If the Chargers were healthy, they'd crush us. But they're not! A W today and a playoff push is possible.

A playoff push with Hurts makes trading for a franchise QB this off-season MUCH easier. 

This is a tough game to figure.  Chargers have had 2 off games in a row.  Yeah, beat up on the Lions, but it's the Lions and after last week I'm now thinking all those close games they had were better teams playing down to the competition.  I think our change of O and D schemes caught them off guard and unprepared.  Which begs the question, are we going to stick with the run game and stick with the more aggressive attacking D?  Which Eagles team shows up today?

Chargers are BAD vs the run.  Dead last in both YPG (159.6) and YPC (5.1) allowed.  Some have said they gave up the run vs teams like KC, DAL, and LVR to try and contain their passing attacks.  I looked at the box scores and.....not so much.

vs DAL, 198 yds allowed and 6.4 YPC with Dak throwing for 237 for 8.8 YPA

vs KC, 186 for 6.2 YPC with Mahomes throwing for 260 for 5.9 YPA and 2 INTs, so they slowed him down a bit

Against the LVR they had their best overall D game of the season allowing only a bit more than 200 total yards.  Only allowed 48 rush yards for a measly 2.7 YPC while also holding Carr to under 200 yards.  They did enjoy a 35 minute to 25 minute ToP and ran the ball themselves 34 times for 168 yards so that had something to do with it.

They follow up their best effort with their worst vs CLE the next week.  CLE went for 230 yards on the ground for 6.6 YPC with Mayfield throwing for 305 for 9.5 YPA.  So over 500 total yards allowed. 

They also allowed the following in the rest of their games:

vs Wanker Football Team:  126 yards, 4.7 YPC

vs BTL:  187 yards, 4.9 YPC with QB Jackson going 8-51

vs NE:  142 yards, 3.6 YPC

To sort of be fair with the Chargers here's how their opponents rank in rush yards/game:  CLE 1st, DAL 2nd, BTL 3rd, Wanker FT 13th, KC 14th, NE 22nd, and LVR 29th.  So they've played vs some of the best rushing Os and got gouged by them.

Eagles are 7th in rushing YPG (131.6) and 4th in YPC (5.0).  Though, if you take out Hurts' runs then the rest of team has 137 attempts for 621 yards for 4.5 YPC.  He's the leading rusher with 432 yards.  But statistically we're one of the better rushing Os in the League.  Question is do they stick with what worked so well in DET and do it today?  Has Siri and his O coaches finally figured it out.  They have to be near terminally stupid not to run the ball today because:  1-They are good at it while the Chargers are poor at defending it, and 2-It keeps the ball out of their O's hands. 

And to the other side of the coin, can this D slow down the Chargers' O enough and keep the game close to allow the O to keep running the ball or do they let the Chargers cut through them and put the team behind so they have to throw the ball to play catch up?  Both sides of the ball have to play well today to have a chance.  One falters and they don't have much of a chance.  Since our D has yet to show they can slow down a good QB and O then I don't expect to see it today.  Plus, while the Chargers are only 18th in rush yards/game, they are 8th in YPC so they are effective when they do run the ball.  Double edged sword.

@LeanMeanGM

Chargers 31

Eagles 26 - score a late TD but miss the 2pt conversion trying to get it to a FG game

I think they keep it close for the 1st QTR, but steadily the Chargers O puts the pressure on and keeps getting points forcing the Eagles to throw more and by the 4th QTR they're down 2 scores.

Bonus:  Both Gainwell and Ekeler have 1 rush TD and 1 receiving TD

 

The Dolphins are going into today's game with Tua as the backup QB. Brissett has had hamstring issues all year. What could go wrong?

13 minutes ago, RLC said:

If the Chargers were healthy, they'd crush us. But they're not! A W today and a playoff push is possible.

A playoff push with Hurts makes trading for a franchise QB this off-season MUCH easier. 

It would be more of a playoff stumble than push.  Or the balance of our schedule dragging us into the neighborhood of the playoffs.  
 

But hey…there was shame in winning the 2020 NFCE.  There is never shame in winning the wildcard.  If they find a way, it’s impressive.  Although…are there still about 16 wild card teams this year?  

@LeanMeanGM

Chargers 31

Eagles- 23

1 minute ago, eagle45 said:

It would be more of a playoff stumble than push.  Or the balance of our schedule dragging us into the neighborhood of the playoffs.  

Players don't look at it that way. 

16 minutes ago, RLC said:

If the Chargers were healthy, they'd crush us. But they're not! A W today and a playoff push is possible.

A playoff push with Hurts makes trading for a franchise QB this off-season MUCH easier. 

Do not want to get to the playoffs

14 minutes ago, RLC said:

The Dolphins are going into today's game with Tua as the backup QB. Brissett has had hamstring issues all year. What could go wrong?

