Sports exist at some level to remind that logic and reason don’t always carry the day. Analysts exist to bring reason and perspective to what we observe. In a field absolutely flooded to saturation with people the desire to have a unique thought is beyond difficult. The few, and this means very few that predicted a Washington win last week at Detroit were certainly unique. Detroit was the deserving #1 Seed, rested, and playing in front of their frenzied fans. The Burgundy and Gold was Cinderella awaiting the pumpkin ride home. The Lions’ Quarterback, Jared Goff had thrown 12 interceptions all year with 5 of those coming in one game. In his previous 8 games he had thrown 21 Touchdowns versus 3 picks. Washington’s Defense was averaging right around one turnover a game. There was nothing reasonable or logical to suggest that Goff would throw 3 interceptions in this one game. But, he did. That’s sports for you.
Defying Gravity
The Washington/Detroit matchup was a case study in two teams arising from the ashes in very different ways. The Lions had built a solid foundation. Then added to it brick-by-brick to where it was a formidable team. First a winning season. Then a trip to the Conference Championship. It was entirely rational that this year would bring the next step to the Super Bowl. Before the injuries set in on the Defense it was the most complete team in the League by a comfortable margin. On the other hand Washington stripped the building down to the studs; loaded mid-tier free agents; then hit the ball out of the park and over the parking garage by drafting Jayden Daniels. Bang, Zoom and straight to the Conference Championship. (With apologies to Charlie Slowes.) This wasn’t an orderly Project Management case study. Rather, it has been a rocket ship ride.
Seemingly every time the WFT had to punch up in weight class during the season it lost. Opening at Tampa to a predictable loss. Going into Baltimore for another. Pittsburgh came to town and won on a rainbow ball from Russell Wilson. It was one of the last ones he threw all year. Then going to Philly for a loss that felt worse than the final score. But, then it turned. There was the win against the Eagles at home. And, then the two playoff games. Being underdogs for both of them made no impression on the team. Dan Quinn summed it up: “We don’t let the outside narrative drive it (what we think).
We don’t let the outside narrative drive it (what we think)
Head Coach Dan Quinn
That approach will come in handy this week. Washington is given two chances to win this game by the vast majority of Analysts’ Nation; Slim and None. According to reports Slim has left town.
Only a Mother
The Detroit fanbase is rooted in humility. Decades of being irrelevant will do that to you. There was some bragging before the game last week. But, it was hardly vitriolic. For the most part these are Hail Fellows Well Met. After the game there was scant little else but praise for the WFT. Oh, there was some complaining that Frankie Luvu put a helmet-on-helmet on Jared Goff during the Pick-Six. It was pretty muted, however. On the other hand, there is nothing muted about Philly Fan.
Philly fans are the most obnoxious and sullied fans on the continent. Their version of fandom is not unlike the hooligans that turn English soccer matches into massive Police activities. If you have notions of going into Lincoln Field wearing Burgundy and Gold here are three words of advice: Don’t do it. A young lady had the temerity to wear a Green Bay Packers stocking cap into the park. Captured on film was a scoundrel demeaning her with the most vile of possible curses. The punch line is that he was a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion agent. Had he been a minister odds are it would not have been much different. They have a jail cell within the stadium and a Magistrate on duty. This is what passes for good, clean family entertainment in Philadelphia.
Detroit fans were complimentary and classy after their loss. Should Washington prevail this weekend DO NOT expect the same behavior. It is not in the Philly Fan DNA. They have an extra-capacity magazine of excuses always at the ready for rapid fire. They don’t get beat. You got lucky. And don’t you forget it. Only their mothers could love these people.
Snowballs
The boorish behavior of their fanbase extends to their former players on media. Jason Kelce was a fine NFL Center for Philadelphia. Perhaps he will make the Hall of Fame. Someone in media decided that he would be a good fit on television. Never underestimate the ability of media decision makers to be moronic. Kelce has his own talk show. It’s going to last just about as long as Max Headroom’s did. Jason’s take is that Philadelphia is better at every position across the board than the WFT. That’s some real hardcore analysis there, folks. Is there a single NFL Executive that would take Jalen Hurts over Jayden Daniels? Maybe the Jets. Hurts probably had a better Madden score to start the year.
Of all the myriad clips by unknown media types that surfaced this week no single one summed up Daniels vs Hurts better than this quote: “Jayden Daniels is a pocket passer who can run. He’s not a runner who can throw.”
