Torrey Smith

All posts tagged Torrey Smith

#11: SPLIT ‘EM DEEP

Posted by The BEAST on 2022/06/09
Posted in: Coaching, Conversations, NFC East, Offense, Players, Roster, Super Bowl, The 12. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

WE’VE been told that WR Quez Watkins is going to be working in the Slot, a lot more this year. In an earlier article, I said that we should use Watkins and RB Kenneth Gainwell as a one-two punch in the Slot. Picture it: We pound teams with 12 Personnel, then we make them chase either raw speed, or short area shiftiness. Nasty! Just plain nasty!

When the Eagles won the Super Bowl following the 2017 season, they did it behind WR Torrey Smith taking the top off of defenses, and allowing room for TE Zach Ertz to work underneath. Having to keep a Safety over Ertz, made it easier to get balls downfield, into WR Alshon Jeffrey’s insane catch radius. Having to cover all of that, is what opened up the room for the run game to pile up 2115 yards (132 ypg).

For the next couple of years, the Eagles tried to replicate that formula, first replacing Smith with WR Mike Wallace (2018), who was hurt two games into the season; and then re-uniting with WR DeSean Jackson (2019), who was hurt three games into the season. (Note: It’s not that the formula didn’t work, it’s that we didn’t have the horses to run it.)

Well, now we have a new formula, and I personally LOVE it! I’ve been saying since DJax was here, that we should put our burner in the Slot, not on the Outside. This one move does more than the old formula does, and it does it much more simply.

Watkins in the Slot running “Go” and clear-out routes right down the middle, means that a defense in Single-high coverage, can offer no help to their CB’s. That frequently puts WR Devonta Smith and WR A.J. Brown in one-on-one coverage, on opposite sides of the field. Imagine a CB alone in space with Brown, after the catch. Damned near animal cruelty, right?

Watkins in the Slot running “Go” and clear-out routes right down the middle, means that a defense in Cover Two, has to squeeze the Safeties together, instead of letting them drift out to help the CB’s. (See above result.) This means committing extra resources to coverage. So now instead of four back deep, they have five back deep.

Five back deep, means a six man front. It means they’re in Nickel. Ladies and gentlemen, have you met our run game? Give a hand to RB Miles Sanders! And playing the part of Charlie Mack, I give you LT Jordan Mailata, and LG Landon Dickerson!

First out da limo.

Oh wait! We haven’t even started on TE Dallas Goedert on 15 yard Outs, after play-action. Watkins in the Slot will also force teams to declare more coverages, making pre-snap reads easier for QB Jalen Hurts. (This is where spreading the Offense really gets it’s mojo workin’.) All of which is done easily with Watkins being a speed merchant.

I hear you ask: How dangerous can a speed merchant really be? I mentioned Torrey Smith earlier. In 2017 he played in all 16 games, catching just 36 balls for 430 yards (11.9) and just 2 TD’s. Small numbers, right? However, it was his presence that made him the catalyst for the entire Offense. The loss of that, was 75% of why the Eagles looked so disjointed in 2018 and 2019.

Folks, people are predicting us to win the East, but I… I might already be looking past that. I’m telling you, if Hurts can read defenses better in 2022, the entire NFC (not just the East), is on notice. Rams, Bucs, Green Bay AT Lambeau. All of that. We want ALL the smoke.

FOUR THINGS: WK 16: EAGLES – COWBOYS

Posted by The BEAST on 2020/12/24
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, Front Office (F.O.), NFC East, Offense, Players, playoffs, Rivals. Tagged: , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

THE Franchise is on the line this week. If the Eagles defeat the Cowboys this weekend, the legend of QB Jalen Hurts will have some Eagles fans anointing him with oil, and declaring him Super Bowl MVP. (Not me, but some fans.) That clamoring would be all the excuse that General Manager Howie Roseman needs, to do something stupid, and make us a sub .500 team for the next 3 to 4 years. Be careful what you wish for, folks. You just may get it.

Here’s the skinny on this weekend:

*An Eagles win keeps our playoff hopes alive.

