The Philadelphia Eagles’ Week 8 win over the New York Giants was essentially the most full offensive efficiency of the season by a distance. I referred to as the offense boring just a few weeks in the past (an announcement I stand by), however this week was something however boring. We noticed a number of new stuff on this one, which we’ll get into. It was the perfect mix of sequencing and intent to ascertain the run that we’ve seen, and while you add within the high particular person performances from a number of gamers, you get a blowout!.
The place else to begin however the Saquon Barkley landing? The Eagles have six offensive linemen on the market (Fred Johnson was at all times the sixth) and run duo from below middle. We haven’t seen the Eagles run duo very a lot over the previous few years, however they dedicated to it this week. All it took was one decisive reduce from Saquon and Landon Dickerson impacting three defenders on the identical play, and Barkley was off. Dickerson seemed wholesome for the primary time all season. Tyler Nubin’s angle was poor (when you learn the Giants’ preview from a few weeks in the past, I particularly talked about him struggling to forestall explosive performs), nevertheless it’s Barkley’s velocity that forces the error. The bottom recreation lastly got here alive with 276 dashing yards at 9.3 YPC, and for the primary time since 2013, the Eagles had two 100-yard backs in the identical recreation! Most significantly, the run recreation was diversified and unpredictable, which made the road appear to be itself once more! I’ve been blaming the scheme moderately than particular person performances this season, and I consider this week confirmed that the Eagles are nonetheless gifted up entrance.
On the following drive, it’s as soon as once more six OL under-center duo, however from a special formation, and it hits a special hole. The Giants have struggled with include all yr, and Tank Bigsby punished it by bouncing outdoors. We are going to get into Bigsby’s efficiency later, as a result of he was superior. There have been some new runs on this recreation, nevertheless it wasn’t radically completely different in some ways. The primary concepts have been dressed up otherwise and sequenced higher, so the Giants couldn’t sit on tells like they might do a few weeks in the past. This week was primarily duo and pin/pull runs.
Then got here the beginning of the pin-pull wave. The Eagles have prioritized athletes up entrance for a motive, and that is the place it pays off. Pin/pull runs clearly include a danger, as a fast defensive lineman or linebacker can blow the play up within the backfield, however they provide you higher angles within the run recreation. It made life simpler for the offensive linemen and guess what, they seemed good once more!
Bret Toth was legitimately implausible. I felt unhealthy for Cam Jurgens as he will need to have questioned the place this recreation plan was with him within the beginning lineup! Jurgens is an unimaginable athlete, so it wasn’t like they modified the sport plan. The Giants performed some gentle containers, and the Eagles punished them. The shotgun run recreation wasn’t a brand-new scheme; it was a greater presentation of acquainted ideas and a dedication to hitting the identical runs from completely different formations, which created higher angles. We now have seen the Eagles run pin/pull ideas for years; they only made it a significant a part of the sport plan this week.
What is that this?! A profitable display?! I can rely on one hand the variety of profitable screens I’ve seen by this offense the previous couple of years. This offense has been poor towards two-high zone from 2×2 formations, however they do run them so much, so the Giants wouldn’t have anticipated a display. The display caught the Giants looking at routes, and let the OL (Toth once more!) get out and block for Barkley in house. There’s no motive the display recreation must be a weak point with this athletic line. I adore it as a change-up as a result of the Eagles see a ton of two-high zone protection to cease their vertical passing recreation. Zone protection clearly has pure “tender spots” {that a} display can exploit. If a protection is sitting again in zone to guard towards deep throws, the display can get the ball shortly to a again or receiver in house, with fewer defenders close by. Hopefully, we see extra of this from the Eagles. Think about not desirous to get Barkley the ball in house?
Underneath-center play-action lastly seemed like correct play-action as a result of that they had established the run! Earlier within the recreation, the Eagles had run the identical under-center look with Cameron Latu twice as a lead blocker, so this time they offered it and got here again with a publish/cross combo. The linebackers bit more durable and Hurts, who supposedly can’t throw between the hashes, dropped one other strike. The run recreation arrange the cross recreation, which I believe must be the case with this offense, way over it has this yr.
Even contained in the shotgun pin/pull run recreation, there was selection to what the Eagles have been doing. We noticed completely different linemen pull (typically one or two), and the Eagles ran it from a typical shotgun look (the again operating to the alternative facet) and likewise from the identical facet. Identical facet shotgun runs are an amazing change-up as a result of they cease the run recreation from changing into predictable from the shotgun. The Giants by no means bought a learn on the place the run recreation was attacking. It wasn’t 12 completely different runs; it was the identical 3–4 runs from completely different seems to be, which resulted within the line wanting cleaner as a result of they weren’t being requested to dam defenders who knew what was coming.
As at all times, empty remained a cheat code. I want we ran it extra. The Eagles had a number of success with double slants and free entry throws as Hurts performs in such good rhythm in empty. For almost all of the sport, Hurts was excellent as soon as once more. Dallas Goedert had an amazing recreation, too. He solely caught three balls, however his all-around recreation was wonderful.