Jayden Daniels is a pocket passer who can run. He’s not a runner who can throw.”
Unknown Media Football Analyst
The winner of the week among ex-Eagles players for over-the-top quotes is Seth Joyner. He stated for the record that Washington “…don’t stand a snowball’s chance in Hell of winning here this Sunday.”
It’s a typical Philly-style intellectually lazy take. Snowballs are actually having a pretty good week in Philadelphia. Snow that fell on the field during the game has been sold at a premium price of $50 a pint. Who knew there was a market for that? The temperature hasn’t cracked the freezing mark since the game. And, Sunday will be cold enough that there will be plenty of piles around with which to make frozen projectiles. Add to that the game is in Philadelphia, home to the infamous Kensington Avenue. The Mayor can’t spell “EAGLES.” And, the crime rate there is above the national averages. There’s a decent argument to be made that the so-called “City of Brotherly Love” is actually a Hell-on-Earth. So, a “Snowball’s Chance in Hell” is actually a lot better than Mr. Joyner thinks.
From Yellow Jackets to Eagles
The Eagles started as the “Frankford Yellow Jackets.” It was an Independent team with roots back into the late 1800s. Frankford is a neighborhood in northeast Philadelphia. Two of their players were inducted into the Professional Hall of Fame. By 1931 the team folded. Burt Bell, later the Commissioner of the NFL bought the franchise remnants and was awarded an NFL team in 1933. Arriving one year later than the Burgundy and Gold the team took the “Eagles” moniker and logo from FDR’s National Recovery Act marketing. The color scheme was originally yellow and blue mimicking the Yellow Jackets’ gear.
The franchise has won three NFL titles and one Super Bowl. Washington has won two NFL titles and three Super Bowls. Philadelphia has been to the Title or Super Bowl six times. Washington stands at ten. Currently the Eagles sit one game below .500 at 638-639-27.
Rarefied Air
Jayden Daniels is doing things that Rookie QBs aren’t supposed to be doing. Back during the Training Camp tours it was noted that his command of the Offense and Offensive players was not normal for a non-veteran. While awaiting Red Zone drills he gathered the Offense together to go over every play and option. It’s a routine at every practice. Most rookies would stand around and await instruction. All week the x.com and other feeds were filled with JD5 numbers versus all manner of elite QBs. In every case he stands alone as a rookie.
The most telling of the lot was the list of rookies going to Conference Championship Games in their first year. Here it is:
Tom Brady had a noteworthy comment about Jayden: “He’s one of those people who take the field with confidence. He doesn’t have to throw five completions in order to get confident. He starts out that way.” That’s a rare and invaluable trait for a Quarterback.
Did we mention he’s the personification of “Chill?”
If Jayden and I were both wearing heart monitors you wouldn’t think we’re at the same game.
Dan Quinn
Underdog Identity
At some point being an underdog every week becomes part of a team’s identity. “Us against the world” and all that. It starts to feel comfortable after a while. The Philly faithful may feel supremely confident. But, there’s a good chance that the football personnel do not. Washington is a dangerous team doing amazing things. And, Jayden Daniels is 6’4″ of pure poison. A six-point spread is meaningless against this bunch.
The key is to slow down Saquon Barkley. The Rams had two tries at this year and failed both times. He ran for a staggering 460-yards in two games. The Rams’ strategy was to put 8 men in the box with a single high Safety. Philly’s Offensive Line is right at the top of the heap in the League. They’d get a hole open, Barkley would shoot through, and gallop off to the races. There wasn’t enough depth in the Defense to stop him. That Defensive alignment was a dare to Hurts to throw. He didn’t. But, his legs hurt the Rams early. He’s gimping around this week in practice. Look for Washington to play “Quarters” or “Man Under-Zone Deep” to have people available to stop Barkley for shorter runs.
The limiting factor in that Offense is Hurts. With his running ability potentially impeded it opens a door for selective bracketing of A.J. Brown. Marshon Lattimore was not at 100% the last time the teams met. Brown took advantage. Detroit avoided Lattimore like the Plague last week. Kenny Pickett was game enough to challenge Lattimore. Will Hurts?
Two things matter the most in the playoffs: Turnovers and Red Zone performance
Bill Cowher
The biggest key is turnovers. If the desire is to win the game, first win the turnover battle. Washington is 2-0 so far in both categories so far. Keeping the winning streak going starts with ball security on the one hand, and taking it away on the other.
