Are the Eagles a one quarter wonder?

One quarter to rule them all

The Eagles are going 11 days between games. It is weird that the league scheduled a team for a Thursday night game followed by a Monday night game the following week. We’re going a little stir crazy here.

How About Them Eagles?

Jimmy Johnson thinks the Cowboys are better than the Eagles.

Johnson is out of his mind if he thinks this Cowboys team is the best he’s ever seen. But he might have a point about the Eagles. The Eagles do beat up teams in the 2nd quarter, they lead the league with 16.6 points per game in the 2nd quarter. 16 of their 28 offensive TDs have come in the 2nd quarter, and 4 of 10 field goal attempts have come in the 2nd quarter (two attempts, one of which was no good, were end of the half kicks).

But is he right? The numbers not only don’t back up Johnson’s point but indicate that the opposite is true. The Eagles offense is more efficient in the 3rd quarter than in the 1st quarter.

That the Eagles offense is better in the 3rd quarter than it is in the 1st quarter is, at least to me, a pretty good indication it is fact the Eagles offense that is making the better adjustments. And his claim that the Eagles give teams problems “right off the bat” doesn’t hold up, the offense is their least efficient in the 1st quarter! There isn’t much to criticize the Eagles for this season, and most of it would be splitting hairs, but doing a better job “right off the bat” is certainly an area they could improve at.

Johnson is probably getting fooled by the Eagles offense not being on the field as much as they are during the first half. The 3rd quarter has been the lowest workload of any quarter for the Eagles, and the only quarter where they haven’t had the ball a majority of the time. But it’s their second best quarter by rate, when the Eagles offense is on the field, they aren’t getting slowed down.

What about Johnson’s second point? Again he starts from a correct position: it is easier to prepare for a team you have already faced this season. Duh. The Eagles had a masterful game plan that rendered Micah Parsons ineffective until Lane Johnson left with a concussion. The Cowboys will study that game endlessly and try to adjust. But of course that cuts both ways. The Eagles also have that game to go back to and adjust from.

The 2021 and 2022 Eagles are very different teams, but can we glean anything from their rematches?

Not really. The Eagles put up 27 more points on the Giants in their rematch, played a wounded Washington team in the first of their two games, didn’t play starters in their rematch with the Cowboys, and had four different starters in their rematch with Tampa Bay. A lot happens in a season.

The Cowboys rematch is 10 weeks after the first game. It’s still seven weeks away from now. A lot can change between now and then.

We’ll get our first taste on Monday. The Eagles embarrassed the Commanders in Week 3. But this game has caveats too: Washington is on a different starting QB, and their best player on defense returns after missing all season.

Or maybe Jimmy Johnson could say the Eagles are good. It’s really not that hard to do.

We Want Frank?

(yes that is a Frank Bialowas reference)

Frank Reich is going to get paid millions to no longer be the head coach of the Colts. He doesn’t have to take a job, well, ever again if he’s so inclined, but he certainly doesn’t have to take one this season. But if he is willing to take a consultant role now, similar to Vic Fangio, the Eagles should pounce on that. Would Reich be willing to take the OC position if Shane Steichen gets a head coaching job in the offseason? My guess is no, he wouldn’t want to go back to the exact same job he had before the Colts hired him. If Steichen were to leave I assume the Eagles would just move QB coach Brian Johnson up, he has previous play calling experience with Utah and Houston as a college OC. But if both parties are interested in that potential outcome, getting him in the building would serve as an extended try out to see if the fit could work.

But that’s a decision for down the road, for now the Eagles simply have an opportunity to add another veteran coach to a young staff. And if they were to hire him they would prevent a competitor from bringing him in, which has its own benefits. If Reich would prefer not to return to the last team he coached before being a head coach, and to work under a former assistant, that’s understandable. But if he is, there’s no downside to bringing in a trusted voice with Super Bowl winning experience to a team that finds itself a top Super Bowl contender.

Fraud Watch

Before the season began I tried to anticipate this season’s frauds. Turns out the entire league is a bunch of frauds! I’m going to review myself.

Saints – Jameis Winston had two good games last season (9 of his 14 TDs were in two games), but somehow he’s going to lead this team to the playoffs?

It’s going to be really hard for Jameis Winston to lead the Saints to the playoffs because he got benched for being bad. Who could have possibly seen that coming? Andy Dalton might sneak them in though by being mediocre!

Packers – They’ve got Aaron Rodgers and that’s pretty much it.

They don’t even have that anymore! Total frauds.

Buccaneers – Like the Packers the Bucs should make the playoffs because someone from the division has to.

Other than “like the Packers” this is what looks like is going to happen.

Broncos – Russell Wilson isn’t cooked but he’s on the stove.

I only included this AFC team because the Eagles were in on trading for Wilson. Turns out Russ is cooked like the turkey in Christmas Vacation.

Cowboys – Last season was the peak of the Mike McCarthy era.

The Cowboys are not frauds but I stand by this statement.

Eagles – None of that matters if Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni ain’t it.

It looks like they are in fact it.

Stat of the Week That May Only Interest Me

Two.

That’s how many wins Carson Wentz has for the Commanders this season in six starts. It’s also how many wins Taylor Heinicke has for the Commanders in three starts. First guy to three gets to keep the starting job?

Top 5 Daniel Snyder Era WASTEAM Screw Ups That Are Funny Without Being Cringe

1. Eagles 59, Redskins 28

By the end halftime you just feel bad for McNabb.

2. Stale peanuts

From an airline that went out of business.

3. Stale beer

To wash down the stale peanuts!

4. Albert Haynesworth

Incredibly they were able to trade him!

5. Jim Zorn Fake Field Goal

The clip includes a brooding Albert Haynesworth for ultimate lolz.