eating a roster spot. (-)
P: Bryan Angerer went nuts last year, posting a 51.4 yard per punt average, as well as a 45.3 yard average net. Both of which were career-highs for him. At age 35. Seriously, do I need to be the one to drop the “S” word? Or to bring up the term “random test”? (+)
K: After a decade of searching, and performing an interesting comedy of errors for their division rivals, the Cowboys, finally seem to have found their guy. Brandon Aubrey is young, has a big leg, and currently owns an accuracy mark of 94.7% on his field goals. (+)
In A Nutshell: The biggest thing that this unit has needed for a long time, was stability. They have that now.
BOTTOM LINE:
After this season, this team is headed for a rebuild. With that hanging over their heads, it’s unreasonable to expect the players to not get distracted. Add to that, the alarming lack of depth in positions like QB, MLB, and OT, and do you know what you get? Deformed fingers from keeping them crossed all year long. There’s a lot of talent on this team, but the players have ridden that ride before. That may not be enough to keep the roster interested this year.
As for 2024: I’ll go out on a limb and say 10 – 7, a Wild Card loss, and McCarthy being fired less than two weeks later.
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: VIKINGSdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Starters Must Play: Not only did most starters not play, they and key back-ups, didn’t even dress. For example, WR Britain Covey didn’t dress. Rookies Jalyx Hunt (LB) and Will Shipley (RB) didn’t dress. Interestingly enough, LB Nolan Smithstarted and played quite a bit. But hey! This is okay. It’s allllll okay! Right?
The Eagles, particularly the Offense, better not come out stale, or loaded with miscues in Brazil, during the season opener. If they do, expect to hear from many of us fans, about how not playing our starters even a single snap in the preseason, was wrong-head and dumb. (NOT DONE)
2) Offensive Line Must Deliver:This was rendered meaningless, because many of the players who were out there, will be cut before close of business on Tuesday. This essentially gives us nothing of substance, to judge. (NOT DONE)
3) Make A Defensive Statement: If the Eagles Defense made any statement on Saturday, it’s that we can’t stop anyone. However, as I said, most of the people who played later into the game yesterday, won’t be around come dawn on Wednesday. (NOT DONE)
4) No Contributors Play the Second Half:Well this one was certainly a freebie! (DONE)
++++
This week’s Four Things score is 1 of 3, with a corresponding 3 – 26 score for our troubles. Thus endeth the preseason. When next we see this team, the games, the results, will count.
****
Game Hero: Nobody. The closest thing we have there, is McKee attempting a 4th and goal touchdown pass, with a guy pulling on his leg. A completion would have made it a boss moment. Instead it was a turnover on downs.
Game goat: DB Cooper DeJean (2 – 0 – 0 – 0) He got a little better as the game wore on, but that first drive saw him commit an illegal contact penalty that erased an interception by S Tristin McCollum(9 – 0 – 0 – 0), who played well. Instead of a taking away the ball and ending that drive, we allowed a touchdown.
On The Whole: All the Eagles coaching staff wanted out of this one, was to get a deep look at the back-end of the roster. Good thing too, because a couple of those guys popped. For example, LB Oren Burks(6 – 1.0 – 0 – 0). He also nearly added an interception to his stats. I’d be surprised if he doesn’t end up on the Practice Squad.
LB Oren Burks nearly picks off a pass
It’s hard to get too concerned about the way this went down. Most of the guys we saw playing in this game will be looking for regular jobs in less than a month. However, in two weeks, our best guys will be playing an away game, in a game that counts, without even one dress rehearsal. If you’re a a little bit worried, you aren’t a whiner. It just means you’re sane.
