Eagles-Cowboys Movie Evaluate: Jalen Hurts gave the impression to be hampered by the solar

Effectively, this Philadelphia Eagles vs. Dallas Cowboys sport was a little bit of a bizarre one to investigate. I wasn’t too impressed with the offensive sport plan, and I’ll clarify why beneath, however there is no such thing as a doubt the offense improved as the sport went on.

Offense

The Cowboys did a couple of issues schematically that the Eagles final needed to cope with some time in the past. Cowboys’ defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer confirmed a whole lot of “Double Mug” appears to be like together with his linebackers standing in each A-gaps. Zimmer is understood for this, and I anticipated the Eagles to be just a little bit extra ready for it. The Eagles struggled with who to guard in cross safety, and it led to the working again coping with a linebacker far too typically, even when the Cowboys solely despatched 4. Surprisingly, the inside offensive line had their worst sport shortly in cross safety, and Cam Jurgens, particularly, struggled. In addition to this, I believed the Eagles’ offense was too centered on taking pictures down the sector and didn’t give Jalen Hurts a whole lot of straightforward solutions. When you add all of these items up, together with some poor particular person cross safety reps such because the one beneath from Kenneth Gainwell, you then get some poor reps. The offense took 5 sacks within the first half, which isn’t ok. Some have been on Hurts, some have been on the scheme, some have been on the safety and a few have been probably due to the solar! (I’m not joking).

In case you are questioning in regards to the different sacks, right here they’re. We are going to have a look at a pair extra later.

The Eagles’ greatest drive of the primary half resulted in an interception. It’s an attention-grabbing play to interrupt down from a scheme perspective. If I needed to distribute blame, that is extra of a improbable defensive play than a horrible mistake by Hurts. I feel Hurts’ course of is okay right here, and this route from Dallas Goedert ought to be open in opposition to this protection. I’m not even positive that Trevon Diggs is meant to be overlaying Goedert right here. If Hurts goes to make this throw, he must launch the ball simply half a second earlier and throw it even tougher. Within the crimson zone, the home windows are very small. I count on Hurts to study from this error and be a bit extra cautious when attempting this throw once more.

That is such an interesting play to take a look at. In case you are trying on the end result, then this can be a improbable play. It’s an excellent throw by Hurts and a improbable catch by Jahan Dotson. It’s actually good to see that Hurts is beginning to belief Dotson extra, too. It is a actual belief throw. Nevertheless, this play additionally highlights a number of the Eagles’ points within the first half. They have been a bit too centered on the downfield pictures. There was one other throw the place Hurts underthrew DeVonta Smith, which might have been a landing, however Hurts couldn’t step up within the pocket because of the fast inside strain. I don’t thoughts taking pictures in opposition to strain in any respect. I feel this play is completely high quality. I consider the Eagles might have blended in some extra fast sport, too. Every thing was a bit too vertical, and it left Hurts with out choices too many occasions.

It is a good instance of what I spoke about above. You possibly can argue that Hurts ought to go to Dallas Goedert right here, however I can perceive why he’s cautious of the Cowboys cornerback. As soon as he doesn’t go to Goedert, there’s simply nothing else right here. There’s nobody in the midst of the sector in any respect. There’s no fast checkdown. Right here’s an instance the place I feel the scheme didn’t assist the quarterback.

I’m simply going to speak in regards to the solar now. I genuinely assume it made a distinction. It’s boring to speak about as a result of we’ll by no means know, however I feel Hurts was very unsure about the place to go together with the soccer within the second half, and he incessantly stared proper into the solar. It might have made a distinction. What an terrible stadium.

That is the miss that makes me assume the solar was bothering Hurts. Since when has Hurts performed it secure on third and really lengthy? On this state of affairs, there’s completely no purpose to not give DeVonta Smith or AJ Brown an opportunity to make a play. You’re going to punt anyway. You would possibly as nicely simply let it fly!

That is the worst play of the sport. There’s nothing good right here. It’s a great instance of what I discussed earlier once I stated there are numerous causes for the 5 sacks. I don’t just like the play name. I’m not too keen on the safety in opposition to the stunt, which leaves Micah Parsons one-on-one. I don’t just like the solar! Regardless of all of those causes, Hurts nonetheless can’t fumble the ball. He must play with higher fundamentals within the pocket as a result of this play might have mattered rather a lot in larger video games.

