Philadelphia Eagles 2019 Draft Picks
Round
1(22) Andre Dillard OT Washington State
Fills a need position with LT Jason Peters in the twilight of his Hall of Fame career
2(21) Miles Sanders RB Penn State
A great addition to complement the recent acquisition of veteran back Jordan Howard
2(25) JJ Arcega-Whiteside WR Stanford
Another big target for Carson Wentz in the same vein as Alshon Jeffery
4(36) Shareef Miller DE Penn State
Good depth pick for one of the best defensive lines in the NFL
5(29) Clayton Thorson QB Northwestern
A bit of a reach, but this could be a need position with the departure of Nick Foles
Thursday, May 2, 2019
Thursday, April 11, 2019
Eagles' 2019 Draft Picks
The Eagles will have the following picks in the upcoming NFL Draft later this month:
RD (PK)
1 (25)
2 (21)
2 (25)
4 (25)
4 (36)
5 (25)
6 (24)
RD (PK)
1 (25)
2 (21)
2 (25)
4 (25)
4 (36)
5 (25)
6 (24)
Sunday, January 20, 2019
Eagles Confident That the Future Remains Bright
By: KO Kelly
The Future is Bright
In any other year last week’s loss to the Saints would have been absolutely crushing. After coming out strong and then fading in the middle after a slew of injuries, our Birds were still in the mix to pull off the biggest upset of the weekend. They were marching down the field against the Saints’ defense in rhythm for the first time since the first quarter. My only concern was that we were going to score too quickly and then suffer through a Brees to Thomas Hail Mary.
Instead the game slipped through Alshon Jeffery’s fingers (a player no one can be upset with given all he has done for the team over the past two years) and the season was all but over. In that moment, though, I felt relief and gratitude.
This team has been through so much over the season and with the injuries in the first half, it was not getting any easier. If they had won last weekend, my prediction for the LA rematch would not have been a confident one. Our Birds played there hearts out over the past several weeks and gave us a run almost as exciting as last year’s. They fought hard in this game and were able to go down swinging.
Another blogger compared this loss to the ending of the first Rocky movie. The Saints had to pull out all the stops – a fake-punt, multiple big-time 3rd Down conversions, and a last-minute interception – to defeat our “back-up” QB, 3rd-string RB, depleted defensive and offensive lines, guys-off-the-streets CBs. Our Birds were able to go toe-to-toe with the “best” in the Conference and demonstrated they belonged there. They may not have won the game but they proved they are perennial contenders with this coaching staff and core group of players.
The most disappointing part about last week’s loss is not the loss at a shot to hold onto their Championship title but that we will not see this band of brothers play together again. A lot of pieces will be in motion this off-season and some familiar faces will certainly be gone next year. If nothing else, this game should serve as a reminder to live in the present and appreciate those who are on this ride with you. Our time together is unknown, so live fully in those moments.
As far as this weekend’s match-ups, I will be rooting hard for Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh to make Brees’ afternoon a living nightmare. I now loathe the Saints more than the Cowboys and even the Giants. They are classless and with any luck will get completely embarrassed this weekend in the Dome.
In the AFC match-up I am torn. It would be great for Andy to make it back to the Super Bowl and get another shot at hoisting the Lombardi Trophy this February but given his track record in big games, I am hesitant to invest my faith in him this weekend. On the flip side, I am not opposed to the Patriots going all the way this year and winning a 6th ring. I know I know, that’s blasphemous for an Eagles’ fan but hear me out. If the Patriots make it to the Super Bowl, I do not want any other QB beating Tom Brady, I want Foles to be the last person to take him down. The better his record looks at the end of the day, the better our smudge on his record looks.
So while we will not be watching our Birds play this weekend, we can rest easy knowing they have a strong core of group players who will not give up and who will show up every week for Doug & Co. They certainly have work to do in the off-season but they are up for the challenge.
The Future is Bright
In any other year last week’s loss to the Saints would have been absolutely crushing. After coming out strong and then fading in the middle after a slew of injuries, our Birds were still in the mix to pull off the biggest upset of the weekend. They were marching down the field against the Saints’ defense in rhythm for the first time since the first quarter. My only concern was that we were going to score too quickly and then suffer through a Brees to Thomas Hail Mary.
Instead the game slipped through Alshon Jeffery’s fingers (a player no one can be upset with given all he has done for the team over the past two years) and the season was all but over. In that moment, though, I felt relief and gratitude.
This team has been through so much over the season and with the injuries in the first half, it was not getting any easier. If they had won last weekend, my prediction for the LA rematch would not have been a confident one. Our Birds played there hearts out over the past several weeks and gave us a run almost as exciting as last year’s. They fought hard in this game and were able to go down swinging.
Another blogger compared this loss to the ending of the first Rocky movie. The Saints had to pull out all the stops – a fake-punt, multiple big-time 3rd Down conversions, and a last-minute interception – to defeat our “back-up” QB, 3rd-string RB, depleted defensive and offensive lines, guys-off-the-streets CBs. Our Birds were able to go toe-to-toe with the “best” in the Conference and demonstrated they belonged there. They may not have won the game but they proved they are perennial contenders with this coaching staff and core group of players.
The most disappointing part about last week’s loss is not the loss at a shot to hold onto their Championship title but that we will not see this band of brothers play together again. A lot of pieces will be in motion this off-season and some familiar faces will certainly be gone next year. If nothing else, this game should serve as a reminder to live in the present and appreciate those who are on this ride with you. Our time together is unknown, so live fully in those moments.
As far as this weekend’s match-ups, I will be rooting hard for Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh to make Brees’ afternoon a living nightmare. I now loathe the Saints more than the Cowboys and even the Giants. They are classless and with any luck will get completely embarrassed this weekend in the Dome.
In the AFC match-up I am torn. It would be great for Andy to make it back to the Super Bowl and get another shot at hoisting the Lombardi Trophy this February but given his track record in big games, I am hesitant to invest my faith in him this weekend. On the flip side, I am not opposed to the Patriots going all the way this year and winning a 6th ring. I know I know, that’s blasphemous for an Eagles’ fan but hear me out. If the Patriots make it to the Super Bowl, I do not want any other QB beating Tom Brady, I want Foles to be the last person to take him down. The better his record looks at the end of the day, the better our smudge on his record looks.
So while we will not be watching our Birds play this weekend, we can rest easy knowing they have a strong core of group players who will not give up and who will show up every week for Doug & Co. They certainly have work to do in the off-season but they are up for the challenge.
Saturday, January 19, 2019
Carson Wentz is the Eagles' Best Choice at Quarterback
Right off the bat, I want to start this post by saying that I was a huge Nick Foles fan during his first stint with the Eagles. I even wrote about him being the team's new franchise quarterback after guiding Philly to the NFC East Division title in Chip Kelly's first year as head coach. Kelly had other ideas and sent Foles packing and the rest is history.
Still in need of someone to lead the offense, new head coach Doug Pederson turned to Carson Wentz with the second overall pick of the 2016 draft. The rookie coach and rookie quarterback made their way through that initial season with a respectable record of 7-9. While there was some major room for improvement, there were enough highlighted moments to raise the bar for the 2017.
Wentz raised the bar through the roof as the frontrunner for MVP in his second season until he went down with a knee injury in Week 14. The Eagles turned to Foles and he delivered with his own MVP trophy in Super Bowl LII. Nobody questioned the fact that Wentz was the team's starter heading into this season. Super Bowl hangovers are real and the Eagles' aching head and upset stomach lasted deep into the 16-game slate. Even at 4-6 through their first 10 games, they were still in position to win the suddenly watered-down NFC East. Wentz was not at his best, but you cannot pin that disappointing start squarely on his shoulders.
Washington faded and Dallas got hot while the Eagles won enough games to stay in the hunt. Wentz went down again with a back injury and Foles rose to the occasion to lead another playoff run. Philly could have beaten the Saints, but the breaks did not its way. The offseason came quicker than we wanted, but all-in-all it can still be considered a successful season.
The way things played out with Wentz and Foles this time around has opened up the debate as to which player should be the starter in Philly. The Eagles have already made it clear that Wentz stays and Foles will most likely get another chance to start somewhere else in the NFL. I just hope that somewhere else is not Washington given its desperate situation at this position. The current buzz has the Eagles trading Foles to Jacksonville for Leonard Fournette. I would go with that deal in a New York minute.
The big question Eagles' fans should be asking themselves is Wentz's recent rash of injuries something to be concerned with moving forward. He will be heading into his fourth season with eight missed starts in two years not counting the playoffs. The question the fans should not be asking is can he lead this team back to the Super Bowl somewhere down the road. When healthy, he is a proven entity given his early career stats. The loss of Frank Reich to Indianapolis after serving as the team's offensive coordinator in that Super Bowl run cannot be discounted given his success this season as the Colts' new head coach. Wentz did not look nearly as comfortable running this season's scheme under Mike Groh.
