PHLY Philadelphia Eagles Podcast - Scouting report: How Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles can DONKEYWHOMP the Rams

Episode Date: January 16, 2025

Here we go. A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts, Dallas Goedert, Lane Johnson and Jahan Dotson are searching for a trip to the NFC Championship Game. It will take another impressive performance like they had against the Rams in November. How can they do it? And what about Jalen Carter, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Zack Baun, Oren Burks, Nolan Smith and Quinyon Mitchell? How do they shut down Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua?Join Fran Duffy, Deniz Selman, Zach Berman and Bo Wulf for our in-depth preview of the matchup on both sides of the ball. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

to the PHLY Eagles podcast on a Thursday afternoon presented by Bet365. Download the Bet365 app and use code PHLY365 when you sign up. Whatever the moment, it's never ordinary at Bet365. And what a show we have ahead. It's the day of the deep dive ahead of the Rams game on Sunday. The divisional playoff round. And you know who's with us. Fran Duffy, Dana is Selman, Zach Berman.

Bo-Wolf. But who cares about him? How you guys doing? Danes, thanks for being here. Double duty again. You're giving me the Jahan Dotson treatment, huh? What is that? You get it because the happier here.

Yeah. Yeah. I thought you were, yeah. You were historically useless for the first 17 games of the season. Since then, you've been great. Thank you. Zach, how you doing? Good posture.

Excited for the show, Bob. Do you think this will be as good as Tuesday's show? It better be, better. I mean, listen. I thought it was a great show. The comments are rolling in. 140 comments on that bad boy. So now we're paying attention to the comments.

90% of them saying that it was the best show that we've had a very long time. I believe in the comments you like and not all the ones I ask for. Yeah. Disregard the other ones. Yeah. Yeah. Even more thoughts on bears to share with us. Unless they're from the Chicago, no.

All right. Fran, have you ever been to the Chicago? I have been to the Chicago briefly. Yeah. it's a great food city great food city it is a good food great busy time of year but that's

yeah no it's a lot look we got a big game on Sunday we're gonna a lot to get to yeah a lot to get a great mock draft yesterday by the way thank you thank you it's fun to talk about it on our on our draft show at some point somebody will say it we'll see

we'll see um anyway let's talk about this game let's let's get right into it because we got a lot to get to we got a super coming up we got a new we got a new segment a new sponsor that's very exciting so we're cooking with gas and we're getting ready for a big game on Sunday. So, Danes, you think that the Rams offense versus the Eagles defense is a little bit more interesting.

Maybe because you're bored to death by the Eagles offense. But yeah, I think that's right. I think Graham's offense, Eagles defense is the more good on good in this game. Yes. Right. For sure. I mean, it's the better unit for both teams. So let's talk about it.

Let's get right into it. And it was an interesting game for them against the Vikings last week for some reasons that you were texting us about, Dana's. Everybody knows that like the typical Sean McVeigh offense is super heavy 11 personnel. Like live in 11 personnel. That's what we do. That was not really the case against the Vikings. What did you make of that? Yeah, it was a like I noticed watching live and then it was confirmed by the numbers later that, I mean, they came out in 12 personnel on that first drive.

And they were, they kind of stayed in it for huge chunks of the game. they were 45% 11 personnel for the game a typical McVeigh offense there were seasons where it was like 95% like basically 11 personnel every play this was the

the lowest rate of 11 personnel in a game for McVeigh since 2020 and the seventh lowest in his career out of 144 games on first downs they were only in 11 personnel 17% of the time also the lowest since 2020 and another thing that was interesting was

was the usage of the tight ends, like four different tight ends played, at least 12 snaps. Part of that was because Higbee got injured, but still, like four tight ends, like most teams don't dress four tight ends, let alone play four of them for double-digit snaps. And then only 46% of the targets in the game

went to wide receivers. That's the second lowest out of 144 Sean McVeigh games in his career. So they were using the tight ends and the running backs more than they normally do. They're historically like super high wide receiver usage in terms of the passing game. And then McVeigh was asked about it in his presser Tuesday and he said, if it fits this week, we'll do it again.

He said being able to mix up personnel is beneficial, which is interesting because he's basically never done it. It's interesting. I was huge flex, but I did reach out to our friend Jordan Rodriguez to figure out what you thought about that. Their tackles are very injured. They're banged up. So she thinks there was a part of it that was trying to help those guys

keeping the tight ends into Chip a little bit. but you were saying that it wasn't like it wasn't what they were doing every play it's also if she has said that McVeigh has said before that if he can't really rely on his receivers to block that's right those to 12 and so maybe Cooper Cup being as banged up as he is was a factor as well yeah I was going to say they I think the the status of Cooper Cup I think may have had something to do with it I mean he's in one of the honestly the worst four game stretch of his career from a production standpoint just four catches over the last four games that's the fewest of any four game stretch of his career He had one catch for 29 yards last week.

And when you start looking at the movement numbers from next gen stats, the last four games, his average speed, 7.3 miles an hour, 7.6 miles per hour, 6.7 miles per hour, 7.5. So all in the 6.7 range. When you look at the previous four, all of them were up above 8 seconds, eight average speed of 8 miles an hour. So in terms of just like the average speed of the way the Cooper Cup has been moving, definitely on a bit of a downward trend.

There were a number of other like underlying metrics when you look at Pooka Nakuwa's numbers versus Cooper Cup in terms of like force missed tackles and yards after catch and things that, you know, can maybe point to a fact that the guy might be dinged up. Yeah, I think you can probably say that with confidence about Cooper Cup right now. His snaps are way down too. I mean, he only played 29 snaps on that game. It was 10 fewer than DeMarcus Robinson by comparison. Now, if it is a fact that their tackles are not what they would be if they were fully healthy, a huge player for the Eagles in this game. name Zach, Nolan Smith. Yes.

And you've got a story up that you just posted it right before the show started. So I haven't had a chance to read it yet. No, the problem. I wasn't going through your WordPress, but I expected to be a banger. I look forward to it. And Nolan Smith has emerged as maybe like the second or third most important player on the defense. Yeah. Well, first off, thank you for the plug.

I could have used one more day on it, but I want to get another story out tomorrow. So. Way to get the people riled up. No, no, no, no. I think there's good stuff in there. I'll give you just the elevator pitch on the story. It's that Nolan Smith, he is motivated, fueled by the idea of he says he's supposed to be on the shipyards in Savannah, Georgia.

He has his Twick card, TWIC. I had to look that up because I didn't quite know what the card was. At first, it shows how naive I am about being working on the docks. But he took me through a day on the docks. He actually worked there before his freshman year at Georgia and the perspective that gave him. And I spoke to a number of different people in that locker room from people who have known them from a long time,

like Lewis Seine and Jordan Davis to players who go up against him in practice, Lane Johnson, for a kind of perspective on... He's known as like the most physical, tough player or someone who embodies that. So that's what that story's on right now on all phty.com. I hope, I hope you enjoy it. Any Ziggi Zabatka references from? No, that's a great reference.

Season two, it's not my favorite. It's everyone's least favorite. Yeah. I think it's, I mean, I haven't revisited it in a while, but I think that it gets unfairly maligned. But to what your original question was, he's huge for the team. for two reasons. First off, they don't have depth really at edge rusher. I mean, Bryce Huff's healthy and Vic Fangio's just choosing not to play him, played one snap. He played one snap. He played one snap. The last snap he played was an interception. So the efficiency.

The efficiency is off the charge. And no one, and they, they don't want to give Josh Sweat more snaps. Yeah. And so Nolan Smith is, he's barely coming off the field when you consider what his role was going into the year to what he is now. He just had a career high, two sacks, the youngest player in franchise history with two sacks in a game. That's a very... Yeah, specific stat,

but it was in the team's media guide, so put that out there. It's like when the sixers were losing... They don't just say it, say it. The sixers were losing by 20 once and call time out, so Alan Iverson could break the record for like consecutive 40-point games by a rookie or something.

And then also, too, he's just been, productive against the run against the past. You know, I asked Vic Fangio where specifically he's improved the most. And Vic's like everywhere. You know, he sets the edge. He drops in the coverage.

He's more physical as a rusher. He does all these things where there were questions coming out about how, and I'll defer to Fran, how refined he was as a player. He's really taken strides. He actually said he wouldn't even recognize the player that was on the field last year. And we also know in this game in this specific

matchup, Fran, how much how much Matt Stafford struggles when pressured. Yes, his numbers against pressure. They were really bad early on in the season. And really, even as they've gotten those skill players back, as the offensive line has gotten healthier, his numbers against pressure still have not really improved. When you look at it over the course of the season,

he had his lowest EPA per dropback, his lowest success rate, his lowest completion percentage, his lowest quarterback rating since in the next gen era, all against pressure this season. And so when you look at Stafford, the sack rate is down. he's not taking sacks, but it's almost at times it's been comical this year. We talked about this going into the week 12 matchup where he's got pressure.

He's just like, I'm throwing at the dirt. I'm throwing it away. We saw the play on Monday night where he's just kind of flip it. He refuses to get sacked. He's doing a nice job there, but his numbers against pressure have not been as good. He threw more picks than intercept or more picks than touchdowns for the first time in his career against pressure. So yeah, to me, that's one of the big keys of the game.

Can the Eagles pressure Matthew Stafford, namely without, blitzing. Look, blitzing has not been the big calling card for Vic Fangio's defense for the majority of this season. We know that they rely mainly on that four-man rush. But I think when you look at those edge rushers, you look at Jalen Carter, Milton Williams, those two had huge games back in week 12. If they are able to get to Matthew Stafford and affect him, that will go a long way towards an Eagles win. And do you think they are more likely to do that on the edge against Lerick Jackson and Rob Havenstein? Or do you think it's more likely to come up in the middle? I think you can get, you could probably get all of those guys to win some matchups here and there.

Havensteen is probably playing some of the best football that I've seen from him in recent years. He has, I know that I've got some number in the notes that are up on all pHLY.com. Yeah, he's got the lowest pressure rate of any right tackle since he came back from injury. He missed the week 12 game. He came back the week after, in week 13 from, I believe it was a knee injury. He didn't give up any pressures last week against Minnesota, which has been known as one of the better pressure defenses in football. And so I think when you look at Havenstein at right tackle, that's who Nolan Smith is going to get the majority of his reps against. He's been solid, but he's kind of your traditional right.

tackle body. He's a little bit slow-footed, probably better run blocker than pass protector. I think Alaric Jackson kind of built the same way. I think that both Nolan Smith and Josh sweat have the ability to win these matchups. And then you look at the inside. I mean, Milton Williams and Jalen Carter both had really strong performances against this Rams front last time these two teams played. Now, I will say that Rams offensive line was very banged up coming into that game. A bunch of them were coming off of injuries. So I know Avila, that was his, I believe, his second game back from injury. So, those guys are much healthier now and they're playing at a much better rate than what they were at that stage of the season you watched a lot of that game yeah a theme was that you know bo limer the rookie center was sliding to kevin dots inside to help with shalen carter and that was leaving milton williams uh alone against avila uh milton had a nice bullrush sack at one point uh bg had a had a nice play on that side as well bg was just a monster he was also destroying the micklendon the backup right tackle in that game um

To follow up on the things Fran was saying about Stafford, not taking sacks, when we talked about how Jalen Hertz has non-targets on about a quarter of his throws, Stafford's at the other end of the spectrum, kind of similar to Jordan Love last week. Only 8% of his dropbacks this year have resulted in non-targets. That's among the lowest in the league. He never scrambles. If you guys remember, he hadn't scrambled a single-toss. And then he had like a 16-yard first-down scramble on the second drop-back of the game.

