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FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME : 49ERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/01/30
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFC Championship, NFL, Offense, Players, playoffs, Reviews, stats, Super Bowl. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

TOLD you it wasn’t close.

EAGLES 31 – 49ers 7

EAGLES STATS:

Categories include an EXCLUSIVE weekly Offensive Line Report (Rushing TD’s (6 points) + 3rd downs converted by handoffs (1 point) + sacks allowed (-2 points) = score); as well as Drive Killer (Int – FR – 4th down Tackles – FF – TD).

New Category Ace is for Kick return TD’s, Returners run-down, kicks blocked, etc.

Passing :(S) QB Jalen Hurts (15/25 – 60.0% – 121 – 0 – 0)

Rushing : (B) RB Kenneth Gainwell (14 – 48 – 3.4 – 0 – 0)

Receiving : (S) WR Devonta Smith (3 – 2 – 36 – 18.0 – 0)

Offensive Line Report/Enforcer : (4 (24) + 3/6 (3) – 1 (-2) = 25) RT Lane Johnson

Drive Killer : (S) OLB Haason Reddick (0 – 1 – 0 – 1 – 0)

Sack Leader : (S) OLB Haason Reddick (3 – 2.0 – 0 – 1)

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: 49ers did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

1) Set Hard Edges: Set the edges and don’t fall for the misdirection stuff they like to do. The idea was not to shutdown the run, just make it unreliable. The idea was to make them one dimensional, and force them to pass. The result was that we held them to 71 rushing yards on 24 carries (2.9ypc). So the run game was unreliable. We also made them one dimensional. Forcing them to pass…not so much. Still, this one is easy to mark as accomplished. (DONE)

After Haason chopped, it wasn’t Purdy.

2) Pick Purdy: Once we took away the run game, we were supposed to force Mr. Irrelevant Brock Purdy (4/4 – 100.0% – 23 – 0 – 0) to beat us. But we knocked him out of the game pretty early, with an elbow injury that rendered him basically unable to throw. Then we knocked his back-up out of the game, forcing Purdy who was unable to throw, back into the game.

DT Ndaukong Suh knocks QB Josh Johnson out of the game

With them being unable to throw at all, all Purdy could do was hand it off, into the teeth of our predatory Defense. It was like feeding sheep to lions. I almost felt bad for them. Then I remembered them dressing the Rocky statue, and Jesus said “Fuck them dudes.” (DONE)

3) Run the Ball: We didn’t shatter any yardage records but we had an effective day on the ground (42 – 150 – 3.5 – 4 – 0) Gainwell once again led the team in yardage, but once again RB Miles Sanders (11 – 42 – 3.8 – 2 – 0) was were the load was really carried. Sanders was the early hammer, with Gainwell and Boston Scott (6 – 21 – 3.5 – 1 – 0) helping to salt the game away.

RB Miles Sanders hits paydirt. (Maybe literally.)

With drives of 13, 20,16, and 9 yards, our running gave our Defense time to catch their breath. As a result they were able to attack with reckless abandon. Much of this win has to be attributed to our ability to hold the ball for 37 minutes vs the 49ers 22. (DONE)

4) Throw It Deep: There were a few attempts over 20 yards, but the only one that went for yardage (the 29 yarder to Smith) wasn’t really a catch. Otherwise, Hurts was out of sync and very off target in this one. I suspected that the coaching staff had him on a pitch count last week. This week confirmed it.

The coaching staff was trying to protect Hurts still tender throwing shoulder. We were able to get away with it this week. (NOT DONE)

****

This week we did 3 of the Four Things, and the resulting blowout punched our ticket to Super Bowl LVII (57 for Millennials). There we’ll meet up with Head Coach Andy Reid (after a Bye) and QB Patrick Mahomes.

****

On The Whole:

All week long, people talked like this game was evenly matched. I said plainly that it wasn’t. If this game were a boxing match, they’d have thrown the towel after we bounced Mr. Irrelevant’s back-up from the game. All the talk was about how physical the game would be. How good the 49er defense was. How well that QB with respectable mobility, manages his offense.

Folks! We’d already played and won this game. Remember? Week 13, it ended 35 – 10 vs the Tennessee Titans. We played that one at home too. (And it also featured knocking a player out of the game.)

