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blackkudos · 4 years

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Johnnie Taylor

Johnnie Harrison Taylor (May 5, 1934 – May 31, 2000) was a three-time Grammy-nominated American recording artist and songwriter who performed a wide variety of genres, from blues, rhythm and blues, soul, and gospel to pop, doo-wop, and disco.

Biography

Early years

Johnnie Taylor was born in Crawfordsville, Arkansas, United States. He grew up in West Memphis, Arkansas, performing in gospel groups as a youngster. As an adult, he had one release, "Somewhere to Lay My Head", on Chicago's Chance Records label in the 1950s, as part of the gospel group Highway QCs, which had been founded by a young Sam Cooke. Taylor's singing then was strikingly close to that of Cooke, and he was hired to take Cooke's place in the latter's gospel group, the Soul Stirrers, in 1957.

A few years later, after Cooke had established his independent SAR Records, Taylor signed on as one of the label's first acts and recorded "Rome Wasn't Built In A Day" in 1962. However, SAR Records quickly became defunct after Cooke's death in 1964.

In 1966, Taylor moved to Stax Records in Memphis, Tennessee, where he was dubbed "The Philosopher of Soul". He recorded with the label's house band, which included Booker T. & the M.G.'s. His hits included "I Had a Dream", "I've Got to Love Somebody's Baby" (both written by the team of Isaac Hayes and David Porter) and most notably "Who's Making Love", which reached No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 1 on the R&B chart in 1968. "Who's Making Love" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. In 1970, Taylor married Gerlean Rocket and they remained married until his death in 2000.

During his tenure at Stax, he became an R&B star, with over a dozen chart successes, such as "Jody's Got Your Girl and Gone", which reached No. 23 on the Hot 100 chart, "Cheaper to Keep Her" (Mack Rice) and record producer Don Davis's penned "I Believe in You (You Believe in Me)", which reached No. 11 on the Hot 100 chart. "I Believe in You (You Believe in Me)" also sold in excess of one million copies, and was awarded gold disc status by the R.I.A.A. in October 1973. Taylor, along with Isaac Hayes and The Staple Singers, was one of the label's flagship artists, who were credited for keeping the company afloat in the late 1960s and early 1970s after the death of its biggest star, Otis Redding, in an aviation accident. He appeared in the documentary film, Wattstax, which was released in 1973.

Columbia Records

After Stax folded in 1975, Taylor switched to Columbia Records, where he recorded his biggest success with Don Davis still in charge of production, "Disco Lady", in 1976. It spent four weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and six weeks at the top of the R&B chart. It peaked at No. 25 in the UK Singles Chart in May 1976. "Disco Lady" was the first certified platinum single (two million copies sold) by the RIAA. Taylor recorded several more successful albums and R&B single hits with Davis on Columbia, before Brad Shapiro took over production duties, but sales generally fell away.

Malaco Records

After a short stay at a small independent label in Los Angeles, Beverly Glen Records, Taylor signed with Malaco Records after the company's founder Tommy Couch and producing partner Wolf Stephenson heard him sing at blues singer Z. Z. Hill's funeral in spring 1984.

Backed by members of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section, as well as in-house veterans such as former Stax keyboardist Carson Whitsett and guitarist/bandleader Bernard Jenkins, Malaco gave Taylor the type of recording freedom that Stax had given him in the late 1960s and early 1970s, enabling him to record ten albums for the label in his 16-year stint.

In 1996, Taylor's eighth album for Malaco, Good Love!, reached number one on the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart (No. 15 R&B), and was the biggest record in Malaco's history. With this success, Malaco recorded a live video of Taylor at the Longhorn Ballroom in Dallas, Texas, in the summer of 1997. The club portion of the Good Love video was recorded at 1001 Nightclub in Jackson, Mississippi.

Taylor's final song was "Soul Heaven", in which he dreamed of being at a concert featuring deceased African-American music icons from Louis Armstrong to Otis Redding to Z.Z. Hill to The Notorious B.I.G., among others.

Radio

In the 1980s, Johnnie Taylor was a DJ on KKDA, a radio station in the Dallas area, where he had made his home. The station's format was mostly R&B and Soul oldies and their on-the-air personalities were often local R&B, Soul, blues, and jazz musicians. Taylor was billed as "The Wailer, Johnnie Taylor".

Death

Taylor died of a heart attack at Charlton Methodist Hospital in Dallas, Texas, on May 31, 2000, aged 66. Stax billed Johnnie Taylor as "The Philosopher of Soul". He was also known as "the Blues Wailer". He was buried beside his mother, Ida Mae Taylor, at Forrest Hill Cemetery in Kansas City, Missouri.

His highly complex personal life was revealed after his death. Having six accepted children and three others with confirmed paternity born to three different mothers, the difficulties associated with executing his will were presented in the TV programme, The Will: Family Secrets Revealed: The Estate of Johnnie Taylor. (Season 2, Episode 5. November 16, 2011).

Awards and nominations

Taylor was given a Pioneer Award by the Rhythm and Blues Foundation in 1999. Taylor was also a three-time Grammy Award nominee.

Grammy Awards

Taylor has been nominated for three career Grammy Awards without a win.

Musical influence

In 2004, the UK's Shapeshifters sampled Taylor's 1982 "What About My Love?", for their No. 1 hit single, "Lola's Theme".

Discography

Albums

Wanted: One Soul Singer - Stax 715 (1967)

Who's Making Love... - Stax 2005 (1968)

Raw Blues - Stax 2008 (1968)

Rare Stamps - Stax 2012 (1968)

The Johnnie Taylor Philosophy Continues - Stax 2023 (1969)

One Step Beyond - Stax 2030 (1971)

Taylored in Silk - Stax 3014 (1973)

Super Taylor - Stax 5509 (1974)

Eargasm - Columbia 33951 (1976)

Rated Extraordinaire - Columbia 34401 (1977)

Reflections - RCA APL1-2527 (1977)

Disco 9000 - Columbia 35004 (1977)

Ever Ready - Columbia 35340 (1978)

She's Killing Me - Columbia 36061 (1979)

A New Day - Columbia 36548 (1980)

Just Ain't Good Enough - Beverly Glen 10001 (1982)

This is Your Night - Malaco 7421 (1984)

Wall to Wall - Malaco 7431 (1985)

Lover Boy - Malaco 7440 (1987)

In Control - Malaco 7446 (1988)

Crazy 'Bout You - Malaco 7452 (1989)

I Know It's Wrong But I... Just Can't Do Right - Malaco 7460 (1991)

Real Love - Malaco 7472 (1993)

Good Love! - Malaco 7480 (1996)

Taylored to Please - Malaco 7488 (1998)

Gotta Get the Groove Back - Malaco 7499 (1999)

There's No Good in Goodbye - Malaco 7515 (2003)

Live at the Summit Club - Stax/Fantasy 8628 (recorded 1972; released 2007)

FunkSoulBrother - Fuel/Universal. Retrospective album

#05/05 #05/31

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patsypat · 3 years

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“There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish...” John 6:9 This gospel story reminds me of an interview of Dallas Jenkins, the director of the multi-season series “The Chosen”. In 2017, Dallas made a film “The Resurrection of Gavin Stone”. It bombed. Dallas and his wife were devastated and at their lowest point. In prayer, his wife seemed to get two messages, the story of the multiplication of the loaves and fishes, and “I do impossible math”. They couldn’t figure out what it meant. That night, Dallas stayed up to write a ten page memo of what they did wrong and what they could have done instead. At 2 am, a message popped up on his screen: “Remember your job is not to feed the 5000 it’s only to provide the loaves of bread and fish.” The message shocked Dallas and he asked the sender why he sent it. “I don’t know. God just told me to send you that!” Dallas says his life can be divided by before that moment and after that moment because it was so pivotal for him. He realized it was not his job to produce the results, just to provide the bread! He then had the opportunity to direct a short film for his church after that called The Shepherd which was about the birth of Christ but told through the eyes of shepherds. After the success of The Shepherd, he and his partner Derral Eves used the film to raise money for the series, “The Chosen” through crowd funding. They were able to raise a total of more than $10 million from 19,000 people! It was enough to make the first season of the series. Dallas and his wife realized what God meant when He said, “I do impossible math.” God can do impossible math in our life as well if we give Him our loaves and fishes. What are our gifts and talents? What are the resources we have in our hands? Give it to God for Him to multiply! https://www.instagram.com/p/CNs7QuFnZCu/?igshid=1m1dwnv9zk7g5

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starwarsnonsense · 7 years

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Colin Trevorrow's Women Problem

At the moment of writing, my ask box is full of messages about The Book of Henry, the newly released film from Colin Trevorrow, who is both writing and directing Episode IX. This is because BOH is, to put it mildly, getting terrible reviews. These reviews don’t just say the film is bad. They say the film is a disaster on the scale of The Room (no, not the one with Brie Larson) and Birdemic.

Perhaps more worrying, though, is the suggestion that BOH is terrible at characterising its female characters, who apparently include an infantile mother whose every move is dictated by her 11-year-old son’s instructions, an alcoholic waitress who kisses a young boy on the lips, and a schoolgirl who exists to be sexually abused and subsequently rescued thanks to a boy’s genius. This is, understandably, a cause of concern given that Trevorrow will soon be the arbiter of Rey’s fate - the same man responsible for The Book of Henry will soon be responsible for giving the heroine of the Star Wars sequel trilogy her voice.

The issues with BOH seem to go beyond an insidious edge of sexism - reviews point out wild tonal jumps and ludicrously misjudged directorial choices. While it might be tempting to place most of the blame for the characterisation on the scriptwriter, Trevorrow’s handling of the material only seems to have magnified its faults and heightened the bizarre tonal inconsistency. This points towards the responsibility for BOH’s failure lying largely with Trevorrow. Any assignment of blame aside, Trevorrow has treated BOH as a passion project, having been working on getting it made for around 10 years - for some mystifying reason, he found what appears to be objectively bad material an enticing directorial prospect. At best, this seems to indicate poor judgement - at worst, it indicates troubling detachment from the qualities of sound and emotionally resonant cinema.

I haven’t seen BOH for myself. If you want to read reviews from people who have seen it, check out the notices on the film’s Rotten Tomatoes page (the score currently stands at 25%). Because I haven’t seen BOH for myself I am not in a position to truly judge it, so I intend to move on. Instead, I will briefly discuss the other Trevorrow projects I have seen and my feelings on them.

The first Trevorrow film I saw was Jurassic World. I thought it was fine - it was bland and by the numbers, a pillar of corporate cinema, but mostly inoffensive to me. I only became conscious of its more insidious aspects when I started reading think-pieces on the portrayal of its female characters and the attitudes demonstrated towards them. Bryce Dallas-Howard’s character is uptight and shrill, a career woman whose ‘arc’ sees her humbled and restored to her proper maternal role (of caring for her nephews) and the status of assigned love interest to the hunky hero. Poor Katie McGrath suffers an even more ignominious fate - we see her screaming body being mauled by an assortment of dinosaurs more than we see her developed as a character. Trevorrow gave a spectacularly ill-conceived explanation of the thinking behind McGrath’s character’s death to Empire magazine:

But we definitely struggled over how much to allow her to earn her death, and ultimately it wasn't because she was British, it was because she was a bridezilla. She has one line about the bachelor party: 'Oh, all his friends are animals.' In the end, the earned death in these movies has become a bit standard and another thing I wanted to subvert. 'How can we surprise people? Let's have someone die who just doesn't deserve to die at all.

It’s almost like he catches up with himself here, giving the true reason for her punishment (how dare a woman be invested in her wedding! Brutal torture incoming!) before correcting himself by saying she didn’t deserve to die. The clumsiness of the back-track would be almost amusing if it weren’t for the insidiousness of the initial remark.

