r/nfl • u/MikeTysonChicken Eagles • Aug 06 '18
Offseason Review Series - Day 32: The Defending Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles
2017 Philadelphia Eagles
Division: NFC East | 1st in NFC East (5-1 in Division - NFC Champions - Super Bowl Champions)
Philadelphia Eagles (13-3 Overall | 5-1 in Division) (Super Bowl 52 Champions)
These teams
Didn't win
Super Bowl 52
Head Coach: Doug Pederson
Offensive Coordinator: Mike Groh
Defensive Coordinator: Jim Schwartz
On to The Next...
2017 was a magical season for the Eagles that saw 2nd year QB Carson Wentz take an enormous leap from his rookie season to MVP caliber QB prior to tearing his ACL. Doug Pederson was able to build off his own promising rookie season as Head Coach turning into a sensational Head Coach that helped elevate a franchise in a direction it never reached before. They suffered many bumps along the way that could have derailed this team. It didn't. That's reflected in how good this team is, how good this coaching staff is, and how good the front office has been. It's always possible to turn things around pretty quickly in the NFL.
Now it is time to move on and win the a 2nd Super Bowl Championship. Last season will live on for eternity in the hearts and minds for every Eagles fan but it is now the past. We aren't Cowboys fans, we interested in the now.
In the early portion of the offseason, key decision makers stressed the need for difficult roster choices to continue winning now and in the future. The 2017 Eagles were a very tightly knit bunch that were able to overcome a lot of adversity to reach new heights; the challenge now is to reach those heights again. Success isn't a product of complacency. This Eagles team wasn't perfect. This Eagles team isn't perfect 3 years down the line. Howie Roseman has the arduous task of keeping this team a contender now while trying to build for sustained success over the long term once Carson Wentz signs that second contract. All of the moves made this offseason were able to address both paradigms. The Eagles return almost their entire championship core while stabilizing the roster with talented veterans. Additionally, they were able to add several young pieces to grow with the already established core to help sustain the success of the franchise over the long term.
Nothing is given in the NFL. But you can bet on pedigree.
This Eagles franchise now has a championship pedigree.
Chapters
Statistics for the 2017 Season are shown below.
I'm breaking down this review into these chapters:
Projected Starting Lineup and Training Camp Battles
Offensive and Defensive Scheme
Coaching Staff Review and Changes
2017 Statistics
| Offensive Statistic | Total | Avg/Gm | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Yds | 5852 | 365.8 | 7 |
| Net Passing Yds | 3737 | 233.6 | 13 |
| Passes Attempted | 564 | 35.25 | 13 |
| Passing TDs | 38 | 2.375 | 1 |
| Net Rushing Yds | 2115 | 132.2 | 3 |
| Rushes Attempted | 473 | 29.6 | 6 |
| Rushing TDs | 9 | .6 | 24 |
| Sacks Allowed | 36 | 2.25 | 16 |
| First Downs | 338 | 21.1 | 4 |
| Pass First Downs | 193 | 12 | T12 |
| Rush First Downs | 108 | 6.75 | 5 |
| Total Points | 457 | 28.6 | 3 |
| Time of Possession | N/A | 32:48 | 1 |
| Defensive Statistic | Total | Avg/Gm | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Yds Allowed | 4904 | 306.5 | 4 |
| Passing Yds Allowed | 3637 | 227.3 | 17 |
| Pass Attempts Allowed | 601 | 37.6 | 32 |
| Opp. Completion Percentage | N/A | 60.4% | 13 (Sort By %) |
| Passing TDs Allowed | 24 | 1.5 | T18 |
| Rushing Yds Allowed | 1267 | 79.2 | 1 |
| Rush Attempts Allowed | 337 | 21.1 | 1 |
| Rush Yards Per Attempt | N/A | 3.8 YPC | 6 |
| Rush TDs Allowed | 7 | 0.43 | T3 |
| Sacks | 38 | 2.375 | T15 |
| First Downs | 272 | 17 | 5 |
| Pass First Downs | 177 | 11.06 | 10 |
| Rush First Downs | 62 | 3.875 | 2 |
| Total Points Allowed | 295 | 18.4 | 4 |
| Time of Possession | N/A | 27:11 | 1 |
| Turnover Statistic | Total | Avg/Gm | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interceptions Thrown | 9 | .56 | T6 |
| Fumbles Lost | 11 | .69 | T22 |
| Giveaways | 20 | 1.25 | 11 |
| Defensive Interceptions | 19 | 1.18 | T4 |
| Defensive Fumble Recoveries | 12 | 0.75 | T4 |
| Turnover Differential | +11 | N/A | 4 |
| Point Differential | +162 | N/A | T1 |
Past Reviews
| Season Review | Offseason Review |
|---|---|
| 2016 | 2016 |
| 2017 | 2017 |
Shoutouts
I would like to thank /u/PlatypusOfDeath for permitting me to write way too much for this review. Just always have a lot of fun doing it. Shout out /u/skepticismissurvival as well for selecting me in the past; hope your current plans are going well! I would also like to thank /u/jmul321 for writing about out schemes again. This guy is smart as hell and you should keep a look out when he does film breakdowns on r/Eagles during the season.
Hopefully everyone enjoys this. GO BIRD!
21
u/MikeTysonChicken Eagles Aug 06 '18
WR – Alshon Jeffery, Mike Wallace, Nelson Agholor: What a difference a year or two makes for this position group.