I think it was a swooper too. Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was almost like a joke that I had it as a swooper and then it happened. He's like second. I think it was one of those. It was like four things that had never happened. That's right. He's now like, it's funny because he only has like three or four scrambles,

but he's like second in the league and EPA per scramble because he only scrambles when there's just like a massive, you know, a place to run. But his sack and throwaway rates are also below average. and that's why he ends up with such a low time to throw. He was also the only quarterback on Wildcard Weekend to not have a single dropback take more than four seconds. So, you know, like that's something where, like, if you look for the season,

27% of Jalen Hertz's dropbacks take more than four seconds. Wow. And only 7% of Stafford's have. That's the fifth lowest, then he didn't have a single one. And so when you hear that, Fran, do you expect, like, let's bring the corners up? To a certain extent, yeah.

I mean, especially look, I mentioned how Cooper Cup is not moving all that well. Pooka Nakuwa has not been, I mean, look, he can catch vertical throw. So you're not necessarily worried about getting beaten over the top by those two starting receivers. Now, DeMarcus Robinson from the slot has been a nice vertical weapon for them. They love hitting those deep corner routes with Robinson. And then Tutu Atwell has got real speed as well. But he's kind of a bit player for them right now in this offense,

especially if they're going to lean heavy into two tight end personnel. We'll see with Tyler Higbee and his medical status. But I think when you look at at these receivers, think you're necessarily worried about it from a speed standpoint. I don't look at it at the same way as I looked at last week's matchup against Green Bay where I thought this was a good opportunity for those guys to get up on the line of scrimmage and really try and rough those guys up. Yeah, dub chart wise for them, the rookie Jordan Whittington has really taken over as

that fourth wide receiver. I mean, two, two out well only played one snap on. He's like a de facto tight end fullback, Jordan. He's a big dude. He's a big dude blocker. Yeah, he's the way I described when he's like a small package Pukinoco. Like they use him as a dirty work player, a lot of, line up to the formation, block a lineback or block of safety.

How long have you had in the Scatter Report money down instead of third down? I would say it was like five or six weeks ago. I changed it to so that I would include the fourth down numbers as well. I got that inspiration because some of astutely pointed out that Danes had better numbers than me. One of those numbers was the fact that he combined third and fourth down. Both your numbers are terrific. Some of them were better.

I threw an Easter egg in the notes for you. Yeah. I missed it so far. Yeah. Check the pressure rate numbers for the Rams offensive line. Okay. Is it going to be a McMahon thing? Okay.

Dylan McMahon was active last week and is likely to be active again. Played in week 18. By the way, you know where Dylan McMahon's from? NC State. What? NC State. No, where he grew up. It was mentioned on the show.

Savannah, Georgia. Oh. Wow. In Bo's mind, he started existing when he invented him. You can't prove that. He's from Savannah, Georgia. I've actually spoken to him about that before. Yes.

You can't prove it. Just because he says that. When I invented him, he came pre-uploaded with memories of a child that never existed. I actually asked him what memories he had of Nolan Smith coming up in Savannah, Georgia. And what did he say? If they're from different parts of town, they knew it. They knew of each other. Then no one went from Calvary to IMG, which is in Florida.

McMahon did not go to IMG. So, yeah. So they hadn't really kept in touch, but they were the two Savannah guys. Actually, a matter of fact, this summer I was pitching a story. Let's go to Savannah, dude, Nolan Smith and Dylan McMahon. Good thing we didn't have spent a lot of resources on that Dylan McMahon story. If it worked out. Probably would have made the Eagles feel less.

confident that he could slide through unclaimed on waivers. There was that big story on all PHLY.com. Maybe so. Yeah. There is no more proper way for the Eagles season to end than at the hands of Dylan McMahon.

No more proper way. By the way, we have not talked about this because it happened on Tuesday. I mean, how unsurious. I mean, I'm sorry to all the Eagles fans watching this show that the season's going to end because the team

chose to sign Nicholas Morrow. So how many line... First of all, it sounds to the practice squad. Okay. Now, he very well might get elevated into a special team's role. But if you're looking for someone with experience on January 13th,

there really aren't that many guys on the street. But it's not, it's not like it's the same defense that they bring in a minute because he knows the defense. Do you think it was a Michael Clay? He barely played special teams last year. He played quite a bit of special teams last year.

Not that much. I thought he played. special teams. I don't remember him making any great plays on special teams. It's now, this is the thing. And I asked Nick Siriani

about this yesterday. And this year is, why would you bring in the stink of last year? I just think they're looking for someone who like knows how to tie shoes and run down the field and I shouldn't frame it like that. But Howie Roseman specifically said, he specifically said last year at the combine,

they need to play more young guys. you know, that they can't be afraid to play their young players. He used Nolan Smith in the playoff game as an example. It's not lost on me how many times this year when there have been injuries. And Jeremiah Trotter Jr. this week might be an example of that where they've gone with a younger guy. They went with J.O.X. Hunt essentially over Chuck Harris. They went with Johnny Wilson at wide receiver for a period of time there.

Right. Instead of going out to get the Julio Joneses and the Bradley Row. Yeah, so it's actually only, like, there's, I looked it up, only 4% more snaps are taken by first and second year players this year than last year. Okay. I have to kind of. But they've been very healthy. But they, yeah, they've been healthy. And they've had just, I like this approach that they've done. Yeah, that's why this is uninspiring.

I mean. But. So. You say, like, how many people are available, like, players on every practice squad are available. But that's the thing, there aren't, there are the only practice squads you can sign for. from our practice squads that are still. Yeah, but they could have signed them to the active roster and kept Paris Campbell on practice squad.

No, no, yeah, but I'm saying the only practice, you can only choose from eight practice squads right now. Right. Everyone else, you can't sign someone who's on a future's deal. Yeah. You can't sign someone who's on a future's deal. So that there's a limited pool of players relative to what they're typically.

I understand. And hopefully if there is a guy who has to play, it is actually Dallas Gantz who was elevated and played nicely on special teams. It's just, I mean, it's funny to like, go to the playoffs and bring in the, like the guy who is probably most emblematic of the stink from last year.

And you're right that he wasn't like a huge, he wasn't a huge special teams contributor last year. He was right. Especially near the end of the year, he was only playing on, he must have only been playing on like one of the units because he was down to like three or two or five snaps a game. So you think he's emblematic of the stink last year? I do, yes.

Okay. I don't think he's responsible for it, obviously. I think like, like, if you say what player do you think is like emblematic of the stink, to me, it's like Shaq Lennar because that, that was like the, encapsulation of last year that you're signing like this this name guy at a position

you know at a position where the two guys most responsible for the exodus of Christian Ellis as a very emotional fan who still suffers trauma thinking about last year's defense I will say that the top two people I think of are Nicholas Morrow and Kevin Byrd those are the two whose like faces

appear in my nightmares before the others I think of Morrow first I think of Morrow first too yeah Interesting. Tough, tough scene. There's just something about Byard, like, just how little he seemed to care. And that seemed to perfectly, perfectly represent that whole unit. It seemed to make the Bears need to sign him on the first hour of free agency and really go out and get him.

All right. We still got a lot more to get to, obviously. Obviously. There is many other ways to cover this Nicholas Morrow signing. And we've got about another hour and a half to do it. So let's take a little break. And then we'll be back with more. Our friends at Bet365, I mean, we talk about them all the time.

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This is our game ball. Game ball is proudly brought to you by our friends at Xfinity Mobile. Join the millions who have switched to one of the fastest growing mobile services. And Fran, in this side of the matchup, if you had to predict which member of the Eagles defense would be responsible for a game ball against the Matthew Stafford, Sean McVeigh offense, who would it be? I don't think this guy's got an easy matchup,

But in terms of a guy that has shown up in the past when playing this team, last year, 2023, Jalen Carter had probably his best game as an eagle in that rookie season in that game out West in L.A. Now, in this past game, Danes mentioned how he was doubled almost every single play. He was doubled at one of the highest rates of the season against the Rams. I don't know. And he wasn't as effective. I think he had one pressure the entire day against Stafford. I think that Jalen Carter bounces back here in this one. And honestly, if the if the Eagles are going to be, get this win, I think Carter has a big reason. It's a big reason why.

I like that. I think that's a good pick. You agree with Zach? Yes. If you think back to that Rams game, Milton Williams had a huge game too. And I think a lot of that was the attention that was going to Jalen Carter. So I think that is a superb pick. There you go. Jeline, congrats on your theoretical game ball. I think Eagles D-Line against Rams O line is just like definitely a place that Eagles fans should feel good about.

Like all across the line, I think. Okay. By the way, the person who got the actual game ball last week was Nolan Smith. And the speech that Nick Siriana gave was, I love this effing guy. I'm going to give this ball to. I effing love this guy because he plays so effing hard. He's just a nasty violent football player. And he played his beep off today, Nolan Smith.

Now the beep could, the effing we get. The beep could be anything. I don't know how you do. A, B, beep. Behind. Behind. But yet to put that in parentheses, yeah. You played as parenthetical behind.

There's lots of ways to do it. Sure. But yeah, so no one's fifth won the game ball last week. Good one. Like that. All right. Now, from a place where the Eagles would feel good about the matchup, to, I think, the place where Eagles fans are most terrified on this side of the

matchup, how is Sean McVeague going to attack Oren Berks or Jeremiah, Trotter Jr., whoever is next to Zach Bonn in the middle of the field. I mean, they are, we talked about this the last time these two teams played. They are as good as anybody at targeting specific players in zone coverage and basically putting them in a bind. And it doesn't need to be the weakest player on the field. It could just be an area that they want to try and target. It doesn't matter if it's Fred Warner or if it's Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

We're going to make it so that we're going to put two players in your zone and you can't be right. If you want to come down on the shallow route, we're going to hit one behind you. If you sit back and take the deeper route, then we'll take some. underneath and create yards after the catch. And so I would expect that with a week of preparation, understanding Nicobi Dean's not going to be there, you're going to get Orrin Berks or you're going to get Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

A mix of both. I think that I'm sure Sean McVeigh is going to have some plays dialed up to attack the middle of the field. They do it as well as anybody. And that's where their chunk plays come in this past game. How scared are you? Yeah, I mean, under center play action last week against the Vikings. I mean, they ran under center play action 10 times.

They were successful. You're not allowed to do that, I thought. Yeah, I mean, 10 times. There's got to be a limit. I thought there was a limit of one watching the Eagles, one per game, or zero. The first half especially, it was like an undercenter play action clinic, like on the first couple of drives. They're hitting tight ends down the seams, even when the coverage was good. I mean, they picked on Cashman, picked on pace, the inside linebackers for the Vikings.

And, you know, we were, like, sometimes we forget to go back and talk about how the game that just happened was a little different than what we talked about all week. like we had all these like preview shows last week going into the Packers game and it's the same coaching tree right like Mike LaFleur's brother is literally the I mean Matt LaFleur's brother is literally the OC of the Rams like it's the same it's the same kind of family of coaches we thought we'd see that kind of stuff from the Packers I was shocked like watching the game in the stands and then it was confirmed by the film and how little play action they used and how they were kind of spamming the same pure dropback concepts over and over again and I know they lost some wide receivers in the second half that might have been part of the reason

but they made it pretty easy on the Eagles defense. I don't think it'll be like that this week. I think we're going to see some of those like really cool plays. That first touchdown to the running back was awesome. I mean like the, but he said after the fact that he was just freelancing. I mean, I mean, yeah,

why not? I mean, like, but the play itself was already cool. I mean, Niccolo was in motion. He kind of released like through the line of scrimmage and then the running back ended up doing so too.

