Game Preview – ATL
Posted: November 13th, 2016 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 360 Comments »Big game. The Eagles have the chance to climb back above .500 and get a win against an NFC team. It won’t be easy because the Falcons are 6-3 and lead the league in scoring. Their offense is really clicking.
I wrote my preview for PE.com.
We did get some good news. Bennie Logan is officially back.
Eagles inactives: S T. Brooks, DE Means, LB Grugier-Hill, OL Andrews, OL Gordon, OL Barbre, DT Hart.
— Adam Hermann (@adamwhermann) November 13, 2016
Don’t underestimate the importance of that. Jim Schwartz’s defense is built on good DL play. Logan’s return adds a high quality player to the starting lineup. Beau Allen moves back to being the #3 DT, which helps when the backup DL hits the field. The DL will need to be big today. Matt Ryan is having a great year. You aren’t going to stop him, but you can slow him down with regular pressure.
In order to win:
Time of possession – I generally agree with Chip Kelly that TOP is overrated, but it will be important today. The Eagles need to sustain drives to keep the ball away from Ryan and Julio Jones.
Who is the RB – Darren Sproles has been the key RB in recent weeks. The Falcons have speedy LBs. I don’t know if Sproles is the ideal matchup against LBs that can run. This might be a week to give more touches to Ryan Mathews.
Points – The Eagles aren’t going to win this game kicking FGs. They must score TDs. Doug Pederson was aggressive last week. It hurt the Eagles in that game. This is a week where the Eagles might need to be aggressive. That isn’t to say the Eagles should avoid all FGs and go for it on every 4th down. Take chances where it makes some sense. This game is likely to be a shootout. The offense has to make some big plays.
Pressure – Matt Ryan has been sacked 22 times this year. The pass rush can get to him. The Eagles don’t necessarily need to sack him, but they must get pressure early in the game so it will affect him the whole day. Sacks are great, but if they can at least speed him up, that will help the defense. While this game is gonna be a shootout, the D needs to come up with some key stops and/or takeaways.
TEs – I think the Eagles will want to use their TEs a lot in this game. I’ll be watching to see if Ertz/Celek/Burton can make some plays in the passing game. Ertz and Burton were good last week so that’s encouraging.
Carson Wentz, Fletcher Cox and the rest of the Eagles need to come up with a big win.
Go Eagles.
_
Avoided football all week to avoid cowboy slobbering. Turn it on for pregame before the Eagles game only to get my weeks worth in a few minutes.
[…] Tommy Lawlor Big game. The Eagles have the chance to climb back above .500 and get a win against an NFC team. It […]
Let’s do this. Go birds.
If we can’t get pressure (again) today, Julio Jones is going to run roughshod over our secondary.
he probably will either way but thats ok. he’ll get his like Brown did against us, but limit the scoring.
Yeah. He’s going to get 100 yards today I think. It’s just a matter of how he gets that 100 and if he gets in the endzone.
No reason to think we won’t get pressure.
The past few games makes me think we won’t.
I thought there was plenty of penetration against Dallas, but the QBDallas moved well.
They did, but they disappeared when it mattered. Not sure if it was fatigue or what, but when we needed them at the end, they weren’t there.
Here’s a fun Cleveland Browns video. I always enjoy Browns related content, makes me feel better about the Eagles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rz9FKh8ZjM
its hilarious/sad that that video was 12 minutes long.
and how many minutes will the 2016 review for the 0-16 browns be?
I can’t wait, it should be brilliant. It’s always good to be reminded that it could be worse.
John Lynch with the call. Sigh.
It’s not like many of the other teams are much better. At least it’s not the endless drone of Joe Buck and the endless pontificating from Aikman.
God Joe Buck is awful. He gets on a bad call and doesn’t move on. Aikman isn’t bad by himself, he can turn into a homer a bit, but I think if he had someone other than Buck to call the games with he’d be better.
Joe Buck reminds me of the hosts from Westworld
Pre-game chatter is a little light today. If we lose today at least i can focus on my fantasy team full time.
I’m not feeling great about the game. Julio Jones is elite and our secondary is…not. That wouldn’t be a big deal but our pass rush tends to disappear for long stretches.
I’m just not sure what to expect from the team today.
i expect us to go down early, come back in the 3rd quarter and then blow it in the 4th quarter, rinse / repeat
How many Brooks does this team have
Actually feel like we’re going to win this. We’ve really been in every game this year. Just need to finish.
Yeah, we play better at home, our pass rush matches up well against their O, one of their big offensive weapons is out, their best corner is out, giving our subpar receivers more of a chance… The question is, can we contain Julio? Obviously we won’t shut him down, but if we can just contain him, that should be enough.