There was no doubt that Foles was a better fit in this offense when he took over the starting role at the end of the year. He was also playing with a very high level of confidence given last year's success when the games were on the line. Nobody is talking about the team's 0-2 start with Foles under center. Once again, I believe in St. Nick, but not to the point where I would give up on Wentz so early in his career.
Let him get healthy this offseason. I mean fully healthy. Those fans touting Foles as the permanent solution at quarterback have no idea how severe Wentz's knee injury really was. In retrospect, he probably should have sat out the first half of the season. Maybe the back injury was a result of compensating for his knee? I still want to see what the big man from North Dakota State can do when everything is fully healed.
Over the course of this season, time after time across the entire league it was proven just how valuable a legitimate starting quarterback can be to the overall fortunes of his team. Wentz is that kind of guy!
Just go back to Week 14 of last season against the Rams and ask yourself who you would want to have under center. My answer at that point would have been Wentz as an obvious no-brainer and nothing has changed since that unfortunate touchdown blew out his knee.
Still in need of someone to lead the offense, new head coach Doug Pederson turned to Carson Wentz with the second overall pick of the 2016 draft. The rookie coach and rookie quarterback made their way through that initial season with a respectable record of 7-9. While there was some major room for improvement, there were enough highlighted moments to raise the bar for the 2017.
Wentz raised the bar through the roof as the frontrunner for MVP in his second season until he went down with a knee injury in Week 14. The Eagles turned to Foles and he delivered with his own MVP trophy in Super Bowl LII. Nobody questioned the fact that Wentz was the team's starter heading into this season. Super Bowl hangovers are real and the Eagles' aching head and upset stomach lasted deep into the 16-game slate. Even at 4-6 through their first 10 games, they were still in position to win the suddenly watered-down NFC East. Wentz was not at his best, but you cannot pin that disappointing start squarely on his shoulders.
Washington faded and Dallas got hot while the Eagles won enough games to stay in the hunt. Wentz went down again with a back injury and Foles rose to the occasion to lead another playoff run. Philly could have beaten the Saints, but the breaks did not its way. The offseason came quicker than we wanted, but all-in-all it can still be considered a successful season.
The way things played out with Wentz and Foles this time around has opened up the debate as to which player should be the starter in Philly. The Eagles have already made it clear that Wentz stays and Foles will most likely get another chance to start somewhere else in the NFL. I just hope that somewhere else is not Washington given its desperate situation at this position. The current buzz has the Eagles trading Foles to Jacksonville for Leonard Fournette. I would go with that deal in a New York minute.
The big question Eagles' fans should be asking themselves is Wentz's recent rash of injuries something to be concerned with moving forward. He will be heading into his fourth season with eight missed starts in two years not counting the playoffs. The question the fans should not be asking is can he lead this team back to the Super Bowl somewhere down the road. When healthy, he is a proven entity given his early career stats. The loss of Frank Reich to Indianapolis after serving as the team's offensive coordinator in that Super Bowl run cannot be discounted given his success this season as the Colts' new head coach. Wentz did not look nearly as comfortable running this season's scheme under Mike Groh.
There was no doubt that Foles was a better fit in this offense when he took over the starting role at the end of the year. He was also playing with a very high level of confidence given last year's success when the games were on the line. Nobody is talking about the team's 0-2 start with Foles under center. Once again, I believe in St. Nick, but not to the point where I would give up on Wentz so early in his career.
Let him get healthy this offseason. I mean fully healthy. Those fans touting Foles as the permanent solution at quarterback have no idea how severe Wentz's knee injury really was. In retrospect, he probably should have sat out the first half of the season. Maybe the back injury was a result of compensating for his knee? I still want to see what the big man from North Dakota State can do when everything is fully healed.
Over the course of this season, time after time across the entire league it was proven just how valuable a legitimate starting quarterback can be to the overall fortunes of his team. Wentz is that kind of guy!
Just go back to Week 14 of last season against the Rams and ask yourself who you would want to have under center. My answer at that point would have been Wentz as an obvious no-brainer and nothing has changed since that unfortunate touchdown blew out his knee.
Friday, January 11, 2019
Eagles Seek Redemption in New Orleans
By: KO Kelly
Redemption is Nigh!
As Cody Parkey lined up for his second attempt at what would have most likely been the game-winning field goal, I was at peace with this season. Our Birds did not fold after their brutal dismantling in New Orleans or the gut-wrenching overtime loss in Dallas. No, they rallied together and reminded us what they are capable of when they play as a team. I was even saying to myself this Bears’ team would be easy to root for during the rest of the playoffs. They are young and scrappy on offense, complimented by a ferocious turnover-generating defense.
Fortunately, Treyvon Hestor – who I have been writing off all year as the “nobody” next to Cox in our somewhat depleted front four – had other plans. He pushed his way through the Bears’ line and into the history books with his game-winning field goal block. A block that was not even recorded as a block until the next day because it was barely even noticeable in slow-motion and still shots. By the slimmest of margins, he altered the direction of that ball and kept our playoff run alive.
Quick note on Doug Pederson, only eight other head coaches in NFL history have won their first four playoff games and four of those eight are in the Hall of Fame. That is some pretty impressive company for Doug, here’s to him continuing that streak and climbing that list!
As far as the rest of last week’s game, Foles did not look his best in the first half of the game with two uncharacteristic interceptions but our defensive line has continued to get better each week and along with our young, aggressive secondary stymied the Bears’ offensive efforts. And for as rough as Foles looked in the beginning, his two-minute drill against the best defense in the league was nothing short of spectacular. I had a bit of hesitation after the first two ineffective run plays on the goal line but ultimately, I fully expected and trusted Foles to lead us to a touchdown. He is without a doubt the most clutch quarterback in Eagles’ history.
Now onto this week’s matchup. The Eagles get a shot a redemption this week against a formidable foe in the Big Easy: The New Orleans Saints. I still hear chants of “Who dat, who dat, who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?” in my nightmares. However, I am about to say who is going to beat those Saints – Foles and friends – dat’s who!
The brutal November lashing was one of those anomaly games that occur from time to time, where one team can do no wrong while the other cannot get out of the gates. We were on the winning side of such a match-up last January against the Vikings. We were near flawless, and the Vikings never had a chance – not because they were a bad team, they just ran into one of those games at the worst time.
Luckily, our Birds ran into the buzz saw during the regular season and have had a chance to turn things around. They have not dwelled on the game but have certainly used it as a teacher and motivation. When Doug was wrapping up his locker room speech after the win against the Bears, he stoically stated, “I do not need to remind you where we are heading next.” The players smiled but with a deep understanding of what they need to do and how they need to prepare for their upcoming rematch.
Coach Payton is using cash and a trophy to motivate his team. That might work for some teams, but our Birds run on something different. They are fueled by disrespect and driven by brotherhood. They are playing for more than worldly possessions – they have set their course for the history books.
There will not be as many fireworks as the Eagles’ second playoff game last year but by the fourth quarter there will be no doubt the Eagles are moving onto the next round. Afterall, it is only fitting for the Saints to be taken down by the saint – St. Nick!
Eagles Win 24-16
Record 11-7
Redemption is Nigh!
As Cody Parkey lined up for his second attempt at what would have most likely been the game-winning field goal, I was at peace with this season. Our Birds did not fold after their brutal dismantling in New Orleans or the gut-wrenching overtime loss in Dallas. No, they rallied together and reminded us what they are capable of when they play as a team. I was even saying to myself this Bears’ team would be easy to root for during the rest of the playoffs. They are young and scrappy on offense, complimented by a ferocious turnover-generating defense.
Fortunately, Treyvon Hestor – who I have been writing off all year as the “nobody” next to Cox in our somewhat depleted front four – had other plans. He pushed his way through the Bears’ line and into the history books with his game-winning field goal block. A block that was not even recorded as a block until the next day because it was barely even noticeable in slow-motion and still shots. By the slimmest of margins, he altered the direction of that ball and kept our playoff run alive.
Quick note on Doug Pederson, only eight other head coaches in NFL history have won their first four playoff games and four of those eight are in the Hall of Fame. That is some pretty impressive company for Doug, here’s to him continuing that streak and climbing that list!
As far as the rest of last week’s game, Foles did not look his best in the first half of the game with two uncharacteristic interceptions but our defensive line has continued to get better each week and along with our young, aggressive secondary stymied the Bears’ offensive efforts. And for as rough as Foles looked in the beginning, his two-minute drill against the best defense in the league was nothing short of spectacular. I had a bit of hesitation after the first two ineffective run plays on the goal line but ultimately, I fully expected and trusted Foles to lead us to a touchdown. He is without a doubt the most clutch quarterback in Eagles’ history.
Now onto this week’s matchup. The Eagles get a shot a redemption this week against a formidable foe in the Big Easy: The New Orleans Saints. I still hear chants of “Who dat, who dat, who dat say dey gonna beat dem Saints?” in my nightmares. However, I am about to say who is going to beat those Saints – Foles and friends – dat’s who!
