The Eagles snap their three-game losing streak, albeit in an underwhelming fashion against a team with the worst point differential in the league. Still, there were some positives to takeaway to go along with the negatives. Here’s four things I liked and four that I didn’t like from the Christmas afternoon match up.
*Note – I intend to publish this article the day after the games but was traveling back from enemy territory (Texas) after the holiday.
4 THINGS I LIKED
RUN GAME DIVERSITY
In my week 15 film room episode, I discussed how the Eagles run game was very predictable. Against the Seahawks, they ran an overwhelming amount of split zone action (with 2 variations built in) or mid zone (the play where Kelce pulls around to the 2nd level), which became predictable based on the pre-snap alignment of the running back and tight end.
They changed that approach in their first game against the Giants. This week they utilized a variety of different run schemes, whether they were zone or gap scheme runs, QB designed runs, lining up in shotgun or pistol (and one under center run), utilizing two backs in the backfield and even shifting the back from pistol to shotgun on several occasions. They even motioned on ten of their run plays after only doing so twice the previous week.
Here are the non-QB sneak run concepts they used:
Tight Zone – 8x (shift from Pistol to Shotgun three times)
Outside Zone – 6x (all from Pistol)
GH Counter – 4x (all from Pistol)
GT Counter Bash – 3x (all from Shotgun)
Mid Zone – 2x (2 Backs, Under Center)
Split Zone – 2x (Shotgun, Pistol)
Split Zone Bluff – 2x (all from Pistol)
Split Zone Bluff RPO – 1x (Shotgun)
GT Counter 1x – (Shotgun)
Zone Read 1x – (Shotgun)
Below is a video of each type of run used, in order from the list above.
These runs don’t even include all of the different RPOs that ended up as pass attempts.
By using a variety of different run concepts and alignments, they weren’t letting the defense clue in on their run game as easily as they had in previous weeks. Running out of pistol also allows them to use different types of run plays and they can build a bootleg play action scheme that would be more effective than if they were in shotgun.
While I hope this diversity continues, I do have one concern. The Eagles used a similar game plan in their first matchup with the Giants last year, particularly in their use of Pistol, multiple designed QB run schemes and spamming GH Counter the entire game (only show a handful of GH Counters in the video below). I hope this isn’t just a rehash of last year’s plan that leads to an abandonment of the multiplicity we saw this week.
At the end of the day, no matter what you decide to do in the run game, execution is what matters them most. The Eagles rushed for 170 yards while averaging 4.9 yards a pop, but that’s against a Giants defense that ranks 30th in yards per attempt, 26th in EPA and 25th in success rate against the run. They did what they should do against a bad run D which is a good thing. We need to see that trend continue against good teams, especially in the playoffs and when trying to run out the clock.
WIDE RECEIVER ROTATION/USAGE
The Quez Watkins story in Philadelphia is coming to an end, and Sunday felt like the final chapter. Quez messed up on his first snap against the Giants and then didn’t see the field again.
The third and fourth receivers for the Eagles are going to get limited targets in this offense. They have to do the little things right on the 95% of snaps they’re not getting targets and make enough plays on the 5% of snaps they do get targets to warrant playing time. Unfortunately for Quez, he hasn’t done much of the little things right and he has been mostly a negative when he does get targeted.
Let’s compare these two plays from Julio Jones and from Quez for an example of the little things I’m talking about.
Julio is the Eagles best blocker at receiver. Out of the wide outs they have on the roster, he has the best combination of size and willingness to block. This is especially important on screens. Compare two plays from the Giants game with one against the Seahawks.
DeVonta and Olamide Zaccheaus have the willingness to be good blockers but not the size. A.J. has the size but prefers to go for a big pop and doesn’t latch on and finish blocks, and I’m not sure Quez has the size or willingness to be a plus blocker. For a team that attaches a lot of bubble screens to their run plays, the Eagles should scheme combinations of Julio, Dallas Goedert and Jack Stoll to be the blockers.
It would also allow AJ and DeVonta time to rest. DeVonta leads all receivers in snaps this season. A.J. is third. Not including offensive linemen, DeVonta’s 1000 snaps are only topped by two quarterbacks on offense and 13 defensive players. They should find ways to get him some rest so he can be fresher on plays where he’s getting targeted.
Zaccheaus has earned more playing time all year long, coming up huge in several moments while also giving maximum effort throughout the season. He’s shown to be a guy you can rely on when his number is called while helping the offense in several other ways. On a team where he’s only getting a couple targets if any during the game, his unselfish attitude is what you need for a winning club.