Sack Leader: OLB Nolan Smith (Sacks:1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 1)
Special Teams Ace: WRJohn Ross 2KR, 68 yards, 34.0 avg
****
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: PATRIOTS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Starters Must Play:Nope! Yet again Head Coach Nick Sirianni teased the possibility of playing his starters, and then decided not to. If the Eagles come out firing on all cylinders Week One, then he was right. However, if they come out looking at all out of sync, then he’ll have some ‘splaining to do. (NOT DONE)
2) Stop the Inside Run: With the starters not out there, this is tough to gauge. Statistically, our back-ups did a decent job vs starters. So that’s something to hang our hats on. The guys we put out there, did the job, in this game. ILBZack Baun made a couple nice plays vs the run. (DONE)
QB Tanner McKee in a pretty pocket
3) Open Up the Offense: Yes. This happened. When third stringer Tanner McKee came in, he ran the exact same system that back-up QB Kenny Pickett(11/13 – 67 – 84.6 – 0 – 0) had been running. The difference was that McKee had time to air out more passes.(DONE)
4) Show Up:We didn’t come out and play down to a less talented team. What we did was worse. Our coaching staff, removed any sense of urgency from this game, by not even dressing most of our starters. The result was a close win, sealed by a fluke fumbled snap, instead of an outright blowout. (NOT DONE)
++++
This week’s Four Things score is 2 of 4. Understandably, that 50/50 score, produced a coin flip of a win. Maybe we’ll be better next week, when the Vikings visit South Philly.
****
Let’s go Brandon Smith! His fumble recovery sealed the win.
Game Hero: QB Tanner McKee – Led the team’s only touchdown drive, and looked very in command of the playbook out there. I almost wanted to give this to LB Brandon Smith for sealing the victory, but he only recovered the fumble. He in no way forced that final turnover.
Game goat: “Starting” Offensive Line – Yes, I know that our back-up O-line was out there against the Patriots starters, but they put Pickett in a no-win situation. Due to sloppy protection, Pickett was forced to rely on short passes. Trying to get the ball downfield, he was sacked 4 times. Some are saying that he’s afraid to open up the offense. Still others say, that he’s holding the ball too long.
Just a note. Both the pass protection and run game production picked up once RG Tyler Steen left with an injury, and giants cast-off Nick Gates came in. I’m not saying that Steen was the problem. I’m saying that Gates was a stabilizer. I’m on record already, saying that I don’t think much of Steen. He has yet to prove me wrong.
On The Whole: It’s hard to say, given how much of this roster will be looking for real jobs in two weeks. Did our back-ups produce an uneven game? Or did a number of future burger flippers, personal trainers, and UPS deliverymen, just give themselves stories that will be passed down like heirlooms?
In any case, until we see our actual starters take the field, these games will be hard to truly evaluate.
Drive Killer: LB Patrick Johnson(TD: 0/Int: 0/ FR:1 / 4th down stops: 0 / FF: 1)
Sack Leader: LB Patrick Johnson (Sacks:1.0/ FF: 1/ Tackles: 4)
Special Teams Ace: KJake Elliott 1/ 2 XP, 1/2 FG, with 49yd game winner
****
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: RAVENSdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
RB Kendall Milton
1) Running the Ball Inside: None of what I was looking for mattered, because the starters didn’t play. RB Kendall Milton did get to play, and he led the team in rushing. Sadly it was later, against fellow third stringers. I wanted to see him vs players above his level. Meh, maybe next week. (NOT DONE)
2) Stopping the Run:We were better in the second half at stopping the run. Neither the D-Line, nor ILB’s Devin White(1 tackle) or Zach Baun (1 tackle), seemed to be out there imposing their will. In fact, the only ILB that seemed to remember how to slip a block, was ILB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (you have no idea how much my chest just swelled when I typed that) (6 tackles, 1 sack).
During the season I would make this a passing grade, because finishing strong matters more than starting fast. However, in preseason games, the stronger competition comes out early, and leaves before it’s late. So the model is upside down right now. Thus I have to say… (NOT DONE)
3) Dynamic Slot Play:There was no dynamic WR play of any kind. The routes were super-vanilla, and the passes were short and quick, rarely going 10 yards down the field. It was Dink-And-Dunk mania. Somewhere out there, Sam Bradford was watching, and wondering when he would get a statue.
On a more positive note, WR John Ross (one of the guys I’m rooting for), led the team in catches and receiving yards. He did it playing against type, and acting as a possession receiver, instead of a downfield threat. Not bad but, (NOT DONE)
4) Contested Routes: Initially, it seemed we were in for a long night of easily surrendered completions. Next thing you know, CB Quinyon Mitchell (dropped interception), and CBKelee Ringo (2 passes knocked down) were making it clear that throwing the ball in their direction, could prove costly.
