The Philadelphia Eagles have cut their best pass rusher and now they have traded their best running back in team history. They are about to let their best wide receiver and second best pass rusher test the open market. Eagles fans throughout the nation are completely in shock. There are two things that can come from these moves.
1.) Chip is building his team with his players. As a coach who has been in the league for two years, he has a feel for what he wants. He has assumed complete command of the front office. His director of player personnel was picked by him, who was the head recruiter for Alabama. Kelly intends to maintain the balance of power he once had when he was in college; which lead to the success of the Oregon college football program. He had success without successfully recruiting top players in the country. He believes in the motto ‘hard work beats talent if the players are willing to work hard’. The owner Jeffrey Lurie wouldn’t have given Kelly so much power if he didn’t trust him. He did the same thing with Andy Reid and that turned out well in the long run. With these moves he has freed up to $50 Million+ in cap room. The team can potentially sign more players in free agency to build around their dilapidating defense. Plus Nick Foles and Mychal Kendricks contract are up next year, so this is a great opportunity to build for the future. Those players were Andy Reid players and he simply wants to bring in his own players. Hopefully they’ll be more successful.
2.) Chip Kelly is not making conscious decisions. He hasn’t recognized the team chemistry these veterans have been building. LeSean McCoy and Trent Cole wanted to restructure their contracts for the team. Brandon Graham wants to stay here (if the price was right). He noted he still had some unfinished business with the team. Kelly needs to understand these are not only players, but irreplaceable. Trent Cole draws so many double-teams, it leaves one-on-one matchups for the other players to get sacks. We’ve seen this with Jason Babin and now Connor Barwin. Not that they are not great players in their own rights, but they wouldn’t be as effective without the presence of Trent Cole. The other Eagle that will be missed (if he is allowed to leave) will be Jeremy Maclin. He is coming off a career year in which he made the Pro Bowl and was a strong candidate for Comeback Player of the Year. His impact will be missed to a young inexperienced Wide Receiving corps. Brandon Graham is a rare player to find. He can play either as a 3-4 OLB pass rusher or a 4-3 defensive end. He proved this year he can be a three down player. He was supposed to be a replacement for Trent Cole, instead he will be allowed to test the market. LeSean McCoy has been the most productive running back since he has been drafted. He is also coming off of back-to-back Pro Bowls. It was hard for him to gain yards last season due to injuries to the offensive line and repetitious play calling. Chip Kelly ridding himself of all of these players is a dangerous move. These are not players that can be replaced in the draft and free agency; these are polished NFL players. Kelly has brought his Oregon players onto the team and they haven’t been productive at all. It is looking like the Eagles are trying to tank this season like their brethren across the parking lot. The team needs to make some key moves in Free Agency and in the NFL Draft the next two seasons. If Chip Kelly cannot develop a deep postseason team in three years, he will be known as the biggest goat in recent memory.
It will be an interesting 8 to 9 weeks till the NFL Draft. The Philadelphia Eagles have a new Director of Player Personnel and several new position coaches. They also have NO General Manager (at least not in title). We can expect the Eagles not to be too aggressive in this free agency period and pick up role players for cheaper prices. The release of James Casey could be a sign of picking up a fullback. Does that mean the team will switch to a traditional way of getting the ball across the goal line? The NFL Scouting Combine is happening, which some people call “The Underwear Olympics”; slave auction with a homogenized element to it. It is just another way to evaluate players.
Top 8 Reasons why the Philadelphia Eagles should NOT trade for Marcus Mariota:
1.) They already have a QB; Nick Foles has established himself as the Philadelphia Eagles signal caller: He is 14-4 in his first 18 starts under Chip Kelly. He still has ways to go but I believe he can IMPROVE in time. Chip Kelly has to be more creative and less animated with his play calling. He needs to pound the ball to keep the defense honest. This takes pressure off of Foles and balances the attack on the defense.
2.)Chip Kelly had a Mariota “type” before and didn’t do well: Eagles fans forget about Michael Vick being the Eagles QB. He was 2-4 under Chip Kelly and had 5 turnovers in 6 games. The Eagles weren’t playing up to the standard of Chip Kelly. It wasn’t until Vick got injured and Foles took his place to lead the team to the playoffs. Plus Chip Kelly knows how to change his system to fit Nick Foles. It not only worked, it was better!
3.) Nick Foles has the support of the locker room: LeSean McCoy and others have already voiced their opinions on a potential idiotic trade. LeSean McCoy called Foles “OUR LEADER”. Trading a player that the WHOLE team supports will put in doubt the decisions that Chip Kelly will make throughout his tenure.
4.)Nick Foles balances out the madness of Chip Kelly:As people praise him as “offensive genius”, he still displayed some flaws in his strategy. The running game was non-existent in the first five games of the 2014 season; running virtually the same play, making the game awfully simplistic. Not including the passing situations in which Chip Kelly would call screens or obvious go to routes with Darren Sproles. Nick Foles forces Chip Kelly to play a pro-style system with a touch of “Kellyness”.
5.)The “Combo Meal” never worked: Most teams who trade away their future for one player hasn’t worked; See the Herschel Walker and Ricky Williams trades for starters. We already see what is happening to the Redskins. This savior complex is not only dangerous, but detrimental to a franchise and its future.
6.) The TEAM needs help elsewhere:The Eagles secondary is atrocious. 3 of the 5 starting offensive lineman are over the age of 30. The Eagles need younger pass rushers. Not including a more tone receiving corp. SPECIAL TEAMS. There are more positions to worry about than the quarterback position.
7.) Elephant in the room: The team doesn’t really have their front office in order. We cannot trust the front office. It is really scary that they tried to interview people for GM and nobody wanted the job. Plus Chip Kelly is just learning about the draft process and how to properly draft players. We can tell from the previous two drafts that he has a lot of LEARNING to do.
8.) Nick Foles Contract:This is Nick Foles’ contract year. Let him EARN his money!
(Sanchez Inaction Figure, via @RobTornoe of the Inquirer)
There are few times when I am rendered speechless, but the Philadelphia Eagles’ 27-24 loss to the lowly Washington Redskins – with absolutely everything on the line – has left me as such. As RG3 , DeSean Jackson and Jay Gruden yuk it up, celebrate the win and agree to let bygones be bygones, Philadelphia has some serious soul-searching to do. The lack of discipline has cost the team its third-straight game and revealed an uncomfortable reality: this is not a very good team. While we shake our heads at the frustration of being Philadelphia sports fans, this is a team that is very lucky to have a winning record. But, the luck seems to have finally worn out.
But don’t cry for the Eagles. They’ve done this entirely to themselves. Perhaps the Cowboys will lose to the Colts tomorrow. But it likely won’t do much for the Birds. To win the NFC East now, Philadelphia needs for Dallas to then lose to the Redskins in their final game. Then, the Eagles need to win against the Giants. Say what you will about Eli Manning, but his passing attack can be potent. And he has a receiver that you may have heard a little something about – one Odell Beckham, Jr. Do you trust this secondary to diffuse that potentially deadly combination? Didn’t think so.
You know who is thrilled with his Sanchez inaction figure under the tree? Nick Foles. Controversy? What quarterback controversy? But while we make fun of Sanchez, this Eagles defense is a real problem. Billy Davis’ inability to react to the limitations of his secondary is an indictment of the coaching staff as well as the players.
My one-year old son kept walking up to the television and turning it off. While frustrating at first, it turns out that he wasn’t being bad. He was trying to spare his mother and father the pain and humiliation of a loss to Washington. The kid already knows what it’s like being an Eagles fan.
As with any game, there are many important aspects of the Philadelphia Eagles on which to focus this Monday night. But who are we kidding?: Tonight’s game against the Carolina Panthers is all about Mark Sanchez.
Every step he takes, every move he makes, we’ll be watching him. Every throw. Every decision. Can Sanchez ably lead the Birds for the six to eight weeks that Nick Foles is expected to be out with a broken collarbone? If so, is he the quarterback on which we should hitch our trailers for an even longer stretch of time? If Sanchez can avoid the turnovers that became an all-too prevalent part of Foles’ performance this season and turn in a series of consistent performances, the answer could be yes. But those are big “ifs”. Sanchez has his own history of turning the ball over to overcome. Since entering the league in 2009, the former USC quarterback has thrown for more interceptions (71) than touchdowns (70) in his career.
Evan Mathis’will return to the o-line just as Todd Herremans exits for the season due to torn biceps. The Eagles have finally found some footing with their running game and would do well to take advantage of the 131.9 yards the Panthers have allowed on the ground each game. With a healthy Chris Polk added to the already powerful mix of LeSean McCoy and Darren Sproles, the Birds could have a dynamic game on the ground tonight. The run needs to be a prevalent part of tonight’s game to allow Sanchez time to adjust to the role of signal caller for Philadelphia.