*A Washington loss this week, and the giants losing either of their next two games, means if the Eagles win out, we win the division.

*An Eagles loss will mathematically eliminate us from the post-season picture.

*A Washington win this week will mathematically eliminate us from the post-season picture.

So this weekend Eagles fans, you’re rooting for the Eagles, Ravens, and Panthers.

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 Cowboys:

1) Run the ball: The Cowboys don’t have an answer for running QB’s. Three times they’ve faced one this year, and they’ve given up 38, 38, and 34 points respectively. All losses. Another 60 yard day from Jalen Hurts ought to do it.

Nooch!

2) Rush the passer: The last two QB’s we faced are both better known for running than throwing. This week the Eagles Defense goes up against a legit QB who reads coverages, audibles effectively, exploits free plays, knows how to throw for pass interference calls, etc. Oh, and he has actual weapons. If we don’t get heat on him, he will spend the day shredding our depleted Secondary.

3) Three sacks or fewer: Hurts has played in two and a half games and already has 5 rushing fumbles. That’s tied for second in the NFL. We have to limit the number of hits he takes, as a means of protecting the ball.

4) Cover Two, where are you?: Cover Zero and Cover One, can’t be played this week. We don’t have enough experience back there. Give those young guys some help. Play them in thirds, in Cover Two, Tampa Two, and Cover Four looks.

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

PREDICTION: EAGLES 28 – Cowboys 17

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

OKAY ERIC, LET’S TALK SELL-OUTS

Posted by The BEAST on 2018/10/23
Posted in: Conversations, Players, Rants, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

longjenkins.jpg

LET’S set the record straight. Malcolm Jenkins didn’t “sell out” the movement started by Colin Kaepernick. This is what he’s been accused of on more than one occasion, by reinstated NFL player (more on that later) Eric Reid. What Malcolm Jenkins and Torrey Smith did, was give legs and legitimacy to that very movement.

This has had my blood boiling for days now. So I needed to speak on it.

As a protest of police brutality, initially with its emphasis on Black victims, Kaepernick (then a 49ers QB) began a gesture of kneeling during our National Anthem. It was a not a protest of the anthem itself, but one meant to put a visual representation on the disenfranchisement of Blacks from the proper working of the justice system. It worked like a charm and his decision changed the course of American history.

Whatever your feelings on it at the time (these were mine), the gesture grabbed international attention. The eyes of the entire free world (over 200 countries, not just here), were upon the United States. Other football players, then athletes in other sports, then regular joes started to participate in the gesture. One of those players was Eric Reid, also with the 49ers at that time.

While many did, not every player or even team participated in the kneeling gesture. Absent an NFL policy regarding it, there was plenty of rancor over who could, should, would, and how to participate. One team that experienced no such rancor, was the Eagles. At no point during the 2017 season did the Eagles team kneel, sit, lay down or descend into controversy over the issue. In fact, what happened was two players, Jenkins and Smith, began a dialogue with law enforcement entities and politicians, even going to Capitol Hill on occasion.

Malcolm Jenkins and Torrey Smith turned what was mostly a distraction, into actual forward progress. Defensive End Chris Long joined in, and being a White player, helped stem the notion of this as just a Black problem, thus adding to the coalition. (Long also donated his 2017 base salary to charity, in the wake of the Charlottesville tragedy.)

I mean, movement is the essence of a movement, right? You have to do more than kneel in place, right? Colin Kaepernick, since being black-balled from the NFL (let’s not pretend it’s anything else), uses his time to still be out-front and vocal about the issue.

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We just discussed what Philadelphia Eagles players are doing.

Eric Reid on the other hand has done what exactly? The answer is, entirely nothing. (Aside from being willing to kneel, and wear “I’m With Kap” t-shirts. Way to go, Ace!)

ereid2

Reid was also black-balled for a time. Did he go forth on his free time and spread the message? Did he promote the movement? No. He spent that time begging for a job, from the very league that he claims exploits its athletes. So Jenkins (since MARCH) had lobbied the NFL to stop black-balling Reid, (story here) . The Carolina Panthers finally gave Reid a contract in October, ending his exile. How did Reid repay Jenkins going to bat for him? By calling Jenkins a sell-out.