In the end, the Ravens were held to 99 yards on 10/22 pass attempts (45.5%). The sticky coverage helped the Eagles notch 3 sacks on the night. That final sack by LB/DE Patrick Johnson, helped the Birds pull out a last second victory. Without good coverage, that’s a quick attempt instead of a turnover. (DONE)
++++
So going 1 of 4 in this one, was enough to eek out a 3 point win, on the road. I’ll take it! Next week, we travel up to New England, where maybe we see a starter next week.
****
Game Hero: LB Patrick Johnson – I know some people will give it to K Jake Elliott, because he had to actually make the field goal to break the 13 – 13 tie. However, he had already missed his chance to be the hero. It was only Johnson’s sack/forced fumble/fumble recovery that led to Elliott getting that second opportunity.
Game goat: K Jake Elliott – Don’t look so surprised! Had he not missed an early extra point, we wouldn’t have needed him to make the field goal that he missed. Luckily, thanks to LB Patrick Johnson, Elliott got another shot at a game winner, and he nailed it.
On The Whole: I still wanted to see the starters. There is too much new on this team (co-ordinators, players, systems, etc.), to assume that the starters will be ready to go Week One, without any preseason reps. Especially given how they were blown out and humiliated, in the last game we played that mattered.
Note:With all the speculation immediately following the game, I wanted to hang back a day or two, before putting my take out there. What’s the point of being one more voice yelling, right? Instead, I chose to step back a bit, then mosey up, once I didn’t have to raise my voice to be heard.
Drive Killer: NA (TD: /Int: / FR: / 4th down stops: / FF: )
Sack Leader: DE Brandon Graham (Sacks:1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 3) *3TFL
Special Teams Ace: NA
****
I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these Four Things articles. It’s to point out what we need to address BEFORE the game. Then AFTER the game, there’s a no-bullshit assessment of whether or not the Eagles did any of what they needed to do, to ensure the win.
So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: BUCCANEERSdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Run To Set-up the Pass:Considering that Hurts dislocated a finger on his passing hand just a week ago, the smart money was on the team leaning on the run in this game. At the half, Swift had 4 carries for 16 yards.
Was our passing game helping us score points at a blistering pace? No. We had 9 points at the half. Then we of course, made no adjustments after the half. Which of course, resulted in us scoring 9 fewer points, in the second half. Maybe you are wondering why we didn’t run the ball, like we did when we beat this team a few months ago.
Well, Head Coach Nick Sirianni figured, if running the ball was the obvious thing to do, then of course he shouldn’t run the ball, thereby taking his opponents by surprise. But his opponents would expect him to deduce that, so of course he should run the ball. Ah ha! Laughable that they would think that he’d fall for such an amateurish ploy! So instead, Coach Nick poisoned all of our cups. And Tampa watched as we all died. Brilliant. (NOT DONE)
2) Get the Ball Out Quickly: The idea (again) was to help the QB with the injured finger. Here’s a copy and pasted excerpt from Four Things : Give him some short routes, especially over the middle, where he can take advantage of a blitzer. The Buccaneers like to blitz S Antoine Winfield Jr., and they need to be made to pay for that.
Instead, the plan was to hold the ball forever, in the face of the blitz, and try to force deep passes to a VERY covered Devonta Smith. And shit kiddies, sometimes it even worked!
This isn’t a real stat, but to Eagles fans, it sure as hell FEELS like it is.
Other times, the plan was to rely on a play that hasn’t worked all season: The WR Screen. Everyone look under your chair! WR Screens for everyone!!! You get a Screen! And you get a Screen! And you get a Screen! And Devonta already covered in the backfield? He gets a Screen too! See my forehead? Yeah, put the bullet right here. Right the fuck here! (NOT DONE)
3) Challenge the Throws:The idea was for the Secondary to contest throws, but you have to be somewhere in the zip code of the receiver, or not running into each other, to contest passes.
