FMIA: Peter King's best four teams to challenge the Eagles

[Hawkeye0202]

https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profo...agles-atlanta-falcons-peter-king-fmia-week-12

FMIA Week 12: Jason Kelce’s ‘Any Given Sunday’ and Philly’s Rocky Balboa Season​

The four teams best able to challenge Philadelphia:

• San Francisco, 8-3. Niners are healthy for now, have scored 30 or more in seven of their eight wins, and travel to the Linc for the game of week 13.
• Kansas City, 8-3, which is struggling a bit offensively, but doesn’t play a team with a winning record (as of today) in the last six weeks.
• Baltimore, 9-3, which will be the best-rested of the prime contenders down the stretch with a bye this week. Ravens have one game in the next 20 days.
• Dallas, 8-3. The Cowboys haven’t played well in January in recent years, but they are 4-2 in the last six games against the Eagles. They’re scoring 42 points a game over the last three.

The other top teams? Jacksonville’s won seven of eight, but the Jags had decisive home losses to Kansas City and San Francisco; a bit of a mystery there. Detroit looks to have peaked. Hard to put the Dolphins near the top when they’ve lost to the three best teams on their schedule. Pittsburgh and Cleveland? Quarterback issues. Houston and Denver are intriguing, and hot at the right time

Side note........Sunday's Eagles/Bills game. I'm now convinced you have to bury the Eagles to beat them. Letting them hang around with a lead of 10 points or less, you will lose. Two elements working in their favor you can't stop...

• tush push.....they are playing 1st and 9 ( that's huge ) while the rest of the league is 1st and 10.
• Jalen Hurts....I know I'll take a little heat for this, he reminds me of the great NBA players who "go get points" when they need them the most. The way he can transform himself from a QB to legit running makes him nearly unstoppable. Notice he rarely slides coz he has the vision, speed and physicality of a runner that makes him a nightmare with the ball in his hand. In other words or bottom, he will find a way to make a play.

The Award Section​

Offensive players of the week

Jalen Hurts, quarterback, Philadelphia. His first seven drives of an epic day ended with seven points. His last six resulted in 30 points, including taking the ball down three in overtime, traveling nine plays for 75 yards and ending it with a 12-yard TD run. In the span of seven days, Hurts led the Eagles to huge wins over Kansas City and Buffalo, by four and three points.

Dak Prescott, quarterback, Dallas. What a roll Prescott’s on—even though the last three games have come against the Giants, Panthers and Commanders. In his last five games, he’s completed 71 percent of his throws with 17 TDs and two interceptions. Dallas has produced 33 or more points in four of the last five games, including his 331-yard, four-TD, no-pick Thanksgiving Day rout of Washington.

 

[CCBoy]

The Eagles line, without their starting right tackle, were rock solid during scoring drives. They opened things up for Hurts.

Dallas and Dak Prescott got some earned respects here.

Now, if Dallas can steadily affect the Eagles offensive line, the Cowboys will dominate here.

 

[Joe Realist]

The Eagles may lose 1 of next 2 games, but its clear that something special is going on there. They are SB bound.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

Yep ........this mentality starts with Hurts and trickles down to the entire team. Notice the last few mins of the Cowboys, Chiefs, and Bills game, he took over.

 

[baltcowboy]

The Eagles are the best team in the this week but there is a good chance in two weeks the media might make them 3rd in the NFC. San Francisco is coming for Philadelphia and so is Dallas. They split those games I will admit it on this board the Eagles are the best.

 

[Hawkeye0202]

The Eagles are the best team in the this week but there is a good chance in two weeks the media might make them 3rd in the NFC. San Francisco is coming for Philadelphia and so is Dallas. They split those games I will admit it on this board the Eagles are the best.

Yep, I was thinking we are going to learn a lot about them over the next 2 games and actually the Cowboys also.

 

[DrunkWithPower]

The Bills let them have the underneath stuff the entire last drive in regulation. Pathetic. I think a lot of teams (Dallas included) lose games by jumping into prevent with a 3 point lead. Very stupid when playing the Eagles. You have to play aggressively to win and not to avoid losing.

Romo made a great observation regarding the next to last play in regulation (which may have cost the Bills the game). The defender should have let the Bills receiver catch the ball (instead of swatting it down) and try to take him down inbounds. That would have left very little time for the Eagles to line up and try the field goal (they had no time outs). Instead, it was an incomplete pass and obviously the Eagles kicker made it. Awesome clutch kick though.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

The Eagles are the best team in the this week but there is a good chance in two weeks the media might make them 3rd in the NFC. San Francisco is coming for Philadelphia and so is Dallas. They split those games I will admit it on this board the Eagles are the best.

I feel similarly but instead it’s over the next 3 games. SF-DAL-SEA. If Philly wins any one of those 3 games, they finish NYG-ARI-NYG so they’ll end up 14-3. It would require both Dallas and SF to win out. We still win the division if Dallas wins out in that scenario, and SF has to still play us, SEA, BAL(!). Probability says going 1-2 in the next 3 will win PHI the NFC

 

[baltcowboy]

Yep, I was thinking we are going to learn a lot about them over the next 2 games and actually the Cowboys also.

I think the best 3 teams in the NFL at this moment are the San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Dallas in that order. This season is slowly reminding 92 when the best teams in the NFL was San Francisco, Philadelphia, and the Cowboys in the regular season.