Much more recently, I watched Safety Not Guaranteed. I mentioned this on the podcast, and if I’m being entirely honest the film has soured for me since then. While I can’t really pinpoint outright sexism in SNG (though there is a definite aspect of Manic Pixie Dream Girl to the lead character, whose ultimate purpose seems to be getting a socially awkward loner out of a funk), I can highlight the remarkably bland and uninspired direction. While I appreciate that Safety Not Guaranteed was low budget and the first feature Trevorrow had ever made, I still find it remarkable that it demonstrates almost no creative flair or visual imagination yet still became his calling card in Hollywood. Safety Not Guaranteed was apparently the film that impressed Kathleen Kennedy enough to get Trevorrow on board for Episode IX, but she clearly saw something in it that I did not.

Just yesterday, I watched something from Trevorrow that wasn’t just bad. It was actually repulsive. This film is Trevorrow’s first short film, called Home Base:

youtube

This ‘film’ (I use the term in the loosest sense of the word) is, apparently, a comedy. The premise of this ‘film’ is that a man who is dumped by his girlfriend for another man decides to take his revenge on her by ‘fucking her mom’. This man is never questioned or treated as the appalling misogynist he so clearly is, instead being presented as something of a cheeky chappie whose ‘triumph’ at the end of the film (yes, he does it! He fucks her mom! What a hero!) we should applaud while hooting with laughter and slapping our knees. The awful capstone on all of this is an awful correctional speech that the man delivers to his sobbing ex:

I don’t think you’re shallow. I think you’ve got something wrong. You were just emotionally completely disconnected. I mean that whole orgasm thing, I mean it’s not my fault if you can’t come. I’ve tried everything, you’ve done everything. You’re just emotionally frigid, you’re physically frigid. I leave the light on in a room and you freak out, you’re not paying the electricity bill. It’s my apartment. And how you feel about kids. It’s weird.

There we have it - the writer and director of this is also the writer and director of Episode IX. Joy of joys.

And any allegations of sexism aside, just look at that thing. I was amazed by the length of the credits, by the fact that something that looks so shoddy and cheap could even have an ‘Assistant Producer’. It looks like it was shot by a lone agent on a camcorder over a single weekend. This is not the kind of short film that should portend great things. In any just world, this kind of audiovisual abomination should signal an abrupt end to a career in Hollywood.

The fact that Trevorrow has found such extraordinary success despite his track record, with much of his success apparently resting on his personal connections and his ability to charm prominent figures such as Brad Bird and Steven Spielberg, is a troubling indictment of the system that saw Patty Jenkins denied the opportunity to make her second feature for over 15 years. While Oscar-winning female directors struggle to be taken seriously and given opportunities, directors like Trevorrow - who demonstrate little artistic sensibility and only have extremely limited filmmaking experience - are put at the helm of major franchise films. For a highly eloquent explanation of this phenomenon, I strongly recommend checking out Kayleigh Donaldson’s piece on Pajiba.

I do not have a personal grudge against Trevorrow. In every interview I have seen with him, he has seemed charming, eloquent and enthusiastic. He is clearly passionate about Star Wars and intensely aware of the scrutiny he and his film are under. But at the same time I am troubled by the persistent misogyny and lack of creative flair that have been evident in his work from the beginning of his career. Star Wars films are basically modern myths, totems of Western culture that people look to as a source of inspiration and hope. In particular, this new trilogy is the story of a young woman coming into her power as a hero and grappling with her destiny. It’s a story that should be handled by a filmmaker who has demonstrated an interest in characterising women as something more than props for men’s stories. And I have strong doubts that Trevorrow is up to this task.

I am not saying that Rey shouldn’t have relationships with male characters - Wonder Woman is an excellent demonstration of how a woman’s story can involve a strong central relationship with a man without that bond being shown to diminish her - but I am saying that that shouldn’t become the sum of her story. Nothing would break my heart more than seeing Rey become sidelined in her own film, or reduced to a prop for another character’s journey.

I have loved what I’ve seen from Disney-owned Star Wars so far, and I don’t believe that Kathleen Kennedy will allow Trevorrow to use Episode IX to peddle the retrograde misogyny so clearly on display in Home Base. But I do think it reflects badly on her that Trevorrow was appointed the director of Episode IX in the first place, when there are clearly so many superior directors out there - women and men - who have shown far greater creative flair and competence. I think there will inevitably be a fallout from BOH - most likely after the inevitably dismal box office results emerge - and while I expect it’s too late in the process for Trevorrow to be removed from the project entirely, I fully expect him to receive considerable oversight and have his work scrutinised to ensure that the capstone to this new Star Wars trilogy doesn’t do irreparable damage to the franchise.

#star wars #colin trevorrow #THE BOOK OF HENRY #episode ix #star wars sequel trilogy #hollywood misogyny #kathleen kennedy #women in star wars

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flauntpage · 6 years

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Eagles Tuesday: The Screen Game, Jason Kelce’s Hustle, and Rasul Douglas as a Safety?

Doug Pederson, the day after.

The head ball coach offered a couple of injury updates at his Tuesday afternoon press conference.

On Jason Peters:

“He got rolled up. He’s going to be okay. He’s going to be day-to-day, but yeah, he should be fine. Should be fine.”

On Tim Jernigan, who left the game with back spasms:

“Jernigan is doing okay. He’s doing fine. He’s still going to be in the mix. Would expect him to be available this week and we’ll see tomorrow when we get back on the field.”

Doug didn’t really divulge what he wanted to do with Darren Sproles moving forward, but said that he’ll “keep probably increasing more of his production as we go.” Sproles ran the ball four times for 22 yards and touchdown last night in addition to returning punts for the Eagles.

A few quotes and some video clips after the jump:

Q. What was the key to getting the screen game going yesterday? (Dave Zangaro)

PEDERSON: I think just calling it, and calling more of it, quite frankly. I felt like the screens the last couple weeks have been big hitters for us. We had some opportunities again last night to have some big — we had some big gains on them, but we could have had even a couple more later in the game.

We just keep working. Again, part of that is coming off the run, coming off the play-action pass and utilizing some of the same formations. But yeah, it’s a big part of what we’re doing right now, and it’s been working.

I think that’s the key there, the idea that they can call these screens off of runs and play-action looks because those two elements of their came have improved in recent weeks. That’s what they did on the big Corey Clement 23-yarder that I showed you this morning in the takeaways column.

Here’s another example of a screen they ran off a play-action look from under center:

I like these designs because the play-action element holds the linebackers long enough to allow the linemen to get down the field and into position, where they can sort of wall them off.

On the strong side then, you have two receivers dragging a pair of cornerbacks out of play with crossing patterns to the opposite side:

It’s just well-designed and well-executed stuff, and it’s predicated on opponents needing to respect the running game.

More Doug:

Q. What have you learned from your young defensive backs these last couple weeks and the way they have handled what happened in New Orleans and gotten better? (Reuben Frank)

PEDERSON: I think you’re seeing a little more confidence in these guys. I think I saw it in [CB] Rasul [Douglas] last night, some of the plays he made, not necessarily in the passing game, but in the run game, being able to come up and make some big plays. That play on that double pass, that reverse, was tremendous by him. That’s the thing that — that’s what confidence can bring.

It’s just giving those guys an opportunity and being in a position, and just, again, just trusting the scheme, understanding the defense, being in a position, and not doing any more than that. You don’t have to go looking for plays. Plays are going to come your way when you do make them and that’s what you’re starting to see with these young guys.

Rasul looks more life a safety, doesn’t he? He looks pretty poor in coverage some times, but he made some really big tackles last night.

He did play a little bit of safety in college. I don’t know if that was at his Juco school before transferring to WVU, but he told Kempski straight up that he played safety:

I played safety and corner in college

. I was a DB , I could play it all on the backend !!! https://t.co/MbKjvUAoVU

— rasul (@rd32_era) October 10, 2018

West Virginia ran a funky 3-3-5 defense with weird zone schemes, so I don’t have any doubt that Rasul could kind of slide into any number of defensive backfield positions in the NFL. I think he’s a tad too slow to do much in man-to-man coverage, but I could see him maybe being a good long-term replacement for Malcolm Jenkins or even a free safety convert with enough time to made the adjustment.

This is the great tackle that Doug mentioned in the quote:

Doug was also asked about Jason Kelce and brought up something I didn’t notice last night.

Kelce hauled ass down the field to help tackle Josh Norman on Carson Wentz’s goal line interception.

Check it out:

Think Josh Norman will have anything to say about this after the game?pic.twitter.com/BrA6lpyI3R

— FanDuel (@FanDuel) December 4, 2018

Can’t teach that.

Here’s what Doug said about the “duo” 4th down running play that the Eagles failed to execute, the one where Josh Adams was stuffed by the defender coming off the edge:

“The last one is just a failure to communicate up front and we just missed a block on the perimeter. Not saying it would have got us in the end zone, but it would have given us a better opportunity down there. I look back at it and maybe could have put Carson on the move. You could speculate the whole thing.

But it was part of our game plan to have that play in. We just failed to execute on that last play, but something we’ll fix and given another opportunity, we’ll be better next time.”

“It was part of our game plan,” is interesting. I wonder if they saw something on film regarding the Washington linebackers, because that play call and the numerous screens and under center sets they rolled out would seem to suggest that.

That’s about it. Team had the day off after the win, so it’s a short week before heading down to Dallas.

The post Eagles Tuesday: The Screen Game, Jason Kelce’s Hustle, and Rasul Douglas as a Safety? appeared first on Crossing Broad.

Eagles Tuesday: The Screen Game, Jason Kelce’s Hustle, and Rasul Douglas as a Safety? published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

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singbox13-blog · 5 years

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The Linc - Film suggests Drew Brees not the same QB now that he was in November

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

The All-22: Where did Drew Brees’ game go? - TouchdownWire Brees’ Week 16 interception against the Buccaneers’ sub-par defense was another worrisome reaction to pressure. Here, he’s got openings to his left, and the design of the play implies a screen to the left side, but when Bucs end Vinny Curry goes straight at Brees after left tackle Jermon Bushrod heads out of the formation, Brees throws instead in the general direction of running back Mark Ingram. But Ingram’s head isn’t even turned around to see the pass, and linebacker Adarius Taylor is in the right place at the right time. You don’t expect a throw like this from a quarterback of Brees’ caliber and experience. There’s been a lot of talk this week about how Brees lit Philly’s defense up in November. That would be relevant if Brees was the same quarterback now that he was then, but the tape tells a different story. If he’s not able to correct some obvious mechanical flaws, and the Eagles are able to rock him off his spot as they were generally unable to before, this game could be a lot closer than the Saints would prefer.

Conflicting reports emerge regarding Jason Kelce potentially retiring after Eagles’ 2019 playoff run - BGN It’s not totally implausible that Kelce would hang ‘em up. He turned 31 in November and he’s about to wrap up his eighth NFL season. Including playoffs, he’s started and played 115 games over his career. He’s often played through nagging injuries in recent years, so maybe he just feels like his body can’t take the grind much longer. He also might feel like there’s not much more to accomplish, especially if the Eagles win their second straight Super Bowl this postseason. With that said, there are some conflicting reports about Kelce’s intentions. BGN alumnus Mike Kaye says a decision regarding Kelce’s future has not been made.

The Kist & Solak Show #69: Scoring on the Saints - BGN Radio Michael Kist and Benjamin Solak finish up their preview series of the Divisional Round by shifting their focus to the Eagles’ offense and how they match up with the Saints’ defense? Is Sproles in for a big game? Should the Eagles’ continue to supplant the running game with the quick passing game? What about some deep shots? All that and more on this preview show! Powered by SB Nation and Bleeding Green Nation

Rookie Avonte Maddox’s competitive nature helped him make immediate impact on Eagles’ defense - PhillyVoice “It’s football. You play corner, you’re not perfect. Certain things are going to happen,” Maddox said. “It’s all about how short your memory is, and mine is short. So when somebody makes a play — they’re one of the top athletes in the world, too, so they’re going to make plays — it’s about what you do the next play to make up for it. I definitely don’t dwell on it. I was definitely (too aggressive). I’m going to keep playing how I play. I know (the double moves are) coming. Copycat league. And they already ran a lot of double moves before that.” Maddox likes challenges. He’s been faced with them his whole life.

