Just now, McMVP said:

Not having AJ in those games is only part of it.  And this year came they were also missing 60% of the offensive line I want to say.

But to me, the biggest reason is the defense is playing completely different.  The Bucs will not recognize them.

I only remember Lane missing that game, but that was long enough ago that I don’t recall if we lost more during the game. I do recall that was also before DeJean was added to the defense, and Hurts has had much better ball security since that game. 

My predictions for this weekend:

 

Saturday:

Chargers @ Texans -- Chargers 24, Texans 14.  Texans aren't as good as last season and won a terrible division.  No annual playoff meltdown for the Chargers this time.

Steelers @ Ravens -- Ravens 31, Steelers 13.  I said when the Steelers were 9-3 they might not get to 10 wins; they're lucky to be there and won't be so lucky this weekend.

 

Sunday:

Broncos @ Bills -- Bills 26, Broncos 19.  Bills are not a great playoff team and will scare their fans this weekend, but DEN isn't good enough to pull the upset.

Packers @ Eagles -- Eagles 27, Packers 17.  The biggest fear is another slow start, but GB don't have enough weapons to run away and hide.  Eagles offense will dominate in the second half.

Commanders @ Bucs -- Washington 30, Tampa 20.  Upset special; Washington is playing with house money and Quinn is a better coach than Bowles.

 

Monday:

Vikings @ Rams -- Rams 24, Vikings 19.  Wow, Darnold was bad last night.  Stafford is overrated, but Darnold is just bad.  Two excellent head coaches in a close game.

5 minutes ago, EagleJoe8 said:

I only remember Lane missing that game, but that was long enough ago that I don’t recall if we lost more during the game. I do recall that was also before DeJean was added to the defense, and Hurts has had much better ball security since that game. 

Yes it was pre-Bye week so no DeJean.  And yeah… I think Lane was the only one not active due to injury, but I’m pretty sure they lost a couple during that game. I seem to remember some line shuffling.  Nothing too serious 

It was also about 105° on the field that day.  It’s going to be a little bit different up in Philly.  I would really love to face them
 

32 minutes ago, vikas83 said:

Just for fun, my view of NFC teams ranked from least to most dangerous:

Washington -- getting to the playoffs was their win. Their only win against a team with a winning record was against us thanks to Luvu head hunting Hurts and Smitty dropping an easy pass. Jayden Daniels is getting massively overhyped -- he hasn't been great other than the 4th quarter against us. Hell, the team was much better with Mariota yesterday. They scream 2022 Giants to me, but I don't expect them to pull the Wild Card upset.

Green Bay -- speaking of not having beaten anyone...wow. Their only wins against playoff teams were against a Rams team without Kupp and Nacua, and beating the Texans (which everyone in the NFC North seemed to do). Without Jaire Alexander and Christian Watson, it's going to be difficult for them to recapture last year's magic. They do have a good run defense, so that could pose a challenge on Sunday. Still, hard to see them making real noise.

Vikings -- another team where the question is -- who have they beaten (the NFC North feasted on the AFC South and NFC West, 2 terrible divisions). Their 3 "good" wins were 2 against the Packers (see above) and the Texans. Plus, Sam Darnold got exposed last night, and the Rams can rush the passer. Feels like one and done.

Rams -- I really think people are too high on the Rams, but they are better than the 3 teams below them. People keep living on the legends of Stafford, McVay and this offense, but the offense has really struggled since the Bills game (12, 19 and 13 points). The defense has carried them down the stretch, but...we all saw what happens when you run downhill at them. Stafford is likely going to Canton, but he isn't the same guy anymore -- 93.7 rating this year.

Lions -- Too many injuries, and the coach is so stupid I expect it to cost them. Campbell is everything the national media thinks Nick is -- stupid and reckless on 4th downs. Furthermore, having his starters in the game last night up 31-9 with 4 minutes left so Zeitler can get hurt...he's not aggressive, he's just an idiot being carried by his coordinators. It cost them last year and will cost them this year. Playing man and blitzing Darnold worked because he's Sam Darnold. Any other NFC playoff QB would light that up.

