My optimistic plan to turn this season around ... now! By Dave Spadaro

[Road to Victory]

https://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/my-optimistic-plan-to-turn-this-season-around-now1

My optimistic plan to turn this season around ... now!

Sep 28, 2020 at 01:54 PM

 

Dave Spadaro

 

 

I'm going to take a different approach this week in the face of an 0-2-1 Eagles record and negativity permeating: I'm going full-on optimistic as the Eagles prepare for the national spotlight and the defending NFC Champion San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night. Look, 0-2-1 is completely unacceptable. Understood. The Eagles have certainly not played to expectations – theirs or the outside world's. It's been frustrating, painful (literally, with all the injuries), and disappointing.

So, why not some positivity?

Head Coach Doug Pederson said on Monday that he's considering a semi-radical overhauling of the offense given that, you know, half the group, it seems, is sidelined with injuries. While the offensive line has adjusted and played with new guards and a new (well, familiar, but new, if you know what I mean) left tackle, the skill positions are reeling. Wide receiver is hurting, collectively. Tight end Dallas Goedert went out of Sunday's game with an ankle injury and is going to miss some time, according to Coach Doug.

And that means the offense has to find a way to adjust. If it sounds a lot like 2019 when the NFC East stunk and the offense played "small ball" to win the division with four straight wins in December, so be it. That's the base. The NFC East is wide open and the Eagles do have to figure out ways to manufacture points. So here is my plan. Take it for what it's worth (spoiler alert: not much!).

Emphasize the running game

Lean on it. I mean, really lean on the ground game. Miles Sanders is in game shape now and he's had two productive games. Instead of 18 carries each week, find a way to get that to 23 carries. And use Boston Scott in space, creatively. Get him on the edge, if possible. Utilize Corey Clement between the tackles and in the passing game. This may not be pretty, but the Eagles have to be in move-the-chains mode until they can find some kind of rhythm offensively. They had the running game going early on Sunday against Cincinnati, went away from it for a spell in the second quarter, and then never got it back in the second half (111 of the team's 175 rushing yards were gained in the first two quarters).

And while we're on the subject of the running game, let's not restrict our vision to the running backs. The jet sweep didn't work with Greg Ward on Sunday – he had one attempt, for a loss of 6 yards – but let's not give up on the concept. Maybe it's not Ward who runs the jet sweep, or who takes an inside handoff, or who lines up somewhere beyond the traditional backfield spot and takes a handoff. Also, we're seeing some expansion in the use of Jalen Hurts, so why not explore that further? That sweep left Hurts ran on Sunday was good for 8 yards and a first down. Very nice. Both he and Carson Wentz are mobile and their talents should be used in the running game.

Use the no-huddle offense early and often

Wentz likes it. The offense likes it. Keep using it. I'm not necessarily talking full-on Chip Kelly, because that offense was limited and once teams caught up, Kelly didn't have a second act up his sleeve. Go "Turbo" and keep it that way. Pick up the pace. Do something to establish an identity with this offense, because through three games it's hard to tell what the Eagles are all about on offense. They have a lot of ideas and it just seems to come out as a bunch of plays. What are the Eagles trying to establish offensively, other than using a lot of 12 personnel (one running back, two tight ends) looks? Well, without Goedert it's tough to have the same style. Richard Rodgers can block, so utilize his skills. Take what every player can do and use those skills to maximum him on the football field.

Move Zach Ertz as much as possible

 

Tight end Zach Ertz is the go-to pass catcher here. Get him the football. Exhaust him. Target him 15-20 times every week and to do that you're going to have to move him around the formation, because the double teams are going to be coming. Put him in motion. Shake off the coverage. Force the football to Ertz. Scheme to get him open and get him the football. Of course, it won't be as simple as that but the Eagles have some bright minds on the coaching staff and they know they have to be creative here. Like, really creative.

Get DeSean Jackson involved

This is one that just doesn't make sense through three games: Where is DeSean Jackson in the passing game? He has 10 catches (20 targets) for 121 yards? No way!! Yes, way. He left Sunday's game with a hamstring injury that, according to Pederson, will hopefully be OK for the 49ers. Take some shots to Jackson. A few, at least. Get him the ball short in the screen game, maybe, and see if he can use his ability the ball in his hands to make some plays. Just get him the darn ball more than the offense has gotten him the ball through three games. Does he still have the speed? Seems that way. Why he has only 10 catches is one of the early season's biggest mysteries.