Same blueprint as against the Steelers, who have a better QB and also an elite WR.
It always amazes me when the talking heads discuss the Eagles, it always goes (paraphrasing) “Carson Wentz is going to be special…but the guys he’s throwing the ball to are not.”
OH to have Julio Jones….
Matt Ryan tends to get the opposite reaction from many (including me), “Matt Ryan is a good quarterback, but he would be mediocre without Julio”.
Im more like “O to have pass catchers that , you know actually catch the ball”
Holy shit, Eric Weems is still playing?
Faster start this time please D
good coverage by mills.
Wow, Jalen Mills had great coverage there.
Yeah, you just don’t want that match up 20+ yards down the field.
man to have hands like that on our team….
Mills on Julio… yay
Big Boy BG
Brandon Graham reminding us all that he’s been the best player on D this year.
yes yes yes.
Cox with good hustle on the screen… clearly his issues are not effort related
Graham knew exactly what that play would be.
great job by d.
nice defense to start!
Good defensive series there.
I hope Curry starts doing something in the 2nd half of this season. He has been a ghost
Defer and get the punt, I like it.
I think he always defers… I like it
but then its usually defer and let them score 21 pts…
Thats because of the offense turning it over.
but at least when he defers we get it at the half and we are decent at scoring before halftime too imo
fair catch woulda been nice but whatev.
Sproles has been really hesitant to run up fair catch short punts… Really the only thing I could possibly criticize him for this year.
A sore tooth? What the fuck?
pull that shit out in the locker room
Said his face was swelled and he couldn’t get his helmet on.
Yeah that makes more sense.
On the second down run, we knew what the play was. Players all shifted and Graham beat the RB to the spot.
That is what it felt like to play against us last year.
Good throw. Keep moving the chains.
Attaboy Ertz, way to contribute.
Love Kelce patting him on the head like ” Don’t worry bro my penalty will come at the worst time and be an absolute killer”
hm interesting
And then someone pulls a stupid.
Vaitai held up 1 on 1 blocking that play.
been watching him, doing well
makes up for it
Better Ertz
Simple reads, but no cute shit so far in the playcalling.
No help for HPV the last two. Done well on both
Yes theres really nothing that really helps with that
Hammer away on the defense with Mathews and Smallwood. Wear them down.
Anyone else see a difference in Wentz throwing today? looks like he’s holding the ball higher. Coming out super wobbly today, too.
They’re still messing with his mechanics. Past couple weeks he’s fallen back into some bad habits hence the passes sailing high.
Yes he’s throwing to our players and they are catching it
Im liking this drive
Yes, this is how you help your young quarterback. You pound the rock and make your rookie do less.
How do you beat the Falcons’ offense? don’t let them on the field.
gotta get td here.
Kelce did something good!
The OL is playing very well today! Noticeable.
Or maybe the Falcon’s DL isn’t very good…
pound it in
Ryan Mathews playing like he means it.
Still sit him in 4th qtr
just had to get that tooth fixed
Ryan Mathews is going to be arrested for attempted murder after that run.
nice, thats how you fucking use tempo
Fuck yeah, we’re on point today.
This is the Ryan Mathews I remember!
Rodgers esque
Chip Kelly-esque
i prefer my analogy.
CK is Anal-esque
We’re rotating the right RBs? Did Doug finally see the light?
I wonder if its up to Doug or Deuce or Reich
Seems like a lot on DP , having never even called plays before
They are showing Jets-Rams on Fox in NY. Ugh.
EASY BUTTON.
FUCK yeah, THATS what I’m talking about.
Nice effin drive
Now that’s how you football.
That toothache was no joke huh
maybe i shoulda started ryan…
Yeah, and after Doug says Sproles is their starter… Mind games Dougie.
Play D, burn clock and score a TD.
Rolling three RBs because HOPEFULLY WE’LL RUN THE DAMN BALL ALL TODAY
I was wondering we we havent been running behind the right side more.
After watching the first offensive and defensive series, WHERE THE FUCK WAS THIS TEAM THE LAST 2 WEEKS.
take it when you get it.
Not playing at home
Bye week
The F? DeMarco Murray going for 75?
If only we had that Demarco last year.
he’s top 5 in the league this year easily. Eagles haven’t had a 100yd rusher since shady left
demarco murray busts out 80yd td to open the game.
He was a different guy last year and had a coach that didn’t seem to understand that he needed to go North/South, not East/West.
Yeah, he was misused… and didn’t handle it very well, either, did he?
