Wk 5 Prediction Thread Eagles 34 vs Griz 28

[luckyintheorder]

So many good insights on how the Eagles can handle the Griz this coming weekend on the other thread. This game doesn't have to be close.

A couple of stats the Eagles D is ranked 70th while the Griz are ranked 13th. What is overlooked is that Eastern gives up 389 yds per game... Any guesses on how many yards the Griz have gained per game... Bueller... Bueller 363 yards per game...... Hmmm. I'm a fan of the Griz QB, they just don't have a dynamic offense. Given 3 stops and a single TO; Eastern can run away with this game assuming the offense executes on 6 drives.

If this does become a field position style game; Montana has a fabulous punter averaging 47 yards a kick. If the Eagles have to go 80+ the whole game, it could be a long day.

I expect Montana to start slow and try to employ their boa constrictor style defense and ball control offense. Their QB hasn't been sacked or hit a lot this season and believe the explosiveness of the Eag's DL could be a game changer.

Massey:
https://masseyratings.com/game.php?s0=358435&oid0=5035&h=-1&s1=358435&oid1=2383

Two Deep:
https://goeags.com/documents/2021/9/21/21FBTWODEEP_SUU.pdf

NCAA Stats: (select a team)
https://stats.ncaa.org/rankings/ran...ision=12.0&ranking_period=13.0&sport_code=MFB

Eagles 42 - Montana 31

 

[LDopaPDX]

Montana does a lot of unique things defensively, so I expect Eastern's offense to have some bad drives. The question is whether our D can get themselves off the field. I sure hope so, but I have just seen too much awful from the D to have high expectations. Our defensive staff cannot allow themselves to get outcoached in this game. I expect we'll know pretty early on whether we're prepared to deal with them or not.

 

[GreatDayToBeAnEagle]

EWU - 48
Montana - 38

 

[luckyintheorder]

Montana does a lot of unique things defensively, so I expect Eastern's offense to have some bad drives. The question is whether our D can get themselves off the field. I sure hope so, but I have just seen too much awful from the D to have high expectations. Our defensive staff cannot allow themselves to get outcoached in this game. I expect we'll know pretty early on whether we're prepared to deal with them or not.

True.

I have a proven inability to read the coaches minds. The good news is that Eastern has 4 games under it's belt with few injuries and the 398 yd average isn't that bad by historical standards even with that weird outlier at WIU... sheesh, can't believe I just said that. Considered it a good sign the defense didn't collapse on the road at SUU after back to back road trips to oddball locations. Have really enjoyed the DL play and know that the team misses Ojoh's explosiveness at LB. Que sera sera.

I DO expect the offense to be the offense as there are too many athlete's for Montana to take away all the options every down. Avoiding loss plays will play a big part to any success. That O'Connell is a beast, doubt we will have a good answer to him. I know Obzerver thinks EB3's legs will make a difference, sort of depends if he see's a hole created by the blitz and just goes or tries to run around in the backfield. The latter would be a disaster IMO. Time will tell.

Wish I could be at the game. A 10:30 east coast start is brutal for me and I did not factor in how Eastern will respond to a late start either. It may be a push for both teams.

 

[LDopaPDX]

Montana does a lot of unique things defensively, so I expect Eastern's offense to have some bad drives. The question is whether our D can get themselves off the field. I sure hope so, but I have just seen too much awful from the D to have high expectations. Our defensive staff cannot allow themselves to get outcoached in this game. I expect we'll know pretty early on whether we're prepared to deal with them or not.

True.

I have a proven inability to read the coaches minds. The good news is that Eastern has 4 games under it's belt with few injuries and the 398 yd average isn't that bad by historical standards even with that weird outlier at WIU... sheesh, can't believe I just said that. Considered it a good sign the defense didn't collapse on the road at SUU after back to back road trips to oddball locations. Have really enjoyed the DL play and know that the team misses Ojoh's explosiveness at LB. Que sera sera.

I DO expect the offense to be the offense as there are too many athlete's for Montana to take away all the options every down. Avoiding loss plays will play a big part to any success. That O'Connell is a beast, doubt we will have a good answer to him. I know Obzerver thinks EB3's legs will make a difference, sort of depends if he see's a hole created by the blitz and just goes or tries to run around in the backfield. The latter would be a disaster IMO. Time will tell.

Wish I could be at the game. A 10:30 east coast start is brutal for me and I did not factor in how Eastern will respond to a late start either. It may be a push for both teams.

Yeah, the loss of Ojoh was painful, but if there's a position where we have pretty good depth, it's linebacker.

On offense, Bobby Hauck team have always tried to post up their corners to take away options in the flats. I expect to see this frequently. We have a bad history of misreading those squatted corners, and have been picked by them many times. The one year they abandoned that was the year Splendorio ate them up on the outside. I expect they'll do it a lot his game and force Barriere to look at deeper options. I expect them to pressure tight on the receivers and send a lot of blitz packages our way, so it'll require some quick thinking... but that often allow tight ends to have seam routes available, and the TE position has been very productive for Eastern this year.

What's funny is that I think they're defensive methodology is sort of what Eastern needs to employ in this game. No team has tried to test our interior DL much so far, but I expect Montana to think they have a physical advantage in that area. Plus, even though it hasn't been required for Montana this year against the teams they've played, I think they'll try to chew up a lot of clock and shorten the game. Eastern will need to make that interior DL a no-run zone without overcommitting assets to the box.