Here’s what’s funny. Torrey Smith who worked hand-in-glove with Jenkins, is now a Panther. He was already a Panther when Reid was signed. Does Reid call Smith a sell-out too? Did he call any of his other teammates sell-outs for not kneeling when he did, during his first week back? (He was the ONLY player to kneel on either sideline.)

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The answer is “No”. He lacks the conviction to be that straight-up. If Reid came into that locker room with any static, he’d have been back on his couch before the ass-print faded. He simply doesn’t believe in his cause enough, to risk his opportunity to “be exploited”.

This is just a case of an ingrate, hothead, who wants to take shots at someone for being the sort of man that it never occurred to him to be. Eric Reid looks in the mirror and sees a guy who, when compared to Malcolm Jenkins, comes up short, both on AND off the field. It’s jealousy. It’s envy. It’s a small individual lashing out, because he knows deep down, the servitude that he decries, he actually craves. As evinced by his caterwauling to be let back into the NFL.

Now I ask you dear reader. Who is the REAL sell-out, in this situation?

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: NFC CHAMPIONSHIP: EAGLES-VIKINGS

Posted by The BEAST on 2018/01/22
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFC Championship, Offense, Players, playoffs, Reviews, Special Teams, Super Bowl. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

SUPER BOWL!!!!! What did I tell you? I said, Minnesota doesn’t belong in the playoffs. I said, this game will be about which Eagles team shows up. I said, during the Bye Week that the only playoff team I fear is Philadelphia. Now look at us. ONE WIN away from winning our first Championship since 1960. One win away from hoisting one of those annual replicas that our rivals are so fond of.

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Eagles WR Alshon Jeffery scores on a 53 yard bomb from QB Nick Foles. Image courtesy of Philadelphia Daily News

EAGLES 38 – Vikings 7

The Vikings went down the field for a touchdown on the game’s opening drive, running the ball as well as they would all night. Then the nightmare began.

Your beloved Eagles responded with 38 unanswered points, as we dominated, harassed and humiliated Minnesota’s defense that (I’d heard) was the best in the NFL. Didn’t look like much to me. Or apparently to our Quarterback.

QB Nick Foles (26/33 – 78.7% – 352 – 3 – 0) put on an absolute clinic, dissecting (what we’d all been told was) the NFL’s second-rated pass defense. Well no, that’s not fair. The Vikings did seem very second rate out there.

RB Jay Ajayi (18 – 73 – 4.0 – 0 – 0) found creases to run in, which helped us move the chains and set up manageable 3rd downs. That led to a 3rd down conversion of 71% (10/14). For the second game in a row, RB LeGarrette Blount (6 – 21 – 3.5 – 1 – 0) found paydirt early.

WR’s Alshon Jeffery (5 – 85 – 17.0 – 2) and Torrey Smith (5 – 69 – 13.8 – 1) gave the Eagles the sort of outside deep threats, I’d been looking for since Week 1. Foles heaved touchdown bombs to each man, (53 and 41 yards, respectively). It was almost enough to overshadow TE Zach Ertz (8 – 93 – 11.6 – 0) who had a beautiful 36 yard catch and run, that set up a 38 yard Field Goal by K Jake Elliott (5/5x, 1/1f, 38) to end the first half.

Those are great numbers, but it was the Defense that won this game. They put a lid on the Viking’s offense after that opening touchdown. On the very next possession, CB Patrick Robinson (2 – 0 – 1 – 0) intercepted a pass and took that tasty treat back 50 yards to cancel out Minnesota’s only lead of the night.

 

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Rookie DE Derek Barnett (2 – 1 – 0 – 1) got our only sack of the game and forced a fumble (pictured), which was recovered by DE Chris Long (2 – 0 – 0 – 0). Safety Corey Graham (5 – 0 – 1 – 0) intercepted a dropped interception attempt by CB Ronald Darby (7 – 0 – 0 – 0) who had a serious impact on the game with that interception, and the block which sprang Robinson on his interception return.

