Official Game Thread - NFC CHAMPIONSHIP - Commanders @ Eagles

[Chris 44]

I hope it doesn't come down to a field goal....Gonzales scares the crap out of me.

 

[MartinC]

This is true but we also faced two of the best offenses in the league in both of those games.

There is not really a bad offense in the playoffs. But I get there are degrees.

 

[Single-Bar Facemask]

I am calmly confident that we'll win this game on Sunday.

I mean, why not us?

No rookie QB has ever made it to the Super Bowl, but you could make the argument that there has never been a rookie QB like Jayden...it's going to happen at some point, so why not us?

Remember when a #16 seed had never beaten a #1 seed? That's now happened twice, and that seems a much longer shot than JD5 getting us to New Orleans...

 

[ntotoro]

I hope it doesn't come down to a field goal....Gonzales scares the crap out of me.

At least his hair, shoes and socks will be on point.

 

[MartinC]

I hope it doesn't come down to a field goal....Gonzales scares the crap out of me.

The Eagles kicking is no better.

 

[Commander Wraith]

Yardage per game given up in the playoffs for the 4 teams in the Championship games.

Eagles - 352
Chiefs - 336
Bills - 320
Commanders - 402

Defense - and especially run defense - is our Achilles heel. Have to create a couple of turnovers.

This is true but we also faced two of the best offenses in the league in both of those games.

And of course the Chiefs played just one game, and it came against the 22nd ranked Texans (in ypg), while the Bills and Eagles each played a game in the snow (the latter against a dome team). All 3 of them also played only home games. Detroit put up monster yardage against us, so not great there, but we held the Bucs to 120 yds under their season avg.

If we were to make it past the Eagles, no home field advantage in the Super Bowl, and it’s in a dome. So we got that going for us.

This game against the Eagles though has the deck pretty stacked against us (although I had no idea Philly was 28th in passing yards/game).

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

I have a feeling this is going to be a lower scoring game than some might anticipate. Especially if Hurts is limited in any way.

I think this game is going to come down to the following:

1. Can some combination of Kliff/JD5/OL/TEs/alien invaders stop Jalen Carter for wrecking the game. With Cosmi out (and he gave Cosmi fits), it's going to be a team effort. Scheme, players, execution, whatever. He has the ability to completely wreck the game if you let him, and they can't let him do that. If the offense doesn't let Carter destroy the game, they will be able to move the ball and score points.

2. Can the defense limit Barkley to just normal Barkley, and not let him wreck the game? He is averaging about 125 yards a game. Can we hold him to his average or better? You can deal with that. What will be harder would be a 175 or 200, multiple TD game.

3. Can the pass defense hold up enough to let the front 7 concentrate on the run, both Barkley and/or Hurts? If yes, that's going to help tremendously.


There are 3 players on the Eagles who terrify me: Carter, Barkley and Brown. Hurts adds an element with his legs which makes the offense really tough, but I don't fear him the way I fear the other 3 guys.

If you can limit their impact, you can win. But all three of them are capable of winning a game essentially on their own. Carter basically blew up the Rams offense late in the game single handedly. That can't happen.

I do wonder, with Carter, if they could just run right the hell at him. Double team him, have a TE play the FB role and lead the RB into the hole, and just run it right between the DTs. You can't run away from him, and you can't soft-block him. You've got to attack him with ill intent. And that might not even be enough.

Jayden is also going to have to get the ball out SUPER fast. Like 1.8-2.2 seconds quick. Otherwise he's going to have Carter in his lap.

I think Carter scares me the most. I fear he could just blow up the entire offense. Gads. It would be wonderful if one of the 17 DTs we've drafted could do that.

 

[Utah]

As I start off looking at the matchups here and what could happen....I am left with something Coach Gibbs and Coach Saban used to say to their teams. Respect your opponent because they can beat you on the field. Anything can happen at any given moment. So you prepare as if that guy across from you is the best to ever do it and you prepare to take on that battle.

I know this team prepares that way and it shows on the field. I am not convinced at this point that the Eagles have the same mind set. They KNOW how good they are. And you just know that they are saying to themselves that we got lucky the last time and we can not do it again at their stadium. Big difference in mindset when you meet on the field and the action begins.

 

[CapsCommies]

I take Jayden over Jalen and Quinn over Sirianni. Fuck the Eagles they don’t scare me. Anything can happen but I like our chances. Let’s punch our ticket to the fucking Super Bowl. Rookie legend and prodigal son Jayden returning to Louisiana for all the marbles. Hell yes

 

[Chris]

Let’s run it back

 

[Letthepointssoar]

Let’s run it back

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Would love nothing more than this douche to be crying again at the end. I hope Ertz punks him again a second time.

