Football at Four: Updating Changes With New Eagles Offense

0:00for more power by the inside the bird podcast inside the birds calm and it's brought to you every day by Oshikis You know is worth the best place for game days the FedEx sports book and Oshikis you know is worth gallery bar booking games Your go to destination with huge screens great drinks and all the sports book action you want It's the perfect place to the length city to catch and play every game Don't forget about Sebastian Mount Scalso So number 17 through 20th and 24th to 27th or more at the ocean ac calm It is a Wednesday and that means we Talk to Jeff Mosher Josh NAPG filling it from my gill on the sports bash all 973 ESPN as we are getting closer to start the NFL season and is an interesting piece over at philly voice com where Jeff Mosher and the philly voice team did a little research about The snap counts. Who are they actually doing in practice? You know Jeff we've talked so much about the offense is gonna be this year

1:02But no one I think until you guys wrote this article is actually documented What they actually did in practice. So first of all welcome back. How you doing today? Tom good fellas. How are you guys doing? All right, we're doing good. So Here houses and residences clear of any trees or power lines As your neighborhoods okay because where I am it's pretty rough out here man Is just storming pretty bad right now Well, it's not right this second not the last night was pretty bad Those are the last night I was telling Pete I saw a ton of crazy lightning Last night like the lightning was absolutely nothing across the sky and jump Yeah, it didn't stop it wasn't like a flash It was just like you know they're like Yeah, it was like literally the sky was lit and you were like am I going to sunlight like what am I going there? Exactly. Yeah Let's shed some light though Jeff on the Eagles offense because I think is one of the more important conversation points is What is this new offense and I that's why I like the article you guys wrote at philly voice and so

2:07Let's before we get to the particulars talk to me for a moment about Why this conversation has been had about Under center versus shotgun is such an important highlight to make we're talking about the Eagles offense Yeah, so There's been a There's been obviously you guys seen it right there's there's been a real proliferation of Coaches who come from the shvanahan tree the McVeigh tree And it's really starting to reach A particular amount. I mean now you know obviously the shvanahan comes from matla floor who's a McVeigh disciple And if you look around the league there's just a ton of new hires either as play callers or head coaches That are going to come from that tree and bring that even the commanders are going to do that with David blow Who was under Ben Johnson just a few years ago as a player As a quarterback there. So um, you're seeing a lot of it and

3:10Why you're seeing a lot of it is because you know things in the NFL tend to be cyclical and those offenses Typically perform pretty well, you know shanahan McVeigh of course, so I very wants to Kind of hop aboard the concepts It's a very quarterback and and wide receiver friendly offense But everything starts with the running game and the under center running game is a big element because the whole Objective of these offenses is to be able to marry your under center running game with your play action passing game And that doesn't mean you have to and I'm not saying you need an effective Under center running game you just need to be able to show it because you're trying to build passing Options off of the same looks that you would ordinarily run out of to keep the defense Guessing and that's really a big part of what Sean manion we intend to do here And it's a big deal because he goes really haven't done it that way They've been a very successful up the middle run type team inside zone duo things like that and now they're

4:15Adding something now. I wouldn't call it completely going one way to another. They're gonna be a you know We'll talk about it though. They'll have There'll still be a shotgun team plenty But they're adding this part to their offense. There's that the answer you're looking for why they're doing it or why it's becoming important around league Well, why is beginning a conversational topic because you know I remember one of the things you know you guys talked about last year on the ITB pod was about how They started trying to implement the under center stuff last year and it was like well They didn't really practice it during the game They kind of just started inserting in the season whereas now as you guys documented affiliate voice They are actively making it part of training can practice these sessions where they're saying Jalen you're under center jalen you're running play action jalen you're running this form Whereas last year it felt like it was like a hour's gonna add in because we feel like it Well, that's just it because last year As the offense continued to regress as the running game struggled last year

