Latest / Inside the Birds: A Philadelphia Eagles Podcast / Caplan's Intel On Eagles 2025 Schedule, Part 1: DAL, KC, LAR, TB

Transcript

Caplan's Intel On Eagles 2025 Schedule, Part 1: DAL, KC, LAR, TB · Inside the Birds: A Philadelphia Eagles Podcast

0:10
Speaker 1: Hello everyone, and welcome to a new feature here Inside
0:12
the Birds where we go inside the Eagles opponents via
0:17
their schedule. On this show, we'll go over the first
0:19
four games and we'll do it and about four shows total,
0:22
covering about seventeen games. Of course, I'm Adam Kaplan, so
0:26
we'll do that. This is a new feature that we
0:27
came up with where we want to break down each
0:30
opponent with intel what we know about the personnel, coaching changes.
0:35
We've had free agency, we've had trades, we've had the draft,
0:39
and now we're within four weeks from the start of
0:41
Eagles training camp in late July, so we want to
0:44
go over that and get to the updated to know
0:46
what to expect from these clubs when they face the Eagles,
0:49
especially when we do these first four games early in
0:52
the season. But before we get started, but before we do,
0:55
I want to give you a quick word on a
0:56
fun event for charity this weekend. If you live in
0:59
New Jersey, Delaware, or Philadelphia, there's a great event in
1:04
se Isle City, New Jersey. It's the Connor Baron Make
1:07
the World Better Foundation Pick a Ball Tournament. Connor, by
1:11
the Way, started his organization to raise money and support
1:16
for playgrounds and community centers around the area. And this
1:21
is incredible. His organization is raised over twenty million dollars
1:26
for these projects and it's great work. And by the way,
1:28
Connor started with his mother back in twenty thirteen, So
1:31
great job by the Barwin family. And this event which
1:36
Connor wilbviosly lead. This one will be on Saturday at
1:40
eleven am three or four John Kennedy Boulevard in Cile City.
1:45
And again it's pick a Ball and they did it
1:47
last year. And of course Jake Elliott had to do it.
1:50
He's a golfer, he's a tennis player as a softball player,
1:53
the best overall athlete on the team last year. Of
1:56
course Jake had to do it. How could he miss it.
1:59
It's it's racket sports. And he did it with by
2:02
the way, his former teammate who he won a super
2:05
Ball with in twenty seventeen, Bo Allen, was his partner.
2:08
Bo's lost a ton of weight, so I would expect
2:11
if Bo's around, he would do it. Of course, Jake,
2:13
if he's around, is going to do it because he's
2:14
a racquetball guy and also broadcasting live. There is our
2:18
friends at nine seven three ESPN South Jersey. Josh heading
2:22
will be hosting for about five hours, So say loo
2:24
to Josh, and let's hope Josh can get some guests.
2:27
In fact, I'd like to listen. I don't know I'll
2:29
be able to get down there. Let's see if we can
2:31
get Jake on the line there or whoever it is
2:34
former Eagles and current Eagles if they go down there.
2:36
But it's a great event, so I know Josh Shitt
2:38
will be hosting there for about five hours. It starts
2:40
at eleven AM. And by the way, the weather looks
2:43
like right now it's going to be a lot cooler.
2:45
So that's the best time to play racket sports outdoors
2:49
is when it's in the sixties and seventies and not human.
2:51
But the bottom line is it's for a great cost.
2:53
Support it. You can learn more at MTWB dot org.
2:57
Great job by Connor Barwin. All right, let's get started.
3:01
Week one. Of course, the Eagles play the Cowboys. I
3:03
was personally hoping for the Lions, who they'll play I
3:07
think at what week eleven? But of course the networks
3:11
and it's going to be NBC in this case. No
3:13
offense to the Lions that they're they're not quite a
3:16
national team. We know they get the Thanksgiving Game every year,
3:20
but the Cowboys have the number one brand in the
3:22
National Football League. They still do. Chiefs are close, but
3:26
the Cowboys do NBC one in Dallas. They got them
3:30
and this is the Thursday night game. Everybody knows already
3:32
at a twenty in Philly. In Nick siriatty, we don't
3:35
talk about this enough and how great he has been,
3:37
whether it's on the road or at home. Nick is
3:41
twenty nine and ten at home, including five and zero
3:43
in the playoffs, third most home wins in the National
3:46
Football league'es for his four seasons that he's coached. He's
3:50
now in year five. The Guy's extension the Cowboys, by
3:53
the way, in those years at home, they're twenty three
3:57
and thirteen, zero and two over those four years. As
4:00
you know, they got blown out. I remember picking the
4:03
Niners that year to upset the Cowboys. Thought the Cowboys
4:06
were overrated, and they also got smoked by Green Bay.
4:10
So I don't know what it is. And the Cowboys
4:12
are so inconsistent on the road. Some years they're good,
4:15
sometimes they're not good. And by the way, Dallas to
4:18
win the NFC East is plus six hundred. They're finished
4:22
in third place. The Eagles that we haven't had a
4:25
repeat winner since so for when the Eagles were in
4:27
the midst of winning four divisional championships in a row
4:30
oh one through h four. The Eagles are minus one fifty.