There's just so much misdirection. And, you know, like it's, everyone's heard about how great the McVeigh offense is. but like it is, like I tweeted after that touchdown, I was like, it's like annoying to watch such creative offenses, like, because like the, like, Eagles offense has not been that.

And it seems like they're able to take players who might not be stars in another system and turn them into stars. Two things if I can just interject real quick. First off, regarding under center play action, did you notice in the unscripted series that the Eagles do? The play from practice that they showed last week was an under center play action that you know.

I did notice that. I thought someone, I thought someone on the video staff is probably just like a fan of yours. We do it. We do it. They want other teams to prepare for something. They're not going to do it. It is mocking you because they have this behind the scenes footage from practice so we can't see. And the play they choose is under center.

It's possible. It's tempting. I thought it was very funny that they ran a play that was under center with just two outs and no play action. And he hit one of the outs. The first play of Jalen's career that was under. It looked like 2003, like, you know, football. And then when Jalen was asked about it yesterday, he said, like, I didn't call it, like, I guess Colin about it.

Like, you really didn't make it sound like he likes that play. And so that's my second thing is speaking of, of Cowan, if you haven't been on social, shaking his head. If you haven't been on social media today, the Cowboys formally requested to interview, Callum Moore. And I should amend what I said. I had my information wrong. I apologize.

I said that the request had to get in to interview him. Yeah, I was surprised by that. So that has to, from, I believe that's for teams that had first round buys. That the line, that the Cowboys couldn't interview Ben Johnson right now or Aaron Glenn right now. Because they had a chance last week. They had the chance last week. But I guess you can still do that. So Albert Breer from Sports Illustrator reported that Kellan Moore will speak to the Cowboys on Friday.

And we'll speak to, well, I guess the Saints and the Jags are going to be Saturday. So he's going to have a busy weekend before Sunday. Hmm. Do you, how do you feel, Dana is about the offensive coordinator having a three big interviews the weekend of the big game? I mean, if it was an offensive coordinator who I thought was doing something for the offense, I would have felt like he might be distracted. But I mean, seriously, like, we'll get to that side of the ball. You think he's going to get, you think he's going to get that job, Zach?

How do you're, if you're sniffing out of Scooby, Scooby, Scooby. He's the odds on favorite, right? Yeah, he's, and I follow our D-L-S crew. D-L-L-S crew. It's a tough one to say. D-L-S crew. It's great, D-L-S. I didn't say it wasn't great. It's just a tough one to say.

And they're saying more is the favorite. Now, I think Dion Sanders is the person to watch there. Obviously, if it's not more, but I think one thing I've heard floated is like, oh, and you're going to laugh when you hear this. A Kellanmore coaching staff that includes Jason Whitten on it. And it's like a way to get Witten into the building. and more. So he knock out the best of both worlds, right? Yeah, there's a bit of a difference in terms of like dynamic personalities between Dion

Sanders and Kellynne Moore and Jason Witten. A bit of a difference. They're going to fall asleep on game day. Do you think that if Kellymour leaves, if Kelmore gets any head coaching job, who would you look at on the Eagle staff? to potentially leave with him. Well, Nussmeier. Nussmeier came with him, has worked with him in Dallas,

has worked with the Chargers. Obviously, with the Eagles, their connection, goes back to Scott Lenehan. Yeah, wouldn't he just go? Detroit, right? Well, yeah, Scott Lennonahan, who actually was, I believe, was Nussmeyer's college coach,

but then was the offensive coordinator for Callen Morris. Right. Yeah, based on that pattern, don't you think Nussmeyer would want to be, and Moore's offensive quarter. Yeah, that's what saying.

He's saying who would follow him. Sorry, sorry. I thought you meant not. Who would be the O.C. here? Okay, sorry. I misunderstood. Yeah, totally agree. Look, we have a lot of time to fill the early off season if this happens.

But I'm curious if, and you said you don't expect this to happen, if Nick would really push for Kevin Patullo or if they would go outside the building again. I think it depends on how well they do. Like if they win the Super Bowl, then, yeah, I think he could have the, the, the juice to make Kevin Butulo the OC. I think if they lose this game or the next game with a weak offensive performance, then I don't think

it's going to be up to him. We'll see. I have a question. On the plays where like Puka releases through the line of scrimmage. Yep. Would it be too hard to like teach your defensive linemen to just sort of flatten him at the line? I mean, the thing is

is that when he's releasing inside the formation, that can be tough for those guys to. I mean, so it's a million things to handle. Right, exactly. Much more difficult than it sounds. The, so like, there's usually a guy, like, like, those guys are like engaged with alignment. Yes. By the time.

Okay. Right. Bill Belichick was famous for, you know, doing that to running backs coming out of the backfield. If they were going to release out was all right, we're going to make sure that our edge rushers get hands on, you know, Darren Sprouls, whoever that player is before they get out into the route. Doing it inside the formation is a little bit tougher. The other thing when you talk about marrying the past game and the run game. Like they have inside zone runs in which Nakuwa goes through the exact same gap and blocks a guy. Yeah.

And then they have a pass play where he runs the exact same motion. And then he goes and runs like a deep route. Like it's such a cool, you know, like Kellen Moore talks about marrying the run game and the past game every week. I mean, they actually do it. Like, I mean, the plays look exactly the same. And even what Nakua is doing looks exactly the same. So, you know, you could be like, like, like, getting distracted by Nakuwa trying to knock him down.

Meanwhile, you would be leaving the offensive lineman free to climb to the next level or something, you know, if it's a run. Number two, team in motion overall, number one in players in motion at the snap, number one in multiple motions on the get on the same play. They gained 1,600 yards, skill players for the Rams gained 1,600 yards after being the person in motion.

That was the most by any team in the next gen stats era. Now, the Eagles have been great against motion this year. They are number one in yards per play against motion. Zach, you asked me a few weeks back, like, what do you make of some of these splits? The Eagles defense has been great all season long, so they're going to be good in all of these splits. But when you go back to that We 12 game, they did allow 6.0 yards per play against motion. That was one of their worst games of the year in that stat. So it's just something to watch.

And as Dana has mentioned, they do such a great job of dressing things up. Pugunucoa, that's one of the ways they get him the ball, is put him in motion, whether that's outside the numbers or within the core. the formation. I just want to be clear. I am actively listening. Uh, the reason I have my screen up is the Eagles are practicing at this time. So I'm not at practice obviously because I'm in studio. So I'm just monitoring what's going on at practice. That's why I'm not making passively watching practice. Yes. That's why I'm not making intense eye contact when you speak right. What did he just say? He was talking about the play action that I asked him about two weeks ago.

They are third in play action rate. And then Stafford's play action, no play action splits are crazy. He's second in the league in EPA per dropback with play action goes all the way down to 26th on plays without play action. They do the play action rollouts at one of the highest rates in the league and one of the reasons why is because it's a great way to keep him away from pressure to get him out because he's been not as good against pressure. Good way to keep him clean. Do those play action rollouts, those bootlegs and allows him to get the ball out fast. I think he's been sacked one time on a rollout all season long. And in case you've never heard about his arm He can throw the ball from any angle off his back foot.

And so when we when we talk about how good the Eagles defense is against motion, is it just because they're a really good defense? Yes. And they don't bother with motion. They just let it, they just sort of stay where they are and play their keys. Or is there anything specific to what they do that? There might be a little bit too in the weeds for me to be able to say like, oh yeah, this is the specific thing they do.

But I think overall they've been a very like sound, read your keys defense in terms of making sure you pass things off and not getting fooled by that stuff for the most part for most of the year. Which quarterback scares you guys more? Matthew Stafford or Jordan Love? Well, Dr. Love is not playing anymore. I think in the playoffs. You know what I mean. Going in the last week, which quarterback do you think is a better chance of beating you? Stafford. Stafford. Stafford? Stafford.

Stafford? Yeah, Stafford's good. Yeah. Stafford. Beau? Yeah, I mean, Stafford and McVeigh and Nakua over Love and LaFleur and Jane Reed. That's the big question in Green Bay right now is that they need to get a number one receiver. Is that the big question? That's, yeah.

If you're reading the clips out of Green Bay this week, I feel like that's not their problem. That's one thing that got knocked out and then two guys knocked out in the middle of the game. It's a big thing they're talking about is that they don't have a number one receiver. Okay. Gotta read your Green Bay clips.

I guess I do. I guess I do. Something quick about the approach that this offense takes the Rams offense, which I found interesting, just looking at the numbers and then the film kind of reflects this as well. I was going to ask Fran about this philosophically.

Their fourth in success rate, that's the percentage of plays that are successful, but they're 14th in series conversion rate, and that's the percentage of times you actually get a first down. Now, the Eagles are the opposite. The Eagles offense is 14th in success rate and sixth in series conversion rate.

Now, you'd rather be better at series conversion rate. That's the one that correlates more to points. And the Eagles do score more points than the Rams. Now, when you look at the reason that this is. It's because the Rams are really good at getting first downs on early downs,

but when it does get the third down, they've been really bad this year. So they're eighth at avoiding third down, but they're 24th on third down. So, you know, Zach would look at the 24th and say, like, oh, you know, they're bad on third down. But they're avoiding those third downs

and that first game against the Eagles. That tracks exactly with what happened in the first game. It was like a perfect example. The first two drives, the Rams had nine first downs. They did lose a fun. in that stretch, but they had nine first downs without facing a single third down, and they scored a touchdown on a long drive.

And then the first three third downs they did face. Yeah, it was three three, three outs in a row. And so in that game, at least, the theme was, God, just get the third down. And we're going to get off the field. But the Eagles had trouble getting to third down on those early, early drives. And I think, Fran, the reason, when you go to the scheme and look at the film, they do a lot of those under center play action plays where they're looking for chunks on early downs.

And that's something that I've been really frustrated that the Eagles don't do. Like after the Eagles do, like run, run, run on a bunch of first downs in a row, I'm sitting in the stands like, all right, it's time for play action now, and they just run it again. You know, the Eagles ran the ball

on the first eight first downs last week. Like the first eight first downs. Like, that's not normal. That's not something that other NFL teams are doing. Not if you don't trust, or if you trust your quarterback. Right. Yeah, I think that had more to do with that last week.

Yeah. You were defending Jaila Hertz. He admit! Yeah, I'm defending J-1 Hertz. I'm saying, but I think the coaching staff called that game conservatively because the J-N-1 was coming back. I don't think it's, I shouldn't say trust.

I think that they thought it was like a just enough game. It was a game that could do this and still win. Are you guys surprised by how okay Jalen seems to be with that? Like yesterday he sounded like that was just normal that that's his role on the offense now. Yeah, he's.

Well, he says he's had to make adjustments for. He says it's been a learning experience. I will actually read the quote to you. He says, it's been a journey, and it's been a great journey of evolving. I was just talking to Tanner about how fortunate I am to learn as much ball as I've been able to learn with the different faces I've been with. I thought it was going to be how much he's been fortunate to learn from Tanner. No, and then he said, I think you guys need to understand that I don't play the game for anything other than to win.

My role in each will be different. The approach in each game is different. Some things are magnified a little bit more because there's less opportunities in certain areas, but ultimately it's about winning the game. We're talking about playoff football. There you go. All right.