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) Stop the run: We held the Vikings to 70 yards on 18 carries. (DONE)

2) Challenge their defense: At no point did Nick Foles shy away from attacking and turn into Captain Checkdown. Even better, the playcalling wasn’t trying to protect him. That 41 yard flea-flicker to Smith was outright ballsy; as was that double-faked handoff to set up a Middle Screen. The Eagles didn’t show a single ounce of fear and decided to make the Vikings earn everything. (DONE)

3) Collapse the pocket: The Eagles got good pressure throughout the day, but we didn’t get nearly as much up the gut as I was anticipating. This is likely why the sack production was so low this week. (NOT DONE)

4) Speed Kills:

Alshon scores 2.jpg

There were a few deep throws by Foles in this game. Better still, there were a few completions for scores. The idea was to challenge Minny’s corners and make them earn their reps. They weren’t up to the job. At least not against the Eagles. (DONE)

This week we went 3 out of 4 in Four Things, which brings our playoff total to 7 of 8. There are a couple of things we need to clean up in the next two weeks, before our SUPER BOWL re-match with New England.

On The Whole:

This was a great “get your confidence” game. I think Nick Foles NEEDED a game like this. It’s one thing to have your teammates say they believe in you, it’s a completely different thing to give them a reason to believe in you. No one is going to make Nick Foles the favorite over New England’s QB, but at this point people understand that Foles is not to be taken lightly.

We need more explosiveness from our run game. Ajayi gets the starting nod due to Draft pedigree, but he seems less explosive, and isn’t as good at catching the ball, as RB Corey Clement (2 – 20 – 10.0 – 0 – 0). Ajayi also doesn’t have a great nose for the endzone.

Our interior pass rush

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has to show up next week or our odds of winning drop significantly. If we can stop New England’s QB from stepping up to deliver the ball, and make him come off of his first read, our odds or winning almost crack the ceiling.

doug-pederson ABOUT IT

FOUR THINGS: WK 15: EAGLES-giants

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/12/14
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, playoffs, Preview, Rivals, Special Teams. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

W15 -NYGjpg

WE’RE in the playoffs. Step One is complete. Now the mission is to get QB Nick Foles fully up to speed. While he knows the system, he’s been watching it, more than playing it. His timing and his chemistry with the receivers, will have to be polished over these next three weeks.

The giants still have a few players playing for pride, but it’s clear that that’s not a team-wide feeling. Without having signed a General Manager yet, even the giants owner cannot claim to have a clear picture of the team’s future. The result is players just playing out the string and auditioning for roles elsewhere, in case they end up on the cutting-room floor. So this is a great opportunity for Foles to practice some of the more difficult things.

player-nickfoles-Image courtesy of Philly

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

1) Throw it deep: Foles has shown an ability to throw to speed, back when he threw 9 TD’s to DeSean Jackson in 2013. WR Torrey Smith can fly, and if he sees a ball or two heaved deep in his direction early, it’ll open up room for the run. It will also help establish a chemistry that we’ll need later, more than sooner. It’ll be interesting to see if Foles displays better touch on deep passes than QB Carson Wentz has this year.

2) Run the ball: This is a must. The Offense cannot be fully shifted onto Foles shoulders just yet. Heading into the playoffs, this team needs to display a swagger. Expecting Foles to carry the team this soon, could crush his confidence if he falters. We do not need him being timid and turning into “Captain Checkdown” during the postseason.

3) Set the edges: Over the last two weeks, the Defense seems to have forgotten how to play Contain, on their way to making a play. That’s just a flat-out lack of discipline. It also has helped to set up some poor tackling angles vs the run.

4) Go for it: We have to go for, and convert at least one 4th down this week. While Foles needs to see, and be part of that aggression, the rest of the team (Offense, Defense, and Special Teams) needs to see it too. The message needs to be sent that We are still the Eagles.

