The key to this game is stopping the Pats offense. I have a feeling that Beli, McDaniels, and Brady are watching that Eagles-Giants Game in Week 14 heavily. The defense and Jim Schwartz have to watch this game hard as well because I have a strong feeling that is what they are gonna do next Sunday.
If we remember, Eli Manning and Mike Sullivan were very effective in utilizing those quick throws to neutralize our pass rush and the no-huddle offense to keep our defense from rotating guys in and out.
That was the game in which Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills were biting on double moves all game and made Tavarres King, Sterling Sheppard, and Roger Lewis Jr. look like Bruce, ****, and Hakim.
Brady is a master of the no-huddle and quick throws and he has the personnel to do a lot of damage if we make those same mistakes.
The key to it to stop those quick throws for the defense comes down to the corners. They gonna have to press coverage occasionally and keep those patriot receivers in front of them. They gotta disrupt Tom's timing and they have to do it for four quarters consistently. That is the toughest part about beating the Pats dynasty, is that takes discipline for four quarters to stop them offensively.
This team also has to tackle those running backs well that Brady loves to check down too. The front seven has to take them away. The defensive ends also have to keep the Pats running up the middle gaps and really contain them on those outside runs (From the games, I watched of them this year, that is how they really hurt you as well) Again, that requires discipline with your linebackers with their gap assignments and the defensive ends with keeping their outside leverage.
Gronk is gonna Gronk, nothing you can do with him, other than contain him. You gotta hit him hard when he makes those catches (i mean to punish him) and be aggressive with him on his routes. You gotta put Malcolm Jenkins on him sometimes and use Bradham on him as well. I wish we had Hicks but pity we don't. He had a good skill set matchup wise against Gronk. Bradham may be out of his element regarding pass coverage but you cant have the safeties on him all game in single coverage or double coverage. You gotta use the linebackers to cover him and I think Bradham may be the best one we have to do it.
We have the personnel to stop them but its gonna take discipline for four quarters and getting off the field when it is third down and long consistently. If we can do that, we can really impose our will against them late in the game. They have a smaller offensive line and making Brady hold that ball a second longer in the fourth quarter can prove to be difference in us winning or losing this game.
Offensively, I really like how we match up against their defense, We have a pounding running style with a really good offensive line. Our wide receivers match up well against Butler, Gilmore, and Rowe. We have Ertz who is our own Gronk that causes matchup nightmares for them. No one on New England's pass rush is like a really scary guy. I am expecting Foles to be able to have some time throw when the Pats aren't blitzing. Again, Foles gotta make some throws in the clutch to win this game
I think we can really do some damage to them offensively. They gotta limit the turnovers and the offensive penalties.
Brady is not mobile and those mobile qbs have seemed to be the Eagles defenses problem this year. You can get to him but you gotta play controlled, disciplined, and you gotta tackle well. Offensively we gotta limit the turnovers and penalties and have a good percentage on third down conversions.
There is also that factor that the lights may be too bright for the younger Eagles but I haven't gotten that sense from this group all year. They have risen to occasion every time. I have said it all year, this team is a great mix of veterans, seasoned players, and rookies.
All that said, I expect a tight game (i.e. not expecting Foles to play that insanely good and Doug's gameplan to work that perfectly like it did against the Vikings) but hopefully we can squeeze one out for that first Lombardi.