RT Lane Johnson held DE Nick Bosa to 4 tackles and nothing else.

Like the Titans, we found that the 49ers don’t take punches as well as they throw them. Once they became frustrated, they just mentally unraveled out there. They committed personal foul penalties like they were part of their game plan. As I said in Four Things, they got fat off of teams that harm themselves. We aren’t that team.

Result: 31 – 7

FOUR THINGS: NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME: EAGLES – 49ERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2023/01/27
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFC Championship, NFL, Offense, Players, playoffs, Preview, Roster, Super Bowl. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

ABSOLUTE domination from start to finish last week. The national media spent last week hyping a hollow giants team, and we beat the numbers off their jerseys. This week’s opponent has grown fat off of teams that specialize in hurting themselves. This week they have the wrong opponent. In the wrong house. In front of the wrong crowd.

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts is going to show what it means to lead a team to victory, instead of just being along for the ride. Which is what’s happening on the 49ers sideline. I mean, could you imagine hyping a QB for playing like the best version of Daniel Jones?

The national media isn’t saying “Look at him make jaw-dropping play after play!” They’re saying “Oh look at how he doesn’t make huge mistakes!”Well, OLB Haason Reddick, DT Javon Hargrave, SS Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, CB Darius Slay, and others, are about to put that kid to the test. Context is on the way!

A win punches our ticket to Super Bowl LVII. While I cannot guarantee a win like I did last week, the odds of winning are HEAVILY in our favor. We are all but inevitable. 

A loss cannot be entirely ruled out here. The chance exists that we don’t pull this one. Having acknowledged it however, the chance is pretty damned small.

****

The point of Four Things isn’t to predict a winner, it’s to discuss which tactics would give our Eagles the best chance to win this game. So here are the Four Things that we need to focus on this week, versus the: 49ers

DT Fletcher Cox, is on the hunt

1) Set Hard Edges: The 9ers are a run-based offense that uses lots of misdirection to open holes. Stay disciplined, and don’t fall for the eye-candy. With the way they like to goof around in the backfield, if we don’t fall for the smoke and mirrors, their ball carrier is liable to run smack into a defender.

Have DE’s Brandon Graham and Josh Sweat establish hard boundaries on the ends of the offensive line, to either bottle runs up inside, or force them far outside where there’s no blocking. Understand, the idea isn’t to “shutdown” their run. (They’re too good for that.) The idea is to just make it unreliable, and destabilize their offense.

2) Pick Purdy: You’ve heard the expression “Pick your poison”. Here we should pick their rookie QB. Yep! Just force them to beat us with a seventh round, rookie QB, making his eighth start, on the road, in one of sport’s most hostile environments. Oh, I promised you context.

This kid’s wins? A bad Tampa Bay with no offensive line; Seattle’s 26th ranked defense; The Commanders; The Raiders 28th ranked defense; Arizona playing their 3rd string QB; Wild Card Seattle on the road; and Dallas last week. THIS is what all the hype has been about! So if I’m picking my poison, I’m picking that Purdy lil’ QB.

3) Run The Ball: Usually I mean hand-offs when I say this, but against this opponent, I mean anybody. While RB Miles Sanders should be our hammer early, RB’s Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott should each see at least 6 carries apiece, mostly in the second half.

Also, the 9ers defense is smallish upfront. The DE playing across from 365 pound LT Jordan Mailata, is only about 245. They don’t have a LB over 230. We need to physically wear them down, and then wear them out. It also bears mentioning that all four of their losses came against mobile QB’s. (Note: They didn’t face QB Kyler Murray at all this season.)

4) Throw It Deep: Do not allow their defense to dictate our attack. Two of their three CB’s are decidedly overrated. They all do a great job of taking away the quick stuff, but downfield, the Wards can be had.

They play a lot of Cover Three, but we should be able to short circuit that, with WR Quez Watkins working deep in the Slot. Even if they’re just dummy routes to hold the FS. With enough protection that’s a one-on-one down either sideline.

****

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

There are a ton of surface indicators which make this game seem a lot more even, than it truly is. What people seem to be (deliberately) looking past, is context. As you know, I never look past context. Context is what makes facts come alive!