Running Men - Iggles Blitz The improvement of Nigel Bradham will help. He was outstanding last week. I don’t know what has happened to him in recent games, but Bradham suddenly looks like the stud he was last year. Maybe the training staff finally gave him the Funyuns therapy I’ve been telling them about all year. The NFL doesn’t have rules against Performance Enhancing Snacks. The Eagles played mainly dime defense last week and it worked really well. The Saints have physical RBs so I wonder if Schwartz will go with a nickel look this time out. The Saints don’t have a ton of speed on offense so there is something to be said for this. Schwartz has seen Dallas shut down the Saints. He saw the Panthers hold them to 12 points. He needs to steal an idea or two from those games. The Eagles don’t need to shut down the Saints. They need to slow them down. If you can keep to less than 24 points, the Eagles have a great chance to win this game. That’s a big if to be sure.

Unsung heroes are stepping up on both sides of the ball for the Eagles - PFF Just as the Eagles experienced the unthinkable a season ago under Foles, they’re now one step closer to achieving a similar fate. And a lot of that has to do with young, unheralded players making plays in pivotal moments. Treyvon Hester has quietly been having a stellar season on limited snaps — and he cemented it with a game-winning blocked kick to send his city into an all-too-familiar frenzy. While his 48.2 grade on Sunday was by far his worst grade of the season, what he did in the regular season for a team already filled with stars on the defensive line was unprecedented. His 89.7 grade ranked 14th among interior defensive linemen, and his 87.5 run defense grade ranked 10th. Hester’s grade over the last four weeks of the regular season also ranked 10th, and while the former Oakland Raiders seventh-round pick has seen only 10-20 snaps a game, he’s making the most of it. It’s hard to count anyone out on this Eagles team because as it has shown, anyone and everyone could step up when it matters most in any facet of the game.

Lawlor: How The Eagles Can Beat The Saints - PE.com The Eagles offense’ must help the defense by sustaining drives and scoring points. If the Eagles go three-and-out too often, that will put tremendous pressure on the defense. The one surefire way to stop Brees is to make him a spectator. The Eagles’ offensive line did not play well in the first meeting. Lane Johnson wasn’t completely healthy. Jason Kelce got hurt early in the game and missed some time. Jason Peters was dealing with nagging injuries. Carson Wentz was sacked three times and pressured too often. The line is healthy now and playing its best football of the year. Johnson looks like a dominant tackle once again. Peters is coming off a good game. The interior trio is clicking. The Eagles’ offense has been much better in recent weeks and one of the key reasons is the play of the guys up front.

Divisional weekend preview: Breaking down each matchup - The Athletic Saints 30, Eagles 23. At the risk of being smote for doubting Nick Foles again, I’m afraid the odds are too long this time. The Saints defense is much better than most people think, but the Eagles were able to move the ball with consistency against the best defense in the league last week. Doug Pederson will have some tricks up his sleeve, perhaps dipping back into the 12 personnel well. Without being able to run the ball consistently, the Eagles will probably need a big game from Alshon Jeffery, who has delivered them when called upon during the playoffs the past two seasons. Perhaps Brees and the Saints will come out rusty after several weeks of inaction. This is an Eagles team that wears the scar of their 41-point loss proudly as a reminder of how thirsty they are for revenge. Betting against Brees at home in the playoffs just seems foolish. But who knows, maybe the power of one Saint (Nick) is stronger than 46 combined.

Best bets for the NFL playoffs divisional round - ESPN The last two matchups between these teams are not representative of what we’ll see on Sunday afternoon. On Nov. 18, the Eagles had recently acquired Golden Tate and were trying to figure out how to incorporate him into the offense. They gave him a 76 percent snap rate against the Saints and tried to force him targets. It didn’t work. The Eagles were also without Darren Sproles and had Carson Wentz at quarterback. I expect this game will be far more competitive. Foles is getting the ball out quickly, he’s not taking sacks, he’s throwing to guys who are open, he’s making anticipation throws, he’s not dropping his head in the pocket, he’s keeping his eyes downfield and delivering and he is producing. The Eagles’ defense has not played a very strong starting quarterback since their Week 8 game over in London, though, and they will have their work cut out for them. Drew Brees is incredible at home, posting a 66 percent success rate, 9.5 yards per attempt and a 130 rating with a 21-2 TD-INT rate. Every single one of those metrics is the best in the NFL. Philadelphia will also face Ted Ginn Jr., who was worked into the lineup to close the year after missing most of the season. Ultimately, I envision this game as a back-and-forth affair that will hinge on whether or not Foles can post a clean game from a turnover perspective, because it is very likely Brees will be able to do so.

Playing Props Divisional Round - Rotoworld Darren Sproles Under 47.5 Rushing + Receiving Yards: I bet the over on Sproles’ yards from scrimmage prop last week and watched him come four yards shy of getting there. This week, they raised his line to a total that he’s hit in just one of his seven games played this season. Sproles has hit 40 yards from scrimmage just twice. His former team allows just 96.7 total yards per game to opposing backfields, which was second in the league.

Malcolm Jenkins Foundation lives on in New Orleans - 6ABC As the Eagles prepare to take on the Saints, it’s impressive that the work of Malcolm Jenkins’ foundation is still going strong in New Orleans. Of course, Jenkins used to play for the Saints, but not even the most ardent Eagles fan would begrudge his continuing commitment to the youth of the Big Easy. ”Our foundation is very much alive and active down there,” said Jenkins. “New Orleans is where I started my foundation. It’s where I got drafted. It’s where I’ve got a lot of memories and great friends that are still there.” In 2012, the Malcolm Jenkins Foundation partnered with New Orleans’ organization College Track to help students pursue their dreams of higher education.

Roob’s 10 observations: Jason Peters’ future, Nick Foles stats, give Sidney Jones a chance - NBCSP After watching Jason Peters last Sunday, I want him back at left tackle next year. I don’t care how old he is, I don’t care what his salary is, I don’t care that he left a couple games early during the regular season. The way Peters neutralized Khalil Mack, one of the NFL’s most feared pass rushers, tells me there’s plenty left in Peters’ tank. Doug Pederson has handled Peters perfectly this year, giving him plenty of time off during the week and saving him for games. And Peters has responded, playing through a couple significant injuries — a torn biceps and a nagging quad — to help the Eagles get to the conference semifinal round. At some point, it’ll be time for Peters to hang ‘em up. I don’t think he’s there yet.

NFL Conference Semifinals (Call It That!): Foles Hasn’t Been Tested Like This, Chargers’ Fatal Flaw - Sports Illustrated There’s no logical reason to think the Eagles can beat the Saints in New Orleans. But then, there was also no logical reason to think Nick Foles would have come off the bench a year ago and become Super Bowl MVP. And there was really no logical reason to think a circumstellar disc would grow out to become the planet Earth and nestle into a gravitational pull 93 million miles for the sun, allowing intelligent life to develop and, eventually, this very column to be written. Unexpected things happen. But keep a few things in mind as we suspend disbelief in regards to Nick Foles. (1) He made two crushing mistakes in the first half in Chicago last week, and a team with a more explosive offense might have left Philly in the dust. (2) Foles was good in the second half of the Bears win, though even with vintage Foles this Eagles team is not what it was a year ago. They have no run game (and the Saints have one of football’s best run defenses by any measure), and their secondary not only leans on young corners Avonte Maddox and Rasul Douglas (both of whom are improving but still shaky), but also continues to be without criminally underrated free safety Rodney McLeod playing that aggressive centerfield spot in Jim Schwartz’s single-high looks. And (3) Last week was Foles’s first true road game in the playoffs, and overall it was probably a B-minus effort. Remember, a year ago when Foles got his only postseason win outside of Philly in Super Bowl LII, that was a very suspect Patriots defense. Sunday will be Foles’s toughest test yet.

New Orleans Saints Divisional Round: Bold Predictions - Canal Street Chronicles It’s a pretty common occurrence for fans and analysts to make bold predictions about a game or season. If the prediction doesn’t come true, then that’s OK - you said it was bold! If it DOES come true, though... now you look like a genius! So in that spirit, some of the Canal Street Chronicles writers were asked to share with me a bold prediction or two for the New Orleans Saints’ first playoff round game of the NFL: a divisional round matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles. This is their chance to look brilliant!

2018 ALEX: Season Review - Football Outsiders Meanwhile, the Eagles ranked second in ALEX after finishing first in 2017, a Super Bowl year for Jim Schwartz’s defense. The Eagles have a banged-up secondary this year, but still ranked fourth in conversion rate allowed. If they can keep the play in front of them against Drew Brees this week, that could help in pulling off a huge upset.

NFL fines Michael Bennett, Adrian Amos for unnecessary roughness - PFT Michael Bennett and Adrian Amos both picked up costly penalties in the Eagles’ win over the Bears last weekend, and they picked up costly fines as well. Bennett was fined $10,026 and Amos was fined $26,739 for unnecessary roughness, the NFL confirmed today.

Cowboys magical season comes to a frustrating end at the hands of the Rams - Blogging The Boys We can feel a painful loss and have a hopeful outlook at the same time. Optimism should be a part of every Cowboys fan’s ‘basket of emotions’ after that loss. We all wanted to win that game, and there’s no excusing some of the issues that cropped up in that game. Looking at context, though, the Cowboys were on the road facing a team that went 13-3 in the regular season. A team that was among the favorites to go to the Super Bowl. There is no shame in losing to that team. It’s frustrating that as bad as the Cowboys played they were still in the game and could have won it. It makes you think that the difference between Dallas and Los Angeles isn’t as big as we, and others, might think. It may be a gap that can be closed in an offseason. This year is over, but it really feels like this edition of the Cowboys is just getting started.

Bruce Allen is here to stay with the Redskins; Dan Snyder is laughing at the #FireBruceAllen movement - Hogs Haven Dan Snyder and Bruce Allen are laughing at the fans who thought posting #FireBruceAllen a million times on social media would do a damn thing. They do not care about dwindling interest and growing apathy from a surprisingly loyal fanbase. Snyder has been bleeding fans dry for 20 years now, and still has no idea how to run a professional football organization.

BBV mailbag: Kyler Murray, a Beckham trade idea, more - Big Blue View That said, I think Dave Gettleman and Pat Shurmur are both solid, capable people. I like their approach, and I like many of the things they did in 2018. I think this is a critical offseason and 2019 a critical year. It’s often said that players often make their biggest improvements from Year 1 to Year 2 of their careers. Can that be applied to front offices and coaching staffs, too? I really don’t know, but I think the offseason will tell us a lot about the eventual success or failure of the Gettleman-Shurmur duo. I would like to see improvement in 2019. I would like to see the team in real playoff contention. I would like to have a clear idea of how they will proceed long-term at quarterback.

The Cowboys are now at 23 straight seasons without a trip to the NFC Championship - SB Nation The Dallas Cowboys won the NFC Championship in January 1996 on their way to a win in Super Bowl 30 over the Steelers. It was the last time the Cowboys got any further than the Divisional Round. With a 30-22 loss to the Rams on Saturday, the Cowboys closed the book on a 23rd consecutive season without a return to the NFC Championship. That’s the seventh-longest active conference championship drought in the NFL: 1) Cincinnati Bengals: 30 seasons. 2) Washington: 27 seasons. 3) Detroit Lions: 27 seasons. 4) Cleveland Browns: 26 seasons. 5) Miami Dolphins: 26 seasons. 6) Buffalo Bills: 25 seasons. 7) Dallas Cowboys: 23 seasons. 8) Houston Texans: 17 seasons.

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Source: https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2019/1/13/18180736/eagles-news-film-suggests-drew-brees-not-same-quarterback-now-that-was-november-philadelphia-nfl

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joannrochaus · 6 years

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A farmer who died for a stranger: How to find good news in bad news

There is good news in the bad news making news today.

