3 hours ago, ManuManu said:

How many worse starting RBs are there in the NFL? Is he so good that he should out-touch Swift 18-2? That’s the reason for angst. 

It’s really simple:

Penny should lead our RBs in rushes and Swift should lead our RBs in total touches. Gainwell is a solid option to get leftover snaps so our top 2 RBs don’t get too worn down/injured.

On top of it all, Hurts looked much slower than he did last year.

2 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

I don’t want this to be a Gainwell bash session. He is a fine player and deserves a solid role in the offense. He was simply overused yesterday.

He deserves to be in a rotation. Meaning the other guys need to get touches too. It's Week 1 so they are still feeling things out. Cream rises to the top.

41 minutes ago, RLC said:

 

This is the correct attitude, not just coaching BS to pump his players up

3 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

I don’t want this to be a Gainwell bash session. He is a fine player and deserves a solid role in the offense. He was simply overused yesterday.

In the end they didn't trust a RB at the end of the game to get key first downs. That needs to change

I don't like them resting players just because it's a short week. You play to win the current week

24 minutes ago, judunno said:

Looked like the strategy to me was to ignore the RB and first priority was Hurts. We need an RB that can't be ignored.

Likely going to be the strategy going forward. I think it’s also they rather give up some yards to rb if it means they can continuously get hits in on your QB cause eventually you’ll stop doing it as you see the beating hurts is getting over the course of the year. Tbh the only rb that can’t be ignored as a runner is penny. And that’s if he hasn’t lost a step. Like i mentioned above there were multiple sources before and after the lions dealt swift that he lacked vision to hit the right hole consistently as a runner and wasn’t what they wanted in between the tackles. 

4 minutes ago, ManuManu said:

I don’t want this to be a Gainwell bash session. He is a fine player and deserves a solid role in the offense. He was simply overused yesterday.

How can you say he was "overused?"

I honestly think this whole debate is moot right now.  He didnt get too many touches, he didnt run out of gas, and he ran fine.  The OL didnt do very well run blocking, or really any type of blocking. 

Swift wasnt going to do anything more than Gainwell did IMO.

I agree we need a better rotation but this is so overblown

3 minutes ago, B3 said:

On top of it all, Hurts looked much slower than he did last year.

I'm hoping that's just rust because he wasn't reading the field well at all

39 minutes ago, RLC said:

Anyone wanting to keep TJ Edwards should watch this on a loop. Edwards was "fine" last year. He was not good in games where the DL didn't dominate (Washington game 2, SB57). Chicago has a bad DL...and Edwards was bad again.

Yup anytime an offense can get a LB isolated on a RB in an option route that's a win for the offense, most LBs can't hang with a RB man to man on an option route.

Having said that some of the fault needs to go to bears DC he has to know that that's a mismatch and some credit needs to go to Packers for creating and seeing the mismatch.

Either way TJ was painfully outmatched on that play and reinforced what most already knew about him is that he's a liability in man.

2 hours ago, Mike31mt said:

How can you say he was "overused?"

I honestly think this whole debate is moot right now.  He didnt get too many touches, he didnt run out of gas, and he ran fine.  The OL didnt do very well run blocking, or really any type of blocking. 

Swift wasnt going to do anything more than Gainwell did IMO.

I agree we need a better rotation but this is so overblown

Penny needs to be given a shot, having a bunch of circus midget RBs with pretty much the same skill set makes it easier for a defense. Thought it was a mistake to have him inactive.

34 minutes ago, RLC said:

Anyone wanting to keep TJ Edwards should watch this on a loop. Edwards was "fine" last year. He was not good in games where the DL didn't dominate (Washington game 2, SB57). Chicago has a bad DL...and Edwards was bad again.

Is he better than we have right now?  One cherry picked play in his first game for his new team doesn't affect what he was here last year.

So from what I've read so far there is some injuries on the Vikings front also

Garrett Bradbury - Back (strong chance is out)

Davenport - Ankle probably game time decision for Thursday)

Christian Darrisaw - Ankle probably game time decision also

Also weather looks good for Thursday .  Around 68 degrees for kickoff with no rain

4 minutes ago, Utebird said:

Penny needs to be given a shot, having a bunch of circus midget RBs with pretty much the same skill set leads makes it easier for a defense. Thought it was a mistake to have him inactive.

Sure I understand that logic.  But Im just not sure it would have made much of a difference.  Gainwell ran relly well in short yardage situations yesterday 

1 hour ago, DaEagles4Life said:

You didn't see anything concerning from the LBs in pass coverage, like nothing at all

Inability to tackle mainly caught my attention.  The very loose zone coverages called.  Rust.  Nothing not,curable.

