EMB Blog: 2022 OTAs thru Pre-Season

[Iggles_Phan]

2 minutes ago, Thrive said:

Got it. His head coach said nobody was open on the play though, right? So are you saying you just wanted him to buy time for someone to come open? 
 

He got hit anyway so it’s a moot point but if nobody is open on a play, I’m not sure I want him sitting in the pocket either. 

No, it's not a moot point.  He needs better pocket awareness.  His escape of the pocket unnecessarily is completely separate from whether someone was open or not.  Maybe hanging in the pocket an extra second allows one of the receivers to uncover.  It clearly looked like hanging in the pocket longer would have opened up a running lane straight up the middle for him to get what he could and then get down well before contact.  

The result is far less important to me than the process in this case.  The process was, he didn't trust the protection and bailed way too soon.  And he bailed out the back of the pocket and gave ground he didn't need to.  An incomplete pass from the pocket leaves them at 4th and 5 on the fringe of FG range with a reasonable conversion opportunity or a reasonably high percentage FG chance (by today's standards... weird to think that a 52 yard FG these days is nearly routine... but that's what it is now.)

The preseason to me is much more about process, especially for Hurts than results.  He needs to work on developing his game from the pocket.  We know he can run.  He knows he can run.  The league knows he can run.  But, what about playing from the pocket?  What about proving that he can read the field, unlike what the opposing coach said during the playoff game?  I just wanted to see more growth than I did in that series.  To me, 1st and 2nd down were nice.  But 3rd downs are the money downs in the NFL.  And in the one opportunity on 3rd down that he had, I didn't think he did a particularly good job.  Looked like what we saw a lot last year.  There's still time to improve.  But that play in particular didn't indicate growth to me.

[LeanMeanGM]

1 hour ago, Swoop said:

While we're kind of on the subject...

Where would you put JJaw on the list of all time Eagles busts? He's certainly up there.

Depends on what criteria you are using. The thing that sucks the most is the two studs that went shortly after him, but that is kind of unfair to JJAW 

[Iggles_Phan]

8 minutes ago, Thrive said:

Fair enough. Throwing the ball out of bounds would have been the best option there. But calling it a bad rep when nobody was open seems harsh to me.

I called it a bad rep because of the process he had in the pocket.  His process was bad.  He left early.  He left the wrong way.  In addition to that, he left himself open to a cheap shot.  I'm not blaming him for the hit, but I am saying that as a QB, when they are out of the pocket, defenders start to salivate.  And as a runner, who has stuck his foot in the ground near the sidelines and turned it upfield, he has to expect to have a few liberties taken on him along the sidelines.  It's going to happen.  And we've seen through history that QBs that have a penchant for running more often get far less protection from the zebras as well and draw far fewer personal fouls for hits on them.  Cam Newton used to get clobbered in ways that would have been 15 yards on the Mannings or Brady.  But, since he was bigger and ran more frequently... he didn't get afforded the same protections and calls.  Hurts needs to know that and act accordingly... again, especially in the preseason.

[Swoop]

2 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Depends on what criteria you are using. The thing that sucks the most is the two studs that went shortly after him, but that is kind of unfair to JJAW 

I'm just talking overall bad players within the top two rounds. He's certainly not the worst, but he's pretty damn bad.

 

[Thrive]

1 minute ago, Iggles_Phan said:

No, it's not a moot point.  He needs better pocket awareness.  His escape of the pocket unnecessarily is completely separate from whether someone was open or not.  Maybe hanging in the pocket an extra second allows one of the receivers to uncover.  It clearly looked like hanging in the pocket longer would have opened up a running lane straight up the middle for him to get what he could and then get down well before contact.  

The result is far less important to me than the process in this case.  The process was, he didn't trust the protection and bailed way too soon.  And he bailed out the back of the pocket and gave ground he didn't need to.  An incomplete pass from the pocket leaves them at 4th and 5 on the fringe of FG range with a reasonable conversion opportunity or a reasonably high percentage FG chance (by today's standards... weird to think that a 52 yard FG these days is nearly routine... but that's what it is now.)

The preseason to me is much more about process, especially for Hurts than results.  He needs to work on developing his game from the pocket.  We know he can run.  He knows he can run.  The league knows he can run.  But, what about playing from the pocket?  What about proving that he can read the field, unlike what the opposing coach said during the playoff game?  I just wanted to see more growth than I did in that series.  To me, 1st and 2nd down were nice.  But 3rd downs are the money downs in the NFL.  And in the one opportunity on 3rd down that he had, I didn't think he did a particularly good job.  Looked like what we saw a lot last year.  There's still time to improve.  But that play in particular didn't indicate growth to me.

