Eagles-Steelers Movie Evaluation: Watch out about doubting Jalen Hurts

Man, what a efficiency. This was dominant. I’ve been fairly constant in my evaluation all season lengthy. This Philadelphia Eagles offense (particularly the passing recreation) has not been good, however there’s sufficient good things each week to maintain me believing. This week towards the Pittsburgh Steelers was a giant step ahead, although. Let’s go!

Offense

Who else knew it might be a superb day after this throw? What a magnificence. We haven’t seen many ‘Stick Nod’ routes this yr, however that doesn’t imply Jalen Hurts can’t throw it! This felt like a press release throw early. The Eagles’ offense got here out passing the soccer and had a whole lot of success. It was fascinating that the Eagles got here out in Empty, and it felt like they used Empty much more on this recreation. Hurts makes this look simple! I’m fairly positive Hurts is studying the off-ball linebacker #6, and when he drops to the weak facet, you could have 2v3 on one facet and 3v3 on the sturdy facet, so Hurts instantly will get his head again to the sturdy facet. His processing was wonderful all recreation.

I like taking place the sector from empty; you simply need to hope the cross safety can maintain up because it does right here.

Eagles Offense All22 thread vs. Steelers. 1) First play of the sport was a incredible signal. The Eagles used a ton of Empty on this recreation and I feel Hurts received into a fantastic rhythm. He does a superb job studying this out by seeing the Mike drop to the weak facet so he is aware of he has the… pic.twitter.com/NHsez2itlj

— Jonny Web page (@JonnyPage9) December 16, 2024

It is a incredible play by Kenny Gainwell, however it’s only potential due to how rapidly Hurts will get by means of his reads and checks it down. YAC has been a quarterback statistic for a very long time, and this throw summarizes why. Gainwell has turn into a wonderful choice on third down for the Eagles, and he’s a helpful participant to focus on in area.

2) I assumed Hurts received by means of his reads and to his checkdown faster. It is a nice play by Gainwell however Hurts offers him a shot by getting him the ball rapidly. Gainwell is a particularly helpful participant in area and he is turn into a superb third down again. pic.twitter.com/CumPsrpeLU

— Jonny Web page (@JonnyPage9) December 16, 2024

Did you learn final week’s ‘Concept of the Week?’ If you happen to did, you’ll know why I used to be so pleased to see this one! If not, right here’s why…

I need the Eagles to determine the run and marry these run ideas into the play-action/RPO scheme. There may be a lot extra the Eagles may do. I want to see the Eagles begin making these simple for Hurts and attempt to make their passing recreation complement the run recreation. I’ll be watching the Eagles’ passing recreation this week to see if they begin making issues simpler for Hurts and linking the passing recreation to the run recreation’s success. It must be a simple approach of bettering the effectivity of the passing recreation.

The Eagles solely ran one in all these performs I can keep in mind, so I gained’t take an enormous victory lap. Nonetheless, in case you are studying Kellen Moore, how about operating a pair extra this week?

This was a fantastic name for this week as a result of the Steelers offered out to cease the Eagles’ run recreation. I watched Nick Sirianni’s post-game press convention, and he talked about that the Eagles didn’t intentionally come out and throw the ball extra this week due to AJ Brown’s feedback. I imagine him. There was no approach the Eagles may run the ball throughout this Steelers’ protection as a result of they performed a whole lot of heavy packing containers to cease the run. This needed to be a pass-first recreation plan. The Eagles recreation plan was the fitting one this week. It doesn’t imply each week will likely be like this!

3) Oh. Sure. Extra of this. I wrote totally about extra Counter RPOs after which we get this! That is GT Counter however Hurts has the choice to maintain it and throw it to AJ Brown. The Steelers stacked the field to remove the run and the Eagles took benefit of some favorable appears to be like on the… pic.twitter.com/Ps0g7822jA

— Jonny Web page (@JonnyPage9) December 16, 2024

One other snap from Empty! As you guys might know, I’ve a Patreon the place you’ll be able to help my work and in addition be part of a discord with like-minded Eagles followers. I’m not a stats man, however we now have a operate the place you’ll be able to request stats from my co-host, Shane Haff, who will reply. I used to be curious concerning the Eagles’ use of empty on this one, so I popped a query within the chat. This was his response!

So, it turned out the movie doesn’t lie. The Eagles have been incredible from Empty this week. The Eagles’ recreation plan wasn’t dramatically totally different within the passing recreation this week, however they positively threw from Empty extra. I may summarize the Eagles’ passing recreation in 2 easy sentences this week…

Man protection = throw it to AJ Brown.
Zone protection = throw it to DeVonta Smith / examine it all the way down to Kenny Gainwell.

