Rams D (and special teams blunders) vs Current NFC Playoff Teams

Seattle 829 yards (414.5 per game) 57 points (28.5 per game) - 1 win 1 loss

49ers 800 yards (400 per game) 52 points (26 per game) - 1 win 1 loss

Eagles 288 yards 33 points - 1 loss

Panthers 358 yards 31 points - 1 loss

They were 1-3 on the road vs NFC playoff teams.

379 yards allowed and 28.8 points per game

The 5685 and 432 points pace would be 32 and 29 in rankings (more like 28 and 29 after special teams scores)

The only reason they held Philly to 288 was 15 snaps of Matt Pryor.

The Eagles ran 14 plays for -3 yards with Pryor not counting a -1 yard kneel down at the half.

48 plays for 288 at 6 a pop without Pryor.

Several of you are afraid of them.

Now if the Rams switched conferences tomorrow and joined the AFC playoffs?

Rams 14 Texans 9

Rams 17 Ravens 3

I don't think that's happening.

1 hour ago, eagle45 said:

So I want to do a point by point argument for resting everyone against the Bills. I just can’t see it any other way. The goal we all want is for the eagles to be healthy, effective, and hitting on all cylinders in the playoffs.

Let’s start with defense. The defense only needs to sustain what they are already doing in the playoffs. What is their biggest liability? It’s not CB2. It’s the number of snaps they have played this year after being hung out to dry by their offense. Just playing a tough bills offense in cold weather help that? Or does an extra game off help to wipe the slate clean with their high snap counts?

Now the offense. Everyone has debated Hurts and Pattulo as a major problem for this offense with no consensus. What’s the one common denominator that everyone agrees on? The universal common thread for the 2025 regression is the collapse of the OLs run blocking. This is inarguably due to an offensive line that is not healthy and has been denied the opportunity to rest and recover from their injuries while playing hurt all year long. What is more likely to get this offensive line right? 21 calendar days of rest and maybe the healthiest offensive line we’ve seen since week one…or getting in a 16th game of work against a very good bills team in 20° weather? And what is more likely to get this offense hitting the right notes? The 16th game in what will be very difficult weather to execute or extra rest? They had 15 games and couldn’t get it right. They don’t need one more; they need health and rest. This is a veteran offense with extensive playoff experience. Rest >>> getting work and vibes in amidst 20° weather. A healthy OL can do far more to change the complexion of this offense than anything they’d accomplish in Buffalo.

Do we forget playing the starters in a meaningless game in 2023 just so they could look bad and AJ could sustain an injury that wiped him out of the playoffs?

Been proposing this idea since after the bye. Due to lack of depth on team, massive reps on defense and overall injury situation that has been ongoing. And do agree with this. Will it happen? Probably not. I think somehow they will pick their spots in reducing reps for certain guys in this game, but not a full rest that's predetermined. Perhaps, weather and game conditions will dictate some of these possibilities anyway.

1 hour ago, vikas83 said:

Looking at the schedule - Chicago losing out seems very possible. At SF next Sunday night against a 49ers team that could win out and earn the 1 seed. The question will be - does Detroit have anything to play for in week 18? And does it matter, since Campbell already showed he'll play everyone regardless to hurt a rival (week 18 in 2022 to knock of GB and Rodgers). Baltimore at GB this Saturday will determine if Detroit has any hope -- if GB wins, Detroit is out (even if they lose, Detroit would need to win out and have GB lose to Minnesota week 18). Also, the 49ers being the one seed seems like it is going to happen, as I think they beat Chicago and Seattle at home the next 2 weeks (nice to get back to back home games, wonder how that feels). Biggest issue for us is can we win out?

This is a very realistic scenario:

Lets not even worry about "Scenarios" until after we play the Bills. It's worthless even thinking about it until we know they can beat a playoff type team this weekend. Number 2 seed don't mean crap if we can't make it out of the first round. This weekend will show if the Birds O is back on track or not.

Let's say the Eagles offense puts up a bunch of points this weekend. Everyone will say the Bills defense sucks. Have given up over 30 points 3 times in 6 weeks. Can't win here.

Maybe no Lane after all

1 hour ago, vikas83 said:

A couple weeks ago it looked like he played his way into shape. I’m assuming injuries and a shorter offseason played a role in his usual offseason training regimen.

5 minutes ago, jojodancer said:

Let's say the Eagles offense puts up a bunch of points this weekend. Everyone will say the Bills defense sucks. Have given up over 30 points 3 times in 6 weeks. Can't win here.

And let’s say they score 13… then there’s a bigger problem.

6 minutes ago, jojodancer said:

Let's say the Eagles offense puts up a bunch of points this weekend. Everyone will say the Bills defense sucks. Have given up over 30 points 3 times in 6 weeks. Can't win here.

