Week 5 Eagles Fall to Vikings: The Training Wheels are Off
You have been warned...
Warning: This article is highly opinionated and consists of a Philly Sports Fan or a “Negadelphian,” as the National Broadcasters like to call us, ranting at their team. This piece may be short-sighted, but thoughts need to come out. There is no structure, no stats, no analysis, and grammatical accuracy below (beware english teachers). As a history teacher once said “this is vomit on paper”, or in this case vomit on screen.
Side Note: This article was written before Zach Brown was cut from the team.
Anyone who watched that game without wanting to drill their hand into their chest; pulverize their heart; then, attach it to a bungee cord, fling it to the Sahara desert, and let it sit there and rot, needs to get their eyes checked. That was disgusting, embarrassing, and downright awful.
Where to start, because honestly there is nothing to say. The cornerbacks can’t cover; the receivers can’t catch; the safeties can’t stay deep. Time is running out for this team. No longer can this team wait for Desean Jackson, Jalen Mills, Cre’ von Leblanc, Ronald Darby, or Timmy Jernigan to get healthy. The next five weeks define the season. The Eagles must go above .500 preferable 4–1. However, with the way this team is playing, the inconsistencies, the lack of awareness, the predictable play calling, and the lack of cohesion between the quarterback and his receivers place doubt on this team’s ability to win the division and even possible gain a wildcard. That’s right! It’s not a guarantee that this team is better than the Cowboys, who lost to the JETS!
The offense needs to pick it up. I’m not going to put all the blame on the receivers, playing calling, o-line, or Carson, but they all deserve some piece of the pie. Carson, for some reason, has not been on the same page with his receivers. Either the ball is early, late, or not back-shoulder when it should be, something is not clicking. As for the receivers, they’re too busy lobbying for flags to even turn their heads around and locate the damn ball. The o-line is impossible to evaluate, when Jason Peters finds a way to get injured every single game. He’s an all-time great, but if he’s going to get side-lined this frequently, start Dillard. He needs experience. And that leaves us with the play calling: the play-calling, the play-calling, the play-calling. There is nothing to speak about, except the PREDICTABILITY. The commentators knew; I knew; everyone knew it was a screen to Alshon; did Doug think that Vikings did not see that play was coming? Did they ever try a double move with Nelson or Alshon? What about the fake field gold. In reality, going for it on fourth down was not an issue, but, seriously, a fake field goal? Was that going to work? There are big bodies all over this offense, Zach Ertz, Dallas Goedert, Alshon Jeffery, even Mack Hollins: line it up and go for it with a real offensive package. Don’t get cute.
Likewise, the defense was horrendous. However, in the back of every Eagles fans’ minds, there was a sense that an offensive explosion from the Minnesota Vikings. Nevertheless, everyone looked at their depth-chart and saw Kirk Cousins and allowed those thoughts to wash over their minds.
It doesn’t matter if the QB is incompetent if he has two pro-bowl caliber receivers, and is up against a corner with no wheels, in Rasul Douglas, or someone in Sidney Jones, who is merely incompetent at his job. The more worrisome event was that Malcolm Jenkins, occasionally, and definitely Rodney Mcleod were confusing the coverages Jim Schwartz called, and bite on play-action passes. The front-seven was stopping the run! There was no reason to bite on those plays.
Now, this article could go on for an eternity, but we won’t waste your time. The bottom line is that this team is playing like they’re a 9–7 team. Sure they have talent, but they’ve got no juice, no energy, and sometimes no pride. A move needs to happen, not Jalen Ramsey: he’s too costly. Although a speedy receiver will help, this team has more problems than a deep threat. They need something to shape up the locker room, and bring life back into this organization, because if the Eagles do not make a run this season, Howie Roseman should consider pulling the plug on this version of the Philadelphia Eagles, and rebuild with Carson Wentz, Fletcher Cox, Dallas Goedert, Derek Barnett, and some of the quality young player they have. Something needs to happen, and FAST!
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Featured photo from Jack Kurzenknabe