25 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

9-8 = mediocre.

3 1st round picks only matter if you can convert them into talent.  Howie has proven he can't find players in the teens and 20s.  

"Top" trade chip in Dillard?  Let's see what he actually returns.  He's a limited guy as an LT only.  He's getting older for a guy with so few starts.  Hardly a guy that teams are banging down the door to acquire, which is why he hasn't been dealt yet.

 

BTW... the only time Howie seems to be able to find studs in the draft is when picking in the top 10.  And when drafting later, even when studs fall into his lap, he passes on them to take lesser talents.

I really hope this doesn't mean Howie trades up into the top ten because he's afraid of screwing up 3 picks...

4 hours ago, bitbased said:

Bad way to start my morning. Missed my flight because it took an hour to get through security at the Lehigh Valley airport at 5am. Good times.

 

23 hours ago, justrelax said:

When you're playing with 10 McDonalds All-Americans every year you're supposed to win. 

The rivalry has changed over the years.  The UNC teams of the 80's and 90's were the teams that had the NBA prospects and early entrants.  I think a big part of the difference in play was Carolina has always had a focus on transition offense.  Dean Smith developed Carolina Fast Break offense.  Duke's teams played defense to slow down that transition attack.  Even Coach K's McDonald's All-American laden teams of the late 80's and early 90's weren't really fast break teams.   One of the ways Coach K coached his teams was to emphasize flopping to draw offensive fouls.  They also would notoriously hand check on defense.  This combined with Coach K's incessant working of the refs fueled the rivalry.  The most hated Duke players weren't by Carolina fans weren't the best ones but the ones they thought were the dirtiest.  Wojo is probably an all-time top 10 hated Duke player.  He was just a tough defender that committed about 35 fouls a game.  None of which were called because Coach K was working the refs.  In the late 90's the Duke teams and to some extent the playing styles changed.  I don't think there were any Duke underclassmen that entered the draft before Elton Brand did it in 99.   In the early 00's Duke started getting more of the early entrants and All-Americans. Duke' game changed.  They were not the same the same half-court offenses and the hand checking seemed to stop. Really since the one and done rule UNC and Duke are recruiting the same players and playing similar styles.  Duke is still a bunch of floppers duping refs on the take from Coach K but not the same kind of dirty players.  

17 minutes ago, Ipiggles said:

AGAIN

Agree- JJAW most likely wont make the cut this year, Reagor gets his 3rd year since it really is only like his rookie season. 

I don't see how JJAW will make it especially since we just got his replacement

16 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

I don't even think it's that big of a thing.  Winning games in the playoffs is a big thing.  Outside of 2017, the Eagles have 1 playoff win in the other 9 years.   That's terrible.   And you are correct, it lulls Lowie into this false sense of achievement.

People will bring up the Giants wildcard run to the SB so many years ago

13 minutes ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

It won't change until we get an answer at QB.

Or an elite defense that can carry the team

9 hours ago, austinfan said:

Why don't you do a search on Google scholar, there's a huge literature - don't depend on "think tanks," most of which are just biased ideological mouthpieces.

 

I don't bother with think tanks, I study crime, it's my biggest hobby. I follow the facts and the data to form an opinion.

9 hours ago, austinfan said:

These don't "enable" addicts, they keep addicts alive, 100+K deaths from overdoses last year dwarfs the deaths from violent crimes.

You can't cure a dead addict, and a sick addict (Hep C, HIV, etc.) is an expensive burden.

Prohibition didn't work with alcohol, so why repeat with drugs (alcohol and nicotine are highly addictive drugs)?

Better idea is to triple the budget for brain chemistry research so we can understand why some people are vulnerable to addiction (most people who use drugs DON'T get addicted), and find "cures" that can help reverse that addiction. Finance it through drug taxes, and put addicts on maintenance doses rather than have them buy fenatyl laced drugs on the street.

Drugs are as old as mankind, they've found traces going back to the Neolithic, in fact, there's evidence that in the Old Temple, them ancient Hebrews were burning pot as part of religious ceremonies (at a site south of Jerusalem about the time of the Second Temple). So for all we know, Jesus was eating some interesting things in the desert.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-52847175

https://www.timesofisrael.com/1st-high-ancient-israelites-at-biblical-shrine-used-cannabis-to-spark-ecstasy/

Supervised injection sites may prevent OD deaths in certain instances, but it's still enabling addiction and homelessness. If you're an addict, you're going to be at risk of death. The goal is to get addicts off drugs and/or off the streets. If you keep enabling the addiction of those on drugs, nothing will change. It's just prolonging their condition until they ultimately die anyway. Whether it be from drugs, or issues related to being on the streets or being generally unwell.