4:33
They're the favorite to win the NFC East. Now when
4:35
you look into Dallas, Colpolkes right, you've got the new
4:39
coaching staff. You got Brian Schottenheimer. And I can tell
4:42
you if from talking to people of coach with Schottenheimer,
4:44
he's a very strong personality, very demanding like his late
4:47
father Marty. He's brought in an interesting staff. The one
4:52
guy and I mentioned this in the show we did
4:54
with Greg o Selt Jeff Motion and I did with Greg.
4:56
When we go over Greg's knowledge of the clubs, it
4:58
turned from his film standpoint now spanelists a little bit more.
5:02
He's brought in Shotthammer, some college coaches and the best
5:05
one he's bringing in I've heard about. This guy's name
5:08
is Junior Adams, a long time college receivers coach and
5:12
a past game coordinator. He's called plays before. Juior Adams
5:15
has never coached in the National Football League, but he's
5:18
a phenomenal college receivers coach. His coach, Cooper Cup did
5:22
a great job with him in Eastern Washington. Cedric Wilson
5:25
formerly the Cowboys and some other teams. Jayleen McMillan, when
5:29
Junior Adams was at the University of Washington, who's now
5:31
a third round pick for Tampa Bay, Roman Doon say
5:34
everybody was a first rounder from the Bears last year.
5:36
Pooka Nakua. He coached Pooka at at at you dub
5:42
Jalen Polk is now with New England. Troy Franklin. When
5:47
Junior Adams went over to Oregon, Dante Thornton, who flashed
5:51
a little bit, a fourth rounder for the Raiders and
5:53
their OTAs, Tess Johnson for Morgan who could run, who
5:56
was a seventh round pick I believe for Tampa Bay
5:58
this year. So that's a really good higher. I like
6:01
this Shire. But what you got to know is Junior Adams,
6:04
I know he did a great job in college. He
6:07
now has to coach NFL receivers right, strong personalities like
6:11
George Pickens. That's a big one, no question about it.
6:15
Dealing with Pickens, is going to be a challenge Pickens,
6:19
who right now is not getting extension unless the Cowboys
6:21
change their mind. How's he going to handle it? The
6:24
Steelers were done with George Pickens. They want to deal
6:27
with them anymore because they were not going to extend
6:29
his contract. They're gonna let the Cowboys deal with it.
6:31
That's not going to be easy for Junior Adams. But
6:34
the guy is a phenomenal receivers coach, but he's got
6:37
to deal with with strong personality. He's at that receiver
6:40
position for the Cowboys now. Brian Schottenheimer not only will
6:43
be their head coach, it's going to call the plays.
6:47
He's an aggressive play caller early in games. It was
6:50
his idea they let Russ Cook movement in twenty twenty.
6:53
As I've outlined for now five years. With Shottenheimer's idea,
6:57
he in the front office convinced Pete Carroll to do
6:59
it and work beautifully. No better quarterback in the National
7:02
Football League. For the first eight game set season, best
7:05
Russell Wilson had ever played super aggressive. They came out
7:08
in that first game against Atlanta twice as much as
7:11
they ran it in the first half in that game,
7:13
way up in eleven personnel and that season, particularly in
7:17
the first half. So folks, the Cowboys are loaded now
7:20
at wide receiver. You got Ceee Lamb obviously, who's terrific,
7:25
no doubt he could play insider outside George Pickens, Jalen
7:28
Tolbert could run. He's best office. Their third receiver, Jonathan Mingo,
7:33
is still on the roster. That was not a good
7:35
trade for them from Carolina Cavante Turpin, who's a special
7:38
teams returner. It's sort of a multi use receiver. So
7:43
they're loaded at the wide receiver position. Now, Junior Adams
7:48
has got a lot to work with here. He's got
7:49
to continue to develop these guys, and of course Schottenheimer
7:52
now going to call a lot of eleven personnel, as
7:54
we believe the way that I've heard it. Under Schottenheimer,
7:58
he's super big on account on a cant on ability
8:00
which quite frankly, was not happening under Mike McCarthy. You're
8:04
going to get that. Now, here's what I'll say about Schoenhammer.
8:08
Either the players will buy in early on, or you'll
8:11
have players not believing in the system. Then the one
8:15
knock on Broughton Schoenhammer when he was the offense coordinated
8:17
for the Jets, though they did very well for a
8:19
while on a shoty is sometimes his scheme is too complicated,
8:24
and that was a knock on him. Let's see how
8:26
it Let's see how it works here. But the talent
8:28
level is supreme at receiver, so I'm interested to see
8:31
how he could develop this thing here. Now. The other
8:35
thing when you look at Dallas's offense before we move
8:38
on to other positions for the other offense is tight
8:42
end Jake Ferguson, who's a good player. Luke Screwmaker will
8:45
be their y ten end. I Ferguson's on a contract year.
8:49
I don't see them extending it unless he's wanting to
8:51
do something very cheap, because they might as well let
8:53
him play outcause they're trying to get Parsons Steel done
8:56
and Tyler Smith is a possibility later it's terrific. We'll
8:59
talk about their offense into line at second what I
9:01
know about it. But the other thing is Shoddy is
9:03
good at calling a run scheme, and he could call zone,
9:06
he could call he can call gap scheme. The key
9:12
here is they don't really have a bellcal Javonte Williams
9:16
has never been the same since that multi ligament injury.
