Eagles 2023-2024 Season

[zambonir]

The Front Cover of the Eagles' 2023 Yearbook Should be 170 Pound DeVonta Smith Getting Injured While Blocking for Kenny Gainwell on a 3rd and 19 Bubble Screen https://t.co/0wf32xPR13

— Crossing Broad ( @CrossingBroad ) December 31, 2023

[Purduke]

the curse of a repeating team winning the East division is still alive. at 10-1 I thought for sure it would be over. at least their draft position is getting better. and one more small item.Take that Wide receiver screen and shove it up someone's hiney. it goes no where and it broke Devanta Smith's ankle. plain lousy
gm

Thought the same thing after the loss yesterday.

The other thing I kept thinking was how silly the "winning is in the Eagles DNA" commentary was. Great line, but.... obviously there were quite a few coaches taking a crash course in CRISPR editing the last 5 weeks.

[LegoDoom]

"The Georgia defense" doesn't mean anything in and of itself. Great college players don't always become great NFL players, and they also didn't come with Kirby Smart as the Eagles DC.

I would say everyone still complained about the coaching staff when they were winning. Last year Lanning, this year Johnson. Desai wasn't getting it nearly as badly in public but we know what happened there. Regardless of whether it is talent not living up to its potential or coaches failing to tap that potential or just what used to be a strength getting old more quickly than expected (without enough/ready youth to step in) the result speaks for itself. The question is if it's the roster how much can be fixed (granted, Howie is usually pretty good at this) and if it's the coaching will a staff overhaul be sufficient or will they really cut loose Nick.

They also won a lot of "last score wins" games earlier that probably shouldn't have to come to that in the first place if they were truly a top team, and now they're losing them.

I was mainly replying to the comment about the lesson not being learned about the defense from last year. Obviously Howie knew he had to bring in more talent. I agree that fans in general, me included, were critical of Gannon. And he just beat Philly in Philly with what I think most would agree was a largely inferior team. I've never been a Sirianni fan. Not a hater, but not a fan (although that's being tested). I will give him a little rope as it's not easy losing 2 coordinators, but the offense was never well coached. They've always had terrible timing on blocks in the offense under Sirianni and the play calling has been mediocre at best.

I also tend to think that if you are screaming at DeVonta, then it's probably a "you" problem,

[phillychuck]

Current Playoff Bracket:

[zambonir]

Eagles could still win division of course. And Tampa can still lose it. 7 still also up for grabs.

Of course you choose the home game(s) if you can get it but right now it really doesn't feel like it matters. They could beat Tampa on the road but they could also lose to Green Bay or Seattle at home. The second round obviously a much different story (far better to potentially host Detroit or Dallas than travel to SF even if you don't think they can win any of them. But if they do actually win two playoff games who's to say they can't win more. Something will have had to change by then though).

Cowboys haven't lost at home all year but they are also 3-5 on the road and need to win in DC.

[allentown]

Mathematically possible but in reality the Eagles season is effectively over. A departure in first playoff game seems very likely, both because of the way they've been playing this year, especially recently, and because they need Smith to win. I guess I could be an optimist and surmise that the Eagles have been developing complex offensive and defensive schemes, with the plan being to unleash them in the playoffs. It would be nice to convince myself that the reason the team looks so disorganized is that practice time has been spent on blitz packages, surprise bump and run defenses, jet sweeps, and quick snaps as soon as the shifting player has satisfied set requirement.

[bkox]

because they need Smith to win.

It sounds like Eagles avoided a major injury to DeVonta Smith

[allentown]

Possibly back for playoff game?

[bkox]

Possibly back for playoff game?

being described as a mild sprain. So I would assume so.

[LegoDoom]

being described as a mild sprain. So I would assume so.

Not saying he won't play, but a walking boot and crutches is not mild.

[zambonir]

It might have been precautionary. A mild sprain is still a tear, but I would not be surprised to see him play Sunday. Of course he might not want to.

And no I don't expect the Eagles to make any kind of run, but they still have every chance to win the division. Dallas had lost two games in a row before they managed to hang on against the Lions. Commanders are terrible and therefore should have no chance, but stuff happens.