8 hours ago, austinfan said:

This is known as "talking out of your ass."

Do some homework. It's not hard, there are numerous studies out there that are a lot more persuasive than some half baked opinion.

The proper answer is "it's complicated."

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8652504/

https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3900229

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/10345329.2021.1879414

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11524-021-00605-3

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Shila-Hawk/publication/345810398_Evaluating_fluctuations_in_homicide_crowdsourcing_trends_and_assessing_sentiments_of_change_Evaluating_fluctuations_in_homicide_crowdsourcing_trends_and_assessing_sentiments_of_change/links/5fae9369299bf18c5b709909/Evaluating-fluctuations-in-homicide-crowdsourcing-trends-and-assessing-sentiments-of-change-Evaluating-fluctuations-in-homicide-crowdsourcing-trends-and-assessing-sentiments-of-change.pdf

https://www.hoplofobia.info/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/2020-The-Effect-of-Police-Layoffs-on-Crime.pdf

https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/full/10.1146/annurev-criminol-060520-033306

I've done plenty of homework on it. The crime spike started the same week of the George Floyd riots. That is a fact. Violent crime and homicides continue to rise this year, 2 years removed from the height of the pandemic and unemployment is down. It had little to do with unemployment. At least homicides and violent crime. Unemployment has fluctuated throughout the decades, but since 1960 violent crime and crime in general has risen. After the recession in 2008, unemployment shot up, but in the 2010 decade we had the 2nd best decade ever in the US for crime(per capita) and best ever for homicides. That is right off the heels of a major recession and mass unemployment. Like I told you, unemployment was down in other countries, and crime went down. Why? Because everyone was locked inside. People were afraid.

4 minutes ago, Mike030270 said:

 

People will bring up the Giants wildcard run to the SB so many years ago

 

Just to point out if the eagles go 9-8 this year then they’d be 40-41-1 since their SB (5 seasons). The giants in the 5 seasons following their super bowl in 2011: 39-41

6 minutes ago, WentzFan11 said:

What the heck. 

Why not see if he can catch the ball.  

22 minutes ago, bitbased said:

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2022-nfl-two-round-mock-draft-desmond-ridder-atlanta-falcons-chris-olave-justin-fields-chicago-bears

The new PFF mock is bizarre. Also I hate our picks as a unit, not so much the players themselves. Jordan Davis going past us is not realistic. Trading down from #16 to the Bears and apparently not picking up their 2nd round pick is odd.

WTH is Chicago trading the Eagles to move up? I would be disappointed with London in the first round.  I think Safety in the second round is fine.  I would be OK with Lloyd but surprised.  

2 minutes ago, NCiggles said:

Why not see if he can catch the ball.  

WTH is Chicago trading the Eagles to move up? I would be disappointed with London in the first round.  I think Safety in the second round is fine.  I would be OK with Lloyd but surprised.  

It would be a trade up from 39 to 16, so the assumption would be a 2023 1st, I guess.

4 minutes ago, NCiggles said:

Why not see if he can catch the ball.  

WTH is Chicago trading the Eagles to move up? I would be disappointed with London in the first round.  I think Safety in the second round is fine.  I would be OK with Lloyd but surprised.  

Nick Foles

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

Just to point out if the eagles go 9-8 this year then they’d be 40-41-1 since their SB (5 seasons). The giants in the 5 seasons following their super bowl in 2011: 39-41

As a numbers guy, I'd point out that you have an outlier (4-11-1) contorting the trend.

Aside from 2020, they've been a decent yet flawed team.  In between championship contender and dumpster fire.

Just now, LeanMeanGM said:

Nick Foles

16 minutes ago, NCiggles said:

The rivalry has changed over the years.  The UNC teams of the 80's and 90's were the teams that had the NBA prospects and early entrants.  I think a big part of the difference in play was Carolina has always had a focus on transition offense.  Dean Smith developed Carolina Fast Break offense.  Duke's teams played defense to slow down that transition attack.  Even Coach K's McDonald's All-American laden teams of the late 80's and early 90's weren't really fast break teams.   One of the ways Coach K coached his teams was to emphasize flopping to draw offensive fouls.  They also would notoriously hand check on defense.  This combined with Coach K's incessant working of the refs fueled the rivalry.  The most hated Duke players weren't by Carolina fans weren't the best ones but the ones they thought were the dirtiest.  Wojo is probably an all-time top 10 hated Duke player.  He was just a tough defender that committed about 35 fouls a game.  None of which were called because Coach K was working the refs.  In the late 90's the Duke teams and to some extent the playing styles changed.  I don't think there were any Duke underclassmen that entered the draft before Elton Brand did it in 99.   In the early 00's Duke started getting more of the early entrants and All-Americans. Duke' game changed.  They were not the same the same half-court offenses and the hand checking seemed to stop. Really since the one and done rule UNC and Duke are recruiting the same players and playing similar styles.  Duke is still a bunch of floppers duping refs on the take from Coach K but not the same kind of dirty players.  

