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FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WILD CARD GAME: Buccaneers

Posted by The BEAST on 2022/01/17
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, playoffs, Reviews, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

THERE were many lessons in this game.

EAGLES 15 – Buccaneers 31

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 (23/43 – 53.7% – 258 – 1 – 2)

Rushing: (S ) QB Jalen Hurts (8 – 39 – 4.8 – 0 – 0)

Receiving: (S) TE Dallas Goedert (12 – 6 – 92 – 15.3 – 0)

Offensive Line Report: (1 + 0:1 – 2)

Drive Killer: (S ) OLB Alex Singleton (0 – 0 – 1 – 0 – 0)

Sack Leader: (S ) DE Ryan Kerrigan (3 – 1.5 – 0 – 0)

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

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

1) Run the ball to our left: Nope. Hardly even tried. Note: RB Boston Scott (1 – 34 – 34.0 – 1 – 0) had a touchdown run, and RB Miles Sanders (7 – 16 – 2.2 – 0 – 0) had his longest run of the day (14 yards) going to the left. Maybe we should have tried to run more in the first half? I say that because we had 4 just handoffs in the first half. Four.

In fact, we only handed the ball off just NINE times in this game. Which EXACTLY matches what we did in our Week 6 loss to this team. (NOT DONE)

2) See Tom Run: We collected 4 sacks in this game, but in general our coverage was so loose, the ball was quickly out of QB Tom Brady’s (29/37 – 78.3% – 271 – 2 – 0) hand. There was never any chance of making him run to buy time. (NOT DONE)

3) Man Press Coverage: Instead of dictating to the QB by using Man Press coverage, we played soft on the corners, and tried to “confuse” Brady with slight shifts and bails. It was a sign of our stupidity, to be so blatantly disrespectful of a QB who’s career is old enough to drink legally.

We didn’t show him a single thing he hasn’t beaten a hundred times already. It was goofy on our part to suggest it in a meeting. It was full-blown Are-tarded to try to work it into a game. (NOT DONE)

4) Speed Kills: We tried 3 times (not 6) to get the ball deep to a WR. Two were overthrows to WR Quez Watkins (7 – 2 – 35 – 17.5 – 0) and one was an interception while trying to get to WR Devonta Smith (11 – 4 – 60 – 15.0 – 0). Too many passes were being thrown to a double covered Goedert. (NOT DONE)

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So we did 0 of the FT’s, and we got shit-canned as a result. While some would tell you that 15 – 31 isn’t being shit-canned, you and I would know that those people didn’t actually watch the game.

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On The Whole:

This one has me in a weird place. While many didn’t give us a chance to win, I almost EXPECTED us to. Yes expected. Given Tampa’s overall injuries, we were clearly the more physically talented team on the field. Given that they suffered injuries during the game, that edge should have been magnified.

The problem with us is mental. Once again, our coaching staff approached this game like they were more afraid of being embarrassed, than they were hungry to win. The play calling on Offense childishly simply, and our Defense had the feel of a preseason game, where a team doesn’t want to reveal too much.

Being that I practically expected a win here, you’d think I’d be angry, or disappointed. Weirdly enough, I’m neither. Instead what I feel, is that this game is THE GAME that truly begins the Nick Sirianni era. All of that first year coach, virtual rookie QB, team in transition bullshit, died today. There are going to be expectations next year, of getting past this point. This game has set the tone for how we view the rest of Sirianni’s reign.

I’m not going to harp on players too much here. I’m not going to talk about the future of Hurts. I’m not going to talk about any first round busts, being absolute fucking trash. I’m not going to talk about the Draft. Not here. Not today. There were many lessons in this game. We need to take the time to unpack them, as we turn our eyes to winning the NFC East in 2022. 

FOUR THINGS: Wild Card Game: EAGLES – BUCCANEERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2022/01/13
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, playoffs, Preview. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

LAST week, our back-ups and Practice Squaders lost 26 – 51 in the season finale. Our craven opponent, played their starters for most of that game. Their starters! Still, we racked up 26 points, and 315 yards, with of 149 of those yards on the ground (4.5 ypc). Again, we did that with a bunch of guys who won’t even be on the roster this week.

This week we travel to Tampa Bay, to play a Buccaneers team that found a way to lose to Washington, and was swept by New Orleans this season. Having been shutout (0 – 9) in one of those games. Fellow Eagles fans, if “the goat” can lose to teams that don’t even have a QB, then expect us to surprise a lot of people on Sunday.

