In the Hunt

[time2rock]

In the Hunt

Posted: January 4th, 2022 | Author: Tommy Lawlor 

Back in September, there were a lot of questions. So many questions. Was Nick Sirianni the right coach? Could Jalen Hurts be a good starting quarterback? Did the team have any decent linebackers? Could Jordan Mailata be a good left tackle? Was DeVonta Smith the real deal at receiver? Could this team improve on the disastrous 2020 season?

I was optimistic, but in a limited way.

I don’t know if this team will go 6-11 or 11-6. I do know this team is headed in the right direction. They just feel different.

One of the reasons for optimism is the young talent. Miles Sanders, DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins, Jalen Reagor, Tyree Jackson, Jordan Mailata, Landon Dickerson, Josh Sweat, Milton Williams and Davion Taylor all have a lot of potential. The Eagles aren’t on a full blown youth movement, but the front office and the coaching staff have embraced finding young talent and trying to develop those players.

I hope 2021 is a fun season after the misery of last year. At the least, it should be a lot more interesting, and for the right reasons.

2021 did prove to be a fun season, with the Eagles getting to 9 wins and securing a playoff berth before the final week of the regular season. We need to celebrate what this team has accomplished. This is quite a feat for a rookie head coach with a rookie defensive coordinator and a second year QB.

I know some people will want to play the wet blanket role.

"Making the playoffs isn’t that big of a deal.”

"They beat bad teams with scrub QBs.”

"They’ve got no chance at the Super Bowl.”

Forget that nonsense. Ask a Lions, Jags or Jets fan if they’d like to make the playoffs. You want to get in every time you can. You never know when your team will get hot and go on a run. The 2008 Eagles were a flawed team that snuck into the playoffs and almost made it to the Super Bowl.

The Eagles lost to the good teams they played and beat the bad ones this year. Guess what…that’s how a lot of sports work. You need to beat the bad teams. If you are a high quality team, you beat some good ones as well. This isn’t a vintage Eagles team (2002, 2004, 2010, 2017). They don’t have to apologize for beating who they did. They won enough to get to the playoffs.

Does this team have a chance to make some noise in the postseason? This is not a Super Bowl team. You can look at the Packers and Chiefs and see star QBs with elite receivers. Tampa has that Brady dude. The Cowboys and Rams have multiple stars on both sides of the ball. I don’t see the Eagles beating several good teams in a row.

I do think the Eagles can beat anyone in a game. This team is good on the line of scrimmage and has a playmaking QB. That formula can give anyone a hard time. While the Eagles haven’t beaten a good team so far, Sirianni and Jonathan Gannon were learning about their units when those games were played. This is a different team now that it was in October. The coaches are much improved as well.

Are they good enough to beat Tampa? We’ll find out in a couple of weeks (the Bucs are the most likely opponent).

This team didn’t underachieve, that’s for sure. Sirianni and Jeff Stoutland crafted the league’s top running game. Hurts developed into a solid starting QB. Smith looks like a legit stud receiver. Gannon’s defense, for all its issues, is Top 8 in yards and points allowed. They also are tied for the league lead in defensive TDs.

The ultimate goal is always winning the Super Bowl, but you can still certainly enjoy a season where that doesn’t happen. I loved the 1995 Eagles, who beat the Lions 58-37 in the wild card round. I loved the 2006 team, who also won a wild card game. The 2010 team was incredibly fun and they didn’t win any postseason games.

This team has been frustrating at times, but also a lot of fun. And we still have the season finale and a playoff game. There are no guarantees we’ll see the team win again, but I’m looking forward to seeing if the 2021 Eagles can give us any more memorable moments.

Anything can happen in the posteason and it would be a ton of fun to see this team win a game or two.

Or more.

They’re in the hunt and that means they’ve got a chance.

*****

The Eagles will likely be resting some players on Saturday night so this isn’t a big deal.

They should have the key guys back for the playoff game.

Is it kinda weird for all those guys to go on the list today? Very weird.

http://igglesblitz.com/2022/01/in-the-chase/

[birdman#12]

The eagles really are a wild card in these playoffs.  It was a tale of 2 seasons this year......starting 2-5 and then going 7-2.....negadelphians write that off to an easier schedule but a lot more happened as the year went on then just the schedule.

1) In the earlier games, Sirianni simply didn't run the ball and put all the pressure on Hurts.  TOP suffered, costly turnovers and one dimensional offense cost them games.

2) The defense struggled with the new scheme which is normal until about 6-8 games into the season.  McLeod wasn't fully ready, Wilson was still here and cox wasn't playing up to standard.  Assignments were missed as the LBs and DBs adjusted.  They almost never blitzed.  

3) Sirianni's playcalling seemed oblivious to game situations.  He's improved over the course of the season, but needs to get better.

4) Hurts development as a passer.......he's gradually made progress and he has the right mentality of being calm and unflappable for playoff pressure.

The eagles have gotten better over the course of the season and it wasn't just because to the schedule......they had new coaches, new schemes and an inexperienced QB.  Buy in to new defensive schemes take time, feedback and adjustment are gradual.  And starting the season against QBs like Ryan, Brady, Prescott, Mahommes, Herbert and Carr is going to be tough for any defense.  