At times this season, when the kid has gotten into trouble, their coach has protected him by getting the ball out of his hands with either quick passes, or more running plays. If we take those away, he has to play big boy QB, which puts him right in DT Fletcher Cox’s cross-hairs.

****

Prediction: EAGLES 24 –  49ers 15

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

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

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 2: 49ers

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/09/20
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, Reviews, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

TOO many missteps. 

EAGLES 11 – 49ers 17

 

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).

Passing: (S) QB Jalen Hurts (12/23 – 52.1 – 190 – 0 – 0)

Rushing: (S) QB Jalen Hurts (10 – 82 – 8.2 – 1 – 0)

Receiving: (B) WR Quez Watkins (2 – 2 – 117 – 58.5 – 0)

Offensive Line Report: (1 + 1:2 – 2) 

Drive Killer: No Qualifier

Sack Leader: No Qualifier

* (Formula adjusted after Week 1)

 

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

So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: 49ers did the Eagles actually get around to doing? Well let’s see:

1) Take Away the Edges: The Defense did a great job of this, rendering the 49ers run game anything but explosive. There were a number of runs that ended up as tackles for losses. Screen plays were blown up early. Pitches were compromised. Unfortunately, the defense couldn’t get off the field and ended up both gassed and losing the field position battle. Still, they held those edges. (DONE)

DT Javon Hargrave has been a monster in these first two weeks

2) Next Level Tackling: For the most part (especially in the first half), the tackling was sharp. No one was getting dragged, or dilly-dallying with the ball carriers. They just got the man on the ground. Tackles were still being made later in the game, but a secure tackle after a 15 yard completion on 3rd and 7, or a 5 yard completion on 3rd and 3, doesn’t really help the cause. But the tackling was solid, so we’ll credit that. (DONE)

3) Get the Ball Downfield: Hurts took 4 deep shots down the field. There was the 91 yarder to Watkins. There was the recalled touchdown to WR Jalen Reagor (5 – 2 – 5 – 2.5 – 0) where Reagor stepped out of bounds twice on one route, drawing a penalty instead. Finally, there were two deep shots to WR Devonta Smith (7 – 2 – 16 – 8.0 – 0).

Even if all four had doinked harmlessly on the ground, teams now will realize that we will air it out. The fact that Hurts connected on two of them (defenses studying film won’t care about the penalty), will provide room for him to operate underneath in coming weeks. This didn’t result in a win, but today’s game will bear fruit all year long. (DONE)

4) Screen Sanders: RB Miles Sanders (13 – 55 – 4.2 – 0 – 0) was split out wide a few times, but unless I blinked and missed it, I didn’t see a single Screen thrown to him. In fact, the RB/TE thing that I talked about in FT, was a total non-factor. Amazingly, Sanders and both TE’s totaled just 6 targets.

I specifically said they should NOT lean on rookie RB Kenneth Gainswell (6 – 14 – 2.3 – 0 – 0) and now you see why. He’s a neat toy, but he’s not yet an NFL caliber RB. (NOT DONE)

 

We nailed 3 of Four Things, but it wasn’t enough. Next week we head down to Jerry World to give Head Coach Nick Sirianni his first NFC East victory.

On The Whole:

While no loss is good (talking to YOU, Cowboys fans), this one could benefit Sirianni for the rest of his career. He got too cute, and it bit us in the ass. There were too many fundamentals that we didn’t adhere to, and it cost us the game.

Let’s start with our passing game. Reagor had a score called back due to stepping out of bounds, but even on Watkins 91 yarder, and a couple of Smith’s incompletions, you saw our WR’s pinned against the sideline.

This is because they were running their routes to the outside of defenders. That works against the receiver, because the sideline is a 100 yard long defender. That’s not even football 101. That’s 098 type stuff. It’s remedial. With Sirianni being a former WR, you’d think his concepts would all involve avoiding the sideline.

We got 4 shots from the one yard line, and decided not to take 4 downs and hammer that fucker in. Instead, Sirianni dialed up “Silly Silly” and for whatever reason WR Greg Ward (no stat line) threw the ball out of bounds. ON 4th DOWN! Somewhere out there, Doug Pederson is playing that on a loop and jerking off, while laughing like a maniac.