Proper, I’ve received via the negatives now. I’ll give Kellen Moore and Jalen Hurts a whole lot of credit score. Final 12 months, when the offense was dangerous. It stayed dangerous. On this sport, the Eagles began to regulate to what the Cowboys’ protection was doing and Jalen Hurts ended up taking part in a powerful second half. That is most likely my favourite throw of the sport. The cross safety is rather a lot higher. Examine Gainwell’s block right here to his one on the primary play above. Hurts pocket motion is improbable. Extra importantly, not like the sooner performs, Hurts has an possibility out there to him over the center of the sector. Hurts throws an ideal ball, which allows AJ Brown to get good YAC, too. That is great things total.

That is one other improbable play. Everybody goes psychological if Hurts takes the sack right here with no timeouts left. However he doesn’t! Generally, it’s a must to take dangers to attain factors. He makes the Cowboys’ linebacker miss and delivers a strike to Dallas Goedert. I’ve complained for some time that Hurts is just not nearly as good out of construction as he ought to be. He’s significantly better as a scrambler than somebody who extends performs within the passing sport.

Nevertheless, I feel this was one among his greatest video games at extending performs. He made quite a few performs outdoors of construction. Earlier within the sport, he rolled out to his left and hit AJ Brown throughout the center of the sector. Right here, he retains two palms on the ball, makes the linebacker miss, and retains his eyes down the sector. I do assume Hurts is just not solely accountable for the Eagles being common outdoors of construction, both. The receivers typically don’t present Hurts with a simple possibility. Dallas Goedert does nicely right here and gives Hurts with an possibility. That is the case when nice gamers make nice performs, and training doesn’t matter. On the whiteboard, Mike Zimmer wins right here. Nevertheless it doesn’t matter right here!

It is a very comparable play to the one above. Firstly, try Lane Johnson dominating Micah Parsons. Would you like a closeup? Why not…

Secondly, that is one other wonderful play from Hurts out of construction. The cross safety is excellent, however Hurts doesn’t panic or attempt to drive something. He waits for a receiver to return open after which throws an ideal ball. I’m pleased for Johnny Wilson as a result of he ought to be a great function participant within the crimson zone. Simply look how massive he’s! There ought to be a job for a participant like him.

That is simply basic Hurts and AJ Brown. We take these things without any consideration. Hurts is an distinctive deep ball thrower. The rate, the ball placement and the timing are all excellent. This throw can be from below middle with a 7-step dropback. We haven’t seen this a lot earlier than from Hurts! That is the advantage of being a fantastic working group. When you’re up, the opposing group will begin to promote out in opposition to the run. That is the best learn on the planet for Hurts. He is aware of he’s getting single-high protection. He simply must hope his safety can maintain up, which it does. Generally, everybody makes soccer appear too difficult. That is only a improbable receiver profitable his one-on-one matchup and the quarterback delivering the proper throw. Good things!

When you checked out my idea of the week final week, you’d have already examine QB Counter Bash! The great thing about QB Counter Bash, as I stated within the article, is that the quarterback can preserve it or hand it off to the working again. This makes it very easy to run a couple of occasions on the identical drive and confuse the protection. The Eagles did simply that on this drive. They ran QB Counter Bash, and Hurts handed it off to Saquon Barkley (who I haven’t even spoken about but!). Barkley had a quiet sport, which might be a great factor, contemplating that the Eagles will play once more on Thursday evening. He made one excellent play within the receiving sport however didn’t actually get right into a rhythm. On this play, Hurts handed it off to Barkley.

Then, simply two performs later, they ran the very same play, and this time, Hurts stored it. It’s so easy however so efficient. Simply have a look at Mekhi Becton on the transfer, too!

I didn’t converse a lot in regards to the working sport on this one, so I’ll end with a abstract. I feel the Eagles struggled to run the ball in opposition to the Cowboys’ fronts, and it was the worst sport I’ve seen from the inside of the offensive line within the run sport shortly. Cam Jurgens, particularly, actually struggled in opposition to the Cowboys’ ‘double-mug’ appears to be like. The Eagles’ run sport was higher after they focused the surface and ran away from the linebackers in the midst of the sector. I might count on different groups to take a look at the Cowboys’ success with their fronts and attempt to replicate it shifting ahead.

That’s all for this week! Enormous sport in opposition to the Washington Commanders on Thursday, and I can’t wait!

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