EVALUATING THE EAGLES O-LINE, Pt.1: PLay-by-Play ANALYSIS

When evaluating the Eagles’ offensive struggles this year, everything comes back to the consistently down play of the offensive line. In the first part of a two part look at the Eagles’ line, I will take the time to break down tape from one half of each the Browns and second Cowboys game to get a good idea of the talent we currently have assembled on the roster. From there, it will be apparent who should stay with the team moving into what looks like a new era for the Eagles. Without further ado, here is my take on plays that caught my eye and help put together who is capable going forward. 

Browns Game

Quarter 3

• 11:54- King Dunlap allows DE to keep containment on the edge as Mathis gets to second level. Kelce gets pushed back as DT gets to inside and makes McCoy cut back. Nothing on the other side as he loses yards. 
• 11:11- Herremans rides his man wide, Watkins initially anchors against his man, but loses his feet on a shimmy move as the DT draws a holding penalty in causing a pressure. 
• 10:46- Herremans and Watkins slide right while Kelce pulls in between the two to act as a lead blocker for McCoy. Herremans tosses his man wide to create a hole for, but Watkins gets driven back into Kelce before he and Shady can explode into it. No gain.
• 10:06- Watkins gets beaten quickly to his outside shoulder, Vick throws before he can be pressured. 
• 9:37- Stretch to the right. Herremans lets his man run wide around the play, Watkins pushes the DT, Mathis cuts the weak side DT, and Kelce pulls around with Celek to get to the second level. 6 yard gain.
• 4:57- Blitz lost by Dunlap as he follows the stunt inside while 2 blitzers come free off his edge. Celek chipped one blitzer on his side but Dunlap is still responsible for the man off the edge that forces Vick to throw an immediate checkdown for the incompletion.
• 2:57- Complex blitz with a complete slant to the left along with the RDE looping over the DT while the MLB stunts right with a corner blitzing off that side. McCoy picks up the CB while Watkins loses the stunting RDE in the A gap just as Vick fires downfield for a big gainer to Brent Celek.
• 2:09- Kelce driven back into Vick as he can’t re-anchor after engaging the stunting DE.  Dunlap rides DE wide simultaneously so Vick is forced to check down as the ball is batted at the line. 
• 2:04- Watkins beaten after a few seconds to make Vick throw off his back foot. Ball is deflected in the secondary and intercepted

Quarter 4

• 13:59- Stretch right. Herremans seals the edge while Watkins and Celek get out in front. Kelce is at second level for LB in pursuit down the field. Of course, Shady cuts back at the LOS to hit the bigger hole as everyone over-pursues and he turns it into a big gain.
• 13:24- Same play. Now, team under-pursues and Shady beats them to the sideline with solid blocking in front for short gain.
• 11:09- Stretch right, line slides down well, seals hole in the middle while Celek forces his guy outside to give McCoy his running lane; Shady does the rest.  
• 6:20- Herremans beaten by a bull rush and Vick gets hit after he gets the ball out to Avant for 8. 
• 4:58- Watkins gets beat on a swim move to the inside as Vick gets hit late for a roughing the passer.
• For a couple pass plays, the pocket was perfect for a few beats giving Vick time to read the secondary. 
• 3:14- Both DE’s get ridden wide giving Vick a wide lane to run to his throwing side.
• 2:17- Looping DT beats Herremans as he locks onto the inside penetrating DE. Vick has to set quickly and fire deep into the end zone as a throwaway. 
• 2:12- Plenty of time of PA as everyone locks onto their man and Vick hits Celek down the right side inside the 5. 
• 2:00- Watkins is flattened immediately as Brown is enveloped for a 1 yard loss by multiple Brown helmets. 
• 1:23- Pocket is clean for an ample amount of time as Vick delivers a zip for the touchdown to Clay Harbor. Herremans lost his man at the very end as he fell forward but the ball was already coming out.

2nd Cowboys Game

Quarter 1
Play 2: Good pull by entire line, harbor misses wham, Kelly loses man for no gain. 

• 13:46- Dallas Reynolds and Jake Scott pushed pack into pocket. 
• 13:40- King Dunlap caught on edge rusher, doesn’t seal edge for Brown in time, no gain
• 12:28- Kelly seals edge for lane, Brown cuts back to middle for extra yards
• 11:50- Dunlap loses man, forced Brown to outside for loss
• 8:13- Line slants left, Brown cuts back right through hole Celek creates on edge by letting rusher get outside. O-line holds blocks well. Brown shows good burst to hit hole and break easy arm tackle. Should be 6 yard gain. Elite lower body strength and balance allow Brown to break 2 tackles and break a 20+ yard run. 
• 6:29- Mathis pulls wide for bubble screen and seals inside defender. Dunlap gets wide to hit defender down field for extra yards. 
• 5:44- Dunlap and Mathis don’t look pretty, but Brown is given enough time to get past the defenders nearly being held. Dallas Reynolds slants down left and catches an inside rusher to seal the lane from the inside. 

Quarter 2

• 13:28- Blitz picked up... except Dunlap. Gets caught on end looping inside to allow blitzing linebacker free. Scott left with no man to block because Reynolds took the NT after Dunlap engaged the end. Bryce Brown picks up CB from the outside. Beautiful blitz design. Foles steps into pressure and floats seam pass for big play. 
• 12:50- Dennis Kelly beaten on inside counter move, Foles rolls away from pressure for incomplete.
• 12:45- Brown contained by Spencer who gets outside Harbor to seal edge on stretch. No cutback lanes in middle.
• 12:03- Reynolds and Scott bull rushed and flattened simultaneously to explode pocket as Foles dumps pass off with men open down the field. 
• 9:17- Entire line slants right. Dunlap has cut block on left that is ineffective, but unimportant to play. Kelly gets in front with no man to block, as Scott overlaps him from underneath and seals his man on the edge to create a lane for Brown to hit the sideline. Brown gains 25 extra yards after breaking an arm tackle from the safety taking a bad angle. 
• 6:11- Reynolds locks onto his man from beginning to end and creates push to the left to create a hole to his right. Scott peels left to pick up Ware off the edge as Kelly and Celek double team on the right to create a large hole for Brown to traipse through. Good play, well executed. 
• :35- Ware loses control rushing inside and leaves left off tackle wide open. Brown easily gets downfield with an entourage of blockers as King Dunlap gets 20 yards downfield after tossing the LT.

More on the Eagles' offensive line in Part.2...

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