52 minutes ago, Mike030270 said:

Uh oh. You said the dreaded statement. Prepare for the backlash and to get called a hater

54 minutes ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

I have a ton of respect for Hurts. I am very happy that he is our QB. He has earned all of the accolades he is receiving.

But let's be honest, he is playing a different version of the position than the folks you compare him to. He behind the best OL in the game and has a multitude of weapons around him. He doesn't have to carry this team like other QBs need to do. I heard a stat on a podcast recently. The only game after the bye that Hurts threw a pass while trailing in the fourth quarter was the Panthers game. There are several QBs that would have as much, if not more, success on this team as currently constructed.

Really doesn't sound at all like you have a ton of respect for him. He took over a team that had won 4 games the season before (1of those wins belonging to him) and has had the team in the playoffs every year since. That wasn't some stacked roster in 2021.

There have been plenty of QBs that have played on very talented teams but never sniffed the success that Hurts has. It's a real shame how still a lot of fans here are allergic to being able to pay him his due and acknowledge his greatness.

The only QBs that I can say would have also won championships with the Eagles team are Mahomes and Stafford, because they have done it. Everyone else in this league just flat out hasn't and they have been on some great teams. Not counting Rodgers and Wilson because they arent who they were anymore.

56 minutes ago, Mike030270 said:

Uh oh. You said the dreaded statement. Prepare for the backlash and to get called a hater

Did anyone post that tweet "Hurts starts every game on third base"?

I would be disappointed if all of the Eagles rookie OL, Steen, and frankly most of the players trying to make the team at OL aren’t there.

About time

19 hours ago, mattwill said:

My concern about BVS in that role is that he was not an effective move blocker this past season. Jimmy Kempski assembled all of BVS’ run blocking snaps from 2024.

His notes from his review are:

• 0:09 mark: He blocks, turns, and seals a decent linebacker in Bobby Okereke.

• 0:14 mark: Another good block on Okereke helps spring a long run. And then I love how after he finishes his block he sprints downfield looking for more work.

• 0:27 mark: He gets good pushback on a block on Azeez Ojulari, springing another good gain.

• 0:46 mark: Again, he doesn't quit on plays. He'll play through the whistle.

• 0:58: He gets an edge on the ground with a cut block.

• 1:04: Physical block on a tough DT (B.J. Hill) who outweighs him by about 80 pounds.

• 1:10: Good cut block.

• 1:18: Pancake. 🥞

• 1:25: Gets 2.

• 1:31: Garbage time, and he's still playing through the whistle.

• 1:38: Physical strike on 41.

• 1:44: Physical strike on 35. 35 doesn't like it, yanks his facemask (and gets flagged for it).

• 1:51: 🚨🚨🚨 This is the rep to get excited about. Look at how fast he gets around around the corner and out in front of this Saquon Barkley run. VanSumeren's speed at fullback makes him unique. No other fullback in the league can do this.

I see some of them differently. For instance, in the 0:27 and 0:35 and 2:14 blocks his speed gets him to the right place quickly, but he literally bounces off the defender. Compare those BVS hits to the Nolan Smith hit on the Chiefs’ OG in the Super Bowl. There is plenty to work with in BVS, but his blocking between the Tackles is much better than his move blocking IMO.

I don't share your views on the blocks at 0:27 and 0:35. They're not pancake blocks by any means but their quite effective. On the first, the back gets an additional 10 yards because of that block; on the second, the man he blocks never gets into the play at all. I agree about the last one. He ducks his head and gets over his skis. I'm not a big fan of cut blocks anyway. Keep your head up, square the target, and keep your legs moving.

1 hour ago, Alphagrand said:

Did anyone post that tweet "Hurts starts every game on third base"?

Don’t think so? I haven’t seen it

3 hours ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

This includes rushes on third and fourth down. He is getting EPA credit for all of the tush pushes. It also includes the defensive offsides.

But they matter too.

Punishing rushing for QBs is dumb. A big part of Mahomes, Lamar and Allen's games are scrambles.

4 minutes ago, RLC said:

But they matter too.

Punishing rushing for QBs is dumb. A big part of Mahomes, Lamar and Allen's games are scrambles.

