At least this time the Eagles lost to a team with a name. They looked like dog shit doing it, but losing to the Los Angeles Rams is a little more respectable than losing to the “Washington Football Team.”

Or is it?

This week might have been worse. They didn’t blow a 17-point lead, but they fumbled the ball on the third play of the game and set a tone so disharmonious that it would make Nickelback opening for Imagine Dragons be the more enticing aural experience.

The Eagles “gave ’em the friggin’ game,” as the great Jim Mora once said. They turned the ball over three times and allowed 37 points at home, making first-half Jared Goff look like Joe Namath while putting up the resistance of a wet paper bag against LA’s second-half running attack. It stunk in so many different ways that it’s hard to know where to start.

The Birds are 0-2 for the first time since 2015, when they finished 7-9 and Chip Kelly was fired. If Joe Burrow comes to the Delaware Valley next weekend and delivers a third straight L, then what?

1. Carson Wentz, once again doing nothing to help his case

Balls high, balls wide, balls over the place. The franchise quarterback was awful for a second straight game. We even saw him pay homage to Donovan McNabb when he threw a worm burner directly into the ground.

We can talk about many things with Carson, but the worst throw of the day was the end zone pick, when he attempted to thread the needle for J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, who had two guys relatively close to him.

The NFL’s Next Gen tracking graphic provides an interesting look at the play:

In what world does Carson think that ball is getting through?

Here’s his explanation:

“I got out on the naked (boot) there to the left and they had us covered pretty well. I got pretty aggressive and tried to force one in there. (Darious Williams) made a great play. I have to be smarter in that situation.”

“I was just moving to my left and saw J.J. had a step on his guy. I really just tried to force it in there before the free safety – obviously not what I should have done. He undercut it and made a great play. We had some good momentum, that drive, going. We were moving the ball well. Tried to do too much, tried to make a play and, obviously, can’t do that.”

He also tried to force it on the critical fourth and two in the fourth quarter, when he went down the middle for Dallas Goedert on an incredibly low percentage throw.

There’s no way this is getting through:

Maybe he didn’t have any other options and had to get rid of the ball, but still…

Some people will call for Jalen Hurts, and they’re certainly justified in doing that. I’ll tell you straight up though that he is not ready. The guy is a one-read, duel-threat quarterback who most recently played against soft Big 12 zone. He’ll develop into a good NFL player in the future, but my gut tells me Hurts’ first professional start is gonna be rocky.

2. Too many turnovers, not enough takeaways

Through two games, the offense has turned the ball over three times and the defense has taken it away zero times. The only unit on the plus-side in this category is special teams, which stripped Cooper Kupp right before halftime and helped get the Eagles back into this game.

For perspective:

Last year, the Eagles finished -3 in net turnovers with 23 giveaways and 20 takeaways.

In 2018, they were -6 net with 23 giveaways and 17 takeaways.

In 2017, the Super Bowl year, it was a +11 number with 20 giveaways and 31 takeaways.

This year, with a very small sample size, they’re on pace to finish bottom-three in net turnovers leaguewide. There’s been a very obvious regression in this department, and the defense deserves a lot of blame for not playing their part.

3. Allowing Jared Goff to morph into Joe Montana

37 points is the most the Eagles have given up at Lincoln Financial Field since Chip Kelly’s last season, when Arizona and Washington came here on back-to-back weekends and just ran riot. Those were the Kirk Cousins and David Johnson games, which we have removed entirely from our memories.

The weird thing about this game is that the Eagles adjusted to Jared Goff’s bootlegging and movement in the third quarter and kept him in the pocket, then got shredded by the run instead, which reopened the moving pocket. It was sort of like playing NFL whack-a-mole.

Sean McVay just abused the Eagles linebackers running plays like this:

Pre-snap motion, play-action, misdirection, etc. The Eagles ran a TON of this lateral stuff in 2013, and Riley Cooper was often the benefactor.

These types of plays really stress linebackers, which – well golly gee – just happens to be the Eagles’ worst position group. It’s really an old-school play design but it’s nicely executed here, and when you freeze it at the point of the play-action, you see the linebackers all looking in the backfield while LA runs a little X and sneaks Higbee through the traffic:

Interestingly enough, the Eagles didn’t seem to be caught off guard by the Rams’ game plan. There were a few quotes after the game saying they expected lateral movement and pre-snap motion and misdirection and matriculation, and this from Rodney McLeod was telling:

“It was identical to what we practiced. This was one of those games where you had to play fundamentally sound disciplined ball, trust in one another, whether that’s the D-line holding up there standing to us in the back end understanding how they are going to attack us in what areas and where we need to be. I feel like we started to chase plays rather than be in the moment and trust in one another consistently. We did battle back and put ourselves in good position but failed to finish the game in the fourth quarter.”

Ah okay, so they felt prepared, they just blew it on the field.

4. The inability to link momentum

After the Super bowl year, the Eagles became one of the NFL’s worst teams at linking momentum between their units.

When the defense would get a stop, the offense would go three and out. And when the offense would drive the field and put points on the board, the defense would respond with a swiss cheese effort. They would honor Izel Jenkins by getting toasted.

It’s really incredible to behold, and this game was another perfect example.

Look at what the defense did after the offensive scores:

  • after FG – Rams go 10 plays, 75 yards for touchdown
  • after TD – Rams go seven plays, 38 yards, then punt
  • after TD – (end of half, clock runs out)
  • after FG – Rams go three plays, 75 yards for touchdown

 

And look at what the offense did after the defensive stops and/or field goal holds:

  • six plays, 18 yards, punt
  • 12 plays, 65 yards, interception
  • 13 plays, 60 yards, field goal

 

It’s really poor. No link between offense and defense, only the special teams fumble recovery transferred any kind of momentum between the units.