In this game (and for the last month), this Secondary has convinced me that a group of blind kindergarteners, couldn’t possibly be worse at covering NFL receivers. And it just kept getting worse and worse! Luckily, the season has ended. Because at this rate of decline, I am abjectly terrified to find out what they’d look like, in another two weeks. (NOT DONE)
4) Box the MLB: Keeping the MLB in the box, instead of dropping him into a shallow zone, would force the Bucs to assign a blocker to him, which wouldn’t allow them to double team a defensive lineman. Today instead of LB Nick Morrow (10 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) playing the middle, LB Zach Cunningham(9 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) took over those duties.
Early on, seeing Cunningham in the box made me feel great. Then an offensive lineman sauntered out to block him, and Cunningham stuck to that block like Velcro. (Aw, noice!) We were frequently gashed vs the run early, but the front seven seemed to settle things down somewhat later in the game.
Also, to his credit, Cunningham did get his hands on two passes over the middle, nearly intercepting one of them. (DONE)
++++
So this week we completed just 1 of the Four Things, as the score indicates. Next stop, the Hefty bags outside of our lockers.
****
WR Devonta Smith on a 56 yard catch and run
Game Hero: Devonta Smith – The young man balled out. Using his killer route running, he still put up nearly a buck fifty, despite the opposing secondary keying on him, as our only downfield threat. Anyone wondering if he could be #1 WR, just had that question resoundingly answered. If this team had a legit Slot who worked the middle of the field, this Offense would break scoreboards.
Game goat: The coaching staff – The shitty gameplan was bad enough, but not making adjustments after the half is unforgivable. Anyway you cut it, we’re getting new coordinators. The only question is, are we also getting a new coach? We’d be stupid to fire Sirianni, but then again, I said it was stupid to fire Doug Pederson.
On The Whole:
At no point did some of our players look fired up about playing in this game. For many of our players, this game was the first opportunity towards “unfinished business”. However, for guys who weren’t here last year, and who came from teams with cultures of failure, the stakes were not the same for them. That motivation simply didn’t exist.
There was also an air of tightness about the team. (Has been for weeks now.) The play, the play-calling… All of it seemed less geared towards succeeding, and more geared towards not failing. The trust was gone. The energy was gone. The joy was gone. Football is a hard sport to win when one of those is missing, but it’s impossible to win when all three are.
Picking on individual aspects of this loss, is a pointless endeavor. Especially since many of the failings will change with new personnel. I however, need to discuss the Eagles inability to handle the blitz, and the Secondary’s inability to play defense.
Jalen Hurts is in his fourth year as a professional, and his third as a starter. Despite that, the kind of blitzes that the Bucs threw at him, are the kind that teams throw at rookies. And Hurst responded like one, with rushed throw aways, and backing up extra steps, from the Shotgun.
QB Jalen Hurts under pressure.
His inability to punish a blitz, comes down to one of two possibilities. The first is, perhaps our coaches aren’t allowing him the freedom to change even a single route, upon recognition of a possible blitz. The second possibility is, Hurts simply isn’t smart enough to read, process, and adjust to increased pressure. Only one of those can be fixed with coaching. The other says the Eagles need to draft a 1st round QB.
As for the Secondary, coverage, tackle angles, tackle execution, all of it. These are the things they get paid to do. None of them are paid to run city government, or build spacecraft, or handle spin control for Kanye West. And yet, to a man, no one was doing what they get paid to do out there.
CB James Bradberry getting beaten like a drum. Again!
Easy knee-jerk response is “Cut ‘em!”. With guys on one year deals? Sure! See ya! Bye! However, not everyone’s contract will allow for that, without putting the Eagles on the hook for dead money, on par with that of a rebuilding team. So we have to tread lightly here. Weakening ourselves, is strengthening our division rivals.
Drive Killer: S Sydney Brown (TD: 1/Int: 1/ FR: 0/ 4th down stops: 0/ FF: 0)
Sack Leader: DTJalen Carter (Sacks:1.0/ FF: 0/ Tackles: 1)
Special Teams Ace: CB Eli Ricks recovered Arizona’s surprise onside kick
****
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: CARDINALSdid the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Win In The Trenches: Not letting Arizona get their run game going was the key here. Instead, we allowed the Cardinals to run for 221 yards on 40 carries (5.5ypc). The hope was that DT Jordan Davis (1 tackle) would be a problem in this one. Instead, he was invisible. (NOT DONE)
2) Hands Up:“If he can’t see well, he may put the ball in dangerous places without realizing it.”
