They say stereotypes have proven to be true in some cases. Had they not done so, they probably wouldn't be stereotypes. Philadelphia Eagles fans are categorized as being loud, obnoxious, rude, negative, and overly emotional. Well...Is that a lie?
Sometimes, it hurts to hear such, but come on guys. Aren't we a little angry? Doesn't 'passion' sometimes lead us down a path to lunacy?
True indeed. We're sick of hearing about that jail cell and the judge at The Vet. If we hear about snowballs and Santa Claus again, we're going to rip our insides out. Some of those stories can be retired.
There's no better fan base to be a part of. There's no more welcoming place than an Eagles tailgate. And, yes, it is also true that you shouldn't wear a New York Giants or Dallas Cowboys jersey whenever they occur. If that makes us rude sue us because the hatred between Ohio State and Michigan is celebrated and honored.
We're hearing a few overreactions not even a month into the Eagles season.
A buzz that came from beating the Green Bay Packers in Brazil. It has been replaced by the agony of another collapse. We thought we had buried the latter. Then came a third-and-four scenario deep in Atlanta Falcons territory.
Please don't blame Saquon Barkley for that loss, but it's also fair to state we aren't having this discussion if he makes that final catch.
So, back to those stereotypes... They say Eagles fans blow things out of proportion... They say Philly sports talk radio is mostly negative... They say this is a tough fan base to make happy...
Well...
Since Drake London beat Darius Slay for that go-ahead Falcons touchdown, much has been said. Here are six of the most common overreactions.
Overreaction: This offense can't function without A.J. Brown.
It's hard to compensate for the loss of AJ Brown or even an absence. He's one of the best players in the game at his position. Philly's offense is truly better with him than it is without him.
Lets' be honest. AJ didn't play, and this team is good enough to win without him. Get the rock to Dallas Goedert. Play Kenneth Gainwell and Will Shipley. Throw the ball to Jahan Dotson and Grant Calcaterra.
The truth is Philly should have won on Monday Night Football without Brown. They have enough weapons. We aren't listening to that excuse.
Overreaction: Vic Fangio's defense doesn't work any more.
There are some issues with Vic Fangio's scheme. That's obvious, but here's our theory.
It isn't as outdated though as it is, say, needing a tune-up. Fangio's fingerprints can be seen all over the league. It's used by different franchises, but after seeing it work just last year in Miami, we believe it can work in Philadelphia.
Guys have to male plays when given the opportunity though.
Overreaction: Saquon Barkley is a workhorse.
Don't read what hasn't been written. Saquon Barkley is a gamechanger. Saquon Barkley, at times, looks like the best player on the football field. He's also human, and we'd rather not see him relied upon so much so early.
The goal is to get to January without Saquon's name being listed on the injured reserve. He plays the NFL's most punishing position. The Eagles have to get Kenneth Gainwell and Will Shipley involved because even though Saquon can dominate games and put an entire offense on his back, if he'[s overworked, he can break down just as easily as anyone else.
Theories we can ignore: Jalen Hurts doesn't read defenses or see the field well.
Jalen must take better care of the football. Before we say anything else, let's say that. He didn't need to try 'get it all in one play' and force the ball on that final interception in Week 2.
He definitely shouldn't have thrown that pick in Week 1 when Philly was already in the red zone and assured of three points. Jalen is too reckless with the football sometimes, and if you ask Jalen, he'll probably be the first to admit that.
The point is this. We still don't know what Jalen is thinking sometimes. Maybe he's trying to do too much. Perhaps he's trying to live up to that extension. Then again, he may think he can make something out of nothing (even if nothing is there).
Stating Jalen doesn't understand what he's seeing however is a tad disrespectful. He's a student of the game, one wise beyond his years. Sometimes, the defense wins, and that can be seen with every NFL quarterback.
Worth ignoring: We overvalued everyone this team drafted from Georgia.
The Georgia guys are under fire. We can understand why there's a microscope. Philly invested a lot in these guys, including three first-round draft picks.
Nolan Smith is playing out of position. He's more of a sideline-to-sideline guy than a pass rusher. We say that to say this. Coaches are to put guys in the best position to be successful, and that ain't happening here!
Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis deserved to be first-round selections, but none of that matters if they aren't played to accentuate their strengths. Here's a message to the Eagles coaches. Stop trying to make Davis a pass rusher! Find a way to get something out of Kelee Ringo!
Nakobe Dean is this team's best linebacker. Jalen Carter is an all-world talent. Hold coaches accountable. Get the best out of these guys or find better coaches who can.
Another theory we can ignore (we hope): Bryce Huff is a bust.
Bryce Huff is struggling. There's no denying that. He isn't the player that Haason Reddick is. There's no denying that, but something needs to be done to get him settled again and get him going.
Maybe some weird stunt or something can be used. Who knows? Maybe that won't work either, but Fangio has to try something.
We know this guy can get to the opposing team's quarterback, and we know what Fangio is calling right now isn't helping him do it. Sometimes, guys start slow, but don't give up.
Javon Hargrave was inactive in his first Eagles game. He didn't register a stat in the two games that followed while playing 57 defensive snaps. He turned out okay. Bryce Huff will be fine too.
