Thoughts from last night's Hawks-Eagles game

[Plankton]

My takeaways from last night?

The Seahawk defense is a nasty unit. They really hit, and hit hard.

Russell Wilson is severely underpaid with the five turnstiles that are allegedly offensive linemen in front of him.

The Seahawk run game isn't a factor, and puts way too much on Wilson to carry the load offensively.

I really wish that Derek Barnett had managed to slip to pick #28. He is a stud.

The Eagles are a good team, but had some meltdowns last night in coverage.

Wentz did not have a good game by his 2017 standards, but the Eagles were still in the game against a really tough opponent on the road.

 

[visionary]

We need everything. You cant pass up a great corner either. There is no guarantee after one game that Awuzie is going to be great or the other rookie at corner. In my opinion you take the best available defensive player the first two rounds.

To me great defense starts with front 7 and safety play. That is where I expend my FA and draft resources

 

[maxdallasfan]

I watched the highlights, and notice that Wilson did a two step drop and immediatly flung the ball to a wide open WR for a 10 yard gain.

Our 10 yard gains come with two defenders draped all over our WRs.

 

[BoysfanfromCanada]

But if you go over film you’ll notice Dak not seeing his wide open receivers and throwing instead to the tight window.

Can you mention a play that doesn't involve Dak looking the opposite direction of the open player? And in one of the cases I know you're talking about, he still got the td to Witten. Don't act like he's been looking behind him while receivers are running free with everywhere

 

[aria]

This is an honest to god question. What would it take for you to admit Garrett might not be a good coach?

I am just curious. Is there a point where you might admit he's not the answer? If they fail to make the playoffs this year, that will be the 5th time in 7 full years they didn't make the postseason. At what point does that become an issue for you? Or do you always assume he's a good coach that's constantly held back by injuries, the GM, etc?

I am generally curious.

Proposed nice enough.

I think he has a few things going against him, primarily Jerry. This team hasn't been built properly in years, we've never been balanced on both sides of the ball. We rely on a handful of play makers and have no depth.

I'm not saying he is a "great" coach and that there aren't better coaches out there but I think he is a good coach, obviously works well with Jerry (which can and is a problem for most head coaches which can make matters worse) and doesn't deserve to be fired after going 13-3 the year before and having been dealt a horrible hand this year in terms of injuries/suspensions and lack of depth. Not to mention an entire veteran secondary that the FO let walk and most people here supported.

He hasn't made the playoffs as often as I'd like but for 3 years in a row it came down to the final game of the season against division rivals to get us in. I'm not saying that's an excuse but that's it's not as bad as some people make it seem.

He also got beat on a long FG and to one of the greatest qb's of all time last year and that was with a rookie RB, rookie QB and what many people here considered one of the worst secondaries in the league and no pass rushers.

People keep looking for excuses for losing. Not many were complaining of JG last year and no one was complaining of Dak. As I've said in other posts, I give him one more year with hopefully a more fully intact roster. If he doesn't make the playoffs then can him.

 

[Sydla]

Proposed nice enough.

I think he has a few things going against him, primarily Jerry. This team hasn't been built properly in years, we've never been balanced on both sides of the ball. We rely on a handful of play makers and have no depth.

I'm not saying he is a "great" coach and that there aren't better coaches out there but I think he is a good coach, obviously works well with Jerry (which can and is a problem for most head coaches which can make matters worse) and doesn't deserve to be fired after going 13-3 the year before and having been dealt a horrible hand this year in terms of injuries/suspensions and lack of depth. Not to mention an entire veteran secondary that the FO let walk and most people here supported.

He hasn't made the playoffs as often as I'd like but for 3 years in a row it came down to the final game of the season against division rivals to get us in. I'm not saying that's an excuse but that's it's not as bad as some people make it seem.

He also got beat on a long FG and to one of the greatest qb's of all time last year and that was with a rookie RB, rookie QB and what many people here considered one of the worst secondaries in the league and no pass rushers.

People keep looking for excuses for losing. Not many were complaining of JG last year and no one was complaining of Dak. As I've said in other posts, I give him one more year with hopefully a more fully intact roster. If he doesn't make the playoffs then can him.

Fair enough. My biggest issues in giving him one more year are:

1) I don't buy the bad hand and excuses. You look around the league and you see teams overcoming injuries. Those teams tend to be well coached teams. And what happens next year if we have another injury or two? More excuses? At some point, he has to show he can overcome issues/injuries. In 7 years, he has not been able to show that.

