The Eagles are not Unbeatable

[Clarkson]

I'm as disenchanted as the rest of you after last week. Even without Smith and Lee, to go out there and lay such a massive, smelly egg was disappointing. Disappointing isn't a strong enough word. Dak should sue the coaching staff for putting his life in danger with no attempt to stop it.

That being said...

The Eagles are not a perfect team. Far from it.
They needed a miracle 63-yd field goal from a rookie kicker to beat a then-0-4 Giants team.
The following week, playing yet another 0-4 team in the Los Angeles Chargers, they won, but barely. LA had a good chance throughout the entire game.
These two winless teams were a field goal away from a win. They're not any better coached than we are. They have less overall talent.

The Eagles most impressive wins this year, IMO, have come against the Commanders. Who we also handled with ease. They've played TWO teams with a winning record, and lost to one of them pretty soundly.

I'm not saying I feel great about this game. I don't, at all. However, our defense didn't really play poorly last week. We lost that game so big solely because of the left tackle. That's it. It stalled the offense every single time. We also couldn't get off the field on 3rd down despite playing stout defense on 1st and 2nd all game. I understand the Eagles have been a great 3rd down team. I may be in the minority in recognizing that 3rd down play is not a skill. Just like being "clutch" is not a skill. Ideally, any and every team wants to be great on 1st and 2nd and avoid 3rd. The 3rd down thing isn't something that lasts forever. We can do it with a solid gameplan.

Despite his numbers this year vs mostly poor defenses, Wentz is turnover prone. We will have opportunities to take the ball away, and we're going to have to at least once. He's been good vs pressure, so we need to be smart about blitzing. We really need Lawrence to have a big game, and he's capable of doing that vs any RT, even Johnson.

I'm just saying, guys - not all hope is lost. They aren't an amazing team steam-rolling other amazing teams. They've mostly steam-rolled junk and struggled against some junk as well. I'm not saying it WILL happen, but it definitely can. Cheers, everyone.

 

[IheartRomo]

I think the Eagles are VERY beatable for a lot of the same reasons you mentioned. However, as talented as this Cowboys team is at full strength (and make no mistake, they are a true contender), their depth behind key players is so abhorrent that they are the Cleveland Browns with Jaylon Smith and anyone not named Tyron Smith on the field.

The Eagles are beatable. The current version of this team isn't the team to do it I fear.

 

[mahoneybill]

I hope we make it close , as my Eagle Brother in laws have started early on the Dallas Sucks mantra.

That said, if we lose and the Birds make the playoffs I hope they get smoked by the Vikings in an NFC championship matchup. Would rather see them win the SB than the Birds...

Would be a fitting end to their miracle run.....

 

[Risen Star]

Not unbeatable. Just better than the Cowboys.

 

[Clarkson]

The Eagles are beatable. The current version of this team isn't the team to do it I fear.

The Giants and Chargers weren't the teams to do it, either, and they easily could have.
Philly has been lucky to get to 8-1.

 

[robjay04]

I think it’ll come down to our defensive line.

If we can get consistent pass rush rushing only 4 and slow down the run, it’s doable. We just can’t let the Eagles get into a rhythm and we need to hold them to field goals.

The “bend don’t break” philosophy may work ok in this one if we can cause some mistakes rushing 4. In what Eagle games I have watched, they love the big play...we can’t allow that.

 

[Hawkeye19]

Nice post... few additional points:

1. Dallas is generally a good bounce back team after a loss.

2. We are fighting for our season and at home, and we just learned in Atl what happens when a team is in that position. Desperation can elevate your performance

3. The bye week can be fickle. A cold team can use the bye week to iron out the kinks and come out firing (like we did this year)— but it can also negatively impact a team that is on a roll as the time off dampens their momentum. Will be interesting to see if the Iggs are slow out of the gate.

4. The Eagles will get our last, best punch we can muster. Will it be enough? Not sure— but we at least have a punchers chance at the upset if we play our brand of football

 

[Sydla]

The Giants and Chargers weren't the teams to do it, either, and they easily could have.
Philly has been lucky to get to 8-1.

Every team that gets off to a start like theirs has a tough game against a bad or mediocre team or has some luck involved in getting where they are.

They are the best team in the NFL right now because they have been the most consistent week to week and they've been mauling teams, even bad ones, the last few weeks.

Without key players, it's going to be very tough to win Sunday night. Impossible? Nothing is impossible. But they are a legit contender and right now, we are not. That's a tough mountain to climb IMO.

 

[Oh_Canada]

Very beatable yes, except our coaching staff has shown no ability to game plan over anyone. They need all there stars to win.

 

[CowboyRoy]

I'm as disenchanted as the rest of you after last week. Even without Smith and Lee, to go out there and lay such a massive, smelly egg was disappointing. Disappointing isn't a strong enough word. Dak should sue the coaching staff for putting his life in danger with no attempt to stop it.

That being said...

The Eagles are not a perfect team. Far from it.
They needed a miracle 63-yd field goal from a rookie kicker to beat a then-0-4 Giants team.
The following week, playing yet another 0-4 team in the Los Angeles Chargers, they won, but barely. LA had a good chance throughout the entire game.
These two winless teams were a field goal away from a win. They're not any better coached than we are. They have less overall talent.

The Eagles most impressive wins this year, IMO, have come against the Commanders. Who we also handled with ease. They've played TWO teams with a winning record, and lost to one of them pretty soundly.

I'm not saying I feel great about this game. I don't, at all. However, our defense didn't really play poorly last week. We lost that game so big solely because of the left tackle. That's it. It stalled the offense every single time. We also couldn't get off the field on 3rd down despite playing stout defense on 1st and 2nd all game. I understand the Eagles have been a great 3rd down team. I may be in the minority in recognizing that 3rd down play is not a skill. Just like being "clutch" is not a skill. Ideally, any and every team wants to be great on 1st and 2nd and avoid 3rd. The 3rd down thing isn't something that lasts forever. We can do it with a solid gameplan.