Nice post. Coach K learned from Bobby Knight, both the good and the bad, and the bad was very bad.

12 minutes ago, Connecticut Eagle said:

As a numbers guy, I'd point out that you have an outlier (4-11-1) contorting the trend.

Aside from 2020, they've been a decent yet flawed team.  In between championship contender and dumpster fire.

I’d point out the giants had a 11 win season in there and missed the playoffs at 9-7 whereas the eagles have made the playoffs 3 times with 9 wins. The eagles have yet to have a double digit win regular season since that super bowl. I’d also argue the nfc east in 2020 when they went 4-11-1 was the worst it’s been in over 20 years (and it frankly wasn’t all that good in 2019 either). To point out the giants went 6-10 in 2014 but had a 12 and 10 win team in the division. The eagles had 4 wins with the division winner having 7 wins and second place 6. 

39 minutes ago, bitbased said:

https://www.pff.com/news/draft-2022-nfl-two-round-mock-draft-desmond-ridder-atlanta-falcons-chris-olave-justin-fields-chicago-bears

The new PFF mock is bizarre. Also I hate our picks as a unit, not so much the players themselves. Jordan Davis going past us is not realistic. Trading down from #16 to the Bears and apparently not picking up their 2nd round pick is odd.

They have Stingley going 3rd overall. I understand how some people wish the draft would go, or that they think they know better than NFL teams, but I don’t understand mocking a draft in a way that will never happen in reality. What’s even the point?

Bengals played a weaker schedule than the Eagles last year. Should they have given their rings back if they won the SB?

Howie wasn't fooled, he's said repeatedly that they're still rebuilding, but this is the NFL, where a few moves can set you up for a deep playoff run - and their schedule should be below average in strength again this season, though one never knows. So he keeps Graham, Cox and Harris around on effectively one year deals, adds White and Riddick, and gets to draft some players who can have an immediate impact. Set the team up for a potential PO run without mortgaging the future.

Dillard will have value, LT is a premium position, and there's enough film to project him as at least an average starter (which means there's probably a half dozen teams looking closely at him, if they can't land an OT early in the draft). The option year adds value, b/c if he is a starting caliber LT, that option year will be a lot cheaper than signing a FA LT.

Running QBs have value, Ravens scored 531 and 468 points with Jackson at QB, that first year Ingram at RB, but Andrews at TE was their leading receiver with 852 yards. The second season, Edwards and Dobbins at RB, Marquis Brown with 769 yards and Andrews with 701 yards.

We'll see what Sirianni comes up with this fall, but the OL should be excellent, add a power back to pair with Sanders, a WR and a H-back. Don't even need to use a 1st or 2nd rd pick.

Strong running game, Smith, Watkins, Pascal, 4th WR, Goedert, Stoll, H-back, Hurts won't have to walk on water to make that offense work.

 

9 minutes ago, austinfan said:

Bengals played a weaker schedule than the Eagles last year. Should they have given their rings back if they won the SB?

Howie wasn't fooled, he's said repeatedly that they're still rebuilding, but this is the NFL, where a few moves can set you up for a deep playoff run - and their schedule should be below average in strength again this season, though one never knows. So he keeps Graham, Cox and Harris around on effectively one year deals, adds White and Riddick, and gets to draft some players who can have an immediate impact. Set the team up for a potential PO run without mortgaging the future.

Dillard will have value, LT is a premium position, and there's enough film to project him as at least an average starter (which means there's probably a half dozen teams looking closely at him, if they can't land an OT early in the draft). The option year adds value, b/c if he is a starting caliber LT, that option year will be a lot cheaper than signing a FA LT.

Running QBs have value, Ravens scored 531 and 468 points with Jackson at QB, that first year Ingram at RB, but Andrews at TE was their leading receiver with 852 yards. The second season, Edwards and Dobbins at RB, Marquis Brown with 769 yards and Andrews with 701 yards.