This was a bad loss. It was the worst kind of loss. In fact, the more I think about it, the more I realize that it was entirely self-inflicted. Here’s hoping we’re smarter next week.

FOUR THINGS: WK #2: EAGLES – 49ers

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/09/16
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, Offense, Players, Preview. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

LAST week we dismantled the Falcons, 32 – 6. Our balanced Offensive attack allowed yards to flow naturally, from a well-spring of young talent. This week, a 49ers team who’s defense allowed the Lions to score 33 points, has to try to win at the Linc. Gonna be a long plane ride home.

A win here keeps the Eagles firmly in command of the NFC East. It also forces people to stop questioning last weeks win, and see the Eagles as a legitimate contender in the NFC. A loss, opens the door for a division rival to even up with us. Washington faces New York tonight, so somebody (Washington) has to come out of this with a win. If they tie, I’ll laugh myself sick.

The point of Four 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 San Francisco 49ers:

1) Take Away the Edges: The 49ers like to run the ball by moving the entire offensive line to a side at once. When a line blocks like that, it forces a defense to flow with it. So there is no opposing momentum from defenders, because even when they make tackle, it’s going with the direction of the runner. It looks like power, but it isn’t.

It’s a Chinese finger trap. Not knowing why it works, is exactly what keeps it working. As a former offensive lineman, I’ll let you in on a secret: It has a simple solve. Our DE’s have to set a hard edge. Like a rock in a stream. With as much as the 49ers like to get their linemen running, that rock will “bunch” the linemen together, using them to trap their own RB.

See when the Lions DE’s give away the edges?

See the result? Like I said, simple solve. Also, as we take away the edges, that “bunching” will help limit inside running. Our DE’s have to think run first, except in obvious passing situations.

2) Next Level Tackling: Our LB’s have to not stick to blocks and make tackles. None of that wrestling for the ball, crap. At least not early in the game. That keeps resulting in broken tackles and extra yards. Just get the man down. Our Defensive Line will have its hands full keeping he LB’s clean. Don’t squander their work.

3) Get the Ball Downfield: QB Jalen Hurts didn’t really need to throw deep, last week. Our Offense is designed to get the ball out of Hurts hand quickly, so you can bet that the 49ers will be trying to limit our quick options. This week, if Hurts sees a one-on-one on the outside, the NFL needs to know that he will, and more importantly that he can, take advantage of a defense.

The Eagles need to use this game, to let NFL teams know they can’t stack the box against us. If we can’t prove that we can hurt a team from distance, all the nice little things we did last week, will slowly begin to evaporate. We can’t show the league that we’re one-dimensional. We can’t give future opponents something they can be confident about.

4) Screen Sanders: The 49ers allowed the Lions, THE LIONS, to complete 16 of 20 passes (80%) to their RB’s, for 111 yards and a score. I know that our coaching staff is in love with rookie RB Kenneth Gainswell, but RB Miles Sanders runs harder and breaks tackles better than Gainswell. So he’s more likely to exploit a quick, but undersized 49er LB corps.

*****

If we do these Four Things,

Last week the 9ers had to stand on the gas pedal just to beat the Lions 41 – 33. (Nice score.) They had trouble dealing with the Lions RB’s and TE’s in the passing game, as 25 of 31 (80.6%) targets were caught. Any defense that can’t cover RB’s and TE’s, will get KILLED by the Eagles. Getting the ball to Sanders will open up the deep game.

Early on, QB Jimmy Garoppolo may look pretty good, because with our DE’s concerned with taking away the run, they likely won’t get as much heat on him. That’s fine. Once the Eagles establish a lead, the DE’s can pin their ears back. In the meantime, that emphasis on tackling will be huge.

PREDICTION: EAGLES 27 – 49ers 20

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

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WK 4: 49ers

Posted by The BEAST on 2020/10/05
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, NFL, Offense, Players, Reviews, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

FIRST place.