First, the bad news: Large parts of Nebraska and the US Central Plains were underwater over the weekend after a late-winter “bomb cyclone” storm triggered historic flooding. Forecasters warn that more rain is coming tomorrow.

A farmer named James Wilke got a call to assist a stranger during the storm and drove his tractor over a bridge that collapsed. Wilke and his tractor went into the floodwater; he did not survive.

Meanwhile, last week’s shooting in New Zealand continues to dominate headlines as authorities rush to identify the fifty victims and the prime minister promises changes to gun laws. And ceremonies were held in Kenya and Ethiopia for the 157 victims of last week’s Ethiopian Airlines plane crash.

While man-made tragedies deservedly generate headlines and global sympathy, natural disasters affect millions across the country. The global annual death rate from natural disasters has fallen significantly over the years, but such tragedies affect 218 million people each year and claim 68,000 lives.

However, there is a principle here that promises to liberate us with hope that transcends all hardships.

Theology from a crocodile

The book of Job is not usually considered an uplifting work of literature. Much of it is dominated by Job’s understandable complaints to God about the horrific suffering he endured.

Toward the end of the book, the Lord answers him—not by explaining Job’s pain, but by declaring his own omnipotence and omniscience.

For instance, God asks Job, “Can you draw out Leviathan with a fishhook or press down his tongue with a cord?” (Job 41:1). Most scholars believe that “Leviathan” in this context is a giant crocodile.

The creature’s creator warns Job: “Lay your hands on him; remember the battle—you will not do it again!” (v. 8). By comparison to this mighty beast, “The hope of a man is false; he is laid low even at the sight of him” (v. 9).

This is just one illustration of our frailty and finitude in the face of God’s creation. There are more examples everywhere we look. As the Lord reminds Job and us, “Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine” (v. 11).

When last were you awed by God?

Here’s my question: If we fear creation (and we should), should we not fear its Creator even more?

Proverbs 1:7 declares, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” “Fear” is our healthy response to the awesome power and might of the one true God.

When Ananias lied to God and died as a result, “great fear came upon all who heard of it” (Acts 5:5). The early church walked “in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit” and “multiplied” as a result (Acts 9:31). By contrast, Scripture says of sinners, “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:18, quoting Psalm 36:1).

Across Scripture, whenever people knew they were in the presence of the one true God, their response was one of awe and reverence.

When Isaiah “saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up,” he cried, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:1, 5).

When Peter realized our Savior’s divine power, “he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord'” (Luke 5:8). John testified that when he met the risen Christ on Patmos, “I fell at his feet as though dead” (Revelation 1:17).

When last were you awed by God?

When we trust God with our fears

What is the most fearsome natural threat you can imagine?

It might be a hurricane or a tornado, a roaring lion or an attacking shark. Now realize that the God who made what makes you afraid is infinitesimally more powerful than his most powerful creation.

When we give him the awe and reverence he deserves, we position ourselves to experience his presence and power in life-changing ways. When we acknowledge that God is more powerful than the most powerful threat in nature, we are also acknowledging that our Father is more powerful than anything that can harm us.

Indeed, he is not only all-powerful—he is all-loving as well. As a result, “we are more than conquerors through him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). Say it with Paul: “I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (vv. 38–39).

When we trust him with our fears, our fearful culture pays attention. When we serve him out of selfless gratitude for his grace, our self-centered society takes note.

A record crowdfunding campaign

Dallas Jenkins is director of The Chosen, the first multi-season television series about the life of Christ. Jenkins says the idea behind the series came after “a significant career disappointment. My previous film had done poorly at the box office, and I was uncertain of my future.”

So, Jenkins decided to create a short film about the birth of Christ “just intended for my church’s Christmas Eve service.” The response was so strong that he decided to make an entire television series about the life of Jesus through the eyes of those who encountered him.

However, his team needed funding for the project. They decided to let the body of Christ help. Roughly 16,000 people around the world responded, giving more than $10 million—a record-setting campaign.

Jenkins trusted his fear to God’s power for God’s glory. Job would encourage us to do the same.

Who or what is your Leviathan today?

The post A farmer who died for a stranger: How to find good news in bad news appeared first on Denison Forum.

source https://www.denisonforum.org/columns/daily-article/a-farmer-who-died-for-a-stranger-how-to-find-good-news-in-bad-news/ source https://denisonforum.tumblr.com/post/183538960772

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denisonforum · 6 years

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A farmer who died for a stranger: How to find good news in bad news

There is good news in the bad news making news today.

A farmer named James Wilke got a call to assist a stranger during the storm and drove his tractor over a bridge that collapsed. Wilke and his tractor went into the floodwater; he did not survive.

However, there is a principle here that promises to liberate us with hope that transcends all hardships.

Theology from a crocodile

The book of Job is not usually considered an uplifting work of literature. Much of it is dominated by Job’s understandable complaints to God about the horrific suffering he endured.

Toward the end of the book, the Lord answers him—not by explaining Job’s pain, but by declaring his own omnipotence and omniscience.

When last were you awed by God?

Here’s my question: If we fear creation (and we should), should we not fear its Creator even more?

Proverbs 1:7 declares, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” “Fear” is our healthy response to the awesome power and might of the one true God.

Across Scripture, whenever people knew they were in the presence of the one true God, their response was one of awe and reverence.

When last were you awed by God?

When we trust God with our fears

What is the most fearsome natural threat you can imagine?

It might be a hurricane or a tornado, a roaring lion or an attacking shark. Now realize that the God who made what makes you afraid is infinitesimally more powerful than his most powerful creation.

When we trust him with our fears, our fearful culture pays attention. When we serve him out of selfless gratitude for his grace, our self-centered society takes note.

A record crowdfunding campaign

Jenkins trusted his fear to God’s power for God’s glory. Job would encourage us to do the same.

Who or what is your Leviathan today?

The post A farmer who died for a stranger: How to find good news in bad news appeared first on Denison Forum.

source https://www.denisonforum.org/columns/daily-article/a-farmer-who-died-for-a-stranger-how-to-find-good-news-in-bad-news/

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todaynewsstories · 6 years

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Box Office: ‘The Upside’ surprises at no. 1 with $19.5 million, ‘Aquaman’ smashes $1 billion

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – In a surprise box office victory, STX’s “The Upside” doubled expectations with its $19.5 million debut, enough to defeat “Aquaman’s” three-week reign in North America.

FILE PHOTO: Actor Bryan Cranston arrives at the premiere of the film “The Upside” at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in Toronto, September 8, 2017. REUTERS/Fred Thornhill

Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart co-star in “The Upside,” which marks the studio’s first No. 1 opening. It also ranks as STX Film’s second-best start behind “Bad Moms,” which launched with $23 million in 2016.

The box office victory comes as Hart has been in the headlines for whether or not he would host the Oscars. The comedian was tapped to emcee the industry’s biggest night, but stepped down when controversy sparked over homophobic jokes he made in the past.

What’s even more promising for STX is “The Upside,” based on the 2011 French hit “Les Intouchables,” was able to overcome its rocky path to the big screen. The Weinstein Company was originally on board to distribute the comedic drama about a quadriplegic billionaire who befriends an ex-convict hired to help him. It premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival but was shelved after sexual assault allegations against Harvey Weinstein came to light. STX and Lantern Capital then purchased the rights and worked with director Neil Burger to recut the movie from an R rating to PG-13 in hopes that would make “The Upside” more accessible for a broader audience.

“When I look at where the movie overperformed, I think [its rating] was a beneficial contributor,” said Adam Fogelson, STX’s Motion Picture Group chairman. Fogelson added, “Kevin is in rarified company when it comes to the level of support of his fans.”

Critics weren’t particularly impressed with the tag-team of Cranston and Hart (it has a 40 percent on Rotten Tomatoes), but audiences seem to be embracing the film with an A Cinemascore.

The real winner in theaters this weekend, however, has to be Nicole Kidman. The Australian actress co-stars in “The Upside” and “Aquaman,” the top two movies at the domestic box office. Kidman and her Atlantean cohorts — including the king himself, Jason Momoa, and director James Wan — have plenty to celebrate. Warner Bros.’ DC superhero adventure blew past the $1 billion mark worldwide.

“Aquaman” dropped to the No. 2 spot, picking up a solid $17 million from 3,863 venues in its fourth weekend of release. That takes its domestic tally to $287 million. The tentpole is DC’s first comic-book entry to surpass $1 billion in ticket sales since “The Dark Knight Rises” in 2012.

Sony’s “A Dog’s Way Home” opened in third place. The PG adventure about a dog (voiced by Bryce Dallas Howard) who gets separated from her owner debuted on par with estimates, earning $11 million from 3,090 theaters. It’s a promising start since the movie, co-starring Ashley Judd and Edward James Olmos, cost $18 million to produce.

Other new releases weren’t as fortunate. Entertainment Studio’s “Replicas” misfired with a dismal $2.5 million from 2,329 locations. Keanu Reeves stars in the sci-fi thriller — which isn’t fairing much better overseas, where it has generated $3.5 million.

Elsewhere, Participant Media’s Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic “On the Basis of Sex” had a promising expansion, bringing in $6.2 million when it hit 1,923 theaters. Felicity Jones portrays a young version of the supreme court justice in the legal drama, which has amassed $10.5 million since its platform release.

Annapurna’s “If Beale Street Could Talk” also expanded nationwide this weekend, pocketing $2.3 million from 1,018 screens during the three-day frame. The Oscar hopeful, written and directed by Barry Jenkins, has made $7.6 million.

A number of other awards contenders were hoping to get a boost from last weekend’s Golden Globes. Annapurna’s “Vice,” a scathing look at Dick Cheney, rounded out the top 10 with $3.2 million for a domestic total of $35 million. Adam McKay directed the biopic, which cost $60 million.

The Globes’ big winner “Bohemian Rhapsody” saw the benefit of a few statues. Fox’s Queen biopic, starring Rami Malek as the legendary frontman Freddy Mercury, drummed up another $3 million in its 11th week of release, a 33 percent hike to take its domestic haul just short of $200 million. It currently sits at $198 million in North America and $553 million internationally. “Bohemian Rhapsody” can also thank the sing-along screenings at 750 domestic locations for the increase in ticket sales. Those versions displayed lyrics on screen, encouraging audiences to clap their hands and stop their feet to hits like “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions.”

Universal and DreamWorks’ “Green Book” was another title hoping to turn some awards glory into ticket sales. The feel-good drama that has been riddled with even more controversy since picking up three Golden Globe awards last Sunday, earned $2.1 million this weekend for a domestic total of $38.5 million.

A pair of Sony titles rounded out the top five. “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” added another $9 million for a total of $147 million. Meanwhile, the studio’s psychological thriller “Escape Room” brought in $8.9 million, marking a 50 percent decline from its opening weekend and taking its domestic bounty to $32 million.

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micaramel · 7 years

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Artist: Keiichi Tanaami

Venue: Nanzuka, Tokyo

Exhibition Title: Amulet of the Tapir

Date: June 24 – August 5, 2017

Click here to view slideshow

Full gallery of images, press release, video and link available after the jump.

Video:

Keiichi Tanaami, The Laughing Spider, 2016, digital animation, 7 mins 24 secs

Images:

Images and video courtesy of the artist and NANZUKA, Tokyo

Press Release:

NANZUKA is pleased to announce “Amulet of the Tapir,” a solo exhibition with Keiichi Tanaami, as the first time in three years of his new works to be shown at the gallery.

Keiichi Tanaami was born in Tokyo in 1936 and graduated from Musashino Art University. He has been active in graphic design, illustration, film and fine arts since the 1960s, never heeding the boundaries of mediums or genres but instead continuing to aggressively traverse them through his unique practice.