Not at all.
why did i listen to yahoo and trade him week 1…
He still looks kinda slow to me. He’s hitting the holes hard tho
Those are the types of play we need to run. Quit getting tricky, and just go with the violent downhill running game.
I thought the fake bubble screen really caught them off guard on the final two plays of the drive, but on the replay, no one flinched. We just drove them off the line.
That is even better than a clever call.
Give me violent, downhill football over trickeration any day.
We should keep in mind the vaunted Dallas O was forced to call trick plays against us…
We are a decent team that needs to learn how to finish… and start faster on the road but mostly finish
In equally exciting news guys, I have a pork butt on the smoker and its looking NICE.
Nice. I got beef short ribs in the crockpot that looks and smells wonderful.
Address pls ?
So, if this is what we look like when teams don’t have a bye to prepare for us, I’ll take it.
ill take false starts all day for them
almost int
We are leading the league in almost catches and almost picks
vinny with the pressure
Whooop VC sighted!!!
great job D
Malcolm Jenkins. The best thing Chip Kelly did for us.
Sproles is in the conversation
True. How about the best thing Chip Kelly did for us on Defense?
Resigning Graham?
Hicks is up there for me too
Well yea but does not make up for the offensive war crimes he waged against us and the 2 gap 3-4 Billy Davis Def we we forced to watch crumble in every second half
Despite all the talent he let go, he did give us Ertz, Logan, Hicks, Jenkins, Sproles, Lane
Big Cox up in Ryan’s face
to sure how to feel about Min V Wsh
gotta root for MIN, even if it means a spot or two in the draft.
I don’t see Wash as a real threat, I’d rather root for the draft pick.
if they aren’t a threat what are we – haven’t beaten them in like 3 years
Just let it happen and look on the bright side
Yea leaning this way
Should also mention my uncle passed last week and he loved the skins so I think I’m cool either way
just don’t want them to look good I guess lol
sorry to hear that
Respects
Have to root for Washington, that draft pick is more important than they are.
Loves: Malcolm Jenkins. Jordan Hicks.
jay cutler sucks
He does. Alshon Jeffery should quit and come play for us.
he’ll come here and learn how to drop passes
Jordan “almost a drop” Matthews.
I do like the guy tho.
I like Almost a Drop Matthews more than Definitely Dropped Matthews.
trying to decide to pick up matthews?
So Demarco just threw for a TD…
dammit, i’m playing the guy i traded him to… FUCK.
I traded for Coleman right before he got hurt
David Johnson for TC and Forte………..
Nice.
More of this Ryan Mathews please.
ok lets not get cute now.
Nice trickeration 🙂
DAmmit Carson, throw the ball away.
Rookie gonna rookie sometimes
What he do ? Interception ??
This is going to be a blowout. Falcons D can’t be this bad and expect O to keep them in this game.
Sounds like a team I know..oh wait.
its 7-0 at the end of the first……..
It’s not that it’s high scoring, really. It’s that Matt Ryan and Shanahan offense tends to be very opportunistic. If you simplify what the defense needs to watch by virtue of a decent lead…
The saints game on MNF was all TDs if I remember correctly
Kind of early…
Wentz to Matthews looks like a good connection again suddenly.
falcons D not very good
It all comes down to catching the ball lol
Their best CB is out this week.
Jordan Matthews saying, Y ya’ll, Igglesblitz!
sigh
cant ever get it all together in one game.
Dammit power sturge.
….Oh shit….
Gotta make these…
ugh hope this doesnt fuck with momentum
…. Dare I say should have wentz for it there?
When will Doug learn. Go for it on 4th down (joking)
hahha
lol
Better not regret missing that Sturgis. I’m in favor of taking Ertz out if it’s not 3rd and short.
that’s why Julio Jones is one of the best receivers in the league.
julio jones really bailed his boy out…
nice play by carroll
I like Carroll as a 2 or 3 he is scrappy
Barwin did something!!!
And it was on the field
good play by d.
Huff would have taken that to the house.
(tongue in cheek) but actually he might have.
Aw Barner! You can’t let the kicker take you down!
So, Green Bay sucks now?
Some teams look night and day at home or away
green bay getting mollywhopped today
Kelce got walloped when he was pulling.
by a DB no less
dont go for it dougie.
i assume i have to tell him every fourth down, no?
Why not we know Falcons gameplan bomb to Julio
Really Ertz and Matthews? On a scramble drill you guys run to the same spot?
DGB even playing today?
Yep
Atlanta has really settled down…
*gasp* Mychal Kendricks with a good open field tackle.