EAGLES 25 – 49ers 20

EAGLES LEADERS:

(S) QB Carson Wentz: (18/28 – 64.2 – 193 – 1 – 1)

(S) RB Miles Sanders: (13 – 46 – 3.5 – 0 – 0)

(B) WR Travis Fulgham: (3 – 2 – 57 – 28.5 – 1)

(B) CB Cre’von LeBlanc: (4 – 1.0 – 0 – 1)

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

So how much of what I mentioned in Four Things: 49ers did the Eagles get around to doing? Well let’s see:

1) Be the Aggressors: As far as I’m concerned this game was a signature win for Wentz. With a decimated supporting cast around him, he put this team on his shoulders. Again. His running (7 – 37 – 5.2 – 1) was deliberate and aggressive. Same with his 42 yard touchdown pass to Fulgham, who wasn’t even on the roster last week. Despite no line and no receivers, the Eagles stayed on the hunt. (DONE)

2) Support the D-Line: The D-Line came up with 4 sacks today, but underneath coverage and second level containment was spotty. Especially in the first half. We got some good football out of LB T.J. Edwards (3 – 0 – 0 – 0) and LB Alex Singleton (2 – 0 – 1 – 0) who also brought back his interception 30 yards for a score in the 4th quarter. Still, if we weren’t going against second and third string QB’s this would have been our 3rd loss of the season. (NOT DONE)

3) Run the damned ball, Doug!: Today we saw 28 pass attempts and 28 runs. Three of those were deliberate runs by Wentz. So out of 52 plays, call it 32 called passes to 25 called runs (52% pass). This is a serious change from the 66% pass rate we’ve been sporting. It helped set up play-action, and acted as a force multiplier for practice squad players. I’m telling you: When the starters get back… (DONE)

4) Screen the defense: There was a decent Screen to TE Zach Ertz (5 – 4 – 9 – 2.2 – 0), but aside from that, it looks like this team has forgot how to run Screens. (NOT DONE)

That puts this week’s Four Thing’s score at 2 of 4 (5 of 16 on the season). Next week, depending on what Covid says, we get the Pittsburgh Steelers. They had this week off, so they’ll either be rested or rusty. My guess is the former, not the later.

On The Whole:

While I saw a number of positives in this game, I saw a number of things that concern me.

First, Miles Sanders is far too eager to run out of bounds, or go down when running up the middle. I shouldn’t see my QB fighting for yards, and trying harder to break tackles than my RB. Sanders said last year that he left about 300 yards on the field. Well he’s doing that again in 2020.

Second, something has to be done about LB (LOL) Nate Gerry (5 – 0 – 0 – 0). He’s a liability vs the pass AND the run. I understand that rookie LB Davion Taylor is raw, but teams are picking on Gerry at this point. Picking on him! I wasn’t a fan of rookie LB Shaun Bradley being drafted here, but I’m at the table with a bib on, looking for someone to serve me some crow.

Third, our guys are forgetting to get their arms involved in tackling. There are too many shoulders being thrown. As a result, we’re allowing touchdowns of the highlight reel variety, on what seems a weekly basis. Also too many of our DB’s seems to be shying away from impacts, instead of bringing the hot high heat.

FOUR THINGS: WK 4: EAGLES – 49ers

Posted by The BEAST on 2020/10/01
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFC East, NFL, Offense, Players, Preview, X's and O's. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

LOST in all of last week’s pouting over a tie, was the fact that the Eagles ran for 175 yards. More impressively, a career-high 65 came from QB Carson Wentz on 9 carries. His most since 2017. Better still, he looked comfortable when he was out of the pocket. Seems like the sort of thing that Head Coach Doug Pederson may want to work into his game-plan this week.

Three games, no wins, and we’re still just half a game out of first place in our division. The NFC East is   W     I     D      E   open. Now is not the time to pussy out, and start talking about Draft picks. That’s quitter talk. Once a team has been mathematically eliminated from playoff contention, then and only then can ‘Tank Talk’ take place. Until then, it’s “Win, or go down swinging.”

Here in Philadelphia we can, and we have forgiven much. But quitting? Giving up? Punking out? True Philadelphians never forgive a lack of effort. NEVER. No matter how great, you can never live down “For who? For what?” and “We talkin’ ‘bout practice.” And its as true for turncoat fans, as it is for athletes. Full effort is demanded.

So if you truly bleed green, then get your ass behind your goddamned team, and behave like the best damned fans in all of sports!