The brutal November lashing was one of those anomaly games that occur from time to time, where one team can do no wrong while the other cannot get out of the gates. We were on the winning side of such a match-up last January against the Vikings. We were near flawless, and the Vikings never had a chance – not because they were a bad team, they just ran into one of those games at the worst time.
Luckily, our Birds ran into the buzz saw during the regular season and have had a chance to turn things around. They have not dwelled on the game but have certainly used it as a teacher and motivation. When Doug was wrapping up his locker room speech after the win against the Bears, he stoically stated, “I do not need to remind you where we are heading next.” The players smiled but with a deep understanding of what they need to do and how they need to prepare for their upcoming rematch.
Coach Payton is using cash and a trophy to motivate his team. That might work for some teams, but our Birds run on something different. They are fueled by disrespect and driven by brotherhood. They are playing for more than worldly possessions – they have set their course for the history books.
There will not be as many fireworks as the Eagles’ second playoff game last year but by the fourth quarter there will be no doubt the Eagles are moving onto the next round. Afterall, it is only fitting for the Saints to be taken down by the saint – St. Nick!
Eagles Win 24-16
Record 11-7
Friday, January 4, 2019
How Much Magic is Left in Nick Foles?
By: KO Kelly
Against the Odds
Just a few short weeks ago after the crushing loss to Dallas, the Eagles playoff chances dropped to 15%. I admittedly was ready to write off this season as a Super Bowl slump year and start planning for a more successful and less expectation-heavy 2019 campaign. Even the Patriots had missed the playoffs the first year after their first Super Bowl, so I was okay with being in that company.
Fortunately, our Birds had different plans in mind. They were not done . . .yet! Against daunting odds, Nick Foles & Co strung together three impressive wins to end the 2018 regular season and handle their piece of the playoff puzzle.
The entire Eagles team was on fire against Washington (e.g. Foles tying the record for most consecutive passes and Cox’s racking up three sacks!) and it felt like we might win the battle (our game) but lose the war (a playoff berth). The most stressful part of Sunday’s takedown of Washington was anxiously waiting for the Bears-Vikings’ in-game updates.
However, former NFC foe, Kirk Cousins, had his own Christmas present to deliver . . . just not to Vikings fans. Joining the game with only six minutes left, I believed it was certainly possible for the Vikings to overcome their 14-pt deficit, especially against the Bears’ second-string defense. That is until I saw the dejected faces of the Vikings players on the side line. As my buddy in the row in front of us at the Linc would say: “They don’t want it!”
I am not accusing these professionals of quitting but they certainly did not have the same energy and tenacity we have seen our Birds play with over the past several weeks. And the scene of Cousins’ “coaching” 2x Pro-bowl WR Thielen on how to run a route is not one you want to end your season on. Better luck next year Vikings! Note: After sending me some official Super Bowl confetti earlier this year, I wish nothing but the best for that organization – as long as the Eagles are not still in the mix!
Now onto this week’s match-up against the suddenly relevant and formidable Chicago Bears. They have a young point guard-esque QB at the helm who has performed well in his Sophomore year with a ferocious defense leading the way. Unfortunately for Turbisky, Fletcher Cox is still hungry and after last weekend’s three sack performance - Bennet, Graham, Long, & Co are eager to join the sack party. I expect the pressure of our front four and Chicago’s first playoff appearance since 2010 will ultimately be too much for Mitch (sorry Mitchell).
Da Bears defense will keep things close in the first quarter but by the second quarter Foles will find his playoff groove with a homecoming bomb to Alshon Jeffery and never look back. The 30th anniversary of the Fog Bowl will leave the Bears in a fog as to why they allowed the Eagles to join the playoff party in the first place.
Eagles Win 27-10
Record 10-7
Against the Odds
Just a few short weeks ago after the crushing loss to Dallas, the Eagles playoff chances dropped to 15%. I admittedly was ready to write off this season as a Super Bowl slump year and start planning for a more successful and less expectation-heavy 2019 campaign. Even the Patriots had missed the playoffs the first year after their first Super Bowl, so I was okay with being in that company.
Fortunately, our Birds had different plans in mind. They were not done . . .yet! Against daunting odds, Nick Foles & Co strung together three impressive wins to end the 2018 regular season and handle their piece of the playoff puzzle.
The entire Eagles team was on fire against Washington (e.g. Foles tying the record for most consecutive passes and Cox’s racking up three sacks!) and it felt like we might win the battle (our game) but lose the war (a playoff berth). The most stressful part of Sunday’s takedown of Washington was anxiously waiting for the Bears-Vikings’ in-game updates.
However, former NFC foe, Kirk Cousins, had his own Christmas present to deliver . . . just not to Vikings fans. Joining the game with only six minutes left, I believed it was certainly possible for the Vikings to overcome their 14-pt deficit, especially against the Bears’ second-string defense. That is until I saw the dejected faces of the Vikings players on the side line. As my buddy in the row in front of us at the Linc would say: “They don’t want it!”
I am not accusing these professionals of quitting but they certainly did not have the same energy and tenacity we have seen our Birds play with over the past several weeks. And the scene of Cousins’ “coaching” 2x Pro-bowl WR Thielen on how to run a route is not one you want to end your season on. Better luck next year Vikings! Note: After sending me some official Super Bowl confetti earlier this year, I wish nothing but the best for that organization – as long as the Eagles are not still in the mix!
Now onto this week’s match-up against the suddenly relevant and formidable Chicago Bears. They have a young point guard-esque QB at the helm who has performed well in his Sophomore year with a ferocious defense leading the way. Unfortunately for Turbisky, Fletcher Cox is still hungry and after last weekend’s three sack performance - Bennet, Graham, Long, & Co are eager to join the sack party. I expect the pressure of our front four and Chicago’s first playoff appearance since 2010 will ultimately be too much for Mitch (sorry Mitchell).
Da Bears defense will keep things close in the first quarter but by the second quarter Foles will find his playoff groove with a homecoming bomb to Alshon Jeffery and never look back. The 30th anniversary of the Fog Bowl will leave the Bears in a fog as to why they allowed the Eagles to join the playoff party in the first place.
Eagles Win 27-10
Record 10-7
Friday, December 28, 2018
Eagles Flying High Towards Final NFC Playoff Spot
By: KO Kelly
Do You Believe in Christmas Miracles?
Leaving the Superdome back in mid-November I thought our season was over. The team seemed to be in complete disarray without a handle on how to set the ship right. Two wins against bumbling divisional foes provided a little encouragement but those hopes were dashed once again with the overtime loss in Dallas and two top-tier opponents coming up next.
Somehow though, here we are at week 17 and we are still in the playoff hunt. We are down our starting QB once again but the swagger of 2017 is back. Foles’ performance has not always been perfect (see the 1st Quarter of the Texans game) but he has been getting the job done in the clutch (see the last drive of the Texans game).
As I noted last week, the players seem to be energized by Foles’ presence in the huddle and the wisdom he has gained over the years has provided a steady hand on the tiller over these last few weeks. It is yet to be seen if this magical run can continue into the playoffs, let alone Atlanta, but at the very least Foles is making the most of his time left in Philadelphia. He is not going down without a fight and in the town of Rocky – that is all that matters.
Now onto this week’s match-up. Fortunately for us, we face Washington who just cut one of their best defensive players (D.J. Swearinger) and are playing “Name that Washed-up QB” on offense. This game is certainly not going to be a walk in the park given the divisional rivalry and chance for Washington to play spoiler. However, this team has found their groove again and is not going to blow their chance at making a run in the playoffs.
Unfortunately for us, we need help from Chicago to make into the playoffs. The latest news indicates the Bears will be playing their starters as they are still in the position to claim the #2 seed in the NFC playoff picture (they need to win and have the Rams lose to the 49ers). There is a chance the Bears could lay off the gas in the second half if they find out the Rams are blowing out the 49ers, so this weekend we need to be sending out good vibes to our Birds plus the Bears, and the Bay Area 49ers (their stadium is in Santa Clara these days, so ‘Bay Area’ is both alliteratively and geographically appropriate).
The Bears will be conservative in what they show against the Vikings because they could be facing them again the following week in the Wildcard round of the playoffs but they will manage to muster up enough points and stave off the Cousins-led Vikings offense. Come Sunday evening, I foresee a Christmas Miracle for our Birds but no repeat miracle for the Vikings. They will have to wait until next year.
The Bears win this weekend, though, may prove to be their own undoing because this Foles-led Birds team is not one I would want to face in the playoffs. They are battle-tested and ready to re-prove doubters wrong.
Eagles Win 27-13
Bears Win 17 - 14
Record 9-7 clinch 6th Seed in the NFC Playoff Bracket
Do You Believe in Christmas Miracles?