Hey, one other throw to the center of the sector! This time, it’s a double-post variant with a deep crosser that stretched the Giants’ protection out, and resulted in DeVonta Smith successful in the midst of the sector. The cross professional picked up 5, and Hurts stood in and ripped it. I’m additionally very intrigued by the funky Grant Calcaterra launch by way of the A-gap. The Rams do this type of factor so much, which suggests the Eagles are attempting one thing new. It’s slightly odd to see him launch by way of the A-gap, nevertheless it’s a intelligent option to maintain the LBs beneath and it could actually create a pure mesh with Barkley’s route when you get man protection.
Hurts throwing to DeVonta Smith was superior to observe on this recreation. Smith’s footwork was insane. He’s an elite route runner. The power to combine up his tempo, reduce on a dime, left the Giants’ cornerbacks grabbing air at occasions. Hurts threw this one with anticipation and nonetheless put it on the cash, regardless of going through stress. DeVonta performed like a No.1 in A.J. Brown’s absence and the route operating was flat-out stunning.
By the best way, I figured there could be some chat about this within the feedback, so I’ll get my ideas out of the best way now. The Eagles may have executed all of this with A.J. Brown wholesome. Nothing in regards to the recreation plan required his absence. Nonetheless, I can’t assist however really feel that possibly the coaches have been pressured to design higher, extra balanced performs as a result of they couldn’t lean on Brown’s elite expertise to bail them out. Hopefully, this continues with Brown again after the bye.
This is a superb design, regardless of it not working. The Eagles overload one facet with a three-level stretch, and Barkley runs the intermediate route out of the backfield. That is the sort of spacing idea that’s been lacking from the Eagles’ offense. Nonetheless, there’s a trade-off while you flood a zone with a number of receivers. You may get heated up by stress when you depart nobody into block, however I’ll take the occasional unfavourable for the explosives this type of idea can generate.
Right here we now have under-center pin-pull, now from 12 personnel, with each tight ends becoming their blocks (a sentence we now have not been capable of write usually this yr). The Giants introduced stress to the left, and the Eagles had the right play referred to as. It’s wonderful how simple all the things seems to be when your runs aren’t telegraphed.
I loved the Eagles’ use of jumbo personnel, however, with six OL and two TEs, your play-action menu narrows. On the sack the place Hurts seemed unhealthy, there simply weren’t any viable retailers. You’re taking part in with one receiver on a longer-developing idea. I really like the jumbo stuff for identification and tone, and it was a giant a part of why the run recreation rolled, however you’ve bought to be selective about while you pair it with PA pictures. Personally, I would like two wideouts on the sector to create true horizontal/vertical stretch. I desire the 6 OL packages with 2 WRs on the sector, over 2 TEs. That feels nearly too heavy!
Bigsby closed the sport like a finisher, stringing collectively runs the place defenders bounced off him. He’s the perfect RB2 the Eagles have had in years. He was bodily, decisive, and with sufficient pop to show glancing contact into further yards. The Eagles have been bullied by the Giants a few weeks in the past. Bigsby dished up some well-deserved revenge on the finish of the sport!
All of the hits made an look on this one, together with the unstoppable split-zone RPO slide to Goedert. That is so nicely designed. They add in a jet movement (after operating a reverse early on within the recreation) and use DeVonta’s route as a authorized rub to nudge the LB’s path. That is what I’ve begged for all yr: sweat the small stuff. Landmarks, movement, and window-dressing that truly change how defenders match. It confirmed up everywhere in the movie this week. The headline numbers inform the story. Hurts went 15/20 for 179 yards, 4 TDs, 0 INTs. Over the past two weeks, he’s accounted for seven touchdowns with no turnovers, and he’s taking part in nice soccer. Lengthy could it proceed.
Simply watch DeVonta Smith right here. Oh my goodness. Satirically, I assumed Dotson’s total route self-discipline wasn’t nice on this recreation, however this catch was outrageous.
By the top, the Giants clearly began promoting out for pin-pull, with linebackers flying downhill, and Bigsby didn’t care. That is the way you shut.
This was the kind of recreation we now have all been ready for from the run recreation. The Eagles had 10 snaps of true jumbo (six OL) personnel, which produced 114 dashing yards and a TD. Dickerson seemed the healthiest he has all yr. Jordan Mailata talked about needing to carry again the bodily tone after the primary Giants recreation. It was again on this one!
Most significantly, the method modified. This was the primary time all yr the offense felt balanced and sequenced nicely. The identical core concepts have been dressed otherwise, the sequencing made sense, and you possibly can really feel the protection guessing. Two weeks in the past, the Giants bullied the Eagles. Yesterday, the Eagles bullied the Giants. The Giants would possibly suck, however dominance remains to be dominance. What a beautiful efficiency.
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