Let me let you in on a secret: The Bucs are ranked #3 against the run this year. However, they’ve played a number of teams that already don’t run the ball much. So that #3 is an inflated ranking. When they did play teams that run a lot (Washington, New Orleans, Indianapolis, New England), those games became either losses or went down to the wire.

Understand Eagles fans, we have a chance, and it’s not just a slim one. Our chance has three chins and tops doughnuts with insulin. Don’t let the naysayers sway you. They’re just still trying to be right. (They should have listened to me all along.)

Defeating the Buccaneers, will earn us a trip to Green Bay. Losing to them, will mean a quiet plane ride home. It’s as simple as that. GO BIRDS!!!!

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

1) Run the ball to our left: That may sound like a no-brainer, but there’s more to it. LT Jordan Mailata (24 years old) and LG Landon Dickerson (23 years old) are on their way up. They are massive, powerful, and physical even in their mental approach to the game.

Across from them are what’s left of DT Ndamokung Suh (34) and DE/OLB Jason Pierre Paul (32). Both are coming off of their worst seasons as a pro. They have posted 27 and 31 tackles, respectively this season. They don’t want the heat that our left side brings.

Pound the ball on these guys. DT Vita Vea is just 26 and at the top of his game. However, at 347 pounds, just get him chasing Screens and Stretch runs early in the game. That will get him sucking wind, and take the explosiveness out of his hips. By the third quarter, we should be able to work Tampa’s right side relentlessly.

2) See Tom Run: Ideally we need to get either DT Fletcher Cox, or DT Javon Hargrave to hit QB Tom Brady early in this game. Not pressure him. Actually knock him on his ass. Take away his trust in climbing the pocket. He cannot be allowed to get comfortable in the pocket.

Once Brady can’t step into his throws, periodically blitz MLB T.J. Edwards to flush him out. Force Brady to make throws on the run, to receivers who are filling in, and aren’t used to catching off-platform passes from him. All we need a couple of mistakes.

Brady has never had the strongest arm, but over the years he’s found ways to compensate for what he’s lost physically, with anticipation, timing, and altering his mechanics to suit what he can still do. If we can get him running frequently, we’ll severely alter those mechanics, wreck his timing, and subvert any other trick that he routinely relies on. All in one fell swoop.

3) Man Press Coverage: Don’t attempt to disguise our coverages too much. Brady won’t be fooled by pre-snap hysterics. What will shake him, is knowing that he’s going to have to hold the ball longer than he’s accustomed to, because his receivers aren’t open early. That will allow our pass rush to close in.

We’re not trying to be subtle here. The Buccaneers offense will be without key pieces (WR’s Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown), and some of their returning pieces (RB’s Leonard Fournette and possibly Ronald Jones) are playing through injuries that sidelined them in Week 18.

The Buccaneers are limping and leaking blood. This game is about us pummeling a weakened opponent, and bullying an old man out of the delusion that there is room for the elderly in this sport. His end is very fucking nigh, and on a national stage, WE, US, THE EAGLES, need to show that to the world.

4) Speed Kills: Use our speed and go deep 6 to 8 times in this game. Tampa’s secondary is LOADED with bums. Even at their best! So when they walk a Safety up to help slow our run game, that will leave them in Cover 1 or Cover 3. Meaning that either WR Quez Watkins or WR Devonta Smith has a one-on-one match-up. That’s when we launch it!

This game should be QB Jalen Hurts’s coming out party. Get him on bootlegs and let him launch a few, leading the receiver into the end zone. And when Tampa goes to a Cover 2 or Cover 4, go back to running it down their geriatric throats.

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

The last time we faced this team, we lost by 6 points, in what was the 6th NFL game that Head Coach Nick Sirianni ever coached. In that game, RB Miles Sanders carried the ball 9 times for 56 yards (6.2ypc). Jalen Hurts ran 10 times and threw 26 attempts. It was one of the worst called games in Eagles history, and still we only lost by 6.

There is no need to be subtle here. This is a beating. This is revenge. This is truth being put on display. Brady is 44 and says he wants to play until he’s 50. OH REALLY?! So we need to put his body to the test. For everyone who says we can’t win because we’re facing the goat, they need to be reminded that we’ve feasted on this goat before.