Put Carson Wentz in motion

It's always seemed that Wentz is proficient when he's out of the pocket, and he certainly has the athletic ability to get outside and be a dual pass/run threat. I'm all for it. The Eagles seem to have stabilized the offensive line – Nate Herbig has done a nice job at guard and Matt Pryor, despite his costly false start penalty, is going to get better and better – so Wentz should find some success outside the pocket. Maybe the Eagles can scheme some high-percentage throw-and-catches for him and his receivers outside the pocket.

On defense, bring the heat

The eight sacks on Sunday against the Bengals were encouraging. Very much so. These things come in bunches so maybe the highly touted defensive line is ready to roll consistently. What the defense hasn't done is take the football away. Would Jim Schwartz consider upping the intensity in the blitz game? It's a tough proposition with starting cornerback Avonte Maddox out for some time with a lower-body injury, but why not take a chance here and there? The Eagles need takeaways. They've got to find a way to help the offense with some pressure and get their hands on the football and take it away from the offense!

Be aggressive, got to be aggressive …

More than anything, and Pederson is usually all about this, the Eagles have to play aggressive football. The remaining schedule isn't easy – the three-game stretch ahead of at San Francisco, at Pittsburgh, and home with Baltimore is brutal. But there are still five games remaining in the NFC East and the Eagles have to win all five of those games, no questions asked. This isn't a time to back down. The Eagles are, truly, underdogs, so why not embrace the concept and go full us-against-the-world and just keep bringing it aggressively.

The season is far from over. Yes, the start has been extremely disappointing and the Eagles are in a deep bind here. But it's not over. This is sports. Strange things happen. Pederson has to play it aggressively from the way he addresses his team to the way he's running practices and through the plays he's calling and the decisions he is making on gamedays.

At 0-2-1, the Eagles have little margin for error. But as long as they have a chance, they have to go for it. Really go for it and don't look back.

 

 

 

 

[Road to Victory]

All of Dave’s suggestions shouldn’t be anything new. I think most of us here have been saying those things for a few years. But every week it’s the same thing. 

[Aspiritfall]

He still works there? I'd ask what he still does but looks like more fluff pieces... How can anyone spin this season as positive... We lost to Washington and they're not good at all... We got smashed by the Rams and we tied the WORST team in football last year... We are not in good shape and the future doesn't look promising either... 

 

I'm not being a negadelphian either this is the reality of our situation... Coaching staff is a mess the gm blows and our qb has dropped off a cliff... This team is on a direct path for the number 1 pick next year... I hope we can get a kings ransom from a team looking to trade up but Howie will blow those picks anyway... 

[time2rock]

If/when adjustments are needed, Doug always waits 3 weeks too long to incorporate them.  It sure would be nice to finally have a HC capable of in-game adjustments.

[PoconoDon]

16 hours ago, Aspiritfall said:

He still works there? I'd ask what he still does but looks like more fluff pieces... How can anyone spin this season as positive... We lost to Washington and they're not good at all... We got smashed by the Rams and we tied the WORST team in football last year... We are not in good shape and the future doesn't look promising either... 

 

I'm not being a negadelphian either this is the reality of our situation... Coaching staff is a mess the gm blows and our qb has dropped off a cliff... This team is on a direct path for the number 1 pick next year... I hope we can get a kings ransom from a team looking to trade up but Howie will blow those picks anyway... 

To me, it all starts with the GM. He provides the talent to the coaches to work with. The Eagles' GM is an absolute failure at providing talented players to the coaches. His favorite prospects have 1 good trait and for Howie, that's enough. That the prospect is substandard in several other ways is ignored.

The coaches have to take what they are given and get the most out of them. Wentz' regression along with the lack of development by others indicates this staff can't do that. Right now there are too many cooks spoiling the broth on Offense and none of them seem to be positively impacting any position group. Same on defense.

