Eagles vs Vikings observations

[taz]

A hard fought win against a pretty good Vikings team and our old friend Carson Wentz.

1. Hurts - One of his best games of his career. Perfect passer rating. 19-22 for 326yrd and 3 td's.

2. Offensive Line - Lumping them all in as it seems like they are taking turns getting blown up in the run game. I saw at least three occasions, once it was Lane, another time it was Dickerson and another time it was Mailaita if they just hold there block they are huge gains for Barkley. They are close. Something is wrong, its almost like the shorter offseason sapped some strength.

3. Brown and Smith - Great games by both. Smith almost had 200yards by himself. If he would have came down with that throw along the sideline (would have been a great catch) he would have had it.

4. Penalties - I thought the officials were good today. The Eagles earned another 8 for 64 though. The concerning ones that are killing the offense. 3rd and short, Tush push lineup. Brown flinches, correct call. Killed the drive. Next drive Toth gets blown up for a 5yard loss on 1st down (might as well been a penalty). Drive after that, Mailata gets called for a holding, then they get another decent play and Saquan gets called for a holding. Three straight drives, three straight three and outs for basic things. Is Patullo a good OC TBD, but when you can't hold your water on a lineup, you clutch and grab and make obvious holds, its not the OC its the players.

5. Mukuba - Mukuba giveth on an INT then gives it back with poor tackling and poor pass coverage on back to back plays. He missed another assignment on another deep play. Either he is not grasping the defense or its too complicated to have a rookie starting at safety.

6. Hunt - Heck of an INT and run back. He is freaky atheletic

7. Elliot - No more misses man. Keep the damn ball in bounds on kickoffs. Worst game he has had in a some time.

8. Dean, Baun & Campbell - They were all really active today. Loved the fact they were getting Dean on the field and then moving around Campbell and Baun to edge at times. It was somewhat effective

9. Kickoff returns looked better today, except for you know the 2-3 penalties they get all the time on special teams.

10. Injuries - Many years in the past cluster injuries have killed this team. Right now, Azeez, Smith and Ozu all out at DE. One replacement retired. When you have to play Patrick Johnson as much as they did at end its a huge problem Howie has to address this, this week. I hear the rumors on BG and that is fine but we will need at least another maybe even two more.
- Losing Jurgens after we get back Dickerson and they started to play better on the offensive line is a killer
- I think that Jackson may be out for awhile
- Concerned about Ojomo. to

Overall this team looked much better than they did against the Giants. At 5-2 they are in a good position right now but they need/ Need to crush the Gaints next week and go into the BYE 6-2, regroup, get Bennett and Smith back on defense and hopefully add another end or two.

[sfphillyfan]

while KP isn't getting any better week over week, there's a lot wrong with the O-line this year. I saw Mailata just uncharacteristically be so bad today on certain plays. And when you lose Jurgens and you have to replace him with Toth, I'm surprised Jalen survived the day.

It's gonna get interesting next week to see what we do to NYG. If they can win and go to 6-2, I'm hoping the rest will do wonders for all the injuries. Hell I'm hoping for a complete blowout next week so we can rest people in the 4th.

I still don't see a Super Bowl team but a win is a win.

[FairOaks]

1. Hurts was awesome. That third incompletion was a bad throw and nearly cost us, but he and AJ had that lob deep throw right after to fix it.
2. It does seem off. Toth got shredded a couple times too, though that is more expected.
3. The WRs balled out. Still don't feel they are getting schemed open nearly enough but did suddenly at the end of this game, ending with AJ's second TD, and that was an excellent drive after a shaky start.
4. Agreed the refs seemed right on this game.
5. Mukuba had a great stop at the goal line, and nearly did on the next play as well but the ball broke the plane barely. But yeah, he still has a lot of stuff to learn. Slowed up and let Jefferson put a move on him, and gave up the sideline, among some other miscues.
6. Great pick though also due to Carter dusting a guy and getting right up on Wentz who panic-threw without really looking. Hunt also did have a PI call, legit, though that was a tough play given where the ball went.
7. Elliott did have a good kickoff which handcuffed their returner and went into the end zone. But yeah, two uncharacteristic mistakes.
8. Dean looked like he helped the run defense a fair bit.
9. No fumbles I guess is an improvement. Still need better results, and on coverage too.
10. Ojomo got nailed by Ringo. Am worried there. Jakorian Bennett is eligible to come off IR; hopefully he's actually healthy too.

