NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
In my 3 keys for a Philadelphia Eagles victory against the Green Bay Packers, I touched briefly on the Eagles need to get their tight ends involved in the offense if they were to win the game. Well, against the Packers, Jalen Hurts targeted his two TEs just 1 time which resulted in 1 reception for -2 yards.
The Philadelphia Eagles walked away with the win but if they continue down this path, the results may be different. Rushing the ball 49 times is nothing to scoff at but having all weapons available as the season winds down and with the Eagle facing the meat of their schedule against solid defenses, they need Jack Stoll and Grant Calcaterra to produce more.
With Dallas Goedert out at least another 4-5 weeks, how much longer can they go on ignoring what has been a vital part of their offense so far?
Goedert, before he went down with his injury caught 43 passes for 544 yards and 3 touchdowns. Since he went down, Stoll and Calcaterra have accounted for just 3 receptions and zero scores.
With the Tennessee Titans and their stellar run defense up next, the Eagles must devise an offensive scheme to spread the ball around. Sunday night, they decided to use their RBs more as Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott saw more minutes on the field.
Which TE Will Step Up For The Philadelphia Eagles?
While the ground game was productive and each TEs did contribute with excellent pass and run blocking, that doesn’t take away from what they could be doing in the passing game.
Hurts attempted 28 passes and connected on 16 for 153 yards and 2 TDs but think how dangerous this offense could be with the help of the two young TEs.
As the Eagles gear up for Derrick Henry, this could be a game of possessions and clock management. The Packers’ defense is not as brutal as the Titans’ defense. The name of the game is keeping Henry off the field. Running the ball has been successful so far but what happens when the Titans stack the box against Hurts and Miles Sanders?
Stoll and Calcaterra have capable hands to produce. I guess it’s just a matter of trusting the young guys. AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith have held it down and with the help from Quez Watkins, Hurts and the offense has not missed a beat. The issue the Eagles have faced in their last 3 games has been leaving points and yardage on the field.
With good TEs, teams have been able to attack the middle of the field this season. This is what made Goedert so valuable to the maturation process of Hurts. Brown and Smith both are seeing more balls across the middle and while Brown has the build, Smith has been taking a beating by LBs and Safties. This has to change.
If the TEs can pick up where Goedert left off, that will open up more deep balls for all three receivers. But what it also does is give the Philadelphia Eagles better lanes for rushing the ball. If they are to be considered real contenders, it all starts with spreading the ball around and that means getting their young TEs involved more than just blocking.