S Sydney Brown picks off a pass and returns it 99 yards for a score.
Making it difficult to see for the opposing QB, did result in an interception returned 99 yards for a touchdown by Sydney Brown. The pocket was pushed back and the QB hung a ball where he expected a receiver to be, instead of seeing that only Eagles were over there.
There were no hands up on that play, but his sight-line was comprised, and defenders did get their hands up more in this game, than they usually do. (DONE)
3) Run The Ball: Getting 16 or more carries for 72 yards, would have been enough for the win, I wrote. Instead, Swift got 13 carries for 61 yards. On the day, we had 15 hand-offs vs 24 pass attempts. So, Head Coach Nick Sirianniis steadfast about preferring to lose his way, than win someone else’s way.
Remember when Andy Reid was here, doing that shit? Wouldn’t get us a top-shelf WR. Wouldn’t pound the rock. Didn’t win shit. Goes to K.C., drafts WR Tyreek Hill, and pounds the rock with RB Isiah Pacheco. Wins two Super Bowls. (I dunno Nick, if you’re FAILING, maybe it behooves you to listen to someone besides your echo.) (NOT DONE)
4) Be Efficient: I thought Jalen Hurts was doing an excellent job of this, until the Eagles started letting a crackhead do the play-calling. Two QB runs, and a WR Screen on 3rd and 20??? The coaching staff (being cute as usual), hung Hurts out to dry after the half.
QB Jalen Hurts left on the ground.
Look, you can’t make great choices when presented with only bad options, and that keeps happening here. Coaches are supposed to put players in positions to make plays; not box them in, and squander their gifts. (NOT DONE)
++++
This week just1 of the Four Things were done, and so of course it resulted in a loss. Next week, we travel two hours up 95, to that cesspool that’s actually in (Rutherford) New Jersey, to take on the “New York” giants. Fans would like to see a win, but Sirianni might have other plans. Maybe plant some flowers, or Rochambeau while shooting hoops for three hours.
****
Game Hero: WR Julio Jones (2 – 2 – 34 – 17.0 – 2) – Showed the world that the Eagles DO have some depth at WR. Good thing too! Because with WR Devonta Smith (5 – 3 – 30 – 10.0 – 0) leaving the locker room on crutches and wearing a walking boot, odds are strong that he doesn’t play in the giants game.
WR Julio Jones reminds everyone of just who he is.
Game goat: The Entire Defense – This means everyone, from coaches to players. Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia, didn’t seem to have any answers to stopping the Cardinals run game, even though the answers were obvious: Stop playing 230 pound Haason Reddick (1 tackle) at DE, and tell DEJosh Sweat (6 tackles) to set the goddamned edge! Play the run on the way to the pass. This is standard NFL wisdom!
Our interior line neither made up their minds to penetrate and move the line of scrimmage, or occupy blocks and keep the LB’s clean to make stops. As for the LB’s and and Safeties, no one seemed to know where his run fit was. As a result, we were gashed repeatedly.
The Secondary was no better, allowing the ball to come out quickly, and get to receivers who a week ago, were essentially keeping benches warm. The interception by Brown was far more a product of QB error, than anybody making a play. The ball went directly to Brown, who incidentally was nowhere around a receiver on that play!
On The Whole:
This loss was disgusting. It was Seattle all over again. The team with more athletic talent, was out-coached and out-played by a bad team working with busted tools. The absolute worst part is, that the outcome was bad for both teams! It likely will cost us the second seed in the playoffs, and cost the Cardinals the second pick in the Draft.
This all comes back to the coaching. The silver lining on this is, thanks in particular to this game and Seattle, you can bet there WILL be a new Defensive Coordinator this off-season. Team Owner Jeffrey Lurieisn’t putting out all that money, just to watch one half of his team, utterly collapse on a weekly basis. Often nationally televised.
It’s hard to really talk about this one game, without getting into what the real problems with this team are. So I’m going to make that a separate article, if you’re at all interested. Every week, the players and coaches tell us that they need to fix stuff, but they NEVER say which stuff. If you want to know what that stuff is, and how fixable it really is, let me know.
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: SEAHAWKS did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:
1) Run the Ball: Tire out Seattle’s defensive front. Don’t be one dimensional. Get 75 rushing yards for RB D’Andre Swift(18 – 74 – 4.1 – 0 – 0). We did those things, and it helped to keep Hurts from being sacked. (DONE)
2) Deploy the Kerrigan Plan: Didn’t get within a 80$ cab ride of this. There were four RB Screens thrown, but because of the constant WR and TE Screens, no one was in the Flat. So Seattle’s defense just hung around looking for screens, like horny boys outside of a girl’s Catholic school. (High school was fun.)
Making things worse, it seems like Hurts either doesn’t see crossing routes, or just refuses to throw to them. It also seems like opponents have figured this out, because again this week, there were plenty of gimmies left on field. Both of the uncovered and loosely covered variety. (NOT DONE)
3) Peter Out Their Line: This couldn’t be done because OT Jason Peters didn’t play. As a result, the left side of the Eagles Defense was gashed by the run, and no sacks were generated from there. A few times the Eagles went to a five man line, and were effective when not rushing in straight lines.
The reality is that OLB Haason Reddick(2 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) is too small to keep lining up at DE. He’s at his best as a stand up rusher, playing outside of a true DE. When he lined up at DE in this one, he just got washed around vs the run and, was a non-factor rushing the pass (NOT DONE)
4) Just Make the Tackle:We were doing a great job of this in the first half. In the second half there was rare edge setting, guys weren’t in their run fits, and watching DT Jordan Davis (2 – 0.0 – 0 – 0) repeatedly driven off the line, was something I didn’t understand. (NOT DONE)
++++
So this week we did 1 of the Four Things and surprise surprise, we lost. Next week the giants come to Philly to gift us with a win on Christmas day.
****
Game Hero: RT Lane Johnson – Coming back into the game after twisting his ankle, was a big time move. Psychologically the Eagles don’t stay in this game, if Hurts is sick and Johnson is sidelined.
Game goat: QB Jalen Hurts – Running Back Jalen Hurts threw 2 interceptions, and was off all night, with his passing. Yet at no point was he selfless enough to admit that he wasn’t getting it done. While RB Hurts scored twice, QB Hurts turned the ball over twice. What’s that, two straight games without a passing touchdown?
On The Whole:
Hear me out.
The loss was stunning, but this game wasn’t nearly as bad as it seemed. While the replacing of Sean Desai with new Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia, may have felt like “Meet the new boss, same as the old boss”, it really wasn’t.
There are only so many changes that can get made in eight days. Postgame, it was said that Patricia changed nothing. Supposedly, the only thing that changed were the people. This is smart, because Patricia needs to figure out if the problem was Desai, or the players. Players suddenly asked to do unfamiliar things, just means new mistakes.
For example, the go-ahead touchdown thrown on CB James Bradberry(5 tackles). He said that he was playing the sticks (the first down marker), and not expecting Safety help. Well then, he shouldn’t have let his man get behind him. Regardless of what the called defense was, Bradberry should have made that mental adjustment.
With Bradberry not making that simple adjustment, it says in this case the error is player not scheme. On the other hand, watching Reddick at DE, being repeatedly washed out against the run, says in that instance, the issue is scheme. Patricia now gets to evaluate and make his adjustments.
Offensively, having a sick QB run the ball 13 times, and absorb the beating that goes with it, was a sign that our coaching staff suffers from CTE. The extra fatigue from the beating he was eating, showed up in Hurts ball placement. Note how he didn’t put the ball where only his guys could get it.
There had to have been six Screens thrown in this game. None of them good. Unless it’s to a RB, we should knock that shit off. What creates room for a Screen, is moving players away from the line of scrimmage. Stacking receivers, who then cluster at the line like a doo-wop group, only attracts defensive players. Like it did in this game.
