Eagles Recap: It’s Bigger Than Carson Wentz
Ok so…
I get it, I get it, I get it, QB is the most important position on the field. But if you’re arguing back and forth about the QB, you are missing the point. There are much bigger problems than Carson Wentz ( for the record I don’t believe he’s a problem at all, but I digress.
Why the L?
The game was lost because of poor fundamentals. Blocking, Tackling and of course Catching. You have to execute. One thing I’ve noticed in these first 3 games is poor communication pre-snap. After a play guys are pointing out where they should’ve been.
Example: 4th quarter Lions driving it’s 3rd and 11.
Lions WR Danny Ammendola and Marvin Jones are lined up outside to the right (kinda like a bunch formation but only 2 guys). The Eagles are in man coverage with Sidney on Ammendola and Rasul on Jones. The lion WR are running their routes close together 1. To create confusion and 2. To create a natural pick play. They succeed. Jones breaks inside. Ammendola breaks outside. Both Sid and Sul go with Jones. First down Lions.
You gotta know beforehand what you’re going to do in that situation…are you switching or fighting through the pick and staying with your man?
I hate the mentality that these defensive backs play with. They are so afraid to get beat over the top that they don’t challenge the WR at all. Sidney Jones lined up over Marvin Jones with a 10-yard cushion and maintained the cushion throughout the entire route…..you might as well not even be there!!! You didn’t touch him you didn’t move him you didn’t make him work for anything! Jones had 10-yard in-and-out routes available to him all day long. The team can’t win like that.
Everyone remember that scary pass rush we had? It’s gone. It’s not coming back. Pass-rush is not the strength of this team anymore. Jim Schwartz is blitzing more than he ever has before; do you know why? It is because the defensive line isn’t getting there. There is nobody threatening the QB. Nobody.
Linebackers…?
Thank God for Malcolm Jenkins
For the 2nd week in a row, your skill position players cost you the game because of poor fundamentals.
On 4th-and-8 that throw to Darren Sproles; it was Wentz 3rd-read. Nobody else got open.
The play was designed to be a pick-play for JJ; it would have put him in open field a step away from the first down. However, the Lions DB fought through the pick and recovered to prevent separation (actually a good play by him), so JJ is out.
Wentz’s next read was Ertz in the middle of the field; double team, he’s out. Then there was Sproles. Ertz drew a double team a ton, everyone else had 1-on-1 man coverage and couldn’t get open. Can’t win like that
Nelson Agholor I just can’t
Miles Sanders: I loved the kid coming out of PSU. I still think he’s gonna be nice. But he’s not ready for the heavy workload yet. He needs to be more disciplined in his running and ball security is not-negotiable. Hold on to the damn ball!!!! As bad as his mistakes were, Sanders was your leading rusher and receiver in that game hence the flashes.
Ya’ll can argue about the QB all you want, but the bigger issue is the lack of talent on this team. The way they approached preseason was a mistake. Some of these young players we drafted are not gonna pan out.
So, all of you other armchair pundits hold your itchy twitter fingers. This is bigger than Carson Wentz!