Depth Test

[time2rock]

Depth Test

Posted: December 28th, 2021 | Author: Tommy Lawlor 

Football is the ultimate game of attrition, especially in the time of Covid. You need star players, good starters, but also good depth. The Eagles have had pretty good injury luck this year, but they might be tested this week.

 

The 8-7 Eagles go to Washington on Sunday and will be missing Miles Sanders. They might be missing Jordan Howard (stinger), Derek Barnett and Tarron Jackson. That’s not ideal.

The RB situation is especially key because the Eagles are now a running team. Even if Howard is able to play, you want to limit his touches. That could mean a lot of work for Boston Scott and Kenny Gainwell. Jason Huntley is on the practice squad and could be elevated for this game.

Scott has been a feature back before. He had 19 carries in a game back in 2019. He’s had 15 carries in a game three times, including twice this year. Gainwell has been more of a specialist for the second half of the season. He was a key part of the offense early on. This could be a big hance for him. Gainwell isn’t a physical, pounding runner, but he is a talented player. The coaches can have plays to take advantage of his skills.

Huntley has five career carries so he is the real mystery man.

Sanders won’t go on IR so the Eagles have to decide if they want to add another RB. That would mean making a roster move to free up a spot. There aren’t going to be many good choices right now. I’m sure Howie Roseman and the scouts have a list of names, but don’t expect any miracles.

The DL might get Ryan Kerrigan back from the Covid list. It is fair to question whether that matters since he has been completely disappointing this year. No sacks, one TFL and only 3 total tackles. Rookie Tarron Jackson has played less, but has 14 tackles, 2 TFLs and a sack.

The Eagles do have some flexibility. Milton Williams practiced a lot at DE this summer. He and Josh Sweat could be the DEs. Cameron Malveaux is on the PS right now, but played vs the Giants. Malveaux (#59) played 34 snaps on defense. He had a tackle and 2 QB hits. I thought he showed some good things. Malveaux could be the primary backup.

The Eagles could go with a 3-man line and use OLBs more in this game. Genard Avery played his best game of the year on Sunday. He’s not suddenly a star, but he was disruptive and that’s the best thing you can say about a DL or LB. Rookie Patrick Johnson didn’t play much at all. He could get more time.

If Barnett misses the game, that will affect the defense. He hasn’t panned out as hoped, but he is a solid starter.

The Eagles are trying to be proactive in dealing with Covid to avoid breakouts like some other teams have had.

That is a smart move. We’ve seen too many third string QBs this year and teams have no shot to win with them.

The game on Sunday is critical because as crazy as it sounds, the Eagles could clinch a playoff berth with a win and a couple of other things.

Washington looked awful on Sunday night, but that scares me. Ron Rivera is a veteran coach and they have some talented players. That group could come together and look at Sunday as their Super Bowl. Pro athletes don’t like being embarrassed. Rivera will push every button he can to get his guys fired up. That was just a dreadful game and one they’ll want to use as motivation.

Check out the below chart to figure out all the possibilities. Deniz is the man when it comes to keeping track of all this. Give him a follow on Twitter for all his up to the minute updates.

How funny is it to think there is even a possibility the Eagles could clinch this week and then rest starters in the season finale? When this team was 2-5, that would have seemed like lunacy. Give Nick Sirianni and his players a ton of credit for turning things around.

http://igglesblitz.com/2021/12/depth-test/

[Procus]

11 minutes ago, time2rock said:

Football is the ultimate game of attrition

One of the things I don't care for in football more and more as I get older.  I cringe when I see a player go down - on any team.  Too often we lose sight of the fact that players are human beings, not just pieces on the teams we root for or root against.

[birdman#12]

16 minutes ago, Procus said:

One of the things I don't care for in football more and more as I get older.  I cringe when I see a player go down - on any team.  Too often we lose sight of the fact that players are human beings, not just pieces on the teams we root for or root against.

I don't think many people lose sight of the fact that they are human beings.......it's just that everybody knows that pro football is a extremely rough and dangerous occupation, in the same thought that fireman, police, military, and dozens of other everyday jobs are dangerous jobs too.  Nobody forced them into the career.  They chose to pursue it.  And players get paid better than all the previous careers and they receive the best medical care money can buy.

I don't want to see anybody get injured/wounded...cops, firemen or soldiers......but we don't watch them every sunday like football players.  

My point is that, in football, it's truly is part of the game.....and everybody knows that the vast majority of guys who get injured will be back relatively quickly.

 

[Procus]

1 hour ago, birdman#12 said:

I don't think many people lose sight of the fact that they are human beings.......it's just that everybody knows that pro football is a extremely rough and dangerous occupation, in the same thought that fireman, police, military, and dozens of other everyday jobs are dangerous jobs too.  Nobody forced them into the career.  They chose to pursue it.  And players get paid better than all the previous careers and they receive the best medical care money can buy.

I don't want to see anybody get injured/wounded...cops, firemen or soldiers......but we don't watch them every sunday like football players.  

My point is that, in football, it's truly is part of the game.....and everybody knows that the vast majority of guys who get injured will be back relatively quickly.

 

And so many of them have their lives and quality of life shortened as a result of the game.  Look, I'm in the same boat as everybody else and love watching football, but it really is this era's version of gladiator sports

[birdman#12]

1 hour ago, Procus said:

And so many of them have their lives and quality of life shortened as a result of the game.  Look, I'm in the same boat as everybody else and love watching football, but it really is this era's version of gladiator sports

There are consequences to many dangerous career choices...........but I think that because it's an entertainment career, it should be safer or not as dangerous or something.   We see crabbers in Alaska with a 100% injury rate, soldiers who weren't wounded, but with huge knee and back problems from hauling their equipment and PTSD, dockworkers and freight handlers with all kinds of injuries.......the list is seemingly endless....it's just that it's not on TV every sunday and talked about over multiple radio and TV shows.

But many of us have played sports and outdoor activities and we just accept the injuries as being a part of it, and probably likely to happen.  Many people suffer injuries that hamper them for the rest of their lives but very few regret participating in the activity.  How many people do you know who've been injured at work or playing sports but go back to it and don't really regret the choices they made.

Aggressive sports have always been great entertainment and a certain bonding thing for many people and cultures.  Gladiator were basically slaves FORCED to fight to the death, hardly a good comparison.  

I'm not callous to what you're saying.....I think college football programs and the NFL should make it very clear to players coming in, that the injury rate is high, the wear on the body is substantial and the long term effects can be very serious.  But it's still a choice a player has to make......and love of the game and the chance of a pro career can be enticing, especially to young men who feel like they can take on the world.

I think that is now being conveyed to young player and parents....and participation is down in the younger ranks.  But I doubt that it will have much effect on the college and pro games.