This is a good game to be televised to a big audience because while Eastern and Montana have both gotten off to hot starts, there are still a lot of question marks for each team. I could see this game being a 50/50 shot, or a comfortable win for either team. We really don't know how the teams will match up until we see it on the field.

 

[luckyintheorder]

From the what's it gonna take thread. TomQ04

Quick slants, screens, and delayed/disguised runs on over blitzes.

These receivers aren't near the 2016 crew, but they are still the best in the FCS, the Griz still will have their hands full.

42-35 EWU on the last drive.

 

[luckyintheorder]

Montana does a lot of unique things defensively, so I expect Eastern's offense to have some bad drives. The question is whether our D can get themselves off the field. I sure hope so, but I have just seen too much awful from the D to have high expectations. Our defensive staff cannot allow themselves to get outcoached in this game. I expect we'll know pretty early on whether we're prepared to deal with them or not.

True.

I have a proven inability to read the coaches minds. The good news is that Eastern has 4 games under it's belt with few injuries and the 398 yd average isn't that bad by historical standards even with that weird outlier at WIU... sheesh, can't believe I just said that. Considered it a good sign the defense didn't collapse on the road at SUU after back to back road trips to oddball locations. Have really enjoyed the DL play and know that the team misses Ojoh's explosiveness at LB. Que sera sera.

I DO expect the offense to be the offense as there are too many athlete's for Montana to take away all the options every down. Avoiding loss plays will play a big part to any success. That O'Connell is a beast, doubt we will have a good answer to him. I know Obzerver thinks EB3's legs will make a difference, sort of depends if he see's a hole created by the blitz and just goes or tries to run around in the backfield. The latter would be a disaster IMO. Time will tell.

Wish I could be at the game. A 10:30 east coast start is brutal for me and I did not factor in how Eastern will respond to a late start either. It may be a push for both teams.

Yeah, the loss of Ojoh was painful, but if there's a position where we have pretty good depth, it's linebacker.

On offense, Bobby Hauck team have always tried to post up their corners to take away options in the flats. I expect to see this frequently. We have a bad history of misreading those squatted corners, and have been picked by them many times. The one year they abandoned that was the year Splendorio ate them up on the outside. I expect they'll do it a lot his game and force Barriere to look at deeper options. I expect them to pressure tight on the receivers and send a lot of blitz packages our way, so it'll require some quick thinking... but that often allow tight ends to have seam routes available, and the TE position has been very productive for Eastern this year.

What's funny is that I think they're defensive methodology is sort of what Eastern needs to employ in this game. No team has tried to test our interior DL much so far, but I expect Montana to think they have a physical advantage in that area. Plus, even though it hasn't been required for Montana this year against the teams they've played, I think they'll try to chew up a lot of clock and shorten the game. Eastern will need to make that interior DL a no-run zone without overcommitting assets to the box.

This is a good game to be televised to a big audience because while Eastern and Montana have both gotten off to hot starts, there are still a lot of question marks for each team. I could see this game being a 50/50 shot, or a comfortable win for either team. We really don't know how the teams will match up until we see it on the field.

Some of the Massey simulations say the same thing. It's all over the place. 50/50 Only two close games in this batch with Montana winning one and Eastern the other. No one knows.

Simulation Results
Montana 37 E Washington 16 (1-0-0)
Montana 12 E Washington 33 (1-1-0)
Montana 13 E Washington 54 (1-2-0)
Montana 42 E Washington 35 (2-2-0)
Montana 26 E Washington 43 (2-3-0)
Montana 23 E Washington 27 (2-4-0)
Montana 30 E Washington 65 (2-5-0)

 

[Obzerver]

EWU

UM

 

[eaglesfootball]

35-32 Eags

 

[EWU98]

Speaking of Chris Ojoh....New Mexico State...1-4......

BTW Eags win this weekend

 

[luckyintheorder]

Speaking of Chris Ojoh....New Mexico State...1-4......

BTW Eags win this weekend

:thumb: Eags Win!

Ojoh gets to play in Tuscaloosa and at Kentucky this season too.. I miss him. Surprised he followed Maurice there.

 

[Seattle Eagle]

Eastern 38
Montana 35

 

[Atomic Eagle]

Eagles 28, Montana 24

 

[DefendtheRed]

Montana-38
EWU-28

 

[Eagle Talon]

42-31 Eagles

 

[60s Savage]

Eags: 45
Griz: 20

 

[EWURanger]

I think Montana’s probably the favorite in this game, even playing on the road but also think anything can happen. Eric and the offense are good enough to keep us in the game throughout and I think he’s a more poised QB than when we played them on the road in 2019. I don’t think he’ll be as easily rattled in this game. Should be a good one.

 

[Hambone]

Eagles 48
Grizzlies 45

 

[eaglemachine]

Prediction:

The “O” will be unlike anything Montana’s vaunted defense has seen this year.

Montana’s offense will struggle to find consistency.

A sack/fumble for the Eagles sets up a late 4th quarter go ahead TD - Eags win!

EWU-38 Montana-35

 

[luckyintheorder]

Prediction:

The “O” will be unlike anything Montana’s vaunted defense has seen this year.

Montana’s offense will struggle to find consistency.

A sack/fumble for the Eagles sets up a late 4th quarter go ahead TD - Eags win!

EWU-38 Montana-35

:nod: