23 minutes ago, Alphagrand said:

Often times the difference between being a champion and not is making the one big play at the crucial time it is needed.  The 2017 team had Brandon Graham's strip-sack and Barnett to recover.  The 2022 team didn't have a player even come close to making that play.  

The 2017 team played on a field fit for purpose, you play this years Superbowl on the US Bank Field from 2017 and the '22 pass rush would have got to Mahomes regularly. The '22 pass rush would've destroyed Brady, last years defense was an all timer in terms of pass rush.

2 minutes ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

@hputenis is in the house! Still dating that hooker? What was his name again? 

You bet!  His name is Barry, and we met on Craigslist.  I was taking a gander at the naughty section when I had my 2nd white claw Friday night.  

5 minutes ago, hputenis said:

You bet!  His name is Barry, and we met on Craigslist.  I was taking a gander at the naughty section when I had my 2nd white claw Friday night.  

Surprised you didn’t come across @Godfather and @olsilverhair in the wet works section. There’s some odd pics they upload. Hopefully olsilversack was let out of his crate this time 

8 minutes ago, hputenis said:

You bet!  His name is Barry, and we met on Craigslist.  I was taking a gander at the naughty section when I had my 2nd white claw Friday night.  

What's the gander's name?

48 minutes ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

This blog is such a snooze fest without bacarty, 4for4, downunderkaren, and co. 

Certainly not as childish in their absence 

5 minutes ago, Original Sin said:

Certainly not as childish in their absence 

Have we even had a single issue since then? It seemed almost daily before

1 hour ago, mattwill said:

There is only opinion in these types of comparisons … nothing else.  As I have said, you have laid out your opinion very well.  It is compelling.  
 

With that said, here’s my answer to the question you posed.  QB is the biggest difference between the teams, although both Hurts and Foles entered their respective post-SB offseason with questions about what their future would be.  In a sense each were facing lightning in a bottle doubts.  Hurts with injury fears and Foles with a whole raft of unknowns.  A huge part of the 100 games speculation revolves around the ability of the 2017 team, and Foles specifically, to consistently produce a comparable level of performance.  I am wholly confident in Hurts in that regard.  Not so confident in Foles.

2022 is better at both WR and at TE, although TE is close, with Goedert’s all around play being better than Ertz’s.  
 

The 2022 running game is better than 2017’s despite the fact that the 2017 RB trio is better and more well rounded than Sanders and Company were.

Mailata > Vaitai

Kelce > Kelce

Seumalo > Wiz

Dickerson < Brooks

Johnson = Johnson

All in all the 2022 Offense is markedly better than the 2017 Offense.

2022 D-line is also better than 2017’s

2017 is marginally better at LB.

2017’s DBs as a unit were better, but not by much.

STs in 2017 were consistently better than 2022’s were.

Coaches are a push, although Tommy Lawlor’s recent articles in IgglesBlitz.com makes a compelling argument for Nick over Doug.  
 

That leaves us only with your lightning in a bottle factor, which clearly was greater in 2017 than it was in 2022.

I would argue against Tommy's take on the coaching argument.  I'd also push back on Kelce of 2022 being better than Kelce of 2017.  Also that Johnson of 2017 is equal to 2022 Johnson.  I think both Johnson and Kelce were better in 2017, but both were also exceptionally good in 2022, just not as good.  

 

But, will leave the conversation here.  

@BigEFly The brief discussion of anchoring reminds me of story Larry Allen told about playing against Reggie White. He said, "When I came into the league I weighed 310. Reggie picked me up and threw me into the quarterback. The next year I came in at 325 and Reggie shoved me into the quarterback. The third year I came in at 350 and Reggie couldn't do that any more."

Nolan Smith is going to win RDPOY. 🏆 

22 hours ago, LeanMeanGM said:

Because that's the rule. It's as simple as that. Further, while NFL players can bet on other sports, NFL Personnel cannot bet on any sport or do any type of online gambling. Miles Austin was just recently suspended as an assistant coach because he was playing virtual blackjack for money. So it's completely reasonable to make the policy that no gambling at all can be on premises regardless of who it is so as not to muddy the workplace environment or cause more issues.

