Butt Kicked

Posted: December 3rd, 2023 | Author: Tommy Lawlor 

The gauntlet finally got ’em. The Eagles had dispatched Dallas. They had kicked Kansas City. They beat Buffalo. But the Eagles could not handle the Niners and lost 42-19 in a wild game.

Since this is the Eagles we’re talking about, there will be some overreaction. As bad as Sunday was, the Eagles still have the best record in the NFL. They still control the road to the top seed in the NFC.

There are two ways to look at the loss. The pessimistic view is that things finally caught up with the Eagles. They did beat Dallas, KC and Buffalo, but easily could have lost those games. Favorable moments in each game helped the Eagles escape with a W. That changed in a huge way against SF. The Niners started slow and then dominated the final three quarters. Dominated. They didn’t punt after the first quarter. Their defense gave the Eagles fits.

The Eagles had been living on the edge. San Francisco pushed them off the edge and then dropped an anvil on them. That’s the bad version of things.

There is another way to look at the loss. SF was coming off a mini-bye (they played on Thanksgiving). The Eagles were on their third game in 13 days, with all three being huge games with real emotional edges to them. The Eagles started fast and then the tank emptied. They missed tackles. They were sloppy on offense and defense. The Niners made them pay for every mistake.

This was also a terrible matchup game. LB is the weakest spot on the Philly roster. Take Zach Cunningham out and things are really dicey. SF is a team that stresses LBs more than anyone. Christian Elliss and Nick Morrow were in over their head and it showed. The Eagles need Cunningham back and it wouldn’t hurt to bring in Shaq Leonard.

Situational football is normally a strength for the Eagles. That was not the case against SF. The Niners were 8 for 11 on third downs. They were 1 for 1 on fourth down. They were 4 for 4 in the red zone. The Eagles only finished 2 for 4 in the red zone. The Eagles couldn’t get SF off the field and the Eagles couldn’t finish drives. That is a formula for getting blown out.

The Eagles ran for 46 yards. D’Andre Swift was 6-13. You aren’t going to win many games when your key RB isn’t a factor. Jalen Hurts was up and down. He had some terrific throws, but also had some bad moments. He lost 15 yards on a pass play in the red zone when he tripped and took an awful sack. Just throw the ball away. That sack meant the Eagles had to settle for a FG.

It was interesting that the Eagles started fast and then fell apart. The modus operandi in recent weeks was just the opposite. Instead, it was SF that had to weather the early storm and then righted the ship. SF’s stars came up big. Brock Purdy had an outstanding game. CMC kept the chains moving and gave the Eagles fits. Deebo Samuel was a monster, going 4-116-2 as a receiver and 3-22-1 as a runner.

The Eagles got out-coached and out-played on Sunday.

This was one game. A bad one, but still just one game. The Eagles are still 10-2. They are still a good team. That nice 2-game lead is gone though and the pressure is on.

*****

The bizarre moment in the game came when LB Dre Greenlaw body-slammed DeVonta by the Eagles sideline. Players got fired up and came together. Big Dom tried to create separation between Greenlaw and DeVonta. Greenlaw didn’t like it.

That got Greenlaw ejected. And Big Dom was kicked off the sideline as well. I cannot recall seeing anything quite like that.

http://igglesblitz.com/2023/12/butt-kicked/

I have had enough of these coordinators.  Time for a truth bomb

It is time to say the obvious that our OC is completely in over his head.  He is close pals with Hurts but that does not qualify him to be an OC.

Our offense is so limited.  I watch all the Dolphin games as I now live in Florida and it it amazing to watch motion on 85 percent of plays, all the route combinations and different plays from bunches and all the different running plays.  It is exciting to watch while I can count on 5-10 qb draws with us and hand offs to flat footed RBs 6- 7 yards behind the line.  It is absurd how juvenile our plays are and that is all Johnson.  We have 2 pro bowl wrs who are rarely open.  He is awful and would be perfect as the Panthers next 12 month head coach.  

As for our DC, where are the blitzs, the fake blitzs, bringing 7-8 to the line to bring down the qb's eyes, where is the press coverage, where is the man to man coverage?  Why does a back 7 defender think he's covering a zone?  He's covering a man in his zone.  But why does our defender watch his man run into his area and he just stands there, not covering him?  These schemes suck.  Our good players have been able to overcome and win up to this point, but they can't vs the good teams.  Both Dallas and KC should have beaten us.  We are lucky to be 10-2.  We haven't played 4 good quarters yet this year.  We're not that good and it's primarily because we are poorly coached on both sides of he ball.  We really miss Shane.  

 

 

As of today, the Eagles are the 2nd best team in the NFC. That may change again Sunday evening.

It most likely will change, Don.

My confidence level for them to beat Dallas is low. It seems like the Eagles don't ever sweep the Boys, and the Boys can be hard to beat at home.

Ryan Clark today on ESPN NFL Live talking about both our coordinators..."The play caller matchup was such a mismatch, Kyle Shanahan vs Sean Desai and Steve Wilks vs Brian Johnson, what the coordinators of the 49ers did compared to the Phila Eagles should be considered abuse.  If there is able to be abuse on a football field that's what it was.  If they don't step up on that part of the game, the Eagles will never be close to the 49ers."

