By: Andy Davies

Plenty of uncertainty surrounds the Detroit Lions, Philadelphia Eagles, and Houston Texans going into the 2021 season. Their quarterback situations are far from clear and their overall rosters are mediocre at best.

The same goes for their head coaches, with all three going into their first seasons at the franchise. Neither of Dan Campbell, Nick Sirianni, or David Culley has been a full-time head coach in the NFL. Campbell is the only one to have some experience, with his spell as interim head coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2015.

Here is why you should be expecting the Lions, Eagles, and Texans to have the three worst records in the league in 2021.

Saying Goodbye To A Franchise Legend In Detroit. Struggles For The Replacement

Matthew Stafford was the number one overall pick in 2009, with the entire city of Detroit hoping he would be the man to turn around the fortunes of the franchise. Despite three seasons of making the playoffs, the Lions and Stafford never won a single postseason game as the wait continues. The Lions remain the team with the second-longest period without a playoff win, their last taking place on January 5th, 1992.

Stafford had some great individual moments as a Lion, most notably his Mic’d up moment during his 2009 rookie season. In a week eleven game against the Cleveland Browns, he overcame injury to produce a moment of pure heroism. He played with a separated shoulder despite the efforts of the medical staff to keep him off the field, leading the Lions to a touchdown-winning drive.

Jim Caldwell guided the Lions to these playoff appearances but was not seen as good enough to take them to the next step. New England Patriots assistant head coach Matt Patricia was brought in but never took to life as head coach. The Lions had three consecutive losing seasons under the coaching of Patricia. They will hope that they have found their guy in Dan Campbell. His press conference was certainly not dull, with Campbell referring to “biting kneecaps”. As a former Lions player, he knows what it takes to play in the league. He also knows about the city of Detroit and his intentions are both positive and clear. If he is given time, he has the desire to bring the good times back to Detroit. However, he is inexperienced as a head coach and the roster is below average.

New quarterback Jared Goff has the potential to struggle. This is despite the drafting of offensive lineman Penei Sewell at seventh overall, a selection that had Campbell and new General Manager Brad Holmes very excited.

Despite his brilliant 2018 season that saw the Rams reach Super Bowl 53, Goff had a poor game and struggled in 2020 as he and head coach Sean McVay’s relationship deteriorated.

Goff struggled despite a plethora of offensive talent around him. Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp form one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL. He is going to a franchise that let go of their two best wide receivers and failed to replace them.

The Lions have a schedule that features the San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Rams, Pittsburgh Steelers, Arizona Cardinals, Atlanta Falcons, and Cleveland Browns. There are also two games against their division rivals, the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, and Chicago Bears. The Lions do not have it easy.

Prediction: 3-14

Trouble In Philadelphia; Reason For Hope?

The Eagles have seen three years of gradual decline after winning Super Bowl 52. The 2017 season saw the Eagles lift the Lombardi Trophy for the first time after two previous attempts.

Doug Pederson was the head coach to guide the Eagles to a Super Bowl but was fired after the conclusion of the 2020 season. His decision to bench rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts in order to lose and gain a higher draft pick appeared to be the final nail in the coffin.

Carson Wentz had an MVP caliber season before an injury derailed hopes of winning the award. Backup Nick Foles stepped in and guided the Eagles to the Super Bowl 52 win. He also stepped in a year later and guided the Eagles to a shock Wildcard Round win against the Chicago Bears, with thanks also going to a Cody Parkey missed field goal.

Both Foles and Wentz are no longer Eagles players. Out of the starters in that Super Bowl 52 win, only seven remain with the franchise. Their decision to draft Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson continues to be mocked by rival fans and nobody knows how new head coach Nick Sirianni will do in the role.

The schedule is mixed for Philadelphia. Whilst they face the New York Jets, Lions, and twice play the New York Giants, they also have to face the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs.. This is as well as facing a rising Washington Football Team twice as well as playing the Dallas Cowboys both home and away.

Reports have surfaced in recent days of the Philadelphia Eagles being the favourites for Deshaun, with talks said to be “heating up”.

This could be a move that transforms the franchise. However, Deshaun Watson had his best statistical season yet the Texans only managed four wins all year. This proves that whilst it is very important to have a good quarterback, you need more around to be successful.

Unless the Eagles do something in what remains of the offseason, they will continue to be mediocre if their roster continues to be this poor. If they get offensive or defensive talent in the next one or two offseasons, then they are a team that will compete for years to come. Otherwise, the Eagles will fail to be a threat to both the NFC and NFC East.

This is why Deshaun should avoid the Eagles at this present time. He will be going into a situation no different to what he experienced in Houston.

Prediction: 4-13

What A Difference A Year Makes

Where do we start with the Houston Texans? The 2019 season saw them take a 24-0 lead against the Chiefs in the Divisional Round. However, they allowed 41 unanswered points as they lost 51-31. What has unfolded since in the following nineteen months has been reminiscent of a Greek tragedy.