Fran has something to say it. Yeah, I think we get lost in the, because I see just seeing in the comments over the course of the week as well, like people like, oh, well, would it be better if they lost and he threw for $3.50? And it's like, that's not the comment. conversation though. To me, like, I think when you look at even going back and listening to some of our coverage after that game against the Rams, one of the things we talked about that point in the season was, look, they are running the crap out of the ball. They're doing it so well. This is the best version of this offense. When it comes to the passing game, they're doing a good job of being efficient when they're, basically when Jaylon's number is called. He's doing a good job of making the throws necessary. And over the last several weeks, that has not been the case. It was right around that point when things started to sour a little bit in terms of their overall

efficiencies, but yeah, I'm still in the minority on this set here. And that I, I think you have to stop ascribing what you want it to be and accepting what it is. And that goes, by the way, football and in life. Like, you can judge things for how you want it to be or you can judge things for how they are and make the most of how they are. Like, the Eagles are winning this way. Yeah. So you can want to.

But that's exactly right. Make the most of how they are. And that is what is the problem is that. making the most of what they have right now, which is a run first offense, which is great, is still you have 20, 25 dropbacks, making the most of those, and that is not what they are doing.

They are running the same patterns. They are not efficient. And when you have A.J. Brown and Devante Smith and Dallas Goddard, and you only have to throw the ball 25 times, you should be able to make the most of those opportunities. You should be able to throw the ball downfield more than one time on a fake tush push. You should do a lot better with those opportunities,

and that is what is disappointing. Yeah, for me, it should be so much easier because the running game is so good. Yeah, I mean, you guys know how I feel about counting stats to begin with. Like, I don't care like how many total yards anything is, but like it's not a matter of volume. It's a matter of like when, exactly what you're saying,

when you run a pass play, can it have something to do with the running that you've just been doing? Like, have it be some sort of play action? There was a sequence in that game. I guess have we unofficially switched to the side of the ball now? Well, we've got to take a break in a second, so go ahead. Oh, yeah.

I mean, like, there was a sequence in that game that was run, run, the second run got a first down, and then run again, and then the next play was an empty formation, the famous drive play that Fran, and I've been talking about all year that they've run a bunch of times. Nobody was open because everyone's memorized that play at this point. Jalen got sacked, and then the next play was a coward's draw, and there were booze raining down on the field. I mean, like, you shouldn't be getting booed by your fans in a game that you're handily winning in the playoffs,

and yet that's what's happening right now because the office. offense looks like a complete, you know, like, the run game and the past game couldn't be any less married than they are right now. And my understanding was that that was Kellynne Moore's job. So like, like, I've been on Kellynne Moore more than most people. Like everyone's like, oh, it's me on jail and Nick don't let him do things or whatever. But like it's like his job was to come in and convince whoever else he needs to convince to make the offense look modern. And I don't think that's happened. All right. Let's take that break to hear from our sponsors. Now listen, We all need a getaway.

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True mark financial federally insured by NCUA, equal opportunity lender, terms and conditions apply. All loans are subject to approval. 3% balance transfer fee applies. Standard rates apply after the promotional rate. Is there any news from practice to pass along? AJ Brown is out there. As he said he would be. spoke to AJ Brown yesterday. AJ said that he came out of the game Healthy he thought he he brought he he thought he was fine out there He thought he was open out there he's he said that Well he's always open always open he also said

He got asked quite a bit about the book and kind of the reaction to it Underdogs One can only wish no The franchise One can only wish I mean I would love some some royalty checks on AJ Brown's behalf of that But no that's that's not happening It's going to Inter Excellence, which, by the way, my copy arrived.

I'm eager to dig into that. I've already finished the A.J. Brown passage, and now I'm getting through to the rest of the book. He said, quote, I'm going to continue to be myself. It's not pretend. It's not a facade or anything. Who cares who don't like it? I'm a three-time all pro. I'm going to pop my beep.

That's just what it is. I do that for myself. I'm not a distraction. All you ladies pop your beeps like this. Most importantly, I go out. and do my job. All of that other beep, it doesn't matter. Po, I am,

we're a family-friendly show. He also learned his influence. Since when, according to you, you're the one who's always cursing. Always. A very interesting way of using always. He said, me personally, I'm very humble, so sometimes I forget who I am in a sense

of how big stuff can get blown out of proportion because I'm just being myself. I'm not trying to cause a distraction. Hats off the gym. He's a great guy, and the book is amazing. Also, news from practice that Dallas Goddard is not practicing, Zach. See, I was intently listening. That's going to affect his opinion of the game.

Yeah. Did you hear, they're not going to be able to run the ball? It's the first time I've agreed with Kellynne Moore all year. He talked about what a big impact Dallas Goddard had on the run game last week. Okay, you see, this is what happens when you don't have your computer screen in front of you and you put it down when practice is going on. I'm sorry. Why is he not out there? he wasn't on Wednesday's injury report so I I don't know I will be in the locker room in an hour and 50 minutes and I imagine I would try to find that out

Goddard did play in the first Rams game for those of you who don't remember it was before this last injury but Devante Smith did not play in that game correct that's right all right anything left on let's say the Eagle secondary against the Rams offense how do you expect them to handle Pucanakua just to wherever he lines up. Yeah. They trust all three guys. They move him around so much that it's not going to be a matchup type of thing. The big thing, too, to keep in mind, I mentioned Cooper Cup's lack of production. I mean, it is an extreme target funnel right now towards Pooka Nakua. Now, his numbers last week were a little bit modest. They, it was a little bit of a weird game from that standpoint. Higbee was a much bigger part of the offense and part of the passing game this past week against Minnesota. But when you look at his numbers really over the last several weeks, Pooka Nukuoka, the highest target rate in the NFL, 39.8%, 3.7 yards per route run since his return

from injury in week eight. His numbers are insane. His number one in the NFL, just extreme, extreme, extreme target hog in that offense. His yards per route run, 3.57 on the year, number two of the entire decade in the season after a tire kill from last year. Wow. It's insane how good he has been. Now he gets the ball, like yards per target.

AJ's ahead of him, but he's he's just been unbelievable. We have the scoopy, scoopy. Yeah, Dallas Goddard is out of practice today with an illness. That's gonna show up on the injured report later today. So there go. Nothing worry about there. Thank you. When you look at EPA per target, he's only a hair under A.J. Brown, and he's, you know, he's getting like two and a half more targets again than A.J. Brown.

Yeah, he's, I mean, the way that they use him too, but he's, he is awesome. We talked before the week 12 game, and I'm the memory is, I don't know, the memory is, I don't, I'll have to try and remember this off the top of my head, but when all of those guys have been healthy. So Stafford, Kyron Williams, Pooka Nukua and Cooper Cup, when all of them were on the field together, since the start of last season, they had the highest, like, EPA per dropback,

highest success rate of any group, any pass catch, any skill group in the NFL. Now, those numbers have gone down a little bit, but basically when those guys are healthy, yeah, since the start of last year, when that group is healthy and playing at the same time, they average 1.3 more yards per play, higher EPA per play, higher success rate, like significant jumps in all of these,

than when not. And the reason why I say that is that since they all have not been healthy for the majority of this season together, a lot of these numbers that you see from the Rams offense this year, they're a little bit hampered by the fact that they did face so many injuries. And that doesn't even take into account the fact that they've had like 13 different offensive line combinations as well. And Cup is not quite the same. Right.

And especially down the stretch. I can't help myself in this studio because on post game shows, you're here. I'm where you are. And like the shot's a little tighter. And so I have to lean over here. And so every time I sit in here, I'm like really leaning to the left. I'm going to focus on it.

Heavy as the head. In week 12. I got a man spread. In week 12, Nakua had 13 targets and Cup had 11. But when you look at the explosive plays, they were all NACA. I mean, you had nine catches for 117. Yeah. Cup had eight for just 60.

And Fran, I was going to ask you. Federally insured by the NCUA. Just keep rolling. I guess. Just keep rolling. No need to slow down. Fran, there was more, the Eagles, Fangio used a lot more man in week 12 against the Rams

than most games this year. 43% of the dropbacks before garbage time were man. And he also blitzed and used a bunch of exchanges. Near the end of the game, we kind of saw, like, we were talking earlier about how that game, like, perfectly represented their success rate thing. Yep.

Same with Stafford against Zone and Man. Stafford is a lot better against Zone than man. And on the last drive of the game before garbage time, Stafford was 5 for 5 against zone and 0 for 4 against man. It was like perfect like, you know, man was working zone wasn't. Do you think that'll be the approach again this time? There was a lot of one robber in that game,

which he's done very little in other games. Do you think it'll be similar this time? Yeah, I mean, the robber coverage has been an answer for them for teams that like to attack the middle of the field. You know, we talked about that when they were getting ready to play Cooper Rush and the Cowboys, that interception that C.J. Gardner Johnson was a version of cover one robber.

I think when you look at playing man-to-man coverage against this offense, number one, you're not worried about the scramble threat, right? So there's a little bit of ease there. But then also, when you look at Cup, this version of Cooper Cup. And when you look at Nakua, Nakua is not like this athletic mismatch player. A lot of what he, I mean, he's extremely strong. He's got outstanding hands. He's a pretty good route runner.

He plays through contact really well. But you're not lining up. If you have Darius Lay, if you have Quinnian Mitchell, those guys should be able to stay in his hip pocket. You know, they've got the athleticism there to be able to hang with him. He's not that kind of lethal threat. It's more about like he's really, really strong and then the usage that allows him to be as productive as he is. I just have a question for all of you because it's,

there's flurries right now at practice. The forecast is calling for potential snow. I saw this quote from Andrew Whitworth. This is in line with what we're talking about with the Rams offense. He said, I think you can make an argument with how this Rams team is built that they actually have a better chance in Philly than they do in SoFi. I think he was talking about playing in those elements.

As you look at this Rams' offense, and there are any merit to that, that the Rams are a team that's better built for the snow. I mean, frankly, I think it's not the point he's trying to make, but I think there's a chance that a game in the snow is a fewer possession game. Yeah. Whereas.

Plays their hands. Right, which probably does play into the volatility for them, but I don't know. Usually, like, it means you. this helps the weaker team, the underdog. A lot of you feel like that's going to be their strategy anyway, just come in, try and run the ball, and shortly like that. I like Kyron Williams, and

their running game is good. It's better than it was in Week 12. Right. And on the season, it's 14th in EPA per rush, but I just, I am not worried about anybody's running game against this defense. Yeah, it's the same conversation we had last week with Jacobs where it's not an explosive rushing attack. you know, Kyron Williams isn't going to be

busting off those big, big runs. It's going to be more about like success rate, keeping them on schedule, making it so it's third and medium and Matthew Stafford could still line up under center and you could work in all the play action, all the motion. Okay.

Yeah, they hit one run and they hit one run. CJGJ just misfit a run early and they hit it for 27 or something in that first game and that was really the only one. By the way, the Eagles played cover three, 10 times in that game. Seven of them were cover three buzz. I know I'm like the cover three buzz guy

person, but friend, would you, would you say that cover three buzz? I'm aware. I've been, I've been watching the clock. I know. Go ahead. Oh, the, the, go ahead. No, finish your point. We got 40 seconds. Would you agree that cover three buzz is kind of like the zone version of one robber? Like you have a safety coming down to the middle of the field rather than the flat and that's probably also to take away the middle of field stuff.

Absolutely. Yeah, cool. You see that? They were able to finish their conversation and we still got time to tell you that if you're watching on fast, we thank you for watching this episode. we got like another second half of the episode. We're not even halfway through. We got a lot to go and you can check it all out on all phto.com. Buckle up.

Buckle up. Now we turn the page to the other side of the ball. Two-hour shows. You free to leave. I think of the magic act just like taking off. Don't threaten him with a good time. Well, now he'd miss Hooper.