Bucs -- People are sleeping on this team. If Godwin were healthy, they would be a larger threat, but they are still damn good. Beat the Lions and the Eagles (granted, we were injured). Beat the Commanders and Chargers as well. Yeah, they have bad losses like Dallas and the 49ers, but they played a tough schedule. And Baker is playing VERY well. I do think they will struggle if they have to play in the elements.

I think the Lions are easily the most dangerous simply because we’d have to play them in Detroit 

17 minutes ago, EagleJoe8 said:

I only remember Lane missing that game, but that was long enough ago that I don’t recall if we lost more during the game. I do recall that was also before DeJean was added to the defense, and Hurts has had much better ball security since that game. 

Here’s the snap counts from the Bucs game in Week 4. No Lane Johnson as well as no AJ or Devonta.  Also Jurgens went out for seven snaps.  Did Dickerson move over to Center?

No matter what happens in the playoffs, I want Ringo starting at CB in 2025. Ringo is still younger than Quinyon and had all the physical tools. It's time to give him the spot.

16 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

Biggest difference I see between them is something I am only guessing about.  I think Brown closes his eyes as he comes in for impact, I think Dawk always had his eyes open.  

In run support he looks to run through the target rather than squat and wrap up.

4 minutes ago, RLC said:

No matter what happens in the playoffs, I want Ringo starting at CB in 2025. Ringo is still younger than Quinyon and had all the physical tools. It's time to give him the spot.

Do you let Rodgers walk?

35 minutes ago, just relax said:

Even before the All-22 comes out I can say that Keegan played well. He has to anchor a little better in pass pro but his technique and hand placement were very good. I thought his run blocking was the best of all the guards, Steen included. Driscoll was pretty bad though he did have one good block on a pin-and-pull to the left. He failed to pick up a stunt that could have gotten McKee killed.

I thought Burks and Ringo were both fantastic and Ringo was an absolute stud in special teams. On Rodgers' 51-yard return, Ringo and Wilson doubled the outside Giant and drove him back 20+ yards. Put him on skates. The punt where the Giant returner gave ground and was downed inside the 10? That was Ringo.

Davis and Williams were both terrific.

Sidney Brown has tremendous range but he must have whiffed on four tackles, if not more. If he can cool his jets just a little bit he'll be a helluva safety. He reminds me a lot of #20.

McKee has nice pocket presence. I very much liked that the Eagles decided to see what he had rather than have him hand off 40 times. He showed a lot.

Elliott does have me worried.

We know what Driscoll is and he should be replaced this offseason. I just like Keegan's game. I think the combination of Keegan and Steen under the coaching of Stoutland might make it easier to let Becton walk and keep some of the pieces together on defense.

Ringo balled. I wanted Rodgers back but I can see a CB trio of Mitchell and Ringo with DeJean in the slot. Keep Ricks as your outside depth and find slot depth. 

On 8/31/2024 at 5:39 AM, time2rock said:

Roob's 10 areas of concern going into 2024 Eagles season

By Reuben Frank, Eagles Insider • Published August 31, 2024

 

Before we start, I do want to mention that I think the Eagles are going to have a good year. I’ll be surprised if they don’t win at least 11 games, and I think 12 is a reasonable expectation.

I’ve got them winning the NFC East, and I believe that along with the 49ers and Lions, they’re one of the three-best teams in the conference.

That said, there are questions. There are concerns. There are players and position groups that will have to come up big if they are going to win 11 or 12 games.

So as we sit here just six days before opening day, here’s a look at 10 areas of concern for me.

Stopping the blitz: This might have been the single biggest issue with the Eagles at the end of last year. By the time they got to Tampa for the wild-card game, everyone knew they couldn’t stop the blitz, and they didn’t even seem to be trying. It was a disaster and rendered the offense useless. Some of it was on Brian Johnson, who’s gone, and some of it was on Nick Sirianni, who’s no longer running the offense. Some of it was on Jalen Hurts, but for the most part he just didn’t have answers when teams brought an extra rusher. There were no adjustments. There was no plan. This year there will be a plan – it’s been a big focus of the preseason – but it’s up to Hurts and the offensive line to carry out the plan because you know teams are going to attack with pressure until the Eagles prove they can not only stop it but make big plays against it.

