2020 Dynasty/Fantasy Week 6: Game Analysis: Ravens 30, Eagles 28

I take notes during the live watch. I re-watch the game on tape looking for hidden clues to report on. Here are my notes/takes on what I saw and how it related to FF 2020. I write anywhere from 1,000-3,000+ words on each game, and I have to move fast to get to all of them through the week…so, please forgive any typos/grammar.

The Ravens were leading this 17-0 at the half, and it could’ve been by more…and the Eagles were helpless versus the superior Ravens – I thought my Blazing Five Ravens pick (-7.5) was in the bag. All of the sudden the Eagles score 3 TDs in the 4th-quarter and are ‘going for two’ for a tie with two minutes left (and failed).

This was really one of those games where the superior team jumps on the inferior opponent and then just gets bored, conservative, and just starts sleepwalking…but the opponent keeps scrambling their way back in + mix in a little luck…and I’m sure the Ravens were just as shocked when Philly lined up for the two-point conversion.

The Eagles scratched and clawed with no Ertz, no Sanders…and get it to down 30-28 looking for two – and then the team that created the ‘Philly Special’ and who drafted short yardage ace wildcat QB Jalen Hurts…well, they coaches chose to run a basic play where Wentz tried to fake a handoff and keep it and he got tackled for a loss and ‘game over’ (and Hurts not on the field).

Such an admirable coaching job to keep the team going in a huge deficit…and then you climb all the way back and on the play of the game, the two point conversion try to tie, they use the most basic play in the playbook. I will never understand NFL coaches as long as I live.

Baltimore is (5-1) and heads into their bye week, just in time to extra prep/rest for the big showdown with the Steelers. Should the Ravens lose to an undefeated Steelers…there will be some nervousness in Baltimore that they don’t have ‘it’ in 2020.

I’ll bet the Ravens beat Pittsburgh (at home with an extra week of prep) and then we project them to go on to a 13-14-15 win season. Their schedule is turning even better with the Patriots not being the Patriots anymore and Dallas taking a hit without Dak.

Philly is 1-4-1…and still in the NFC East hunt. They have a two-game homestand with NYG and DAL the next two weeks but do so without Sanders and Ertz and most of their O-Line. That’s the bad news. The good news is NYG and Dallas are racked with as many issues as Philly. The schedule is too tough ahead. They Eagles project to 5-6 wins and probably losing the division to 7-win Dallas.

Fantasy Player Notes…

 -- Miles Sanders (9-118-0, 1-0-0/2) is hurt again. Probably going to miss a week or two, I’d guess two with a Week 9 bye…but every week is critical for Philly, so he may be rushed back. I’d bet two weeks though.

As far as Week 7 TNF…it’s going to be Boston Scott (2-4-0, 2-5-0/4), and I love Scott…but I’d be wary of going too hot on him. Doug Pederson doesn’t ever seem to be as enthused with him. However, he has little choice here this week with the season falling apart and Scott is a gamebreaker.

I assume it will be a 70/30 split of Scott/Corey Clement, but this is a bad O-Line, a solid NYG defense, and a coaching staff not committed to Scott. If there’s a prop bet of who has more rushing yards in Week 7, Scott or Clement…or Jalen Hurts…it might be Hurts.

I play/chase Boston Scott for this Week 7 start…but just temper your expectations.

 -- The Eagles lost their starting RB and Zach Ertz (4-33-0/10) in this game…and they’ve lost 80% of their starting O-Line. The Eagles are in shambles going into Week 7.

As soon as we all found out Zach Ertz was out for 3-4 weeks…I got a bunch of exuberant Dallas Goedert emails/texts. Hold your horses. I know many of us have TE issues, but…

Consider the following when trying to evaluate your interest in Goedert…

1) There are no reports that Goedert is healed enough to play Week 7…or Week 8. There’s no report of him even resuming conditioning or practicing yet. Maybe we’ll hear something Tuesday. But I am getting the feeling that he’s not going to be ready for Week 7.

The Eagles signed Richard Rodgers, Jason Croom, and then signed WR Hakeem Butler and are converting him to TE. There’s been a lot of TE movement/activity in Philly since Goedert went down…down with a sprained ankle PLUS a small fracture. It’s been 21 approx. days since it happened – can he recover that fast…plus, this game on a THU night gives him 3+ days less healing?

Goedert is another guy who may miss Weeks 7-8, take advantage of Week 9 bye to heal more, and fight on from there…but, again, the Eagles are running out of time. They may force things if available to.