There is another important story to watch as the Eagles take the field at the Linc tonight and for the remainder of the season. How will Philadelphia fill in for the loss of DeMeco Ryans? Defensive coordinator Bill Davis plans for Casey Matthews and Emmanuel Acho to take over Ryans’ middle linebacker responsibility as far as making calls. On the field, the defense will use a combination of Acho, Matthews, and Mychal Kendricks to make up for the loss of Ryans. It’s a similar solution as to when Kendricks was sidelined for several weeks, Davis said last week.
“[Linebackers] Coach Rick Minter does a great job of teaching the concepts of both so we can move multiple guys to the MIKE or the WIL depending on what we need”, Davis said. “Whether we’re in dime or nickel or anything like that. Right now it’s the same rotation as when Mychal [Kendricks] was down. It’ll be [Emmanuel] Acho and Casey [Matthews] handling first and second down duties at the DeMeco spot instead of the Mychal spot. They’re cross-trained and they’ll be fine.”
While the Panthers defense features Luke Kuechly, last year’s Defensive Player of the Year at MLB, it is struggling this season. They have already given up 236 points this season. They gave up only 241 in all of 2013. They are missing Pro Bowl DE Greg Hardy. Their struggles will be a nice complement to an Eagles team adjusting to key losses on both sides of the ball.
Cam Newton and the Panthers’ offense aren’t doing well on any front this year, putting up just 19.7 points per game, 25th in the league. By comparison, the Eagles average 29.2 points per game (5th in the NFL). Newton is completing just 57% of his passes, and Carolina’s receiving corps’ top producers are Greg Olsen, Kelvin Benjamin and former Eagle Jason Avant. Love Avant as we do, that is hardly a stellar lineup. The Panthers are also putting together just 94.7 rushing yards per game, which leaves them with no clear answers for getting points on the board.
A Panthers team with significant issues facing an Eagles team adjusting to key losses on both sides of the ball may make for a more competitive Monday night matchup than we’d like to see. But the Eagles will still prevail.
Mark Sanchez, you now have the keys to the Eagles offense. (Image via Brian Garfinkel, Philadelphia Eagles.)
Significant injuries have unfortunately overshadowed the Philadelphia Eagles’ 31-21 victory over the Houston Texans on Sunday. The leaders of both the team’s offense and defense went down with injuries, with Nick Foles suffering a broken collarbone and DeMeco Ryans suffering a season-ending ruptured Achilles.
Foles will not require surgery for his broken left clavicle. However, he will be out of game action for an estimated 6-8 weeks. With his unsteady performance in the 2014 season, many are more than ready to hand over the keys of the Eagles offense to Mark Sanchez to see how he fares.
In his debut for the team, Sanchez went 15/22 for 202 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in three quarters of play. He already has Chip Kelly’s full confidence.
“I feel great about Mark. I thought he’s done a great job in our system. I thought he played outstanding in the preseason and showed no rust or anything when he got in there against Houston yesterday.”
Indeed, the Monday morning buzz around the NFL, both locally and nationally, was about how the Eagles may not be in the worst hands with the transition to Sanchez. Foles is tied with Geno Smith for the second-most interceptions in the NFL, at ten each. Only rookie Blake Bortles has notched more INTs this season, with a league leading 13. Unfortunately, Foles’ play this season has been more of a liability than an asset to the Eagles offense much of the time.
So it is Sanchez’ time to try to lead a team for the first time since being released by the New York Jets. While no one expects miracles, if he can solidly utilize the many assets in the Eagles’ offensive toolbelt to their best ability, we may, once again, have a quarterback controversy in the city of Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Eagles head into their bye week flying on the highest note possible: On the heels of total shutout of those New York football Giants 27-0. 27-zip. 27-to-nada.
However you say it, the score is beautiful.
This is the game when LeSean McCoy finally got going, notching 149 rushing yards. The tight ends got into the act, with Zach Ertz and James Casey both getting in the endzone. Nick Foles finished the game with 21 for 34 with 248 yards for 2 touchdowns, but also threw two interceptions.
The Eagles defense showed up big time, completely stifling an offense that had averaged 35 points its last few games. But the streaking Giants simply had no answers for the Eagles, who got eight sacks (6 on Eli Manning and 2 on backup Ryan Nassib), limiting the two-time Super Bowl MVP to 13 for 23, 154 yards for exactly 0 touchdowns.
Connor Barwin was an absolute beast, getting to Manning for three sacks. Vinny Curry had a blast getting to the quarterback and sacking the Giants’ QB twice. Brandon Graham, Trent Cole and Brandon Blair also got into the each, notching a sack each. Much as the New York media wanting to claim dismay at the portrayal of “Lil Eli Manning” in the Eagles cartoons, that’s exactly what he looked like on the field Sunday night.