Tanaami has recently presented solo exhibitions such as “No More War” (Schinkel Pavilion, Berlin, 2012) and “KILLER JOE’S (1965 – 1975)” (Fondation Speerstra, Switzerland, 2013), with participation in numerous group exhibitions including “Ausweitung der Kampfzone: Die Sampling 1968 – 2000” (Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin, 2013), the large-scale pop art retrospective “International Pop” (Walker Art Center, Dallas Museum of Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA, 2015-2016), “The World Goes Pop” (Tate Modern, London, 2015), and the two-person show “Oliver Payne and Keiichi Tanaami” (Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, 2017). Furthermore Tanaami continues to receive increasing international acclaim for his work, with renowned museums around the world such as MoMA (USA), the Walker Art Center (USA), The Art Institute of Chicago (USA), M+ Museum for Visual Culture (Hong Kong), the National Portrait Gallery (USA), Nationalgalerie im Hamburger Bahnhof (Germany) in recent years newly welcoming his works to their collections.

In recent years Tanaami has drawn influence from scenes that permeate within his own memories and dreams to engage in creating so-called “mandala paintings” that serve to articulate his personal history spanning over 80 years. Tanaami’s latest works, while seemingly presenting themselves as uncanny yet pop renditions of supernatural demon illustrations, convey various memories related to Tanaami’s real-life experiences. USA bomber planes referenced from American comics and the personified bombs that shed radiant rays of light, are profoundly related to the memories of war that Tanaami had actually witnessed as a child. The image of “chickens” that appear in his new masterpiece, “Realm of the Afterlife / Realm of the Living,” as previously introduced in his 1975 film “Crayon Angel,” serve as metaphors for fighter planes that plunge to low altitudes for bombing attacks. Likewise, the various skeletal monsters represent those who have been injured in the war, and implicate our very own selves who live unknowing of fear. Such creative processes often take place within Tanaami’s dreams. Tanaami has kept a dream diary from 1978, and ever since, the records of his dreams have made appearances in his various works. For example, the pine trees depicted as if embodying an animal sense of life, are derived from images in a picture diary in which Tanaami had recorded the hallucinations he saw when he found himself hovering on the edge of life and death while suffering from tuberculosis-induced pulmonary edema at the age of 44. Naked female figures also make frequent appearances in Tanaami’s works, and in the context of his dream diaries such sexual motifs are often introduced as subjects of fear simultaneously in parallel to the fearful experiences of war. Another theme that emerges often in Tanaami’s dream is water, which brings to mind the relationship with waves that are depicted within the contours of his work.

Alongside such memories and dreams, works by Tanaami’s favored artists such as Chirico, Warhol, Lichtenstein, Jakuchu, and Escher make appearances throughout his new series of works. Such acts of citation are perhaps a natural progression that manifests as a positive efficacy for Tanaami, who continues to evolve through converting his fear towards “death” as well as traumatic experiences into energy. Tanaami enlists these works with an almost jokingly explanation that they are, “the world that he himself would live in after death.” That which is depicted here, is a solitary realm that attempts to transcend all means of art from pop, the psychedelic, to surrealism.

The exhibition will feature approximately 10 new paintings including two new masterpiece works spanning 3-meters wide. Also to be presented is Tanaami’s new animation work “The Laughing Spider,” which since being presented for the first time in his solo exhibition last year at New York’s Sikkema Jenkins Gallery has been screened in numerous film festivals including, the St. Louise International Film Festival (officially recognized by the Academy Awards), the Geneva International Animation Film Festival in which it received the Special Jury Award, the Oberhausen International Short Film Festival, and the Sundance International Film Festival.

This will mark the first exhibition in NANZUKA’s new gallery space.

Link: Keiichi Tanaami at Nanzuka

Contemporary Art Daily is produced by Contemporary Art Group, a not-for-profit organization. We rely on our audience to help fund the publication of exhibitions that show up in this RSS feed. Please consider supporting us by making a donation today.

from Contemporary Art Daily http://bit.ly/2hwLIJd

#micaramel

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flauntpage · 6 years

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Oh No, We Suck Again- Ten Takeaways from Vikings 23, Eagles 21

I was driving home from The Station Taphouse in Doylestown last night listening to 97.5 the Fanatic after the Eagles’ 23-21 loss.

A caller, apparently on hold for 31 minutes, finally got on the air, proclaimed he was “too drunk to talk,” apologized to Joe Tordy and Joe Staszak, then hung up.

Similar to the Philadelphia Eagles, this guy wasted a good 30 minutes, tried to rally, and ultimately fell short.

Same story, different day for the Birds, who again found a way to underwhelm and disappoint, this time on home turf against a beatable team. They made mistakes, committed penalties, failed to finish drives, and couldn’t get a defensive stop when it mattered most.

It’s hard to find a single area where this team has not regressed since last season. The offensive line has been inexplicably poor. The defense continues to give up big plays at bad times. Doug Pederson does not look like the stone cold killer we saw in 2017 and Carson Wentz does not seem to be anywhere near 100% as he continues to find his feet after the ACL injury and months-long layoff.

I don’t know if it’s a Super Bowl hangover or what, but whatever moxie this team had last year is missing. Think of it as a “mojo” or a “mettle,” the sort of intangible trait that you can’t really define, but you know exists, and it pops up when guys are required to make clutch plays or get big stops or rise to the occasion with everything on the line.

That trait is totally missing right now. In addition to committing head-scratching screw ups week-in and week-out, they just don’t have the “it” factor, to use an old cliche.

It’s true that the NFC East is extremely blah right now, so that’s the glass half-full takeaway from this game. Maybe a short turnaround against a divisional foe this Thursday gets the blood pumping again and pulls the team back to .500, but they better figure it out fast, because 9-7 gets you nothing but a postseason trip to Los Angeles and 7-9 gets you nothing at all.

1) Play calling

41 called passes to 12 called running plays isn’t going to get it done.

Jay Ajayi carried the ball eight times, Wendell Smallwood three times, and Josh Adams once on what may have been Doug’s worst call of the game.

More than just the off-balance run/pass ratio, the problem here is that the Eagles aren’t establishing the ground game early. Doug ran it just five times on 19 first-half plays, one of which was a bullshit handoff before the clock ran out during the sixth series. Take that carry away and it was four runs on 18 first half plays for a 78% to 22% pass/run ratio.

Not only does that screw up the rhythm and flow in general, but offensive linemen prefer to run block instead of pass block. When you ask Isaac Seumalo to pass protect on the first four plays of the first game he’s started this season, what do you think is going to happen? Furthermore, you cannot run play-action passes when you haven’t even established the run in the first place. If I see the Eagles line up under center and use play-action one more time my head is going to explode. If you insist on trying to misdirect defenses in that way, go back to your RPO package out of the shotgun.

Sure, Ajayi might not be 100%. Corey Clement was unavailable for this one and same thing with Darren Sproles, but Smallwood is more than capable of running the ball 6-10 times per game. This is the same situation with LeGarrette Blount not getting enough work last season, then the Eagles magically got better when he started getting more involved in the offense.

Here’s a telling quote from Ajayi after the game, via Zack Rosenblatt at NJ.com:

“Obviously we want to be able to run the ball early and start that rhythm early in the beginning of the game,” Ajayi said in the locker room after the game. “If I remember correctly we had maybe three carries at the end of the first quarter.

“With the offensive line we have on this team, running the ball like that, that doesn’t make sense to me.”

Ding ding ding! We have a winner!

Run the ball Doug:

2) Fringe battles and situational football

I’ve written in the past about how the Eagles generally have a lot of success winning in peripheral phases of the game – things like time of possession, third down conversion, stuff like that.

It was not the case yesterday evening:

lost time of possession, 33 minutes to 27 minutes

-1 turnover margin

2 for 9 on third down (22.2% conversion rate)

allowed Minnesota to go 4-9 on third down (36.4%)

lost 28 yards on three sacks

2 for 5 success rate in red zone

8 penalties for 52 yards

allowed a defensive touchdown

Honestly, it’s hard to believe they only fell by two points when you consider that they lost just about every fringe battle in this game. The Vikings missing a pair of field goals, which made the game seem a lot closer than maybe it actually was.

3) Mistakes

In no particular order:

Wendell Smallwood’s 3rd down drop

missed tackles in first half (corners were especially poor)

Lane Johnson getting beat easily on the Wentz fumble

Ajayi fumble

two illegal formation penalties on the offense

Jordan Matthews running out of bounds when the clock was going to stop anyway at two-minute warning

two false starts on the same drive

intentional grounding and false start on a three play, -15 yard drive after a Minnesota fumble

Similar to the above entry, this is stuff the Eagles just don’t do, or at least they didn’t do last year.

4) Personnel problems and scapegoating

Isaac Seumalo?

Swapping Isaac Seumalo for Stefen Wisniewski is going to solve the offensive line problem?

I don’t know what Doug Pederson or Jeff Stoutland have against Wis, but they jerked him around with the left guard rotation last year, which gave us a few games of Chance Warmack instead. Thing is, everybody KNEW Wisniewski was the better player and the coaching staff finally caved and ended the ridiculous platoon thing, whatever that was.

On film this year, the entire offensive line has been poor, though the tackles have been probably worse than the any of the interior linemen thus far. But you can’t bench Lane Johnson, right? That’s too risky from an optics standpoint. Wis is the safest guy to bench to send a message.

Right, so this is how Seumalo did on the first series:

Terrible series for Isaac Seumalo. Got driven back on each play. Questionable play-calling by Doug as well. Do you really want him pass blocking all 3 plays?

— Tommy Lawlor (@lawlornfl) October 7, 2018

It feels like Wisniewski is just the week five scapegoat because it’s easier to justify his benching rather than that of a bigger name player (cough, Jalen Mills).

Doug gave a non-answer when asked why he made the switch at guard:

“Obviously in fairness of both Isaac and Stefen, I want to make sure that we evaluate the film on this, and it’s going to be hard, though, because it’s a short week, short turnaround and we’re on to the Giants.

I thought initially, he played well. Isaac played well. We’ll evaluate it again and make the decision moving forward.”

Huh? Okay.

Wis had a different take:

Wisniewski: “I’m going to be honest. I’ve been playing pretty well. I really don’t think that was it. I have some theories, but I’m not going to share those publicly. …It’s frustrating. If I wasn’t a Christian, I’d probably be losing my mind."

— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) October 8, 2018

Good for him for saying that.

Also, not sure how many snaps Shelton Gibson got, but he clearly has an ability to get down the field and catch the ball. Jeffery was targeted eight times and only caught two balls, one of which came from a hard hit on a long third down pass. Dallas Goedert was not very involved on Sunday, nor was Jordan Matthews. I don’t know if Wentz isn’t seeing guys down the field or if they’re not getting open, but he’s holding the ball waaaaaaay too long and does not have the running and scrambling ability that he had pre-surgery.

5) Quotables

For what it’s worth, the common theme among the players post-game was that they were beating themselves, shooting themselves in the foot, self-inflicted mistakes, stuff like that.

A few quotes:

Jason Peters, on whether opposing defenses are doing a better job of scheming the Eagles offense:

“I can’t say that. We had mental errors. We killed ourselves a couple of times in the red zone. We got pushed back, we didn’t get points at times, and sometimes we got three points instead of seven. Right now we’re just killing ourselves.”

Zach Ertz, on the offense’s slow start:

“Not making plays, not executing. The players, we’re just not executing, and that’s the bottom line. We’re getting to the red zone, messed up consistently in the first half, then our backs are against the walls, then we start rolling. We just have to find a way to start fast. We preach it and we emphasize it during the week. It’s talked about, but we have to go out there when the game is on the line and the bullets are flying, start the game, we have to go. Our team isn’t made to – no team in the league first of all is made to – play from a deficit of 17-3. Our team, in particular, is definitely not. We want to give our defense the lead, so those guys can take off with the four guys and dominate like they always do. We just have to play better. It starts with me, I have to play better, we just have to execute.”