Okay. Do we think that the Eagles are going to just do what they do and just try to run the ball? Yes. It's so annoying. I think they're going to mix into play action. That's the thing. It's like, I don't mind running as long as the past game benefits from the running.

And if they're handing it up with someone other than Seeklon Barkley. I think Sequin Barkley is the best person to hand the ball off to. Okay. I also think they should throw it to them more, which I've said. And I also think that like after you run, on the first eight first downs of the game I think the ninth first down of the game

should be play action instead it was like a mirror double short outs with no play action like I just don't understand how you're getting into these calls after all that running and success running by the way three of those eight first down runs hit for double digit yards

and then the next play just makes has nothing to do with with that like I just don't understand why you can tell pre-snap that it's not going to be you know it was like one of them was literally empty like I just don't understand that. I just look, what about this Rams defense

compels you to think that they're going to stop the run this week unless they're having like nine guys in the box. Which they might do. Yeah, to me, they just don't have the personnel, they don't have a scheme to stop sake. Why do you think that they have been so much better

on defense over the past month? I mean, this is a young defense, number one. I think when you're looking at this group overall, this is a new defensive coordinator, right? So there's a group that was kind of getting used to each other, getting used to themselves. And I think when you're looking at what they do well,

it's a very fast group, it's a very aggressive group. They don't have like, Bobby Brown is their nose tackle. He's probably their best run defender, along the defensive front. And then at linebacker, they just don't have like stoppers there. You know, I think you look at Omar Spates, a Philly kid, he's probably their best run defender at linebacker.

Rose Boom is kind of like an Alex Singleton type like running chase. He's going to give you high energy, high effort, but not a guy that's like, oh, man, like he's going to be your stopper inside. So I think when you're looking at this group, they just don't have like great personnel for stopping the run, but they do a lot to really give people problems in terms of when they get into, not just like third down, but if it's second and eight, like that rush package is going to come on the field and they're going to create havoc. and it's been extremely productive.

Last week they wrecked the game against the Minnesota Vikings. And it's a lot of the same things that we said last week sitting in these chairs about the Packers going up against this Eagles offense. It was like, look, past game, they might try and wreck the game that way

because of what they can do on the coverage end on the rush end. I think this rush group is better than the Packers. The thing, though, that makes it feel a little different for me is that the Packers had a very good run defense. This group just does not stop the run. nearly as well. Now, it's a one-game sample. Anything can happen. You know, maybe

you know, there's injuries involved, whatever. But I think when you look at it, to me, the matchup is too good for the Eagles to not take advantage on the ground. Eagle set. Sorry, 23rd, their defense in rush success rate. 22nd in EPA per rush. 21st in run defense, DVA. It's, yeah. Yeah. In the first game, the Eagles had a 97th percentile game in EPA per rush, and the run game variety was awesome. I counted 15 different runs, including some that they had never done before. Fran, I don't know if you remember that counter-trap play that like the Rams had done the

week before. Do you think coaching staffs, like when they're watching their next opponent, like just get ideas just because they happen to see that and then run that play? I feel like the Eagles of Run plays that are kind of things that the opponent normally does against that opponent a few times this year. Yeah, that might be. that might be a coincidence too just because a lot of teams have that that's been a little bit of a chic play in the league this year has been that counter trap you know like i know the ravens have

run it a bunch you know we've seen that already with the packers have run it a bunch so um you know that could be something that they just picked up off crossover tape and that they just happened to use it against the rams but um yeah again especially like the outside runs have been and that's what a lot of uh sequin barquay's damage came you know outside the tackles in that game they get the big counter run late. So it's, I just think again, that's probably too big of a matchup to not take advantage. That counterrun was against zero blitz. And McVeigh was ruling that they were caught in a zero blitz on that play. You mentioned Omar Spates. For those unfamiliar with the story, from Philly, like you said, was a standout player and a close friend of his was a murder the day before

the friend was set to leave for Penn State on scholarship. Spate's transfer to a friend's family in Oregon, in Corvallis, Oregon. He was a big-time high school player in Philly. He was at Imotev and transferred the Northeast High School for his senior year. And that happened. It's a terrible story. Yeah. Yeah.

I was going to ask you, Zach, about the Sequin play from the end of the game and the guff he got on the sidelines. That was the fun, that was the funest part of them miced up, I thought. Yeah, so they have, the place called no moss. Okay? And like Nick was trying to keep that close to his vest. It's not like. it is so funny because first of all

every team calls it that right right first of all you like there's no surprise second of all why are you worried about the thing being people knowing what it is that you call it when the game is over yes exactly and it's like respectfully it's not like really helping us out like you right like Syquan said it the day before

but anyways the place is called no moss and at that point you know they were already up by by two touchdowns so there happened crazy things that happened with a three touchdown lead it's hard to think of crazy things going to happen but okay you you get it but even still he went down right away

he could have run to like the five yard line and then went down he saved his own energy too it's not just like not having the defense go back out there he like he didn't want to get tired either so Devante did like you know like the dad move come here come here you know and was asking what he was doing Devante and AJ if you had any questions about AJ AJ

AJ was into it there and then Seekwon was having fun with it too. But look, Sequin, you know, Sequin joke that there's no rushing record, so it doesn't matter. There is, as you pointed out in your excellent piece last week, the Terrell Davis record that he could still go out. Yeah, that would have helped. Yeah, and credit to Alex Coffee. Alex Coffee from the Inquirer tracked down Terrell Davis last week, a good piece in the Inquirer. Love an Alex coffee.

She does a great job. Sorry, I thought you had something. Yeah, catch my breath. Eagles offense against Rams defense. I don't know what I'm talking about. I can jump in if you want. Go ahead. Okay.

Yeah. Eagles offense about so A.J. Brown had a big game against them. So if you want to know like what's an ideal jail on game, go back and watch that Rams game because he the volume wasn't there. Correct. But the efficiency was. Oh, yeah. He was throwing down field. So I think that's where you look at.

And yes, that's probably the compromise between two sides. It's like the standard doesn't have to be 300 yards for touchdowns. But if you're dropping back 25 times, how efficient can you be? And he was efficient in that game. And explosive. Like efficient and like both. It was also the best Kellyn Moore game of the year. I mean, it started with like almost like a McVeigh style condensed formation with like pre-snapshifts,

AJ with a deep over route meeting Darius Williams from a condensed split, like coupled with Jalen sprinting out to hit it to him. Like it looked exactly like the Rams offense. Like seriously on that first couple of drives, very next play was under center play action in breaker from AJ for 17 yards. And I remember just like at the beginning of the game, it was like which team has the ball right now? Like it did not look like a like a normal.

It was their best offensive performance of the season. Yeah. And it's not surprising that it's the one that involved more under center play action, more play action period. First drive of the second half, again it's under center play action. And Jalen hits AJ on a backside dig. Like I mean, these are all Dallas, by the way. Great block on Byron Young on that play. I mean, he was really the MVP of the play.

And then later, there was a beautifully designed delay dropback screen to Sequin. Do you guys remember that? It was like the only good screen of the season. Four receivers ran off their guys and Cam Durgan's reached Roseboom on the block. It was just a beautifully designed offense in that game. And the very next week, it was gone again. Well, no, but that 10-day period, though, or eight-day period, however you want to frame it, that Thanksgiving week is why the Eagles could never say, nobody believes in us. Like that Rams game and then followed by that Ravens game

the Ravens game was the most impressive win in the season. The Rams game was the best they played this season. Those two games combined it was like you Eagles fans felt like all right

this is a legitimate Super Bowl team with that Los Angeles win and that Baltimore win. That's right. Yeah. I like that. That's a good framing their best game

and then their most impressive win. Yes. Thank you. I genuinely appreciate it when I get a compliment from you. I think more of the defense with the Ravens game, but, but it's true that it was the most impressive win overall. Just looking at the Rams defense, just from an identity standpoint, they, they want to play with

a lot of speed on the field up front. It's a lot of dime defense, especially when you get to those passing downs. So, six D.Bs on the field. And basically what you're going to get with that rush package, it's going to come down to four players. Now, they do a lot of rotating, but it's going to come down to four players. It's the rookie Jared verse, likely the defensive rookie at a year. Braden Fiske and Kobe Turner on the inside and then Byron Young. One stat that I thought was really, really impressive, just kind of looking at this group. So they are one of three teams that have four guys with 40 pressures, and it was those four names. Twelve players got a pressure, and eight of them had at least half a sack last week against Minnesota.

So a ton of guys that rotate in and are active with their pressure schemes, right? But then the other part of it, too, is that verse and Fisk, they combined for 120 pressures this year. that's the most by any rookie duo in the next gen era. The group that, the duo that was better than that coming in. There are two guys. Was the two rookies from last year, Kobe Turner,

Go Deeks and Byron Young. So those four guys lead this team in Sacks. They love to line up with just all these different unique combinations with guys on one side. I call them those tilted fronts where it's three defensive linemen on one side, one defensive linemen on the other, and they might bring up a rose boom or camcourl or one of the other DB. up on the line of scrimmage.

And now you have to figure out who's coming, who's not. Just like Green Bay, they don't blitz a lot in terms of five and six-man pressures. But you have to figure out who's coming. And then they drop out and they play a lot of zones. A lot of changes of that rotation. Yeah. So a lot of who's coming, who's not? They love dropping those guys out.

We talked about Michael Hoyt last time these two teams played. He's a big factor, both in the run and the past. And then also, you know, they are the only team. And this was, you know, something as I'm going through and looking at these numbers from a zone coverage standpoint, they really vary things up in terms of the way that they play. And so they are the only team in the NFL to play cover two, cover three,

cover four and cover six. It's like the four main categories of zone coverage. They play all four coverages at least 13% of the time. So they, in terms of variety and also cover one is also above that as well. So all five coverage families, they play at least 13%. So we talk about like variety, Jalen Hertz,

trying to figure out what exactly are they doing at the ball. If they're going to force them to hold onto the ball of tick, and then that explosive rush is able to get home, that can be the problem. Yeah. And they have the same variety with personnel grouping. Fran mentioned the dime, but also base. They're the only team in the league that plays as much base as nickel.

Yeah. They're 36% base, 36% nickel, 25% dime. So they're the only team by a mile that plays 25% or more of each of those three things. And they have big nickel and normal nickel, more big nickel, though. They kind of live in big nickel, these things. days with Quentin Lake, who is the, who's the safety in base, comes down and plays the nickel. What's that? Playing really well too, Lake.

Right. And he has a lot of responsibility underneath in, in, in, in dime as well. Quick, Jared Verst question. I was going to say, I don't envy your mind right now, but actually do envy it. Like, it's so cool. You got the Eagles going on. You got the draft going on. This is such a fun time.

You had, I believe, five edge rushers in your top 17 in your mock draft. Jared Verse went 19 last year. would Jared verse go ahead of any of those of those five this year? For me, yeah, he would have been ahead of a number of those guys. Interesting. So you'd think that highly averse? Yeah, and also just, you know, I think that some of these edge rushers are pretty good, but, you know, probably just in terms of this class inflated a little bit.

But yeah, he would have been right in the thick of that group. Interesting. Jordan Maelada was on WIP something like three or four weeks ago. So it wasn't right after the Rams game. And they asked him about how the game went or whatever. I don't even remember which game it was. And he said, you know, what that Rams game he just brought it up on his own and it didn't like a month since the game

he said it was the most physical game you'd been in all season and when you look at the film he was in these one-on-one battles with Jared verse there was that one play that ended up being a scramble where verse just like decked him yeah the only pressure that by allowing give up the entire guy that's her day and jalen jillam was able to escape and turn it into a positive scramble but that's the only pressure that he gave up yes wow that was versus worst game of the year from a pressure right standpoint okay and then lane uh johnson brought up yesterday that they had a lot of, he called it the 97 spinner package.

