Not sure I buy it ,but an Eagles reporter (in mid-December) broke down the losing streak and it included this:
"ALARMING RUSH DEFENSE: The Eagles have allowed 168, 173, 146 and 138 rushing yards in their last four games. It’s the first time since 2006 they’ve allowed 135 or more rushing yards in four straight games and only the third time since 1985. Through the Miami game in Week 7, the Eagles had the NFL’s No. 1 run defense, allowing 63 yards per game and 3.6 per carry. In six games since, they’re 27th in yards allowed (130) and 29th in yards per carry allowed (4.7).
WORLD-CLASS AWFUL 3RD-DOWN DEFENSE: The Cowboys converted 56 percent of their third downs on 9-for-16. On the heels of the Bills converting 59 percent (13-22) and the 49ers 73 percent (8-11), this is the first time the Eagles have allowed three straight teams to convert at least 55 percent of their third downs since the NFL began tracking 3rd-down conversion stats in 1991. Overall, the Bills, 49ers and Cowboys were 30-for-49 on third down for 61 percent. That’s the highest conversion percentage against the Eagles in a three-game span since 1991. Overall, the Eagles are last in the NFL in 3rd-down defense at 48 percent. That’s way over the highest on record for a full season. In 2021 they allowed 43 percent. The Cards are 2nd-worst on third down this year at 46 percent.
Highlighting those because those two items are arguably linked to our success, running the ball well (they completely stuffed us last time) and keeping the offense converting 3d downs
I think another item is that they have given up some BIG PLAYS so does Evans have a big day?
I think another item is that they have given up some BIG PLAYS so does Evans have a big day?
Pete Prisco at CBS Sports thinks so. He predicts a Bucs victory, too.
Lots of things line up well for the Bucs, but this game could also be the one where the Eagles get their sheet together.
Who knows? should be a good one
another Eagles site says the Eagles OFFENSE needs to
1. survive the blitz from Bowles (they have struggled recently with blitzing)
2. run the ball well, like last time
3. take advantage of Bucs defense giving up big plays
As we all know, they lost their OC and DC during the offseason hires as HCs elsewhere. That has to have been an impact on their performance. The early season schedule was loaded with softies [NE, MIN, WAS, NYJ, WAS], so their 10-1 record was somewhat fools gold. They did beat MIA, DAL, KC, BUF though. And the above mentioned problems more recently. This past Sunday Hurts dislocated the middle finger on his throwing hand, and Brown came up lame with a dinged knee. One could think the Bucs will win this game, but that should be cautious optimism. IMHO, both teams believe they got the luck of the draw for Wild Card Weekend. It should be a good game. I still don't understand why the networks slotted this game for Monday night. Conspiracy theory, they wanted to give Hurts and Brown an extra day to heal. 😎
IMHO, both teams believe they got the luck of the draw for Wild Card Weekend.
Well put.
I'm hoping for a victory, but I don't see how anyone can say this is a winnable game after watching our offense the last couple of games. Good golly, even against a banged up Philly D we are going to need to score more than the 22 points combined we put up the last couple of games...
depends on the Bucs offense.
I am cautiously optimistic we will win
if we perform like the last 2 weeks, i have trouble seeing us win.
if we perform like we did against Atlanta, Green Bay, and Jacksonville; hell we may win the Super Bowl
if we play somewhere in between, i think we will win.
Might need 24 points to beat the Eagles.
remember, they have lost 5 of their last 6 games; defense not exitance
so let's see what our offense can do
remember, they have lost 5 of their last 6 games; defense not exitance
Existent
I'm hoping for a victory, but I don't see how anyone can say this is a winnable game after watching our offense the last couple of games. Good golly, even against a banged up Philly D we are going to need to score more than the 22 points combined we put up the last couple of games...
definitely
If they lose badly hopefully Bowles is canned. Feel like this should be a winnable game.
Ironically, a win and it may be the Eagles HC who packs up:
"Nick had no answers: His first two years here, every time his team faced adversity, Nick Sirianni’s message got through. Whether he spoke about connecting, core values, accountability or plants growing underground, he always had the right story to tell, the right allegory to share, the right video to show. And keeping 53 guys pointed in the same direction is just as important as the right play call or the right personnel change. Maybe his players heard the same stories or the same messages so many times the message stopped getting through. But it’s clear that all the motivational techniques that worked so well in 2021 and 2022 and even the first few months of 2023 have stopped working. Whether Sirianni can regain that touch remains to be seen, but if he can’t get through to his team this week, it’s fair to wonder about his future here"
Yeah their run defense has taken a step back. It looks like Jordan Davis is out of shape and Cox is starting to wear down. I still don't trust our iOL to hold up because the Eagles are just more talented individually up front. They got backup DT's like Milton Williams that can make plays.
Shannon Sharpe stole my line! Somewhere on here within the past couple of weeks I said the Eagles should just run the Tush Push every play.
Shannon on First Take yesterday morning: "I just recommend they just line up in the Tush Push from start to finish; first down, second down, third down, and just run that. Because that seems to be the only thing that works consistently guys."