We'll see what Sirianni comes up with this fall, but the OL should be excellent, add a power back to pair with Sanders, a WR and a H-back. Don't even need to use a 1st or 2nd rd pick.

Strong running game, Smith, Watkins, Pascal, 4th WR, Goedert, Stoll, H-back, Hurts won't have to walk on water to make that offense work.

 

What kind of stupid strawman nonsense is this? 
 

Did you happen to take notice that the Bengals actually won three post season games? Two on the road?

How did we do? We weren’t even remotely competitive in our game. 

2 minutes ago, EagleJoe8 said:

What kind of stupid strawman nonsense is this? 
 

Did you happen to take notice that the Bengals actually won three post season games? Two on the road?

How did we do? We weren’t even remotely competitive in our game. 

And that weaker schedule

Eagles opponents, 112-125-1

Bengals opponents, 110-126-2

Pretty much the same.

8 minutes ago, downundermike said:

And that weaker schedule

Eagles opponents, 112-125-1

Bengals opponents, 110-126-2

Pretty much the same.

bengals vs. playoff teams in regular season 4-2

eagles vs. playoff teams in regular season 0-6

bengals in playoffs 3-1

Eagles in playoffs 0-1 down 31-0 

let me just point out it was joe burrow’s first playoff games and only played 9.5 games in 2020. So he technically he was rookie for about half of 2021……. 

42 minutes ago, Mike030270 said:

I don't see how JJAW will make it especially since we just got his replacement

People will bring up the Giants wildcard run to the SB so many years ago

Or an elite defense that can carry the team

Yup, proof by anecdote and outliers.    That's an afan specialty.  Ignore the 90%, focus on the 10%... but only when it's favorable to Howie and Co.

18 minutes ago, austinfan said:

Running QBs have value, Ravens scored 531 and 468 points with Jackson at QB, that first year Ingram at RB, but Andrews at TE was their leading receiver with 852 yards. The second season, Edwards and Dobbins at RB, Marquis Brown with 769 yards and Andrews with 701 yards.

You really want the Eagles to follow the Ravens model??  

The Ravens are the perfect illustration of regular season vs postseason success.  They rolled through the 2019 season 14-2 and were demolished in their first postseason game, by the #6 seed.  They were down 28-6 going into the 4th quarter.  Completely non-competitive.  A run-centric offense can work great during the season where the defense wants to stop you.  In the playoffs, where the defense needs to shut it down -- the run-centric offense gets shut down.  From 14-2 they've gone downhill to 11-5 in 2020 and 8-9 in 2021.

It's also virtually indisputable that Lamar Jackson is a more dynamic runner than Jalen Hurts, and a much more efficient passer than Hurts.  If the Ravens didn't make it work in the playoffs, the Eagles certainly won't be able to with an inferior QB talent.

32 minutes ago, austinfan said:

Bengals played a weaker schedule than the Eagles last year. Should they have given their rings back if they won the SB?

Howie wasn't fooled, he's said repeatedly that they're still rebuilding, but this is the NFL, where a few moves can set you up for a deep playoff run - and their schedule should be below average in strength again this season, though one never knows. So he keeps Graham, Cox and Harris around on effectively one year deals, adds White and Riddick, and gets to draft some players who can have an immediate impact. Set the team up for a potential PO run without mortgaging the future.

Dillard will have value, LT is a premium position, and there's enough film to project him as at least an average starter (which means there's probably a half dozen teams looking closely at him, if they can't land an OT early in the draft). The option year adds value, b/c if he is a starting caliber LT, that option year will be a lot cheaper than signing a FA LT.

Running QBs have value, Ravens scored 531 and 468 points with Jackson at QB, that first year Ingram at RB, but Andrews at TE was their leading receiver with 852 yards. The second season, Edwards and Dobbins at RB, Marquis Brown with 769 yards and Andrews with 701 yards.

We'll see what Sirianni comes up with this fall, but the OL should be excellent, add a power back to pair with Sanders, a WR and a H-back. Don't even need to use a 1st or 2nd rd pick.

Strong running game, Smith, Watkins, Pascal, 4th WR, Goedert, Stoll, H-back, Hurts won't have to walk on water to make that offense work.

Nice straw man to start.  Always makes me excited to read the rest of the straw.

 

No one is suggesting that they can win games in the regular season.  Likely going to get 8 wins almost by default... trouble will come against quality opponents and that's what we'll face in the playoffs.  Hurts needs to learn how to pass... not walk or run.  

 

Ravens' playoff record with Jackson, 1-3.  Apparently, running QBs don't have the value you think they do.   Unless your goal is just to get into the playoffs and then get embarrassed in them.