It’s the first shutout for the Birds since 1996, and the first at Lincoln Financial Field. Oh, the previous shutout, which took place in December of ’96. Against the Giants. In that game the Eagles won 24-0.
Darren Sproles, who added to the team’s touchdowns on Sunday night, left the game in the fourth quarter with a knee injury. We’ll wait for news and hope that everything is okay with the most dynamic Eagles player this season.
It was the most complete win the Eagles have put together all season. The victory becomes all the more important as the Dallas Cowboys improved to 5 -1 earlier in the day, beating the Seattle Seahawks. Philadelphia retains its lead in the NFC East and has shown just how good–and dangerous–they can look when everyone is on their game. It’s a wonderful sight to behold for Eagles fans, and something that hopefully makes their next several opponents very nervous as they study the Birds’ Week 6 game film.
The Eagles turned a game that should have put the St. Louis Rams away early into a contest that went down to the wire. Once holding a commanding 34-7 lead, the Rams went on a 21-0 run in the second half to come to an uncomfortably close 34-28. All this while St. Louis was led by Austin Davis, a quarterback making only his fourth start.
The cartoon above perfectly illustrates the experience of every single Philadelphia Eagles fan, every game this year, courtesy of Rob Tornoe of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Seriously, though. There has to be an easier way.
The Birds now have a 4-1 record and must be one of the luckiest teams in the league this season, as their play and stats reveal a team that does not match its wins. But, as Chip Kelly correctly stated, “tough 4‑1, soft 4‑1, doesn’t matter, you’re 4‑1, and it’s the same thing.”
While the talk surrounding Kelly always involves his high-octane offense, this season it should be about special teams. It is the only unit that has performed consistently well through five games and at this stage is saving the offense and defense from their many flaws. For the second straight week, special teams scored a touchdown off of a blocked punt. The Eagles have four special teams touchdowns so far this season, including one in each of the last three games, which is a first in team history.
While special teams makes history, the offense and defense continue to make us scratch our heads. Or come close to heart attacks. On offense, LeSean McCoy finally got a little something going on the ground, getting 81 yards on 24 carries. But, concerns surrounding the offensive line and McCoy’s own ability to find a way to get it done under less-than-stellar conditions remain. Nick Foles finished the game 24/37 for 207 yards with two touchdowns, an interception and a fumble. Foles’ decision-making is a cause for concern at times, and he had a few near-misses that the stats don’t reveal.
The Eagles defense let an unseasoned QB put up elite numbers in their home. Davis finished the game with three touchdowns and no interceptions for 375 yards. The D simply couldn’t stop the Rams in the second half of the game, particularly the last quarter, which does not bode well for upcoming opponents, like next week’s prime-time matchup with the Giants.
But the game was won, no matter how ugly, and that’s what matters. The Eagles are a team of two halves, and perhaps we’ll be treated to a complete game played well in the coming weeks. But, more likely, you probably need to continue to keep those Tums nearby.
As the 3-1 Philadelphia Eagles prepare to face-off against the 1 -2 St. Louis Rams this afternoon at the Linc, questions abound. Will the offensive line return to some of its former glory with the return of Lane Johnson from his suspension? And please, oh please: Is this the game when LeSean McCoy will FINALLY turn up and get something going?
Rams quarterback Austin Davis, though inexperienced in the NFL, has completed 72% of his passes in three starts. The Birds defense is ranked just 23rd against the pass in the league, and according to ProFootballFocus, Cary Williams is the most targeted corner in the league since 2011. That said, the Rams are not a team filled with offensive weapons, so if Philadelphia can stand firm and not give up big plays, they should be able to contain whatever the Rams try to get going.
As for the Eagles offense, the team has got to find a way to get LeSean McCoy going. “Embarrassed” by his performance last game, even with the battered line Shady has to make it work. And this is a good game to try: the Rams have given up 155 rushing yards a game this season, also allowing a 100-yard rusher each game. Will Shady finally get on the way to 2k? Currently at 2.7 yards per carry, he’s got a loong way to go to reach his stated goal for the 2014 season.
Philadelphia’s o-line will have their hands full with uber-defensive end Robert Quinn. He is just waiting to rack up some sacks, with zero this season after finishing second in the league in 2013 with 19. With Foles already battered and bruised, the Eagles can’t let that happen. He’ll be matched up against Jason Peters, the best left tackle in the league, which will make for an important battle to watch closely during the game.
There’s a big difference between being 4-1 and 3-2. An Eagles defeat against the Rams won’t settle all uneasiness about what this team truly can and cannot do, but it would help dull the queries for a little while. Major goals of the game are to keep Foles standing and get Shady going. If those two tasks can be accomplished, Philadelphia should be able to enjoy the first day that truly feels like Fall football in Philadelphia.
