This is why the losses to ATL and DET were awful for the Eagles. They simply can't afford to lose to teams which are good or mediocre, esp not if they are supposed to be one of the top teams in the NFC and plan to contend for an SB.
Which brings me to the point...they aren't. They are ok to good but they aren't elite and in no way shape or form in line to compete for the SB this season. Literally everything I have written about all season about the issues with this team all show up again yesterday. In fact it was the perfect Eagles game to capture all the issues the team has.
Offense: I am sick and tired of Doug and the offense deferring after winning the toss. As if they are good enough on offense or defense, to kick the ball away, force a 3 and out, and then feel good about getting the ball back after the 2nd half to start the 3rd. All that sounds good but our D stinks, gives up TDs on opening drives, while the opposing team just marches down eating up half the quarter.
Our offense takes 1.5 quarters to wake up each game and so when they get the ball with 4-5 min left in the quarter and they don't put together a drive, the whole game plan is thrown out the window and they spend the rest of the game playing catchup.
And simply put the guys they thought were going to be good and contribute haven't lived up or stepped up to the plate. Mack Hollins is awful. JJ can't get on the field ahead of Mack. Alshon looks 2 steps slower than usual but at least he is a threat to catch the ball. Zach Ertz had his worst game in years. Miles Sanders, an RB who wasn't known for his ability to catch in college, led the team in receiving and he has all the 20+ catches in each of the last 4 games. Agholor is either never targeted or when he is, always off by a step or two. The Eagles WRS were supposed to be the strength this year but one DeSean injury and the whole group as a whole look awful. The offense shouldn't be relying on a 32 yr old WR to make it work. At this point defenses just need to double Ertz and put their best CB on Alshon. No one else scares any defense or does anything.
When was the last time an Eagles skill position player made a play on their own? Where maybe the ball wasn't perfect but they went up and got it? Or they took a short pass, made a man or two miss and took it the house?
Howie and the FO might need to trade for another WR midseason again cause this group is simply not doing anything and we don't know when DeSean is returning. Even when he returns can they really count on him to just open everything up?
And lastly for the offense what in the world was Doug doing with that fake FG? They had no timeouts left and less than 30 seconds left in the half. They were only the 5 yd line, they were back by the 30. Even if you complete that pass on the fake, you can't stop the clock, Dallas gets tackled in bounds because of the route he was running, and then you have to rush to spike the ball for what? One more shot at the endzone where you have to throw it such that only your guy can catch it and it has to be going out of bounds? WTF?
I love Doug's aggressiveness and the whole approach with analytics but god damn that was a boneheaded choice. Just take the FG. And its also time to start questioning his ability to have this offense ready to start games. It is a trend now. The offense takes forever to get going and by then they are down by 10-14 points in panic mode trying to catch up. I don't blame the OC or any other offensive coach. This is Doug's offense and he calls the plays. He hasn't fixed it yet. Again something as simply as maybe just taking the opening kick off to see if the offense goes and score first might help.
Defense: Going into the season there was some optimism that while the secondary isn't great, the sheer #s guys they had hurt the last year coming back should bolster the secondary. And that they upgraded the DL tremendously by signing DT Malik Jackson. Jackson lasted only 1 game before being lost for the season. His back up, DT Jernigan, lasted 2 games, and now the Dline is playing guys who were on the PS. Even then they are holding up somewhat.
The secondary though, even with the guys back healthy is just awful. And then those same guys are hurt again. Jalen Mills still isn't back. Darby is always hurt. Sidney Jones always pulls his hamstring after giving up a big play (which is pretty much every game). LeBlanc got hurt in preseason. Avonte Maddox lost his head/neck against the Packers.
Even if all these guys come back healthy I have zero confidence in them. I think Jalen Mills is eligible for a return this coming Sunday but he isn't the Jalen they need. Maybe Avonte Maddox is cleared from his horrific concussion. Darby who knows and LeBlanc isn't eligible to return until week 9. I am done with the Sidney Jones experiment. He never seems to have recovered from the combine injury and certainly has shown nothing to live up to the hype coming out of college.
Now would be the time for Howie to make a move for any corner, even if it isn't Jalen Ramsey. Cause guess what? Gym Shorts isn't changing his scheme much and the Eagles will continue to play mostly single high leaving these corners on an island where they get beat each and every time on double moves. And yeah we have the #1 rush D but who the F cares when nobody runs the ball anymore and teams can just air it out like its 7 on 7 practice against this secondary?
Dak and Cooper are going to eat them alive even if they stop Zeke somewhat.
Minn was going to be a tough matchup but I didn't expect them to get destroyed. Talk more shit Zach Brown. If they lose to Dallas (which I think they will) the season is over IMO. Especially if no miracle deals are going to be made to improve the roster mid-season.