Malcolm Jenkins, on if he agrees with the term ‘self-inflicted’ when describing the loss:

“It’s kind of been the thing where [we’re] giving up plays when we know we shouldn’t, penalties, takeaways, turnovers, and then the lack of takeaways; most things we feel like we are doing to ourselves. We haven’t played a game yet where we felt like the team just flat out beat us. That’s the most frustrating part, but it’s up to us to correct those. Obviously with a short week it’s something that we are going to have to trust each individual to look at themselves critically, really, without practice and try to be a more disciplined team this week.”

Fair enough I guess.

6) Jalen Mills vs. Fletcher Cox

It was around 7:35 in the third quarter when Jalen Mills broke up a pair of passes to keep the Vikings out of the end zone.

Problem is, he allowed a 68-yard reception to let Minnesota into the red zone in the first place (of course the Eagles blitzed on that play and didn’t get there, but whatever).

While jawing with Adam Thielen, Fletcher Cox came over and told Mills to get back to the sideline:

Fletcher Cox had some words for Jalen Mills. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/zeRIvu8AyU

— Matt Mullin (@matt_mullin) October 7, 2018

The thing here is that Mills doesn’t understand that:

you probably should just take the moral victory and get off the field after giving up a 68 yard pass play

the optics of celebrating a pass break-up or mouthing off at an opponent look terrible WHEN JUXTAPOSED with a bad defensive play

Again, I don’t think Mills was totally horrendous on the day. He only gave up 19 yards outside of the big third quarter play and logged three PBUs in this game, but, like I wrote last week, his transgressions always look worse because he’s getting beat in open space. In this game he had zero penalties and did well in the red zone, he just got cooked badly on the one drive. Ronald Darby got beat on the Thielen touchdown, if you care about those kinds of things.

But good on Cox for telling Mills to get on with it.

7) The Michael Bennett “penalty”

Here it is, in all of its glory:

Esto fue marcado como "Rudeza al Pasador".

DE Michael Bennett (#FlyEaglesFly) llega tropezando al QB, pero no hay intención de taclearlo debajo de las rodillas.

Hasta lo sujeta para no hacer palanca.#NFL#MINvsPHI pic.twitter.com/h5g6ELEDBj

— Ivis Aburto (@IvisAburto) October 7, 2018

I get it; you can’t go low into the quarterback. But when a defensive end is rounding a blocker and getting shoved to the ground, what exactly is he supposed to do there? Nothing? Put his hands in the air and let the quarterback get away? If anything, he sort of slid down his legs and onto the ankles, where he wrapped him up and held on.

Minnesota took the 15 yard penalty and went on to score there. It was a crucial play in this game.

Bennett blew off reporters in the locker room like he always does, but Malcolm Jenkins had some good things to say about the play:

“I don’t know what he’s supposed to do. If the quarterback has the ball, I know they don’t want low hits on the quarterback, but if you’re falling down, I guess you’re supposed to just let the quarterback go. The explanation from the official was that he has to avoid that hit which means that he can’t do his job; you can’t tackle the quarterback while the quarterback has the ball.

….

What do I tell my teammate to do in that situation where he’s already falling onto the ground? The quarterback has the ball in his hands and he has to avoid the play, which literally means he has to fall and allow the quarterback to continue the down which is the antithesis of his job. It was a tough call, but we have to find a way to overcome it.”

“The antithesis of his job.” That’s an excellent way to explain how absurd it is.

Anyway, since this was a huge play in the game, I’ll drop in the entire exchange with the refereeing crew via pool reporter Reuben Frank (transcription provided by the Eagles’ PR staff):

Can you provide an explanation – at the end of the second quarter, Eagles defensive end Michael Bennett’s sack on Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins was called for roughing the passer. What did Bennett do wrong on that play?

Walt Coleman: “He went low into the quarterback’s knees with his shoulder, with force. And the rule is that you cannot hit the quarterback low at the knee area or below with force. He got him there with his shoulder, so that’s what I had as far as roughing the passer.”

There was a crowd around Cousins. If he is coming down, how does that change the interpretation?

Coleman: “It wouldn’t really change it at all. Somebody would have to basically push him and change his direction, change everything, in order for that not to be a foul. You just can’t hit the quarterback at the knee area or below and he got him with his shoulder with force. So that’s what I had as far as the roughing the passer.”

Is that a new rule or interpretation?

Coleman: “No, that’s the one that’s been there for quite some time. That’s the one they put in several years ago. So that’s not a new roughing the passer. That’s a classic. That one has been there for quite some time now.”

(A “pool reporter” is basically one media member who speaks to the official after the game on behalf of everyone else. He or she shares the quotes with other outlets. There are no traditional scrums or press conferences with referees because it would just turn into a slaughter.)

8) Doug’s best call?

I do think he made the right call to kick the field goal in the third quarter to cut the lead to 14.

Why not? There was plenty of time to get a couple of scores to tie the game, more than 18 minutes.

Then, he went for two to cut the lead to six, which meant all you needed was a field goal, stop, and field goal to tie the game, OR a touchdown and PAT to win the game.

Shrug.

I thought that was a key momentum play at the time, and the Eagles had found a rhythm and were executing during that window of the game, so I didn’t have any issue going for two at that point.

9) Doug’s worst call?

Not a fan of the pitch to Josh Adams, the Eagles’ slowest running back, on 3rd and short during the second drive.

I also was not a fan of the 4th and 1 pass in the 4th quarter, the empty backfield shotgun look, but credit to Alshon Jeffery for making a hell of a catch to move the chains. Carson Wentz would have been allowed to sneak that last year, but I have a feeling they just don’t want him doing that this year on a repaired leg.

And sweet Jesus in Heaven that was a bad challenge flag on the Stefon Diggs catch. Not only did the receiver have two feet in bounds, he might have done three toe taps before getting out of bounds. I don’t know what Doug was doing there.

However –

I didn’t have a problem with the decision to punt after the fourth quarter turnover on 4th and 20. Right then it was a six point game with 9:17 remaining, and you knew you were getting the ball back eventually in a situation where a touchdown could win it. The defense needed to make a stop and didn’t get the job done.

10) Silent broadcasting

I was watching the game at a restaurant with friends, so I couldn’t hear the broadcast very well over the speakers, but I assume Eagles fans thought Joe Buck and Troy Aikman were biased and/or sucked.

I’ve personally never had a problem with either one of them, and I would prefer to listen to that pair plus Erin Andrews vs. a large majority of the other FOX crews currently working NFL games. I would certainly take Aikman and Buck over Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, for sure.

The one thing I couldn’t wrap my head around was that it appeared as though they cut to commercial when the Panthers were about to hit that 63-yard field goal to beat the Giants. I thought the restaurant changed the channel, but nope, FOX failed to show the end of that game and went right to the Eagles jawn because of the ridiculous NFL broadcasting rules that put the networks in terrible positions.

It’s an outrage.

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flauntpage · 6 years

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Eagles vs. Steelers – What to Watch For

Ah, finally, football.

Give me pads and helmets and game film and players with something to prove. I don’t care what it is; it can be preseason, or Tuesday night Sunbelt action, or Garnet Valley vs. Interboro. I just need to see real football again.

It’s Eagles/Steelers tonight at Lincoln Financial Field, and there’s obviously less to learn about this Super Bowl-winning squad compared to a typical August. Carson Wentz won’t play. Nick Foles probably will not play, and if he does, don’t expect many snaps. But beyond that, there aren’t a ton of question marks or holes to fill and the roster projections are pretty straightforward.

That said, this is what I’d keep an eye on tonight:

Nate Sudfeld

Think about it –

If Carson Wentz isn’t ready for week one and Nick Foles has to come out of the game for whatever reason, Sudfeld is the guy.

We saw a little bit of him last year in the meaningless Dallas contest, and tonight we’ll get to see him again for the first time in a long time. The Eagles seem to like what they have in the 6’5″, 226 pound former Indiana QB and we’ll get to see him play a boatload of snaps tonight before Joe Callahan comes in.

Slot and WILL

Not sure how many first team defensive snaps we see (it won’t be many), but the two most important things are going to be who plays weakside linebacker in the 4-3 base defense and who plays the slot when the D goes nickel.

The latter is actually probably more important, since the Eagles do spend more time in nickel than base, with five defensive backs joining Nigel Bradham and Jordan Hicks. BUT – with Bradham suspended for the opener, one of Kamu Grugier-Hill, Nate Gerry, or Corey Nelson is going to be on the field in both looks.

It seems like Grugier-Hill and Gerry have a leg up in the competition, and, for what it’s worth, Gerry is listed as the 1st team linebacker in the unofficial depth chart put together by the Eagles’ media department.

The weak-side linebacker competition will be story to watch Thursday. Kamu Grugier-Hill and Nate Gerry both getting reps with the 1s. …Corey Nelson, not so much.

— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) August 7, 2018

As far as slot corner, they’ve had a lot of guys taking reps there – Sidney Jones, De’Vante Bausby, Avonte Maddox, and others. The recurring theme from camp is that this is one of the best groups of corners the Eagles have had in years, so it’s less about talent and more about finding the right fit for the slot. Malcolm Jenkins and Corey Graham can also get down on the line of scrimmage effectively. I’m also interested to see how Rasul Douglas does tonight, since I think he’s a candidate to move to safety at some point in his career.

Defensive line

Destiny Vaeao has been getting a lot of first-team reps in place of Tim Jernigan in camp. I thought that might have been Haloti Ngata’s spot, so we’ll see if the 34-year-old veteran plays with Steven Means on the second unit instead. Vaeao would be paired with Fletcher Cox on the first unit.

Also, we’ll how they mix and match some of these defensive ends. Brandon Graham is obviously on the shelf right now, but keep an eye on 3rd and long situations to see if they stack another end at defensive tackle to get vertical pressure in the pass rush.

Dallas Goedert

He’s been getting really high praise in camp as a red zone machine and pass catching dynamo. If we’re talking about individual players on the field, I’d have Goedert and Sudfeld as 1a and 1b in terms of who I’m most interested in watching tonight:

The 4th running back

Is it Josh Adams? Wendell Smallwood? Matt Jones? Donnel Pumphrey?

This was one of the more intriguing positional battles coming into camp. I don’t know how many snaps there are going to be behind Jay Ajayi, Corey Clement, and Darren Sproles, but you never know what’s gonna happen with injuries and whatnot. Smallwood got some run last year when Sproles went down. Clement forced his way into a key role as an undrafted free agent.

Adams and Pumph probably carry more intrigue with them as far as tonight’s game. Adams was a UDFA and is probably the hardest downhill runner on the team. Pumphrey was a fourth-round draft pick who probably has the tools to replace Sproles at some point. Smallwood is a known quantity with something to prove and Jones is an X-Factor as an experienced veteran who suffered from fumble issues in Washington.

Gimme a healthy dose of all four of these guys.

Josh Adams might be the player I’m most interested in watching in Thursday’s preseason game. He looks the part, but want to see him against actual opponents. #Eagles

— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) August 7, 2018

Receiver

Alshon Jeffery won’t play and I doubt Nelson Agholor and Mike Wallace get a ton of snaps.

So we’re looking at a good chunk of playing time for the likes of Mack Hollins and Markus Wheaton and fringe guys like Shelton Gibson, Rashard Davis, Greg Ward, Kamar Aiken, and Bryce Treggs. There’s a roster spot available for one of those guys, and I’m interested to see how Gibson and Davis look, specifically. Gibson is coming off concussion protocol and seems to be getting a good amount of praise for his camp performance. Davis is another name that continues to pop up as well.

You’re looking at the Eagles carrying six receivers this year, which is what they did last season (Jeffery, Agholor, Gibson, Hollins, Marcus Johnson, and Torrey Smith.)

Cameron Johnston

Reports from training camp suggest that the Johnston hasn’t been entirely convincing with his punting performances thus far. The Ohio State product and Australia native has not had any competition in camp and is entering his first NFL season after spending a short amount of time with the Eagles last summer.

For what it’s worth, 38 year old Donnie Jones is still available if the Birds want to go back to their longtime guy. Jones made about $1.7 million last season, so part of this is about saving money and getting younger, but Donnie was also a proven commodity while Johnston is still a total unknown at this point.

