3 minutes ago, HazletonEagle said:

By the way, Ward is a JAG and has no business getting the load of playing time he got today without 15 injuries happening first, like last year.

5/31... I could do that. Break a tackle. Make someone miss. Get some RAC. Next week, give Hightower those opportunities to help him get going. Bring up Quez give him some. Ward is a complete waste.

We did replace him with a guy who managed to get -2 yards on four targets and whose only positive contribution was getting hit in the head.

Things I think are shiny targets but really misdirection for the real problem:

1. Run/pass ratio.  Running plays were basically a loss of down today.  Carson went off the rails FAST.  There was no gradual slowing of the passing game.  Suddenly, they were losing and had to throw to catch up.  There was no opportunity or indication to run more today.

2. Hightower having a bad game.  The guy is a rookie 5th round pick.  The fact that he had a game at all...and was cited as part of an upgrade for 2020...is the problem.  Cut the guy some slack and give him a shot next week, since we have no one else.

3.  Injuries.  Just don't go there as an excuse.  

Back to the RB situation... this offense/Wentz is at their best with bruising RBs. Blount, Ajayi, Howard, and even Mathews in 2016. However, Doug/Howie seem fixated on finding the next Sproles, rather than next Blount. That was evident when they added that Huntley rookie or whatever his name is. 
 

The offseasons going forward should be adding a cheap vet and drafting a mid round guy every other year. I’d rather have a 1-2 punch of big bruisers with a 3rd down back like Scott than Sanders. Nothing against Sanders but teams who have star running backs usually don’t win Super Bowls. 

3 minutes ago, Sack that QB said:

Does anyone think Doug would bench Wentz this year for any reason?

My first instinct was to say no, but after seeing how giddy Doug and Howie were about Hurts in April it makes you wonder.

the only logical explanation for that pick to this day remains that they lost confidence in Wentz. You don’t draft a backup in the 2nd round otherwise.

I wouldn't be surprised to see Hurts active next week. I don't think they would bench him, but I think they might put him in to shake up the offense on certain plays/packages if the offense looks bad again. But, some of that was definitely on Doug. 

I feel bad for the beat writers. Due to Covid they already have extremely limited access to players and now the team has control of who is made available post game. 

5 minutes ago, WentzFan11 said:

The team has never rallied around Wentz the way they did for Foles. Idk why. 

They did last year with a bunch of scrubs.

They were win or go home for the last 5 or 6 games. 🤷🏻‍♂️

5 minutes ago, HazletonEagle said:

By the way, Ward is a JAG and has no business getting the load of playing time he got today without 15 injuries happening first, like last year.

5/31... I could do that. Break a tackle. Make someone miss. Get some RAC. Next week, give Hightower those opportunities to help him get going. Bring up Quez give him some. Ward is a complete waste.

That 5/31 had everyone singing his praises as an underused and critically underrated part of the offense.  In his defense, he did have some big first downs.

At best, he's an adequate slot WR in 11 personnel when you've got guys who get open deep on the outside.  In 12 personnel, he doesn't belong on the field.

For 2020, he's going to be our #2 WR.  He may lead all WRs in receptions this year if Reagor doesn't get better with shallow routes.

5 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

Things I think are shiny targets but really misdirection for the real problem:

1. Run/pass ratio.  Running plays were basically a loss of down today.  Carson went off the rails FAST.  There was no gradual slowing of the passing game.  Suddenly, they were losing and had to throw to catch up.  There was no opportunity or indication to run more today.

2. Hightower having a bad game.  The guy is a rookie 5th round pick.  The fact that he had a game at all...and was cited as part of an upgrade for 2020...is the problem.  Cut the guy some slack and give him a shot next week, since we have no one else.

3.  Injuries.  Just don't go there as an excuse.  

I think Moorehead needs to give Reagor and Hightower a little tough love this week.  They need to be more aggressive when it comes to attacking the football (coming back to the ball and breaking up possible interceptions and running comebacks/finishing routes)  and they need to be more effective in the short to intermediate game. I think Hightower played a little scared, but I think he will get over it.  

3 minutes ago, CaliEagle said:

I wouldn't be surprised to see Hurts active next week. I don't think they would bench him, but I think they might put him in to shake up the offense on certain plays/packages if the offense looks bad again. But, some of that was definitely on Doug. 

Oline isn't going to look better because of Hurts playing instead of Wentz

Injuries are a major contributor. There’s no doubt about that. It’s not the whole problem though. 

11 minutes ago, schuy7 said:

The wheels are falling off, boys. This is going to get ugly. 

I’m over DeSean already. The getting the band back together to play the greatest hits doesn’t work in the NFL

2 minutes ago, CaliEagle said:

I wouldn't be surprised to see Hurts active next week. I don't think they would bench him, but I think they might put him in to shake up the offense on certain plays/packages if the offense looks bad again. But, some of that was definitely on Doug. 

That's some frustrating awareness by the Eagles, aside from the tone-deaf nature of the pick itself.  