Leaving the Superdome back in mid-November I thought our season was over. The team seemed to be in complete disarray without a handle on how to set the ship right. Two wins against bumbling divisional foes provided a little encouragement but those hopes were dashed once again with the overtime loss in Dallas and two top-tier opponents coming up next.
Somehow though, here we are at week 17 and we are still in the playoff hunt. We are down our starting QB once again but the swagger of 2017 is back. Foles’ performance has not always been perfect (see the 1st Quarter of the Texans game) but he has been getting the job done in the clutch (see the last drive of the Texans game).
As I noted last week, the players seem to be energized by Foles’ presence in the huddle and the wisdom he has gained over the years has provided a steady hand on the tiller over these last few weeks. It is yet to be seen if this magical run can continue into the playoffs, let alone Atlanta, but at the very least Foles is making the most of his time left in Philadelphia. He is not going down without a fight and in the town of Rocky – that is all that matters.
Now onto this week’s match-up. Fortunately for us, we face Washington who just cut one of their best defensive players (D.J. Swearinger) and are playing “Name that Washed-up QB” on offense. This game is certainly not going to be a walk in the park given the divisional rivalry and chance for Washington to play spoiler. However, this team has found their groove again and is not going to blow their chance at making a run in the playoffs.
Unfortunately for us, we need help from Chicago to make into the playoffs. The latest news indicates the Bears will be playing their starters as they are still in the position to claim the #2 seed in the NFC playoff picture (they need to win and have the Rams lose to the 49ers). There is a chance the Bears could lay off the gas in the second half if they find out the Rams are blowing out the 49ers, so this weekend we need to be sending out good vibes to our Birds plus the Bears, and the Bay Area 49ers (their stadium is in Santa Clara these days, so ‘Bay Area’ is both alliteratively and geographically appropriate).
The Bears will be conservative in what they show against the Vikings because they could be facing them again the following week in the Wildcard round of the playoffs but they will manage to muster up enough points and stave off the Cousins-led Vikings offense. Come Sunday evening, I foresee a Christmas Miracle for our Birds but no repeat miracle for the Vikings. They will have to wait until next year.
The Bears win this weekend, though, may prove to be their own undoing because this Foles-led Birds team is not one I would want to face in the playoffs. They are battle-tested and ready to re-prove doubters wrong.
Eagles Win 27-13
Bears Win 17 - 14
Record 9-7 clinch 6th Seed in the NFC Playoff Bracket
Friday, December 21, 2018
In Foles We Trust as Eagles Host Texans in a Must Win
By: KO Kelly
Déjà Foles: Eagles Leave LA with Another mid-December Victory over Rams
Is this a sign of good things to come? The last time we saw this story unfold there was a pretty Super ending!
I know I know, the guy who predicted a blow-out loss last week cannot jump on the Foles-wagon to Atlanta but after the most satisfying game of the year it is hard not to get excited again. Everything that did not click in the first 14 games seemed to finally come together in LA.
We stayed committed to a simplified and run-oriented game-plan. Foles got the ball in Jeffrey’s hands. The defense harassed Goff all night and made him look Eli Manning-esque. Most of all our Birds played like the hungry dogs we saw last year.
Now, not to add anything to the already ridiculous grumblings of a QB controversy but there is something about Foles that seems to energize the team more broadly than Wentz has been able to this year. Maybe it is the resurgence of underdog mentality manifested in Foles’ underdog story. Maybe the players step up more because Foles cannot make the same miraculous plays we have come to expect from Wentz. Or maybe it is much simpler, maybe it is love.
“You win in the 4th quarter by loving one another.”
That was the message Foles delivered on Sunday night after the upset victory against the Rams. Those words are very similar to the message he shared with his teammates in the huddle during the Super Bowl. Clearly this message resonates with the team because they are excited and supportive to have him back leading the team. This is not a knock on Wentz, it is merely a reflection of Foles’ wise-beyond-his-years perspective on this game and life.
Eagles great, Brian Dawkins, during his Hall of Fame speech talked about how he played the game as he would have expected any average Eagles’ fan to play the game if they had the talent and ability to play one NFL game that is, with wild enthusiasm, passion, and grit.
With that in mind, I encourage all of us to use this Christmas season to channel our inner Nick Foles and live life with more love. Imagine how much better your days will be when you focus on love and ignore the trivialities of life, the siren calls of your ego, the anger spewing from all forms of media.
You win in life by loving one another.
Stepping away from the kumbaya fire pit for a second, let’s discuss this week’s match-up against the Texans.
This one appeared to be another obvious loss given the Texans recent 9-game winning streak and our slump but after stumbling against the Colts two weeks ago and an unimpressive win against the paltry Jets – I am inclined to believe we have more than a decent shot in this game. If we stick to a similar game-plan from last week, I am confident our Birds will be able to out-match their defensive firepower. Watson is putting up some solid numbers in his 2nd year, so our defense will be tested again but at home in December – they are up for the challenge.
Our Birds will keep the playoff hopes alive for another week and fingers-crossed we see an upsets in Dallas and Detroit this weekend!
Eagles Win 24-16
Record 7-7
Déjà Foles: Eagles Leave LA with Another mid-December Victory over Rams
Is this a sign of good things to come? The last time we saw this story unfold there was a pretty Super ending!
I know I know, the guy who predicted a blow-out loss last week cannot jump on the Foles-wagon to Atlanta but after the most satisfying game of the year it is hard not to get excited again. Everything that did not click in the first 14 games seemed to finally come together in LA.
We stayed committed to a simplified and run-oriented game-plan. Foles got the ball in Jeffrey’s hands. The defense harassed Goff all night and made him look Eli Manning-esque. Most of all our Birds played like the hungry dogs we saw last year.
Now, not to add anything to the already ridiculous grumblings of a QB controversy but there is something about Foles that seems to energize the team more broadly than Wentz has been able to this year. Maybe it is the resurgence of underdog mentality manifested in Foles’ underdog story. Maybe the players step up more because Foles cannot make the same miraculous plays we have come to expect from Wentz. Or maybe it is much simpler, maybe it is love.
“You win in the 4th quarter by loving one another.”
That was the message Foles delivered on Sunday night after the upset victory against the Rams. Those words are very similar to the message he shared with his teammates in the huddle during the Super Bowl. Clearly this message resonates with the team because they are excited and supportive to have him back leading the team. This is not a knock on Wentz, it is merely a reflection of Foles’ wise-beyond-his-years perspective on this game and life.
Eagles great, Brian Dawkins, during his Hall of Fame speech talked about how he played the game as he would have expected any average Eagles’ fan to play the game if they had the talent and ability to play one NFL game that is, with wild enthusiasm, passion, and grit.
With that in mind, I encourage all of us to use this Christmas season to channel our inner Nick Foles and live life with more love. Imagine how much better your days will be when you focus on love and ignore the trivialities of life, the siren calls of your ego, the anger spewing from all forms of media.
You win in life by loving one another.
Stepping away from the kumbaya fire pit for a second, let’s discuss this week’s match-up against the Texans.
This one appeared to be another obvious loss given the Texans recent 9-game winning streak and our slump but after stumbling against the Colts two weeks ago and an unimpressive win against the paltry Jets – I am inclined to believe we have more than a decent shot in this game. If we stick to a similar game-plan from last week, I am confident our Birds will be able to out-match their defensive firepower. Watson is putting up some solid numbers in his 2nd year, so our defense will be tested again but at home in December – they are up for the challenge.
Our Birds will keep the playoff hopes alive for another week and fingers-crossed we see an upsets in Dallas and Detroit this weekend!
Eagles Win 24-16
Record 7-7
Saturday, December 15, 2018
What the Eagles Need to Do to Win Next Year
By: KO Kelly
Changes are Coming
In golf they use the term mulligan to denote a stroke following a poor shot that will not count against the golfer on their scorecard. This whole season is a mulligan for our Birds.
I cringe to think how the city and sports writers (present company humbly included) would be reacting if we had not won the Super Bowl earlier this year. We would be calling for Doug’s head (some already are), turning on Wentz (a small minority of morons are), and questioning Lurie’s decision to put Howie back in the driver’s seat (a handful are diverting the glory to Joe Doulgas instead).
Luckily, most of us are still able to recognize and appreciate the amazing run we had last year and are willing to give the organization a pass this year. Obviously, this is not the title-defending campaign we hoped for and my theory on the psychology of winning begetting more winning did not pan out. However, aside from the Saints’ game – this team continued to fight hard each week and although I hate to say it (because close only counts in horseshoes & hand grenades) – oftentimes they were just a handful of plays away from winning the game.
Do not misunderstand me, they were miles away from dominating teams like they did last year but generally they were in most games in the 4th quarter and could easily have 5 more wins (Carolina, Titans, Vikings, and both Cowboys games). Having said that, they were also close to losing a handful of other games (Falcons and Colts).