In preparation for tonight, I suggest watching this 30 minute Youtube video of Johnston punts:

That’s it. Let’s play ball.

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flauntpage · 7 years

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The Best Individual Performances from the Eagles’ Super Bowl Season

We’re still basking in it.

I’m in a self-imposed moratorium on “looking ahead” pieces about the NFL draft, Nick Foles trade scenarios, and whatever other crapola people wanna talk about, less than two weeks after the Eagles’ first Super Bowl parade in franchise history.

This installment of our season review takes a look at the best individual performances of the year, of which there were many. You’ll understand if I missed a few along the way.

In no particular order:

Nick Foles vs. Minnesota

26 for 33, 352 yards, 3 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, 1 sack (6 yards), 141.4 QB rating

Simply put, one of the best playoff performances in Philadelphia sports history, if not the best. I mean, I can’t really think of anything else off the top of my head that even comes close to this. I think Wilbert Mongomery ran for something like 200 yards against Dallas back in 1980, and Van Buren did something similar long before you and I were born. Moses Malone put up 28 and 18 in game four of the 1983 finals and, of course, there’s Allen Iverson vs. the Lakers back in 2001.

There might be some comparisons in the title-winning years of the Flyers, Sixers, and Phillies, but as far as the Birds go, this might be #1. And Foles did it against one of the NFL’s best defenses.

Nigel Bradham at Carolina

Eight big plays, four in each half:

First half:

key pass breakup on 3rd and 9

blanket coverage on a dropped short yardage pass

tackle for loss on a Fozzy Whittaker run (knocked him out of the game)

big tackle on Cam Newton to keep Carolina out of field goal range

Second half:

monstrous 3rd and goal tackle to force a field goal

tackle for loss on stuffed run play

injured himself putting his body on the line to make another first-down preventing tackle

came back into game, batted pass on 3rd and 1 of final Carolina drive

I mentioned Bradham when I wrote about the most important play from every single Eagles game.

He really was fantastic in this game, covering all sorts of ground as the Birds tried to contain Newton and Christian McCaffrey.

One of my favorite plays was this one, when he tracked Newton laterally to get him down inbounds and keep Carolina out of field goal range before the half:

LeGarrette Blount at LA Chargers

16 carries for 136 yards and confirmation that the Eagles actually had a legitimate running game. He converted a 3rd down late to kill the clock, and had a season long 68-yarder in the two-point win:

. #NFLpartner From #NFLGamePass replay I see Blount avoided Tre Boston on a 68 yard run, helping him down the line https://t.co/1zelnzu7i1 pic.twitter.com/cFjIqQMvtW

— mark schlereth (@markschlereth) October 8, 2017

It was critical for a lot of reasons. People still weren’t convinced that the Birds had a good enough running game. Darren Sproles had gone down one week prior and Blount’s first three games in midnight green were somewhat underwhelming, with zero recorded carries in Kansas City and just one score in 113 yards on 26 carries in Washington and at home vs. New York.

This game really opened the door for Pederson’s offense and gave us our first sniff at the balanced attack we’d see for the rest of the campaign.

Jake Elliott at LA Chargers

Not only did the running game get going in LA, but Jake Elliott was critical in the win, going 4/4 in field goals and 2/2 in extra points. He hit from 45, 40, 53, and 47 on the afternoon to push the Birds to a 3-1 record.

Jalen Mills vs. San Francisco

He was named NFC Defensive Player of the Week after the 33-10 win.

Mills had a pick-six in the second quarter to put this game away at 17-0. At the time, it was his team-leading third interception of the season, and it was further proof that the Birds might be all right in the secondary despite the Ronald Darby injury and a shaky week three.

Corey Clement vs. Denver

Through week nine, Eagle fans thought they might have something special in Corey Clement, but to what degree was still sort of up in the air.

He had made some crucial 4th-quarter plays in the weeks prior, but the depth of his ability really came to the forefront in the blowout win against the Broncos, when he ran for 51 yards and two touchdowns while adding a 15-yard score on a well-executed screen pass:

Mais um Touchdown do @Eagles! Dessa vez @CJ_Wentz encontra o @CoreyClement_6 para marcar! #NFLBrasil #DENvsPHI #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/kMZvBvXwE0

— NFL Brasil (@NFLBrasil) November 5, 2017

One of his runs was an option that started from pistol formation, something Doug Pederson took from the Chiefs/Broncos film from the week before.

Clement turned out to be a dude who could do it all, an undrafted running back who caught four passes for 100 yards in the Super Bowl.

Brandon Graham at Washington (week 1)

It’s somewhat ironic that the Eagles season began with a Brandon Graham forced fumble and ended with a Brandon Graham forced fumble.

It was week one, a sloppy start for both the Birds and the Redskins in Warshington (actually Landover, Maryland). Caleb Sturgis had just hit a 37-yard field goal to extend the Eagle lead to 22-17.

The Redskins, who had fumbled twice already and tossed a pick, were inside their own 30 yard line with two minutes to drive down the field for a game-winning touchdown:

Just like Week 1, it's Brandon Graham helping out the defense deliver a late-round blow. Strip-sack Week 1, got to Cousins' arm here and int pic.twitter.com/iFlN2qBfZ8

— The Bitter Birds (@AdrianFedkiw) October 24, 2017

I thought that play might be overturned, but the officials went with the call on the field. Cousins was under pressure on 19-of-47 drop backs and sacked four times, twice from Graham, who added 3.5 tackles for loss in the 30-17 week one win.

Malcolm Jenkins vs. Washington (week 8)

Honestly, it’s hard to pick out individual defensive performances, because this unit played such a strong team game this year. For instance, I was looking for a Fletcher Cox standout showing, but he was stout in almost every matchup this season, so it felt like an exercise in futility.

One that I do recall, however, was Malcolm Jenkins’ week eight performance in the second Washington game. Remember when Mychal Kendricks was ruled inactive prior to the game and Jordan Hicks left injured in the first quarter? Jenkins plugged the holes admirably, finishing with a team-high 10 tackles and one of the unit’s four sacks (his was in the red zone).

He did a bit of everything, too, defending Jordan Reed at the line of scrimmage and shedding blocks from Vernon Davis. The Eagle offense struggled early and Jenkins led the defense in forcing four Washington punts on their first six drives.

Zach Ertz vs. Chicago

After missing the Denver game with a hamstring pull, Zach Ertz returned in Dallas with a quiet 8 yards on two catches. Was he still hurt? Would he be a different player down the stretch?

Nope.

He roared back against the Bears the next week, catching 10 of 12 targets for 103 yards and a touchdown. It was his first hundred-yard game of the season and sixth of his career, as the Birds rolled out as easy winners, 31-3.

Ertz set a career-high with eight touchdown grabs in 2017 and would have eclipsed every other career stat if he had played 15 or 16 games this year, instead of 14:

Fletcher Cox vs. Atlanta

Actually, I’ll give Cox the shout for the divisional round game, but the entire defense was part of the reason why Atlanta scored 10 points at Lincoln Financial Field, all in the first half.

Cox was a big reason why the Falcons only put up 86 yards on 20 rushing attempts, one week after getting 124 on the ground against Los Angeles. Tevin Coleman had 79 in this game but Devonta Freeman finished with a measly seven yards on ten carries.

Part of the reason why you didn’t hear Fletcher’s name that much in the postseason is because he drew double teams early and often. On a play like this, he still found a way to fight off two blockers and make the tackle behind the line of scrimmage:

Nice job by Kendricks to shoot the gap there and help, which results in the TFL.

Cox was obviously excellent for the majority of the season; just consider the fact that he was often performing with a target on his back. In this game, he finished with 7 tackles (5 solo), 1 sack, 2 tackles for loss, and 2 QB hits.

Carson Wentz vs. Arizona

21-30, 304 yards, 4 touchdowns, 1 interception, 1 sack (7 yards), 128.3 QB rating.

We could pick any number of standout Carson Wentz performances.

The second Washington game was under consideration, but I just felt like Wentz made a lot of killer individual plays in this game. Not only did he go for a career-high four touchdowns, but he only took one sack and really showed soft touch on two deep ball scores. The second touchdown was a slot fade to a tight end and the third was a seam route for another tight end.

The only blemish was a late-first half interception where he led his target a bit too far, but when you put the total numbers together, consider third down success, and look at how he evaded pressure, this performance crushed the eye test:

Bottom of the screen: Torrey Smith seemed to know it was a TD as soon as it left Wentz's hand. Fade to Burton from the slot. pic.twitter.com/eRLE8sAull

— Sheil Kapadia (@SheilKapadia) October 9, 2017

Doug Pederson vs. New England

A brilliant coaching performance marred only by what I thought was a poor decision to try an early two-point conversion and run a back-shoulder fade on the attempt.

Otherwise, he called a wonderful game in what became an offensive shootout. There really was no margin for error, not in the second half, when Tom Brady was slicing up the Eagle defense at will.

And even though Nick Foles asked for the “Philly Special,” Doug’s decision to trust his players and follow their instincts was a huge complement to his own assertive nature and a big reason why this team won it all.

The perfect way to describe the "Philly Special" pic.twitter.com/MctWy1JnWE

— Peter Laviolette (@fakelavy) February 13, 2018

Honorable mentions:

Trey Burton at Rams

Nelson Agholor at Seahawks

Mychal Kendricks at Panthers

Ronald Darby at Cowboys

Donnie Jones vs. Raiders

Patrick Robinson vs. Raiders

the entire offensive line vs. almost everybody (too hard to single out those guys)

The Best Individual Performances from the Eagles’ Super Bowl Season published first on https://footballhighlightseurope.tumblr.com/

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flauntpage · 7 years

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“That’s Not Our Scheme!” How Concerning Are the Eagles’ Defensive Issues?

Tuesday morning, I watched a guy ride his bike the wrong way up Aramingo Avenue, cigarette in mouth, with a roll of scrap metal slung over his right shoulder.

“Hmm.. why make it so difficult on yourself?” was my first thought.

It’s the same thought I had on Sunday afternoon, when Eli Manning was slicing and dicing the Eagle defense for 434 yards.

Why make it so difficult? Why play soft coverage? Why allow the underneath garbage? Why not press these second stringers at the line of scrimmage and make them work?

There were reasons for the game plan in the first Giants matchup, namely the absence of Ronald Darby, Rodney McLeod, and Corey Graham. Rookie Rasul Douglas and Chris Maragos were forced into starts while Odell Beckham Jr. and Brandon Marshall were still healthy and playing football.

Don’t get beat deep, keep ’em in front, make the tackle.

It made a lot of sense to do it in Week 3, but the scheme was really lacking on Sunday against Pro Bowlers like Roger Lewis and Tavarres King.

For this week’s breakdown, I’ll stay away from the video clips, since I hammered seven of them into Monday’s takeaways. Instead, there are a lot of decent quotes to take a look at, beginning with Rodney McLeod’s appearance on 94 WIP Monday afternoon.

Ex-Eagle Jon Ritchie asked McLeod a series of questions about Sunday’s defensive performance:

Ritchie: Is the Giants offense a bad matchup for your defense?

McLeod: “I wouldn’t say that. I wouldn’t say that. They just executed their offense a little better than they had previously this year. It was just one of those days. Just one of those days.”

Ritchie: What can be done to better defend the slant game?

McLeod: “One thing you can do as a (defensive) lineman, knowing you’re not going to get to the quarterback, is get your hands up. Linebackers can get in the passing lanes. Cornerbacks just have to read 3-step (drops) and keep their eyes on their work. At the end of the day, the quick game isn’t going to beat you. Explosive is going to beat you in this league. That’s one thing we have been good at all year. You have to eliminate the explosive plays.”

Ritchie: What’s the thought process behind the cornerbacks playing ‘off’ coverage so much, as opposed to pressing at the line?

