6 important offensive adjustments that the Eagles need to make in the NFC Divisional Round

The NFL regular season This is the wrap Philadelphia is the No. 1 overall seed In the NFC, after a 22-16 win at Lincoln Financial Field over the Giants in Week 18.

The bye-week is a reward for regular seasons success that allows you to enjoy the No. 1 overall seed Regroup, as well as getting the much-needed rest and rehabilitation of key players on both sides.

The postseason is also about conforming, and we’re looking at six key adjustments Philadelphia must make entering the divisional round.

 

1. Flip the Switch Back to 2021

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The Eagles ended the 2021 regular season with the NFL’s best running game, averaging 160 yards per game. Philadelphia averaged 190 yard per game over the last ten 2021 games.

The playoffs are about running the football and with the NFL’s best offensive line, Shane Steichen can help his team by inserting a run-first, punishing style of football that’ll give Dallas, San Francisco, or any other team something to ponder.

2. The top dawgs are your best bet

(Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images).

The regular season is over, so the postseason should be a one-and done affair. It should include the best offense players.

January-February are the best months for stars, with Jalen Hurts being reduced to the role a passer, A.J. Dallas Goedert, DeVontaSmith, Brown should be the primary on 85% of the obvious passings downs.

Philadelphia needs to stop focusing on offensive playmakers.

3. Disarm and confuse opposing defenses

(Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images).

Philadelphia is now able to use the motion, 3 wide receivers sets and a strong running game to frustrate opposing defenses.

Whether it be jet motion, fly across motion, glide motion, in motion, over motion, or several others, it’s imperative that Sirianni gets his athletes on the move.

Jalen Hurts isn’t close to 100%, but the Eagles’ success can still come from the efficient usage of their RPOs and three-headed monster at running back. When Hurts can’t keep it on the RPO, he needs to punish defenses with quick slants in the passing game. Hurts must feed Miles Sanders, Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott when edge rushers are on the field.

4. Avoid negative trends

Miles Sanders was not utilized as much by the Eagles in some instances. This could spell doom for them in the playoffs.

An efficient run-pass ratio is important in the NFL and Sirianni’s intelligence rating among league experts has risen significantly after Philadelphia became the NFL’s most run-heavy team in 2021.

In the playoffs with home-field advantage, the Eagles’ early-down pass rate should hover around 40%, with Shane Steichen and Nick Sirianni trending towards using the run to set up a dynamic passing game.

If Philadelphia has any chance of winning a Super Bowl, they’ll need to run potential opponents out of their building and they’ll need to completely buy into running the football to set up the play-action pass, and an RPO game that makes the Birds even more difficult to defend.

5. Kenneth Gainwell should be working in the slot

(Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images

If the Eagles aren’t going to play Zach Pascal more then Shane Steichen should look at featuring dual-threat running back Kenneth Gainwell from the slot.

Former Memphis star should get his fair share of snaps in the slot wide receiver role in the red zone and third-down areas.

Gainwell is a dynamic second-year player when utilized and if Nick Sirianni won’t give Pascal opportunities, then why not turn the former Memphis running back into a slot weapon on key downs and in open space?

RPO can be dangerous. Jalenhurts might pull in opposing linebackers using play fake. Gainwell would then streak across the middle or down the sidelines hitting Gainwell.

6. Dallas Goedert must re-emerge

Story originally appeared on Eagles Wire