I agree that scrambles are part of being a QB. Tush pushes are not scrambles.

29 minutes ago, just relax said:

I don't share your views on the blocks at 0:27 and 0:35. They're not pancake blocks by any means but their quite effective. On the first, the back gets an additional 10 yards because of that block; on the second, the man he blocks never gets into the play at all. I agree about the last one. He ducks his head and gets over his skis. I'm not a big fan of cut blocks anyway. Keep your head up, square the target, and keep your legs moving.

They were okay blocks, but not good blocks. With the head of steam he had, and if he kept his head up, squared the target, and drove through, they would have been good blocks. I’m not saying he can’t improve, but as a move blocker he trails Calcaterra.

1 hour ago, BigEFly said:

About time

Lurie is cash strapped and wouldn’t upgrade shipping. Standard ground takes a while

1 hour ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

I agree that scrambles are part of being a QB. Tush pushes are not scrambles.

But they're still part of a QB's arsenal.

And it's not like Jalen doesn't scramble either.

11 minutes ago, RLC said:

But they're still part of a QB's arsenal.

And it's not like Jalen doesn't scramble either.

I think you are missing the point. Jalen's efficiency measurements are being boosted by the Tush Pushes. It isn't throwing or scrambling. The comparison to other QBs using that metric is flawed.

Further, Tush Pushes are not part of a QBs arsenal. It isn't available to every other QB.

2 minutes ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

I think you are missing the point. Jalen's efficiency measurements are being boosted by the Tush Pushes. It isn't throwing or scrambling. The comparison to other QBs using that metric is flawed.

Why should we care if Jalen Tush pushes on 3rd and 1 while Burrow has to throw a 2 yard out to Chase? It's the same result. The goal is to score.

4 minutes ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

I think you are missing the point. Jalen's efficiency measurements are being boosted by the Tush Pushes. It isn't throwing or scrambling. The comparison to other QBs using that metric is flawed.

Further, Tush Pushes are not part of a QBs arsenal. It isn't available to every other QB.

You’re contradicting yourself here. Tush Pushes are part of Jalen’s arsenal. He has a weapon others don’t. That increases his effectiveness and efficiency. Don’t exclude it because Bryce Young can’t do it.

8 minutes ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

I think you are missing the point. Jalen's efficiency measurements are being boosted by the Tush Pushes. It isn't throwing or scrambling. The comparison to other QBs using that metric is flawed.

Further, Tush Pushes are not part of a QBs arsenal. It isn't available to every other QB.

Because not every QB has the ability to be great at that play. But thats a knock on Hurts because he does have that elite ability?

Josh Allen runs it the second most times in the league. Isn't as good at it and you dont see him near Hurts on that graph.

17 hours ago, ToastJenkins said:

He got his ring. Now he will want his money. Business decision.

I think its part of why his teammates hype him up a bit. Players talk about contracts

We'll see. Everyone wants to get paid, but players also evaluate the culture, coaches, teammates, etc. Free agents from other teams talk about how much better it is in Philly. Players can also talk about leaving other teams and enjoying it here. DeVonta could have got more elsewhere and signed. Baun could have as well, and he got his ring too.

Howie usually works out a deal that takes care of the player and they are happy.

FWIW, last year when he signed his 1 year extension he talked about choosing the team over a contract. Yes, you can argue he was saying the right thing. But he seems to genuinely like it here.

Reed: "I wanna be in Philly, I wanna play for Philly. That speaks more than just getting a contract."

Hurts isn't like other QBs in the NFL. The Eagles' offense isn't like other offenses around the NFL. Hurts wouldn't work as well as he does here elsewhere, and lots of other QBs wouldn't work here as well as they do where they are.

1 hour ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

Further, Tush Pushes are not part of a QBs arsenal. It isn't available to every other QB.

I disagree. It is available to all of them. What is different is the likelihood of success.

40 minutes ago, NOTW said:

We'll see. Everyone wants to get paid, but players also evaluate the culture, coaches, teammates, etc. Free agents from other teams talk about how much better it is in Philly. Players can also talk about leaving other teams and enjoying it here. DeVonta could have got more elsewhere and signed. Baun could have as well, and he got his ring too.