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All Four Things Prediction: EAGLES 27 – Buccaneers 23

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: WK 6: EAGLES – BUCCANEERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2021/10/13
Posted in: breakdown, Coaching, Defense, Four Things, Offense, Players, Preview, X's and O's. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

LAST week RB Miles Sanders led us in rushing. In 2021 we’re 2 – 0 when he does, 0 – 3 when he doesn’t. So let’s keep that going. This week we have an aging, pocket based QB, going against DT Fletcher Cox and DT Javon Hargarve. SOMEONE MAKE SURE BRADY SIGNS THE WAIVER!!!

This game is not as winnable as I told you that Kansas City or Carolina was. However, there IS a path. While it’s not a wide path, it’s also not narrow. We just have to be serious about our fundamentals. Tampa is talented, but they have deep weaknesses that can be exploited, without much trouble.

A win jumps us up to 3 – 3, which would do nothing for our position in the division. At least not this week. Bigger picture, it would show the NFC, that they have to re-evaluate their opinions of this team. (And maybe division.) It would also indicate an amount of growth that would feed Eagles player confidence.

A loss would drop us to 2 – 4, and out of any serious discussion of winning the East. If that happens, it would take a great deal of success and some luck, to get back into that discussion.

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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 Tampa Bay:

Remember back when we did this?

1) Run the damned ball: Tampa plays the run pretty well, so don’t expect a ton of yardage. This however, is a game where the rushing attempts mean more than the yards. It will require play-action to beat Tampa Bay, and if we don’t run, we can’t sell play-action.

Last week our lack of commitment to the run meant that Carolina ignored our play-action, and teed off on our passer. This is a better and more physical defensive front. Unless the mission is to get Jalen hurt, we have to make this defense pump it’s brakes. If we can do that, then we can buy time for our QB, and keep him healthy.

2) Shut down Brady: Sounds like a tall order, until you realize that it’s already been done plenty. How do we do it? First we have to understand the animal. QB Tom Brady likes his 6 yard, 3 step drop. Snap! 1-2-plant. Fire! Snap! 1-2-plant. Fire! That’s his cadence. Varying it takes him miles out of his comfort zone.

So the idea here, is to get him uncomfortable. Don’t let him plant his foot. Keep him backing up. Get him (a right-handed QB) moving left. He had to ice his throwing hand on Sunday. We play on Thursday. He’s 44. Make him feel every HOUR of his age.

So how do we do that? See this rush scheme.

That’s what the basic scheme for the day should look like. Sure we’ll vary it, but this is what the day should be built on. We do what we did with QB Matt Ryan in Atlanta. Converge both DT’s on the C, and forklift him back into the QB. That gives the QB nowhere, and no time to step up.

If Brady leaves the pocket going left, then it’s a foot-race between him and (#49) LB Alex Singleton. Going right, it’s (#50) LB Eric Wilson. Brady won’t take many sacks, but he will quickly throw the ball away to avoid them. Which is exactly the plan! Incompletions are wasted downs. We’ll take it.

One last thing. This rush scheme would also contain the run, and allows alleys for the LB’s to blitz or run blitz. So yeah, I designed it well.

3) Bombs Away: Tampa Bay just signed FA CB Richard Sherman, because they are depleted in the secondary. This is a flashing weakness, and we need to attack it. Relentlessly.

This is where running the ball matters so much. Once we can use play-action effectively, QB Jalen Hurts can get outside of the pocket, and our receivers have time to uncover deep. Against a depleted Tampa secondary, we have the makings of a massacre. A prime-time, nationally televised, massacre.

4) Stick with Man Coverage: No one expects 3 picks this week. However, if we can get Brady throwing from uncomfortable launch points, we’re more likely to get a donation from him, in Man. If we go to Zone, he’ll know from film study, where to throw the ball safely. Don’t give him that.

Limit his options. Force him to either throw into contested spaces, or throw the ball away early. We want the ball out of his hands early in the game. Then we want him pressing to make plays later in the game.

If we do these Four Things, we will shock the NFL.

Neutering Tampa Bay’s passing attack, essentially shuts their offense down. The NFL is an offensive league. Which makes it hard to win games, when an offense is watching, not playing.

Old boxing adage: If you work the (opponent’s) body, it will open up the head. Running the ball is working the body. It brings down a Safety deeper into the box. It takes an opponent out of (pass rush) attack mode, and puts them solidly on the defensive (trying to plug holes). When that happens, we can go full blown aerial assault.