The Jordan Davis question: We’ve spoken all summer about Davis’s drop off last year after a hot start. Davis has said all the right things about fitness and consistency, but with Fletcher Cox and his 46 snaps per game gone, Davis has to be a major factor all year. Not for a month or two. All year. He played 30 snaps per game last year, but when you’re the 13^th pick in the draft and your Hall of Fame teammate just retired, you better be ready to bump that number up significantly. Last year, Davis had 2 ½ sacks, five QB hits, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble after seven games. He had no sacks, no QB hits, no TFL and no forced fumbles in the next 11 games. That has to change.

Are the linebackers good enough: They’re better than last year, that goes without saying. But are they good enough? Devin White didn’t have much of a training camp, Zach Baun is playing a new position, Nakobe Dean had the best camp out of the group but we don’t even know if he’s going to be starting and then there’s Oren Burks, who missed almost all of camp but looked good when he finally got back. I’m not sure exactly what the Eagles have here, but it’s a typical group of Eagles linebackers because there are no big contracts and question marks across the board. Baun wasn’t bad during camp, but Dean has to play. We’ll see how that goes. No team is going to be elite across the board. If the Eagles’ linebackers are mediocre it’ll be a major upgrade.

Can they get pressure: Josh Sweat disappeared the second half of last year; Bryce Huff had 10 sacks with the Jets but has never been a full-time starter and is now being paid like one; Nolan Smith is still in the project category; and Brandon Graham is 36. That’s your group of edge rushers, and there’s certainly potential here. Sweat was a double-digit sack guy two years ago, Huff has a ton of potential, and Smith was a 1^st-round pick last year for a reason. Jalen Carter is going to be a force rushing the passer, but when it comes to outside pressure, there are question marks all over the place. The Eagles were 4^th in the NFL with 24 sacks through seven games, then 29^th the rest of the year with just 19 over the last 10 games. They have to get back on that first seven games pace to make life difficult for opposing QBs. Who’s going to lead this group?

Will Jalen Hurts bounce back: Hurts was so pedestrian late last season it was shocking to watch. There was so much dysfunction going on all over the place it was just a very difficult atmosphere to succeed in. Things certainly seem to be in a better place now. Hurts appears to have a strong relationship with Kellen Moore and it looks like he’s got a comfort level in Moore’s offense. But he didn’t play in the preseason and all we really have to go on is a very good training camp. If Hurts isn’t elite, the Eagles won’t be elite. He's got weapons all over the place, a talented new play caller and there’s no reason he can’t recapture the form that saw him go 27-2 from December 2021 to November 2023. I expect he will. But the way last year ended definitely planted some seeds of doubt.

Interior o-line: Cam Jurgens had a good camp, has a great attitude and seems wired the right way to be able to replace a Hall of Famer. But he’s still got to go out and do it, and he’s replacing one of the greatest to ever play the game. A big concern with Jurgens is whether he can stay healthy. He missed six games playing right guard last year – that’s more than Kelce missed over the last 11 years. And with Jurgens moving to center, it also creates questions at right guard, where Mekhi Becton will be the largest starting guard in NFL history. It’s a new position for him, and he’s a work in progress. The potential is there for this to be an exceptional o-line, even without Kelce. When you start with Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson and Lane Johnson, you’re on the way to greatness. But when your center and right guard are both playing their position for the first time in the NFL, it’s a concern.

Can Saquon stay healthy: It’s exciting to think of the possibilities that Saquon Barkley brings the offense. But injuries have been an issue for Barkley, and over the last four years he’s averaged a pedestrian 4.0 yards per carry – 23^rd-best out of 29 running backs with at least 500 carries since 2020. But Barkley has also always been the focus of opposing defenses, and that won’t be the case this year, and with this o-line – which is far better than any o-line he played behind with the Giants – he should be much more than a 4.0-yards-per-carry back. The eight-longest TDs of Barkley’s career were all from 2018 through 2020, and he’s got to prove he’s still got that explosive big-play potential to take pressure off the passing game.