I've also heard a lot of ex-athletes say the rules are plastered all over the locker room and on premises that remind players exactly what is permitted and what is not. I have no reason to believe teams still don't do this, especially after the Calvin Ridley incident, especially especially after the Detroit Lions incident. 

My question would be why it is morally OK to form business relationships with these gambling entities when it is not morally OK for NFL personnel and players to make bets.  I am not saying that the rule is difficult to follow but keep in mind that people can be impulsive and make short-term decisions that provide instant gratification.  Betting is one of those types of decisions.  The NFL is creating a risk by engaging in these relationships without sufficient support for the players or employees who may be impacted.  

39 minutes ago, hputenis said:

You bet!  His name is Barry, and we met on Craigslist.  I was taking a gander at the naughty section when I had my 2nd white claw Friday night.  

Pics or it didn't happen. 

5 hours ago, Iggles_Phan said:

 

Yes yes... I am familiar with the 'on paper' argument.  Trouble is, games are never played 'on paper', and the real events happening in real time, and how the coaches handle those events is a real variable that must be dealt with in these types of comparisons.  The 2017 team was so well prepared for that Super Bowl that they had even staged a fake walk through to throw off the Pats if they were still cheating.  They weren't surprised by anything that game.  Meanwhile, the Eagles of 2022 had no answer to multiple things, simple things that were scheme related, rather than talent related.  

 

As for the 100 games argument, that cannot be proven, it is mere opinion based on the opinion of the talent level of the two teams.  But, teams are more than the sum of their parts.  And that's what made the 2017 team so special, same as the 2008 Phillies.  That wasn't the most talented team of that era, but it was the one that had the 'it' factor to ultimately get it done, unlike the teams that followed.

 

I am curious though... where is this great disparity of talent between the 2022 and 2017 team?  What was the '22 team so much better at doing than the '17? 

The talent of the top 2 WRs on the 2022 far outstrips the talent at the WR position on the 2017 team.  The talent at CB and DE/OLB was also much better on the 22 team.  Beyond those positions, I think there's an argument at MLB just because of the injury to Jordan Hicks early on in the season.  I think the talent of the o-line is close but I would probably give a slight edge to the 2017 team because of Brandon Brooks.  Mailata over Vaitai is closer than Seumalo over Brooks and that's no slight on Seumalo.  I don't think theres a qualitative difference between 2017 Johnson and 22 Johnson except for maytbe his health.  He started 15 games but did end 22 with the abductor injury. The RBs on the 2017 were not as fast but I think it's hard not to take Blount, Ajayi and Clement over Sanders, Gainwell and Scott just because they were more versatile.  TE is a wash but there was better depth on the 2017 team. Safety was better on the 2017 team.  Also when the team needed a play on defense Jenkins and McCleod had big stops in the Super Bowl.  Arguably, Jenkins had the most important hit because he took Cooks out of the game.   I would also take Hurts over Wentz/Foles.  

Coaching is a wash on the offensive side but I think Schwartz was much better than Gannon in the Super Bowl.  Sure the team gave up yards but they did get red zone stops and were not fooled by the Patriots on big plays.  

32 minutes ago, Captain F said:

Nolan Smith is going to win RDPOY. 🏆 

Sounding good on a podcast means nothing.  It's not likely given his position and how pass rushers tend to develop.  

15 minutes ago, NCiggles said:

Sounding good on a podcast means nothing.  It's not likely given his position and how pass rushers tend to develop.  

Plus, I seriously doubt with the Eagles depth that Nolan Smith will get the same reps as someone like Will Anderson -- who is likely to approach 10 sacks or more as a rookie.

The full version. 15 mins.

1 hour ago, NCiggles said:

My question would be why it is morally OK to form business relationships with these gambling entities when it is not morally OK for NFL personnel and players to make bets.  I am not saying that the rule is difficult to follow but keep in mind that people can be impulsive and make short-term decisions that provide instant gratification.  Betting is one of those types of decisions.  The NFL is creating a risk by engaging in these relationships without sufficient support for the players or employees who may be impacted.  

Because $$$.

