EMB Blog: 2021 Offseason

[HazletonEagle]

Embiid decided he wont be stopped tonight. 

[bpac55]

51 minutes ago, What The F said:

Tua,Najee, Jeudy,Smith,Waddle... how did them ever not score 60 a game, let alone lose any games?  Jeebus 

It's painful to watch Tua's throwing motion.  I think Miami made a huge mistake drafting him so high last year.  I don't think he's their answer at QB.

You forgot Josh Jacobs too.  He was the bell cow before Najee took over.

[purplefiggy]

1 hour ago, austinfan said:

Looking at Alabama's WRs, wonder if Hurts was a "victim of circumstances." That is, he was the QB when the kids were still raw.

2017 he still managed 17 TD/1 Int.  44 rushes, 24 passes per game. Next season the kids grow up, they add Waddle, Tua is the QB, and 38 rushes, 29 passes per game.

Jeudy (FR) 14  264

Sims (SR) 14  207

Smith TE (SO)  14  128

Ruggs (FR)  12  229

Smith (FR)  8  160

I go more obvious - tua is a better QB. 

[austinfan]

Just now, purplefiggy said:

I go more obvious - tua is a better QB. 

We'll see this year. Gotta root for Hurts b/c we have Miami's 1st rd pick next draft.

[bpac55]

I dunno, I'm watching more Zaven Collins highlights and while he would be a fantastic 3-4 OLB, he would also be an absolute freak at MLB.  

Brian Urlacher played at 6-4 260.  Maybe the 11 pounds isn't that big of a deal.  

The way he covers, blitzes, shoots the gap and attacks the line...you'd never have to take him off the field.  Flank him with Wilson and Singleton.  LB suddenly is the strength of the defense.  

What's his sweet spot in the draft?  Could we trade back to the 20s and get him?  Or maybe you get Horn at 12 and use some late picks plus 37 to get in to the late 1st and take Collins.

I think a player like him is going to have a far bigger impact on the team than taking a guy like Kwitty Paye at 12.  It sounds silly but there really is no clear cut guy to take at 12.  Everyone we talk about feels like we are settling for a player there.  Give me a guy that makes a difference on the field.

Tonight, I start the Zaven Collins in round 1 either by trading down or back in to the 1st.

[bpac55]

One more thing about Zaven Collins.   When you watch his highlights, he's making big plays when it mattered.  A play needs to be made, he was making it.  

We don't have anyone near that on defense.

[austinfan]

As far as the Eagles drafting an OL at any point in the draft, I trust Stoutland, if he has told them that so and so is going to be a top starter, take him.

[RememberTheKoy]

3 minutes ago, austinfan said:

As far as the Eagles drafting an OL at any point in the draft, I trust Stoutland, if he has told them that so and so is going to be a top starter, take him.

 

Yeah based off of the narrative you are pushing that he was behind the Dillard pick it is clear he has a great scouting eye.  

[Iggles_Phan]

1 hour ago, austinfan said:

Looking at Alabama's WRs, wonder if Hurts was a "victim of circumstances." That is, he was the QB when the kids were still raw.

2017 he still managed 17 TD/1 Int.  44 rushes, 24 passes per game. Next season the kids grow up, they add Waddle, Tua is the QB, and 38 rushes, 29 passes per game.

Jeudy (FR) 14  264

Sims (SR) 14  207

Smith TE (SO)  14  128

Ruggs (FR)  12  229

Smith (FR)  8  160

Um... no.  

I'm guessing you didn't actually watch the NC Game where Hurts sucked in the first half, was pulled for Tua at halftime and Alabama went on to win with the same WRs that you are now trying to pawn off as being the reason Hurts struggled passing.  And it seems you forgot that Alabama had a guy named Calvin Ridley as their top WR that year.   He was pretty good... or at least good enough to be a first round pick that April. 

[mattmcginley7]

7 hours ago, austinfan said:

Smith was more explosive and more physical, I'd say Harrison is the closest, it's not about top speed, that's DeSean, but running the route tree perfectly. Isaac Bruce is a good comp for the same reason, average speed but it didn't matter b/c he'd gain a couple steps of separation off his cuts.

We're not watching the same film. DeVonta Smith does not have average speed at all

 

[Iggles_Phan]

1 hour ago, Alphagrand said:

No.  Hurts also had Calvin Ridley in both 2016 and 2017, and O.J. Howard at least one of those years.  He couldn’t throw the ball well and got benched because of it.

His passing ability improved drastically at Oklahoma; and even from the work he put in as second string at Alabama — but he’s definitely not where he needs to be yet.

Got benched for a true freshman in the NC Game.   

[bpac55]

7 minutes ago, mattmcginley7 said:

We're not watching the same film. DeVonta Smith does not have average speed at all

 

I watched a lot more of Smith today and he does have more speed than you think.  He's darn impressive.  He makes all of the catches, runs great routes and yes, has speed.  I'm still hesitant on him for some reason though.  

[Saltpeter]

5 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

Got benched for a true freshman in the NC Game.   

Lol omg guys did you see how long it took Carson Wentz to get on the field at NORTH DAKOTA STATE. Must mean he's trash forever amirite guyz???

[RememberTheKoy]

8 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

Got benched for a true freshman in the NC Game.   

 

Then the following season when Tua went down in the SEC Championship Game, Hurts came in with Alabama down and led them to the comeback win.  