2) You can't waste another year of Dak's development on this coaching staff. It's clear that Dak, while he has talent, needs to continue to refine his game - mechanics, reads, etc. I don't think this staff can help him with that and I do find it a bit odd that once Romo leaves the Cowboys, Dak reverts to what we've seen. I suspect the best "coach" Dak had last year wasn't Garrett or Linehan. It was Romo. I can't waste another year of Dak's potential development on a staff that, frankly, has shown very little in 7 years to think they actually get "it".

 

[DogFace]

It’s been said at least twice in this thread and I’ll say it again. We almost never have wide open receivers.

I can remember one(I think from last year) where we had a guy run wide open. I remember explaining to my wife just how rare that is for this team.

I think it was T will in some kind of misdirection and throw back to the other side of the field. I Can’t really remember.

Needless to say we never ran the play again. I’m guessing they’re saving it for just the right time.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Our DL has been dominant with 4 guys that are beating single blocking at a high rate.

The difference for the Eagles is they have good coverage that works well as a unit. Last Thursday was the first time I saw an inkling of that from the Cowboys.

Schwarz is a better DC than Marinelli at this stage of their careers.

 

[Sydla]

Our DL has been dominant with 4 guys that are beating single blocking at a high rate.

The difference for the Eagles is they have good coverage that works well as a unit. Last Thursday was the first time I saw an inkling of that from the Cowboys.

Schwarz is a better DC than Marinelli at this stage of their careers.

Their interior DL is better with Jernigan and Cox. Those two guys can get QB pressure as well as be big run stoppers. I like Irving on passing downs inside, but we lack true every down difference makers at the DT spots. Mistakes at the 1 Tech have hurt them and they have been forced to play Collins at the 1 Tech.

I am hoping they finally invest in a real 1 Tech. Bring in a Logan or Poe. Or draft a big, hulking DT.

Or change DCs.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Fair enough. My biggest issues in giving him one more year are:

1) I don't buy the bad hand and excuses. You look around the league and you see teams overcoming injuries. Those teams tend to be well coached teams. And what happens next year if we have another injury or two? More excuses? At some point, he has to show he can overcome issues/injuries. In 7 years, he has not been able to show that.

2) You can't waste another year of Dak's development on this coaching staff. It's clear that Dak, while he has talent, needs to continue to refine his game - mechanics, reads, etc. I don't think this staff can help him with that and I do find it a bit odd that once Romo leaves the Cowboys, Dak reverts to what we've seen. I suspect the best "coach" Dak had last year wasn't Garrett or Linehan. It was Romo. I can't waste another year of Dak's potential development on a staff that, frankly, has shown very little in 7 years to think they actually get "it".

You see a handful of teams that overcome a number of injuries when in fact the most injured teams invariably perform worse than the least. Everyone likes to handwave at Vaitai and forget that the Eagles with this same offensive staff crapped the bed when Johnson was out for most of the season.

Patriots and Packers get decimated by injury and the teams performed poorly. The Giants have a fall guy but them losing OBJ, Marshall, and Harris mattered. Berry got hurt right around the time the Chiefs started tanking. The Ravens are the most injured team in the league and have suffered.

Roster construction is a crapshoot. It is impossible to stack all positions 3 deep like it was in the 80s. Now you take calculated risks. We stacked our DL and have weathered the storm at the 1. We have not been so lucky at LB up until Jaylon started playing better. Of course no one gives credit for that.

The main bugaboo we have had is Chaz Green. I put that on pro scouting moreso than anything but the fact of the matter was that Green played remarkably well last season. My guess is that starting him off at guard messed him up but that is a guess. Who exactly do you put that on?

Linehan was overseeing Dak last year when he had the best rookie QB campaign in history. That certainly was not wasted. Sure some coaches might do better but acting like Linehan and co are all bad is nonsense.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Their interior DL is better with Jernigan and Cox. Those two guys can get QB pressure as well as be big run stoppers. I like Irving on passing downs inside, but we lack true every down difference makers at the DT spots. Mistakes at the 1 Tech have hurt them and they have been forced to play Collins at the 1 Tech.

I am hoping they finally invest in a real 1 Tech. Bring in a Logan or Poe. Or draft a big, hulking DT.

Or change DCs.