That said, they have very little to work with. Wanna throw deep? Sorry the O-line can't block that long with any regularity. Better not do that. But we intentionally tried to add speed for the vertical passing game to be better and use it as a staple in our offense! Sorry, can't do it. Players aren't good enough at that, and they're usually injured anyway. Forget about that strategy. UH-OH.

Need a LB'er to make a play in a critical moment? BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!  They have no LB'ers...NONE.

Secondary is 2nd rate, even with Slay. Whatever happened to the standard of Vincent, Taylor, and Harris? (rhetorical question)

It just goes on and on and on and on...fingers can be pointed all over the place to identify problems. It's chaos. You know who thrives in chaos? The INEPT. If everything is wrong, they don't stand out. They survive and get by while helping point fingers in every other direction but at themselves. I see you HOWIE.

At the end of the day, as  long as Howie keeps providing substandard players, the team will be substandard. 

[time2rock]

15 minutes ago, PoconoDon said:

To me, it all starts with the GM. He provides the talent to the coaches to work with. The Eagles' GM is an absolute failure at providing talented players to the coaches. His favorite prospects have 1 good trait and for Howie, that's enough. That the prospect is substandard in several other ways is ignored.

The coaches have to take what they are given and get the most out of them. Wentz' regression along with the lack of development by others indicates this staff can't do that. Right now there are too many cooks spoiling the broth on Offense and none of them seem to be positively impacting any position group. Same on defense.

That said, they have very little to work with. Wanna throw deep? Sorry the O-line can't block that long with any regularity. Better not do that. But we intentionally tried to add speed for the vertical passing game to be better and use it as a staple in our offense! Sorry, can't do it. Players aren't good enough at that, and they're usually injured anyway. Forget about that strategy. UH-OH.

Need a LB'er to make a play in a critical moment? BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!  They have no LB'ers...NONE.

Secondary is 2nd rate, even with Slay. Whatever happened to the standard of Vincent, Taylor, and Harris? (rhetorical question)

It just goes on and on and on and on...fingers can be pointed all over the place to identify problems. It's chaos. You know who thrives in chaos? The INEPT. If everything is wrong, they don't stand out. They survive and get by while helping point fingers in every other direction but at themselves. I see you HOWIE.

At the end of the day, as  long as Howie keeps providing substandard players, the team will be substandard. 

I completely agree it all starts with Howie and that he absolutely needs to go.  But this mess is as bad as it is because of THREE key elements needed that just aren't there right now.  To be legitimate contenders a team needs: 1) really good play from the QB position, 2) a GM that has a very good track record of identifying and adding talent, and 3) a coaching staff that can develop the players into the scheme in which they are employing and also come up with creative game plans that take advantages of mismatches and create space for their playmakers to "do their thing".  We have NONE of those.  It's completely obvious that when we drafted Wentz, Reich and Flip had a huge hand in developing him.  It is most unfortunate they were poached after only his 2nd year when he was still a far from finished product, and his continued development took a huge hit.  He is a shell of his former self that lacks any confidence in himself now, and the play-calling isn't doing anything to help him get his mojo back.  There isn't much I really like about this team right now (other than some promising young talent like Goedert, Sanders, and maybe Reagor - too early to tell for sure - and having added Slay (but he is likely going to be gone before we right the ship and become competitive again).  Going to be a tough few years ahead for us Eagles fans - I see nothing to feel optimistic about (sorry Spads).  All I can say is, THANK GOD we caught lightning in a bottle 3 years ago and won it all.  

[matchew88]

And this is why the old board shut down

#badthingshappeninphiladelphia

[nipples]

If part of your plan to fix things is to rely on Desean Jackson, you’re already screwed. Dude is toast, cannot stay healthy. What’s he showed up for, one drive per game? 

[eagle45]

On 9/30/2020 at 10:38 AM, nipples said:

If part of your plan to fix things is to rely on Desean Jackson, you’re already screwed. Dude is toast, cannot stay healthy. What’s he showed up for, one drive per game? 

No it also involves on relying more on Corey Clement.

[jsdarkstar]

At this point its about getting the best draft pick you can. That means we need to hire some one with a history of draft success to make our picks for us. The Owner should be conducting that search now.