Which also means the Eagles could lose to the Giants of course. That would probably be the most appropriate way for the East to end.

[LegoDoom]

Even if it's a high ankle sprain he could be done for the season.

I hope it's not bad, but still on crutches:

Eagles' DeVonta Smith: Still on crutches

[schillingfan]

As bad as the Eagles look, Kansas City.has not been good either. I heard ESPN radio commenting on the Chiefs having to play a lot of teams after they had Thursday night games, just like we did. I do think that the league definitely set the schedules to make it tough for the Super Bowl tea,s. They love parity.

I think the following are important.

1. The six game gauntlet completely wore down the defensive line, which is a combination of old guys playing too much and young guys not used to so many games,

2. Losing both coordinators. Andy Reid lost his OC, too.

3. Same old stuff for defensive and offensive play calling, PC described it pretty well.

4. Salary cap forces parity and weakness and Howe made the decision to leave LB wewaknesses and gave the wrong good contract to Bradberry.

It’s never one thing. Te defensive backfedinjures mounded Al the other factors. Bummed, but I I believe that Lre and Roseman have developed a winning franchise. We won’t be the Patriots, but we’ll begin every season believing we have a good chance to be there at the end.

[allentown]

I think this is all very true. Salary cap is important and we shouldn't underestimate how much of an edge we got from Hurts performing very well on a rookie contract last year. It basically allowed another star contract. Yes, the Eagles were given a harder schedule this season, but I think a bigger factor of having been to the SB last season is that other teams have spent a lot of time figuring out how to beat the Eagles. Given that, I'm stunned that even with two new coordinators that the Eagles have been so same-old, same-old on signal-calling on both D and O. It was a time to innovate. As in baseball, the pitcher adjusts to weaknesses the batter has shown and the batter either evolves to meet the challenge or fails. The Eagles have not evolved. They are trying to do the same as last year, with a little older, less talented roster. The other big surprise is that despite the same-old, same-old that the team seems so disorganized so often and that the LB/DBs are so bad at communication, or that the team seems so incapable of responding to blitzes, or that time management is a problem. They don't look like a team that has been to the super bowl.

Six of the last Eagles head coaches had winning records with the team. Many showed a steep drop after the novelty wore off. The Oregon offense was briefly successful and had opponents back on their heals. The new was figured out by other teams given an off-season. The same has now happened with the Eagles version of the RPO. By next year, the Brotherly Shove is likely illegal or other teams are stopping it at higher rate. And, to be completely honest, without the Shove, the Eagles aren't even in the playoffs this season.

We will need two new DLs for next year. Despite veteran leadership, Graham and Cox can't be back.

[VoteForKalas]

Good post, SF.

However, that is the tricky thing about expectations.

Roseman & Co. cannot say they want to be the best and SBs are their goal and, then when they fall short, state as long as we're competitive that is good enough.

He famously said before that being 10-6 each year is not good enough

[bkox]

6 Eagles named to the Pro Bowl

[zambonir]

No way the Commanders blow the #2 pick in the draft today by trying to beat Dallas. Josh Harris is not new to this(tanking). If he has any prayer of landing a good HC this offseason, they’re gonna want to keep that #2 pick.

— Ike Reese ( @Ike58Reese ) January 7, 2024

[andyb]

Many of the Commanders' better players are inactive today. A couple of offensive lineman. Jonathan Allen on the defensive line. I think their top 3 cornerbacks. There is no way the Cowboys don't score 30+ against this lineup even resting some of their starters.

[zambonir]

Reese followed that up by saying he still thinks the Eagles need to play their best players and try to win. But I assume they won't do that in the second half if it's not called for. Of course that should have been the case last year too when they led 16-0 at halftime and 19-0 early in the third but more was at stake in that one (unless Washington is leading at halftime).

Surprised they didn't fire Rivera before this game if they really want to tank it. But I guess the roster approach works better.

[zambonir]

Swift and Cox were already out, Brown's hurt (out for the game at least), Jalen just had a finger on his throwing hand jammed (just went into the tent). Bring on the Bucs!