How will new defensive pieces come together: On paper, the Eagles have upgraded at linebacker (Devin White, Zach Baun, Oren Burks, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and an improved Nakobe Dean), at cornerback (Quinyon Mitchell, Isaiah Rodgers, Cooper DeJean, improved Kelee Ringo) and at safety (Chauncey Gardner-Johnson for Justin Evans and Terrell Edmunds), but with all these new players – potentially eight new starters, including the slot – as well as a new coordinator and five new position coaches all operating a new scheme, growing pains are a concern. There is so much newness on the defensive side of the ball, and it may take a while before it all comes together. There’s no question the Eagles are more talented this year than last on defense, but communication, chemistry and cohesion are different than talent, and there’s a chance the offense may have to carry the team until the defense can get on the proverbial same page. 

Life without Fletch: Fletcher Cox was still playing at a very high level when he retired, and as much as the Eagles have tried to prepare for life after Fletch with Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis and Milton Williams, Cox was still one of the best interior lineman in the league, and the Eagles are going to have to replace his leadership, his experience, his pass rush, his run defense and his 46 snaps per game. And until this group proves it’s up for the task – and for 17 games of consistent production – the interior d-line is going to come under a lot of scrutiny.

Can young d-backs hold up: This is a really impressive group of young defensive backs – Cooper DeJean is 21, Kelee Ringo and Eli Ricks 22, Quinyon Mitchell 23, Reed Blankenship and Tristin McCollum 25 and Isaiah Rodgers and C.J. Gardner-Johnson 26. DeJean and Mitchell are rookies, Ringo will be in a larger role than last year, Rodgers wasn’t in any role last year, and Vic Fangio is going to ask a lot out of these young guys. He has no choice because they’re not just the future of the Eagles’ secondary, they’re the present. They’ve all been impressive throughout the summer, but the regular season is a different animal. They’re going to face some elite receivers and tight ends, they’re going to be challenged by some world-class quarterbacks, and they’re going to get beat and they’re going to have to rebound. After last year, when the Eagles ranked 31^st in the NFL in pass defense, they needed an injection of youth and speed. They got it, and the future looks bright, but there could be some speed bumps along the way.

https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/roobs-10-areas-of-concern-going-into-2024-eagles-season/611839/

Interesting to look back at what was being said in August.

Just now, mattwill said:

Do you let Rodgers walk?

Some team will likely overpay him, so yes. If can bring him back on a reasonable deal then yes. Rodgers/Ringo camp competition for Outside CB is best for all parties. Would have a good backup CB. We can use a late round pick on a CB to replace Maddox at backup nickle.

These are our last few weeks with Slay at CB.

4 minutes ago, RLC said:

No matter what happens in the playoffs, I want Ringo starting at CB in 2025. Ringo is still younger than Quinyon and had all the physical tools. It's time to give him the spot.

Have you really seen enough to pencil him in as the starter? He looks like a great athlete

6 minutes ago, just relax said:

In run support he looks to run through the target rather than squat and wrap up.

Would having Dawk be a one on one tutor possibly fix that?

Just now, mattwill said:

Would having Dawk be a one on one tutor possibly fix that?

Absolutely.

1 minute ago, just relax said:

Absolutely.

Worth a try.

8 minutes ago, RLC said:

No matter what happens in the playoffs, I want Ringo starting at CB in 2025. Ringo is still younger than Quinyon and had all the physical tools. It's time to give him the spot.

Still a little stiff for me, I'm not a huge fan, but I won't rule out his ability to be good, he could. Like his straight line speed, but not his fluidity. CB2 is something I do wonder about for next season. I think the first rounder in 2025 is 90% going to be edge or OL, but I actually do wonder if a CB is the best on the board for the Eagles if they'd take another CB.

