Identity

Posted: October 1st, 2024 | Author: Tommy Lawlor

We don’t know much about the Eagles right now. They are 2-2, which is average. The team looked really good for much of the season opener, after falling behind 6-0. Then they played well in New Orleans. But the loss to Atlanta was bad and the performance in Tampa was troubling.

Who are they? What are they?

The season is still early so you can’t really make definitive conclusions about most teams. You should be able to have some idea about them. I just don’t think we know the Eagles right now.

They are 6th in the league in total offense. That’s good. They are 14th in scoring, which is average. They are 29th in yards allowed, which is terrible. They are 22nd in points allowed, which isn’t a whole lot better. But the Eagles one really good showing came when they beat the Saints, who happen to still be the top scoring team in the league. So we know the defense is capable of playing well.

Jalen Hurts looks like a star QB, at times. He’s made some big time throws and some clutch runs. He also has continued to turn the ball over, a problem the Eagles hoped would go away after last year’s issues. Nick Sirianni can lecture us all day about how turnovers are a team stat, but that’s just not entirely true. Hurts has not taken care of the ball the way he should have. That is on him. Not all the turnovers, but most of them.

The biggest problem is Hurts tries to do too much in some situations. Being aggressive is good. Being reckless is bad. He needs to have a better understanding of the difference in them and play accordingly.

Sirianni talks about how he wants a team that focuses on details. He wants a tough, smart, physical team. He preaches fundamentals. The team we have watched for the past month doesn’t match that description.

They miss tackles.

They don’t know the rules (Isaiah Rodgers).

They don’t play smart. Think about Darius Slay giving up the TD at the end of the Atlanta game.

They aren’t physical enough. Watch Grant Calcaterra try to block. Or the DBs try to tackle.

Does Sirianni see this? He doesn’t acknowledge it to the media, but that’s the way he does things. I do wonder if he’s as frustrated by this team as those of us on the outside are. The problems of 2023 were supposed to go away with coaching and personnel changes. Unfortunately, too many of them still remain. That makes me question if Sirianni’s message is really getting through.

Sirianni was famously patient in 2021 and that turned out to be the right approach. That team came together at midseason and went on a hot streak. This team is more talented and is in a different situation, but it should be pointed out that there is still plenty of time for this team to live up to expectations. I wouldn’t bet a lot of money on it right now. I also wouldn’t have bet on the Eagles melting down the way they did last year or them losing a playoff game to Tampa, who was 4-7 at one point.

The NFL season is a marathon, not a sprint. That’s good news for the Eagles, who have stumbled out of the blocks. But they need to figure some things out in a hurry. The NFC East isn’t a weak division. Washington is 3-1 and playing better football than we’ve seen from that franchise in a long time. Dallas is only 2-2, but they have enough talent that it feels like they’ll wake up at some point.

One of the keys for Sirianni will be gettinig this team to play to a standard and not live and die in the moment. That’s how you become a consistent football team. The Eagles did that in 2022, but haven’t since. If Sirianni can solve that puzzle, this team might just turn into something good.

For now they are more of a mystery than anything else.

http://igglesblitz.com/2024/10/identity-4/

This team has an identity. They are a team with talent but are a sloppy football team who make a lot of mistakes and who also lack talent at key positions. At this point that is what they are because that is who they have been for over a year.

This team lacks an identity because they don't have a plan.  They never look like they have a game plan on a week to week basis to attack weaknesses.  It's as if they never bother to formulate any kind of plan of attack on either side of the ball...especially offense.

I saw somewhere someone stated that it seems like the Eagles just think they can "out talent" teams...and that's their "plan".  And that is exactly what it seems Sirianni's approach is..."we're just better than you so we don't need a plan."  This team is the equivalent of a smart kid that never studies, just shows up for the exam and tries to squeak by...sometimes passing, sometimes failing.  But they'd be capable of so much more if they studied.  That's how I feel about this team.

11 hours ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

This team has an identity. They are a team with talent but are a sloppy football team who make a lot of mistakes and who also lack talent at key positions. At this point that is what they are because that is who they have been for over a year.

This parroted notion that we are a talented team needs to be re assessed.  Yes we have talent on offense.  An excellent O line two great WRs a great RB and a good TE.  But on defense we have little to no talent.  Carter if they can game plan and scheme better where he isn't double teamed on every play could be a pro bowl DT.  Other than that who is above average on D.  Maybe Slay still is.  Sweat is average.  BG at 36 still can contribute.  But who is a good player other than Carter?  The 1st round corner will be.  Who else?

8 hours ago, weko said:

This parroted notion that we are a talented team needs to be re assessed.  Yes we have talent on offense.  An excellent O line two great WRs a great RB and a good TE.  But on defense we have little to no talent.  Carter if they can game plan and scheme better where he isn't double teamed on every play could be a pro bowl DT.  Other than that who is above average on D.  Maybe Slay still is.  Sweat is average.  BG at 36 still can contribute.  But who is a good player other than Carter?  The 1st round corner will be.  Who else?

I mean yeah on offense is where we are stacked with talent. Great OL, 2 great WRs and a great RB as you say plus I think Goedert is really good. 

Defense? I mean I really like Carter. I think Sweat is a good player and so is BG. Slay is still good and Mitchell is good to get better the more he plays. Plus CJGJ is a good player who just isn’t performing right now. 

When it comes to the talent I guess we have so much on offense that we really just need our defense to make some stops and it should be good enough to do that.

1 hour ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

I mean yeah on offense is where we are stacked with talent. Great OL, 2 great WRs and a great RB as you say plus I think Goedert is really good. 

Defense? I mean I really like Carter. I think Sweat is a good player and so is BG. Slay is still good and Mitchell is good to get better the more he plays. Plus CJGJ is a good player who just isn’t performing right now. 

When it comes to the talent I guess we have so much on offense that we really just need our defense to make some stops and it should be good enough to do that.

I'll debate you on Sweat..I'm over him and BG was supposed to be fading off into the sunset and turns out to be 2nd best DL we have..Williams is very good 

might help us just to move him to DE at this point. Scheme has got to change because with the lack of tackling and talent and Hurts still struggling we aren't winning any shoot outs.

9 hours ago, Breeze 44 said:

I'll debate you on Sweat..I'm over him and BG was supposed to be fading off into the sunset and turns out to be 2nd best DL we have..Williams is very good 

might help us just to move him to DE at this point. Scheme has got to change because with the lack of tackling and talent and Hurts still struggling we aren't winning any shoot outs.

I’m not going argue you on Sweat. I think he’s fine, he’s a decent player. But I’m not going to argue that he’s really good or anything.