Howie usually works out a deal that takes care of the player and they are happy.

FWIW, last year when he signed his 1 year extension he talked about choosing the team over a contract. Yes, you can argue he was saying the right thing. But he seems to genuinely like it here.

Reed: "I wanna be in Philly, I wanna play for Philly. That speaks more than just getting a contract."

Don’t forget that in the 2025 NFL playoffs, players will earn bonuses for each round they participate in, with the amounts increasing as they advance. For wild card teams, the bonus is $49,500, while division winners in the wild card round get $54,500. Players in the divisional round also receive $54,500, and those reaching the Conference Championship earn $77,000. Super Bowl participants receive even larger bonuses: $96,000 for the losing team and $171,000 for the winning team

So a SB win means an additional $300K.

21 minutes ago, mattwill said:

Don’t forget that in the 2025 NFL playoffs, players will earn bonuses for each round they participate in, with the amounts increasing as they advance. For wild card teams, the bonus is $49,500, while division winners in the wild card round get $54,500. Players in the divisional round also receive $54,500, and those reaching the Conference Championship earn $77,000. Super Bowl participants receive even larger bonuses: $96,000 for the losing team and $171,000 for the winning team

So a SB win means an additional $300K.

What about bye teams? Do they get paid for the bye week?

19 minutes ago, mattwill said:

I disagree. It is available to all of them. What is different is the likelihood of success.

Going back to the original graph that was quoted by @Connecticut Eagle , there is obviously much in the data that is either faulty or straight-up B.S. No one who watched the Eagles regular season would (should) be foolish enough to argue Hurts was the most efficient QB in the NFL. Not even close.

If you study the graph at even a rudimentary level, you can see the QBs graded 4th and 5th in the NFL in CPOE (completion % over expected) were Justin Fields and Russell Wilson. Not only was the Steelers offense completely anemic last season, but neither QB was brought back even at a bargain-basement price. To present data showing either of those guys at an elite level of anything is total balderdash.

Just now, Iggles_Phan said:

What about bye teams? Do they get paid for the bye week?

Good question. Don’t know.

EDIT: the Bye teams get $49,500 per player. In addition Division winners get another $54,500. So, unless the SB champion is a Wild Card team the total bonuses are more than $350,000 for the players on the SB champion.

Mukuba seems more FS than SS. Because of his instincts but impacted by his speed, Reed plays more FS than SS. (Like Q, he tends towards the weak side of the line.) I think Brown was drafted to replace CJGJ (SS) and Mukuba as insurance against Reed (FS) pricing himself out of Philly. While the Fangio defense uses interchangeable Ss in that to start a play they usually show both aligned, they still align initially weak side and strong side. I am not suggesting that Mukuba sits all year, but rather that was the initial draft focus by Howie. That said, given that most Ss take some seasoning (Dawk didn’t play immediately), unless Mukuba plays lights out in the PS and Brown really craps the bed, I expect the starters to be Brown and Reed to start the season. That said, I take Fangio’s throwing McCollum’s name in the mix seriously. Brown doesn’t only have to outplay Mukuba, he has to outplay McCollum. (How Cine fits is still an unknown and we also don’t know what Woods and Hook bring to the table). Wild card is how Q’s familiarity with the D and with Hook impacts Hook’s play. I suspect for the positive. Last gasp for Castro-Fields, and I question if he makes it to the PS. As usual, I will be watching the DBs in TC/PS.

I think I am going to be pleasantly surprised by McWilliams play at corner.

One thing to note is Reed’s speed is a bit of an outlier for this secondary but like Edwards showed, the instincts tend to make up for straight line speed. There was a clip from OTAs of Reed running a reaction movement drill with DeJean and he had a step and a half on Cooper at reaction although by the end of the clip, DeJean was catching up.

1 hour ago, Iggles_Phan said:

Hurts isn't like other QBs in the NFL. The Eagles' offense isn't like other offenses around the NFL. Hurts wouldn't work as well as he does here elsewhere, and lots of other QBs wouldn't work here as well as they do where they are.

Nick isn’t the only HC that tends to design his offense to fit what he has. But I would note that Hurts does his best with a strong OL and flourishes in read zones, which were more evident last year.