Eagles “O” Must Be Prepared For A Fight

Last year the Eagles dominated the Lions in a blowout, 44-6. They can’t anticipate the same type of score or they won’t be ready to play. They should enter the game expecting a tough, close hard fought battle. The Birds offensive line, which is the most proven dominant unit of the team, must show up with their fists balled up with the intention beating up the Lions defensive line and running the football down their throats. They must be intent on dominating the Lions defensive front like they did to them a year ago.

Last year, they ran the football for 236 yards. They should change that subtly, by mixing in more throws early on because the Lions D will have no answer for playing action passes. Still they need to go hardcore running game early in the game. Once they get the running game going, the receivers, especially A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert will be running wide open on passing routes. I love they way the Birds utilize Brown’s blocking ability and put him in motion then get the ball to him on crossing routes and seam routes. Goedert will simply fake his block, get lost in the crowd and be running a crossing route going the opposite way of the run fake. I expect big games out of both of them once the Birds get that running game going.

I thought center Jason Kelce hit it right on the head, when he said they can’t be listening to the all these predictions of them having a great season. Kelce knows that when you start patting yourself on the back, you lose some of that aggression. You want to show to the game with a chip on your shoulder. That offensive line of Kelce, Lane Johnson, Isaac Seumalo, Lane Dickerson and Jordan Mailata should take over this game, as long as they’re not paying attention to all these predictions.

Football Coaches love to have something to throw in their players’ faces to get them playing angry. Football is a controlled fight. Players tend to play it better when they have a chip on this shoulder because they have been disrespected.

The Eagles, especially their offensive line, must go into this game like it’s a fight. Fans say you “play” the game of football, but the truth is you “fight” the game of football because the offensive linemen, defensive linemen are fighting on every play. It’s an organized fight. An offensive lineman is trying to move the defensive lineman to a place he doesn’t want to move to. Players are physically forcing their opponent to do something they don’t want to do. When this happens in basketball, baseball or golf, somebody is thrown out of the game.

In football, The linebackers are tackling the running backs and tight ends to stop them from running with the football. They are physically stopping them from running with the ball. It takes an aggressive attitude to stop somebody from doing something they want to do. This requires aggression and therefore a certain attitude is required.

You could say that the receivers and the quarterbacks are playing a game because there’s much skill needed to play their positions and not as much aggressiveness is needed. But the other positions are really fighting on every play and these players must show up to the stadium with that attitude.

We used to have drills that were set up like man-to-man battles because that’s the way the game is set up. Ultimately that’s they way the game was meant to be “played”. Many times those drills would wind up with all out fights because that really what they are. You must have the self control to stay disciplined to keep your proper technique, but many times you’re tempted to want to pull off the guy’s helmet and punch him in the face. That’s the attitude you must have to play the game. You must show up to the game with that attitude.

Linemen, running backs, tight ends, linebackers must go into the game with an attitude that they’re going to beat down their opponent. If you don’t show up to the game ready to fight, then you’re going to get beat. The Eagles must show up angry and ready to fight because you can’t turn on the switch during the game to get ready. I know we have all seen teams show up not ready to battle, then they’re unable to turn on the switch during the game.

Getting the running game going early will take pressure off of Birds quarterback Jalen Hurts. It’s important to let him start the game throwing the ball on second and four rather than second and nine. On second and four, the defense doesn’t know what to expect. On second and nine, they’re expecting a pass.

Miles Sanders is going to be a key player in this game and this season. He’s got to take care of the football when he’s carrying it with no fumbles. He must catch the football on screens, and short passes. Sanders must also stay healthy. If he has a good game, the Eagles will win comfortably. If he struggles, this game could be closer than we want.

The thing that the Birds must guard against is turnovers. Eagles turnovers is only way the Lions win the game. Even if the Birds turn the ball over they should still win the game, but if they start putting the ball on the ground, they will be opening the door to calamity.

I’m looking forward to seeing the ball between Jordan Mailata and Lions number one draft pick Aidan Hutchinson, who was the second pick in the draft. Running the ball at Hutchinson is the way to help Mailata with him. You let Mailata bloody his lip on some run plays and that will slow him down coming off the ball. Staying out of definite passing situations will help Mailata as well. I would like to see them start out the game by running five running plays right at the rookie to welcome him to the National Football League.