It’s a moot point in that he got hit anyway so the argument that he escaped the pocket to avoid getting hit is not so relevant.

But as to process, I still wouldn’t want him holding the ball in the pocket in that situation in a preseason game. Just get rid of it.

Your thoughts on his 3rd down passing is interesting and one to keep an eye on this season. Looks like his passer rating was 81 on 3rd down (21st in the league) so that’s a good call.

[Iggles_Phan]

2 hours ago, Swoop said:

While we're kind of on the subject...

Where would you put JJaw on the list of all time Eagles busts? He's certainly up there.

Bruce Walker is my nominee for worst 2nd round pick ever.  Jaquan Jarrett gets a nod here, as well as Matt McCoy.  But, I'd take McCoy over JJAW.  

[Iggles_Phan]

Just now, Thrive said:

It’s a moot point in that he got hit anyway so the argument that he escaped the pocket to avoid getting hit is not so relevant.

But as to process, I still wouldn’t want him holding the ball in the pocket in that situation in a preseason game. Just get rid of it.

Your thoughts on his 3rd down passing is interesting and one to keep an eye on this season. Looks like his passer rating was 81 on 3rd down (21st in the league) so that’s a good call.

I didn't make that point.  So I don't know where that's coming from.

 

The bigger issue for me on the 3rd down passing is how many times he chose not to pass on 3rd down and just run for it.  I don't have the numbers, but my sense last year that many of the times that he bailed the pocket very quickly for no reason was on 3rd downs much more frequently than on other downs.  

[LeanMeanGM]

7 minutes ago, Swoop said:

I'm just talking overall bad players within the top two rounds. He's certainly not the worst, but he's pretty damn bad.

 

Oh.

 

 

Well. 
 

 

 

How disingenuous 

[Thrive]

3 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

I didn't make that point.  So I don't know where that's coming from.

 

The bigger issue for me on the 3rd down passing is how many times he chose not to pass on 3rd down and just run for it.  I don't have the numbers, but my sense last year that many of the times that he bailed the pocket very quickly for no reason was on 3rd downs much more frequently than on other downs.  

That’s a really good point. But I’d also suspect that QBs like Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes etc run more on 3rd downs than any other down. So that’s probably just part of the nature of how QBs with his style of play deal with those situations.

[HazletonEagle]

2 minutes ago, Thrive said:

That’s a really good point. But I’d also suspect that QBs like Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes etc run more on 3rd downs than any other down. So that’s probably just part of the nature of how QBs with his style of play deal with those situations.

not many things more annoying than the secondary having everything covered up and seeing the annoying scrambling QB pick up a 1st. 

I dont mind if a running QB runs more often on 3rd down. Thats do or die time.

I do mind if he isnt using it as a last resort. Which, in Hurts case, he isnt. He wants to play hero ball and create the illusion that he is a star. He sucks, and I think he knows it.

You can tell he cares what people are saying about him. Like telling AJ Brown that he isnt going to throw to him last night. Why? Because a reporter asked him if he thinks any of the other WRs are going to be jealous of his relationship with Brown. He got offended and said dont even start that. But guess what... he went to a gam with a point to prove. He would ONLY throw to the other WRs so that they wouldnt be jealous if it looked like he locked on to his #1.

The guy is an idiot. He doesnt have the mental makeup to be an NFL QB. 

[Iggles_Phan]

7 minutes ago, Thrive said:

That’s a really good point. But I’d also suspect that QBs like Josh Allen, Patrick Mahomes etc run more on 3rd downs than any other down. So that’s probably just part of the nature of how QBs with his style of play deal with those situations.

There is a difference in my mind between running when necessary and running prematurely because you don't trust your arm as much as you trust your legs.  I'm no psychologist, but I'd bet that both Mahomes and Allen would rather throw the ball... but I think for Hurts, at best, it's a 50-50 split.  In reality, I think he'd rather run and (to quote him) "get freaky".  

[Swoop]

17 minutes ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Oh.

 

 

Well. 
 

 

 

How disingenuous 

It was pretty fair, you damn court jester. Bet you don't recognize Jalen's thirteen touchdown drive either. Racist!

[Mike030270]

[BigEFly]

2 hours ago, DEagle7 said:

Welp he was at least making some plays on the second team. Which is more than he did last year. So here's hoping he's continuing to develop. 

