I can sense the frustration on-line amongst Philadelphia Eagles followers after this win over the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs. It wasn’t the cleanest offensive displaying, however I really got here away feeling a bit higher concerning the recreation plan than I anticipated to. There have been apparent flaws within the dropback move recreation and a few odd choices within the run recreation design, however there have been additionally some clear positives. Let’s go.
On the very first play of the sport, the Eagles had an opportunity to land an enormous blow. A.J. Brown was broad open on a shot play as a result of the Chiefs blew the protection. This could have been a landing. However Grant Calcaterra fully failed to choose up the rusher, and Kylen Granson had no probability to get throughout in time, so the play was wrecked earlier than it may develop. You may blame the tight ends for the execution, however you possibly can’t fault the decision. The Eagles dialed up the proper shot on the primary snap, and if it’s blocked correctly, it’s an enormous acquire on the very first play of the sport.
One of many causes the Eagles had such a low common depth of goal on this recreation was due to how the Chiefs’ protection. The Chiefs despatched loads of stress and sat in zones behind it, and the Eagles responded by getting the ball out of Hurts’ palms shortly. I don’t hate that method in any respect. Hurts stayed calm, delivered on time, and trusted his guys to create after the catch. It didn’t work all the time, and the receivers broke virtually no tackles, however the logic was sound. The encouraging half was how calm Hurts regarded. I’ve spoken about Hurts’ evolution as a participant earlier than and I believe we’re seeing him progress in a number of new areas this yr, together with towards the blitz. Additionally, that is in all probability the perfect recreation I’ve seen from Eagles operating backs in move safety in years, too. Each Saquon Barkley and A.J. Dillon had some excellent reps choosing up blitzes, and it made Hurts’ job a lot simpler.
This play was an incredible instance of how the method was proper, even when the end result was nothing thrilling. The Eagles intentionally let a rusher come free into Hurts’ line of imaginative and prescient, and Hurts calmly threw into the blitz. The Eagles had been pleased to let free rushers get to Hurts, however they prevented him from getting hit from his bottom. Hurts was all the time staring into the free rusher. Evaluate this recreation to a couple years in the past, when Hurts confronted Todd Bowles and his Buccaneers’ protection, when he fully melted in these conditions. Now he seems unfazed. That’s an enormous optimistic. This throw got here out on time, and if DeVonta Smith breaks a deal with, it’s an enormous acquire. That’s the distinction in Hurts now. Steve Spagnuolo’s stress didn’t rattle him in any respect. The Eagles had a plan for the blitz and executed it fairly properly.
One other sturdy name got here on this tunnel display. The Eagles used movement to tug defenders a technique earlier than throwing the ball again throughout the sector. That is the sort of display I really like: get the offensive linemen out in area and allow them to block, slightly than counting on broad receivers to carry up on the perimeter. This is called a tunnel display, and I desire it to a bubble display, the place you ask the receivers to dam. The broad blocking was poor all of final season, so this adjustment made sense. It was one of many few instances prior to now couple of years the place the display recreation felt like an actual weapon.
Now, I think about most followers are extra pissed off with the move recreation than the run recreation, however I really had big points with the run designs, too. The heavy personnel stuff simply doesn’t work. The tight ends can’t block, and Calcaterra is a giant motive for that. I can’t be bothered to indicate extra clips of Calcaterra failing to dam (I confirmed sufficient final week) as a result of it’s boring at this level. It’s not his fault. He’s being misused. Early runs out of 12 personnel had been a large number. To their credit score, the offensive employees appeared to comprehend this mid-game and adjusted. They used the tight ends as bottom decoys as an alternative of asking them to dam frontside. They ran this look 3 times (that I counted) and bought 11, 9, and 9 yards. If you wish to run 12 personnel for different causes (comparable to to pressure a particular personnel package deal or get predictable protection), then I’d slightly depend on the 5 offensive linemen, not the tight ends. And when you will have somebody like Cam Jurgens climbing to the second stage and erasing linebackers like this, you don’t must complicate issues. Barkley nonetheless regarded explosive even when his field rating didn’t present it. He’s taking part in at a really excessive stage, and it highlights the weak spot of the design of the run recreation that his manufacturing has been fairly poor to date.
This was perhaps probably the most fascinating play of the sport for me. I’ve so many ideas, and I’ll deal with this play on my podcast this week, as a result of I want to debate it even additional! Hurts labored by means of his reads so shortly, proper to left, eliminating what wasn’t there, and attending to Jahan Dotson within the flat. His course of is a lot faster than it was even a yr in the past, and that’s an enormous improvement. His evolution is obvious. I additionally appreciated the design, utilizing Barkley as virtually a lead blocker in entrance of Dotson. However there’s another level to contemplate right here. Typically, while you course of too quick, you don’t let issues develop down the sector. Hurts could have eradicated Calcaterra on the nook route too early. If he’d let it play, it may need been open. That stability is essential: get rid of what isn’t there, however don’t kill performs too early. Nonetheless, total, this was actually encouraging quarterback play. It’s simply one thing to contemplate.