JAMES BRADBERRY AS A DIME/SITUATIONAL ROLE PLAYER
To be clear, James Bradberry played every snap against the Giants, so he wasn’t used as a situational role player. However, when the Eagles went into their dime packages on third down, Bradberry moved inside and was often assigned to guard Darren Waller at tight end when in man coverage.
I don’t think Bradberry had a great performance in this role, but to be fair, Waller is one of the biggest size/speed mismatches in the NFL when he’s been healthy and Bradberry is learning the intricacies of having to guard much bigger players. In addition to that, recognizing routes and knowing where to be in zone coverage will be an adjustment when playing inside. Still, Bradberry is a smart player and has the size to compete with tight ends as his athleticism to run with wideouts declines. Give him time and I think he can extend his career as he learns this new role.
This will be important for the Eagles because they are committed to paying James Bradberry for at least the next two years, regardless if he’s on the team or not. Currently, Bradberry has a cap hit of 4.9M in 2024 and 8.2M in 2025. I imagine Howie would restructure and kick the can down the road so his 2025 cap hit would be reduced. If they opt to cut him, the cheapest route is making him a post June 1st cut, which would carry a cap hit of 4.7M in 2024 and 12.5M in 2025.
The Eagles will owe Bradberry almost the same amount of money whether he’s on the roster or not next year, so they might as well find a way to maximize what he has left. Unless he wants to get more physical so he can play on early downs in a safety/slot corner role, Bradberry’s days ahead are probably best as a situational dime player on late downs.
BRITAIN COVEY MAKING HIS ALL-PRO CASE
Britain Covey continues to prove his doubters wrong as he makes a strong case for a spot on the All-Pro team as a returner. He had another huge return, setting up the Eagles first score after returning a punt 54 yards. He also had the wherewithal to field a short punt and pick up the first 1st down for the offense with another 12-yard return later in the game. He’s fourth in punt return average at 14.4 and first in returns over 20 yards with seven.
Covey got a lot of hate coming into the season, mainly due to – lets call it stereotyping – even though he was one of the better punt returners as he gained experience during his rookie year.
(Tweet was in response to several people hating on Covey, not the original tweet by Dave Zangaro, check the responses to see how Covey was perceived heading into this season)
The numbers in the tweet get even better the later in the season you start the cutoff, but I wanted to include a decent sample size.
After the Eagles signed Covey as a UDFA, I came across this video below. It’s what sold me on him as a returner and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s a special teams coach when his playing days are over. It’s a 20-minute video, but has really fascinating insights. Some guys are great athletes that return punts. Britain Covey is a professional punt returner.
*Honorable mention – Sua Opeta had a really good game. Maybe he’s better on the left side. Maybe the Giants just really suck.
4 THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE
PASS RUSH
I mentioned in the Defeating DeVito article that this is a get right game for a pass rush that has been underperforming since the bye week. They averaged 3.3 sacks per game in the first nine weeks but that dropped to 1.8 in their next five. The Giants were already third all time in sacks allowed in a season and they had only played 14 games. The Eagles notched one sack against them.
My film room episode this week is going to discuss issues with the pass rush so I won’t go on too long here, but the bottom line is this group is just not good enough at the moment and I’m not sure that a whole lot can change this season.
This team can’t win in the postseason if they don’t have a pass rush. They aren’t good enough in their back 7 to make up for a lack of pass rush from their front and they aren’t very good at blitzing either. I think we (me) can blow some things out of proportion, especially when emotions are running high. But to me, this team is doomed in the playoffs if they can’t figure out a way to affect the QB.
This is going to make for some interesting decisions in the offseason. Do they Eagles try to revamp and find another high-end pass rusher to add to the mix? They have some other holes throughout the team, especially on the defense, that need to be addressed. They have already invested heavily in their front, with three 1st round picks in the past two drafts, and some decent sized contracts awarded to returning players and free agents. I’m not sure how many more resources they can afford to throw at the front right now.
SITUATIONAL FOOTBALL
If a lack of a pass rush is my biggest concern for the team this postseason, situational football would be second. Let’s look at some examples.
At the end of the first half, the Eagles had a second down run that gained four yards where Gainwell wasn’t able to get out of bounds. The Eagles let 21 seconds run off the clock before calling their second timeout. Facing third down with a little less than a minute left, I understand not wanting to give the Giants the ball back with much time if they don’t convert.
If that’s the case, then don’t call the time out. Let the clock run so that you have that timeout left if you do convert. But you can’t let the clock run, then take the timeout too. If you want to save time, then call the timeout right away.
A 19-yard completion moved the sticks while also stopping the clock as DeVonta Smith went out of bounds. The next play Jalen was sacked and they had to use their last time out. Still just 15 yards from a touchdown, they had time to get try to get a touchdown. But with only 18 seconds and no timeouts left, their playbook was very limited and the defense knows this.