5:21They were the coaches collectively met and thought what can we do to offer something that looks a little different to spice this thing up This year, it's not about spicy anything up. It's about last year when they were going under center and trying these new Parts of their offense what they were doing was trying to freshen up an offense. I was getting stale this year It's not about it's about what the offense is and what the staple Of their offensive concepts will be an under center and wide zone running and Under center play action passing will be a big part of that the offense. We were talking about that the run game Specifically because we know the passing game might be a work in progress which is fair But the run game trying to get back to maybe not that two thousand yard season But getting that run game back to where it can go Is that maybe kind of why you saw a guy like cam Latu Get sacrificed in a way to where they have to keep foretide ends

6:23Because they need to get that run game back to where it needs to be I'm confused on that one. I mean he isn't tied in right But his value to the roster is more special teams Yeah, I would have argued yes, that's fine. He's very good special teamer But I don't know that he's any less of a blocker than EJ Jenkins, but I mean, I clearly they felt differently so At EJs on the roster. Yes, so that's a that's a fair point um, he became a casualty. He's now with the patriots and uh They are trying to get this running game going again Pete and they're that that's sort of a complication that they have right now Well, I want to call a complication because with the tight end picture they have it all depends on how how much better If at all got her it is a blocking than he was last year when he kind of took a step back Johnny Monk can block we know that he'll be on the field But you know You what if he gets hurt or if he's not going to be on the field for it

7:24He gives you almost nothing in the passing game So if you want to be out there with some guys with the both block end Catch then it becomes a little bit of an issue But for getting the run game going you should be a big part of that month Well, I think that's probably the reason why they kept Jenkins right is that you know They know what Jenkins can and can't do and he's kind of like a placeholder till Calcutta It comes back from the injury. That's right. I You know the I would say it's tough to say that they know what Jenkins can and can't do because okay He's not really played very much in the NFL. He has played I think in one or two games They obviously have been Please with his development so they feel like they can throw him out there and and trust him um But I just don't know how much time he's going to see on the field That's what I'm asking like is he just a placeholder until Calcuttaric I'm back It could be and then you get complicated because then you really you lose his blocking right you gain the past catching You're looking for out of the position

8:25But you know, I still think there's got to be some moves to complete this this room because If you lost got it for a game or two or even a half whatever, you know Then you don't really have a A wide tied in who can also catch you just have a month who can block and you know then you try to replace it with somebody else and just not the same By what Jenkins is a turtle of 10 games with the Eagles when most of them he was playing it looks like mostly specialty snaps Yeah, it's not like he was getting a lot of offensive action But I think that's what the interesting thing is you know Jeff before you jump on we were talking about this whole The good Zach Erks come back kind of thing And I know how I was asked about it the other day and it's like but Erks coming off from a pretty serious injury So it's like who knows what even he's like so it feels like And maybe maybe I'm not asking the right questions So feel free to kind of like pivot Jeff Mosher We're repurposing football to four at football to four here on the sports bash on nice of a three ESPN

9:25Be a technology is a wonderful thing Josh Lepichy filling it for Mike Hill live at Ureese in Wauwood where we are watching the Phillies game And it is still nothing nothing but price armor extend into his 36 game on base streaks We've got go in that going for us um So My question to you then about the tight end is Because Peter tell us for you jumped on Did where they hoping the Eli Stowers would be further along and now he's not and let's put them in this predicament Or was there another reason why They seem to have been caught in this weird Uh enigma when it comes to the tight end room No, I don't think that they I mean I I'm sure when you pick a guy in the second round You hope that he can at least be what you saw you know he has to develop But you can look he can at least give you components of what you saw from him in college and unfortunately for Stowers Who would what he what stood out about him in college was that he was a great athlete Quite a lot of passes as a tight end and created separation as a tight end because of his natural fluid movements