What happens if the O can't score more then say 13 points?

If your claiming the Bills Defense has been so so in the last 6 weeks then you better worry more about what people will say if we suck vs this so so defense. Even more if Jalen plays like he did vs the Packers, Lions, Cowboys or Chargers.

@mattwill

Eagles 17

Bills 15

Weather will have an impact and Barkley will be the key factor again

59 minutes ago, vikas83 said:

I would be in favor of Toth at LG and Kendall at C the next 2 weeks to give Landon and Cam some time off, but I see no chance they do it.

Toth at center seems like the move with the lowest downside performance wise. He is likely better than an injured Cam. That kind of spot rest and recovery I favor, even as we fight for better seeding.

Haven't seen a lot of Marcus Epps posts, but I haven't heard his name called a lot since he took over and that's usually a good thing for someone in the secondary. Him being able to come in, be competent, and not have them rely on Sydney Brown has been a nice plus.

16 minutes ago, DeathByEagle said:

What happens if the O can't score more then say 13 points?

If your claiming the Bills Defense has been so so in the last 6 weeks then you better worry more about what people will say if we suck vs this so so defense. Even more if Jalen plays like he did vs the Packers, Lions, Cowboys or Chargers.

My guess is weather will impact this game, so it's a wasted exercise to really determine much here.

12 minutes ago, BDawk_ASamuel said:

Haven't seen a lot of Marcus Epps posts, but I haven't heard his name called a lot since he took over and that's usually a good thing for someone in the secondary. Him being able to come in, be competent, and not have them rely on Sydney Brown has been a nice plus.

Howie bringing back Big Fred and Epps late in camp (or after camp in Epps' case) really saved the season.

34 minutes ago, DeathByEagle said:

Lets not even worry about "Scenarios" until after we play the Bills. It's worthless even thinking about it until we know they can beat a playoff type team this weekend. Number 2 seed don't mean crap if we can't make it out of the first round. This weekend will show if the Birds O is back on track or not.

Everything we talk about on here is worthless. It's what we do as fans. Just like talking to our TVs during the game.

30 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Maybe no Lane after all

I couldn't care less if Lane doesn't play again in the regular season -- he's got plenty of experience.

I would like Carter to knock the rust off and hopefully trust his shoulders. But on a snap count.

1 minute ago, vikas83 said:

I couldn't care less if Lane doesn't play again in the regular season -- he's got plenty of experience.

I would like Carter to knock the rust off and hopefully trust his shoulders. But on a snap count.

Agreed. Carter is the bigger worry, especially since Vic made comments about his conditioning earlier in the year. Too much time off for him could be an issue.

1 minute ago, vikas83 said:

Howie bringing back Big Fred and Epps late in camp (or after camp in Epps' case) really saved the season.

Following the trade deadline we had and other smaller moves, Howie has done a nice job of filling holes that were on the team. Not his best job of bullet proofing a team, but a nice recovery. If he would have stood pat at deadline I would have been more disappointed. I still think he made things hard on himself this year. More than he needed to, but as we stand now, a solid turnaround.

Yes I'm fine with Lane sitting the rest of the way. Lis franc is not something you wanna mess around with and his injury is typically like 6 or so weeks recovery when it happened. Don't want him to have a setback in what could be a meaningless game for seeding.

3 minutes ago, jojodancer said:

Following the trade deadline we had and other smaller moves, Howie has done a nice job of filling holes that were on the team. Not his best job of bullet proofing a team, but a nice recovery. If he would have stood pat at deadline I would have been more disappointed. I still think he made things hard on himself this year. More than he needed to, but as we stand now, a solid turnaround.

Adding Phillips has been such a force multiplier for our pass rush, and now he hopefully get a healthy JC back as well. Carter/Davis/Ojomo/Young/BG at DT, Phillips/Smith/Hunt/BG on the edge. Our pass rush is improved from the Super Bowl if Carter is healthy: Davis is way better this year, Ojomo has been better than 2024 Milt, Phillips is better than Sweat, and Hunt has taken a leap.

The funny thing…

The eagles OL is banged up. Resting the jeopardizes Hurts and Barkley. Resting the offense means more snaps for defense so you better rest them too.

You really going to start Hurts and pound it with Barkley in the snow if you have 2/5 of your starting OL?

4 hours ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

Hi @mattwill

Do you have a summary of the pre-season record predictions from the EMB? Thanks.

I do. I will post it shortly here in the Blog and also in a thread of its own in TATE.

All due respect to Cam Jurgens - everyone knows he’s banged up and not having his best year but somehow he made the pro bowl over Mailata & Lane?

Popularity contest much?

Bills clinched so we'll see if they rest him or not. He prob plays.