5. Miles Sanders

This column has been depressing enough, so let me give you at least one positive –

Miles Sanders is the real deal.

Yes, he fumbled on the opening drive, and that was a backbreaker, but he really had a great game if we can somehow take the turnover and shelve it. And as a quick aside, I do like how Doug goes right back to his running backs after they fumble. Try to get their confidence back up. He did this with Jay Ajayi in the NFC divisional round game back in 2018, with good results.

Sanders opens up the Eagles running game in ways that Boston Scott and Corey Clement don’t. He’s shifty and runs well out of both shotgun and under center sets, and this week you saw more outside zone behind Lane Johnson and Nate Herbig on the right.

Runs like this:

That’s fantastic blocking. Watch the clip again and see Johnson pass off Morgan Fox to Herbig, then engage the linebacker at the next level. Nine yards on first down and you’re set up with a lovely 2nd and 1 in the opponent’s territory, which allows you to get creative and/or take a shot downfield.

The Birds as a team were poopy, but Sanders was solid. 20 carries for 95 yards is 4.8 yards per. Add a touchdown and three receptions for 22 yards and that’s a great line for any runner in the league.

6. Mistakes and breaks

Again, this could be a separate column:

Mistakes:

  1. Miles Sanders first drive fumble.
  2. 3rd and 2 drop from JJAW.
  3. Derek Barnett lining up in the neutral zone to give LA a first down.
  4. Carson Wentz totally overthrowing Zach Ertz on a 3rd and 5.
  5. D Jaxx dropping a (bad) screen pass.
  6. Carson Wentz horrendous end zone interception.
  7. Nickell Robey-Coleman helmet-to-helmet hit to put the Rams on the five.
  8. Holding to negate a 45-yard kick return.
  9. Carson Wentz second interception (which looked like a shitty call to me if we’re being completely honest)

 

Just outrageous, back-breaking mistakes in this game. They come in such critical positions, too. 3rd down, red zone, etc. Right now the Eagles stink at situational football.

Breaks:

  1. Cam Akers leaving the game early.
  2. Helmet-to-helmet hit for an automatic red zone first down.
  3. Cooper Kupp OUTRAGEOUS turnover right before halftime.
  4. Goff overthrowing an open receiver in the end zone.

 

The Rams had their moments as well. They let the Birds claw their way back but then Carson threw the end zone pick and we all knew it was over.

7. Ancillary wins and losses

Behold, more flaming garbage, smoldering in the Jetro Lot dumpsters:

  • lost time of possession 31:13 to 28:47
  • -2 turnover margin
  • 7-12 on third down (58.3%)
  • 0-1 on fourth down
  • allowed Rams to go 7-12 on third down (58.3%)
  • lost 0 yards on zero sacks
  • 2-3 success rate in the red zone
  • 5 penalties for 30 yards
  • 25 first downs, 30 for LA
  • ran 69 total plays, LA 70

 

Actually.. that’s not as bad as last week. TOP was poor, and the turnovers were poor, but the offensive line played really well and the third down and sack numbers were so much better. Problem was the Rams’ mirrored third down percentage and the +5 first downs, which kept them moving the sticks and controlling the clock.

8. Doug’s best call?

He did some things to try to get specific guys going. I liked the pre-snap jet sweep motion and toss to Jalen Reagor. The short little flare pass to Sanders early is an easy pitch and catch for the running back and quarterback. And even the split back look with Jalen Hurts serving as a decoy, while corny, resulted in a positive yardage gain.

(I say “corny” because you used a second round draft pick on a guy who has thus far played less than five snaps)

And overall, Wentz was moved a bit more, some play action and bootleg stuff, some shorter routes and fewer shots down the field, perhaps to help keep him within himself and make the throws easier. I don’t think Doug takes too much blame for the quarterback’s poor performance in this particular game.

9. Doug’s worst call?

Didn’t like the pitch to Sanders on the failed two point conversion, nor the decision to try it there. Just kick the extra point, cut the lead to 11, take your momentum, and move on. Try the two-point conversion later if necessary.

Speaking of momentum, Doug said this about accepting the field goal, after the penalty:

“I felt at that time we had some momentum, took the ball down the field. It was going to be a fourth and three, I believe, and wanted to keep it to a one-score game at that particular point. I felt like we had some momentum and made the choice to keep points on the board.”

No problems there.

10. Might as well jump!

Question –

Do you prefer Van Halen or Van Hagar? I think they’re both great.

How about “Halen Hurts?” He was the backup ‘WB’ for the Eagles Sunday, according to Howard Eskin:

The King has to be messing with us right? No way he continues to spell things incorrectly on social media. This could very easily be a ‘bit,’ but then you think about the fact that he’s almost 70 years old and could very well just struggle immensely with technology. He could possibly be on the first version of the iPhone, which came out more than ten years ago.

Anyway, add “Halen Hurts” to the pantheon of great Howard Eskin typos, along with “Lawrence McCutcheon” and “Cluff Lee.”

As for the broadcast, Kevin Kugler and Chris Spielman did a decent enough job. Kugler is the guy who replaced Thom Brennaman after the hot mic homophobia incident. He didn’t seem out of place to me.

My problems with the broadcast were twofold:

One – not enough replay. Show me the JJAW 3rd and 2 drop again. Show me Cam Johnston being clotheslined, with no call. WE NEED MORE REPLAY.

Two – the fake crowd noise. Please, God, turn it off. It doesn’t matter if it’s accurate or not. Fake crowd noise stinks. It’s artificial and inorganic. We don’t need to hear a pre-recorded booing track played 500 times per game. It’s bad enough watching the Eagles as it is.

Thank you for reading, and have a fantastic Monday.