10:32But he's not playing Yeah, as they say playing fast, you know his play speed is down right now He's not showing that great athleticism because He's swimming in it um in the physicality of the game. I don't know how much of that They anticipated so it does but it still doesn't really change the fact that even if he was able to contribute And you put him out there That you've got he's not a guy who can block either So you're a little bit short behind Goddard on guys who can do both Jeff now go to the four quarterbacks um Is there a reason why the team kept four quarterbacks? Is there a reason why how he roseman himself wanted to keep four quarterbacks because you talk about Um a guy like who's a Kyle McCord right he Was picked by the birds last year, but then he gets traded for a six round pick They kind of lost that value to him um is there a reason why this team kept four quarterbacks

11:38Well, there's a reason I don't know if it's a good one Well, there's a reason for everything. Oh, yeah, I mean look how we how we likes to have The three guys right even last year if you remember when McKee fractures thumb and training camp that pushed McCord to the number two behind hurts and how he didn't waste two seconds before he traded for Sam Howell And then he kept howl entire I think a lot of people forget Sam Howell was on the 53 all year last year as the number three But at least Sam Howell was young through the ball a lot I mean D. Dalton comes here and he's 30 knives. You know, he's gonna be 39 if he's not already and he's Not looking so great and you know, you factor in the panthers Are paying to get rid of him so that he can sign sent Kenny pick it involved all people that really brings it full circle Uh, I think if there were an opportunity to move tall now we wouldn't uh

12:38Shia away from it But the the question really becomes is the is why are they keeping cold Peyton right um They feel like he's a developmental guy with a lot of plus traits He has a long way to go as a quarterback throwing the football. He only had 21 preseason snaps You know, he's guy who likes he's fun to watch or launch a deeply, but He'll throw it into like double and triple coverage So he's got a lot of work to do, but it's hard when you're the fourth quarterback to get working right? I mean who's is he the scouting quarterback because then what are What are McKean and Dalton doing all week because those guys don't get first team reps. They don't get any reps So uh, you really can only develop Peyton in developmental periods after practice Before games if you take them out Have them warming up out at the link and having your quarterbacks coach work with them You're more near work with them if you can You know, I do I'm just they were afraid to expose them to waivers, but

13:41You know, this is one where you guys got to remember I think I talked to you about this in the pre draft process On some shows there were teams that didn't even think cold Peyton with a quarterback Right they wanted him To work out at different positions at his pro day and he declined which is an absolute right to do um But there are teams that did not even see you know, that's where the taste of Hill Combs came in there are teams that don't think he can be a quarterback. So I how he knows that I'm I'm a little surprised he felt like exposing cold Peyton the waivers Was a risk when you know that a certain percentage of the league doesn't even think that he is a quarterback Yeah, and that really goes to like Keeping him on the 53 as opposed to risking losing a pair of draft picks last year in Cameron Williams and Miles Hinton Yeah, is that a miscalculation or You know, I don't think so. I mean I don't really care about losing those guys They were hoping to see more development that that's more like it, you know

14:42If they were hoping to see Specifically, I think with Cameron Williams because he got to play in that season finale last year and showed like he developed a little bit He came out of Texas with this kind of reputation where he's a real raw product and you got to get into him And he got a coach him and he had a year and this training camp and they just didn't like what they see it so Apparently enough to put them on the 53. I think Hinton as soon as they start across training in the guard You knew as days were numbered. You didn't really play like that in college and then in guard it takes sort of a mentality like more of nasty Inside offensive lineman mentality and he's not he never struck me as that kind of guy to begin with So I don't think that they're you I know how he was been said he's upset about losing guys I'm sure he is, you know losing who shaken the defensive back pain of who shaken to the cult I think probably is one that he wishes he didn't because that guy was a special team's miscal He was fun to watch, but I don't I don't know the two lineman

