Pointers For The Eagles To Thrash The $#%@

"I just want somebody to beat the goddamned Patriots!"  - Bill Maher "New Rules" on Real Time

 It's not a top secret security matter that 99 percent of NFL fans of the teams not named New England hate the Cheatriots with a passion. Last year we came close to seeing a third Super bowl defeat handed to these insufferable little misfits  but the Atlanta Falcons blew it by failing to just kick a FG instead of going for an attempted TD pass from Matty Ice.  The FG would have given the Falcons a two score late in lead in the 4th quarter that would have been difficult to surmount. But Dan Quinn, the greedy Falcons' coach blew it, along with their offensive coordinator.  They actually thought the yardage needed to make the FG was longer than it was.  Go figure.

Now the Philadelphia Eagles have a chance to put the kibosh on these entitled bastards, for whom an entire (younger) generation sincerely believes they have a Duck boat parade coming every February.  Nothing  could be worse for most SB fans than another Patsy win, so I am here to provide some insights to the Eagles to ensure a 'W' and make this Super Bowl Sunday the best since the NY Giants last beat Brady's gang in Superbowl XLV1.

Steve  Spagnuolo the D -coordinator who helped the Giants to two SB wins over NE delivered some terrific defensive advice to the Eagles players last week on the NFL show 'Good Morning Football'.
Summarizing:

- Brady likes to use a lot of clock, often taking it down below 10 seconds. The secondary has to be patient and do likewise so as not to give away its look, coverage.

-  The D line has to get in Brady baby's face even it doesn't sack him. Hit him and hurry him over and over again to make him as uncomfortable as possible. (According to stats LLC, the Giant - the only team to conquer Brady twice on the SB stage - hurried him a combined 28 %  of the time in their Superbowl XLII and XLV1 wins)

-  Do NOT under any circumstances allow Brady to throw for more than 20 yards a play. Spagnuolo was very clear on that, emphasizing no completions over 20 yards.  The mistake the Jags made in the AFC championship was allowing the Patsies and Brady to burn them with trick plays - then go to zone coverage (instead of man) and leaving wide open spaces for Amendola.

- Brady and the Pats possess an almost preternatural knack for scoring before the end of the half, as they did in the Jags' game. Do NOT let them do it!  That score made it 14-10 and much easier to come from behind in the 2nd half.

- Be sure to hit Gronk early as he comes off the line to disrupt his timing.

As for the Eagles' offense, Spagnuolo likes the idea of using lots of varied RPOs (run -pass options). The Jags used these too but alas, could not execute effectively after Bellichick and Co. made adjustments at the half.  Four three and outs basically sealed the Jags' fate.

It need not be so with the Eagles given they have the weapon to stop the Pats cold. As WSJ writer Jared Diamond  put it ('Eagles Like The Jags - But Better'):

"The Eagles have the personnel to combat the problems that plagued the Falcons and Jaguars.. In addition to a dynamic first unit led by Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham they boast a group of backups who likely could start anywhere."

This is important given you have to be able to blitz and put pressure on Bratsky Brady but at the same time not get so fatigued that you're running on fumes by the 4th quarter - enabling him and his Patsies to make a possible comeback.

My main worry is the game being played in a domed environment, which will have a temperature of 72F - way too hot for defensive "big boys" especially late in the game.

If the Eagles can surmount the overheated environment - thermal or otherwise- I am confident they can send the Patsies' fans home crying with only their $5,000 ticket stubs.

Prediction: Eagles 27  Patriots 10

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