With the exception of RTK I'm rather certain nobody here is expecting Hurts to walk on water.  It would be nice if he learned to swim on his own and didn't need a life preserver around him.  Until he proves he can at least tread water then we have the right to be skeptical of him. 

As far as making a few moves to set up the team for a playoff run this year just because we have a weak schedule (on paper right now it looks OK, but all those bad teams can improve enough to make the outcome a little more 50/50) and then hope to get lucky in the playoffs playing real quality teams, that's wishful thinking.  We showed last season we're not close to being on the same level as actual playoff teams where we backdoored it with the extra 7th seed.  We've added 2 FA D players who both could help upgrade the D, while we have some players on the wrong side of 30 who are a year older.  We have a bunch of young DBs (mostly mid/late round type of guys) we brought in to compete for starting jobs and we don't know what they can contribute if anything.  On O we've brought in a FA WR who can be solid, not spectacular or game changing.  Howie still has to make good draft picks and the biggest concern is still the QB play of Hurts.  He has to show major improvement this season.  Not just slight improvement, but an almost quantum leap of an improvement.  That's the biggest obstacle that can hold this team back. 

Put it all together and it doesn't look like we've done enough to beat a division winner on the road as a WC playoff team.  So many things have to fall into place and turn out right for the Eagles to make any type of playoff run. 

33 minutes ago, austinfan said:

Bengals played a weaker schedule than the Eagles last year. Should they have given their rings back if they won the SB?

Howie wasn't fooled, he's said repeatedly that they're still rebuilding, but this is the NFL, where a few moves can set you up for a deep playoff run - and their schedule should be below average in strength again this season, though one never knows. So he keeps Graham, Cox and Harris around on effectively one year deals, adds White and Riddick, and gets to draft some players who can have an immediate impact. Set the team up for a potential PO run without mortgaging the future.

Dillard will have value, LT is a premium position, and there's enough film to project him as at least an average starter (which means there's probably a half dozen teams looking closely at him, if they can't land an OT early in the draft). The option year adds value, b/c if he is a starting caliber LT, that option year will be a lot cheaper than signing a FA LT.

Running QBs have value, Ravens scored 531 and 468 points with Jackson at QB, that first year Ingram at RB, but Andrews at TE was their leading receiver with 852 yards. The second season, Edwards and Dobbins at RB, Marquis Brown with 769 yards and Andrews with 701 yards.

We'll see what Sirianni comes up with this fall, but the OL should be excellent, add a power back to pair with Sanders, a WR and a H-back. Don't even need to use a 1st or 2nd rd pick.

Strong running game, Smith, Watkins, Pascal, 4th WR, Goedert, Stoll, H-back, Hurts won't have to walk on water to make that offense work.

 

Your own argument concedes that Hurts is the limiting factor for the offense.

35 minutes ago, austinfan said:

Bengals played a weaker schedule than the Eagles last year. Should they have given their rings back if they won the SB?

Howie wasn't fooled, he's said repeatedly that they're still rebuilding, but this is the NFL, where a few moves can set you up for a deep playoff run - and their schedule should be below average in strength again this season, though one never knows. So he keeps Graham, Cox and Harris around on effectively one year deals, adds White and Riddick, and gets to draft some players who can have an immediate impact. Set the team up for a potential PO run without mortgaging the future.

Dillard will have value, LT is a premium position, and there's enough film to project him as at least an average starter (which means there's probably a half dozen teams looking closely at him, if they can't land an OT early in the draft). The option year adds value, b/c if he is a starting caliber LT, that option year will be a lot cheaper than signing a FA LT.

Running QBs have value, Ravens scored 531 and 468 points with Jackson at QB, that first year Ingram at RB, but Andrews at TE was their leading receiver with 852 yards. The second season, Edwards and Dobbins at RB, Marquis Brown with 769 yards and Andrews with 701 yards.

We'll see what Sirianni comes up with this fall, but the OL should be excellent, add a power back to pair with Sanders, a WR and a H-back. Don't even need to use a 1st or 2nd rd pick.

Strong running game, Smith, Watkins, Pascal, 4th WR, Goedert, Stoll, H-back, Hurts won't have to walk on water to make that offense work.

 

 Of all the afan posts in the blog, this is the afaniest 

20 minutes ago, greend said:

 Of all the afan posts in the blog, this is the afaniest 

Yup.  Completely overvaluing the players here.  They are all All-Pros, just the rest of the league hasn't figured it out yet.  Someday they will.