9:19
He can catch the football. He caught fifty last year.
9:21
Miles Sanders never really was the same since he left Philly.
9:25
Sanders is cut by Carolina. He's on a low and
9:28
one year deal. Gavanti Williams isn't a low and one
9:30
year deal. Jayden Blue is a super explosive change up back.
9:34
There's enough there to get something out of the run game,
9:37
which was disappointing last season. I'm really anterous to see
9:41
how aggressive shot he will be, not only in the
9:43
past game, but what does he get out of that
9:45
run game. That's something look to look into here now.
9:49
Dak Prescott. Prescott has shown he could be a high
9:51
volume quarterback. Joe Milton. I know they're happy with his offseason.
9:55
Joe Milton has had major issues with accuracy. That is
10:00
why the Patriots got rid of him. It's funny that
10:05
the front office that drafted Joe Milton wanted to get
10:07
rid of him after a year. That's not a good thing.
10:10
But this kid, if he could get the accuracy going,
10:13
unbelievable arm strength, He's got good size. But I saw
10:16
at the senior ball that the actress who was a
10:19
major problem. The offensive line's going to be retold a
10:22
little bit with Tyler Booker will start at guard. He'll
10:27
be the right guard Tyler Smith, who's been a great story.
10:29
Tyler Smith is It's an amazing situation here. He was
10:33
drafted to play tackle. No one thought he could play guard,
10:37
and he got thrown there at the last moment and
10:39
twenty two before the season started, and he did a
10:41
great job. He's been great. Cooper Bebe is clearly their center.
10:46
They're young there on the offensive line. Now. The big
10:48
issue is Tyler Goeiton. He's protecting the quarterbacks blind side.
10:53
There are a lot of people thought he'd be a
10:55
right tackle in the National FOOTBA League, not left tern
10:57
Steele is their highly paid right tap. That is a
11:01
problem at left tackle. They may have to play a
11:04
little bit more twelve personnel than they probably want to
11:07
if Tyler if Tyler Guiton can't block better than he
11:09
did last season, So that's something to keep an eye on.
11:12
Other than that, the offense is pretty straightforward. They're super
11:16
deep receiver. Luke Schoomaker unfortunately has not worked out as
11:20
he second round tight end. He's in year three He's
11:22
an athletic y tight end out of Michigan, but you
11:26
don't draft tight ends to be in line blockers. They
11:28
need to get more out of him. But again, the
11:31
pass the game in terms of tight end is going
11:32
to go through Jake Ferguson. Looking at their defense here,
11:37
Yet this is their third different scheme change in three years.
11:42
You had the Dan Quinn one he's long gone to
11:44
be watching as head coach. Then you had Mike Zimmers,
11:47
and now you have Matt Eberflus. Ibra Flus, by the way,
11:51
is super zone heavy, low blitz, four man pressure. You're
11:56
going to see a very very high zone scheme. Only
12:00
seventeen percent man covered with the Bears last season. He
12:04
doesn't change what he does. By the way, he was
12:06
with the Cowboys years pasted as a linebackers coach and
12:09
defensive coordinator. They know him in that building. You know
12:13
what you're gonna get. They're knocking to blitz. So they've
12:17
got to win up front. Now. The good thing for
12:19
the Cowboys is they have plenty of edge rushers. Dante
12:22
Fowler's back parsons obviously Marshawn Kneeland, who flashed before his
12:28
knee injury last season. Sam Williams is coming up a
12:30
major knee injury as Araku Peyton Turner is more of
12:33
a power end. But they're loaded. They're super deep. But
12:38
other than Parsons, they need to get more of the
12:40
other guys. They got to get more out of Mazzie Smith,
12:43
who's been a disappointment as a former first round pick
12:45
in twenty twenty three. Who dig g Izua, who got
12:48
his big contract this offseason. He can rush the passer.
12:51
Solomon Thomas as sort of a tweeener, but he's there.
12:56
They've got to get more out of this run. They're
12:58
gonna run a forty three, by the way. They've got
13:00
to get more out of this group, there's no question
13:02
about it. But we don't. We're going to get from Parsons,
13:05
who's dynamic and explosive, who should wind up being the
13:09
highest paid defensive player in NFL history. That should be
13:12
coming here before training camp. They've done a lot of
13:15
work on this deal. We'll see when it gets done,
13:17
but their target is obviously before training camp, so they
13:20
don't have a hold in. A linebacker is a disaster
13:24
overshown and you feel bad for them coming off he's
13:28
coming off yet another major knee injury, not expected to
13:31
be ready Week one. Kenneth Murray they got for next
13:34
to nothing from the Titans, who's been a major disappointment.
13:38
It clearly has not worked out for him. It didn't
13:41
work out with the Chargers, it didn't work out with Tennessee.
13:43
He did get hurt in December last season. And he's
13:48
a flash player that's not consistent. Jack Sanborn, who's a
13:52
good tackler, he's just not a great athlete. He's there,
13:55
he can wind up starting. We know they're going to
13:57
be a nickel team anyway. Now here's the problem. They're bad.