Here, I’ve figured out the Falcons gameplan: Throw the ball to Julio Jones no matter what.
Do u blame them? diablo
Nolan Carroll is actually having a good day. Julio Jones is just better
Darrelle Revis in his prime is the only one who I think could match Jones one on one.
Nice block Mills
Jenkins doesn’t shoot the gap without Bennie commanding the double team.
So underrated and needs to be resigned
Bennys playing? Thought i saw he was inactive just before the game
No he’s on the field. Four man rotation at Dtackle today. Bennie/Fletcher first team and Vaeo/Honey Beau Beau second team.
Jenkins having a good day, Carroll having a good day… Really can’t blame the D for not being able to stop the Julio Jones show.
SACKITY SACK SACK DONT COME BACK
BarWIN
almost int.
OK Dougy. Go back to running the ball right down their throats again.
gonna need points today. F’in sturgis
I have no idea who I want to win in the WAS-MIN game.
I am a big picture guy. We are not a contender this year and we need talent on this team. I want Minnesota to lose every game we can get regardless of who they are playing.
Thank you, Doug. Keep running right at ’em.
As long as it’s working
Let Mathews play.
So Ryan Mathews IS good.
Until he fumbles, then we go back to wanting to launch him into the sun.
Weird thing is he wasn’t getting yards, either.
Exactly. lol
Really the goat so far today is Sturgis. YOU HAVE ONE JOB.
Hate it when it feels like you’re really outplaying the other team but winning by 1 point. -.-
lol at bennie not paying attention
Ertz 2nd false start… Damnit man…
That’s 2 on Ertz.
Ertz is as dumb as a rock
Mariota is lighttttinng up the Packers.
Started him this week…
and DGB (sigh)
There was some heat on that pass.
obvious pi
Also,our old friend Demarco thew a hell of a TD pass earlier.
lol, good no call. Shut the fuck up. Obvious PI.
are u kidding.
need points here.
how the hell did that happen.
They Eaglesd it.
Looked like Big V to me.
OMG.
What in the fuck
Welp, Vaitai costing us again. Goddamnit.
Cox is back.
Cox and Graham, thats what you gotta do.
Fletcher Cox siting.
There’s the team we know
what a frustrating team we love
True dat.
Wentz’ penchant for statueesque pocket movement caught up with him on that fumble..
What… Seriously dude
It’s an interesting take. Interesting. Interrresssstttinnngggg.
Could it have been on the right turnstile we shuffled out there lol
Nah it’s Wentz’ fault. Wink.
He should have stepped up possibly but his RT did a great impression of a tackling sled that drive. He simply went straight back right into Wentz.
Hicks decked Carroll.
seems like there are a lot of injuries this week.
Grimes era begins?
Could be, didn’t look like a leg thing at least for Carroll, maybe an arm?
Skip Bayless is starting to get that old man lesbian look about him.
What do u mean that has always been his signature look for years
It would be so nice to see Vaitai not simply get pushed back into the QB when he is 1-on-1.
Still has been fairly lousy even after that first initial game.
Yeah he hasn’t been anchoring well.
Or at all
classic eagles,
Andy jr wastes 10 seconds
YAYYYYY
annnndd we’re even.
Should have 10 more seconds dug
Julio hurt… I kinda hope so (just for this game)
need him in fantasy
Jinx.
I’m good with Julio Jones catching passes if he is getting 0 yards afterwards.
No FG for you!
No catch.
even more classic.
Disinterested in Cam equal to disinterest in Andy
Pretty clear no catch.
That’s incomplete
No just take the knee.
Alshon could legit leave chicago
Wasn’t much in doubt
OMF God.
lol
Come On Man
Who put butter on the gloves?
Perrera is never right. Fumble it is
Wrong time to take a shit.
Sloppy teams beat themselves
That was the only call on offense this entire 1st half I hated.
Who was supposed to pick up the Falcons’ player there? Was it Wiesinkski?
It was Kelce, 62.
Figures. Maybe the Eagles should stop running that play so much with a gimpy C who hasn’t been able to make that block with any kind of consistency for a few weeks.
I actually think the timing was FUBAR’d on the play.
That’s the correct call.
Take a knee and count this as a win
UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH
Oh, Jordan
Bad time for a drop
Jon Lynch: “Jordan Mathews has really good hands”
That’s it, revoke Lynch’s credentials.
3 point drop
And cue the bad drop…
even even more classic
one thing is abundantly clear
Eagles can play with anyone
Now we just need to learn to stop shooting ourselves in the foot.