2) How great is this going to be if Goedert does come back this week, anyway? You see how bad Zach Ertz has been. I know Goedert is more talented, but is Wentz or the coaching staff calling plays any better?

I like Goedert + Wentz – Ertz, but I’m not assuming obvious explosions when it happens. Hope but nervousness.

If Goedert doesn’t play Week 7, Richard Rodgers (3-31-0/5) is the ‘winner’/only one left…2.3 rec, for 24.8 yards, 0.0 TDs per game this season.

 -- The Ravens have a minor RB issue as well, but not as pressing for them. Mark Ingram (5-20-0) is 50/50 to play Week 8 (they have a Week 7 bye) with an ankle injury. However, the Ravens have better RBs on the bench.

When Ingram went down, J.K. Dobbins (9-28-0, 2-1-0/4) was working as the lead -- but he could not really get popping. Gus Edwards (14-26-1) came in late against a worn down, but good Philly run defense and didn’t do anything either but did get a TD.

If Ingram is out, don’t get too excited for JKD…they face the Steelers Week 8, the top run D in the NFL. A shut-down run defense.

I would bet Ingram is fine for/plays in Week 8.

 -- Lamar Jackson (16-27 for 186 yards, 1 TD/0 INT, 9-108-1) spoke of his knee bothering as to why he hadn’t been running as much prior to this game.

I guess his knee is fine now…100+ rushing and a 35-yard TD run.  

 -- Speaking of running QBs, Jalen Hurts (2-23-0, 1-3-0/1)…

Every time Hurts enters the game, things get exciting and possible…so it’s only natural the Eagles barely use him overall and didn’t involve him when it really mattered.

We should see more and more Hurts Week 7 because (a) it’s working and (b) their whole starting offense will probably be inactive this week…and (c) the desperation level has to be off the charts right now.

 -- Travis Fulgham (6-75-1/6) was not a factor for most of the 1st-half, then the Ravens started wandering and then the frenzied comeback attempt went full scale for Philly and Fulgham posted another great FF game.

I can’t believe it keeps working, but it does. Ride it while you can. When Reagor-DJax-Jeffrey return…IF they do Weeks 7 or 8 – then the Fulgham story starts to fall a bit…but he’ll be a starter in 2021 potentially. He has longer term legs but he’s not a future star, in my eyes…but he sure is playing solid/well right now.

 -- Devin Duvernay (3-31-0/3) is better than Travis Fulgham, but in a worse spot for his production.

Just noting, I’m watching DD closely…his snap counts keep rising as are his targets/touches. If Marquise Brown goes down…Duvernay might be a shock performer in his stead.

 -- Two Eagles IDPs to point out…

#1) From my IDP ‘Five Players’ from Week 6…

4) DE Josh Sweat, PHI

One of our deep sleeper and ‘stash’ IDPs for a couple years now, and he’s finally starting to emerge as a top pass rusher/defender. In 6 games this season…

1.7 total tackles, 0.50 sacks, 1.0 TFLs, 0.2 PDs, 0.2 FF per game

In Week 6 v. WSH, Sweat had a season high 5 tackles, 3 TFLs.

Sweat has been on my IDP Dynasty Stash for two+ years, one of the best-looking physical specimens as a pass rusher…but very raw and keeps grinding. He may be about to arrive as a 10+ sack a season guy.

#2) DT Malik Jackson – 4 tackles, 1.0 sack, 2 TFLs here in this game, and 2 QB hits…giving him 11 QB hits on the season, one of the best QB hit counts in the league. Just 1.5 sacks to go with, but you figure the sack counts will eventually come with all that pressure. Plus, he has 6 TFLs this season.

 -- How bad is the Philly O-Line (due to injury)? The Ravens registered 16 QB hits, 6.0 sacks, and 8.5 TFLs in the game.

Facing the Eagles offense is ‘favorable’ every week for opposing DSTs of any level. How the Eagles managed to score 28 points here is a pox on the Ravens effort in the 2nd-half. Teams like the Giants, who they face next week, will play for their life and be a great start for the week against Philly.

Snap Counts of Interest:

48 = Ertz

43 = Rodgers

01 = Croom

35 = Scott

29 = Sanders

07 = Clement

62 = Brown

49 = Snead

33 = Boykin

26 = Duvernay

32 = Edwards

30 = Dobbins

09 = Ingram