So what do they need to get back into 2017 form, here’s my Christmas wish list:
• Sit Carson for the rest of the season. He is banged up and needs time to relax and reflect. Statistically he is having a solid season but it does not feel that way. He has been a bit sloppier with the ball this year and his timing seems off. I still have faith in him as our franchise QB for the next decade but he needs time to get out of his head.
• Fire Mike Groh. I understand Doug calls the plays but Groh is not bringing anything to the table. He has a track record of dismal offensive production, so I have little confidence he will eventually become some guru here. We have too many offensive weapons for us not to be putting up 30 points a week.
• Bring back 2017 Doug. Last year, Doug would have gone for the 2-pt conversion after the late touchdown in last Sunday’s Dallas game. He would have trusted Carson to get it in there and then for the defense to shut down Dak & Co. Instead, he played it safe just like he saw the Jags play safe against the Patriots, which he swore he would not do and
we suffered the same fate: the big L.
• Fire the medical staff. Even before the most recent reports concerning Wentz’s back injury and the murmurs of concerns regarding our medical staff, I was calling for the firing of our strength and conditioning coaches. After the slew of injuries over the past two seasons, something needs to change in this area of player health. I am not sure if players are being rushed back from injury, misdiagnosed, improperly trained, or what but a full house cleaning would not be a bad start. While the fans want to see wins and stars on the field, we do not want to see Wentz go the route of Luck and lose him for a whole season.
• A lineman heavy draft. Howie dropped the ball on the Tate trade. We did not need another receiver, we needed better play-calling and a defensive tackle. The success of our defense is almost solely predicated on the pressure generated by the front four. We need a better and deeper front four than we had this year. Bennett has been an amazing addition and it would be great to see him return another year since we will likely lose Long but Ngata next to Cox is doing just that – nada. Jernigan and Barnett will be returning but I could see us potentially moving on from Graham, so we need to focus on defensive lineman (and offensive ones as well) in this year’s draft.
• Run the ball with Adams – full stop.
Luckily I know Jeffrey Lurie is an avid reader of Eagles Lincs, so these wishes are bound to come true. In truth, a lot of these are just obvious adjustments that will naturally manifest in their own unique way. I have trust in this organization to right this ship. In fact, I am of the belief that this down and depressing season will actually lead to a better long-term outcome for the franchise. If we were to have won some of those earlier but still sloppy games and had a chance to sneak into the playoffs only to get blown away by the Rams or Saints, we would not have as much impetus to make the changes we need to make. Changes will come from this disappointing campaign and they will be for the better.
As for this week’s game, it will likely be a bloodbath unless the legendary Nick “The Brady Slayer” Foles decides to dial up one of his signature head-scratching performances. Come to think of it, with a simplified game plan and a focus on the run game, we just may have a chance . . . nope, we will likely be destroyed again like in the Saints game.
Eagles Lose score not fit to print
Record 6-8
Changes are Coming
In golf they use the term mulligan to denote a stroke following a poor shot that will not count against the golfer on their scorecard. This whole season is a mulligan for our Birds.
I cringe to think how the city and sports writers (present company humbly included) would be reacting if we had not won the Super Bowl earlier this year. We would be calling for Doug’s head (some already are), turning on Wentz (a small minority of morons are), and questioning Lurie’s decision to put Howie back in the driver’s seat (a handful are diverting the glory to Joe Doulgas instead).
Luckily, most of us are still able to recognize and appreciate the amazing run we had last year and are willing to give the organization a pass this year. Obviously, this is not the title-defending campaign we hoped for and my theory on the psychology of winning begetting more winning did not pan out. However, aside from the Saints’ game – this team continued to fight hard each week and although I hate to say it (because close only counts in horseshoes & hand grenades) – oftentimes they were just a handful of plays away from winning the game.
Do not misunderstand me, they were miles away from dominating teams like they did last year but generally they were in most games in the 4th quarter and could easily have 5 more wins (Carolina, Titans, Vikings, and both Cowboys games). Having said that, they were also close to losing a handful of other games (Falcons and Colts).
So what do they need to get back into 2017 form, here’s my Christmas wish list:
• Sit Carson for the rest of the season. He is banged up and needs time to relax and reflect. Statistically he is having a solid season but it does not feel that way. He has been a bit sloppier with the ball this year and his timing seems off. I still have faith in him as our franchise QB for the next decade but he needs time to get out of his head.
• Fire Mike Groh. I understand Doug calls the plays but Groh is not bringing anything to the table. He has a track record of dismal offensive production, so I have little confidence he will eventually become some guru here. We have too many offensive weapons for us not to be putting up 30 points a week.
• Bring back 2017 Doug. Last year, Doug would have gone for the 2-pt conversion after the late touchdown in last Sunday’s Dallas game. He would have trusted Carson to get it in there and then for the defense to shut down Dak & Co. Instead, he played it safe just like he saw the Jags play safe against the Patriots, which he swore he would not do and
we suffered the same fate: the big L.
• Fire the medical staff. Even before the most recent reports concerning Wentz’s back injury and the murmurs of concerns regarding our medical staff, I was calling for the firing of our strength and conditioning coaches. After the slew of injuries over the past two seasons, something needs to change in this area of player health. I am not sure if players are being rushed back from injury, misdiagnosed, improperly trained, or what but a full house cleaning would not be a bad start. While the fans want to see wins and stars on the field, we do not want to see Wentz go the route of Luck and lose him for a whole season.
• A lineman heavy draft. Howie dropped the ball on the Tate trade. We did not need another receiver, we needed better play-calling and a defensive tackle. The success of our defense is almost solely predicated on the pressure generated by the front four. We need a better and deeper front four than we had this year. Bennett has been an amazing addition and it would be great to see him return another year since we will likely lose Long but Ngata next to Cox is doing just that – nada. Jernigan and Barnett will be returning but I could see us potentially moving on from Graham, so we need to focus on defensive lineman (and offensive ones as well) in this year’s draft.
• Run the ball with Adams – full stop.
Luckily I know Jeffrey Lurie is an avid reader of Eagles Lincs, so these wishes are bound to come true. In truth, a lot of these are just obvious adjustments that will naturally manifest in their own unique way. I have trust in this organization to right this ship. In fact, I am of the belief that this down and depressing season will actually lead to a better long-term outcome for the franchise. If we were to have won some of those earlier but still sloppy games and had a chance to sneak into the playoffs only to get blown away by the Rams or Saints, we would not have as much impetus to make the changes we need to make. Changes will come from this disappointing campaign and they will be for the better.
As for this week’s game, it will likely be a bloodbath unless the legendary Nick “The Brady Slayer” Foles decides to dial up one of his signature head-scratching performances. Come to think of it, with a simplified game plan and a focus on the run game, we just may have a chance . . . nope, we will likely be destroyed again like in the Saints game.
Eagles Lose score not fit to print
Record 6-8
Friday, December 7, 2018
Eagles Still 'In the Hunt' for NFC East Title Heading into Big D
By: KO Kelly
“So you’re telling me there’s a chance?!”
That’s how many of us are feeling about our Birds’ playoff hopes after our two wins in a row against hobbled divisional foes.
Those two - sloppy at times but nonetheless – wins have Eagles’ nation dreaming about a playoff berth for Christmas (and all the other winter holidays as well).
It will not be an easy road with three tough opponents over the next few weeks but it is feasible with a little help from an old friend . . . and long-time foe.
While I am not ruling out the Eagles catching fire in these last 4 weeks and running the table, I am also not banking on it. Our secondary, while serviceable, is still banged up. Hicks and Jernigan are slow in getting back on the field. It completely baffles me that we do not score +30 pts/game given our four talented wide receivers, a record-smashing TE and his understudy plus a budding run-game. I understand Wentz is still recovering but if we could just get out of our own way that would be a huge help (e.g. the two red-zone failures from Monday night).
But I digress, let’s get back to the friends/foes we need help from:
1) Frank Reich & the Colts – Dallas heads up to Indy next week for what we hope is a QB clinic from Luck and a second loss in a row for Jerry’s boys
2) The Giants – this week against Washington and the final game of the season against Dallas
If Washington loses this week, they are pretty much out of the picture and even if they don’t lose, with Mark Sanchez at QB – they are not going too far.
If Dallas loses one of these two games, it opens the doors for the Eagles to claim the NFC East crown even if they were to loss another game in the final three games. It would not be a pretty crown but it is still a ticket to the dance!
There are a couple other scenarios with the Vikings, Seahawks, and Panthers in the mix for the wild-card spots, but that was more “what-if” forecasting that I was willing to invest mine time in - so let’s just hope they all lose or tie for the next few weeks.
Now onto this week. I called a pretty good game last week with Tate’s break-out game, Ertz’s etching his name into the records books, and the exact score – so I am hopeful I will be as on point in this match-up.
With Dallas coming off the big win against the Saints, they are certainly feeling themselves a bit. I am sure our Birds are gaining confidence as well but given the trials and tribulations they have been through this year, I do not see them taking this game lightly.
The Dallas D has been much better of lately but now that we have figured out how to incorporate Tate into the offense and are relying on the run again, we are going to see the offensive explosion we have been waiting for. Wentz will have a few head-scratching moments but this will become one of his defining games where he orchestrates a masterful performance as the Eagles rally to come back from an early deficit.
As for the other QB on the field, Dak will unfortunately play decent as well. With our battered secondary and a focus on stopping Zeke, Dak will have opportunities to connect with his new favorite target Amari Cooper. He will come to know Kamu Grugier-Hill, though, when he gets sacked hard for a loss. (I am not huge fan of trash talk but is it trash talk if it is just the facts?!)
It would be nice if this were a Week 16 match-up because then there would be the chance that Ertz breaks Witten record in Dallas but alas we will have to settle for him scoring two monster touchdowns to end the first half and start the second.
At the end of the day, we will walk away with the W and some more swagger in our steps, which we will need as we then take on two of the hottest teams in the NFL: Rams & Texans.
Eagles Win 38 - 24
Record 7-6
“So you’re telling me there’s a chance?!”
That’s how many of us are feeling about our Birds’ playoff hopes after our two wins in a row against hobbled divisional foes.
Those two - sloppy at times but nonetheless – wins have Eagles’ nation dreaming about a playoff berth for Christmas (and all the other winter holidays as well).
It will not be an easy road with three tough opponents over the next few weeks but it is feasible with a little help from an old friend . . . and long-time foe.
While I am not ruling out the Eagles catching fire in these last 4 weeks and running the table, I am also not banking on it. Our secondary, while serviceable, is still banged up. Hicks and Jernigan are slow in getting back on the field. It completely baffles me that we do not score +30 pts/game given our four talented wide receivers, a record-smashing TE and his understudy plus a budding run-game. I understand Wentz is still recovering but if we could just get out of our own way that would be a huge help (e.g. the two red-zone failures from Monday night).
But I digress, let’s get back to the friends/foes we need help from:
1) Frank Reich & the Colts – Dallas heads up to Indy next week for what we hope is a QB clinic from Luck and a second loss in a row for Jerry’s boys
2) The Giants – this week against Washington and the final game of the season against Dallas
If Washington loses this week, they are pretty much out of the picture and even if they don’t lose, with Mark Sanchez at QB – they are not going too far.
If Dallas loses one of these two games, it opens the doors for the Eagles to claim the NFC East crown even if they were to loss another game in the final three games. It would not be a pretty crown but it is still a ticket to the dance!
There are a couple other scenarios with the Vikings, Seahawks, and Panthers in the mix for the wild-card spots, but that was more “what-if” forecasting that I was willing to invest mine time in - so let’s just hope they all lose or tie for the next few weeks.
Now onto this week. I called a pretty good game last week with Tate’s break-out game, Ertz’s etching his name into the records books, and the exact score – so I am hopeful I will be as on point in this match-up.
With Dallas coming off the big win against the Saints, they are certainly feeling themselves a bit. I am sure our Birds are gaining confidence as well but given the trials and tribulations they have been through this year, I do not see them taking this game lightly.
The Dallas D has been much better of lately but now that we have figured out how to incorporate Tate into the offense and are relying on the run again, we are going to see the offensive explosion we have been waiting for. Wentz will have a few head-scratching moments but this will become one of his defining games where he orchestrates a masterful performance as the Eagles rally to come back from an early deficit.
As for the other QB on the field, Dak will unfortunately play decent as well. With our battered secondary and a focus on stopping Zeke, Dak will have opportunities to connect with his new favorite target Amari Cooper. He will come to know Kamu Grugier-Hill, though, when he gets sacked hard for a loss. (I am not huge fan of trash talk but is it trash talk if it is just the facts?!)
It would be nice if this were a Week 16 match-up because then there would be the chance that Ertz breaks Witten record in Dallas but alas we will have to settle for him scoring two monster touchdowns to end the first half and start the second.
At the end of the day, we will walk away with the W and some more swagger in our steps, which we will need as we then take on two of the hottest teams in the NFL: Rams & Texans.
Eagles Win 38 - 24
Record 7-6
Saturday, December 1, 2018
Have the Birds Found Their Groove?
By: KO Kelly
It was one thing for the Saints to obliterate us a couple weeks ago but to lose to Dallas, in prime time is inexcusable. What made it even more painful and all too familiar was Drew Brees’ impression of an Eagles’ quarterback forcing a bad throw resulting in a game-ending interception instead of a game-winning touchdown drive.
This makes our already difficult road to repeat as division champs that much more difficult. If Dallas had lost, we may have been able to survive a loss to the Rams or Texans but now we will more than likely need to win out to have a real chance at the division. However, I am not entirely opposed to the Cowboys brazenly waltzing into the playoffs only to get outclassed by the electric Rams offense or the vengeful Saints. The higher they climb now, the harder they fall later and all the sweeter the schadenfreude will be!
On the positive side, it sounds like the Eagles are finally finding their groove during practices again. Golden Tate mentioned this week’s practice was the best he has seen since joining the team. We have heard throughout the season that the practices have not lived up to the players’ or coaches’ expectations. How this is an issue on a team with many hungry veterans and vocal leaders is a bit baffling to me but at this point in the season, any step forward is a good one. Let’s hope this will be enough for them to remain competitive and on the right track for the rest of the season.
Luckily, our Birds have a banged up divisional foe coming to the Linc on Monday night, so we have another week to fine tune the motor for a final push. With Alex Smith out for the rest of the season and journeyman QB Colt McCoy (safe to assume no relation to LeSean) at the helm – Washington is not nearly as daunting of a game as it could have been just a few weeks ago. They are also down a handful of offensive linemen as well as RB Adrian Peterson. They will be eager to stop their two-game losing streak and salvage their once promising season, but Philadelphia is finally showing some fight in them and it doesn’t stop Monday night.
I expect a heavy dose of Josh Adams, which will open up the passing game for Wentz. Golden Tate will get his long-awaited coming out party and Ertz will have at least 7 receptions, breaking Westbrooks ’07 single season high of 90 receptions. From the defensive side - McCoy will be under severe pressure all night from Cox, Jernigan, & Co. Lastly, either special teams or one of our-off-the-streets CBs is going to make a big time play early in the game that keeps the house jumping all night!
It was one thing for the Saints to obliterate us a couple weeks ago but to lose to Dallas, in prime time is inexcusable. What made it even more painful and all too familiar was Drew Brees’ impression of an Eagles’ quarterback forcing a bad throw resulting in a game-ending interception instead of a game-winning touchdown drive.
This makes our already difficult road to repeat as division champs that much more difficult. If Dallas had lost, we may have been able to survive a loss to the Rams or Texans but now we will more than likely need to win out to have a real chance at the division. However, I am not entirely opposed to the Cowboys brazenly waltzing into the playoffs only to get outclassed by the electric Rams offense or the vengeful Saints. The higher they climb now, the harder they fall later and all the sweeter the schadenfreude will be!
On the positive side, it sounds like the Eagles are finally finding their groove during practices again. Golden Tate mentioned this week’s practice was the best he has seen since joining the team. We have heard throughout the season that the practices have not lived up to the players’ or coaches’ expectations. How this is an issue on a team with many hungry veterans and vocal leaders is a bit baffling to me but at this point in the season, any step forward is a good one. Let’s hope this will be enough for them to remain competitive and on the right track for the rest of the season.
Luckily, our Birds have a banged up divisional foe coming to the Linc on Monday night, so we have another week to fine tune the motor for a final push. With Alex Smith out for the rest of the season and journeyman QB Colt McCoy (safe to assume no relation to LeSean) at the helm – Washington is not nearly as daunting of a game as it could have been just a few weeks ago. They are also down a handful of offensive linemen as well as RB Adrian Peterson. They will be eager to stop their two-game losing streak and salvage their once promising season, but Philadelphia is finally showing some fight in them and it doesn’t stop Monday night.
I expect a heavy dose of Josh Adams, which will open up the passing game for Wentz. Golden Tate will get his long-awaited coming out party and Ertz will have at least 7 receptions, breaking Westbrooks ’07 single season high of 90 receptions. From the defensive side - McCoy will be under severe pressure all night from Cox, Jernigan, & Co. Lastly, either special teams or one of our-off-the-streets CBs is going to make a big time play early in the game that keeps the house jumping all night!
Saturday, November 24, 2018
Season of Thanksgiving
By: KO Kelly
Thanksgiving is my favorite time of the year. It is a time for family and friends to gather together and share their appreciation for each other. It is a time to reflect on all the good in our lives and forget the bad for at least a day. It is also a time for assessing your NFL team’s playoff chances.
At this point in the season, there is enough tape to know the real contenders vs the great pretenders. This time last year at 9-1 we were firmly in the contenders category with some fans already planning their trips to Minnesota. However, this year our Birds are barely even pretending, which led to a very different atmosphere at the many Eagles’ faithful Thanksgiving tables yesterday.