Jalen ends up scrambling the next play, and instead of running out of bounds around the eight-yard line with 11 seconds left, he stays in bounds. The Eagles get lucky the Giants had a penalty on the play stopping the clock and were able to settle for a field goal. In a game where the Giants were throwing into the end zone to try to tie the score at the end, a four-point swing like that was huge. Without the penalty resulting in a field goal, they could have been throwing into the end zone to win the game.
On the Eagles first drive of the second half (after the kickoff return fumble), they faced 3rd & 1. Instead of going to the unstoppable Brotherly Shove, they decided to call tight zone and lost four yards. I’m sure they figured they’d sneak it on fourth down if they didn’t get the first originally, but that’s out the window when they lose four yards on the play. I’m not sure why they feel the need to get cute in these situations. We saw the same result in a game earlier this year. Just stick to the play that’s worked over 90% of the time.
Let’s look at the play, because regardless of calling a sneak or another run, the players still need to go out and execute.
An unnecessary play call from the OC and bad execution from Kelce.
When trying to run out the clock on 2nd & 11, D’Andre Swift tried to bounce a run and lost four yards.
Swift creates big plays in the run game, but on 2nd & 11 when trying to run out the clock, he has to know that getting minimal yards is much better than bouncing a run and losing four yards. He has to understand the risk/reward. If it’s first down I can understand trying to bounce outside for a big run as you have two more downs to dig yourself out of the hole. 3rd & 10 you at least have a chance to convert. 3rd & 15 and you’re essentially forced to throw it short to keep the clock running in that situation. Sometimes you just have to get behind your shoulder pads and pick up what you can.
These little issues have shown up all year, on both sides of the ball. When the margins become razor thin in the playoffs, the small details is often what makes the difference between playing one more game or going home empty handed.
ANSWER FOR COVER 0 BLITZES WHEN IN EMPTY (AND ALL OTHER FORMATIONS)
The Eagles rank second in total plays run out of empty formations this year. Empty formations are great to use and often makes life easier for QBs and offensive linemen as it is harder to disguise coverages and blitzes. Teams usually have a few checks they will use against empty, so you can make a defense somewhat predictable by using empty sets. Add in a dual threat quarterback and now you’re putting defenses in a bind.
When the Eagles get into empty sets, we’re seeing defenses rely on all out blitzes, knowing they can scheme up a free rusher at the QB. The Eagles haven’t been very good at handling Cover 0 blitzes much.
To be clear, nobody in the NFL has, as the average passer rating against Cover 0 blitz when in empty is 48.6. The average completion rate is 47.8%. Cover 0 has been somewhat of a problem for most of the NFL in general, as the average passer rating in all formations of 75.8 is well below the average passer rating of 88.
The Eagles have been horrible when facing Cover 0, with a passer rating of 21.9 to date. In empty it is 76.3 at least (before this game, will update once Week 16 numbers are updated), but considering how much the Eagles want to run empty, they need to figure out an answer when teams try to heat them up. Their empty sets really stress a defense and allows them to create big plays. Defenses are trying to speed up the process to limit those plays. Until they make teams pay, the Eagles are going to continue to see Cover 0 in empty.
I will have a video out at some point detailing their issues against Cover 0 so I won’t go into too much detail here, but the blame can be shared across the coaching staff, the quarterback and the offensive line. This isn’t a zero-sum game situation.
NOLAN SMITH AS AN OFF-BALL LB
Nolan Smith played eight snaps as an off-ball linebacker in this game. Even with the defense dealing with a lot of injuries to the position, I don’t think we should be throwing Nolan in as an off-ball LB. He has never played that position, even dating back to high school. Asking him to do so now, at the highest level, is just waiting for disaster.
I understand that he’s a great athlete, but there’s a reason why the greatest at the position have often not been the best athletes to grace the position. It’s a thinking position, that relies on football IQ, toughness and physicality more than it does superior athleticism. All that speed in the world doesn’t help if you’re running in the wrong direction, or hesitant to react because you don’t trust your eyes.
Nolan was lost several times at linebacker, especially in coverage, and the Giants capitalized with a couple big gains as a result.
Nolan has a unique blend of size and athletic traits, but he shouldn’t be dropping into coverage unless he’s the bonus dropper in a blitz or simulated pressure package. He can really excel when used that way, but don’t make a great athlete have to think and react in a way he’s never had to or you’re just going to slow him down. Haason Reddick’s career was almost ruined when the Cardinals tried to make him an off-ball LB. Let’s not do the same with Nolan Smith.