14:00
They don't know exactly when Trayvon Dick is going to
14:02
come back from his from the follow up to his
14:05
ACL surgery. Revel the third round pick. He's coming off
14:08
ACL surgery. Now the Cowie s team doctor did that surgery,
14:11
so obviously they'll have an inside track on when he's
14:14
going to be ready. And now here's the thing with
14:15
Kyle Elam. As Greg Cosell told us, Elam is a
14:19
man cover corner. He didn't fit in the zone scheme
14:22
with Buffalo, so to me, and I know they got
14:27
Elon for next to nothing at former first round pick.
14:30
But that does concern me because if he's a man
14:33
corner and they don't play a lot of man, how's
14:36
this going to work? So they got major questions at corner.
14:39
They're really good at safety with Donovan Wilson, very underrated,
14:41
Elie Hooker, dron Planned could play, Nicol he could play outside.
14:45
But the bottom line is they're shaky at corner and
14:48
that's a problem. We know they're very deep on the
14:53
defensive line. And the one other thing before we move
14:54
on to the next team. Talking to a former NFL
14:57
general manager who studied the roster, the reason why they
15:00
implode is a lack of football character. This is in
15:03
the minds of a former general manager, Jerry Jones and
15:07
Will McClay. They draft for talent, not football character. This
15:11
has been a problem. Azraku, by the way, is a
15:13
really good kid the second rounder. That's not the problem.
15:15
But there's just there's a football character issue. It's not
15:19
so much off the field though some of the players.
15:21
It isn't off the field. It's more on the field.
15:25
It's what happens when the team isn't playing well. Who
15:27
are the leaders? That is a problem. Why this team
15:30
doesn't win consistently over the years. That's what I was told.
15:34
So let's go to the second team for the Eagles
15:37
in Week two, act the Chiefs, who they know very well.
15:40
They smoked them. This will be a revenge game. And
15:43
by the way, being on the media call and why
15:47
this would not be a game you would want later
15:49
in the season, the league's made it very clear they
15:52
don't care, and their lead, their television partners don't care
15:57
when it is they just won a great game. And
16:00
this game will be in Week two, obviously a rematch
16:02
from the Super Bowl blowout. This game is going to
16:08
be on September fourteenth. This is a four to twenty
16:12
five Sunday game for twenty five Eastern. By the way,
16:15
the Chiefs they play in Week one, that's the Friday game,
16:18
so the Eagles get one day ex rest over the Chiefs.
16:21
But the Chiefs will play at in Brazil. That's technically
16:26
a road game for them against the Chargers. By the way,
16:28
the Chiefs have the most home wins including playoffs since
16:32
twenty twenty one the Eagles. This is an interesting stat
16:35
the second most road win since twenty twenty one. That
16:38
is the underrated part of Nick Sirianni. They were good
16:41
on the road immediately in twenty twenty one. That is
16:44
unhearder for a new head coach. I give Nick. That
16:46
tells you that they buy in, that they get together.
16:50
They're a cohesive unit on the road, which is not
16:52
always the case with a new coaching staff. And with
16:55
all the lineup changers the Eagles had after twenty twenty
16:57
and that in Doug Peterson's last year, pretty impressive. Let's
17:01
get to the the the Chiefs and the roster changes
17:05
and some of the things I've learned over the last
17:06
couple of weeks. By the way, and this is interesting.
17:10
Josh Shimmon is the rookie left tackle, the first round pick.
17:14
His wayhead of schedule, any remade a clay, He'll be
17:17
ready to go. He will not be on active NFI
17:19
to start training camp because he did get work and
17:22
he got started getting some teamwork late in their OTAs
17:25
in their mandatory camp. So that's that's significant. Now is
17:29
he ready gonna Is he gonna be ready to be
17:31
the start of the Week one against the chief the Chargers.
17:35
That remains to be seen, but he's gonna be on
17:38
the field. On the field, barks something happening, you know,
17:42
like swallowing or something, some kind of setback from his
17:44
left the tell or tenant injury. That is unbelievable. Uh Now,
17:47
I know he had the surgery somewhere in late October
17:50
early November, but that is phenomenal that he could be
17:54
ready and again bark something unforeseen. He's going to be
17:56
there now. The Chiefs because they got absolutely handled and
17:59
they went through four left tackles last season. The Chiefs
18:03
kind of overdid it here. So as we know, they
18:06
drafted Josh Simmons. They didn't know they were going to
18:08
do that in March because they say they signed Jalen
18:13
Moore two years, thirty million, a lot of fully guaranteed
18:17
money at signing. Now, Jalen Moore has had starts at
18:19
left tackle. He'd be at right tackle at left tackle,
18:22
but the way I see it happening is Simmons is right.
18:25
He's their left tackle week one, and the only reason
18:28
Juwan Taylor is on the roster. He's got twenty million
18:32
fully guaranteed, which they guaranteed when he was on the
18:34
roster in March. He had an advanced guarantee on his contract.
18:38
In March of twenty twenty four, his base salary became
18:41
full guaranteed for twenty twenty five and everything else that's
18:45
associated with his contract, and that's Jewan Taylor. So Jalen
18:50
Moore with the money, he's got to be pushing for
18:52
a starting roll somewhere. Jalen Moore could be the future.