The point of Four 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.

So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus the 49ers:

1) Be the Aggressors: The 49ers come into this game rocking a 2 – 1 record. It’s smoke. Don’t buy into it. Their two wins are against the Jets and the giants. Their loss is against an Arizona team that LOST the turnover battle in that game. We need to ignore the records, and come out done with ties and losses. Go for the kill early. Be the aggressors.

2) Support the D-Line: The 49ers interior offensive line is injured, small, and not very good. If we can get consistent, tight coverage early in routes, it will be a very long, very frustrating day for whomever starts at QB for San Fran.

3) Run the damned ball, Doug!: The Eagles won a Super Bowl behind being a bruising rushing team. We’ve struggled since we got away from it. RB Miles Sanders has run for 95 yards in each of the last two games, and averages 5.0 per tote. Makes no sense that we aren’t pounding the rock with him and RB Corey Clement, to wear down defenses.

4) Screen the defense: What’s with all these lame passes at or behind the line of scrimmage? What happened to our RB Screen game? (Show of hands from everyone who’d like to see Clement get some of those again.) Let’s get that back, and loosen up the coverage for our outside receivers.

If we do these Four Things, the final score should be:

PREDICTION: EAGLES 28 – 49ers 17

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

MARQUISE GOODWIN. SNEAKY GOOD.

Posted by The BEAST on 2020/05/28
Posted in: Conversations, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players, Reviews, Roster, stats, trade. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Marquise Goodwin 49er

WHILE most of the talk is on the pair of Jalens that the Eagles drafted, WR Marquise Goodwin was the sneaky good add of the offseaon. How could adding him be sneaky when every time the media mentions our addition at that position, they mention the trade brought Goodwin here? How could it be sneaky, if people are talking about it??

Sneaky is not about some punch that our rivals don’t see coming. It’s about the power of the punch that everyone seems to be underestimating.

Goodwin has played 7 years so far. He’s never posted a 1,000 yard season. Never caught more than 4 scores in a year. He owns a career catch rate of exactly 50.0%. Over the last 3 years since he got to San Francisco, he’s started fewer games, seen dramatically fewer targets and caught for dramatically fewer yards, with every returning year.

hmmm...

The point is, the 5’9”, 180 pound receiver, though extremely fast, is viewed as a known commodity already. He’s seen as a flame-out. A one-trick pony who languished for 4 years in Buffalo, and then was slowly phased out of the offense in San Fran.

His stats tell that story. His tape however, tells another. He is a bit of a one-trick pony, but when relegated to role-player, it’s one hell of a trick. I don’t usually use highlight video, because it doesn’t tell you who a man is, down in and down out. It doesn’t show nuances. But Goodwin isn’t here for nuances. We didn’t bring him in to be poison. We brought him in to be a .45 slug.

Check the tape. It’s 6 minutes so wait until you have time. Trust me. It’s worth it. Don’t let me talk you into him. Let his tape sell you on why he’s here.

Did you see how often he had to stop and turn around for the ball? Did you how it works out when he doesn’t have to? Did you see that “Toe Drag Swag”? Now consider that most of this was with QB’s C.J. Beathard, Nick Mullens and Brian Hoyer throwing to him. QB Jimmy Garoppolo targeted Goodwin just 21 times (12 catches) in 2019.

Now Goodwin has QB Carson Wentz throwing to him. Wentz has better arm strength, accuracy and ball placement skills than any QB that Goodwin has ever played with. And unlike Garoppolo, Wentz doesn’t throw passes with his eyes closed.

Goodwin is in the best position to succeed that he’s ever been in as a professional. Despite being role-player, he’s now free to practice the trade that he’s mastered. The one where he takes the top off of defense and opens up the field behind him. And unlike in the past where he was just a 50/50 threat, now he’s in a system that makes him a bonafide weapon.

Alshon. DeSean. Jalen. Zach. Dallas. Greg. And Marquise.

Loading revolver Dark Tower

Our Offense is loaded and the QB is ready to fire. Sneaky good add indeed. 

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WEEK 8: 49ERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/10/30
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, Reviews, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

 

THIS was supposed to be a trap game. You know it and I know it. However, the injuries we suffered last week, left a couple of our guys with something to prove in this one. That, combined with some suck-ass weather, and just flat-out more talent, was more than enough to send San Francisco to 0-8.

NUMBER ONE SEED PERIOD

EAGLES 33 – 49ers 10

Alshon Jeffery (2 – 62 – 31.0 – 1) had more yards on his 53 yard touchdown catch-and-run, than any 49ers player had rushing or receiving all day. The Defense collected 4 sacks, 13 hits, and two interceptions, one of which returned for a touchdown by CB Jalen Mills (2 – 0 – 1 – 0). QB Carson Wentz (18/32 – 56.2% – 211 – 2 – 1) didn’t have a great day but, he was still effective at keeping the Offense at full-size. At no point did it feel like, or look like the Eagles were dialing the playbook down, in order to make life easier on our back-up LT.

I hear you asking, “What about all the stuff that stats don’t reveal?” Well, that’s the reason for these “Four Things” articles. We introduce an idea of what needs addressing BEFORE the game, so that fans have to honestly answer questions about those things, AFTER the game. This helps to get us, and keep us, all on the same page.

So, of the Four Things we were looking for in this last game, what exactly did we see?

1) Win the blitz: The 9ers didn’t really blitz Wentz very much, and they didn’t really need to. They got decent pressure for most of the game, with just their line. While RT Halapoulivaati Vaitai wasn’t the disaster most of us were expecting, the lines of communication between he and LG Stefen Wisniewski, must improve ASAP. That said, once the Eagles went to a no-huddle approach, Wentz himself was much sharper and quicker at getting the ball out. (DONE)

2) Air it out: It would be nice if more of our long attempts became long completions, but the aim of this week wasn’t necessarily the completions. As I said the point was to show faith in the O-line, clear space for the run game, and show other teams that the loss of LT Jason Peters, will not shrink the playbook or stop us from attacking. If this goal were a bell, we’d have rung it hard enough to put a crack in it. (DONE)

3) Put the top on: Containing WR Marquis Goodwin was going to be key for clogging up the rest of San Fran’s offense. While he was questionable to play due to his back, he was active for the game. That was of no help to the 9ers, as the only thing Goodwin caught on Sunday, was possibly a cold. (DONE)

4) Turn up the heat: 13 hits and 4 sacks sounds like we dialed up a lot of blitzes, but really we didn’t. Didn’t need to, since we can generally get pressure with 4 rushers. That and the 49ers offensive linemen were dropping like teenage girls at Beatles performance. We didn’t really get this one done, but who cares? We got the result without doing the work. (NOT DONE)

This weeks score is 3 out of 4, bringing us to 26 of 32 on the season. Next week’s dance with the Denver Broncos may prove to be a little tougher, but at least we don’t have to play at Mile High next week. (And yeah, I’m aware that their stadium is called Sports Authority Field at Mile High. I just hate the shitty names that arenas have these days. And to me it’s still PATTISON station, not AT&T station.)

On The Whole:

We beat an opponent that we were supposed to beat. Even if we hadn’t dominated, it wouldn’t have mattered, because we won a trap game. That’s the important part. When a team becomes elite, most of their games are trap games, because few opponents will be elite. So instead of fearing trap games, get used to them.

We took two major injuries last week, and still rolled over an NFL team. LT Vaitai didn’t give up a billion sacks, and MLB Joe Walker (2 – 0 – 0 – 0) wasn’t a target that the 49ers could pick on all day. Detractors will tell you that San Fran wasn’t exactly the stiffest test, and that would be true. However, the 49ers were the only team on the schedule this week.

While no one was looking, the Eagles pulled off a balanced Offensive attack with 32 pass to 27 called runs. Speaking of running the ball, I told you to expect RB LeGarrette Blount (16 – 48 – 3 – 1 – 0) to carry the ball a season-high 18 times, and I was wrong. He only matched his season-high of 16 carries. RB Corey Clement (10 – 54 – 5.4 – 0 – 0) can now say there was a week when he led the team he rooted for as a child, in rushing yards. And he can say he did it as an undrafted rookie.