There was frustration over the lack of offensive production. Sarcastic but somewhat serious offers to suit up in the secondary on Sunday. Shock over OC Mike Groh’s bewildering admission that it has been “challenging” to incorporate Golden Tate into the offense (Mike if you are reading, this is an example of what we call “Things you can think but cannot say out loud”!) Much disgust was expressed over the perceived lack of fight during the Saints’ game.
However, the most common sentiment was the disappointment in watching the “New Normal” play out a lot more like the dark days of Rich Kotite and Ray Rhodes than the beginning of a dynasty in the mold of Walsh, Noll, and yes even Belichick.
After last year’s magical season, we never anticipated having to deal with this type of reality so soon. Would we eventually lose? Yes. Would we eventually lose multiple games, in a row, at home? Yes. Would we eventually get blown out? Yes. But not this year, not all before week 12.
Or so we thought. However, that is the thing about any given football season, they are each surprising and unpredictable in their own special way, much like the seasons of our lives. These past two seasons, especially, offer two important lessons:
• When a group of individuals band together for a common cause in the face of immense adversity – immortal greatness can be achieved
• No matter what you have achieved in the past, nothing is given to you today or tomorrow
While our playoff chances still hang ever-so-slightly in the balance, let’s not focus on what we wanted this year to be. Instead, let’s remember why we watch football in the first place: for entertainment. We were thoroughly entertained last year and while it’s fair to get upset during the games this year, once it’s over – let’s just leave it at that. Remember, the highs would not feel as good without these lows.
Thankfully, this week our Birds will show a little more life and urgency as they put forth their best performance at home for the first time since September with a somewhat tense but definitive win against the Giants.
Eagles Win 24 - 17
Record 5-6
Thanksgiving is my favorite time of the year. It is a time for family and friends to gather together and share their appreciation for each other. It is a time to reflect on all the good in our lives and forget the bad for at least a day. It is also a time for assessing your NFL team’s playoff chances.
At this point in the season, there is enough tape to know the real contenders vs the great pretenders. This time last year at 9-1 we were firmly in the contenders category with some fans already planning their trips to Minnesota. However, this year our Birds are barely even pretending, which led to a very different atmosphere at the many Eagles’ faithful Thanksgiving tables yesterday.
There was frustration over the lack of offensive production. Sarcastic but somewhat serious offers to suit up in the secondary on Sunday. Shock over OC Mike Groh’s bewildering admission that it has been “challenging” to incorporate Golden Tate into the offense (Mike if you are reading, this is an example of what we call “Things you can think but cannot say out loud”!) Much disgust was expressed over the perceived lack of fight during the Saints’ game.
However, the most common sentiment was the disappointment in watching the “New Normal” play out a lot more like the dark days of Rich Kotite and Ray Rhodes than the beginning of a dynasty in the mold of Walsh, Noll, and yes even Belichick.
After last year’s magical season, we never anticipated having to deal with this type of reality so soon. Would we eventually lose? Yes. Would we eventually lose multiple games, in a row, at home? Yes. Would we eventually get blown out? Yes. But not this year, not all before week 12.
Or so we thought. However, that is the thing about any given football season, they are each surprising and unpredictable in their own special way, much like the seasons of our lives. These past two seasons, especially, offer two important lessons:
• When a group of individuals band together for a common cause in the face of immense adversity – immortal greatness can be achieved
• No matter what you have achieved in the past, nothing is given to you today or tomorrow
While our playoff chances still hang ever-so-slightly in the balance, let’s not focus on what we wanted this year to be. Instead, let’s remember why we watch football in the first place: for entertainment. We were thoroughly entertained last year and while it’s fair to get upset during the games this year, once it’s over – let’s just leave it at that. Remember, the highs would not feel as good without these lows.
Thankfully, this week our Birds will show a little more life and urgency as they put forth their best performance at home for the first time since September with a somewhat tense but definitive win against the Giants.
Eagles Win 24 - 17
Record 5-6
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Eagles Back to the Role of Underdogs Against the Saints
The Eagles go on the road this Sunday as touchdown underdogs against the surging New Orleans Saints and for good reason. Their season is at the crossroads with a disappointing 4-5 record facing a team that has won its last eight games.
Things are so dire that Eagles Lincs sent KO Kelly on the road with the team to try and shake things up in the Big Easy. I am sure he will have some great insight into Sunday's game in next week's post win or lose.
For some added insight into the state of the Birds heading into this game, below in an email he sent me before he took off for New Orleans:
Hi Dave,
Hope your Saturday is going well. Please find below my post for this week:
This Sunday will mark the first time I attend an Eagles game and the opposing team's stadium. My college buddies and I planned this trip before the season and this was presumed to be a heavy-weight match with significant playoff implications.
Oh how the times have changed. One team is poised for a deep playoff run but unfortunately it does not looking like it will be our Birds, who are circling the proverbial bowl.
To be honest, this scenario plays out better for my nerves. If this was a playoff level game I would be stressed and unable to enjoy the experience. Instead, with a win being borderline miraculous, I can sit back and enjoy the game with my buddies.
Having said that, I will still be rooting my heart out for our boys but my hopes for this game are the lowest they have been in awhile.
They have the offensive weapons to go toe-to-toe with Brees & Co but do they have the gameplan? Our defense has been Swiss cheese recently and there's a good chance they give up more than 40 points. So while I do not like what I am about to do - I am predicting my first official Eagles loss of the season 45-24 and a chunk of those points will come in garbage time.
I am hoping this reverse psychology play will work with the universe and we will find ourselves refreshed and back on track. However, they have not shown consistency and it may take a season long march into the darkness to reclaim their position as a top tier team next year. The Patriots missed the playoffs after their first Super Bowl win, so all is not lost if this year goes the direction it appears to be heading.
So with that, let's focus on three positives:
We still have one of the best young QBs in the league
We still have a chance to sneak into the playoffs (queue Jim Mora screeching)
We are still the defending Super Bowl champs!!
As the chief editor for Eagles Linc, I decided to respond with some insight of my own:
Hey Kevin,
When Gramps (KO's grandfather and my dad) first signed on as a season ticket holder in 1961, he went into every Eagles' game with blind optimism that they would win because that was the result he expected. He always wanted to be a winner; win or lose. He never took into consideration that the Eagles were not good enough to win the games they were destined to lose.
I came into the picture at a very young age and always knew that our home team's capabilities as a perennial doormat in the NFC East were rather limited. I also quickly learned that wins were rare in the late 60's, early 70's even in the friendly confines of the Vet.
The 1980 NFC Championship against Dallas is still at the top of my list of the Bird's greatest hits (even above last season's SB win) given how this reversal of fortune changed the direction of the franchise moving forward.
Blind optimism is like fool's gold. As another gem of wisdom from your favorite uncle; Super Bowl hangovers are a bitch.
We still have a great team that is learning this fact the hard way. I am not closing out the book on this season, but the harsh reality of the situation took hold with Monday night's loss to a Cowgirls, who still stink.The Redskins are more than capable of imploding, but that has no real bearing on the Eagles' perplexing 4-5 start.
Bottom line, the Birds need nothing short of a miracle to pull off a win on Sunday on the road against the hottest team in the league. Conventional wisdom dictates they do not have a chance, but faith is a tie that binds!
The betting line has the Eagles listed as eight-point road underdogs. Super Bowl Champions eight-point underdogs! It just does not add up, but it is what it is.
At the very least, I am betting the Birds to cover. One interesting incident that has to be taken into consideration is Gramps' recent invocation into the matter with a cryptic 407 message that I received from his lofty place in Heaven. This tells me that Philly has a strong chance to actually win this game.
While I am preaching to the choir with the Deacon attached to this email, keep the faith!
I am channeling Jules on Sunday afternoon with the K-Man in the Big Easy. The end result of this crazy Bayou Voodoo is a wild Eagles' 34-31 victory that puts the Birds back in the NFC East title race with a Redskins' loss to Houston and the Cowboos' falter against Atlanta.
Kev, regardless of the outcome in the Big Easy have fun! This place kicked my ass more than once and it resulted in an Eagle tattoo on my left thigh that is a whole other story into itself.
Always remember...Keep the Faith,
Dave
Things are so dire that Eagles Lincs sent KO Kelly on the road with the team to try and shake things up in the Big Easy. I am sure he will have some great insight into Sunday's game in next week's post win or lose.
For some added insight into the state of the Birds heading into this game, below in an email he sent me before he took off for New Orleans:
Hi Dave,
Hope your Saturday is going well. Please find below my post for this week:
This Sunday will mark the first time I attend an Eagles game and the opposing team's stadium. My college buddies and I planned this trip before the season and this was presumed to be a heavy-weight match with significant playoff implications.
Oh how the times have changed. One team is poised for a deep playoff run but unfortunately it does not looking like it will be our Birds, who are circling the proverbial bowl.