5 minutes ago, Sack that QB said:

Anarumo will get anither job quickly

I think so.  He's taking the fall for the Bengals lack of talent.  

1 minute ago, mattwill said:

Do you let Rodgers walk?

I love the fact that Rodgers wants to be here. He's been solid in spot duty this year when Darius Slay was hurt. He's got elite speed. I hate letting him walk but Ringo is also waiting in the wings. Do you bring Rodgers back on a 1-year deal and let them battle it out for CB2 next to Mitchell assuming Slay isn't back?

I also remember some draft pundits saying Ringo could be a possible safety in the NFL. Do the Eagles look to cross train him and he replaces one of the safeties in 2 years?

 

12 minutes ago, mattwill said:

Interesting to look back at what was being said in August.

In this case it seems every perceived potential issue ended up being a strength.  Not hard to see why they won 14 games and were easily a top 3 team in the league for most of the year.  

5 minutes ago, bpac55 said:

We know what Driscoll is and he should be replaced this offseason. I just like Keegan's game. I think the combination of Keegan and Steen under the coaching of Stoutland might make it easier to let Becton walk and keep some of the pieces together on defense.

Ringo balled. I wanted Rodgers back but I can see a CB trio of Mitchell and Ringo with DeJean in the slot. Keep Ricks as your outside depth and find slot depth. 

It frustrates me no end to see how willing folks are to let Becton go. He's the best drive blocker on the OL, which is saying a lot and while he had some issues in pass pro early on he worked through them. He's only going to get better. Steen and Keegan are nice players and excellent depth but he's significantly better than either of them. It's no accident that Saquon's yards before contact are almost 4. It's an old mantra of mine that you pass with tackles and run with guards.

15 minutes ago, RLC said:

No matter what happens in the playoffs, I want Ringo starting at CB in 2025. Ringo is still younger than Quinyon and had all the physical tools. It's time to give him the spot.

No.  No one gets a spot 'given' to them.  He needs to earn it.   And frankly, right now, Rodgers is ahead of him for good reason.  We'll see what the team decides to do moving forward.  But, I'm never of the mind that a young player is handed a job because 'it's time'.  The young player needs to force them to move him up the depth chart.  

Just now, just relax said:

It frustrates me no end to see how willing folks are to let Becton go. He's the best drive blocker on the OL, which is saying a lot and while he had some issues in pass pro early on he worked through them. He's only going to get better. Steen and Keegan are nice players and excellent depth but he's significantly better than either of them. It's no accident that Saquon's yards before contact are almost 4. It's an old mantra of mine that you pass with tackles and run with guards.

I'm just looking at the roster as a whole and where the Eagles have depth. I've also said that the Eagles should keep Becton, move him to RT in a few years and then your right side is Steen at RG, Becton at RT. 

For all we know Howie can easily work magic to sign Baun, Williams, Sweat, Becton etc. 

Just looking at different scenarios. 

1 minute ago, just relax said:

It frustrates me no end to see how willing folks are to let Becton go. He's the best drive blocker on the OL, which is saying a lot and while he had some issues in pass pro early on he worked through them. He's only going to get better. Steen and Keegan are nice players and excellent depth but he's significantly better than either of them. It's no accident that Saquon's yards before contact are almost 4. It's an old mantra of mine that you pass with tackles and run with guards.

He's a keeper.  Good player, can play tackle too, and should be able to get him on a decent contract since he is a turnaround project.  And the o-line in general is our competitive advantage.  Think he's coming back.

14 minutes ago, Sack that QB said:

Still a little stiff for me, I'm not a huge fan, but I won't rule out his ability to be good, he could. Like his straight line speed, but not his fluidity. CB2 is something I do wonder about for next season. I think the first rounder in 2025 is 90% going to be edge or OL, but I actually do wonder if a CB is the best on the board for the Eagles if they'd take another CB.

Lack of fluidity isn't as big of a deal when we play as little man as we do.

He's also an A+ run defender which matters given the amount of light boxes we play.