Obviously I was thrilled when I landed and checked the score. Eagles 27 Packers 14. However, my jaw hit the floor of the plane when I looked at the drive chart and saw that after that Nelson play, the Packers never got the ball back. A 9 minute, 32 second game-sealing, clock-eating drive? Elated with the win, but couldn't believed that I likely missed one of the most fun drives of the season.

I was at the airport waiting for a flight to Philly yesterday and watching the Packers-Eagles game. While I felt pretty comfortable with the game in hand, just as they announced boarding Foles got sacked and fumbled deep in our territory. As I followed the game before take off, I saw that the Packers were challenging a potential TD call. Cell phone off and I had to sit on a 2 hour flight, a ball of nerves thinking "this is going to be one of those games"

Don't get me wrong, I love the big plays, I like the quick scores, and I love seeing Desean and Riley score TDs downfield. However, at heart, I am a fan of good old smash-mouth football, especially after leaving through the frustrating (yet wonderful) Andy Reid days.

Turns out, this clock-eating masterpiece was a sequel to what we saw against the Bucs several weeks back.

So when I settled down, you can bet, the first thing I reviewed was that final drive. While I should wait for the All-22 coaches tape to break this down, I just couldn't resist.

Couple themes to follow here:

1) It was only a couple of weeks ago when we were complaining about the running backs not hitting holes. It's amazing how simple this game looks when players trust their blocking

2) Jason Peters was OUT. Allen Barbre was fantastic on this last drive as you will see, against his former team I might add.

3) Smash-mouth football is a team game. After watching so many games the last couple of years as well as earlier this year where the Eagles lost based on poor execution, it is great to see terrific execution across the board.

Here we go:

Play 1. Inside zone read. What's beginning to be a regular defensive look, the Packers have a safety in the box and he is the read. Kelce and Johnson will peel off to the second level:

McCoy hits the hole hard, and while it isn't a huge one, it's enough for a nice gain. Check out Kelce and Johnson finishing their blocks:

Straight ahead power draw. It's Herremans and Mathis this time leaking to the second level:

Check out the wall for McCoy as he run for a first down:

Another inside zone read of the safety that McCoy decides to take off-tackle behind Barbre and Celek. After the initial double, Barbre is going to peel off the second level leaving Celek alone to seal off the edge:

Sheil Kapadia highlighted a nice piece last week about how much Celek has improved his blocking this year:

“Blocking is something, it takes a lot of effort,” he said. “You’ve got to be able to finish. When you’re going up against guys that are just as big, if not bigger, than you, you’ve gotta use technique. And that’s something that my coaches have done a good job with me is really honing my technique and making sure that it’s right. Being on the same page with the offensive line. And then like I said, finishing. That’s what changes a good blocker, in my opinion, into a great blocker, is how they finish.”

This play is great evidence of that coaching, technique, and hard-work paying off. Celek leads the way for another nice gain:

Key 3rd down. While the game is well in hand, I wouldn't have felt comfortable giving the ball back to the Packers with 6 minutes left. Even with Scott Tolzien running the show. Great play call here, and good execution on the screen by Foles.

However poor execution from Kelce and Herremans. Seems like a miscommunication. Both guys are in the position to destroy the GB defender in the open field. But I think this was a case of both guys thinking the other had him. As a result, no one blocks him. But James Casey makes the most of a rare opportunity and fights for the first down yards. Great play:

Inside zone read of the OLB. Great push up front from the OL but no seam between the tackles. Lesean makes the decision to cut back into the unblocked defender:

Makes him miss and goes for the biggest gain of the drive:

How about an outside zone read of the OLB at the top of the screen:

and Allen Barbre is the leading candidate for the Chip Wagon pancake of the week as he cleans up the corner for Bryce Brown:

Packers finally begin to show their impatience and frustration with the inside zone read. They are cheating on the RB more and more as the drive continues:

Another cutback, and another nice, physical run from Brown. Check out the movement Barbre and Kelce get on Raji behind the 1st down marker:

Now they are really getting fed up. Check out how hard the Packers are defending against the run:

Yet, McCoy still gets a seam from the inside zone read, hits the hole hard, and a 6 yard gain up the middle:

So at this point, it makes sense to point out that for all of these inside and outside zone reads, the option for Foles to keep isn't actually on, right?

Last actual play of the game. Watch how aggressively they pursue the RB:

Foles keeps on the run option and runs for a 1st down to officially ice the game:

Fitting end to the game at Lambeau and perhaps Kelly's ironic way of passing the baton to his new franchise QB