Defense was the story of the day. Once again we took away an opponent’s run game and left their QB to do everything all by himself. This game marked the third time in eight games that our opponent’s leading rusher was their QB. All this defense does is take, even though it’s by no means at full strength right now.

Be afraid NFL. This 7-1 team still has room to get MUCH better.

FOUR THINGS: WK 8: EAGLES-49ERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/10/27
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Preview. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

W8-SF

THIS week we’re coming off of a win, in which we suffered two devastating, season-ending losses to LT Jason Peters and MLB Jordan Hicks. It’s been a season fraught with injuries that we’ve managed to mask, mitigate or otherwise overcome completely. However, there is a growing concern among some Eagles fans and media, that this team has run out of miracles.

This is going to be a very interesting game. A 6-1 Eagles team, playing in Philly against an 0-7 San Fran team. In most years this would be a trap game. This would be the game where the Eagles took an opponent lightly, came out flat, and were left saying…

da fuck

Instead, we got yet another visit from (that bitch) the Injury Bug last week, and it’s left us with questions. Questions like, Will the season fall apart now? Can the coaching staff make enough adjustments to offset the losses? Is there enough talent on the roster to give coaches any decent options? This game will be about answering those questions.

So let’s talk about the Four Things we need to focus on this week versus the 49ers :

1) Win the blitz: After LT Jason Peters was injured, the logical assumption was that RT Lane Johnson would take over the left spot, and back-up OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai would play the right, where he could be helped by a TE. NOPE! Head Coach Doug Pederson is leaving Johnson at RT, and starting (yes starting) Vaitai at LT. That means our RB’s will spend a lot of time lined up on the left to help Vaitai. If the RB’s are blocking left, expect blitzes from the middle and the right. QB Carson Wentz has to identify blitzers quickly and get that ball out of his hands. Otherwise this game will become a nightmare.

2) Air it out: While Wentz can’t spend all day holding the ball, at times we really do need to throw the ball deep this week. We need to show teams that losing Peters didn’t shrink our playbook, so not respecting our WR’s will be costly. In the long-run this helps out our run game. More than that, we need to demonstrate to our own O-line, that the staff still trusts them.

3) Put the top on: The most dangerous player on the 49ers offense is WR Marquise Goodwin. The guy is faster than a rumor, and if San Fran really knew what they had, they might be 5-2 instead of 0-7. We have to contain Goodwin, thereby keeping the rest of their offense in front of us, instead behind us. Goodwin is on the injury list with a “back injury”, but until he’s ruled “out”, he’s still as dangerous as honesty in a PC world.

4) Turn up the heat: Show blitz on practically every 2nd and 3rd down, but only bring it when the distance is 8 yards, or more. Getting to the 49ers QB isn’t hard at all. No need to overextend and expose ourselves and give up one or more big, catch-and-run plays underneath. The idea is to get MLB Joe Walker mentally involved and then keep him dialed in, emotionally. He’s a back-up, but he can’t look like a back-up out there. Otherwise, the 49ers will key on him and give themselves a chance.

If we do all these things, we’re just about guaranteed to win. Now that we’ve covered what should happen, let’s get into what likely will happen:

Offensively, the Eagles are going to give Vaitai help, by having RB’s watch that LT/LG gap for blitzers or rips inside. That, calls for a heavy dose of the big RB LeGarrette Blount this week. He may be allowed to develop a rhythm running the ball, since he should be out there in pass protection so much. (Having him out there and not really giving him the ball eventually tips our play-call to the 9ers. Why help them out?) So expect Blount to run the ball a season-high 18 times. Not using Blount in pass-pro, is an invitation for disaster.

So much is up in the air on Defense. It’s likely that Walker will be asked to make scaled down zone drops, and just attack his run fits. There would be no sense in the coaches telling him to go out there and make plays. He first has to get familiar with not just what he should be doing, but others around him as well.

It has to be expected that our MLB will be targeted in the passing game. While it would be nonsense for coaches to tell him to make plays, let me say AS A FAN, he has to make one or two plays, when they come at him. Otherwise, he will be seen as our weak link.

On the whole, we’ll win because even with as injured as we are, we still have more flat-out talent than San Francisco.

PREDICTION: EAGLES 27 – 49ers 10

yeah bitch