We have the players to pull this off. We can do this! We simply need the will to attempt it. Unfortunately, I don’t think our coaching staff is here yet.

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PREDICTION: EAGLES 24 – Buccaneers 31

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

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WEEK 2: BUCCANEERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2018/09/17
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, Reviews. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

LAST year (almost to the day), we lost 20 – 27 to the Chiefs, and I wrote something eerily prophetic about our championship run. If you were in any way disheartened by this loss, or you feel the Eagles are missing something, I urge you to re-read that review. It will help to put this game into perspective.

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Eagles 21 – Buccaneers 27

Due to a vicious rash of injuries (some of which started last year), we had to dig very deep into the roster this week. Receivers like TE Joshua Perkins (4 – 57 – 14.2 – 0) and WR Kamar Aiken (5 – 39 – 7.8 – 0) were making serious contributions, with the game still in contention.

Starting RB Jay Ajayi (7 – 23 – 3.2 – 1 – 0) spent much of the game on the sideline getting treatment on his back. Meanwhile RB Corey Clement (6 – 30 – 5.0 – 1 – 0 / 5 – 55 – 11.0 – 0), and RB Wendell Smallwood (7 – 28 – 4.0 – 0 – 0), picked up the slack in our ground game.

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The biggest head scratcher was QB Nick Foles (35/48 – 72.9% – 334 – 1 – 0). While many fans seem quick to bail on him, I’m going to talk about why I think he look the way he does. (But this article isn’t the place to do that. This drops Monday, that one drops Tuesday.)

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) Chasing Private Ryan: We managed to get two sacks and a few hurries on QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (27/33 – 81.8% – 402 – 4 – 1), but most of that was in the first half. With temperatures on the field reaching 102 degrees, our Defense simply didn’t have the same snap in the second half of the game. As a result, instead of allowing Fitzpatrick to complete 75% of his passes like he did against the Saints, we allowed him to complete 82%. No defense can survive that. NOT DONE

2) Run the rock: Our play selection was 48 passes to 24 runs. Three of those runs were by Nick Foles, two of which were QB Sneaks on 4th down. One was a 2 yard, (direct snap) Jet Sweep to WR Nelson Agholor (8rec – 88 – 11.0 – 1). That’s 48 passes to 20 hand-offs, against an undersized front seven which surrendered 81 yards and 2 touchdowns to our RB’s (4.0 per tote). This was a horrendous missed opportunity. NOT DONE

3) Play Cover Two: I specifically said that CB Jalen Mills (5 – 0 – 0 – 0) shouldn’t be matched up with WR DeSean Jackson (4 – 129 – 32.2 – 1). Djax drew Mills on the first play of the game, and tore his asshole open for a 75 yard score. WR Mike Evans (10 – 83 – 8.3 – 1) also victimized Mills for a 4 yard score. And still we STAYED in Single-high coverage despite the fact that it hardly even slowed down a journeyman QB. NOT DONE

4) Heavy play-action: This is a tough one. We sorta did this one, but we really didn’t do it at all. You can’t really employ play-action if you aren’t really running the ball. Also, play-action requires a QB to move after faking the hand-off. Many times Foles would fake it and then stand tall in the pocket. So while he went through the motions, he never bothered to sell it. That wouldn’t be so frustrating if we didn’t all know that Foles can and has, sold snake oil to defenses. NOT DONE

That brings this week’s Four Things score to 0 for 4, which puts us at 3 for 8 on the year. Word has been handed down that QB Carson Wentz will be cleared for contact this week. This has people (not me), hoping he starts at home, next week against the Colts. Hopefully the Eagles will give Wentz a week of shakedown time, and we’ll see Foles again.

On The Whole:

This is what happens when the Eagles skip a week of reading these articles. Let this loss serve as a lesson, Doug! And now I can begin to bitch about this loss, in earnest.

I’m kidding, I have nothing to bitch about. While this was a dumb loss, which I lay it at the feet of the coaching staff, I think we needed this sort of fight. It’s the start of the season, and we’re already the Walking Wounded. Plus we didn’t look great in the preseason.

This game had guys fighting though injury to play, and guys practically off the street, playing significant roles. This was a game where guys got a chance to step up and show what they can do, and maybe change the coaching staff’s mind about their place on the depth chart. This was a chance for our starters to get a look at their back-ups and to be motivated by what they see.

This game was a chance for this team to measure whether or not the players have enough fight in them. This was a chance to see if there were any quitters on the team, so that they can be weeded out early on.