Actually, Jackson played 22% of defensive snaps last year, 235 snaps. Plus 86 (19%) of snaps on STs. 1 sack, 1 hurry and 18 tackles.  (For comparison, Kerrigan got 30% of the defensive snaps,  330, with 3 tackles, no sacks until the playoff game, and 2 hurries, with no ST snaps). When Jackson started getting time last year, I referred to him as sluggish and slow to react with no bend.  But as the year went on, you could see him gain confidence and get better.  He is a rotational DE for the Eagles.  By solid, I meant an average performer that doesn’t start.  Brandon Graham has been singing his praises in TC.  Now, I would be shocked to see Graham critical of a fellow DL. Jackson needs to be more productive rushing the QB this year than last  but that is true for every Eagle DL.  Still can get caught up in blocks.  At the beginning of the season last year, I complained about his inability to set the edge.  He improved significantly on that as the year went on.  I don’t think he will develop into some sort of DE starter because I don’t think he is that agile, but a solid contributor from the back of the rotation.  

[BigEFly]

2 hours ago, e-a-g-l-e-s eagles! said:

Maybe the eagles had JJAW doing a promo for a new umbrella they are gonna sell lol 

Nah, I suspect they didn’t play him much and excused him from practice to avoid injury and his $1.2 million cap hit if injured.  Would love for Howie to turn him for a low even conditional draft pick but more likely JJAW is cut.  Is there any market for a top blocking WR/TE that can’t seem to run routes and catch the ball?  He does play STs well.

[e-a-g-l-e-s eagles!]

4 minutes ago, BigEFly said:

Nah, I suspect they didn’t play him much and excused him from practice to avoid injury and his $1.2 million cap hit if injured.  Would love for Howie to turn him for a low even conditional draft pick but more likely JJAW is cut.  Is there any market for a top blocking WR/TE that can’t seem to run routes and catch the ball?  He does play STs well.

Oh i was joking. I 100% think he’s getting cut and he wasn’t playing/practicing for the 1.2 mil you mentioned.  Like you said would love to get any conditional pick for him but i don’t see it happening. if hollins who’s a better special teamer and better WR than JJAW ( imo when the eagles let both go) was just cut/released then i don’t see JJAW getting anything. 

[DEagle7]

12 minutes ago, 4for4EaglesNest said:

Jurgens looks great.  Looks bigger than I thought he would.  

Yup. He's not much bigger than Kelce but for some reason he looks it in the field. I don't think a lot of fans appreciate how impressive those downfield blocks are at that size, in his rookie year at age 22. Guy looks like a star in the making. 

[DEagle7]

Discuss. 

[RememberTheKoy]

Finally starts one week from tonight.  It's going to be great.

 

 

 

[BigEFly]

50 minutes ago, DEagle7 said:

Discuss. 

Well, they are pretty thin at WR and he did pick up TO and his circus antics, so it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if Jerry took a gamble on Brown.  He is a bit of a riverboat gambler when it comes to head cases.

[LeanMeanGM]

1 hour ago, DEagle7 said:

Discuss. 

[D-Shiznit]

RIP Jermaine Johnson II, we hardly knew ye.

[Guest justrelax]

4 hours ago, bpac55 said:

If it's true that you want your 5 best guys on the field then I'm seriously considering Jurgens at RG and getting anything in return for Seumalo.  All credit to him for coming back healthy and playing well too but Jurgens is too good to keep off the field. 

Sorry but no. Seumalo is more powerful and guard is a power position. Guards block the biggest and strongest defensive players, often one on one. Kelce couldn’t play guard and neither can Jurgens, at least not in our system.

This is not to say that Jurgens isn’t terrific because he is, and he may get some reps at guard but it’s not his best position. If Seumalo goes down, though, they may try him there but I think Opeta is the next man up.

[HazletonEagle]

9 minutes ago, D-Shiznit said:

RIP Jermaine Johnson II, we hardly knew ye.

yeah. thats a penalty apparently. but wasnt  called. 

[Guest justrelax]

4 hours ago, bpac55 said:

If it's true that you want your 5 best guys on the field then I'm seriously considering Jurgens at RG and getting anything in return for Seumalo.  All credit to him for coming back healthy and playing well too but Jurgens is too good to keep off the field. 

In typical Kempski fashion, on #3, that block was a combo block with Opeta but Jimmy didn’t credit him because it didn’t fit his narrative. Two guys made the block. Credit them both. I posted on a variety of stuff a while back and touched on that block, crediting both guys.