[RememberTheKoy]

13 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

Um... no.  

I'm guessing you didn't actually watch the NC Game where Hurts sucked in the first half, was pulled for Tua at halftime and Alabama went on to win with the same WRs that you are now trying to pawn off as being the reason Hurts struggled passing.  And it seems you forgot that Alabama had a guy named Calvin Ridley as their top WR that year.   He was pretty good... or at least good enough to be a first round pick that April. 

 

Yeah Hurts got benched as a 19 year old sophomore for someone who went onto be 5th overall pick in the draft.  He sucks and will always suck!  In no way did he possibly improve the rest of his career and no way will he improve at all as a pro!  He's 22 years old and he is a done deal finished thing as a player because he was benched at 19 years old!

[bpac55]

Are people trying to downplay Jalen Hurts as a college QB?  I'm a Carson Wentz guy but I absolutely loved watching Hurts in college, moreso at Oklahoma than Bama.  

I think the staff at Alabama was trying to find any excuse possible to get Tua on the field to be honest.  He had been talked up all over and to not have him on the field was not good.  Hurts played well at Bama.  He dominated at Oklahoma.

I'm pulling for him as the Eagles quarterback.  I'm excited to see what he brings to the table.

[ToastJenkins]

Surtain certainly looks the part

i still have Horn as cb1

[Iggles_Phan]

3 minutes ago, RememberTheKoy said:

Then the following season when Tua went down in the SEC Championship Game, Hurts came in with Alabama down and led them to the comeback win.  

You have a point here?   

The point I was making was that he was NOT a 'victim of circumstances' (as afan was positing) with young WRs in the 2018 championship game where he was benched for ineffectiveness.  They needed a PASSING QB, not a RUNNING QB.  And Tua was a better option than Hurts in that game (where Alabama was shut out in the first half while Hurts was in the game).    

[Iggles_Phan]

8 minutes ago, RememberTheKoy said:

 

Yeah Hurts got benched as a 19 year old sophomore for someone who went onto be 5th overall pick in the draft.  He sucks and will always suck!  In no way did he possibly improve the rest of his career and no way will he improve at all as a pro!  He's 22 years old and he is a done deal finished thing as a player because he was benched at 19 years old!

You need to understand what you read and not what you THINK you read.   I was addressing the point that Hurts was NOT a victim of circumstances when he was the starting QB at Alabama and was replaced by Tua in the same game and Tua had success while Hurts did not.   Afan is building a false narrative, and forgot to include Calvin Ridley on that list of players that were on that team as targets for Alabama.   

 

But... you can argue that neither was a finished product at that point if you want.  That was never the point.

[mattmcginley7]

18 minutes ago, bpac55 said:

I watched a lot more of Smith today and he does have more speed than you think.  He's darn impressive.  He makes all of the catches, runs great routes and yes, has speed.  I'm still hesitant on him for some reason though.  

I think Smith 20 years ago would have trouble transitioning to the NFL. Today, I think him being underweight is not much of a problem 

[hputenis]

11 minutes ago, RememberTheKoy said:

 

Yeah Hurts got benched as a 19 year old sophomore for someone who went onto be 5th overall pick in the draft.  He sucks and will always suck!  In no way did he possibly improve the rest of his career and no way will he improve at all as a pro!  He's 22 years old and he is a done deal finished thing as a player because he was benched at 19 years old!

Although the sarcasm is apparent, I agree!  

[Iggles_Phan]

10 minutes ago, bpac55 said:

Are people trying to downplay Jalen Hurts as a college QB?  I'm a Carson Wentz guy but I absolutely loved watching Hurts in college, moreso at Oklahoma than Bama.  

I think the staff at Alabama was trying to find any excuse possible to get Tua on the field to be honest.  He had been talked up all over and to not have him on the field was not good.  Hurts played well at Bama.  He dominated at Oklahoma.

I'm pulling for him as the Eagles quarterback.  I'm excited to see what he brings to the table.

No.  I am challenging the assertion that Hurts at Alabama was a victim of his circumstances when he was benched.  That's not the case at all.  He had plenty of weapons in the 2017 season and in the 2018 National Championship game.

[bpac55]

Just now, Iggles_Phan said:

No.  I am challenging the assertion that Hurts at Alabama was a victim of his circumstances when he was benched.  That's not the case at all.  He had plenty of weapons in the 2017 season and in the 2018 National Championship game.

I got it.  Didn't see the whole conversation.

He had plenty to work with.  Every QB at Bama going back 10 years now has had weapons to work with.  The end game was Tua being the QB.  It don't think there's anything more to it than that.

[Iggles_Phan]

1 minute ago, bpac55 said:

I got it.  Didn't see the whole conversation.

He had plenty to work with.  Every QB at Bama going back 10 years now has had weapons to work with.  The end game was Tua being the QB.  It don't think there's anything more to it than that.

Hurts was also not good in that game.  He deserved to be benched.   They were trailing and were in danger of being blown out without a chance to put up points fast through the air, they were finished.  They brought in a more polished passer, Tua, and he brought them back with the same weapons that Hurts struggled with in that game.

[Swoop]

"Jalen Hurts struggles with A, B and C, so I don't think he will be good because X, Y, and Z"

TATE: He only started 4 games and has plenty of room to improve! He's a rookie! Stop insinuating he's a bust!

Also TATE: Andre Dillard is a bust after his 4 starts his rookie season!

Comedy.