Unlike last year, think the OL seems better at pass-blocking than run blocking. And teams are still playing the run. Seems obvious to me to lean more on the pass, as I think it will take shredding some teams passing, over several games, to get them off of Barkley. Would help if we could have more creative play-calls that get guys open. The play-action pass was welcome but that needs to be a regular thing, not given trick play status and only run once a game.

[Pliny]

Giants looking much better these days and they have confidence. Dart looks like the real thing. They are beating Denver 13-0 late in the 2nd.,

We are going to have to play much better next week than last week. I will take any win at home and certainly not expecting a blowout.

6-2 going into the bye would be sweet. This team needs to get healthy. Depth is a real problem.

[Eagle60]

[QUOTE=FairOaks;n564255]1. Hurts was awesome. That third incompletion was a bad throw and nearly cost us, but he and AJ had that lob deep throw right after to fix it.
2. It does seem off. Toth got shredded a couple times too, though that is more expected.
3. The WRs balled out. Still don't feel they are getting schemed open nearly enough but did suddenly at the end of this game, ending with AJ's second TD, and that was an excellent drive after a shaky start.
4. Agreed the refs seemed right on this game.
5. Mukuba had a great stop at the goal line, and nearly did on the next play as well but the ball broke the plane barely. But yeah, he still has a lot of stuff to learn. Slowed up and let Jefferson put a move on him, and gave up the sideline, among some other miscues.
6. Great pick though also due to Carter dusting a guy and getting right up on Wentz who panic-threw without really looking. Hunt also did have a PI call, legit, though that was a tough play given where the ball went.
7. Elliott did have a good kickoff which handcuffed their returner and went into the end zone. But yeah, two uncharacteristic mistakes.
8. Dean looked like he helped the run defense a fair bit.
9. No fumbles I guess is an improvement. Still need better results, and on coverage too.
10. Ojomo got nailed by Ringo. Am worried there. Jakorian Bennett is eligible to come off IR; hopefully he's actually healthy too.

Unlike last year, think the OL seems better at pass-blocking than run blocking. And teams are still playing the run. Seems obvious to me to lean more on the pass, as I think it will take shredding some teams passing, over several games, to get them off of Barkley. Would help if we could have more creative play-calls that get guys open.

The offensive line has been bad right from the get-go this year. Barkley has been bottled up all season..

[andrewaters]

All great observations.

Dean played with hair on fire today. He was blowing up run plays.

Hunt is good but he just is never going to be big enough I’m afraid.

deSean is do good. Quietly Reed had a very good game. He’s always in the right spot.

the OL really drops off when you have to put Toth in. I would not have Kendall inactive next week.

I actually don’t think Ringo’s that bad. I know I’m being generous. It’s hard to cover those guys. He made a couple good tackles for the most part. I thought he was in the right spot. Jordan Addison is really good also and Jefferson beat Quinton a few times so you know shit happens

[taz]

while KP isn't getting any better week over week, there's a lot wrong with the O-line this year. I saw Mailata just uncharacteristically be so bad today on certain plays. And when you lose Jurgens and you have to replace him with Toth, I'm surprised Jalen survived the day.

.

Chicken and egg. Is it the Oline or is it KP? Maybe its Stoutland? O line coach and run game coordinator. Both areas that we are struggling mightily. I really don't think its play calling as much as the execution.

Driving down the field 3 and very short, line up for the tush push, AJ Brown false start. Goes to 3rd and 6, huge pressure and punt. Next series Toth gets blown up big time on a run play loses 5 yards. If Toth just holds his block the seas were open for a big run. Next series, Mailata hold, 1st and 20, Barkley holds and they punt again. Three straight series, three straight huge mistakes. Is that the OC or is that the players? Yes there are times that you look and no one is open because of the play call. However it seems like when we do execute this team has no problems moving the ball through the air. Which tells me its more about the execution than the play calling. Both can be true BTW.

[andrewaters]

I will have some time this week to go back and look at the all22 but my hope is they now see the plusses to putting Hurts under center for a fair amount of plays.

Hurts lining up in a traditional set to me achieves a few things.

1. Timing. He can make a drop and throw with more timing to a spot.

2. Running options. Pre snap if Saquon or the runner is lined up directly behind the QB it doesn't tip the defense off. In the shotgun, it's pretty clear its going to be an RPO. It also could be an RPO counter run but the Eagles don't do that as much. Traditional running gaps are there to me when you line up under center. I will look at the all22 but I do wonder if they have the same splits along the offensive line when they line up under center. My guess is it varies slightly.