Tua is out

21 hours ago, schuy7 said:

Pickett really isn't all that accurate. He misses some relatively routine throws pretty often.

Man I don't like Pickett much at all. I'm not super high on DE Karlaftis either so you can chalk these two players up as two of our picks. 

17 minutes ago, RLC said:

If the Chargers were healthy, they'd crush us. But they're not! A W today and a playoff push is possible.

A playoff push with Hurts makes trading for a franchise QB this off-season MUCH easier. 

Or... sets Howie's job security in concrete.  

 

I'm not rooting against the Eagles... but at the same time, I am happy to see Howie reap what he's sown with this franchise.  

1 minute ago, 4for4EaglesNest said:

How?  It makes it less likely.  

I think that goes to Howie and lurie thinking that if they had a better quarterback that they could’ve had a better seed, won a playoff game and been a contender. I can totally see those two thinking that

Damn even Fox is overkill today with the sad puff pieces 

You guys can call it a playoff stumble or setting the team back because Howie would keep his job. I want to see Sirianni, his coaching staff and the players improve over the second half of the season. That, unfortunately to a lot in here, would be a bad thing. 

3 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

You guys can call it a playoff stumble or setting the team back because Howie would keep his job. I want to see Sirianni, his coaching staff and the players improve over the second half of the season. That, unfortunately to a lot in here, would be a bad thing. 

For that to happen, he needs to bench Hurts. 

Just now, EaglePhan1986 said:

For that to happen, he needs to bench Hurts. 

Oh, I have no optimism Hurts is the guy, so playing Minshew would be a welcomed sight. 

I agree that eagles should run the ball today, chargers run d isn't very good and they are also down their 3 top corners so I could see Lowie and Siri passing 60 times in an attempted shootout they'll lose.

1 minute ago, Utebird said:

I agree that eagles should run the ball today, chargers run d isn't very good and they are also down their too 3 corners so I could see Lowie and Siri passing 60 times in an attempted shootout they'll lose.

I think they're on their 3rd stringers at CB

10 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

You guys can call it a playoff stumble or setting the team back because Howie would keep his job. I want to see Sirianni, his coaching staff and the players improve over the second half of the season. That, unfortunately to a lot in here, would be a bad thing. 

Just beware looking too much for that as the schedule gets alot easier

3 minutes ago, Mike030270 said:

I think they're on their 3rd stringers at CB

Yup, I'm not sure siri and Lowie can fight the temptation to pass all game but we'll see.

3 minutes ago, Mike030270 said:

I think they're on their 3rd stringers at CB

The problem is that doesn't matter pre-snap.  They're still bodies in the same position as the starters would be so it's still going to look the same to Hurts.  Having backup DBs in doesn't make Hurts better at reading a D or getting the ball out on time or not feeling phantom pressure.  A couple other teams had starting DBs missing and it didn't help us much.  Running the ball and play action would help more.

 

52 minutes ago, greendestiny27 said:

Man I don't like Pickett much at all. I'm not super high on DE Karlaftis either so you can chalk these two players up as two of our picks. 

McKee from Stanford missed Friday’s game if he stays in school, he’s got the size and attributes to be a top pick in 2023.  McCall missed yesterdays game as well, but we did get Jurkovec back from injury much earlier than anticipated, so that’s a positive for possible 2022 QB’s if he leaves college. 
 Pickett and Corral are the only two I can see going round 1, unless someone still loves Sam Howell.    Willis by now has to have put himself in the 2nd round if not later, he had 3 games with 3 interceptions this season. 

 Strong and Pickett have been my guys all season, and Strong gets killed for his athleticism, if you watch him run and move around the pocket he’s either less athletic than Tom Brady, or as I believe it’s his knee problem, which is going to kill him at the draft, but he’s accurate and his arm strength by most if not all scouts resembles Herberts. 

 Pickett has been really good, they don’t have a crazy offense at Pitt that gets 3 WR’s open on nearly every play.  I don’t believe he has a great arm though, adequate but definitely not elite and two gloves or not, NFL teams count hand size for a QB very high on their list and considering the NFL ball is bigger, it’s going to hurt his draft slot.  His accuracy is fine, he rushes some throws because his O line isn’t very good, it’s not Stanford or Miami Dolphins bad, but it’s ehh. 

Fans not showing up = change. 

17 hours ago, 4for4EaglesNest said:

Liberthal never lived up to the hype I thought.  Not the same era.  But I was so hyped for Ricky Jordan.  I thought he was cool.  Another guy who flamed out.  

Lieberthal was good catcher for a long career but never had a really great season. When I think of players falling short of expectations, I think Von Hayes  has to be at the top. 

Anyone have a stream? The site I use has multiple for every game, but not a single one for Philly.

Bradshaw keeping it real