Head coach Bill O’Brien, who also was general manager, made the unusual decision to trade star wide receiver, Deandre Hopkins. In exchange, the Texans received a running back past his sell-by date in David Johnson, one second-rounder and one fourth-round pick. O’Brien only lasted four games in the 2020 season as they finished the campaign with just four wins.

Since the conclusion of the 2020 season, franchise legend J.J Watt has left and there continues to be an uncertain future surrounding quarterback Deshaun Watson. Houston’s quarterback requested a trade in January before allegations of sexual assault arose. These have lingered throughout the remainder of the offseason. It is unclear if Watson will play in the NFL at all in 2021 but even if he does, it is unlikely that he will be wearing a Texans jersey.

Houston has said they would listen to trade offers for Watson, with the franchise said to be wanting three first-round picks. They have also acquired Tyrod Taylor via Free Agency and used their first pick in the draft on Davis Mills in the third round. Even if the Eagles stick with Hurts, there will be plenty of other suitors.

Even with Watson, the Texans are light on the ground when it comes to elite talent. Linebacker Zach Cunningham and Laremy Tunsil are talents and despite adding Phillip Lindsay and Mark Ingram to the running back room, the roster is one of the league’s worst.

David Culley has developed somewhat of a worrying reputation after his time with the Eagles, Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens. During his fourteen-season spell with the Eagles, his four seasons with the Chiefs, and two years with the Ravens, he had 0 wide receivers earn a PFF grade of 80 or above.

The Chiefs wideouts went an entire season without a touchdown under Culley. With a wide receiver room featuring Brandin Cooks, Nico Collins and Anthony Miller, this is not exactly a position of strength for the Texans. Culley is unlikely to see any of these receivers score high PFF grades.

Whilst the Texans might be playing the Jacksonville Jaguars twice and the Jets, they have a tough schedule. They will face the Cleveland Browns, Buffalo Bills, Arizona Cardinals, Los Angeles Rams, Miami Dolphins and Seattle Seahawks. Houston will also play the Los Angeles Chargers and the San Francisco 49ers as well as the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans twice.

They are unlikely to win many of these games. Fans should be expecting a difficult season.

Prediction: 2-15

The post Expect the Lions, Eagles, and Texans to have the worst records in 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Alex Matteo

The 2021 NFL Draft has come and gone, naturally, we must dissect and nitpick every single pick each team has made. Today we will go through the Philadelphia Eagles’ draft and consider more than just the player selected. The why is just as important as the who at this stage.

Before the draft even started, General Manager Howie Roseman was already making headlines as the Eagles moved down from No. 6 to No. 12 while picking up the Miami Dolphins’ 2022 first-round pick. The Eagles were involved in three trades during the NFL Draft.

Draft Day Trades:

1. April 29, 2021 ”“ Acquired a 2021 first-round pick (No. 10 overall WR DeVonta Smith), from the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for a 2021 first-round pick (No. 12 overall/LB Micah Parsons) and a 2021 third-round pick (No. 84 overall/DE Chauncey Golston).
2. April 30, 2021 ”“ Acquired a 2021 third-round pick (No. 73 overall/ DT Milton Williams) and a 2021 sixth-round pick (No. 191 overall/DE Tarron Jackson) from the Carolina Panthers in exchange for a 2021 third-round pick (No. 70 overall/T Brady Christensen).
3. May 1, 2021 ”“ Acquired a 2022 fifth-round pick from the Washington Football Team in exchange for a 2021 sixth-round pick (No. 225 overall/LS Camaron Cheeseman) and a 2021 seventh-round pick (No. 240 overall/DE William Bradley-King).

2021 Philadelphia Eagles Draft Class:

• First Round
  • Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama (No.10)
• Second Round
  • Landon Dickerson, C, Alabama (No.37)
• Third Round
  • Milton Williams, DT, Louisiana Tech (No.73)
• Fourth Round
  • Zech McPhearson, CB, Texas Tech (No.123)
• Fifth Round
  • Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis (No.150)
• Sixth Round
  • Marlon Tuipulotu, DT, USC (No.189)
  • Tarron Jackson, DE, Coastal Carolina (No. 191)
  • JaCoby Stevens, LB, LSU (No.224)
• Seventh Round
  • Patrick Johnson, LB, Tulane (No.234)

Grading the Picks:

Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama (No.10)

• Philadelphia has made the mistake in the past of waiting for their guy to fall to them in the past but things were different this year. They leapt the New York Giants in a very surprising trade with the Dallas Cowboys to select 2020 Heisman winner Devonta Smith. As impressive as Smith’s Heisman campaign was, one could argue that his 2019 season was more impressive.  Smith led the team with 1256 receiving yards and 14 scores while having the second most receptions with 68. This was in an offense with 2020 first-round draft picks Henry Ruggs III, Jerry Jeudy and eventual 2021 first-round picks Jaylen Waddle and Najee Harris. But, but Smith is only 166 pounds! That doesn’t matter too much to me if we are being completely honest. 