Which brings me to the point...they aren't. They are ok to good but they aren't elite and in no way shape or form in line to compete for the SB this season. Literally everything I have written about all season about the issues with this team all show up again yesterday. In fact it was the perfect Eagles game to capture all the issues the team has.
Offense: I am sick and tired of Doug and the offense deferring after winning the toss. As if they are good enough on offense or defense, to kick the ball away, force a 3 and out, and then feel good about getting the ball back after the 2nd half to start the 3rd. All that sounds good but our D stinks, gives up TDs on opening drives, while the opposing team just marches down eating up half the quarter.
Our offense takes 1.5 quarters to wake up each game and so when they get the ball with 4-5 min left in the quarter and they don't put together a drive, the whole game plan is thrown out the window and they spend the rest of the game playing catchup.
And simply put the guys they thought were going to be good and contribute haven't lived up or stepped up to the plate. Mack Hollins is awful. JJ can't get on the field ahead of Mack. Alshon looks 2 steps slower than usual but at least he is a threat to catch the ball. Zach Ertz had his worst game in years. Miles Sanders, an RB who wasn't known for his ability to catch in college, led the team in receiving and he has all the 20+ catches in each of the last 4 games. Agholor is either never targeted or when he is, always off by a step or two. The Eagles WRS were supposed to be the strength this year but one DeSean injury and the whole group as a whole look awful. The offense shouldn't be relying on a 32 yr old WR to make it work. At this point defenses just need to double Ertz and put their best CB on Alshon. No one else scares any defense or does anything.
When was the last time an Eagles skill position player made a play on their own? Where maybe the ball wasn't perfect but they went up and got it? Or they took a short pass, made a man or two miss and took it the house?
Howie and the FO might need to trade for another WR midseason again cause this group is simply not doing anything and we don't know when DeSean is returning. Even when he returns can they really count on him to just open everything up?
And lastly for the offense what in the world was Doug doing with that fake FG? They had no timeouts left and less than 30 seconds left in the half. They were only the 5 yd line, they were back by the 30. Even if you complete that pass on the fake, you can't stop the clock, Dallas gets tackled in bounds because of the route he was running, and then you have to rush to spike the ball for what? One more shot at the endzone where you have to throw it such that only your guy can catch it and it has to be going out of bounds? WTF?
I love Doug's aggressiveness and the whole approach with analytics but god damn that was a boneheaded choice. Just take the FG. And its also time to start questioning his ability to have this offense ready to start games. It is a trend now. The offense takes forever to get going and by then they are down by 10-14 points in panic mode trying to catch up. I don't blame the OC or any other offensive coach. This is Doug's offense and he calls the plays. He hasn't fixed it yet. Again something as simply as maybe just taking the opening kick off to see if the offense goes and score first might help.
Defense: Going into the season there was some optimism that while the secondary isn't great, the sheer #s guys they had hurt the last year coming back should bolster the secondary. And that they upgraded the DL tremendously by signing DT Malik Jackson. Jackson lasted only 1 game before being lost for the season. His back up, DT Jernigan, lasted 2 games, and now the Dline is playing guys who were on the PS. Even then they are holding up somewhat.
The secondary though, even with the guys back healthy is just awful. And then those same guys are hurt again. Jalen Mills still isn't back. Darby is always hurt. Sidney Jones always pulls his hamstring after giving up a big play (which is pretty much every game). LeBlanc got hurt in preseason. Avonte Maddox lost his head/neck against the Packers.
Even if all these guys come back healthy I have zero confidence in them. I think Jalen Mills is eligible for a return this coming Sunday but he isn't the Jalen they need. Maybe Avonte Maddox is cleared from his horrific concussion. Darby who knows and LeBlanc isn't eligible to return until week 9. I am done with the Sidney Jones experiment. He never seems to have recovered from the combine injury and certainly has shown nothing to live up to the hype coming out of college.
Now would be the time for Howie to make a move for any corner, even if it isn't Jalen Ramsey. Cause guess what? Gym Shorts isn't changing his scheme much and the Eagles will continue to play mostly single high leaving these corners on an island where they get beat each and every time on double moves. And yeah we have the #1 rush D but who the F cares when nobody runs the ball anymore and teams can just air it out like its 7 on 7 practice against this secondary?
Dak and Cooper are going to eat them alive even if they stop Zeke somewhat.
Minn was going to be a tough matchup but I didn't expect them to get destroyed. Talk more shit Zach Brown. If they lose to Dallas (which I think they will) the season is over IMO. Especially if no miracle deals are going to be made to improve the roster mid-season.