Everything was off with the whole team Yesterday, the O Line was manhandling people last year, it was struggling at runblocking Yesterday, the D Line was back to it's 2021 season of leading the NFL in almost sacks, just being a beat late to the QB, and the back end was losing coverage like the bad old days, although the D Line did start improving towards the end of the game.

If we're still playing like this in 4 weeks then yeah, it's likely going to be a long year, but it's early season they're all getting used to new coordinators and game speed football, there's nothing to worry about just yet.

Saw somewhere Jalen Carter led the NFL DT's in QB Hurries with 7 to go along with his sack and TFL

I think the team got fooled into thinking it was over and took their foots off the gas pedal.  It happens. 

For the first few drives we were blowing their doors off.  

2 hours ago, ManuManu said:

It was over for him here the second we signed Bradberry. 

They could have kept both for one year. I hope Brown ends up being a player, but if they were going cheap/inexperienced at LB they should have locked down safety. That would have given them time to bring a younger guy up to speed and not have a question mark for at least half the season.A defense that couldn't get the Chiefs off the field has even more question marks this year. That's not ideal.

4 minutes ago, garingovt2000 said:

Saw somewhere Jalen Carter led the NFL DT's in QB Hurries with 7 to go along with his sack and TFL

6 actually, this kid is going to be a beast 

 

2 hours ago, jsb235 said:

The decision to keep Evans over Wallace is not looking great right now.

 

I think Evans can contribute. I'm more confused about Edmunds over Wallace and I'm no fan of Wallace.

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

Likely going to be the strategy going forward. I think it’s also they rather give up some yards to rb if it means they can continuously get hits in on your QB cause eventually you’ll stop doing it as you see the beating hurts is getting over the course of the year. Tbh the only rb that can’t be ignored as a runner is penny. And that’s if he hasn’t lost a step. Like i mentioned above there were multiple sources before and after the lions dealt swift that he lacked vision to hit the right hole consistently as a runner and wasn’t what they wanted in between the tackles. 

I would argue Swift as well. The man is electric. That 5-6 yards a pop will keep Defenses honest. Not everyone will be able to do what NE did though. They really do have a pretty good defense and some say they have good coaching too :) Eagles were preparing for two teams due to the Thurs game. Bill could just focus on the Eagles for months. They still took an L.

2 minutes ago, Birdman said:

6 actually, this kid is going to be a beast 

 

Imagine how many sacks he would have had if the DBs and LBs weren't blowing coverages.

27 minutes ago, Iggles_Phan said:

A lot of teams are going to be using that technique a lot more and not just because of who we have at RB, but in an effort to wear down Hurts.   Hit him, hit him, and just keep on hitting him at every opportunity you can.   That's always been a mantra for a lot of defensive coordinators with any QB.  If you get a chance to hit the QB... do it.   And the biggest difference with him as a ball carrier versus as a passer in the pocket, he loses all protection from the rules.  As a ball carrier, he's no different than any other player on the field.  As a passer, he gets the protection around his knees, the touching of his helmet, and the 'driving' into the turf.   As a runner, none of those rules apply, only the 'direct and forcible' contact to the head will be called.  

 

I was hoping to see an offense that wasn't so dependent on Hurts running with the ball on designed plays this year.   We did not see that at all yesterday, and that's likely the biggest disappointment I have with that game.  

Yeah, this is my reasoning behind it. I do think a better back would make it much more dangerous to continue doing it as he could bust one for a touchdown. Also the Eagles ran the same thing with gainwell during the playoffs last year when sanders played less and less. And it worked effectively. I think the change now teams are saying we’re gonna punish you for it by continuously doing it and hitting Jalen hurts. Because over the course of the season, it’s going to add up and possibly will limit how often the eagles are willing to run it if he’s battered and bruised. 

Lots of rust yesterday to deal with.

But there were positives here.

Goedert was open all game and Hurts will see the film.

Reddick did very little. That won't be the norm. Gets a mulligan for no preseason and surgery on the thumb. 

Siposs was competent. Special teams recovered nicely after rocky start.

Will be harder to run on this defense. Carter and Davis were studs. Will get more snaps going forward.

Jobe may be good CB depth for the room. Played well as gunner too.

Sirianni went with vets and was vanilla. But Brown and N. Smith will be eased in and help this defense before too long.

Faced adversity on last drive with no Cox, Bradbury and Dean. And figured out a way to pull it out despite a bad Hurts turnover. Feared the defense could be gassed at that point and they held up.

Swift and Penny will be playing more going forward and definitely help out. We know Gainwell isn't a bell cow running back. They will be rotating this group a bunch throughout a 17 game season. 

Our Wide Receivers don't drop anything. Even in the rain. What a refreshing change! Watkins looked more confident. 

You don't win that game, with out doing something right and making some clutch timely plays. Missed at least 2 easy interceptions as well with tight coverage in secondary.