McLeod: “That’s just how we play. You look at the film all year, our corners play off and do a good job at it. That’s what makes them a good group. Jalen Mills can break on the ball well. They all do a good job of reading the quarterback and playing off the receiver. All year, nothing’s changed. They’ve always played well and done a good job all the way and will continue to do a good job.”

Ritchie: With the physicality, is it an adjustment that works, playing bump coverage and disrupting routes?

McLeod: “Yea, it could, but that’s not our scheme. Corners have to be comfortable. You have to allow those guys to play and they have good instincts and they know when to play off and when to press based on situational football.”

“That’s not our scheme.”

That’s… concerning. I think McLeod makes a lot of good points otherwise, but to suggest that you can’t make an adjustment because of design purposes is the very last thing you want to hear.

All game long, this is what the coverage looked like:

3rd and 2, Jalen Mills seven-yard cushion, Patrick Robinson no contact within five yards.

New York just ran a dinky three-yard out route, untouched, for a first down:

Robinson doesn’t get a hand on Sterling Shepard when he makes his break and winds up two yards off the ball on a pitch and catch.

Going back to the quotes, McLeod is right about the linemen and linebackers playing a role in the slant game. Nigel Bradham dropped an interception on Sunday after jumping a passing route. I don’t recall any balls being batted down by Fletcher Cox, Tim Jernigan, Brandon Graham, or Vinny Curry. Jernigan and Curry have zero passes defended this year. Cox and Graham have two each, good for a tie for 281st place in the NFL.

For reference, Oakland’s Denico Autry leads all defensive ends with 7 passes defended. Jacksonville’s Abry Jones and Dallas’s David Irving are tops for tackles with 6 each. The Birds just don’t bat down a lot of balls at the line of scrimmage, and you’d think that number might be higher since they face more passing attempts than most NFL teams.

And the point about physicality is fair, too. The Eagles, up to this point, had been very good at closing the gap and making tackles in space, which was not the case on Sunday. Instead of “bend, but don’t break,” it was “bend, and then break anyway.”

During Week 3 they limited the Giants in those “explosive plays,” but this time around they gave up passing completions of 67, 57, 28, and 25. This all happened while the run defense performed at its typically high level, holding New York to just 75 yards on 23 carries. They made the other team one-dimensional again, but got gashed by the Giants’ only true offensive weapon.

The defensive coordinator

Jim Schwartz spoke on Tuesday afternoon during his weekly press conference.

The highlights:

Q. What was up with what some of the corners did on double moves? Is that just a thing because that’s what the Giants do a lot of? (Jeff McLane)

We were giving up plays up front early. When we tighten down to start being more aggressive, the down part of that is you become susceptible to double moves. We’ve got to play both. That’s part of the job description of a corner is you have to be able to defend short passes and deep passes. You have to be able to recognize some situations. We didn’t do the greatest job in the first three series of recognizing some situations where there was potential for them to throw a double move. Not all of them are identifiable, but some of them I think we could have been a little bit better there. When we have chances to play the ball and get the ball, we have to take advantage of those. We had three different times in that game that we had balls that hit our hands. If we make those plays, then we’re feeling a lot different. Even though the final score probably wouldn’t have been the same, or the result maybe wouldn’t have been the same, we still win the game, but we stop those drives a little bit earlier.

Okay, I lied, just one video, the double move that Ronald Darby bit on early:

McLeod is playing single-high safety there, so Darby doesn’t have cover-2 help over the top. Malcolm Jenkins is responsible for the tight end coming off the line.

Q. <question was about Darby’s issues> (Jeff McLane)

“I wouldn’t say they’re Ron Darby’s issues. I would say it’s secondary issues. Ron gave up some plays in this game, but I think everybody in our secondary other than Corey Graham gave up at least a play. It’s not a one man game. Ron can play better than he did and he knows that. He’s another one who had a chance to make an interception in the end zone. Those are the plays he can make. He made that interception (earlier) and that helped spark us. We were struggling. That interception had a lot to do with us getting back into the game. I give him credit for that also. But it wasn’t just a Ron Darby thing. all of our corners gave up plays.

Q. Is he in shape? (Jeff McLane)

“I don’t think its conditioning. We played a lot of snaps on defense and he played every single one of them. That goes for what we do in the NFL.”

Q. Is he still learning some of the scheme? (Dave Zangaro)

“I would categorize his stuff more as technique-wise in this game. When you get more experience you do get more comfortable and communication happens quick. We mentioned the no-huddle and that could play a part. But when you look at it from a coaching standpoint, you look at it from a technique standpoint. That’s where he can play a little bit better.”

Darby didn’t play well, but nobody really did. He’s bringing out the blocker on “half way” fans:

For the half way fans that sit around and wait for mistakes to talk trash will be getting blocked starting today . We nothing but human . http://pic.twitter.com/1YjZlLULEK

— Ronald Darby (@realronalddarby) December 19, 2017

To his credit, he did have the key interception to swing the game and get the Birds back in it.

On this play, he got enough of a jam on Lewis to throw off the slant route and force the incomplete pass:

Jenkins is assigned to the guy in the flat there. It’s a run/pass option, similar to what the Eagles do on offense, and the Giants are trying to rub one of the defenders on this play.

Q. You mentioned the quick passes. It seemed like the slant, at least early, was a problem. You’ve been really good with that for most of the season. What do you think happened there? (John McMullen)

Well, a lot of those were run plays and they were RPOs, and they were ripping them out of there.

I think we were just a little too back in coverage, but again, there’s a fine line. All of a sudden you come up, and you get double moves over your head. It’s a terrible cliché, but it took us three series of getting punched in the mouth before we responded and started playing more consistently. That’s something we can’t allow to happen. We have to come out early and say, ‘Hey, we’re on top. We played those RPOs before. We’ve played run game before.’

Again, every game’s going to be different challenges. We got to find a way to win the game. Fortunately we were able to do that in this game.

Q. The tackling has been good for most of this year, was that a problem here as you were playing off coverage? (Zach Berman)

“No, I don’t think.. you look at the first play of the game where Jalen Mills allowed a completion and that was an RPO, I think a 6 yard gain or something. He made a good, strong tackle but it was still 2nd and 4. There’s ways to be able to play off coverage to be able to still stop short passes. A lot of it has to do with underneath coverage stuff. There’s a great example, one of the same plays that got us early in the game, Nigel Bradham stepped in front of and had a chance to seal the game right there. We didn’t get it done. But there’s other ways to be able to help on those short passes and our linebackers and underneath covers have a lot to do with it. Defensive line can have a lot to do with it, too. A knocked down pass somewhere along the lines can go a long way. We’ve done that in the past as well.

Schwartz is saying the same thing as McLeod there. They need help from the front four and the linebackers as well.

Q. Do you consider changing things up based on what other teams do, or at this point in the season do you just do what you do? Can you change your identity if it’s necessary? (Geoff Mosher)

“Yea. Our scheme is big enough to play it however we want to. We went to some other coverages early in that game. We blitzed a little bit early in that game. What really got us out of it was nothing to do with any of those. What got us out of that was urgency and the feeling of giving up three touchdowns. It shouldn’t take that. It shouldn’t take giving up three touchdowns. We need to come out with more fire. If we’re disappointed in anything, let’s be disappointed in that.”

“Our scheme is big enough. We’ve had games this year where we blitzed. I’m sure you guys were like, ‘wow, they’re a blitz team this year.’ Then other games it’s, ‘well, you got burned with the blitz.’ Every one is a little bit different.”

That answer should make you feel a little bit better about what McLeod said on WIP… I think. It’s one thing for the scheme to be “big enough,” but can the proper adjustments within that umbrella be made?

The head ball coach

Doug Pederson was asked about the defensive issues Monday:

Q. Do you think that the problems that you’ve had on defense the last couple weeks could have something to do with maybe some certain players being tired? (Nick Fierro)

“I do know this: It’s been a rough three games. We’ve been on the road. There was a West Coast trip in there with Seattle and L.A., and then [we were] up in New York. I think back to when we played the Broncos. I believe the Broncos were on the road for three games in a row at the time we played them and you saw what happened there.

I think there’s something to say about that, being on the road, and traveling. All of that can affect coaches and players. I do my part during the week to limit the amount of reps that we’re taking and try to get the guys on and off the practice field and make sure that they are getting rest and all the proper hydration, nutrition, whatever it takes, this time of year, to stay as healthy as possible.

So it may appear that guys are fatigued at times, and I think it’s just a compounding interest of everything that’s sort of taken place in the last month of our season.”

Q. I know with DE Bryan Braman here someone had to be down. Why was CB Rasul Douglas the guy that was down? (Zach Berman)

“Well, when you look at the whole picture, again, special teams, you have to look at everything. And then you have to look at defensively who gives us the best value, if a safety goes down, if a corner goes down, if a nickel goes down and of course [S] Jaylen Watkins is kind of in that mix right there of being that guy. And we’ve juggled that back and forth from week-to-week. So that what was kind of reason.”

I think Douglas could have helped. He closes the gap and tackles well, and he’s a ball hawk. He picked off Eli Manning in the first game and has a ton of experience playing soft bullshit zone from his 3-3-5 days at WVU.

Q. What was your impression of how CB Ronald Darby played and how he’s played since he came back? Obviously he made some big plays. What was your overall impression of him? (Reuben Frank)

“Obviously the interception was huge, so a big play there. A couple PBUs during the game. I think he’s still sort of learning the scheme. I think there’s times where, do I think he can be more aggressive? I do. I think he can. I think he knows that.

But at the same time, he’s still fighting through a little bit of injury with the ankle but yet he’s out there practicing every single day, putting in the time and wanting to get better. We have a lot of confidence in him and what he’s done and what he’s brought to this football team, and we’ll just continue to work.

“Be more aggressive.”

That’s what you wanna hear.

Q. Is the Giants passing game a tough matchup for your pass defense and going forward, do you think teams are going to look at what they did and try to do it? (Zach Berman)

“The second part of the question, if we’re scouting the Raiders and a team goes hurry-up, yeah, we can say, ‘We want to go hurry-up.’ But if it’s not part of what you do, it’s really hard just to change during the season, to change your whole game plan. The Giants kind of go up-tempo. They have in their past. They did in their first game and obviously they did it yesterday.

And for them, too, I think with their injury situation on offense, it’s a great way for [Giants QB] Eli [Manning] to get the ball out of his hands. They still can be explosive. Some of it was RPOs. A ball was out fast on a little play-action RPO or a little run action.

They do a nice job on third down with some of their pick routes and different moving parts there, some of their mesh routes and mesh schemes. And that was their plan obviously, was to go tempo and get the ball out of his hand and use the run game when they needed to.”

Remember the Giants’ second touchdown?

This pick went uncalled:

Come on ref, you’re blowing the game! Get some glasses! You can’t see shit!

So on, and so forth.

Anyway..

Q. Do you think the defense is missing Jordan Hicks a little more than maybe we thought it would? (Les Bowen)

“It’s tough when you lose your starters. It’s hard and then, [LB] Joe Walker has missed some time and so there’s your one and two guys that have missed some time. Yeah, it can be a little disruptive defensively.

But listen, we don’t use those as excuses. We still figure it out and try to find ways to win and we’ve been able to do that.”

They miss Jordan Hicks the tackler and playmaker, but it doesn’t change a ton from a scheme standpoint. The Eagles don’t play a lot of their 4-3 base defense to begin with. They’re usually in nickel with five in the secondary.

My takeaway is a glass half-full kind of thing. I really think they were a bit ragged from playing three road games in a row. The routine was different with the week in Los Angeles. Some guys are dinged up. I think they can adjust and finish strong, but that McLeod quote is deeply concerning and puts the onus on Jim Schwartz to figure it out, or else Drew Brees might be dinking and dunking all day long at Lincoln Financial Field in January.

I’m not scared, and you shouldn’t be either, but the defense needs to make a statement on Christmas night and show everybody that the last three weeks were one continuous aberration.

“That’s Not Our Scheme!” How Concerning Are the Eagles’ Defensive Issues? published first on http://ift.tt/2pLTmlv

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