He's talking about Michael Hoyt or as I call him hooked. This was the Ufuk episode. He was on as a Joker, so he's lined up behind the, lined up behind the defensive line as a, kind of in a sort of big nickel penny type package. Seven of the first eight snaps of that game

were in that package. They didn't run that at all. last week against the Vikings. I don't know if that's something they've just kind of abandoned. I think they've gotten away from it a little bit as they've found success with that four-man group that I mentioned before.

You know, Zach, you and I were texting earlier this week about that Michael Hoyt package because it's not just past game that they found value in you with using that. It was also a run game. I know Lane talked about it after the game last time. They were doing it on early downs.

Right. Let us out of the Michael Hoyt text conversation? There's nothing that flattery more than getting a text. Do you remember this quote? And then you get to dig in, you can find the quote. Yeah. Okay.

He went to the right place. I would have just answered by saying, uh, fuck anyway. There was one stat, Dana, as I know you would enjoy the, so talking about those four guys,

again, putting Kobe Turner, Braden Fisk, and the way they move those players around. They put those two on the same side of the formation, 144 times this year, 74 times on third down. And again,

they love running stunts with those guys. They've been really effective. Kobe Turner as a, as a pinter on stunts, as a looper on stunts, very, very good. Braden Fisk also really, really good in those situations. They have more sacks with those guys on the same side of the field than they do opposite.

So in terms of just that how effective that look has been, I think that they've been so efficient and so disruptive from those looks, I think that's why they've gotten away from like that Michael Hoyt Joker package. And you don't know which one's going to loop. I mean, I charted some of their pressures against the Vikings, and they had one where Fisk was looping around Turner. Meanwhile, Roseboom was looping around the edge on the same play. and then they had another one later where it was it was the other way around.

So big Cam Juergens game. Big Cam Juergens game, you know, the Eagles early on in the season, there were some issues with stunts. They've cleaned that up for the most part. That really has not been an issue for those guys in the interior. But again, we talked about it last week. When they get into these, it's a one game sample. Those are the kind of plays that can wreck a game.

You know, Jared, you have a player comes free on a blitz. And that's the big thing, too, with all of these pressures. it's not about oh man they they do all this to get lake a free run at jalen hertz it's about now you've got one-on-ones across the board and so now it's all right jared verse on an island with macky beckton or it's uh coby turner one-on-one with cam jurgens and that's why i put one of my keys to the game the old line has to win these one-on-one reps because it is going to be one-on-ones for the most part across the board those guys have to be able to win one-on-one minnesota last week could not and there's a big reason i look at they had the sack fumble that's a 14-point swing jared verse goes the

other way for the touchdown, cements, I would say, the defense rookie the year in that's in that situation. Vinnie Curry was on with Jamie and Rich on yesterday's show. And the first thing he said about this defense was the stunts. He was like, oh, yeah, the amount they stunned. They stunted more than any team on Wild Guard weekend, and you could really see how effective it was. There you go.

Some superchats to get to from Michael, who says, ZB, do you see the Rams defensive ends grabbing some sacks on Sunday? I know Johnson is hard to beat off the edge, but Hertz loves holding on to the ball. I see the, I can't write read this well. Do you see the Rams DM? It's basically what Fran just talked about. Yeah, there's some opportunities for it.

Yeah, I mean, Jared versus pressure, right? You know, Jordan Rodriguez had a terrific stat up earlier today. And you can find all, I mean, France notes are outstanding, the opponent's notes. The numbers are just okay. What's that? The numbers are just okay. The numbers are terrific.

Jared versus, he ranks number seven. I'm sorry, he ranks number four in the NFL, 77 pressures. Can you read those? Oh, yeah, thank you. Why don't you read the chase, Daniel, play in view one? Okay. Who coughed up more blood at the hospital? Tyler Higby after running my football?

Or Tyler Higby's 2016? Is this something that happened? Yeah, it's a super chat. Can I read this? Or Tyler Higby's 2016? hate crime victim after Tyler Higby's 2016 hate crime. Yeah, I'm... Okay, moving on.

I thank you for the contribution, though, Chase. Says if new offensive coordinator is Kevin Petulow, I will self-immolate in front of the Novacare Complex. Why is he barely mentioned in passing game struggles? Really, everybody's hitting it on all cylinders today. Please don't self-immolate. Yeah, you can avoid that. What?

Well, I mean, at least not mentioned. He's technically the past. game coordinator, but does anybody believe that he has enough of a hand in the passing game that he should be mentioned? I actually think he's heavily involved. Really? So he's just avoiding criticism because he doesn't

have to talk. My understanding is even going into the Ur-Patoa was the go-between between the Eagles concepts in the past and Eagles concepts with Kellen Moore and that he is... The translator, if you will. Yeah, he's Sirianni's right-hand man and he is like he's... I think he's

so much so that he often gets mistaken for Nick Siriano by the Wire photo services. Yeah, Kevin Patuo and Nick Siriani are not the same people. Joe Penunzio and Picfaxia. A week ago, the back page of the Philadelphia Daily News. Oh, it was Penangio. Oh, seriously? Wow.

Yeah. Are not the same people. And then there's a member of the Eagles. like training staff who's not Clint hurt. Okay? Actually, you haven't seen that. Yeah, so I just want to make that clear. That's tough.

Yeah. No, it's not Arthur Smith. No, it's not Arthur Smith. Benny says, hello from Australia, from down under. Thanks for the content. Feeling a bit uneasy with this matchup,

much more time to adjust to Dean injury if it happened during the regular season. You like got you wavered. Yeah. There were no words there that were like super fun. Our, nah. Turkey's on how the,

this is a, how do you think it's going to be split between Berks and Trotter? Oh, okay. I think Trotter is going to have like seven snaps on defense. Oh, you really don't think it's going to try. I think it'll be,

listening to Vic, it felt like more. Listening to Vic, it felt like less, but then everything, everything from the locker room sounded like, including Trotter himself,

sounded like it was going to be more. I think Was that media generated? Yeah, I think the media is, it's a great story.

I think so too. Yeah, yeah, really going to be that involved. That's more media. The example he gave was the Dallas game in which Trotter only played 10 snaps before garbage time.

And he said the reason was that the two, two drives before that were so long. Yes. That's sort of what I expect. If it's like that, then it could be next to none. I mean,

if it's a bunch of short drives, right? What do you think? I was thinking like a 35-65-65. Mm-hmm. But. Wow. It just, that feels so against the way that Vic Vanjo has run the defense this year, right?

Like nobody it rotates. Yeah. Right. You were, Bo, you were talking about like maybe it'll be situational. Yeah. I just don't think so either. He hasn't done things that way. Like a lot of teams do that, like, I don't think that's what he'll do.

Like the Steelers, for example, they have like literally a different linebacker for like the early down and late down. Has been like, these are my guys and they're going to play. Yeah. Ornbergh is a good guy. Yeah. I think you would enjoy his company. okay especially in a car you know a funny story about that actually

please I already started I have to tell so I got two months ago on a Tuesday I was at a car wash okay in South Philly and and Orrin was there

really? Yeah we were chatting It's a dream come true for you How did you not tell us this? How was this the first time this is coming up And, you know, yeah, we had a nice conversation, but I was afraid of saying, like, you know, I sit on my show that there's anyone I could drive to Florida with him to be you.

While we're here at the gas station together, let's just stop in the car and go. You got a free 14 hours? You guys grab hands. It's like, I'm actually here to smear all the evidence away from both. That was a joke. Did you not watch Presumed Innocent? Didn't remember he took the car to the car wash? That show stunk.

What? That show stunk. It showed the not sting. I only watched the last episode. The ending was very overwhelming. The ending, yeah, the ending was overwhelming. That's true. But the buildup was awesome.

There's another slow scene with a violin and Jake Gillett Hall walking all melancholy. Oh my gosh. What drama. Bo's going to recommend like a silent movie or like a foreign movie with subtitles as this is a good piece of art. We'll get to the movies. Don't worry about it. All right. Anybody else got anything else that they want to?

Well, maybe we can talk it out of existence again, but the Vikings ran cover two, often disguised 18 times against the, sorry, the Rams against the Vikings. Yep. We talked all about how the Packers would do that. And they didn't run a single, they ran cover two twice and they disguised it once. And I don't buy that disguise. It was just one of the safeties was low and he came high.

It wasn't one of those spades where it's inverted or, anything like that. So all that, the exotic cover two stuff we were watching last week, they didn't do a single time. Rams were doing a decent amount of that kind of thing against the Vikings. Do you think they'll do it this time? They didn't run a lot of cover two in week 12 against the Eagles, only five snaps of it. They were eighth in the league in cloud coverage this year. And I mentioned how they mixed up coverages throughout the course of the season. And so it's definitely something that they could do. But again, like, We harped on it so hard last week,

but the difference in this matchup, like the O line and the run game to me, just, it's so, they can be so dominant in this matchup that I feel like it, not negates the past game concern, but to a certain extent it does. And if they're focused on the run game

and if they're going to be in base, typically that means cover three. Like typically that means a single high. And what that would mean, of course, is the outside one-on-ones for receivers have the one-on-ones, a killer witherspoon, who is owned by AJ Brown

was limited in practice yesterday. You're talking about Darius Williams, Kobe Durant, Josh Wallace. Do any of those guys sound like guys who can cover Devante Smith and AJ Brown? Yeah, I mean, Kobe Durand is talented player and I couldn't quite get the rotation down

between he and Witherspoon. He played more snaps than Witherspoon and had started every game down the stretch except last week, Weatherspon got to start. Very weird. Weatherspoon has mostly been that third corner on the outside for them. Look, if they're going to be, if there are going to be predictable routes in the past game, which there has been for most of the Kobe Duran is the kind of guy that will jump those routes and make you pay.

So he has done that at times this year. He did it, you know, going back to even college as well. So that would be something to watch. And Darius Williams is another guy that can finish on the ball from an interception standpoint. Okay. All right. There we go. Everybody ready.

Everybody ready for Swip. Yep. Here we go. All right. Last week's review. Zach, there are more total points scored in the Packers Eagles game than in the Penn State Notre Dame game.

This one looked like a good bet at the time, unfortunately did not fall through for it, did not happen for you. The Packers are leading at the end of the first quarter. It did not happen. Either team converts on fourth and eight plus. Did not happen. The Eagles hold the Packers to 17 points or fewer.

That was a nice value done by you. You got that for one. Fran, three items, but man, you almost hit all three. Zach or Sequin Barclay and Dallas Goddard combined for more yards from scrimmage than Josh Jacobs and Tucker Kraft you got it the Eagles win you got it and then the bonus item the Eagles play the bucks in the divisional round so close unfortunately no that's two for you I had the longest play from scrimmage in the game as a Sequin Barkley run could have been

but he went down so it did not happen X and Y will combine for at least 150 receiving yards AJ Brown and Jane Reed not even close Jake Elliott does not miss an extra point or a field goal didn't happen. The Eagles do not lose the game without losing the turnover battle. Very controversial. That did happen. It's a word, yeah. And an eagle not named A.J. Brown or Devante Smith is targeted in the end zone.

