Eagles
Well the Eagles lost again and depending on who you ask, this might be a good thing. For one, this loss improves their draft position. That’s really it, losing sucks, but in all fairness, it’s a strong point. Still the season will trudge on regardless. We’re not even halfway through this season which has been a parade of horribles. That said, there’s still things you can pick up on. So, let’s break down a couple things to watch if you’re a sicko like me and still planning on watching every game.
Nick Sirianni’s seat is heating up. You could argue it’s not heating up because it’s always been hot with the minor exception of the season after the Super Bowl win. Honestly let’s throw those Super Bowl highlights because things are bad it brings me joy. Personally I like the guy as the head coach. Every time the team plays poorly, it’s his fault. Every time the wins, it’s on the players and other coaches. That’s good enough for me. Add on that the players never talk bad about him, I’m fine to keep him. Still, should Howie Roseman or Jeffery Laurie want to move on from Sirianni, this is their easy out. But how do you evaluate Sirianni?
Effort. It’s a very simple concept that everybody has but not everybody uses. A great head coach should be able to pull this out of players, crucially when things are going poorly. It’s also hard to quantify. I look for the little things. Are receivers holding their blocks on a run play? Does a defensive lineman hold their gap instead of chasing a stat-padding sack? Will a runner fight for an extra yard or two? Players don’t tank but they might not put in their full effort if it’s perceived as a wasted effort.
Players who have no excuse for lack of effort are Makai Lemon and the young players. I know, if you’ve read anything by me lately, you’ve seen this take already. Still they should continue to progress and as rookies or young players. They also should have the most effort to learn and earn your starting spot. While the Lemon growth is already in progress, had a career high in targets, he still should learn about the tolls a full NFL season puts on a player. The other rookies I want to see are Uar Bernard and Josh Weru. I’m sure you’re reading this fan-based blog from a writer with no profile picture Howie. Do the right thing. Bring them up and let them get a couple reps.
There’s also the non-rookie young players to keep an eye on. It’s pretty safe to say a guy like Jeremiah Trotter Jr. should be a strength going forward. The jury is still out on Jihaad Campbell and if he should be a linebacker or down lineman. What better place to let him try either position than a sunken season? The last is Tanner McKee. Is he a backup or the backup quarterback? It’s a big distinction. “A backup” you hope for the best. “The backup” you expect them to be able to get a few wins in the starters absence. He’ll need to work on his pocket presence and ability to hold the ball if he wants to be around for a while.
Trade candidates are another thing to look out for with the trade deadline next week (November 10th). I dont expect the Eagles to be buyers at the deadline. Maybe trading for a player that can help them in a year or two but that usually comes at the price of a player on a short deal. Prime candidates are people like Riq Woolen, Jonathan Greenard, and even Landon Dickerson. They could contribute to a contender and likely wouldn’t need much draft capital to acquire them. Still those draft picks could be valuable in the hands of a GM like Howie Roseman. We still have some time to figure that out in the future and likely talked about next week when the deals start to matriculate.
Last we have the Sixers, which have been the opposite of the Eagles. They’re exciting, fun to watch, and more importantly winning. If you need some type of respite from this Eagles season I’d recommend them. Will the season be all sunshine and rainbows? Of course not, it’s sports specifically in Philadelphia. Still it’s early in the season and the players are having fun. Lebron went into the stands on a play and swipe a quick taste of a guys wine. Another stark contrast to current Eagles. Still it’s nice to be able to put your hope somewhere even if they historically haven’t gone your way. At the end of the day, that’s what sports are all about.
Sources: NBA on ESPN on X, Eagles at Commanders on X, John Clark on X, NFL on YouTube
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Hello, I’m a greater Philadelphia native writing mostly about the Eagles and the rest of the NFL. Articles aren’t … More about Kyle Lavin
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