 

[baltcowboy]

I feel similarly but instead it’s over the next 3 games. SF-DAL-SEA. If Philly wins any one of those 3 games, they finish NYG-ARI-NYG so they’ll end up 14-3. It would require both Dallas and SF to win out. We still win the division if Dallas wins out in that scenario, and SF has to still play us, SEA, BAL(!). Probability says going 1-2 in the next 3 will win PHI the NFC

I think Seattle is done. If they are not careful they may not make the playoffs. Washington should have beaten them a few weeks ago.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

I think the best 3 teams in the NFL at this moment are the San Francisco, Philadelphia, and Dallas in that order. This season is slowly reminding 92 when the best teams in the NFL was San Francisco, Philadelphia, and the Cowboys in the regular season.

Here’s a wild take: the 4 biggest threats to run the table in the nfl and win the whole thing all play in the same division, at least until Burrow went down

 

[Vandyr]

I hate to be the one to temper expectations, but keep in mind Dallas has lost to every team with a winning record they've faced this season. Beating up on bad teams doesn't really make you a "threat".

 

[baltcowboy]

Here’s a wild take: the 4 biggest threats to run the table in the nfl and win the whole thing all play in the same division, at least until Burrow went down

Best division coming into the season. The quarterback injury destroyed what potential could have been 4 playoff teams. Sad for the NFL.

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

Sooo the four other teams in the NFL's top 5? You don't say.

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

Best division coming into the season. The quarterback injury destroyed what potential could have been 4 playoff teams. Sad for the NFL.

I think Cleveland can win the SB with anyone at QB. Maybe PIT too. I could definitely see all 3 teams going into KC/Miami/JAX in an AFCCG and just completely shut the opponent down.

 

[RonnieT24]

The Eagles may lose 1 of next 2 games, but its clear that something special is going on there. They are SB bound.

Either that or they are headed for something like what happened to the Vikings last year.. where so many teams self destructed late to hand them games and it caught up with them. We all knew the Vikings were nowhere near as good as their record last year and frankly to this point I don't think the Eagles are this year. That's not to say I think they're as bad as the Vikings who I thought were a joke no matter how many games they squeaked by in but the Eagles are living dangerously and showing a lot of warts. Time will tell if those warts doom them when it really counts.

 

[Creeper]

I think King is right, although I am not a fan of his. To beat the Eagles you need to get a good lead on them. The problem is, getting that big lead. Their offense seems to be able to turn it on and score at will when they need to. Dallas had a lead, then the Eagles just marched down the field to score 3 TDs while holding the Cowboys to nothing. Last night the Bills had the lead multiple times but when the Eagles needed a score they move the ball down the field and scored.

At the same time, the Chiefs and Bills should have beaten them. Dropped passes and bad officiating doomed both teams. But dropped passes are part of the game. The Eagles receivers don't drop big passes. Other teams do that against them. Is it luck? Maybe it is just the nature of the players. Maybe the Eagles only sign winners to their roster, guys who don't drop passes in big situations.

I think for anyone to beat the Eagles in the Super Bowl this year, the Eagles will need to suffer some big injuries on the offensive and defensive line.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I feel similarly but instead it’s over the next 3 games. SF-DAL-SEA. If Philly wins any one of those 3 games, they finish NYG-ARI-NYG so they’ll end up 14-3. It would require both Dallas and SF to win out. We still win the division if Dallas wins out in that scenario, and SF has to still play us, SEA, BAL(!). Probability says going 1-2 in the next 3 will win PHI the NFC

I’d say any team that can attack your secondary has a shot….Cardinals potentially though they may be in tank mode. But then again why even being back Kyler to begin with…

 

[Aerolithe_Lion]

I’d say any team that can attack your secondary has a shot….Cardinals potentially though they may be in tank mode. But then again why even being back Kyler to begin with…

I thought our secondary was playing bad this year, but watching Bradberry the last few games I’ve come around to thinking he’s actually not playing much worse than he did last year.

Hes not slower, he’s not slipping in his breaks, his hips aren’t stiffer… he’s being asked to play off more. He’s being asked to play inside when the QB wants to hit an out route to get to the sideline. I’m starting to believe that letting Dak throw for 350 yards and only score 23 pts is the goal of the new Dcoordinator. We’re obviously focusing the run d far more than we did last year and that impacts the pass D in run situations, which appears to be the strategy he wants to use.

Josh Allen in Overtime and Sam Howell are the only teams to break 30 against us all year, that’s why we have a chance to win every game we’re in. It’s definitely a different situation than last year, but bend-don’t-break can work

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I thought our secondary was playing bad this year, but watching Bradberry the last few games I’ve come around to thinking he’s actually not playing much worse than he did last year.

Hes not slower, he’s not slipping in his breaks, his hips aren’t stiffer… he’s being asked to play off more. He’s being asked to play inside when the QB wants to hit an out route to get to the sideline. I’m starting to believe that letting Dak throw for 350 yards and only score 23 pts is the goal of the new Dcoordinator. We’re obviously focusing the run d far more than we did last year and that impacts the pass D in run situations, which appears to be the strategy he wants to use.

Josh Allen in Overtime and Sam Howell are the only teams to break 30 against us all year, that’s why we have a chance to win every game we’re in. It’s definitely a different situation than last year, but bend-don’t-break can work

It’s not one specific player that’s playing bad it’s the unit. Your secondary in general just gets beat. It just hasn’t hurt yall it seems .