18:56
Right tackle. Juwan Taylor did not play well last season,
18:59
so they're going to have competition at left tackle. Right
19:02
tackle Jannie Mars is still there. They're moving to matea
19:05
to left guard. Trey Smith is elite at right guard,
19:08
and Creed Humphrey's elite at center, and Mike Calliando, who's
19:11
miscast as a starter obviously, will be a backup if
19:14
they can help it. So the issue right now is
19:16
not so much talent anymore. They've got enough players. It's
19:19
will Josh Shimmans be ready to be starting, starting, and
19:23
they're going to learn that in training camp week one.
19:25
So I find that to be interesting. And when you
19:29
look around the league here, the one thing that I've
19:32
heard lately is now that they should have better pass protection.
19:36
They're a dick and dunk, non vertical offense until really
19:39
late in the season from the start with Worthy. Now
19:42
he's bank to season. Hollywood is health, Hollywood Brown's back,
19:46
He's healthy, Ray Sheie Rice is ready to go. He
19:48
look good in their offseason program, but he's not really
19:51
a vertical for it. He'll be their slot. They want
19:53
Worthy and Brown going deep, if they could protect. You're
19:56
going to see that. Now this impacts the Eagles. Will
20:00
you worry about the cornerback situation opposite quinnyon Mitchell. We
20:05
know Killy Ringo could run, that's not the problem. Can
20:09
he be a consistent football player, which he's not been.
20:11
He lost a starting job after the first week of
20:13
training camp to Isaiah Rodgers. Is no longer on the
20:16
football team he Started's probably gonna start from Minnesota at corner.
20:20
So if if a Dorri Jackson a Kille Ringo can
20:23
hold down the fort, Harry Roseman's gonna have to do
20:25
something by the start of the regular season. And we
20:27
know Hollie has a history of making trades right before
20:31
the season starts, so we'll keep it obviously a watchful
20:33
eye what happens with a cornerback position. But that does
20:36
worry me if you're an Eagles fan. That's where that's
20:41
where if the Chiefs can't protect, I know they didn't
20:43
protect the Super Bowl. The Eagles absolutely hels them. They
20:46
both raced them. But if the Chiefs can protect, they're
20:49
gonna go deep opposite the quinne On Mitchell, you get
20:51
bet on that. So that's something to look at. Now.
20:54
One other thing I want to mention before we get
20:56
to their defense is Pacheco look really good? Who did
21:01
not look good after he came back from the broken leg.
21:04
And Kreem Hunter's back, who's a good backup. So they're
21:06
expecting me much better at the running back positions without
21:09
Pacheco looking like himself. They just were not the same
21:11
team with the running game. Defensively, they play a high
21:15
percentage of man covers comparatively top ten, high blitz rate comparatively,
21:20
they're in the thirty to thirty five percentile hunters bags.
21:24
Their issue is at corner. It's very clear to me
21:26
they're not good enough at corner. Christian Fulton, who will
21:30
be a starter on the outside, is just okay. He's
21:32
got decent size, He's been an exerssisting corner. Jalen Watson
21:37
is really a lower level starting corner. You saw the
21:41
Eagles go after him and go to the vertical game
21:43
because you know they can protect against the Chiefs. And
21:46
now safety. Now remember now Reed Justin Reid is now
21:51
with the Saints. Brian Cook's a decent player, Mike Mike
21:54
Everards is back, he'll be a backup. Connor's there, Jaydon Hicks.
21:58
They're okay at safety, to be honest. And we know
22:01
Trent McDuffie's a terrific football player. The question is will
22:04
it be a nickel or we play as a corner?
22:07
As Vic Fangrews says, you're either a corner or your nickel.
22:11
He says, a nickel is not a corner. It's a
22:14
defensive back, but it's not a cornerback. Posies and so
22:16
we'll go by what Vic Fangherws says, a potential Hall
22:18
of Fame defensive coordinator. But if you're going to beat
22:22
the Chiefs, if you could protect, if you could hold
22:24
up against Chris Jones and car Loftis, Mike Dana and
22:29
a and a duque a Usama and charleson Menehu's back,
22:34
you could you could go deep on them. The way
22:36
you beat the chief is we know obviously it thought
22:38
about the Eagles. It's going to go through the run
22:40
game and sae Quon Barklay. But when you throw and
22:43
if you could protect, you should have great success against
22:46
that cornerback group. And quite frankly, to be honest with you,
22:49
that's what I'm doing in week in week two, uh
22:52
at our ahead. Sure it'll start against Barkley, but when
22:55
we protect. If you're the Eagles, you're going deep with
22:59
aj Brown, there's no question about it. And DeVante Smith
23:04
and got it over the middle. Who is back? So
23:07
that's the Chiefs. That should be an absolute fantastic game.
23:10
By the way, the Chiefs to win the AFC West
23:12
or minus one twenty five. The Trugers, who are my
23:16
upset special to win the AFC West or plus three
23:19
thirty three, which means for every three hundred and thirty three,
23:23
for every one hundred dollars you get back, you get
23:25
three hundred and thirty three back plus your bet back.
23:29
So why are the Chiefs only minsk one twenty five
23:32
Because the state of their offensive line to the state
23:34
of their secondary that's a concern and I would agree
23:38
with that. And those are from MGM, by the way.
23:41
So that's the first two opponents before we get to
23:43
the opponent three the rams. I do want to mention folks,
23:48
if you're not on Patreon, I don't know why you
23:50
wouldn't be if you want exclusive information. Right, the folks
23:54
on Patrion are watching this or listening. They know about it.