15:42Matter as much because of the day they drafted Mark Helbell They got something out of Willy Lamkin. They were happy with With true true Kendall's Emergence and then they got a couple guys in the practice squad that were with them Well, Jeff. I think that's kind of where we can circle back to what we were talking about the beginning of the hour about You know what they're doing in practice and that is you know, we're talking about Titan We're talking about these quarterbacks talking about these offensive lineman And I just have to think that you know after reading you know, you know You guys did a affiliate voice which is a very detailed description of you know what they were running under center What they were doing with motion how they didn't believe practice much motion before Devon taste with him a chileman came back from their injuries like it feels like so much this roster is a byproduct of And I'm not trying to speak for anyone so you can correct me if I'm wrong Jeff But doesn't it almost feel like that some of these rosters is were made because it was like you know what we may have liked this guy Whoever that is but they weren't picking up

16:44What we want them to do with the within the confines. Well, we do an offense possible Josh, you know, I don't know if a guy like Cameron Williams wasn't picking up the offense or just wasn't good enough In any offense or in any scheme to have beat now the guys who made the team You know, I that that ones and same thing it tight end, you know, I don't know that that was Fitting or not fitting you offense as much as just looking for certain traits and qualities that guys possess So then to with that being said From where you guys at fill your voice observe you Jimmy Kemsky and everybody Do you feel like there were certain guys maybe that seemed to be more adept in Like obviously you tend to even wicks come from this offense. He was with man in In green Bay, so he and then we also have Hollywood Brown who basically him running the wrong route was a reason why Jill and her to the infamous social media interception The quenya Mitchell so like where there are certain guys that when you saw them

17:47Lining up under center or when you saw them doing motion Then maybe that you were the guys that fill your voice for or even you know you an Adam world. It's it them being I know you and Adam talk a lot about some of this stuff where you guys like you know what this guy was really picking up What they were trying to do in practice Well, you know obviously so one of the metrics we tracked was the use of motion right which is a big part of these kind of offensive backbone identity and We charted the Eagles motion that's there in the sort of in the Philly voice story which everybody should check out And their use of motion in trade this training camp Was was slightly above what they've done in the past but what they've done in the past ranks along the bottom So you would think there would be more however as I wrote you know when you macaillemans a guy Who has the just glaring skill set to be able to fit this kind of offense because he's not a big guy He's not a burner he runs good routes. You don't want him facing a whole lot of press coverage

18:50Right, but you want him running east west and being your tell slot motion receiver and Once he got back from missing a few weeks and sort of devise Smith who also can be a motion receiver to get away from press coverage It was like the second practice after they got back that they used motion more so than any other practice Dead that year that the camp so that was one thing that really Stuck out to me. I think from the wide zone Running element Josh and and p you know tank bigs b is a guy Who I just think his natural running style like plant one foot in the ground and cut Is really conducive to that kind of a scheme Sequan Sequan confident scheme, but say you've seen Sequan sometimes where he becomes a little bit more of a freelancer with two feet Even take one and say this not just me Uh, say quam poise. They'll he likes to sometimes plant foot right foot plant left foot plant right foot as he searches for that hole or

19:51Just hurdles into the hole or spins like in a madden game into the hole and does like supernatural things. It's not exactly Taylor Taylor designed or custom fit for wide zone. We're supposed to just See the see the hole or the bubble and bounce into it right yeah, so straight on for he'll be fine But bigs b cool with with the jaguars last year The jaguars Head coach Liam Cohen and their offensive coordinator grant Ruditsky are Guys who come from that tree that McVeish and entry in fact I believe when shaman was in Minnesota No Seattle grant Ruditsky was there on the offensive coaching staff So bigs b's already gotten a lot of reps in that kind of system and I think it'll just be a natural Taylor fit for him It'll be interesting to see if he gets the ball a little more this year Most last one for me. I wanted to ask you about the gq article I don't know if you got a chance to read the entire thing But there is a piece up on a philly voice to about it. Can anyone decode jalen hurts the NFL's most cryptic

