Rewatch SB: Pats vs. Eagles - X's and O's ONLY!

[luuked]

Lets get over this brutal season finale together.

I made a few gifs that I used in a couple of threads that I will just repost here and add some thoughts and notes on it.

 

[luuked]

Lets start with the final TD of the Eagles:


So the way I think this was drawn up originally is that DMac and Harmon would double Ertz with DMac playing the outside throws and Harmon having inside leverage. Clement would have been covered by a peeling DE. But when they motioned Clement over to where all receivers were Harmon had to follow leaving DMac 1v1 against Ertz in man.

It was great play design by the Eagles. The only thing I thought DMac should have done is adjust to play with inside leverage to force Foles to make a difficult throw (e.g. fade) to connect with Ertz. Giving away the inside in man is an easy slant completion.

Also KVN could dropped back to have the inside when Harmon motioned but not sure if this really was an option.

 

[luuked]

Here is the alternate angle on the TD pass to Clement.


Ertz again a big factor. DMac has responsibility on both the RB running the wheel as well as Ertz if he breaks to the outside. Richards has Ertz inside with Harmon behind him over the top. Just before Ertz cuts inside he does a little wiggle that makes DMac hesitate for a second because of his outside responsibility on Ertz. This is why he is a step late on breaking the ball to Clement up.

M. Flowers really has tight coverage on Clement and the entire play requires pinpoint accuracy from Foles and a review to be successful. Tip of the hat play where you cant really ask for much more.

The only thing that could have helped would have been a better pass rush because Fole had all day. I am actually once again surprised how fast DMac was able to recover and still be almost competitive on Clement.

 

[maust]

My 'therapy' consisted of watching XXXVI again last night.

 

[primetime]

Lets start with the final TD of the Eagles:


So the way I think this was drawn up originally is that DMac and Harmon would double Ertz with DMac playing the outside throws and Harmon having inside leverage. Clement would have been covered by a peeling DE. But when they motioned Clement over to where all receivers were Harmon had to follow leaving DMac 1v1 against Ertz in man.

It was great play design by the Eagles. The only thing I thought DMac should have done is adjust to play with inside leverage to force Foles to make a difficult throw (e.g. fade) to connect with Ertz. Giving away the inside in man is an easy slant completion.

Also KVN could dropped back to have the inside when Harmon motioned but not sure if this really was an option.

Yeah, this was brilliant play design. Look at Harmon run right through Gilmore because he's convinced the play's going there.

 

[luuked]

Another sequence of key plays were the 3rd & 1 and 4th & 1


Good coverage across board. A younger Harrison might have been in a position for a pick 6. That was a very dangerous throw by Foles when KVN was coming crashing in on him.

And here is how close KVN came to sacking maybe even stripping Foles on the third down:

On fourth down DMac has Ertz man-to-man but gets picked 2 yards beyond the LOS by a Eagles crosser. At the same time Foles keeps his eyes on the RB wheel route to keep Harmon from breaking on Ertz who is totally open thanks to the pick.

Three thoughts on this play. First of all M. Flowers could have chipped Ertz a bit when he released from the LOS to screw up the timing a bit. Then KVNs delayed blitz on Foles really vacated the only body in the area that could have still screwed the play up.


And finally that is how close we got to a sack on fourth down that would have most likely iced the game:

 

[luuked]

Another 3rd down completion on that final drive


I mean look at that play design.

They use the trips which produced brainfarts early in the season for our secondary. Then send the player on top of the trip formation on a straight go route that clears out the space where Ertz will break into after initially running a slant towards the sideline. He makes Gilmore bite a bit on the slant and our CB cant recover to make the tackle before the line to gain. You can see that one little step Gilmore takes to the sideline right before he realizes that he screwed it up.

Ertz was the friggin MVP for the Eagles that nobody is talking about.

 

[primetime]

Pederson's a hell of a playcaller.

 

[luuked]

Pederson's a hell of a playcaller.

Lets see how long they can sustain this. Fortunately for them Wentz add an additional dimension to it because he can actually also be a mobile threat. How much they will run him after he shredded his knee is a different story.

