Dominant Stretch

It is funny how you can know something to be true, but seeing it visually just has a different impact. I’ve written plenty about how good the Eagles were since the bye week. Seeing this made that feel different.

That is a 16-1 stretch and the only loss came in the final seconds in a game where the starting QB was knocked out with a concussion. The 2017 team started 13-2. They finished 16-3 for the season. The 2022 team started 13-1. They finished 16-4, losing in the Super Bowl.

The 2024 Eagles won the NFC championship game by 32 points and then had a 34-point lead in the Super Bowl. I don’t know how to put that into context. That kind of stuff just doesn’t happen to the Eagles. The 2017 Eagles beat the Vikings 38-7 in the NFC title game, but then had to hold on for dear life in the Super Bowl. And Case Keenum was the QB for Minnesota. The Eagles destroyed red hot Jayden Daniels this time around. This postseason was just surreal.

It did happen, right?

The Eagles averaged 30.7 points per game after the bye week. They gave up 16.7 points per game, and that includes several garbage time TDs. The number should probably be closer to 15 points per game. The Eagles won 9 games by 12 or more points. They didn’t do that in 2017 or 2022.

I don’t know that we’ll ever seen the Eagles win 16 of 17 games again. That was a dominant stretch of football.

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One of  the best parts of having your team win the Super Bowl is all the great coverage that comes out. This is awesome.

A behind the scenes look at how the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX @LincolnFncl | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/e71pBs3SWM

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) February 16, 2025

Sometimes it is hard to separate bias from reality. As I watch those speeches in the team meeting there isn’t a doubt the Eagles were going to win. There was a quiet confidence that isn’t the usual football player bravado. The players were intense, but also focused and under control. I need to go see if I can find a Chiefs video to have something to compare it to. I watched the Mic’d Up from SB LVIII and it is full of Mahomes and Kelce ranting the same annoying phrases over and over. SF lost that game as much as KC won it.

The more I watch Saquon Barkley, the more convinced I am he should win the Nobel Peace Prize and some other non-football stuff. What an amazing guy, on and off the field. Thank you Giants.

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One of the ways the Eagles beat KC was game management. Nick Sirianni was aggressive from the start. That set a tone for the game. The Eagles were going to be aggressive. Not reckless, but aggressive. Think of the throws to AJ down the sideline on 3rd or 4th down. Think of the bomb to DeVonta. The Eagles played to win. They didn’t want to give KC a chance at a miracle comeback.

That mentality goes back to Doug Pederson and it helped the Eagles win SB LII. Sirianni has embraced the mindset and it has helped him reach the SB twice. Coaching aggressively pays off, as you can see below.

How important has game management, and going for it/converting on 4th down become in the NFL? Notice anything about the Top 4 teams in 2024 4th down conversion %? They were the last 4 teams standing.

Also, 9 of the top 10 we’re playoff teams.

Data per @FieldVisionMi pic.twitter.com/Bcmlzk6xW4

— Scott Bouska (@sbouska2) February 17, 2025

I sometimes think Dan Campbell is too aggressive. He is consistent and I think that builds up a fearlessness in his team. The Commanders were great with fourth downs this year. I do think part of that is them trailing in those games. I’ll be interested to see if they continue to be that aggressive in the future.

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Kellen Moore is the new coach for the Saints. That means he has to hire a staff. He is considering QBs coach Doug Nussmeier and RBs coach Jemal Singleton for his offensive coordinator. Moore wants to talk to DBs coach Christian Parker for the defensive coordinator position.

I think Nussmeier will get the job. Parker and Singleton have a chance to get jobs in the future. Both did a great job this year with their position groups.

Sirianni doesn’t like losing coaches, but these would be promotions so the Eagles can’t block them. Hopefully most of the staff will return.

And hopefully we’ll start to hear about the search for an offensive coordinator. Even if the Eagles go with Kevin Patullo, they need to talk to outside options. Patullo might be the best option, but you still want to look around and be somewhat thorough.

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