26 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

So? It’s not often refs let players throw closed fist punches regardless of what prompted it. It’s usually the guy that retaliates that gets called. It was definitely a penalty on them but I’m still surprised they didn’t offset it. 

Even if they had flagged Slay, there was still a second PF on the Steelers.   So, the first two offset, and the second is enforced.  As it was, the Eagles had to decline one of them and accept the other one.

3 minutes ago, DaEagles4Life said:

You need a madman on the team. Carter gets mad they didn't call the false start so he puts the guy 3 yards in the backfield

 

I like Carter's attitude 

8 minutes ago, Mike030270 said:

Would they be content with the #2 if the ability to get the 1st was still available?

No.

1 hour ago, MF POON said:

T.O.'s "flaw" was his hands and AJ has great hands. Both are great after the catch at getting more yards. I'd say it's pretty even skill wise, but AJ isn't nearly as toxic as T.O., which is actually Owens' biggest flaw, so I'd take AJ over Owens any day.

I disagree with skills after the catch. AJ goes down on first contact about 95% of the time. Personality aside, I hear you there. I prefer what type of WR TO was over what brown currently is. AJ is great but prime TO was a monster 

5 minutes ago, DrPhilly said:

No

 

1 minute ago, Iggles_Phan said:

No.

Good answers 

That was about as dominant a win and I have seen in a long time, and that final drive to kill the last 10 and a half minutes was pure poetry. Everyone wanted to know what would happen if a team committed to stopping Barkley and forced us to pass to win...there's the answer.

OFFENSE

- That was an A game from Jalen Hurts when it was needed most. He was legitimately on fire the first few drives to get us to a 17-3 lead. The fumble...it's hard to fault him for that, as he was trying to convert a 3rd down and TJ Watt executed a perfect punch out. On the 1st field goal drive, Barkley got 1 yard and the rest was Jalen. On the 1st TD drive, Barkley had 2 runs for 27 yards and the rest was the Jalen/AJ show. And on the last TD drive of the 1st half, he did it without Saquon. The last drive of the 1st half, our only punt of the game (and a crap punt by Mann to boot) was ugly, and I was worried. But then he came out and dominated on the opening drive of the 2nd half, overcoming multiple penalties (2 holds on Steen, a BS OPI on DeVonta). The 2nd and 20 conversion to Smith was huge and a great play. After that, we just methodically moved the ball and killed the clock. If we get anything close to this version of Jalen, we will be very hard to beat.

- Barkley was neutralized by the Steelers' defense and then got dinged -- it was clear the Steelers were intent on stopping the run. It had felt like most teams were not overcommitting to stopping the run since they didn't want to get burned for big plays, but the Steelers seemed to stack the box. Plus, they are a really good run defense. Highly encouraging that in spite of that we still ran for 131 yards as a team, even though Saquon was kept to 3.4 per carry.

- Kenny Gainwell made some monster plays, and his 3 catches were all huge 3rd down conversions. For a 5th round pick/backup RB who barely plays, he fills his role really well. Getting him the ball in space is must. 

- AJ and Smitty decided to just shut everyone the hell up. The most encouraging sign to me was the back shoulder throw to AJ - feels like part of the discussions this week were reminding Jalen that no one can cover AJ 1 on 1. Smitty also showed some real toughness running through contact to pick up 1st downs. If guys are going to commit to stopping the run, these 2 should be able to feast. Not sure we even need WR3...

- Good game by the OL against a tough front. Lane handled Watt for the most part -- TJ's gonna win some, but Lane is probably the only guy in the league that can be left on an island with him. Steen was rough when he came in with the holding penalties, but then he settled in. And we don't talk enough about how dominant Mailata is at this point. He may be the best LT in the NFL.

DEFENSE

- Just overall -- they owned the Steelers. Only 56 yards rushing, 163 total yards...that's basically punking a team that is supposed to be tough and physical. Yeah, they only faced 41 plays, but to give up only 4 yards per play is insane. The only Pit TD came thanks to the ridiculous call on Reed.

- Nolan Smith had a game and may be our best edge at this point. His development, given the disappointing season Huff has had and BG going down, has been a huge key. His play against the run is really strong as well.

- Jalen Carter was quieter than recent weeks (still very good), other than an almost catastrophic penalty. He has to be better than that.

- Nakobe was the standout LB this week. Baun wasn't bad - that flea flicker he had tight coverage on a WR but didn't get his head around - but he was quieter overall. Felt like Dean was everywhere.

- It's getting boring with Q -- they just don't test him at all. He is the DROY, but he won't win it due to the lack of picks.

- Reed being back was a huge boost. That penalty was total BS.