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I’m proud to say that I didn’t see that out there. Even the announcers remarked how there was no panic on our sideline. We looked and acted like champions out there. Even the new guys. Dumb loss, but not a bad one.

FOUR THINGS: WK 2: EAGLES-BUCCANEERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2018/09/13
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, Preview. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

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WITH QB’s Carson Wentz and Jameis Winston out for this one, most writers will want to talk about how this game is a battle of the back-up QB’s. For my part, I want to talk about the teams, not the QB’s.

Last week our Eagles struggled against the Falcons, but this weeks opponent won a shootout with the Saints. It would seem that we have have our work cut out for us, when we visit their house this Sunday, right?

Relax. This game isn’t going to be nearly as tough as it looks on paper. In football (just like boxing), styles make fights. The Saints team that the Bucs beat last week is basically a finesse team. It’s not a team that’s really built for a fist-fight. Actually the entire NFC South shares that affliction. I mean, do you see what we keep doing to that division? It’s because we’re built to beat even tough opponents, and they are nowhere close to tough.

I won’t keep you in suspense with this one. We’re gonna haul off and punch Tampax Bay square in the mouth. If the game is still in contention in the fourth quarter, it’ll shock me to my core.

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

1) Chasing Private Ryan: Last week vs New Orleans, QB Ryan Fitzpatrick completed 21/28 passes (75%), for 4 TD’s, no picks, and an average of 14.9 per attempt. Not per completion, per attempt. With no sacks. That’s how little heat the Saints got on the QB. The worst part of that, is that the Bucs O-line isn’t that good. Fitzie won’t see such an easy week against the Eagles defensive front. In fact, Tampa may have to put out their other back-up named Ryan. QB Ryan Griffin is in his 6th year and has never thrown a regular season pass. Don’t be surprised if you see him:

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2) Run the rock: You may have already heard that the Bucs have allowed the second fewest rushing yards in the NFL so far. It’s a mirage. Last week the Saints ran the ball a TOTAL of 13 times, despite leading for most of the first half, and never really being out of the game. Saints play selection was 45 passes to 13 runs. In fact, the Saints leading rusher had more catches (9) than carries (8). Being a finesse team, they didn’t even try to take advantage of Tampa’s smallish linebacking group. This week we need to not get cute and just feed the Bucs an early diet of trap runs, sweeps, and tosses. Then we should follow it up with a later diet of runs up the gut, once they’re tired.

3) Play Cover Two: We have to find a way to keep a lid on Tampa’s WR’s. DeSean Jackson had one the better games of his career last week. He torched the Saints secondary for 146 and two scores on just five catches, and Mike Williams had 147 and a score of his own. The Bucs like to play 2WR’s, and 2TE’s, so the need for a Nickel CB shouldn’t be as pronounced as usual. That means we should be able to play our base scheme, and can keep SS Malcolm Jenkins card.malcolm.jenkins3 out of the box and back in coverage. As far as the boundaries, CB Ronald Darby is probably our only DB who can stay with Djax, so we have to be careful not to let him get matched up with someone like CB Jalen Mills.

4) Heavy play-action: One of the benefits of running the ball a lot, is that it helps to set-up the fake. Whether it’s buying time for receivers to get deep, setting up a backside Screen, or just getting this guy,

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out on a bootleg, or designed run. (Or another pass.) Heavy play-action this week, could be deadly against a team that emphasizes speed to the ball. Getting them repeatedly out of position, or even better, making them hesitate later in the game, only makes it easier to put this game in our win column.

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:

Old school wisdom: When you go on the road, pack your Defense and your run game. Given how ineffective our 31st ranked passing attack was, and that we’re still without two key pieces, we’ll likely get off the bus running the ball. Since their LB’s can’t contain both RB Jay Ajayi (in the box) and TE Zach Ertz (on the seam), at the same time, you can expect one to have a big day.

Our Defensive Line should be too much for the Bucs offensive line, so expect us to give Ryan, fitz. (See what I did there?) Getting back OLB Nigel Bradham this week, should go along way towards keeping Tampa’s lackluster RB’s in check.

Despite being on the road, this is one that we should take pretty easily. Tampa is weak in all the places that we meet with a strength. We on the other hand, have weaknesses (injuries, LB depth) that Tampa is ill-equipped to exploit. This shouldn’t be a hard game to win.

PREDICTION: EAGLES 28 – Buccaneers 13

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