20:54Quarterback. Did you learn anything new there from from the hurts? article maybe the stuff about a j brown or maybe how jalen wants to be perceived Maybe what kind of narratives are out there of our quarterback try a try your best To decode the NFL's most cryptic quarterback you estimate decode the quarterback and decode the article about the quarterback I think it's decode morse's code because that's how hard it is to decode this guy Did you learn anything new there? Um He looks great by the way. I mean some of the fashion he's he's rocking is nice Yeah, I guess so I don't think I'm a big friend of the mustache I And I just not feeling that mustache You know far from it for me to judge somebody else's physical appearance. It was just something that popped in my head um It was a I've only seen snippets of interviews and snippets of what's in the story. I haven't had a chance to read it yet

21:55uh He is just a really different kind of cat. I think we all know that Yeah And that just that's what hit me is that like all of the things that make him a little bit unique and maybe somewhat unrelatable which I'm not going to make a big deal of because I don't think you you know relation is as important as some other sports fans might but um He is a he's a different breed of cat and I thought I was interesting in the clip that I was watching where He told the interviewer was Zach barren is that the name right? Zach barren? Yep. Zach barren He's really like oh you're done interviewing me. Well, let me ask you questions, right? And What's your Styler what's you and and I think he just completely caught Zach off guard just by reading Zach's body language there So the player Zach really did not answer it And I'm like that. That's a guy who's like You know hurts. He's sort of playing checkers while somebody else is playing chess right there or chess while Shackers. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Because he he definitely caught Zach off

22:58Garden in a way he wasn't prepared for it, but Yeah, just an interesting guy. There's that it's never just like You know, hey, what are you doing today? I'm building the store to buy grocery He's gonna give you like a really introspective The I'm sure kind of life is this dude been living man like The only thing I think that it might matter is that a quarterback is supposed to be a guy who brings everybody together right and supposed to be A guy who can speak to you if you're the 53rd guy on the roster or the Second guy on the roster and be able to even go across offense defensive lines and And you know, and through no fault through his own if that's the way he's wired That's the way he's wired, but could I understand if people who worked alongside him at the Eagles who play alongside him Had the same kind of opinions that we might have or that he's just kind of like a unique cat And not someone I can just like Sidal up or I don't love to a bar and have a beer and just start talking like You know just talking anything. He just doesn't seem like he rolls that way and maybe that that does make it tough for some guys

24:04Then just quote unquote relate to him and that brings you back to that article that we had in the offseason right where You had like close to 12 guys go off the record. Oh the yes, being our Tim McManus Yeah, the Tim McManus share a fella. No, not you that's the Tim McManus share a fella where they they source like 12 different guys, right? Well, let's say and we got we got to get to break I mean that Jeff you brought up Adam brought up previously Mike you and I talked about it here on the sports bash on nice every three is being that ESPN article if you read it in its entirety was not the Couple highlights that people made it out to be a lot of the information Were things that you guys have reported on previously inside the birds so for anyone who listens to us or listens inside the birds Podcasts. It's not like what was sent in a ESPN article was necessarily In Lightning just like this gq article not necessarily enlightening. It's just a lot of

25:07For lack of the term reaffirmation of information. We already know about gelin Yeah, I also didn't think it was a hit piece that ESPN article a lot of people were reactive and said this is this is a hit piece And there was nothing in it that I thought was Inflammatory that that made it gelin out to be the problem of anything So it was just more of like you just said an explanation of how he's a little bit wired differently and that's you know Not everybody can kind of break through that wall Well, I was going to say this whole segment has been rewire differently and unique and probably the most unique football at four We have ever done here on the sports bash on 973 ESPN So Jeff I appreciate you circling back. I appreciate Alex jump again when we had no clue what you guys were saying But you know what we made it work we brought it to the people and Hopefully when you join my kill when he returns from his vacation next week all be fine Or as my kill might assume it will be fine because I'll be back in the studio because we know my hates when I go on location

26:10Uh, yes Thanks We'll back on the cage Put put put put put put put put put the jervel back on his hamster wheel at that's what I am I get it you know There you go that's right Thanks Jeff all as well that ends well moosh all right