Now, if Hurts is active next week after Wentz's game this week...it's news and speculation.

If Hurts is inactive next week, it's further news about the WTF nature of the pick and the lack of a plan to integrate him into the offense to outsmart the rest of the NFL.

It's a lose/lose monkey on Wentz' back and Doug's back at this point, not to mention Hurts who is caught up in it.

Just now, Mike030270 said:

Oline isn't going to look better because of Hurts playing instead of Wentz

I know. But, they might want Hurts to turn it into more of street ball with scrambles if the OL is a disaster.  But, agreed, if the OL is playing like garbage, we aren't winning.

1 minute ago, eagle45 said:

That's some frustrating awareness by the Eagles, aside from the tone-deaf nature of the pick itself.  

Now, if Hurts is active next week after Wentz's game this week...it's news and speculation.

If Hurts is inactive next week, it's further news about the WTF nature of the pick and the lack of a plan to integrate him into the offense to outsmart the rest of the NFL.

It's a lose/lose monkey on Wentz' back and Doug's back at this point, not to mention Hurts who is caught up in it.

That is what they signed up for when they made that draft pick.  

That missed headshot call on Dallas was criminal. Wow.

Did Vander Esch get hurt earlier in the game?

1 minute ago, CaliEagle said:

I know. But, they might want Hurts to turn it into more of street ball with scrambles if the OL is a disaster.  But, agreed, if the OL is playing like garbage, we aren't winning.

That is what they signed up for when they made that draft pick.  

They shouldn't have made that pick to begin with. Nothing against the guy but a QB in the 2nd round was horrible

Just now, Double said:

That missed headshot call on Dallas was criminal. Wow.

Did Vander Esch get hurt earlier in the game?

Yeah collarbone injury 

14 minutes ago, eagle45 said:

His weapons since 2018 have been a lot worse than mediocre (although his OL has been a lot better than mediocre), but his statistical production since 2018 has been pretty mediocre.  I don't think Wentz overall deserves that label, but that has been his production.

Production? In 2018 and 2019 he threw 48 TDs to 14 ints. That’s pretty good for having mediocre talent. Was he great? No. But given the circumstance, he was better than mediocre. 
 

He stunk today. Plain and simple. He and the coaching staff need to stop relying on him to be Houdini 

1 minute ago, CaliEagle said:

I think Moorehead needs to give Reagor and Hightower a little tough love this week.  They need to be more aggressive when it comes to attacking the football (coming back to the ball and breaking up possible interceptions and running comebacks/finishing routes)  and they need to be more effective in the short to intermediate game. I think Hightower played a little scared, but I think he will get over it.  

Absolutely.  Reagor showed talent, but he did it winning footraces downfield.  He looked like he has a ways to go before he learns all the routes and is a threat on all levels.  He needs to learn nuance underneath urgently, as the Eagles will likely be leaning on him as their #1 WR this year...so he can't be a deep threat only.

Hightower looked lost.  That's forgivable in week 1.  He may or may not be an NFL quality player, but I think the yips of his first pro game concealed whatever it is that he may become.  I might actually be a little gentle with him.

Just now, Double said:

That missed headshot call on Dallas was criminal. Wow.

Did Vander Esch get hurt earlier in the game?

Yes. Collarbone. He seems to get injured just as much as the guy he was replacing because he was getting injured too much(Lee)

Just now, Mike030270 said:

They shouldn't have made that pick to begin with. Nothing against the guy but a QB in the 2nd round was horrible

No question. Howie acted like we were SB champions and that we didn't need any immediate starting competition on the roster elsewhere. I wanted an OL or RB. I would've even been okay with an additional WR there at the time.

4 minutes ago, CaliEagle said:

I think Moorehead needs to give Reagor and Hightower a little tough love this week.  They need to be more aggressive when it comes to attacking the football (coming back to the ball and breaking up possible interceptions and running comebacks/finishing routes)  and they need to be more effective in the short to intermediate game. I think Hightower played a little scared, but I think he will get over it.  

Hightower seemed like a guy who got lost in the bright lights. This is a prime example of where no preseason games hurt.

1 minute ago, Double said:

That missed headshot call on Dallas was criminal. Wow.

Did Vander Esch get hurt earlier in the game?

He went back into the locker room. The trainers were looking at his head/neck area which is where he has always had issues.

2 minutes ago, Double said:

That missed headshot call on Dallas was criminal. Wow.

Did Vander Esch get hurt earlier in the game?

Yes, collarbone 

1 minute ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

Production? In 2018 and 2019 he threw 48 TDs to 14 ints. That’s pretty good for having mediocre talent. Was he great? No. But given the circumstance, he was better than mediocre. 
 

He stunk today. Plain and simple. He and the coaching staff need to stop relying on him to be Houdini 

I don't think he ran at all today did he?

Just now, Mike030270 said:

I don't think he ran at all today did he?

He takes too many hits and tries to sling it with guys holding onto him.