A new season is upon us!

Plenty of fact-based, respectful discussion to be had.

Enjoy!

 

My hot take with midnight green-colored glasses on...all eleven games after week 6 are winnable.  All 9 teams have flaws.  The tougher games are in our house.  See you in the post-season.

 

Week 1: Sunday, September 12 at Atlanta Falcons (1 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 2: Sunday, September 19 vs. San Francisco 49ers (1 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 3: Monday, September 27 at Dallas Cowboys (8:15 PM, ESPN, 94WIP)
Week 4: Sunday, October 3 vs. Kansas City Chiefs (1 PM, CBS, 94WIP)
Week 5: Sunday, October 10 at Carolina Panthers (1 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 6: Thursday, October 14 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8:20 PM, FOX/NFLN/Amazon, 94WIP)
Week 7: Sunday, October 24 at Las Vegas Raiders (4:05 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 8: Sunday, October 31 at Detroit Lions (1 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 9: Sunday, November 7 vs. Los Angeles Chargers (4:05 PM, CBS, 94WIP)
Week 10: Sunday, November 14 at Denver Broncos (4:25 PM, CBS, 94WIP)
Week 11: Sunday, November 21 vs. New Orleans Saints (1 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 12: Sunday, November 28 at New York Giants (1 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 13: Sunday, December 5 at New York Jets (1 PM, CBS, 94WIP)
Week 14: Bye Week
Week 15: Sat., Dec. 18 or Sun., Dec. 19 vs. Washington Football Team
Week 16: Sunday, December 26 vs. New York Giants (1 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 17: Sunday, January 2 at Washington Football Team (1 PM, FOX, 94WIP)
Week 18: Sunday, January 9 vs. Dallas Cowboys (1 PM, FOX, 94WIP)

 

 

 

Agreed totally on the back half of the schedule; a lot will depend on how much the players buy into Nick's offense and Gannon's defense and hang in there after a tough start.  Lots of winnable games in the back half of the schedule

14 minutes ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

A new season is upon us!

Plenty of fact-based, respectful discussion to be had.

 

My hot take with midnight green-colored glasses on...all eleven games after week 6 are winnable.  All 9 teams have flaws.  The tougher games are in our house.  See you in the post-season.

The Eagles will NOT lose Week 14.  

 

That's a fact drop right there.

First page!

Yay team!

We need to find a Jeff Stoutland for the DL.  Outside of Josh Sweat, who is steadily improving but still somewhat unknown, who on the DL in the last 5 years has really taken their game up a notch?  Has Derek Barnett gotten any better since his rookie year?  IMO, he seems like the same player he was on day 1.  They've been able to plug guys in at DT4 and be serviceable but I'm not seeing the DL get coached up and become better players.  

Milton Williams has unreal athleticism and that's been on display.  They just signed Marvin Wilson to the PS.  He's a DT with 1st round talent, just needs to figure out how to tap in to it every down.  I feel like a great coach could really unlock these guys.

 

 

1 hour ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

My hot take with midnight green-colored glasses on...all eleven games after week 6 are winnable. 

Week 7 @ Oakland will depend on how the Chiefs, Panthers, Bucs stretch goes.  If we go 0-3 and are 1-5 at that point, things could spiral out of control.

14 minutes ago, Parrot Head said:

Yay team!

Who is one player you think will make a big jump this year? 

Who is one player you think will decline significantly, whether due to age/performance/etc?

 

My big jump guy is Barnett. Playing for a contract essentially, I think he'll be as motivated as he can be. As a caveat, I don't like him much, mostly due to his insanely stupid penalties. But I think we could see his max ability this year, as he seems like a guy who would be motivated to get a new contract, here or elsewhere.

My decline guy....Kelce. He's been such a stud for so long, and last year was the only pillar of goodness on offense....unfortunately it feels like his number is going to get called this year by the injury reaper. I hope I'm incredibly wrong, but that's just my gut feeling right now. 

5 minutes ago, TorontoEagle said:

Who is one player you think will make a big jump this year? 

Who is one player you think will decline significantly, whether due to age/performance/etc?

Jump, Quez Watkins.  Has the speed, catches the ball, just needed to be put in the right position to succeed, and I think the new staff will do that.

Decline, Darius Slay.  You can blame some on Schwartz and the scheme, but you could see some chinks in the armor last year.

6 minutes ago, TorontoEagle said:

Who is one player you think will make a big jump this year? 

Who is one player you think will decline significantly, whether due to age/performance/etc?

Big jump might be subjective, but I think Reagor will increase his production from 396 yards last season to 700+ yards this season.  He and Hurts seem to have some chemistry.

Big decline will be between Graham and Cox.  Wouldn't be surprised if Cox is moved at the trade deadline.

4 minutes ago, TorontoEagle said:

Who is one player you think will make a big jump this year? 

Who is one player you think will decline significantly, whether due to age/performance/etc?

 

My big jump guy is Barnett. Playing for a contract essentially, I think he'll be as motivated as he can be. As a caveat, I don't like him much, mostly due to his insanely stupid penalties. But I think we could see his max ability this year, as he seems like a guy who would be motivated to get a new contract, here or elsewhere.

My decline guy....Kelce. He's been such a stud for so long, and last year was the only pillar of goodness on offense....unfortunately it feels like his number is going to get called this year by the injury reaper. I hope I'm incredibly wrong, but that's just my gut feeling right now. 