 

1 hour ago, Mike030270 said:

That penalty just added onto the horrible officiating that's happened this year. Just complete trash

Honestly, you could say this any time over the past 10 years and you'd be correct. They don't seem to care, they never really change anything of substance to eliminate dubious calls that constantly decide close games. 

1 hour ago, Iggles_Phan said:

Another guy that no one really talks about anymore... Jurgens.   

He looked like a Kelce clone on multiple plays yesterday, specifically the one where he went 2nd level on one of Barkley's runs in the red zone where he leveled someone.  

4 minutes ago, Waiting4Someday said:

Oof - that's rough.

Second one in that family in a month.   My nephew (22) dropped a transmission on his forehead.   He was very lucky that it didn't kill him, honestly.

Any chance Barkley breaks the record? Seems like it may be out of reach given the way the rest of the season could potentially play out. If we can’t get 1 seed and lock up the 2, just sit him down and save him for the playoffs 

1 hour ago, Eriv20 said:

I mean the YAC is significantly diff.. it’s rare that AJ breaks tackles. TO in today’s game with these tiny DBs. He’d go crazy 

AJ broke like 5 tackles last night

2 minutes ago, Eriv20 said:

Any chance Barkley breaks the record? Seems like it may be out of reach given the way the rest of the season could potentially play out. If we can’t get 1 seed and lock up the 2, just sit him down and save him for the playoffs 

He needs to average nearly 160 per game just to get to 2000 without playing in Week 18.

6 minutes ago, hputenis said:

He looked like a Kelce clone on multiple plays yesterday, specifically the one where he went 2nd level on one of Barkley's runs in the red zone where he leveled someone.  

Remember Kelce wasn’t even Kelce until year… 6?

15 minutes ago, ToastJenkins said:

Amazing what a real DC can do with talent

There has been a huge upgrade at LB and in the secondary.  The biggest upgrade is Mitchell.  He is a legit shutdown CB that has been better than any rookie I can remember.  Cooper DeJean is a big upgrade over Avonte and the other people we had a NB last season.  He covers like a CB and tackles like a LB.  Baun has been great.  Dean has played much better and is in positions to make plays.  

1 minute ago, Aerolithe_Lion said:

Remember Kelce wasn’t even Kelce until year… 6?

What was his name before that?

2 minutes ago, Mike31mt said:

AJ broke like 5 tackles last night

He has 7 on the year and only broke 12 last year according to pro football reference 

5 minutes ago, Eriv20 said:

Any chance Barkley breaks the record? Seems like it may be out of reach given the way the rest of the season could potentially play out. If we can’t get 1 seed and lock up the 2, just sit him down and save him for the playoffs 

Seriously doubt it

1 minute ago, Iggles_Phan said:

What was his name before that?

By good portion of fans "bum”

2 hours ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

You mean the guy Brady called "yourgens" and was a rookie.

Enough about him. It was great to see David Akers get back in the groove yesterday!

Obviously quite a bit can change with 3 weeks left to play, but right now the playoffs shape up as follows:

 

AFC:

Chiefs (1) 13-1

Bills (2) 12-2 vs Chargers (7) 8-6

Steelers (3) 10-4 vs Broncos (6) 9-5

Texans (4) 9-5 vs Ravens (5) 9-5

 

Looks to me like a Bills-Chiefs AFC title game again this season, but I could see the Chiefs' luck running out in the Divisional Round this year

 

NFC:

Lions (1) -- looking shaky ATM

Eagles (2) 12-2 vs Commanders (7) 9-5

Buccaneers (3) 8-6 vs Packers (6) 10-4

Rams (4) 8-6 vs Vikings (5) 11-2 

 

I could see both the Bucs and Rams losing at home in the wildcard.  Three weeks ago most would have picked Lions-Eagles in the NFC title game; DET is leaking some serious oil defensively right now with injuries.  If they can't hold off the Vikings for the division they might not survive a wildcard round.  

1 minute ago, Mike31mt said:

AJ broke like 5 tackles last night

Yeah I don’t know what that guy is talking about. AJ sheds people every game

 

P

1 minute ago, EagleJoe8 said:

Enough about him. It was great to see David Akers get back in the groove yesterday!

After that one I kept waiting for him to name drop McNabb... because we know that he wasn't going to drop a 'Foles' reference.

They're like the Sixers of the NFL

5 minutes ago, DaEagles4Life said:

He has 7 on the year and only broke 12 last year according to pro football reference 

Sometimes AJ will get a guy wrapped around him, shrug him off and stumble for 4-6 more yards before he falls over. PFR might count that as a successful tackle but that’s silly. He’s had a lot of those this year

2 minutes ago, Sack that QB said:

They're like the Sixers of the NFL

Vikings at Eagles NFCCG part deux

last time it happened Minny was trotting out a backup QB who was playing above his head, seems history likes to rhyme.