23:57
We chat all year pretty much every one to we
24:00
ch had every week we go live stream. This one
24:02
was just an hour. We took everybody's questions live one
24:06
on one on zoom. I did it this week. But
24:10
in addition to being commercial free, you get Greg Costell live.
24:13
We'll get Greg back for a training camp where you
24:16
get them on every week. Then every week all year.
24:21
Early in the week you get to talk to Greg
24:23
for thirty five to forty minutes. We have discord, we
24:27
get ask an Eagle, we get a former player, former
24:29
Eagles executive. We get them every month, chalked every month
24:34
Patreon dot com slash inside the Birds to sign up.
24:38
And by the way, we're gonna be adding something special
24:40
for those Tier three people. We're gonna add a special
24:43
for Tier three only live stream, which we're gonna do
24:46
in August. Want to get back to my training camp
24:48
tour and we're gonna do that one every week, and
24:50
we're gonna try to help out the West Coasters. Probably
24:52
do that a little bit late either ten nine or
24:54
ten Eastern and obviously in your time at six or
24:57
seven a Pacific time to help those people out. Patreon
25:01
dot com session inside the Birds to join up and
25:04
get with everybody, all right. Week three? Week three versus
25:10
the Rams. The Eagles will host them at one pm.
25:13
Starts a Sunday game. The week before that, the Rams
25:16
were on the road against the Titans in Week two.
25:20
Gave a clue should beat against the Titans, so there
25:21
were Titans. Have improved the roster a little bit now
25:25
for the Rams to win the NFC West their plus
25:27
one eighty five, they are not the favorite. The Niners
25:32
are the favorite of plus one sixty. Of my upset
25:34
special is so Seahawks there plus one their plus five
25:41
hundred to win the NFC West. Sam Darnold in the
25:45
West Coast offense, guys, he's been two years ago. He
25:48
was in it with the Niners as a backup. He
25:51
was phenomenal last season as you saw with the quarterback
25:55
whisper Kevin O'Connell. He's in it again with Clint Kubiak,
26:01
Gary Sun running that west old school West Coast offense.
26:05
Sam Darnold processed very very well. He's become a much
26:08
better processor. He wasn't with Carolina and with the Jets
26:11
he just couldn't process very well. But now he's doing it.
26:15
I give him credit. He's revived his career's getting paid
26:17
a lot of money. I like this team to surprise
26:20
a lot of people. It's probably a little bit strong.
26:24
We'll go over all the odds for all the divisions
26:27
closer to uh maybe we'll do it. Run for training
26:30
can certainly for the start of the season. But the
26:32
Seahawks are my upsite special. But let's get back to
26:35
the Rams here and Sean McVay, when the best head
26:38
coaches of the National Footballer. He's really got his first
26:42
true X receiver, Devanta Adams. Yes, he's good in the
26:44
slot when you line him up there, but he's a
26:46
true X receiver. Now what Sean McVay does because his
26:51
receivers over time could not separate very well when they're
26:54
playing on the outside. To reduce them. The splits are tight,
26:57
generally with Puka Nakua, who really cannot win if as
27:00
a true outside receiver. Most likely he's better being reduced.
27:04
He saw a Cooper cup dude as a reduced receiver.
27:07
Might be a Hall of Famer someday. They're not very
27:10
deep at receiver. I don't know why they're paying paying
27:12
too to add well eleven million dollars fully guaranteed that.
27:15
It's just ridiculous. I mean, he's a he's okay, could
27:19
he's a small receiver, could run fast, but they missed
27:23
on that one. I just I don't know why they
27:26
brought him back, but they brought him back. Jordan Winnington's
27:29
got better size at the University of Texas, but I
27:32
know is flash for them in training camp. He's back.
27:35
Look for Stafford to take more shot plays with at Well,
27:38
who could run a little bit. We know Adams could
27:40
get separation downfield. He's great at it. But here's the
27:43
thing about them playing a lot of eleven personnel. I
27:45
know they're usually way up there in it, but folks,
27:48
here's the thing. Higbee's back. He's an athletic y tight end.
27:54
Parkinson's a y ted end. Only Ferguson is their second
27:58
round tight end. To justify all this, what they're paying Parkson,
28:02
where they're paying Higbee plus Terrence Ferguson, you got to
28:05
play more twelve personnel than usually than you usually did.
28:09
So to me, that's what you're gonna get when you
28:12
face the Eagles in Week three. Rams, I gotta believe
28:17
they're going to play a higher percentage twelve personnel. The
28:20
studim you were eleven, but look for them to play
28:23
more twelve than they have in the past. So you
28:25
got to look out for that now. The other thing is,
28:27
because they have a very average offensive line, is when
28:31
you play twelve and by the way, Higby can block.
28:34
Parkinson got paid a lot of money because he could block.
28:37
And by the way, they're not a great offer a lark.
28:39
Jackson has kind of overcheez A former twenty twenty one
28:43
undrafted free agent. He's overachieved. He just got paid a
28:45
lot of money, but he's not a great left tackle.
28:48
The Eagles ate him, They didn't eat him alive. They
28:51
ate up Laster, Warren mcclennan, Brandon Graham did in that game.