 

[HTTR]

I assume/hope that no one is considering going to Philly for the game?

Given how Eagles fans have behaved historically and as widely reported from the Packers game, I would strongly encourage you to reconsider.

I expect the intensity of this game will be enormous and a huge blessing that it's at 3 pm instead of a night game like this week.

The stands will be messy if experience is any guide.

Negative sir. Jayden in his post game interview praised the fans who showed up in Detroit and asked for fans to show up this week. Everyone who is willing and able should follow his lead and post for the game. I’ve been there 3 times with my Darrel Green jersey and I can assure you it’s all completely overblown. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a church picnic, but there is nothing to fear. To any fans thinking of making the trip to support the team I say go for it and thank you!!

 

[ExoDus84]

I prefer simple classics like banana peels. sometimes, simple works best.

I've met people like you while playing Mario Kart.

Vile, heinous individuals.

 

[prodigy]

I've met people like you while playing Mario Kart.

Vile, heinous individuals.

I was pretty good at that game with banana peels, ngl lol.

 

[ExoDus84]

Would love nothing more than this douche to be crying again at the end. I hope Ertz punks him again a second time.

A Zach Ertz game winning touchdown to defeat the Eagles sounds awfully poetic...

 

[36ST21]

As I start off looking at the matchups here and what could happen....I am left with something Coach Gibbs and Coach Saban used to say to their teams. Respect your opponent because they can beat you on the field. Anything can happen at any given moment. So you prepare as if that guy across from you is the best to ever do it and you prepare to take on that battle.

I know this team prepares that way and it shows on the field. I am not convinced at this point that the Eagles have the same mind set. They KNOW how good they are. And you just know that they are saying to themselves that we got lucky the last time and we can not do it again at their stadium. Big difference in mindset when you meet on the field and the action begins.

To use another Sabanism, the Eagles have a week to gobble up some tasty, tasty rat poison. There is a lot of it out there already and there will be more coming. Eat up, guys.

 

[36ST21]

Negative sir. Jayden in his post game interview praised the fans who showed up in Detroit and asked for fans to show up this week. Everyone who is willing and able should follow his lead and post for the game. I’ve been there 3 times with my Darrel Green jersey and I can assure you it’s all completely overblown. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a church picnic, but there is nothing to fear. To any fans thinking of making the trip to support the team I say go for it and thank you!!

I would agree. I lived in Philly for a year during the Dark Ages. There are, of course, many good dudes that bleed Eagle Green. Most of the lore surrounding their fans goes back to the "throwing snowballs at Santa Claus" and "Veterans Stadium is the only NFL venue that has its own jail" days. There are some salty individuals with big mouths, but they are just full of piss and vinegar with a healthy dose of liquid courage thrown in. There is no need to fear 1990s European soccer hooligan-level physical violence.

 

[DieselPwr44]

 

[iheartskins]

HTTR, 36ST21 - personal experience can vary widely and I'm glad to hear you had a good time with no drama. My time as an opposing fan at NFL games including at Lincoln Financial hasn't been that way - and in general the later in the day the game is played, the more violent/out of control the fan base (irrespective of team). 3 pm is better than 8 pm but probably worse than 1 pm.

My experiences were dramatically worse than yours and as recently as two weeks ago, there was the incident that I linked to in my post where there was no physical violence but IMHO completely unacceptable verbal abuse. And I don't recall seeing anyone telling the abuser to stop in the videos that I saw - though of course I haven't seen all of them and I'm sure there were Eagles fans who were just as annoyed/horrified as the Packers fans receiving the abuse, including some who may have even told that guy to stop.

I have no doubt that there are many really good people that are Eagles fans but spending thousands of dollars on tickets etc. for what could be a pretty awful experience was why I suggested reconsidering or being aware of what you could be in for.

Less that you're going to have a battery thrown at you or have a drunk Phillies fan make himself sick on your daughter, though of course those are all things that have happened in Philly and not in say Nottingham or Manchester.

Agree that this isn't the Euros/EPL etc. in the worst of the hooligans days but getting abused by home team fans after spending hundreds/thousands of dollars on tickets doesn't seem like a great trade to me.

Good on you if you up for it and are up for the risk given the cost. And no doubt having some numbers in B&G may mitigate some of the behavior. Just won't be me and my wife and family.

 

[Forehead]

What blockiing technique is needed on Jalen Carter to neutralize him 1 on 1?

Honestly, run the hurry up a lot. When the Rams did it, Carter was exhausted and had to go to the sideline the first chance he got, where he was down on one knee with a water bottle and sucking wind.