We do have a bunch of cheddar bobs out there
Just scared the cats and probably the neighbors by how loud I just yelled.
Talks big, plays small.
what are u doing here….
Shoulda let the clock run to throw a Hail Mary. Our clock mgmt stinks – predictably
Yep. Peterson was trying to get a quick play of 10 or so yards to go for the fg, but on fourth down, you have to just let the clock go down for time for one play and go for the hailmary. Personally, I don’t know that the issue was time management on thay play, but being too bold about going for it on 4th down.
It was flat out just piss poor coaching and decision-making. Wentz had no idea what he was supposed to do if the play didn’t develop.
Don’t get me wrong, absolutely not defending Doug there. Just pointing out the mistake was on being aggressive and going for the extra to yards on fourth down rather than poor clock management per say. You could argue the mistake was actually worse from that perspective
WTF ARE U DOING>
What a idiot
We started so well then we hit the idiot button.
Lets keep putting out rookie QB in TERRIBLE situations
Big case of the dumbass today
And Brandon Graham bails out the rookie.
That was some of the most pitiful playing calling to end a half I can remember in a long time. Just basic incompetence.
Stunned.
Well hope he got it out of his system
One thing to be aggressive or even very aggressive on 4th down. Another to do something that like that which has such a low percentage of success.
Wentz even looked right at Pederson after that fact like ‘What was I supposed to do there?”
If the last 3 weeks have shown me anything, the Eagles need someone to remove offensive play-calling from Pederson’s responsibilities and just let him be the head coach.
He hasn’t shown he can handle both well this season especially the last month.
Relax folks, Jesus.
Am I alone in my hatered of Jordan Matthews? His whole “I try really hard” act gets so old when he has not improved at all. He is the. Same player that he was as a rookie. He is a slot WR only and drops way too many catchable and important passes.
It is annoying because of how much he chirps off the field. DGB too.
He’s a 3rd WR in the slot. The problem is the guys who play outside just stink and neither should be starting.
I want to see Turner and what he can do. Dead serious.
Looking forward, do you pay Matthews $6-8mil per year?
no not at all
I would hesitate on even paying him 4-5 mil a year but that’s just me.
I can’t trust him so i just flat out don’t want him on the team. Remember last year’a gal on game where he dropped a pass that hit him in the chest and it was intercepted. Or the Panthers game where the same exact thing happened. If we want to be a SB team you need clutch players. Matthews is everything but that.
I feel ok about 4 a year and making him a 3rd option
WR1, Ertz, Matthews works for me
No.
Nope, I find Matthews believers almost borderline delusional at times.
When so see a certain poster call him “Pope Jordan” it makes me sick
I did say delusional after all
Just want to point out that with 0 experience playing football I could have caught that pass that Matthews dropped.
I highly doubt that. These are world class athletes. Playing a game at the highest level. You would need at least middle school football experience to catch that ball. :p
Not on that 10/10 perfect pass. Pretty sure my 5 year old nephew could have caught that with buttered up hands actually.
Ill bet with that experience you dont have enough skills to DROP the ball
Relax folks relax…… we’re down 6 points from the missed field goal and Mathews drop, but we’re holding down the best offense in the league… This feels really winnable.
Let’s just take a deep breath, and hope the thing we all know is going to happen doesn’t happen.
I hear u but it does feel like its also very losable
Cant keep their offense wrapped up all game while not scoring points
Fine and I thought they did a really nice job of play-calling & playing well until the last 1+ minute of the 1st half which just had several poor decisions by Pederson.
Huge props to the defense. Haven’t made a huge play but the tackling today has been the best all season so far including in the secondary. Sticking and dropping including 1 on 1.
When Jones does get it, they are swarming him. He doesn’t even have 5 YAC I bet so far.
I like Jordan on the team but its glaringly obvious he’s not a WR1 and we should not have those expectations for him
My thoughts are below, but when did it become Ok for any NFL receiver to drop easily catchable passes. Nobody expects him to be Calvin or Julio. Just catch the easy ones. I feel like he drops passes every game.
He needs to stfd right next to sure drop king Ags.. go with all practice squad WRs for a half
He must have 2 Chris Elliot Scary Movie hands
Fox halftime calling eagles QB Ertz and running TD from Ryan Murphy hhhaAahh
Eagles have been a 2nd half team all year, have had a big TOP so far, and hopefully should be able to start to see the Falcons’ D fatigue a bit.
Need to win this game to have any realistic shot of keeping playoff hopes alive.
[…] real star of the game was…Ryan Mathews. That may sound crazy, but if you read my preview (posted late), I said […]