Clearly, I’m being facetious right here, nevertheless it’s form of true. When Hurts noticed man protection, he went to AJ Brown. Who was excellent on this one. The Eagles went again to some one-on-one photographs to AJ Brown, and so they labored. This may be irritating and look simplistic when it doesn’t work however I’ve by no means had an issue with this, and I nonetheless do not. It wouldn’t be my favourite name on a key third down, however these performs are usually not 50/50 balls. AJ Brown is so good.

4) I have been constant in my evaluation the previous couple of years. I feel the Eagles are so gifted, they do not have to be sophisticated. It is not a criticism of Hurts. Empty formation. Isolate your celebrity WR AJ Brown. Give him an opportunity to win one-on-one. I’ve by no means had a… pic.twitter.com/OXXMBS5i6k

— Jonny Web page (@JonnyPage9) December 16, 2024

I don’t love play-action throws the place you solely have one receiver operating a route. However that one receiver is AJ Brown, who may be the NFL’s greatest receiver at present. So, perhaps it’s not such a nasty name after name. Both approach, I like being extra artistic within the Purple Zone and focusing on your greatest receiver. It sounds sensible to me!

5) Saquon did not have a giant recreation, however his influence was big. The Eagles lastly (!) took benefit of getting an elite run again and ran some ideas, reminiscent of this, to benefit from it. That is simply easy. Good ball placement by Hurts and robust arms by AJ Brown. Straightforward. pic.twitter.com/Xr2WueqxOC

— Jonny Web page (@JonnyPage9) December 16, 2024

Except final week, the Eagles’ enchancment towards the blitz this yr has been nothing in need of astounding. This was a staff and a quarterback whose whole offense crumbled as a result of they couldn’t throw towards stress. Kellen Moore has fastened it. The Eagles’ offense is aware of precisely the place to go towards the blitz, and Hurts has carved up the blitz all season lengthy. This week was no totally different. The Steelers stored sending cover-1 blitzes, and Hurts stated thanks very a lot. He is aware of precisely the place to go together with the soccer, and AJ Brown was too good to cease in one-on-one protection.

6) The advance of Hurts and this offense towards the blitz this yr is absurd. Aside from final week, this staff has been exterior towards the blitz and this week was no totally different. Hurts simply is aware of precisely the place to go. Steelers ship 6 and the Eagles preserve Barkley in. AJ Brown… pic.twitter.com/HzW027pB1k

— Jonny Web page (@JonnyPage9) December 16, 2024

This was one in all my favourite calls of the evening. This appears to be like almost equivalent to the play the Eagles ran on DeVonta Smith’s landing final week vs the Panthers. Nice offenses don’t name totally different performs each week. Nice offenses gown up the identical ideas repeatedly to confuse defenses however preserve it easy for the offense. The Eagles often have Smith operating the out route (as they did final week), however right here they’ve him come inside after the movement. The Steelers’ protection performs this beautiful effectively (they Banjo the 2 receivers and cross them off effectively), however the spacing and design of the play is just too good to cease. That is exceptionally effectively executed. Hurts does a fantastic job together with his ball placement and throws it round Minkah Fitzpatrick effectively. Good ball. Nice play name. I like it!

7) What an amazing name. It is mainly the identical because the DeVonta TD final week however with movement & DeVonta operating the in & AJ Brown operating the out. The Steelers Banjo this effectively and nonetheless cannot cease it! Improbable play design and nice execution. Nice to see Hurts throw it round… pic.twitter.com/XBScqsgNiL

— Jonny Web page (@JonnyPage9) December 16, 2024

I don’t know if anybody else seen this, nevertheless it felt like Hurts was attempting to flee up the sector extra this week quite than operating to the facet. I seen it a couple of instances. Right here’s one other instance of a play that refers to my abstract earlier…

2. Zone protection = throw it to DeVonta Smith / examine it all the way down to Kenny Gainwell.

Hurts did take a couple of sacks and the passing recreation wasn’t good, however this is a wonderful Steelers’ cross rush and a high protection. Hurts had 0.35 EPA per play and 17.1 Complete EPA. That’s excellent. I stated final week that I assumed the general design was a giant situation, in addition to Hurts. I feel he took the criticism personally. I’ve criticized Hurts loads prior to now, and he all the time appears to show the doubters improper. I might watch out about doubting Hurts. I feel he’s a mentally robust dude who thrives off stress.