Happened right away on the touchdown pass at Jahan Dotson. And then the Eagles attempt to draw the Packers off sides. Now, when we were watching the game live, Fran, I wasn't sure if this had happened. It happened. Yeah, it had happened. Yeah, we overlooked it as we were watching. So I get the win. do I feel great about it

I got the win I'm at 7.83 Fran is at 5.33 well within the range here this week is going to be worth three points so if Fran wins this week and the Eagles lose

he will win if Zach wins this week who is three behind exactly I don't know what we do if there's a tie at the end of the season I think it is an item's hit it's a strip off no definitely not

no we do it for the Super Bowl oh Super Bowl tie break That was the rules in the past. Yeah. Okay. All right. And so I have no turkeys left over, so I start with 24. Fran, unfortunately, negative 7, so he starts with 17.

And I have, or Zach has four extra. So let me write this down quick. What's the order? That's me and then Zach and then Fran. That's the order. And so yes, I'm at 24. Zach is at 28. Fran is at 17.

And is everybody ready? Let's do it. Bo, Zach, Fran is the order. Oh, that is right. That is right. Wait. Yes, because, yes, because you started the first of the season. So it went from the beginning of the season, when you, Zach, me.

That's right. All right. So what are we doing? It's me. And then Fran, who's at 17? That's what I thought. And then Zach. That's what I had.

Okay. 28. All right. Now, does the order impact your guys strategies at all? I'm just curious if the order matters that much. Potentially. Okay. Attention.

Not mine. I just. roll with it. All right, I'm going to go for a theme this week. It's my turn to go for a theme. Eagles are playing the Rams, the team of Hollywood. Oh, we're going to have a movie theme.

I am going to start with one quick performance. Oh, no. This is actually not that. Come gather around people wherever your own. Can't wait since this movie. And admit that the waivers behind you were blown and accept it that soon revenge will be shown. And if rookies to you are worth saving,

then you better start swimming oil sink like a bell for you got no chance, no chance in her. Dylan McMahon, thank you very much. I can't wait to see that movie, by the way. Once the season ends, I'm going to see it. I'm going to see it. don't know. All right, so we actually start with Conclave. Now, Conclave, of course, the thriller about who's going to be the next Pope. How do you know who's going to be the next Pope? You watch from the

outside and you see that white smoke. And so we're talking about white smoke here. And so the item is that Reed Blankenship and or Cooper DeGine is involved in a turnover or makes a solo tackle on a fourth down stop or draws an unnecessary roughness penalty. White smoke. Now, involved in a turnover, obviously gets an interception, forces a fumble, recovers a fumble, and also tips a pass that is intercepted. All of those inclusive for white smoke, and I will start the bidding at two. Three, four, five. Five going once. Five going twice. Okay. So love it, but gets me in the game.

What was the last one or draws? Draws like as in the draws on the other team. Oh, no, meaning they commit it. It should be they commit. Oh, okay. Because that would be, I mean, that's, they're bringing the white smoke in that case. Okay, sure, of course. But since I wrote draws, that will also count.

What did the Bob Dylan song have to do with that? No, that didn't. That was the intro to the theme, which is the potential best picture nominations, which come out on Monday. And so that is one of them. But this was this was conclave instead. By the way. And that went to Zach. That went to Zach.

I will get to this in a bit. I received an email of something I'm going to share for the show. But let's just keep rolling. I'll get to that in a bit. It's from a reader who is organizing something for Los Angeles. Angeles. Oh, yeah. It wants me to share it for the show.

All right. Now it does go to Fran. All right. So my theme this week, I also went thematic, keeping it 100. Mm. So we're going to go with everything. It's going to have a little bit of 100 theme. So first one, Jalen Hertz finishes with a 100 or more passer rating.

Now, Hertz has four career playoff games with a passer rating of at least 100, including last week's win over Green Bay that ties him with Nick Foles for the most in Eagles history. So does he take over the lead or take on the lead here in a game against the L.A. Rams, we will start the bidding at three. Four.

Five. We're on passerating, you know, like that Packers game, he was over 100, yeah. He was. You're at five right now? I'm at five right now. Five going once. He was at 108 in week 12 against the Rams. Six.

Six going once. six going twice sold to Zach that's a pretty good value Zach has the first two okay Claire said why did you bring it up Claire I just want to get the actual email

before I was about to say but I didn't have email in front of me and I didn't want to waste time during the show so I will get to it at some point in the show my bidding here or I'm sorry my item here

also John Hertz Gehant Hertz has more pass attempts than Eagle's points okay and I will start the bidding at one, four. And just for reference here, he had these, he did not have as many past attempts as points last week.

He did not have, or he had more past attempts than points against Pittsburgh. He had fewer against Carolina, fewer against Baltimore, fewer against the Rams, more against Washington, fewer against Dallas. I can keep calling on, but this is. It's been, yep. Yes, it's kind of all over the place. It hasn't happened that much, actually. Four going once.

Five. I don't like that, actually. I don't take that back if I could. I'm going once. Five going twice. The first three items sold to Zach. Down to 12 turkeys. 12 for Zach.

Yep. 24 for Bo, 17 for five. Yep. Aren't I at 13 turkeys? No. five six six okay all right

so this is an idea that came up on last week's show where we do this auction with the completing the sentence and we've been doing complete the sentence first and then the auction

and then we did it the other way so this time we're going to have a normal auction okay and then the losers of the auction are going to complete the sentence trying to sabotage the item okay but they're going to going to be restricted to the following situation.

So the item is X and Y combine for at least 120 receiving yards. And after the auction is over, the two people who did not win will choose two of A.J. Brown, Devante Smith, Pooka, and Cooper Cup.

Okay. As the people. So you should bank on it being the two least likely of those if you agree with the people who lost the auction. Right. So normal auction, someone has to start the bidding. One. Two.

Three. Three going once? Four. Four going once. Four going twice. Sold to bow for four. Now, Zach and Fran, you guys have to decide which two of those receivers are least likely to add up to 120 receiving yards. Cup for sure.

Cup for sure. Yeah, cup for sure. Right. I'll let you pick my second one, too. Yeah? Yeah. I want you to have the blood on your hands. Right.

I'll take Cooper Cup and zone coverage. That typically means that's a Devante day, but AJ only had one catch last week, so they overcorrect. Pookinaku is going to get his. Rams play a lot of zone. He's play a lot of zone. So it's probably a lot of zone.

Six naps of man on dropbacks in week 12 for the Rams. 20 zone. Let's go with AJ Brown. Really? Yeah, I think so. Wow, interesting. I even wrote down Devante, I just assumed. Okay, so the item becomes that Cooper Cup and A.J. Brown will combine for 120 yards.

Follow the trend. Okay. All right. Next up. Nickel boys. Nickel boys. Nickel boys? That's the movie.

That could be nominated for Best Picture. Nickel boys, this one's very easy. at least two players in this game have a reception of exactly five yards so a five yard reception by more than two players by more than one player in the game nickel boys

so two players have at least one catch for exactly five yards yes got it and I'll start the bidding at one two I'll say three two players from from any team either team it's a three now Yeah. Yeah.

You're going to love this info. Dallas Goddard and Cooper Cup each had catches of five yards in week 12. Nicely done. Four. Okay. Four going once. Four going twice. Sold.

Right on the board. So, yeah, so I'll just mention, if you go to GoFundMe, it's called Support LA. Eagles fans unite for Wildfire Relief. You can find all these. information there. It's great. But, yeah, it's Eagles fans who have come together

in support of LA. Say it one more time. Support LA, Eagles fans unite for wildfire relief. Okay. That's a GoFundMe. It's a GoFundMe.

Yep. So if you go to GoFundMe. com, you'll find it. Love it. I'm up. You're up. Okay.

This is going to be a new kind of auction, keeping it a hundred. Here we go. A new auction here. It's called a penny auction. Now, a penny auction is an online shopping method where everyone taking part pays a small, non-refundable fee each time that they place a bid on an item. Now, each bid in this auction will cost exactly two cents, which must be presented immediately

on the table upon bidding. No IOUs are accepted. This is fair. You get one. Now, if you're looking for loose change, typically you might find it in couch cushions. so Zach Fran Frand texted me

a few days ago and was like you know I should be sleeping I should be sleeping but you actually you might have some some change on your side too

what do you got there Zach you got enough pennies for some bids this is I have one two five

one two three four five six seven seven what do you got mine is a note handwritten like syriani

from the from the loose change fairy says your loose change must be in one of your 18 pockets you had on last week screw you heart friend wow friend well well played that's good

well played thank you so the item for bid um all other ram's pass catchers outside of Pook and Post at least a combined 100 yards receiving.

So basically, the rest of the Rams Pasca, yeah, everybody else has at least 100 yards receiving outside of Puka Nakua. We will start the bidding at two. So with every bid you have to contribute to, so we can make, basically you and I can make up to five bits. Yeah, so these, yeah. Regardless of what number you say.

Correct. Yeah. so you're not bidding it's not it's it's for every bid you make it's two pennies in the pot so it's not the penny the penny the pen i thought the pennies were it so no yeah yeah okay three okay uh we'll go go four i like that you put the note in a baggie i wanted to make sure it didn't get lost you can have it at four um and you can have your pennies you can have your pennies as well i i appreciate i tried to give you a heads up on my tweet of the show and that was very good i couldn't wait to give my two cents on the game.

That's great. You are, man. That's good. That is clever, Fran. I'm also proud of you for researching auction types, Fran. Oh, I, like, seven or eight different times this week. And the last week, I have looked up different auction types. Did you ever do this?

Did you ever do, like, what used to be called, quibids or something? No. Online. Okay. Tell us more about it. Quee bids? Yeah. Q-U-I-B-D-S.

What's the name of the app that you use for messaging people? Signal. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Signal is big in Turkey, too. When you live in a country where the government is likely to, like, throw you in jail for something you texted. Signal is the way to go. I thought Signal was for journalists.

I received a few messages the past few days that it's actually more similar to my insomnia cookie story than anything else. Yeah. I didn't realize this is what people used to communicate with someone selling. them things. I just thought this is how you get scoops from people and you don't can't get it. You know, can't get followed. Yeah. Yeah, that is I mean, that is what it's for. Getting scoops?

No, just for not being followed. I mean, that's the idea. Yeah. So it is, and now it's not just it's all pass catchers, right? All pal, yeah, right, right. Okay. All right. Is it one? And it's at least 100? At least 100. Yes. I just want to say that I

really respect how angry you still are. Look, I get it. I'm a very... From one to another, I would still be mad to it. I'm very competitive. As Meg can attest when we do stuff, like, I'm a very competitive. It's like a switch can flip when it comes to like playing games and stuff.

Yeah, I can see it in your eyes. You've seen me like lay people out and touch football. All right. I'm up here. I'm telling you. Good for the goose is good for the gander. All right. AJ Brown sets his eagles.

By the way, I brought books today. I brought a bag of books just in case that acted a book auction. Yeah, no, I'm not, I, I consider doing that. And then I just decided, because my fear, honestly, is that it would, it would just become every week and then it was really the integrity of the game. So we got it out of our system.

That's good. Maybe. Yeah, I'm not ready for keeping 100 on the next one. Yeah, all right. So AJ Brown sets his Eagles postseason high in receiving yards. So that was set against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl with 96 receiving yards. Okay. So he has to exceed 96 receiving yards in this game.

His postseason games have been fairly quiet. So if he ties it accounts? No, he has to exceed it. Okay, so 97. So it sets his high. Yeah, not matches as high. He sets it. He has to get 97 yards.