Right here was the low level towards the blitz. A lot of the evening, the Eagles had a solution inbuilt, however not right here. The Chiefs introduced stress, the Eagles had nothing dialed as much as counter it, and Hurts was caught. This additionally highlighted how poor the dropback move recreation has been. In opposition to commonplace four-man rush and zone protection, they appear common at greatest. And that’s an enormous concern. We are going to get into that difficulty shortly…
Again to the positives for now. I used to be stunned we didn’t see extra empty seems, as a result of the Eagles really dealt with them very well. This play was textbook. Hurts knew the ball needed to come out immediately, trusted A.J. Brown on the slant, and delivered an ideal strike. Once more, if Brown breaks one deal with, it’s an enormous acquire. This offense regarded far simpler towards stress than it did in the usual dropback recreation, which isn’t what I anticipated towards a Spagnuolo protection.
Alright, it’s time. You’ve waited lengthy sufficient. The Eagles’ dropback recreation simply isn’t ok. There are quite a few explanation why, however let’s get into the fundamentals. They dwell in 2×2 units, operating one idea to every facet, which makes it far too straightforward for defenses to cowl zones with out being harassed. I’ve no difficulty with this offense towards man protection, however towards zone (particularly two-high coverages), it has been a catastrophe. In opposition to zone protection, you must flood areas or put linebackers in battle. The Eagles aren’t doing that. They ran “Crash” a number of instances (deep out + brief in), and the Chiefs sniffed it out each time. These had been staples of final yr’s offense, however groups know what’s coming. With out movement or disguise, it’s too predictable. Hurts can beat man protection all day, however towards four-man rush and zone protection, this passing recreation doesn’t have solutions. That’s on the coordinator, not the quarterback. I do know Hurts can run extra ideas designed to beat zone, as a result of I’ve seen him run them loads of instances. I believe Hurts is without doubt one of the greatest intermediate throwers exterior the numbers within the NFL (assume deep comeback or deep out), and I don’t assume I’ve seen Hurts throw one efficiently all season lengthy. That’s insanity. The Eagles must have a critical take a look at their commonplace drop-back move recreation. This group is just too proficient to be this poor.
The run recreation wasn’t significantly better at instances, both. It’s been bland by means of two weeks, lacking the creativity that outlined it final yr. Performs like QB Counter Bash that had been staples have vanished, and Hurts has barely been used as a runner. With so few shotgun runs, Hurts’ capability to maintain the soccer hasn’t been used as a weapon to date. I’ve mentioned for years that cell quarterbacks are cheat codes within the run recreation, and it feels just like the Eagles should not utilizing theirs. Perhaps that’s deliberate, and they’re saving his physique for later within the yr, however it makes the run recreation far simpler to defend proper now. This was one of many few artistic runs we noticed, that includes an out of doors zone toss pin-pull. Mailata and Dickerson pulled fantastically, however even right here the tight ends struggled. Granson was practically walked again into Barkley. The shortage of blocking from the TE room is crippling this run recreation.
Lastly, one of many highlights. I’ve all the time mentioned I don’t thoughts throwing downfield towards all-out blitzes when you will have expertise exterior, and this was good. The Eagles missed certainly one of these pictures earlier within the recreation, and I’ve to be constant and say that I didn’t thoughts that shot both. Nonetheless, that is higher as a slot fade is healthier than a vertical route exterior the numbers. Barkley picked up bottom stress completely, Hurts stood tall and bought the ball out regardless of the free rusher in his face, and DeVonta Smith made a spectacular play monitoring it down. Folks known as it underthrown, however contemplating the state of affairs, Hurts had no time to step into it and did the correct factor by giving his receiver an opportunity and getting quite a lot of top on the ball. It was an exquisite execution throughout, and it’s why I desire slot fades to exterior go routes. There may be extra room and extra time for the receiver to regulate.
Let’s finish on a small wrinkle, which is perhaps an indication of one thing to return. On the ultimate drive, the Eagles used Fred Johnson as a sixth offensive lineman, and it labored. He lined up subsequent to Lane Johnson, Barkley picked up 9 yards, and it made much more sense than rolling out 12 personnel once more. Chris Jones was wrecking performs all recreation, and Barkley solely bailed them out right here along with his burst. If the Eagles insist on heavy seems, I’d slightly see this six-OL package deal than depend on tight ends who can’t block.
General, this wasn’t an ideal recreation on offense. The dropback move recreation is deeply flawed, and the run recreation is predictable and unimaginative. However Hurts towards the blitz was excellent, the operating backs in safety had been excellent, and there have been flashes of creativity that labored, which may result in future success. On one other day, if that first play connects or a receiver breaks a deal with, the passing numbers look very completely different. There’s lots to wash up, however there’s additionally a platform right here to construct on.
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