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:

There’s a great chance that this game will be messy. We may even lose it. Who gives a shit? While we need to play to win, the “W” isn’t the focus. Don’t get me wrong, home-field would be a big help, but the win isn’t what matters most this week. The focus is getting prepared for winning in the postseason, not for seeding in it. Home-field and/or a Bye would help, but they won’t get us into the Super Bowl. We still need to be able to win games to get that far.

The giants will not want to get swept. Especially not against a back-up QB doing the honors. They’ll come out playing with something that looks sort of like pride. Especially on defense. Won’t matter though if their Offense can’t hold up it’s end.

Our Defense will look as if we’ve fixed whatever has ailed us these last two weeks. Really it’ll just be the awfulness of New York that makes us look so good. But who cares? We can use the confidence. The last time we faced them, K Jake “giant killer” Elliott kicked a 61 yard dagger through the giants hearts. This time it’ll be a 62 yarder. Just kidding. This game should be a mess, but it almost certainly won’t be another nail-biter.

PREDICTION: EAGLES 24 – Opponent 17

yeah bitch

FOUR THINGS REVIEWED: WEEK 5: CARDINALS

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/10/09
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, Reviews, Roster, stats. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

THIS game was a case of a good team dominating a bad one. We went out and handled the business we needed to. Good teams beat the teams they should beat, battle teams on their level, and struggle while learning from teams above them. The Eagles are doing just that, in 2017.

torreyTD

EAGLES 34 – Cardinals 7

The Eagles led from whistle to gun in this one. QB Carson Wentz (21/30 – 70.0% – 304 – 4 – 1) gifted 4 different receivers with a scoring pass, including 72 and 59 yard strikes respectively to WR Nelson Agholor (4 – 93 – 23.2 – 1) and WR Torrey Smith (3 – 70 – 23.3 – 1). The play-calling was pretty even with 30 passes to 27 called runs. (Wentz would add 11 yards on 6 more carries.) The Defense again played admirably given the players we’re missing due to injury. It only makes a fan more excited to think of what may happen when we get a guy or two back. Especially a CB who can catch.

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?

card.nelson.agholor

1) Jailbreak!: We needed to get to QB Carson Palmer (28/44 – 63.6% – 291 – 1 – 0) and we did. We added 2 sacks and 7 hits to the mountain of abuse Palmer is already absorbing this season. What his completion percentage won’t tell you, is how many of his passes were from his heel, not his toe, and how little room he had to step up. This is an area where we were MUCH better than the numbers indicate. (DONE)

2) Keep things straight: We took WR Larry Fitzgerald (6 – 51 – 8.5 – 0) away from the Cardinals. We blanked him in the first quarter, and didn’t allow him a catch until 26 seconds before the half. You can thank CB Jalen Mills (4 – 0 – 0 – 0) for that. (DONE)

3) Hit it hard: We gave Arizona’s 10th ranked, but undersized run defense a solid punch in the mouth. We split 21 carries between RB LeGarrette Blount (14 – 74 – 3.3 – 0 – 0), and RB Corey Clement (7 – 17 – 2.4 – 0 – 0), mostly running between the Tackles. That helped to keep the pass rush at bay, resulting in Wentz being hit 3 times and sacked just once. Both are season lows. RB Kenjon Barner (5 – 23 – 4.6 – 0 – 0) pitched in with some runs to the outside. (DONE)

4) Full throat: Philadelphia, you were loud and beautiful! Then again, with the warm, wet weather and what the players were doing, it’s not like it was hard to stay dialed into the game. (DONE)

This week the Eagles ran the table, and rung up a perfect 4 out of 4! That brings the season tally to 14 of 20. (That’s 70% if your tracking it.) That said, things get harder next week.The Chiefs were a big test for Week Two, and we went in with little to no expectations. Most of us wrote that off as a loss and just wanted to be competitive.

This next one is different. We WANT this one. The winner of this next one will be alone atop the NFC, at least for a few days. I don’t  know about you, but I want to be able to say that our team is the best. If only for a week or so. So lets meet back here on Wednesday, and discuss how we get that “W”.

On The Whole:

This was a brutally efficient game. Think about it. Despite two touchdown passes over 50 yards, this game never felt like the Eagles were looking for quick strikes. Just like in the Chargers game, it had a cold-hearted, tick-tock-tick-tock, feel to it. We converted 64% of our 3rd downs. Seriously, 64%! For perspective, we came into this game converting at 50%.

Despite injury and a shuffling of the Offensive Line, this team only gets better and better with each passing week. It learns and adapts. It exploits weaknesses and finds ways to undermine strengths. It loses players and then reloads with another, while in full stride, and it never stops working. It never stops hunting. It is methodical. Clinical. Brutally efficient.

And as of today, it locked it’s eyes, on Carolina.

FOUR THINGS: WK 1: EAGLES-REDSKINS

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/09/08
Posted in: Coaching, Defense, Four Things, NFL, Offense, Players, Preview, Rivals, X's and O's. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

W1-WAS

LAST year we were swept by the Redskins, in two games separated by a total of 12 points. While Washington won both games, they didn’t run away with either one. Thus, the Eagles spent the off-season prepping for an arms race. Meanwhile, (for some reason) the Redskins began disarming themselves on both sides of the ball. Thus, at least on paper, we’re clearly the stronger team now.

Let me speak plain. Recently the ‘skins have owned us, beating us in each of our last five meetings. While we’ll get two cracks at them this season, nothing would be as emphatic as choking them out in their own home, while making thousands of their fans watch helplessly. A win this week would put the division on notice from Day One. We’re already the better team. We need to seize the opportunity to show it.

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

1) Build a fortress: QB Carson Wentz must be protected. Nothing we saw in the preseason indicates that our running game is ready to carry it’s weight yet, so we’ll have to lean on the passing game. That doesn’t work if Wentz is on his back, counting clouds. Protection is the primary key to this game.

2) Slow the rush: The Redskins are a 3-4 team that rushes it’s OLB’s. An OLB can’t rush the QB and cover the TE at the same time. So getting the ball quickly to TE Zach Ertz means either the ‘skins have to take a rusher away, or bring down a Safety to cover him. That would leave either WR Alshon Jeffrey or WR Torrey Smith with a one-on-one match-up. Surely putting a Safety on Ertz seems somehow more distasteful than taking away a pass rusher. So get Ertz the ball quickly. And do it early in the game.

3) Empty their pocket: Habitually inverting the pocket (even if we don’t sack QB Kirk Cousins), will go a long way to disrupting the ‘skins passing attack. Cousins won’t beat us with his feet, and is only so-so at throwing on the move. We need to force him to problem-solve, instead of allowing him to execute the offense.

4) Fish in a barrel: We need to corral their passing game, by re-routing their receivers closer to the numbers and to the middle of the field.

FedEx Field

The idea is to increase traffic, making deflections and misfires more costly. Doing this means that Cousins is going to complete passes, but we need to stay patient and diligent with this approach. If we let the ‘skins have a big day passing to the outside, this game becomes a shootout, and shootouts are anybody’s game.

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:

The Redskins will want to spread us out, to create space so they can run the ball inside. They’re going to start on Offense by playing in 11 Personnel (3WR’s, 1 TE, and 1 RB). This means we’ll likely open the game in the Nickel, looking something like this on Defense:

Likely 9.10.17

Again, we have to re-route receivers as close to the middle as we can, in order to make deflections and misfires more costly, as well as to limit YAC (yards after catch). Increased traffic in the area will also cause Cousins to hold the ball longer, allowing our pass rushers extra seconds to get home.

On Offense, I would be surprised if the Eagles had a huge day running the ball. Alshon Jeffrey will draw CB Josh Norman, but that shouldn’t be an issue. Last year vs Norman (when he only had QB Matt Barkley throwing to him), Jeffery had 5 catches on 10 targets, and 92 yards. This year Jeffrey has Carson Wentz throwing to him, and a much more dangerous supporting cast, than he has played with since Brandon Marshall left Chicago.