Our players have been covering for our coordinator's deficiencies and had been able to pull out 10 out of 11 games by slim margins.  We made two suspect promotions at both coordinator positions.  We should have interviewed candidates outside of the organization and not just placated Hurts by promoting his pal into a position he wasn't qualified for.  With all the scouts we have around the country looking at college players, they also need to look at young coordinators at these same schools.  Maybe we get lucky and someone hires Johnson away, which would also net us two 3rd round comp picks.  These two guys are killing us

 

 

7 hours ago, weko said:

Ryan Clark today on ESPN NFL Live talking about both our coordinators..."The play caller matchup was such a mismatch, Kyle Shanahan vs Sean Desai and Steve Wilks vs Brian Johnson, what the coordinators of the 49ers did compared to the Phila Eagles should be considered abuse.  If there is able to be abuse on a football field that's what it was.  If they don't step up on that part of the game, the Eagles will never be close to the 49ers."

Our players have been covering for our coordinator's deficiencies and had been able to pull out 10 out of 11 games by slim margins.  We made two suspect promotions at both coordinator positions.  We should have interviewed candidates outside of the organization and not just placated Hurts by promoting his pal into a position he wasn't qualified for.  With all the scouts we have around the country looking at college players, they also need to look at young coordinators at these same schools.  Maybe we get lucky and someone hires Johnson away, which would also net us two 3rd round comp picks.  These two guys are killing us

 

 

The offense's overall play design and philosophy is Sirianni's.  Johnson is the play caller, not the play designer.  He may have input, but if your beef is with the plays themselves, then that's Siri.  If your beef is more with what is called at what time, that's Johnson.  Both have stunk this year.  The offense doesn't have much innovation or imagination.  Sirianni seems to just want to line up, play a basic offense and say "we're better than you so just stop us, if you can".  Ever notice that when they try to do anything fancy they either bungle it or almost bungle it?  As in, the players' execution on anything fancy is not good (and that's coaching).  

As for defense, Desai was not an internal promotion.  Remember DB coach Dennard Wilson?  He was in the mix but they ultimately went outside the organization with Desai.  This was after Gannon screwed them from not being able to land Fangio.

As for Desai himself, I like him better than Gannon.  He seems to at least be able to adjust during games and devise plans that are specific for the offense they're facing (both traits Gannon didn't have).  Our back 7 on D is complete garbage.  Slay and Bradberry are just done...they are mediocre on their best day now.  Roby was signed off the street.  Byard has lost a step and clearly isn't what he used to be.  Blankenship...is what he is.  

LBs? Ha ha ha ha

DL has Sweat, Reddick and Carter...neutralize those 3 and we don't get any pressure.  Defense overall is just mostly old, washed, or has players that shouldn't be starting in the NFL.

9 hours ago, EaglesAddict said:

The offense's overall play design and philosophy is Sirianni's.  Johnson is the play caller, not the play designer.  He may have input, but if your beef is with the plays themselves, then that's Siri.  If your beef is more with what is called at what time, that's Johnson.  Both have stunk this year.  The offense doesn't have much innovation or imagination.  Sirianni seems to just want to line up, play a basic offense and say "we're better than you so just stop us, if you can".  Ever notice that when they try to do anything fancy they either bungle it or almost bungle it?  As in, the players' execution on anything fancy is not good (and that's coaching).  

As for defense, Desai was not an internal promotion.  Remember DB coach Dennard Wilson?  He was in the mix but they ultimately went outside the organization with Desai.  This was after Gannon screwed them from not being able to land Fangio.

As for Desai himself, I like him better than Gannon.  He seems to at least be able to adjust during games and devise plans that are specific for the offense they're facing (both traits Gannon didn't have).  Our back 7 on D is complete garbage.  Slay and Bradberry are just done...they are mediocre on their best day now.  Roby was signed off the street.  Byard has lost a step and clearly isn't what he used to be.  Blankenship...is what he is.  

LBs? Ha ha ha ha

DL has Sweat, Reddick and Carter...neutralize those 3 and we don't get any pressure.  Defense overall is just mostly old, washed, or has players that shouldn't be starting in the NFL.

I agree the DC is less bad than the OC but we have to blitz some, try press coverage.  You still can knock a guy off his route the first 5 yards.  We can't just stand back in soft zone and let the other team play pitch and catch all game.  We have to contest throws.  We had zero pass break ups.  Yes the talent is really lacking and that poor drafting is a Howie issue.  

Play design, game plan, and overall scheme should be a collaborative effort between the main cogs ... Sirianni, Johnson, Stoutland (and to a lesser extent Tanney, Patullo, and Singleton).  IF Sirianni is that arrogant that he doesn't include much input into those areas from others then that will almost surely be his downfall.  

After 12 games, Johnson hasn't gotten better.......his playcalling was going to eventually start costing them games, and it started with the 49ers.  

Desai has had to deal with injuries to the whole defensive backfield and both starting linebackers playing against top offenses.  After 3 games in 13 days, against a 49ers offense with 10 days rest, the fatigue became obvious.  

Also, the eagles defensive line has not performed up to the hype.  If you can't pressure the opposing QB, the banged up back 7 will be abused.