Getting pressure has not been a problem. They have one more sack than us and have had many more leads going into the 4th. Nevermind officials swallowing the whistle for 33 quarters.

This issue with the run game has not been the DT. Price, Ash, and Collins have been fine anchoring the middle. The issue has been run fits Heath, Jones, Jaylon, and Wilson. The last two have played much better and run defense has improved in turn.

We need athletic LB who helps in coverage more than we need a DT.

 

[River82]

Wentz continues to go unproven against good teams. He's been cashing in on an easy schedule but this week against the Hawks and next week against the Rams will be telling

 

[Sydla]

Getting pressure has not been a problem. They have one more sack than us and have had many more leads going into the 4th. Nevermind officials swallowing the whistle for 33 quarters.

This issue with the run game has not been the DT. Price, Ash, and Collins have been fine anchoring the middle. The issue has been run fits Heath, Jones, Jaylon, and Wilson. The last two have played much better and run defense has improved in turn.

We need athletic LB who helps in coverage more than we need a DT.

I never said getting to the QB was a problem.

But if you think our DTs stack up with Philly's, you are just looking at this through blue and silver glasses.

 

[wssaustin]

Dexter Lawrence from Clemson might be the No.1 in the draft. He made Suh looks small.

Thoughts as it pertains to us.

- You see what dominant DLs can do. Seattle's DL was all over Wentz all night. Philly's DL was dominant as well but Wilson's ability to escape and free lance was able to overcome that a bit. But watching last night reminded me that we need to pour more into our front four. We have two legit high level pieces - Lawrence and Irving. Collins has potential and Crawford is a solid performer. I want more. So if a guy like Landry or Chubb is sitting there in the first round, I have no problems grabbing them. If a kid like Wilkins, the DT from Clemson is there, I have no problem taking him. People will say "well we need LBs". I get that. But frankly, a dominant DL can cover up a lot of other issues. Philly doesn't have "great" LBs but they are competent and look better because their DL helps them. So my priority would be finish the DL this offseason. If we came out of this draft with say a Landry or Wilkins or Chubb and then also added a guy like Poe or Logan in FA................ the effect on this defense would be immense IMO.

- Wentz was off last night but the thing I noticed and others noticed was how they seem to have a lot of open WRs. I don't think, other than TE, that the Eagles have such better skill players than we do. But yet, they seemingly have guys open all over the place. I can't recall a game where I came away thinking what a great called game we had, where guys were open, we made it easier on Dak, etc.

- Kris Richard, the DC for Seattle, might be a name to watch going forward if we need a new head coach at any point in the next few years. I think I'd prefer an offensive minded guy but people speak glowingly of Richard.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

I never said getting to the QB was a problem.

But if you think our DTs stack up with Philly's, you are just looking at this through blue and silver glasses.

I think Irving stacks up well with them. I don't think they have anyone at DE that can hold Lawrence's jock.

You completely ignored what I said about the role LB have played in our run defense. We still need athletic LB more than we need DT. Irving, Collins, Ash, and Price he performed well at DT for us.

 

[BourbonBalz]

Agree largely on offense

Regarding draft and DL, our needs for next year on defense are starters at 1T DT, starting LB (preferably MIKE) and starting safety. Can get them via draft or FA or both

We also need a receiver that can stretch the field.

 

[Plankton]

Dexter Lawrence from Clemson might be the No.1 in the draft. He made Suh looks small.

He's only a sophomore. Not draft eligible next year.

 

[Sydla]

I think Irving stacks up well with them. I don't think they have anyone at DE that can hold Lawrence's jock.

You completely ignored what I said about the role LB have played in our run defense. We still need athletic LB more than we need DT. Irving, Collins, Ash, and Price he performed well at DT for us.

Cox is one of the 3-5 best DTs in football. I like Irving but he's not in his class. Collins has struggled a bit because they are playing him out of position at the 1 tech.

And yes, we need some upgrades at LB.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

Cox is one of the 3-5 best DTs in football. I like Irving but he's not in his class. Collins has struggled a bit because they are playing him out of position at the 1 tech.

And yes, we need some upgrades at LB.

DLaw is one of the best DE in football. OUR DE tandem is better than the Eagles. I'll take Irving over Jernigan. When you look at the two front 4s I like ours better.

We need a LB more than we need a DT. S too.

 

[RS12]

You see what dominant DLs can do.

Yeah I saw it in both Gnats SB victories over NE.