Because of that cast, Norman won’t get much help from teammates, since they each have their own nightmares to deal with. For example, CB Bashaud Breeland is stuck with covering blazingly fast Torrey Smith. (FYI: Speed isn’t something Breeland is known for.) Washington’s 3rd CB Kendall Fuller likely draws WR Nelson Agholor as his dance partner for the day. The bottom line is, even the very top of the Redskins secondary isn’t equipped to handle the Eagles receivers. If Wentz gets decent protection the Eagles win, in a game that won’t be as close as the final score.

PREDICTION: EAGLES 24 – Redskins 20

yeah bitch

SURPRISES AMONG EAGLES RECEIVERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/07/01
Posted in: Conversations, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

FUCK YEAH

DORIAL Green-Beckham being cut is no surprise in itself. I mean at some level in part, it’s just a numbers game. Like last year, the Eagles are probably only keeping 5 or 6 active WR’s. Three of those will be Alshon Jeffrey, Torrey Smith and Jordan Matthews. So beyond that, every name on the roster was and will be, up in the air until final cuts are made on September 2nd.

I was pleasantly surprised by part of the news surrounding Green-Beckham being waived. It’s to be expected that the Law Firm (Jeffrey, Smith and Matthews)* would be ahead of Green-Beckham on the depth chart. What I was surprised by, was that Bryce Treggs was also listed ahead of him.

Last year on Treggs’s first NFL catch, he hauled in a 58 yard pass (and nearly scored), right down the middle of the giants defense. It was the shot in the arm that our deep passing game had needed so badly. Suddenly it looked like we might have stumbled onto a deep threat. At which point Treggs basically disappeared. For whatever reason, he was used on more modest routes, and on Jet Sweeps.

It also didn’t help that in 12 targets last year, he only caught 3 of them. (No, the other 9 weren’t drops.)

This offseason when we signed Torrey Smith as our resident deep threat, it seemed the book had been closed on Treggs. There was no way that he would get into the top six, right? Not with the Law Firm, Nelson Agholor, Green-Beckham, and RB/WR Byron Marshall, all ahead of him.

However, the release of Green-Beckham now clears a seat at that table for Treggs. It also gives an outside shot to guys like rookie Mack Hollins, and to working class hero, Paul Turner. My favorite part, is what it could do for the team. You say that you hadn’t thought about that part? Well get ready to smile like an idiot.

Treggs possesses DeSean Jackson-type speed and acceleration (but without the change of direction skills). Still, the idea of having both him AND Smith… I’ve been an Eagles fan since 1989 (put away the calculator, that’s almost 28 years), and at no point during that span has this team EVER had two deep threats like this, on the roster at one time. Provided that Treggs can beat out Agholor or Marshall, the sky could be the limit for this Offense.

It’s funny. All this talk about our WR’s, yet QB Carson Wentz receiving so many new weapons, could end up being the NFL’s greatest catch of the year.

 

*Law Firm! I coined it! Now when people ask where that nickname got started, you can tell ’em that you were there at the beginning, and helped spread the name around. And yes, I’m aware that the nickname was used by BenJarvus Green-Ellis already. However, if the Jets can steal ‘Gang Green’, and the giants can steal ‘Thunder and Lightning’, then we can boost a nickname too.

SHAME ON ME.

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/05/27
Posted in: Conversations, Fans, Players, Rants, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

LAST August I preached patience for our WR’s, yet by seasons end even I’d bailed on Nelson Agholor. I didn’t practice what I’d preached to you all and that is blatant hypocrisy on my part.

no hope

I’ve said on a few occasions that Eagles fans need to be better fans, and this time that also applies to me. I need to step-up my game, and be a better fan.

Agholor was drafted in the first round of the 2015 Draft, and had a dismal rookie season. Fans were already murmuring “bust” by the time Training Camp opened in 2016. So I stepped in and said that our WR’s (him included) weren’t beyond help.