Disagree on Barnett, no so much because I don't think he will be playing for his next contract, but because he's already dinged up.  He just can't get over those silly nagging injuries.  I think he is what he is.  See my above post about what a great DL coach could do.  Barnett just hasn't done much of anything.

My big jump guy is Marcus Epps.  I don't think McLeod is going to be 100% by week 1 and I think Epps is going to play a big role in the defensive backfield.  

My decline guy goes hand in hand.  Rodney McLeod.  I haven't been overly impressed by him when he's been healthy and now he's coming off a torn ACL.  

Just now, bpac55 said:

Disagree on Barnett, no so much because I don't think he will be playing for his next contract, but because he's already dinged up.  He just can't get over those silly nagging injuries.  I think he is what he is.  See my above post about what a great DL coach could do.  Barnett just hasn't done much of anything.

My big jump guy is Marcus Epps.  I don't think McLeod is going to be 100% by week 1 and I think Epps is going to play a big role in the defensive backfield.  

My decline guy goes hand in hand.  Rodney McLeod.  I haven't been overly impressed by him when he's been healthy and now he's coming off a torn ACL.  

Yeah I could easily be dead wrong on both my choices. I posted it more with a thought of easily coming back later in the year to the front page and seeing how close we were

3 minutes ago, e-a-g-l-e-s eagles! said:

And hopefully some posters do not find out

So finally, the regular season.  If healthy, I think the DL will wreck the Falcons. 

3 minutes ago, BigEFly said:

So finally, the regular season.  If healthy, I think the DL will wreck the Falcons. 

On paper, you would think that should not be a problem, but, will lack of game reps be an issue ( yes I know the Falcons are in the same boat )

I think we need to win this game running the ball, converting 3rd downs and controlling the clock.  Whatever you want to say about their line and aging QB, the speed of Ridley and Gage scares me.  Slay can handle Ridley, well, as best he can, but we really do not have anyone to deal with Gage's speed.  And are our LB's ready to deal with Pitts, sure he is a rookie, but he is a freak athlete.

I like Warren Sharp's analysis on strength of schedule: https://www.sharpfootballanalysis.com/analysis/2021-nfl-regular-season-schedule-grid-strength-of-schedule/#   He has the Eagles having the toughest first 7 games in the League.  I do think the Eagles have an overall advantage in terms of having more rest than the teams they are playing which is generally an advantage.  I also think they're playing in a Division with a large variable in terms of how good teams are.  Dallas is likely to lose against Tampa to start.  If they start poorly, I think that's a team that will come apart.  They are also playing NO and the Broncos who will have new starting QBs that may prove to be bad. If Jameis is what he was in Tampa is NO the same team that went to the NFC Championship and beat Tampa twice in the regular season? NO has more questions marks at receiver than the Eagles with Michael Thomas being on the PUP.   The 49ers may be starting a rookie QB although aside from the Bucs and Chiefs they may be the best team the Eagles face. It's not an easy schedule but there are some question marks and possibly some games that may be easier than they look now.  

I could see the Eagles only getting 2 wins this season while getting swept by the WFT and Cowboys.  I could also see them winning every division game while also beating the Falcons, Panthers, Lions, Raiders and Jets.  4 wins or less would be disappointing or probably due to key injuries or outright incompetence.  More than 8 wins would be above expectations and due to some luck.   I will say that I am happier with the roster at present than I expected to be.  I think the players seem happy with Sirianni.  Who knows what that means about him as a play caller.  They don't have Greg Roman designing the run game but I do think Stoutland will be able to scheme up an effective running attack.  My expectations are that the team wins about 8 games.  If they don't but the problem is that Hurts is just too limited as a starter, then that wouldn't surprise or concern me.  If they don't win because Sirianni looks overmatched, then that is a bigger concern.  

Just now, downundermike said:

On paper, you would think that should not be a problem, but, will lack of game reps be an issue ( yes I know the Falcons are in the same boat )

I think we need to win this game running the ball, converting 3rd downs and controlling the clock.  Whatever you want to say about their line and aging QB, the speed of Ridley and Gage scares me.  Slay can handle Ridley, well, as best he can, but we really do not have anyone to deal with Gage's speed.  And are our LB's ready to deal with Pitts, sure he is a rookie, but he is a freak athlete.

No

5 minutes ago, TorontoEagle said:

Yeah I could easily be dead wrong on both my choices. I posted it more with a thought of easily coming back later in the year to the front page and seeing how close we were

It would be GREAT for Barnett to finally take that step.  Imagine if both Barnett and Sweat take the next step and they somehow could lock them up for the next 5 years.  

Barnett is 25, Sweat is 24.  BG can walk away from the game and the Eagles could have their bookends.  I doubt it happens but it would be huge.

17 minutes ago, TorontoEagle said:

Who is one player you think will make a big jump this year? 

Who is one player you think will decline significantly, whether due to age/performance/etc?

 

My big jump guy is Barnett. Playing for a contract essentially, I think he'll be as motivated as he can be. As a caveat, I don't like him much, mostly due to his insanely stupid penalties. But I think we could see his max ability this year, as he seems like a guy who would be motivated to get a new contract, here or elsewhere.

My decline guy....Kelce. He's been such a stud for so long, and last year was the only pillar of goodness on offense....unfortunately it feels like his number is going to get called this year by the injury reaper. I hope I'm incredibly wrong, but that's just my gut feeling right now. 

Big jump - Hargrave

Big decline - Cox

7 minutes ago, downundermike said:

And hopefully some posters do not find out

3 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Big jump - Hargrave

Big decline - Cox

Damn erectile dysfunction as you get older