Smith is a game changing receiver who has shown to be versatile for multiple seasons on an absolutely loaded roster for Alabama. Smith is going to step into the WR1 role in Philadelphia and command close to 100 targets this season.

Overall Grade: A+

Landon Dickerson, C, Alabama (No.37)

• The Eagles tend to draft players who they may not necessarily expect to be a starter Day-1. With an interior line consisting of Jason Kelce and Brandon Brooks this may be the case again with Dickerson. Dickerson has all the talent in the world and is capable of playing all five positions on the offensive line. The only concern however is his health. Dickerson has suffered injuries to both ACL’s and ankles in his career. Should Dickerson stay healthy he has a very good chance to be considered a draft steal in the upcoming years with Kelce potentially retiring. 

With players such as Trevon Moehrig (S, TCU) and Asante Samuel Jr. (CB, FSU) being available the Dickerson pick is even more of a high risk high reward play.

Overall Grade: B

Milton Williams, DT, Louisiana Tech (No.73)

• In selecting Williams, Philadelphia moved back from Pick 70 to 73. Williams was a very productive player in Louisiana Tech in his final two years playing both defensive end and defensive tackle. In the two years Williams had 104 tackles, 19.0 tackles for a loss and 10 sacks. With no significant defensive tackles besides Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave it made sense for Philadelphia to add to the defensive line room.

Williams is a play that screams upside. His pure athletic ability alone may get him time on the field.

Overall Grade: B

Zech McPhearson, CB, Texas Tech (No.123)

• To no surprise the Eagles addressed one of the worst secondaries in the league in the draft. The consensus around the Draft community was that Philadelphia would address the position much earlier in the draft. McPhearson a surprise Day-3 pick fell into the lap of the defensive back needy Eagles. Showing versatility to play both on the outside and in nickel, McPhearson should potentially be a viable corner to pair opposite from Darius Slay or in the slot.  

Overall Grade: B

Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis (No.150)

• After out producing Antonio Gibson in 2019, Kenneth Gainwell flew up potential draft boards going into the 2020 season. However, Gainwell opted out of the 2020 season he quickly became an afterthought in the draft process. In an offense expected to utilize multiple running backs, the Gainwell pick made a lot of sense for Philadelphia. With versatility in both the passing game as well as a rusher, Gainwell should immediately be in the 1B role to Miles Sanders.

Oh”¦ Gainwell can also do this!

Overall Grade: A-

Marlon Tuipulotu, DT, USC (No.189)

• At this point in the draft, it’s all about getting players who have either elite college production, or an elite athletic profile. Unfortunately, this may not be the case for Tuipulotu. In 30 games at USC, Tuipulotu had only 8.5 sacks and 15.0 total tackles for a loss. Expected to be a two-down player, Tuipulotu may not be more than a depth player if he makes the roster. In addition, there are concerns of back injuries in the past for Tuipulotu.

Overall Grade: C

Tarron Jackson, DE, Coastal Carolina (No. 191)

• Just two picks after addressing the defensive tackle position with Marlon Tuipulotu, the Eagles address the defensive end position with Tarron Jackson from Coastal Carolina. Jackson was a productive player for Coastal Carolina with 24.5 sacks 42.0 tackles for a loss and six forced fumbles in his four seasons at Coastal Carolina. Jackson’s production stayed status quo his final two years in college which means he may have hit his ceiling as a pass rusher. With Brandon Graham going into his age 33 season and both Derek Barnett and Josh Sweat hitting free agency in 2022, Jackson should have a chance to make plays immediately.

Overall Grade: B-

JaCoby Stevens, LB, LSU (No.224)

• With their third pick in the sixth round, Philadelphia selected JaCoby Stevens out of LSU. Interestingly enough they listed Stevens as a linebacker rather than a safety, the position he played in college. With size very similar to Jamal Adams (6’1” 212lbs), expect Philadelphia to try and use Stevens in a similar role as the former LSU standout. Will JaCoby Stevens be a player close to Adams? More likely than not no.  Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon will have to scheme Stevens into roles for potential success.

Overall Grade: B-

Patrick Johnson, LB, Tulane (No.234)

• Similarly to Stevens, seventh round pick Patrick Johnson is another player where Philadelphia plans on changing his position coming into the NFL.  At Tulane and throughout the draft process, Johnson was considered to be a 3-4 edge rusher in the NFL. The Eagles on the other hand, view Johnson as an off-ball 4-3 linebacker. With good college production and an elite athletic profile Johnson is a very low risk high reward given this point in the draft. Johnson is exactly the type of player you take a shot on late in the draft.

Overall Grade B

Final Thoughts

 Thankfully this year Howie Rosman did not overthink every pick and passed up value at each position. Philadelphia acquired an additional first round pick in 2022 potentially giving them three while addressing positions of need throughout the draft while taking value where they can. A far from perfect draft, but given the fact Rosman’s last Pro Bowl selection was Carson Wentz, it was a very pleasant change of pace.

Overall Grade: B

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