The whole NFL-Gambling relationship is geared towards the fan base anyway, not the players and not the teams. I don’t even really understand the argument. The NFL as a business can do whatever partnership they want while also creating rules for a work environment for its employees. How many bars or restaurants have relationships with hard liquor or beer companies? They promote it non stop, form close relationships and put promotions out as advertising for the consumer or customer. This doesn’t give the bartender, busboy or manager the right to get ish faced while on the clock. If they want to get ish faced they are allowed to somewhere else when they aren’t working. Or they can do it while working at their job, but with that comes the inheriting risk that they get caught and face the consequences of their actions.

It’s the same with gambling. 

2 hours ago, Alphagrand said:

Often times the difference between being a champion and not is making the one big play at the crucial time it is needed.  The 2017 team had Brandon Graham's strip-sack and Barnett to recover.  The 2022 team didn't have a player even come close to making that play.  

Howie was on Chris Long's podcast yesterday and basically summed up the two teams perfectly between 2017 and 2022. 2017 needed around 10 plays to go perfectly for them and almost all of them did. 2022 needed only around one play to go their way at the end and it just didn't. 2022 was the most dominant Eagles team I've watched since being a fan. Some of that had to do with an easier schedule, the quarterback matchups, and the overall talent of the team. Still doesn't take away from the fact that they smacked pretty much everyone they faced with Hurts in and were far and away the best team on the field other than the last game. 

16 minutes ago, BDawk_ASamuel said:

Howie was on Chris Long's podcast yesterday and basically summed up the two teams perfectly between 2017 and 2022. 2017 needed around 10 plays to go perfectly for them and almost all of them did. 2022 needed only around one play to go their way at the end and it just didn't. 2022 was the most dominant Eagles team I've watched since being a fan. Some of that had to do with an easier schedule, the quarterback matchups, and the overall talent of the team. Still doesn't take away from the fact that they smacked pretty much everyone they faced with Hurts in and were far and away the best team on the field other than the last game. 

I tend to disagree with the bolded statement.  I never thought the 2022 defense was as good as in 2017 and never felt completely comfortable that they would shut a game down.  The 2022 team had better sack numbers and better talent at CB -- but the team was so much weaker at LB and safety, and the run defense was never good enough all year.

Hope he proves so many teams wrong. Dude is an athletic freak with the drive to match.

20 minutes ago, Alphagrand said:

I tend to disagree with the bolded statement.  I never thought the 2022 defense was as good as in 2017 and never felt completely comfortable that they would shut a game down.  The 2022 team had better sack numbers and better talent at CB -- but the team was so much weaker at LB and safety, and the run defense was never good enough all year.

Gannon's photo should be on wikipedia next to the entry "Good is the enemy of great"

2 hours ago, just relax said:

@BigEFly The brief discussion of anchoring reminds me of story Larry Allen told about playing against Reggie White. He said, "When I came into the league I weighed 310. Reggie picked me up and threw me into the quarterback. The next year I came in at 325 and Reggie shoved me into the quarterback. The third year I came in at 350 and Reggie couldn't do that any more."

I would bet that 80% of that added "weight” was junk in the trunk and that a good portion of that junk was squat muscle.  While not a fan of his team, Allen was a beast.  It was like running into a bollard trying to move him. Of course, at his height it was almost impossible to get under him.  Different times.  A decade earlier, I watched a true technician, Mike Munchak at LG.  Can’t imagine he was any bigger than Kelce if that big.  At that time, many OL didn’t tip the scales at much more than 300 and DEs were as big as OTs.  

4 hours ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

This blog is such a snooze fest without bacarty, 4for4, downunderkaren, and co. 

You probably would think the Origin of Species was a snooze fest as well.  
 

what is you opinion of Emily Post?

4 hours ago, Alphagrand said:

Often times the difference between being a champion and not is making the one big play at the crucial time it is needed.  The 2017 team had Brandon Graham's strip-sack and Barnett to recover.  The 2022 team didn't have a player even come close to making that play.  

Agreed.  They definitely caught the lightning.

5 minutes ago, mattwill said:

You probably would think the Origin of Species was a snooze fest as well.  
 

what is you opinion of Emily Post?

Emily is a sloot

3 hours ago, EaglePhan1986 said:

Surprised you didn’t come across @Godfather and @olsilverhair in the wet works section. There’s some odd pics they upload. Hopefully olsilversack was let out of his crate this time 

Olsilverbag posted a few ads on the housekeeping section. He's an expert at cleaning up semen and urine