I said that the Eagles receivers needed time. Time to learn good habits, and possibly UN-learn bad ones. I implied that this would take patience on the fan’s part. Yet a couple months later, I myself was throwing him under the bus, as much as anyone. It was a despicable thing for a fan to do. It was downright hypocritical. It was also damned unfair.

-jordanmatthews.nelsonagholor

When Agholor first got here, who were the WR’s he could look up to for help honing his craft? Second year men Jordan Matthews, and Josh Huff, that’s who. Matthews and Huff got a year under Jeremy Maclin and (starter for some reason) Riley Cooper. Matthews played the slot and Huff hardly played at all in 2014. So there were no mentors in 2015 for Agholor. Same goes for 2016 when we traded for Dorial Green-Beckham.

Now in 2017 we’ve added Alshon Jeffrey and Torrey Smith. These are veterans that both Agholor and Matthews can learn from. They have on-field mentors to teach them good habits. (I also felt that former WR coach Greg Lewis was doing that, but the organization needed a fall guy for 2016, and Lewis drew the short straw.)

The result so far is that everywhere I turn, all I read is positive things about what competition is bringing out of Agholor. I watched Matthews on the news the other night, and the competition is already sharpening his demeanor. I’m not one to read much at all into OTA’s, but I’ll admit, I like what the competition is doing for the mental side of things.

I said all that, to say this: I had no business bailing on Agholor so early. Agholor (and even Matthews now) is getting the help I prescribed less than a year ago. The only fair thing to do is rally around them, and root for their success for as long as they wear midnight green. So I will do just that.

fat

LET’S TALK WIDE RECEIVERS

Posted by The BEAST on 2017/04/29
Posted in: Conversations, Draft, Front Office (F.O.), NFL, Offense, Players, Rants, Roster, Special Teams. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

article regular-NFL Draft.640px.espn

HELP me understand this. In 2016 we had trouble at WR, so we didn’t cut any of our primary WR’s in Jordan Matthews, Nelson Agholor, or Dorial Green-Beckham. Instead we ADDED Free Agents Alshon Jeffrey and Torrey Smith. Surely we weren’t going keep all five of these guys heading into September, so we’d need to shave at least Agholor. So why then are we drafting more WR’s? 

I could see drafting a WR if we were talking about Chris Godwin, whom QB Carson Wentz could mature with. I could see the logic if we were talking about JuJu Smith-Schuster or if we’d traded up to get a top-shelf guy. What I don’t get, is burning picks on WR’s who seem more like they were drafted with an eye towards them playing Special Teams here. You get those guys after the Draft.

We came into this Draft loaded with NFL quality veterans at the WR position. We had real depth in case of injury, for a team that generally keeps 5 active WR’s. So are we keeping 6 this year, or are we going to get rid of real depth to hold onto a Special Teamer or two? That’s not a question fans ask on Draft day, but come September ‘Cut Downs’, that very conversation will happen among Eagles coaches.

Remember how we kept Bryce Treggs over Paul Turner last year? Neither was drafted, but we deactivated a quality receiver for a fast guy who played Special Teams. Don’t look now, but I think we just set that same scenario up, when we drafted WR Mack Hollis in the 4th and Shelton Gibson in the 5th. In that scenario, who do you cut? Do you keep the quality vets, or do we cut one of our draft picks?

It’s easy to say if we keep five, “Cut Agholor since he’s a bust anyway”. That would mean cutting a vet and at least one of the WR’s we drafted. Given that the WR’s we drafted were 4th and 5th rounders, most fans won’t care if they get cut anyway. The odds are already stacked against 4th and 5th rounders to even make the team. Why bellyache over it, right?

Here is where I need you to explain this to me. If the odds are already long for a 4th and 5th rounder, why draft two guys at a spot where you already have plenty of help? You just stacked a stacked deck even more against either of these picks panning out. It’s basically giving away a draft pick. Or two! This is only made worse by the fact that we still need an OLB, or a RB to fill in for Ryan Mathews if, WHEN he gets hurt this year.

Maybe you can explain it to me. Please, when you do, use VERY small words. I don’t want to miss anything. Because the Eagles Draft already has me tilting my head like a dog.