28:55
Money been Brandon Grant's best game as an Eagle. Ava
28:58
La will go back to guard where he belonged. Sean Coleman.
29:00
Coleman Shelton's back, by the way on Secretary of Duty.
29:03
It's get paid at bo. Limmer also started a lot
29:05
of games. Kevin Dotson's the right guard. Haveven Stein near
29:08
the end of his tenure with the Rams, a second rounder.
29:11
He's in year eleven in twenty fifteen, while he's still
29:15
back there. So to me, guys, the way I look
29:18
at it, the Eagles are The Eagles will be the
29:20
clear favor in this game. I know the Rams game
29:23
in the divisional round game to be the Yeah. Yeah,
29:27
it was a division round game. They gave him a
29:29
run for their money, no doubt about it. Now I
29:32
love I gotta be ance with it. Kyron Williams, I
29:35
never saw this with him terrifically versatile. No one thought
29:39
he could be a bell cow, but he is. Blake
29:42
Korn will be his backup. I looked Bobla that's a
29:45
good signing for Jimmy Garoppolo to be their backup because
29:48
Stafford's getting up there at thirty seven years old. We
29:52
know that Garoppol has had a big injury history, but
29:54
he's going to be the backup. The thing is the
29:58
Rams have to be able to handle the Eagles past
30:00
rush Egles are a non blitz team. They're they're they're
30:03
going to be somewhere between twenty and twenty three percent
30:05
as a at the blitz rate. Fanjo does not believe
30:08
in blitzing. He believes in for a man pressure and
30:10
sim pressures. So the Rams have to be able to block.
30:14
They could not really boy the first game in the
30:17
regular season, the game and I talked about with BG,
30:20
they absolutely took him to the woodshed. Now, defensively, they're
30:24
a low blitz team. Excuse me, they're a low man
30:27
coverage team. They're heavy, they're heavy zone only twenty three
30:30
percent man coverage. Now they blitz a lot more, which
30:32
is surprising. At thirty two, they're top top seven. They
30:38
were last year at least they were, and they were
30:39
on a thirty four front. They're small up front and
30:42
that's why Barkley got it done against them. They're fast
30:46
and quicked. Eagles offensive line size with a problem for
30:48
them against the Rams. The Rams couldn't handle it. They're
30:52
very weak at corner. That's why they want Jayalen Ramsey back,
30:56
but they're not willing to take on a big chunk
30:58
of that money. Darius William who was a former. He
31:01
was a former Raven, then Ram, then Jaguars. Back with
31:03
the ramsker the well travel to killer Weatherspoon has got
31:08
good size with the Steelers kind of a couple of
31:11
years ago, you know, he went back with the Rams,
31:13
revived his career. They're not deep there. Emmanuel Forbes was
31:16
claimed off waivers last season, a former first rounder. They're
31:19
just not good enough a corner. That to me is
31:22
why when the Eagles throw against him, they should do
31:24
very very well. Kitchens is a good safety. Quinton Lake,
31:28
Cornell Lake's sun is fine with Cam Curl is really
31:32
really good. Quinton Lake is their nickel. This is the
31:37
Eagles are clearly the better team. I'm surprised that playoff
31:39
game was as close as it was. It was, man,
31:42
I'm telling you that thing was that was our razor
31:45
edge close. So the Rams are well coached. They're kind
31:49
of an overchiever for their plus one eighty five to
31:51
win that NFC West. So that's for the Rams. To me,
31:54
the Eagles are clearly of the better team. And finally,
31:57
for the last team on this show, it's strangely the Bucks.
32:00
When I say that the Eagles are at the Bucks
32:03
in the heat in late September September twenty a week
32:06
for one pm game. By the way, the Bucks host
32:11
the Jets for that game, who they should clearly handle.
32:13
But unbelievably this I don't know how this is called
32:16
talk about a scheduling quirk. The Eagles are at Tampa
32:20
Bay week four, as they were last year, week for
32:24
at one pm Eastern, just like last year, and this
32:27
is the game where DeVante Smith, Lane Johnson, and AJ
32:31
Brown didn't play and the Egles got absolutely smoked, which
32:34
they should have gotten smoked because their best pleasure on
32:35
offense weren't playing. But they're all back. Strangely, they're playing
32:40
there again at week four. Now what you're going to see,
32:43
by the way, from the Bucks. We're gonna start with
32:45
the Bucks offense. They're going to be heavy eleven personnel.
32:48
God Win, if he's healthy and he's getting there, he'll
32:51
be their slot receiver. Buka, the first round pick, is
32:53
going to be a z E for them. Mike Evans
32:56
is the Rex, and Abuca will eventually down the road
33:00
he should replace Scotlins the slot receiver. And then McMillan
33:04
we talked about earlier, could be there who could by
33:07
the way could be the backup Z or theither backup X.
33:10
So they're absolutely loaded receiver. And if I'm the Bucks,
33:15
I would go a heavy eleven. I'd go heavy eleven
33:17
against the Eagles anyway because they're not deep a corner.
33:19
That's it. That's a lot. Now. The problem with the
33:23
Bucks is, and this is where it gets dicey for
33:25
the Bucks, is the interior of their offensive line. Brettison,
33:31
who the Eagles know from the days of the Giants,
33:33
kind of revived his career with them. He's not great.