3. Toth. He doesn't have to be as exact with the snap in a traditional under center option as opposed to snapping the ball in shotgun. Toth is not great. Make it easier for him.

4. Motion. It feels like maybe the motion can be more impactful in a traditional set. I could be wrong here but they just don't ever seem to use motion in shotgun and that makes sense especially on the road where you worry about the motion guy running in front of the snap.

5. Boot action. It works better off of a traditional snap not the shotgun. I don't even know if they did it to be honest but the threat of it is there and it is a bigger threat because the boot is deeper and rounder if you line the QB under center.

[rspurr]

Toth is not the answer. There is a reason we waived him multiple times in the past few years. I'm hoping that after the bye, we'll have Kendall ready to go in at backup center and guard.

[taz]

What if they were under center more yesterday because of Toth? He has struggled with long snaps in the past. I don't think he will be the center next week if Jurgens can't play. I think it will be Kendall who was deactivated because he is only a center.

[FairOaks]

What if they were under center more yesterday because of Toth? He has struggled with long snaps in the past. I don't think he will be the center next week if Jurgens can't play. I think it will be Kendall who was deactivated because he is only a center.

I think I saw someone from the team (Hurts?) basically say that. He's been hideous with shotgun snaps in multiple preseasons now. I would certainly hope that Kendall is the center if Jurgens can't go, and Toth can go back to being emergency backup at several positions.

[FairOaks]

Chicken and egg. Is it the Oline or is it KP? Maybe its Stoutland? O line coach and run game coordinator. Both areas that we are struggling mightily. I really don't think its play calling as much as the execution.

Driving down the field 3 and very short, line up for the tush push, AJ Brown false start. Goes to 3rd and 6, huge pressure and punt. Next series Toth gets blown up big time on a run play loses 5 yards. If Toth just holds his block the seas were open for a big run. Next series, Mailata hold, 1st and 20, Barkley holds and they punt again. Three straight series, three straight huge mistakes. Is that the OC or is that the players? Yes there are times that you look and no one is open because of the play call. However it seems like when we do execute this team has no problems moving the ball through the air. Which tells me its more about the execution than the play calling. Both can be true BTW.

I think both are true. There have definitely been some good play calls that got screwed up by the players on the field. The mistakes you mention above are definitely like that. On the other hand, then there was the 3rd and 6 play in the second half when we'd had a pretty nice drive passing the ball, and they call a draw play or something which got utterly stuffed. That forced a FG which Elliott missed. Something like a play-action pass is almost treated like something they run once a game in a special spot instead of doing it multiple times every drive. So there was still some frustration on that part too. But yeah, player mistakes killed a lot of those drives yesterday. Just frustrating when it happens on several possessions in a row. Defense gets worn down.

[Eagle60]

As far as running the ball goes it's all about execution, not play calling. If you don't have the right players It sure makes it a lot harder to execute. I haven't gone over the tape yet so I really can't give a real intelligent answer right now but off the top of my head it seemed to me that Minnesota was really loading up to stop Barkley. Fortunately for us Jalen got his long ball mojo going again and dropped in some beauties to burn them.

[NoDakIggle]

Couple things
If you are tipping your running play by the way Hurts/Barkley are lined up execution isn’t going to save you. There have been countless people on TV showing that when in shotgun this year.
Heard someone on radio today talking about Toth’s bad shotgun snaps maybe being the reason Hurts was under center. Wonder if it was Ike Reese. Anyway Toth’s snaps are being pegged.
Fred Johnson checked in five, maybe six, times as eligible. Ran the same play each time early in game and I told guy behind me I hope they are doing that to set up a different play in the second half because you can’t run same play each time you bring him in.
I remember that play FO. As soon as they ran it I said it was a terrible call and then when Elliot missed the FG I told my son it was the third down play call that ruined that drive.
Nice to have a 12th man. It was Wentz for the birds. His age old mistakes - grounding, throwing pass OOB behind line of scrimmage, interceptions - were priceless. That and play calls. Vikings had first and ten on 19 and had pass pass and on the next play had pass called but had bad snap. Then first and ten in 15. Pass pass pass touchdown pass but holding call on last pass. I think it was fourth and one on that last pass then it was fourth and eleven. Had to settle for FGs on each possession. Anyway not one running play called when they were running well earlier.
Dean brought a physicality that the team had last year but seemed to be missing this year. You could just tell with his hits.
Jackson and Ringo are who they are. Need someone else because they are not going to get better.