Despite his numbers this year vs mostly poor defenses, Wentz is turnover prone. We will have opportunities to take the ball away, and we're going to have to at least once. He's been good vs pressure, so we need to be smart about blitzing. We really need Lawrence to have a big game, and he's capable of doing that vs any RT, even Johnson.

I'm just saying, guys - not all hope is lost. They aren't an amazing team steam-rolling other amazing teams. They've mostly steam-rolled junk and struggled against some junk as well. I'm not saying it WILL happen, but it definitely can. Cheers, everyone.

And what about the Cowboys are they beatable?

 

[Clarkson]

And what about the Cowboys are they beatable?

Uh, yes?

 

[Clarkson]

Every team that gets off to a start like theirs has a tough game against a bad or mediocre team or has some luck involved in getting where they are.

They are the best team in the NFL right now because they have been the most consistent week to week and they've been mauling teams, even bad ones, the last few weeks.

Of course every team does. But that's my point. That luck can run dry at any time.

 

[Clarkson]

I think it’ll come down to our defensive line.

If we can get consistent pass rush rushing only 4 and slow down the run, it’s doable. We just can’t let the Eagles get into a rhythm and we need to hold them to field goals.

The “bend don’t break” philosophy may work ok in this one if we can cause some mistakes rushing 4. In what Eagle games I have watched, they love the big play...we can’t allow that.

They absolutely rely on the big play. Which, IMO, is a big vulnerability in their team. I should've mentioned that in my post. Relying on the big play can be bad.

 

[Sydla]

Of course every team does. But that's my point. That luck can run dry at any time.

But their record isn't the pure product of luck. You seem to be operating with the assumption that they are lucky week to week and when the luck stops, the bottom will drop out.

The reality is that they have been far more good than lucky and they don't need luck to beat us. In other words, given our deficiencies, if both teams play well Sunday night, we likely can't win - the Eagles are just the better and healthier team at this point.

 

[Clarkson]

Very beatable yes, except our coaching staff has shown no ability to game plan over anyone. They need all there stars to win.

Did we not game plan over the Chiefs? We had our guys, but our plan was still solid, and it worked vs a top offense.

 

[Sydla]

Did we not game plan over the Chiefs? We had our guys, but our plan was still solid, and it worked vs a top offense.

That's largely been the exception not the norm, however.

 

[Risen Star]

I've seen bye weeks come at a bad time for teams and stop their momentum. That's pretty much what I'm hoping for.

 

[Clarkson]

But their record isn't the pure product of luck. You seem to be operating with the assumption that they are lucky week to week and when the luck stops, the bottom will drop out.

The reality is that they have been far more good than lucky and they don't need luck to beat us.

I'm not operating under that assumption at all.
Playing two teams with a winning record through 9 games is pretty damn lucky, tho.

 

[Stash]

I'm as disenchanted as the rest of you after last week. Even without Smith and Lee, to go out there and lay such a massive, smelly egg was disappointing. Disappointing isn't a strong enough word. Dak should sue the coaching staff for putting his life in danger with no attempt to stop it.

That being said...

The Eagles are not a perfect team. Far from it.
They needed a miracle 63-yd field goal from a rookie kicker to beat a then-0-4 Giants team.
The following week, playing yet another 0-4 team in the Los Angeles Chargers, they won, but barely. LA had a good chance throughout the entire game.
These two winless teams were a field goal away from a win. They're not any better coached than we are. They have less overall talent.

The Eagles most impressive wins this year, IMO, have come against the Commanders. Who we also handled with ease. They've played TWO teams with a winning record, and lost to one of them pretty soundly.

I'm not saying I feel great about this game. I don't, at all. However, our defense didn't really play poorly last week. We lost that game so big solely because of the left tackle. That's it. It stalled the offense every single time. We also couldn't get off the field on 3rd down despite playing stout defense on 1st and 2nd all game. I understand the Eagles have been a great 3rd down team. I may be in the minority in recognizing that 3rd down play is not a skill. Just like being "clutch" is not a skill. Ideally, any and every team wants to be great on 1st and 2nd and avoid 3rd. The 3rd down thing isn't something that lasts forever. We can do it with a solid gameplan.

Despite his numbers this year vs mostly poor defenses, Wentz is turnover prone. We will have opportunities to take the ball away, and we're going to have to at least once. He's been good vs pressure, so we need to be smart about blitzing. We really need Lawrence to have a big game, and he's capable of doing that vs any RT, even Johnson.

I'm just saying, guys - not all hope is lost. They aren't an amazing team steam-rolling other amazing teams. They've mostly steam-rolled junk and struggled against some junk as well. I'm not saying it WILL happen, but it definitely can. Cheers, everyone.

I appreciate the "rally the troops" sentiment, but this thing is loaded with inaccuracy.

They're certainly better coached than this team. They're 8-1 for crying out loud! Unlike the Cowboys, they haven't folded when the players losses at the exact same positions.

They do have better I really talent. See the fact that they can withstand injuries and still be 8-1. The wheels are falling off in Dallas.

And isn't even when did a one touchdown loss become being "soundly" beaten?

There's a whole lot of reaching going on here.

If the best summation is a "puncher's chance", that says it all.

 

[Stash]

I'm not operating under that assumption at all.
Playing two teams with a winning record through 9 games is pretty damn lucky, tho.

Sure it is.

You want to try to attribute everything they've accomplished to Luck and an easy schedule.

As if the Cowboys have played or beaten anyone better...