Now, to get your giggles on about the Rams, view this atrocious music video to accompany the team’s song “Ram It,” when the franchise was in Los Angeles in the ’80s. Overheard on 94WIP yesterday afternoon, as bad as the song is, the video is infinitely worse. Enjoy?
With the many questions surrounding what this Philadelphia Eagles team is and what it isn’t heading into the fourth game of the season, there was never a question about the offense. The 3-0 start showed that, regardless of the start, the
Nick Foles and the Philadelphia Eagles offense could get nothing going against the San Francisco 49ers.
Birds would and could generate points in a variety of ways. Of course they can–that’s Chip Kelly’s hallmark.
Enter the trip across country to San Francisco to face the 49ers on Sunday, a game that flipped the script of the Eagles’ season so far. Yes, there were highlights, one of which you’ll see below. Even with the offense’s inability to get anything going, the game was within grasp until the last moments of the game. But Philadelphia just couldn’t finish. A 91-yard drive starting at 6:35 in the fourth quarter could have gotten the lead and probably the game for Philadelphia. They got within in 1-yard of the goal line, but they couldn’t seal the deal and fell 21-26.
Ironically, the Eagles didn’t wait until the second half to put points on the board against San Francisco. They got to a quick start and lead the Niners 21-10 at the half, but generated a grand total of 0 points in the second.
Nick Foles’ stat line for the day wasn’t pretty: He was 21 for 43 and 195 with no TDs and two interceptions. Ouch. The Eagles could have used some help from their running game, except it didn’t exist and is going to continue to struggle with the battered offensive line. LeSean ran the ball 10 times for a paltry 17 yards. After the game he called the performance “embarrassing” and said he didn’t want to talk about anything having to do with the run game. Makes sense, but, you’re the running back…
The offense’s implosion came on a day when the defense was stout. They showed that they could contain a potent offense and finally got some pass rush going. Safety Malcolm Jenkins returned an interception 51-yards to account for 6 of the Eagles total 21 points, making him the first in that position since Brian Dawkins to garner an interception in three straight games.
Special teams was amazing and accounted for the other two Eagles touchdowns, both of which occurred in the first half: Brad Smith recovered a blocked punt for a touchdown, then our boy Darren Sproles ran in an 82-yard punt return.
Quick aside: Please tell me that someone from the Eagles has at least sent flowers to the Saints organization for the acquisition of Jenkins and Sproles, as both seem to be gifts that keep on giving.
The Eagles now fall to 3-1 with a lot of reason for hope, but a number of concerns as well. A performance just as this–for the defense and special teams to step up when the offense falters–illustrates exactly why football is a team sport. But when the offense doesn’t just sputter but totally fails, you have what we witnessed on Sunday. Amazingly, though, the Eagles almost won it.
When we have a week when all phases of the team are firing on all cylinders for the majority of the game, we are going to have something wonderful to behold. It will happen. Having the o-line back to health, when it happens, will help. Until then, keep those Tums nearby.
The first Monday of the season when we’re dealing with a loss. No Dunkin Donuts coffee. The hits just keep coming. Think about this play to make your day a little bit less brutal–Jeremy Maclin’s incredible diving one-handed catch in the drive that almost pulled the Eagles through.
This man right here? Do not mess with him…Or his quarterback.
Sunday’s 37-34 Philadelphia Eagles victory over the Washington Redskins showed just why divisional matchups in the NFL are so anticipated-because they are so heated. There is pure hatred in the veins of the players for their opponents.
With WR DeSean Jackson’s return to his former home of the Linc as a backdrop, the sheer dislike that these teams have for each other was evidenced in the fourth quarter of the game. Things got “chippy” (I hate that word) when Redskins defensive lineman Chris Baker planted a late, ugly hit on Eagles quarterback Nick Foles. Philadelphia All Pro tackle Jason Peters was having none of that, and went after Baker for the cheap shot on his quarterback.
A full-scale brawl ensued, clearing both team’s benches. WATCH:
When it was all over, both Baker and Peters were ejected from the game. And thankfully, Foles got up to finish the game and seal the victory for his team.
While a fight is never the finest moment of any team or player, Foles has proven that he is incredibly tough. He was literally laid out by the hit, but found a way to get back up to and finish what he had started. And Peters, apologetic post-game for his role in the scuffle, became an all-out hero to Philly fans for the loyalty he displayed in going to any lengths to protect his quarterback.