He had 22 yards against the Giants, 28 yards against the 9. Ninety-six against the Chiefs, 10 yards against the Packers. By the way, do you know that Devante Spith needs six yards to become the franchise leader in postseason receiving yards? Wow. I believe that's the stat. I thought that Jamie was telling us that Goddard holds that record. No, that's touchdowns. Touchdowns.

Yeah, I believe he's second behind Harold. I believe Devonte's almost ready to surpass Howard Carmichael for that. Wow. Which goes to show you they don't have really illustrious postseason. history. For receiver. For receiver. Yeah.

Um, so I will start the bidding at two. So AJ Brown 97 yards receiving. Yes. Three. Four. Four going once. Five.

Five going once. Five going twice. Sold to bow for five. Do you think AJ will have a book celebration if he scores? Oh. That's a good one. Probably not. Yeah.

All right. As we go to, Dana's second item. I have 15, Fran has nine, Zach has 12. All right. So you guys know

how government contract auctions work, the lowest bidder wins the auction. And the way that this is going to work is it's going to be one of these

fixed price auctions where the item is going to cost five turkeys, no matter who wins it. Okay. But you guys are going to decide what the item is

by whoever is willing to go lowest on this wins the item. And the item is the Eagles hold the Rams to X points or fewer scored in the game.

So someone can start the bidding at any number you want. And whoever goes lowest for X will win the item for five turkeys. Got it. So if you're willing to say they're going to shut them out,

you can say zero and the item would be yours. Right? I give me a second here. And so what should we start? You can start at any number you want. You can start the bidding at any number. But we're allowed to give more than one bid. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a normal option.

That's a normal option. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You're just going to, you're just going to, the bidding will keep on going down instead of up. Okay. A hundred. Wait, I'm so 40. So whatever number you end up at for the item to hit, the Rams have to score that many or fewer points. 32.

And it's going to cost five turkeys no matter what. Oh, it costs five turkeys no matter. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So it's at 32 right now. 32 going once

Wait, wait, wait, that many or fewer points. Yeah, 32 going twice 21, okay 28, 27 is the number Okay, 26 25 24 24 going once

23 Wait, is it less or inclusive? That many or fewer? Inclusive or fewer, okay. Inclusive We're at 23 Mm-hmm, going once at 22 Weather

Going once Going twice Going twice Sold to Zach Well that was a quick pull I was sold On your own sold You gotta give it a little

There's a long pause All right Going once Going twice sold to Zach There you go All right That brings Zach to seven All right

That was a fun one day I was a good one I feel like we don't do The government contractor auction Enough Yeah yeah Gotta do that more All right

Zucks down to seven jerkeys. He's at seven, friends at nine, I'm at 15. All right. My last movie, Anora. What's that? It's probably my favorite movie of the year that I've seen so far. The woman's vocation, Zach is a, she's a stripper.

Okay. If Zach went to see it, he'd be a snora. That's right. There's also a good, you could go Australian here. I don't even know her. But anyway. Stippers, I imagine, they get a lot of, They got a lot of comments, you know, in their job.

Excuse me. People making comments at them. Is that a thing? Yeah, I think people are always making comments, Anora. So this is twofold. One of the items is that Jalen Hertz throws for fewer yards than the comments on this video. Ooh.

Or I also would say that Anora, I really loved the movie. I would give it a lot of thumbs up. And so the other option here is that Jalen Hertz throws for more yards. than the thumbs up on this video. And this is as of game day, as of kickoff. We will take the look at the comments and the thumbs up.

So, you know, leave a lot of comments. Leave a lot of thumbs up. And do a lot of thumbs ups. For all of our shows, especially for fewer yards. Fewer yards than the comments. Now, we had 140 comments on Tuesday. Can we do better than that? I don't know.

Tuesday show was pretty good. I don't know about that. I wish I had more. Can we get a lot of thumbs up or maybe not that many thumbs ups? More yards. And then you're throwing for more yards. And I'm going to start the bidding at two. More yards than the thumbs up.

Yes. Or fewer yards than the comments. Three. Well, that snora already. Excuse me. Geez. Four. I want to save my turkeys here.

Four going once. Five. Six. Mm. Six going once. six going twice seven seven going once

please everyone seven going twice sold to bow for seven down to eight turkeys and I do want to sincerely say I'm grateful for all the comments on the show

on Tuesday it is first off it's great for our show when we get all those comments but also it's so rewarding to see how many people watch and listen even when it's not our final a show. So what are you talking about?

You keep saying that, but that's the whole, that's honestly the whole point. There are, you love the comments and there are so many people saying that they love that episode. Yeah, okay. Fair enough. But yeah, no, I, I, um, well, I could have been better on that show. I'll leave it on me. What happened to the pizza customers?

You think you made a bad pizza. Yeah. But the whole city loves it. Sure. And your, and business is booming. Sure. Oh, yeah. So that was, that was a good.

I appreciate all the comments there. Caliph said it was your finest show. Thank you, Khalif. I appreciate that. All right. I'm up. No, I think I'm up.

I want to let you know that I'm proud of you for not for not pulling another stunt like you did last week. Because I thought there would be a chance that, I think Fran's going to try something. So I'm going to do something to combat it. No, no. The only thing I did was bring books just in case. Okay.

I tried to think of what you would do and nothing, nothing came up to mind. Yeah. All right. Regular auction. Did you have two plans just in case? God damn right.

I did. I had something in the back pocket ready to torpedo your whole day. All right. All right. Here we go. So, regular auctions are just the regular one. Put the gun away.

The cue, the cue was going to be Julia, breakout Lucille. All right. Sequin Barclay runs for at least 100 yards. Wow. Now, there's a stat to this that I think is very interesting. First of all, Brian Westbrook is the only Eagles player

to have 100 rushing yards in two playoff games. So Sequin ran for 119 last week. So if he does it here, he would tie B. West for that record. But here's the other stat I thought was really fascinating. This is from NFL media research. Barkley will be the eighth player all time to have 200 yards rushing against an opponent that they later went on to face in the playoffs.

In those previous seven instances, none of the previous, none of those players hit 100 yards in the playoff game. So he would be the first to ever do that. Okay. I'm going to start the bidding. I'm going to start at seven.

Took me out of it. Yeah. Eight. I'm doing nine. You got it. So Fran got it for nine. Nine. Wait, no one had ever done it even once?

one had ever not so Westbrook no one ever no no the regular season playoff combination right the play the regular season playoff combination never ran for 200 in the first matchup and then in the playoffs ran for 100 oh 200 then one yes 200 then no yes okay yes okay okay um so what's the turkey reset here you have seven i have eight friends out okay until the the last one there's one which yes bid from hopefully i can okay so here you go my final one here is sequin Barkley averages more yards per carry than the Rams touchdowns plus field goals made. Sequin averages more yards per carry than Rams touchdowns and field goals made so if

Sequin averages five yards per carry okay and the Rams have three touchdowns and one field goal scoring drives okay yeah but defensive touchdowns count for this yes right yep um and so if they kick five field goals yeah it's wonderful you know it's more beneficial and three touchdowns, right? Okay. You averaged almost 10 yards of carry the first time. And so I will start the bidding at four. Going once.

Going twice. Five. Going once. Seven. You got it. Okay. Can you reset the stakes for us in terms of... Yes.

So if you are down two and a half. Yep. And this is for three. three points and Zach is down exactly three so if I win I take the lead you when you could win right could win if he goes lose right if not you take the lead right if Zach wins we're tied you win your if you two almost if you two tie right uh then that would be one down right you'd each got a half oh oh yeah yeah right okay so got it all right so as it was last week I'm going to make sure that you are not borrowing from something

that doesn't exist to win this item. The item is, we're going to have a Dutch auction. And the item is that the Eagles win. And then you have the opportunity to earn a second point if you correctly predict whether or not the Eagles win by nine or more. So two scores. Okay.

And you can predict that after the auction. And we can borrow from next week. You can borrow from next week. Okay. so we're going to do a Dutch auction this is the one where we go down and someone yells swooper and the auction is over as soon as somebody else swooper okay I will start at what am I supposed to start at I'll start at 25 that'll give beau exclusive rights for the for the for the first one all right 25 24 23 22 21 20 20 20 20 20 20

19, 18, 17, 17, 16, 15, 15, 14, 13, 13. Trooper. Super. Bill got it. 13. You're doing the extra point. Okay, Bo gets it for 13. And what is your guess as to the Eagles win by, basically you have to say whether it's by more than nine points or whether it's by eight points

less. Okay, so nine doesn't. Nine or more? Nine or more? Yeah, it's basically more than one score or not? I mean, I guess I'll play the odds and say it since the odds are

the line is six and a half that I will say they do not win by two scores. Oh, pulling a Zach here. All right. The Eagles win by fewer. By eight points or fewer is the item then. Okay. And so I have negative five for next week. All right. Fran.

Fran has nickel boys. at least two players in this game have a catch of exactly five yards. He has all other Rams pass catchers besides Pukunakua combined for at least 100 receiving yards and Sequin Barclay rushes for 100 yards. Zach, White Smoke, he gets all of those Reed Blankenship Cooper DeGine things. Jalen Hertz has at least a 100 passer rating. Jalen Hertz passes for more yards than. What is this?

Oh, then the Eagles points, yes. The defense holds the Rams to 22 points or fewer. Has more past attempts than Eagles points. More past attempts than Eagles points. I apologize. And Sequin has more yards per carry than combined touchdowns and field goals for the Rams. And I've got some A.J. Brown bets.

I've got Cooper Cup and A.J. Brown combined for at least 120 receiving yards. A.J. Brown himself has at least 97 receiving yards. Jalen Hertz. throws for more yards than fewer yards than the comments or more yards than the thumbs up on the video. The Eagles win and they do it by eight points or fewer. There you go. All right.

Feel appropriately excoriated? Flogged? What was the special one? No, we're not. I'm saving that in the back pocket. Really? Oh, yeah. I do my thing for last week.

Because I should have, honestly, I mean, the strip super, I was good. I was happy about the strip super. I wanted the shirt reveal. It should have been even stakes. It should have been what this is the most clothes. I think incentivizing an actual stripteys would have been fun. I agree. Yeah.

That's fine. It would not have been fun. You could see like on the video, the moment. I realized that you're wearing like seven layers of clothing where I and I realized that the jig was up and I was now I did think about for this show just coming in and a bunch of layers just yeah if you if you had tried to pull some stunt on the second and I will say I was hoarding turkeys for my third turn just to just in case just to ensure so I honestly don't love how I came out of this like I don't think I have a good chance of winning but I did it only just if then the chance that you tried something and then I could just end it for everybody. there we go yes this is a great response on blue sky yeah

I think all three of yours will hit Fran we'll say I think the Rams receivers are going to get a bunch of yards yeah in garbage time I think nickel boys is the only but I think I think that's a good one all right there are a lot of five yard catches all right if you are if you were watching on fast

we got another hour coming your way on all p.h.oI.com Zach is going to read out loud the Nolan Smith story and then we're going to read all 140 comments comments from Tuesday's show. Oh, man, I'm tired already. I got something tonight. Then I got to write a story.

What are you got tonight? I got a book signing tonight. We're at. Is it closed? It's a private one. Oh, private one. Yeah, it's a private book signing. Got to speak for an hour.

Wow. And then signed books. And then there's a story I've been working on that I want to write later tonight. And yeah, I'm exhausted. So. been back out of tomorrow can't wait amen

amen all right that will do it for this episode of the PHA Y Eagles podcast thanks to everybody for watching live

leave those comments thumbs up but also subscribe and all that good stuff we will talk to tomorrow at 2 o'clock and as always

we love you we all silly like the mayor