8) I assumed Hurts seemed to increase the play higher on this recreation too. That is fairly easy stuff, however contemplating how athletic Hurts is, I do not assume he does this sufficient. The Eagles cross professional was good towards a fantastic Steelers entrance however Hurts nonetheless had to purchase a while however he… pic.twitter.com/raa3GmDXdT

— Jonny Web page (@JonnyPage9) December 16, 2024

This was my favourite throw of the sport. It could look easy, nevertheless it’s superior. Let’s clarify why.

The Steelers have been blitzing 6 fairly steadily on this recreation. I confirmed you an instance of this earlier. They present blitz, and Hurts has to anticipate stress. I think about his sizzling route was the slant to DeVonta Smith on the fitting facet. Nonetheless, the Steelers drop each off-ball linebackers and solely rush 4. This takes away the fitting facet because the slant is operating straight into the linebacker, and the Eagles solely have 2 receivers towards the Steelers’ 4 defenders. Nonetheless, they’re 3v3 on the high of the display. Hurts eliminates the 2 predominant routes and instantly checks it all the way down to Gainwell in area earlier than the off-ball linebacker could make the sort out. Sure, this is a wonderful play by Gainwell. Sure, he may have been tackled earlier than the primary down marker. However that is wonderful processing and quarterback play by Hurts. Generally, it’s important to course of rapidly and provides your man an opportunity to make a play. That’s what Hurts does right here. I’m an enormous fan of this one.

9) I am such a giant fan of this one. I feel Hurts does such a superb job processing this rapidly and getting it to Gainwell. The Steelers present blitz however drop out. Hurts is aware of he cannot throw the double slant to the fitting. However he is aware of he can get to the checkdown rapidly because the… pic.twitter.com/aF3AObJgbP

— Jonny Web page (@JonnyPage9) December 16, 2024

Empty formation. Man protection. Throw it to AJ Brown. Soccer doesn’t need to be sophisticated, does it?

The Steelers’ defensive scheme depends on their exterior cornerbacks having the ability to play man protection towards the opposing exterior extensive receivers. This plan has labored. The Steelers got here into this recreation because the third greatest protection in ‘Dropback EPA per play allowed.’ That’s good. Guess the place the Steelers’ protection ranked this week in the identical metric? twenty seventh. That’s the AJ Brown influence. It’s simple to criticize the Steelers’ protection for persevering with to play single-high man protection, however that is what they’ve achieved all season lengthy! AJ Brown was just too good for his or her exterior cornerbacks to deal with. He ran some excellent routes, and his route operating doesn’t get the credit score it deserves as a result of he’s so large and quick. He’s large and quick but in addition a artful route runner.

10) Empty formation. Isolate AJ Brown. What a incredible route by AJB. The Steelers did not actually commit a whole lot of additional assist to AJB and he was too good for one-on-one protection on this one. The entire recreation plan simply felt easy. The Eagles hit the simple buttons. It labored! pic.twitter.com/xDBrAEc2zn

— Jonny Web page (@JonnyPage9) December 16, 2024

We’ve reached play 11, and I haven’t posted a operating play! To be sincere, there wasn’t a lot to point out. It wasn’t nice, however the Eagles stored plugging away, forcing the Steelers to take it critically. The Eagles’ operating recreation made throwing the soccer simpler this week. I don’t doubt that groups will begin to respect the Eagles’ passing recreation extra shifting ahead, which can in all probability open up some gentle packing containers within the run. This offense is just too gifted to cease when it’s taking part in in rhythm. I used to be glad that although the passing recreation was working, the Eagles didn’t utterly cease operating the soccer. Saquon Barkley almost broke this one.

11) This was not a recreation the place the run recreation was nice, however I used to be glad the Eagles continued to run it. The Eagles did run the ball higher within the 2nd half and the specter of the run stored the protection sincere. This was my favourite Barkley run and if he would not slip, he may simply beat… pic.twitter.com/bHEURSGgal

— Jonny Web page (@JonnyPage9) December 16, 2024

We needed to finish with one other throw. Right here is Hurts processing issues effectively and making a throwing window to DeVonta Smith over the center of the sector. I actually loved this offensive efficiency, and it was nice to see the passing recreation get again on monitor. Perhaps AJ Brown’s feedback did make a distinction. I feel the Eagles simplified a whole lot of issues and received again to fundamentals, which allowed Hurts to get right into a rhythm early on. I loved this one, and I hope you probably did too!

12) Let’s finish right here. The Eagles had some nice throws on the ultimate drive, together with this one. Cross professional is excellent. Hurts would not panic and he strikes the RB to create a throwing window over the center of the sector to DeVonta Smith. I totally loved this efficiency. pic.twitter.com/yCe95KSgpU

— Jonny Web page (@JonnyPage9) December 16, 2024

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