The offense developed a much more balanced attack, controlled the ball more and gave the defense more rest and better field position.  

You can't predict what will a happen in the playoffs with a team like the eagles......it seems like a one and done.  But, regardless of who they play, if they run the ball like they have over the last 9 games, if Hurts can be efficient in the passing game....and the defensive line created the pressure they're capable of, the eagles will have a chance in any game.

Those 3 things aren't anything they haven't done.  We don't know what that running game would have changed against TB, KC, Dallas, and SF because they just didn't do it.  And it's a huge part of controlling the ball, TOP,  field position,  resting the defense, and tiring the other team.

I think it'll be fun watching the eagles in the playoffs.......a team nobody expected to be there, and enough young guys who can make it interesting.

 

 

[matchew88]

7 hours ago, birdman#12 said:

The eagles really are a wild card in these playoffs.  It was a tale of 2 seasons this year......starting 2-5 and then going 7-2.....negadelphians write that off to an easier schedule but a lot more happened as the year went on then just the schedule.

1) In the earlier games, Sirianni simply didn't run the ball and put all the pressure on Hurts.  TOP suffered, costly turnovers and one dimensional offense cost them games.

2) The defense struggled with the new scheme which is normal until about 6-8 games into the season.  McLeod wasn't fully ready, Wilson was still here and cox wasn't playing up to standard.  Assignments were missed as the LBs and DBs adjusted.  They almost never blitzed.  

3) Sirianni's playcalling seemed oblivious to game situations.  He's improved over the course of the season, but needs to get better.

4) Hurts development as a passer.......he's gradually made progress and he has the right mentality of being calm and unflappable for playoff pressure.

The eagles have gotten better over the course of the season and it wasn't just because to the schedule......they had new coaches, new schemes and an inexperienced QB.  Buy in to new defensive schemes take time, feedback and adjustment are gradual.  And starting the season against QBs like Ryan, Brady, Prescott, Mahommes, Herbert and Carr is going to be tough for any defense.  

The offense developed a much more balanced attack, controlled the ball more and gave the defense more rest and better field position.  

You can't predict what will a happen in the playoffs with a team like the eagles......it seems like a one and done.  But, regardless of who they play, if they run the ball like they have over the last 9 games, if Hurts can be efficient in the passing game....and the defensive line created the pressure they're capable of, the eagles will have a chance in any game.

Those 3 things aren't anything they haven't done.  We don't know what that running game would have changed against TB, KC, Dallas, and SF because they just didn't do it.  And it's a huge part of controlling the ball, TOP,  field position,  resting the defense, and tiring the other team.

I think it'll be fun watching the eagles in the playoffs.......a team nobody expected to be there, and enough young guys who can make it interesting.

 

 

I look for clues in Hurts' development. Like his throw to Ward last game- the average person will see what looks like an off throw. But navigating the pocket, looking at the receivers, and throwing where there were not defensive players while on the run (which is anticipatory in nature), on a key 3rd down. He just needs to do it in the pocket more.

[nipples]

I don’t really know what to make of this team. Regardless of the schedule, they won enough to get into the playoffs so that’s already a success compared to my low expectations coming into the season. 
 

The schedule was so top-heavy that it’s just really difficult to determine just how much they improved throughout the season. All of the tough games were in the first half of the year, and all of the "easy” games in the second half. That makes it really hard to gauge how much they’ve progressed as a team. 
 

If they get Tampa, which looks likely, I actually think they can win that game. Not saying I think they WILL but I definitely think they CAN. Down two of their big time WRs, just got done struggling against a pathetic Jets team. The defense is still good but don’t think it’s as good as last year’s. Whether the stats prove that out I don’t know, but just by watching their D doesn’t look as good this season to me. 
 

[birdman#12]

18 hours ago, matchew88 said:

I look for clues in Hurts' development. Like his throw to Ward last game- the average person will see what looks like an off throw. But navigating the pocket, looking at the receivers, and throwing where there were not defensive players while on the run (which is anticipatory in nature), on a key 3rd down. He just needs to do it in the pocket more.

Agreed......some passes that look off target can actually be intentional to let the receiver adjust to it....His anticipation has been slow to develop but it is definitely getting better.  And as his reads get faster, and they do have to get faster, he'll start finding the open guy more.  He definitely has a ways to go, but he's not a turnover machine.  That may mean he's not trusting his arm too......but that all comes with experience.

 

[EaglesAddict]

Count me as another one who doesn't know what to make of this team.  On one hand, I think they could have a shot beating any of the NFC playoff teams.  But then my mind always goes back to the first halves of games against the likes of the Giants, Jets and Washington...3 putrid teams and we struggled.  

The rational/logical part of me says this team just isn't ready to compete with the big boys right now and that we will be one and done in the playoffs.  That said, the philosophical part of me says anything can happen once the playoffs start.

We will see what happens.  I'm happy to have a playoff week of Eagles football.