 

[Pats1989]

Lets see how long they can sustain this. Fortunately for them Wentz add an additional dimension to it because he can actually also be a mobile threat. How much they will run him after he shredded his knee is a different story.

Doesn't matter how long they can sustain it. They won a championship. Fact of the matter is that can never be taken away.

 

[primetime]

Lets see how long they can sustain this. Fortunately for them Wentz add an additional dimension to it because he can actually also be a mobile threat. How much they will run him after he shredded his knee is a different story.

Their contract situation is pretty damn good for next year. Their only free agents are guys like Sproles (already replaced by Clement), Bradham (average), Blount (replaceable), and Robinson. Teams might catch up with the RPO heavy offense but with Wentz as a true dual threat who may take another leap next year, it's going to be tough.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

Hate to say it but Pederson completely out coached BB. His play calls exploited the patriots weak spots. They attacked the middle of the field with short passes, got great o line protection especially from their interior OL, and they got their backs involved in the running and passing game.

Belichick and Patricia had no answer

 

[Ivan]

Hate to say it but Pederson completely out coached BB. His play calls exploited the patriots weak spots. They attacked the middle of the field with short passes, got great o line protection especially from their interior OL, and they got their backs involved in the running and passing game.

Belichick and Patricia had no answer

And Foles played a great game. I thought he would falter on the big stage but I was wrong wrong wrong.

 

[Ivan]

No thanks. I don’t watch SB losses over.

 

[NG Pats Fan]

And Foles played a great game. I thought he would falter on the big stage but I was wrong wrong wrong.

Yep. I still don't think he's that good. Get pressure in his face and he's mediocre


Where was the pressure all night? Not one sack . How many QB hits?

 

[sambam94]

lack of pressure was this d's downfall

 

[luuked]

Yep. I still don't think he's that good. Get pressure in his face and he's mediocre


Where was the pressure all night? Not one sack . How many QB hits?

More than the fearsome Eagles DL.

The only difference is that our QB hits were fractions of a second too late to produce a strip/sack. Their one and only successful inside rush hit Brady exactly at the right time. Sometimes this is how it goes..

 

[NG Pats Fan]

More than the fearsome Eagles DL.

The only difference is that our QB hits were fractions of a second too late to produce a strip/sack. Their one and only successful inside rush hit Brady exactly at the right time. Sometimes this is how it goes..

Could that be because of a speed issue in the patriots front 7?

 

[luuked]

Could that be because of a speed issue in the patriots front 7?

The front 7 has some nice pieces but lacks a real strength. If Branch would have been his 2016 version this would have opened up some things. Because Brown/Branch would have been a pretty good interior. I think Guy would have been a great rotational guy to have for specific situations and not as a starter.

The linebackers without Hightower are abysmal. KVN made some steps and became at least somewhat reliable but everything around him is poo. They are not only slow but also easily taken out of plays to he point where if Elandon Roberts doesnt magically improve I will go insane if he is still on the 53 next Fall.

It is not easy to build up a really fearsome pass rush without drafting really early for 1-2 years, hitting jackpots in a later round or overpaying in FA (which usually costs you on other spots on the roster).

I think given the talent level Patricia worked with this year this might have still been his finest coaching job since he took over as DC. James Harrison, Eric Lee, Elandon Roberts, Marquis Flowers.. I mean this is pretty bad in terms of talent level relative to other playoff teams.

 

[primetime]

One problem is they can't consistently generate pressure without the blitz, so Van Noy effectively works as a fifth defensive end on many plays and it means the middle of the field is wide open with Elandon Roberts trying and failing miserably to run with running backs. Marquis Flowers is fine at the latter but sucks in run defense, while Roberts can't cover but can defend the run.

Hopefully Wise takes a step and Rivers lives up to his billing. It'd be nice if someone like Harold Landry fell to them at 31, I think he fits their prototype of a 4-3 defensive end perfectly. Sets the edge well and can bend to the quarterback.