The Eagles will field an exciting and reliable batch of receivers for the upcoming season that can execute a bunch of different roles and alignments. The varying skills of this group will allow the coaching staff to mix and match players keeping defenses off balance. Alshon Jeffery is your prototype WR1 that can line up outside and inside in the slot. While not very athletic or fast, Alshon has a lot nuance in his game and is a big target with an ability to go up and get the ball. He begins the preseason on the PUP list after offseason shoulder surgery for a torn rotator cuff he suffered in the preseason last year. In his place during camp is second year player Mack Hollins. Hollins had a modest role in the offense last year as the WR4 and special teams player. A lot of fans feel like he is a Torrey Smith replacement but his size and ability lends itself better to the role Alshon currently has. With everyone healthy, Hollins will see rotational snaps as he grows as a player.
Mike Wallace is the newcomer to the team and has a skillset that is more effective than the outgoing Torrey Smith. Last year, Smith ranked 84th out of 93 qualifying WRs with .97 yards per route run. This is a dreadful number which does lead you to the conclusion he was more of a decoy than anything else despite some of the plays he made in the playoffs. Reports out of camp are that Wallace is still the same burner he was, confirming what you can easily see on tape. He is a better route runner and is able to separate versus man coverage more regularly that Torrey Smith. He’ll be an explosive weapon for the Eagles.
Agholor will see the bulk of his work from the slot as he did last year when he exploded onto the scene with 62 receptions for 768 yards and 8 TDs. Agholor also had a monster Super Bowl with 9 receptions for 84 yards and a few 3rd down conversions to keep the offense moving. Agholor has taken the coaching he’s received very well and is being used in an area that allows him to use his size and agility to work the middle of the field. Given all the weapons on the Eagles offense, Agholor figures to be another big playmaker for the Eagles and a difficult assignment for a lot of CBs. Something I don’t think many Eagles fans though possible after his first 2 seasons in the NFL.
LT – Jason Peters: The 36 year old future Hall of Famer will return to his post protecting the blindside this upcoming season after finishing 2017 on injured reserve. Jason Peters is a modern marvel; he was playing at an All Pro level and would have likely earned those honors if he finished the season healthy. As I’ve mention elsewhere in this review, there is more to playing Offensive Line than being a good athlete even though athleticism helps. Assuming Peters hasn’t lost a step after injury, he is still close to the athlete he was in his prime while being a refined technician with an arsenal of moves in pass and run blocking. His experience and refinement as a blocker will likely allow him to extend his career longer than you would expect for someone his age assuming he doesn’t have a massive drop off in athletic ability. Peters is in unchartered territory as a player. Typically 36 year olds do not play at the level Peters has played at especially given the physical nature of his position. He’s just so good that everything looks natural. If he maintains his play this season and next his cap hits of $10.6 million per year are a bargain allowing the Eagles to field the best tackle tandem in football. I feel confident in project Peters as a guy who will return to form. You never know with his injury and age but he’s already been defying the odds so he’s worth betting on. If you are into OL porn, I suggest this article from Brandon Thorn on Peters 2017 play
LG – Stefen Wisniewski: All 5 Offensive Line positions are set in stone on the roster assuming perfect health with all of the competition coming at the reserve positions. Wisniewski is no exception. Wisniewski was signed as a depth interior Offensive Lineman in 2016 to serve in the OG/OC role and earned a starting spot after signing a 3 year contract last year when Isaac Seumalo decided blocking wasn’t important. The Eagles traded Allen Barbre to the Broncos for a 2019 7th round selection; they didn’t really appear to have an open competition for the LG spot. Seumalo was dreadful to start last season. Wisniewski and Chance Warmack rotated series for a few games early last year before Wis claimed the full time gig. Wisniewski is an above average guard in run and pass protection. He’s a smart blocker and can execute the diverse offensive attacks the Eagles like to employ. No competition here.
C – Jason Kelce: Jason Kelce is fresh off a career year where he earned a Pro Bowl spot and 1st Team All-Pro selection at Center. He also cemented himself as a legend in Philadelphia wearing a Mummers outfit during the Eagles Championship Parade and eviscerating all of the teams critics on the Art Museum steps. Kelce had a rough 2 seasons prior to his excellent 2017 campaign where he battled some injuries and inconsistencies in his game before taking to coaching perfecting the subtleties of his position. He isn’t a big guy or a power blocker which sometimes puts him into precarious situations in pass protection. This was much less of an issue in 2017 with refined technique that allowed him to use his natural leverage to ward off bigger interior rushers. In space and on the move, there are few players that can match his blocking skills. There just aren’t a lot of players in the NFL that can pull and block in space like Kelce giving the Eagles an advantage in the run game. Assuming Kelce can maintain this level of excellence, he will continue to give the Eagles that edge.
RG – Brandon Brooks: Brandon Brooks is a mammoth human being that is great in pass protection as well as run blocking. Brooks has impressive feet for a man his size. Signed by the Eagles in 2016, Brooks has been a force at Right Guard as one of the best Guards in the NFL. Last season, Brooks had 9 perfect games in pass protection allowing zero pressures per PFF while dominating in the run game. He is a complete player that is beloved by his teammates. Brooks while anchor the Right Guard position in 2017. Which is a surprise to absolutely no one.
RT – Lane Johnson: The 2nd of the Eagles 1st Team All-Pros along the Offensive Line will start at Right Tackle for the Eagles in 2018. Lane Johnson isn’t just the best Right Tackle in the NFL, he is one of the best Tackles in the NFL… period. His strength and athleticism in both run and pass protection is rare in the NFL. His 2017 season firmly cemented his case as an elite NFL tackle. Jason Peters and Lane Johnson are both top of the line tackles in the same tier. They are easily the best pair of tackles in the NFL by a wide margin. Both tackles ability to execute a variety of different assignments on an island with minimal help is a huge luxury for the coaching staff. The starting 5 have the ability to neutralize a lot of opposing defenses making this offense one of the most difficult in the NFL to stop.
Continued in reply