33:36
Cody Mauk is okay at right guard. Good Decky is
33:39
their right tackle. He's played guard before. He's back at
33:42
right tackle. We know. Worse is a lead at left tackle.
33:45
But Graham Barton, who's their center, it's not a great interior.
33:50
This is where Moro Jomo He's got a great first
33:54
step and others. Obviously Jalen Carter could eat against the
33:59
interior the offensive line. That's where the Eagles have an
34:02
advantage now. The one thing though their backs could catch
34:06
the football. Bucky Irvin could catch. He had a great
34:09
rookie season, a fourth round last year out of Oregon,
34:11
way better than people expected. Sean Tucker super explosive. Is
34:15
their third back for his size, Rashad White not explosive,
34:19
but very versatile as a power back. That is a
34:21
great group. We know the Eagles historically on our Vicvanjo
34:24
have been pretty good for the most part against the run.
34:27
But you don't have Milt Williams. Now Moro Jomo is
34:29
not the run game guy that Milt Williams is. That's
34:32
something to keep an eye on. We'll look at for.
34:35
We'll be looking for at training camp. But no question,
34:38
you got to watch out for those backs and those receivers.
34:41
This should be if everyone's healthy on both sides of
34:44
the football for both teams, well, particularly for the Eagles
34:47
offense and the Bucks offense, this should be a high
34:50
scoring game and a fun one the Bucks. By the way,
34:54
the Bucks are not the clear they're the favorite, but
34:58
they're only plus one zero five to win the NWC South.
35:01
The Falcons are picked to finish in second of plus
35:03
two to ten. The reason why I think it's narrow
35:06
is people are a little bit higher than I am, clearly,
35:09
and the odds makers are on the Falcons. Michael Pennox
35:13
in the first year as a full time starter, They've
35:16
got a lot of offensive talent. The Falcons have much
35:18
of a past rush, but the Bucks to me are
35:21
the clear favorite. I would agree with that. I would
35:22
think they'd be about plus one fifty. They're only plus
35:24
one oh five. That's a really good number if you
35:26
liked as a future number. If you like the Bucks,
35:29
get them now. I don't see any way. I mean
35:31
the fact that you're getting getting plus one oh five
35:34
of not being minus I would take that all the
35:36
way to the bank. So that's the Bucks offense. Defensively.
35:40
This is the interesting thing with in recent years with
35:45
Todd Bowles highest percentage of second highest of zone coverage,
35:54
only sixteen percent man coverage. Mister Blitz, Todd Bowles, this
35:59
is this is it's the anomaly. It's thirty four percent
36:02
blitz coverage, number one in the National Football League last season.
36:06
So and by the way, they run a thirty four front.
36:09
They're great against the run, They're not good in the
36:11
secondary folks, particularly at corner. Zaiah McCollum. He's got good
36:17
speed and good length like his brother, but he's not
36:21
technically great. He was a fifth round of for a reason.
36:24
Jamel Dean had all sorts of injury issues. He's really long.
36:28
H he he didn't have a good season. They drafted
36:30
Ben Marson in the second so they have players. Christian
36:34
Eyes in probably will be their nickel who could also
36:37
play safety. Winfield's back in healthy, Tykee Smith from West Philly.
36:41
I met Taike last year, so they're okay at safety.
36:47
They're actually pretty good. The problems at corner. They're past rush.
36:51
It's interesting. Son Reddick looking to drive his career on
36:55
an enhance one year deal. Yahya Diyabi who we like,
36:57
who's explosive. Chris Braswell's not developed yet as a pass rusher,
37:02
second round out of Alabama, and Anthony Nelson has been
37:05
a good backup for them. Can Asan Redick revived his career.
37:10
See I don't I look at it. They've got speed,
37:13
that's not the issue. They don't have what you would
37:15
call a super high en edge rusher. Reddick was great
37:19
for the Eagles. He wasn't so great because he held
37:21
out last year with the Giants. Excuse me, with the Jets,
37:24
it didn't work out. We got to see what he's
37:26
got to me, folks, this is a game I would
37:30
probably install if all things are being equal as the
37:32
Eagles as a three or four point favorite, they're clearly better.
37:37
The Bucks have a very good offense with Baker Mayfield
37:39
as the quarterback. They by the way, I shouldn't mention this,
37:43
the Bucks have a new play caller and offense Josh Gizzard,
37:46
a mid thirties first time play caller, so remains to
37:51
be seeing if he's ready to do it. But overall
37:54
this is a fun team who the Eagles don't very well.
37:57
They know Todd Bowles like the back of their hand.
37:59
They know it's a actally coming. They know him as
38:01
a head coach. Congratulations to Josh excuse me two their
38:06
coaching staff, and Todd Bowles and Jason Light the general
38:09
manager for getting their contract extensions making the concurrent, which
38:12
is smart. You never want to have one last thing
38:15
than the other. That's not the way to do it.
38:17
So that's the Bucks. So a very intriguing first four
38:21
games for the Eagles, and then we'll talk about in
38:25
the next show the next four games leading off with
38:28
those much improved Denver Broncos. And by the way, that
38:32
game will be in Philly on October fifth, that's one
38:35
pm Eastern game. All right, I'm Adam kaplan for Inside
38:39
the Birds. We'll speak to you real soon