To be honest, this scenario plays out better for my nerves. If this was a playoff level game I would be stressed and unable to enjoy the experience. Instead, with a win being borderline miraculous, I can sit back and enjoy the game with my buddies.
Having said that, I will still be rooting my heart out for our boys but my hopes for this game are the lowest they have been in awhile.
They have the offensive weapons to go toe-to-toe with Brees & Co but do they have the gameplan? Our defense has been Swiss cheese recently and there's a good chance they give up more than 40 points. So while I do not like what I am about to do - I am predicting my first official Eagles loss of the season 45-24 and a chunk of those points will come in garbage time.
I am hoping this reverse psychology play will work with the universe and we will find ourselves refreshed and back on track. However, they have not shown consistency and it may take a season long march into the darkness to reclaim their position as a top tier team next year. The Patriots missed the playoffs after their first Super Bowl win, so all is not lost if this year goes the direction it appears to be heading.
So with that, let's focus on three positives:
We still have one of the best young QBs in the league
We still have a chance to sneak into the playoffs (queue Jim Mora screeching)
We are still the defending Super Bowl champs!!
As the chief editor for Eagles Linc, I decided to respond with some insight of my own:
Hey Kevin,
When Gramps (KO's grandfather and my dad) first signed on as a season ticket holder in 1961, he went into every Eagles' game with blind optimism that they would win because that was the result he expected. He always wanted to be a winner; win or lose. He never took into consideration that the Eagles were not good enough to win the games they were destined to lose.
I came into the picture at a very young age and always knew that our home team's capabilities as a perennial doormat in the NFC East were rather limited. I also quickly learned that wins were rare in the late 60's, early 70's even in the friendly confines of the Vet.
The 1980 NFC Championship against Dallas is still at the top of my list of the Bird's greatest hits (even above last season's SB win) given how this reversal of fortune changed the direction of the franchise moving forward.
Blind optimism is like fool's gold. As another gem of wisdom from your favorite uncle; Super Bowl hangovers are a bitch.
We still have a great team that is learning this fact the hard way. I am not closing out the book on this season, but the harsh reality of the situation took hold with Monday night's loss to a Cowgirls, who still stink.The Redskins are more than capable of imploding, but that has no real bearing on the Eagles' perplexing 4-5 start.
Bottom line, the Birds need nothing short of a miracle to pull off a win on Sunday on the road against the hottest team in the league. Conventional wisdom dictates they do not have a chance, but faith is a tie that binds!
The betting line has the Eagles listed as eight-point road underdogs. Super Bowl Champions eight-point underdogs! It just does not add up, but it is what it is.
At the very least, I am betting the Birds to cover. One interesting incident that has to be taken into consideration is Gramps' recent invocation into the matter with a cryptic 407 message that I received from his lofty place in Heaven. This tells me that Philly has a strong chance to actually win this game.
While I am preaching to the choir with the Deacon attached to this email, keep the faith!
I am channeling Jules on Sunday afternoon with the K-Man in the Big Easy. The end result of this crazy Bayou Voodoo is a wild Eagles' 34-31 victory that puts the Birds back in the NFC East title race with a Redskins' loss to Houston and the Cowboos' falter against Atlanta.
Kev, regardless of the outcome in the Big Easy have fun! This place kicked my ass more than once and it resulted in an Eagle tattoo on my left thigh that is a whole other story into itself.
Always remember...Keep the Faith,
Dave
Friday, November 9, 2018
Eagles’ Act II Begins on Sunday Night
By: KO Kelly
After the mind-boggling fourth quarter collapse against Carolina a couple weeks ago, I needed to take two bye weeks myself. When I left the stadium after that game, I was not even angry. I was completely dumbstruck. Luckily, they were able to pull out the win against the Jaguars in merry old London but it was not nearly as convincing at times as we would have liked.
Nevertheless, I am hopeful last week’s bye gave the players a chance to rest, unwind, and prepare for a new half. Same for the coaches. The chemistry of last year’s brain trust of Pederson/Reich/DeFillipo has been absent all season. I severely underestimated the effect of losing both in the off-season. Granted there have been health issues across the offense but even so, the play-calling has not lived up to the potential of Wentz & Co. With any luck, Pederson used the bye to travel back in time a la Austin Powers to retrieve his mojo.
On the defensive side, we may see Jernigan return within the next couple weeks, which is a more significant game-changer than the Tate acquisition. We won the Super Bowl last year in no small part because of the strength and depth of our defensive line. Schwartz’s defense is predicated on getting pressure from the front four. With injuries and a weaker supporting cast this year (bring back Beau!), the defensive line has not been as disruptive, which has a trickle-down effect on our linebackers and secondary. Mills getting burnt is not as bad when the QB is already on his back.
Luckily, the NFC East is still very much up for the taking and with our hated rivals - the Cowboys - coming to town this Sunday night, we can start laying our claim to that title.
After their magical run in 2016, the Cowboys have reverted back to their old ways of losing. Always highly touted by the national media, they will continue to be perennial losers as long as they are still micro-managed by Jerry Jones. (I will admit it would have been difficult to choose sides in the Jones v Goodell battle had it escalated any further).
They haven’t accomplished anything impressive in the past two decades and their entire city was shown up by a kicker at last Spring’s draft. C’mo’n man - now that’s just pathetic. If it were not for their bandwagon fans, I would potentially feel sorry for them - like the Browns or Bengals or Lions. But those August front-runners, who conveniently disappear (just like their team) in the winter keep my hate for the Cowboys dialed up to a 10.
So what’s my bold prediction for Sunday Night football at the Linc in all black . . . 42-3 Eagles - something kind of like this.
Record 5-4
After the mind-boggling fourth quarter collapse against Carolina a couple weeks ago, I needed to take two bye weeks myself. When I left the stadium after that game, I was not even angry. I was completely dumbstruck. Luckily, they were able to pull out the win against the Jaguars in merry old London but it was not nearly as convincing at times as we would have liked.
Nevertheless, I am hopeful last week’s bye gave the players a chance to rest, unwind, and prepare for a new half. Same for the coaches. The chemistry of last year’s brain trust of Pederson/Reich/DeFillipo has been absent all season. I severely underestimated the effect of losing both in the off-season. Granted there have been health issues across the offense but even so, the play-calling has not lived up to the potential of Wentz & Co. With any luck, Pederson used the bye to travel back in time a la Austin Powers to retrieve his mojo.
On the defensive side, we may see Jernigan return within the next couple weeks, which is a more significant game-changer than the Tate acquisition. We won the Super Bowl last year in no small part because of the strength and depth of our defensive line. Schwartz’s defense is predicated on getting pressure from the front four. With injuries and a weaker supporting cast this year (bring back Beau!), the defensive line has not been as disruptive, which has a trickle-down effect on our linebackers and secondary. Mills getting burnt is not as bad when the QB is already on his back.
Luckily, the NFC East is still very much up for the taking and with our hated rivals - the Cowboys - coming to town this Sunday night, we can start laying our claim to that title.
After their magical run in 2016, the Cowboys have reverted back to their old ways of losing. Always highly touted by the national media, they will continue to be perennial losers as long as they are still micro-managed by Jerry Jones. (I will admit it would have been difficult to choose sides in the Jones v Goodell battle had it escalated any further).
They haven’t accomplished anything impressive in the past two decades and their entire city was shown up by a kicker at last Spring’s draft. C’mo’n man - now that’s just pathetic. If it were not for their bandwagon fans, I would potentially feel sorry for them - like the Browns or Bengals or Lions. But those August front-runners, who conveniently disappear (just like their team) in the winter keep my hate for the Cowboys dialed up to a 10.
So what’s my bold prediction for Sunday Night football at the Linc in all black . . . 42-3 Eagles - something kind of like this.
Record 5-4
Sunday, October 21, 2018
The Streak Begins
By KO Kelly
A week ago today, the City of Philadelphia breathed a collective sigh of relief and rejoiced in the further dismantling of the already crumbling 2018 season for NY Giants. Our Birds came out with a statement game and as Coach Pederson mentioned in his post-game locker room speech, this win should serve as the spark they were needed to propel their title-defense campaign for the rest of season.
Wentz had his best game of the year and is off to a better statistical start than last year, which is amazing considering he is only nine months out from serious knee surgery. The chemistry he has with Jeffery, Ertz, and Agholor is likely to only improve from here, so get used to the return of +30-pts games. Clement and Smallwood performed well and have another chance to prove their mettle this weekend. With any lucky, they will have stellar outings and continue to quiet the doubters who contend we need to bring in a big-name running back before the trade deadline.
Speaking of running backs, though, we have to give credit where credit is due. Saquon Barkley was absolutely brilliant last Thursday. He runs the way Jay Ajayi thinks he is running when he hits the hole. Barkley also seems like a decent guy - he anti-OBJ - which makes it even harder to dislike him. He is going to be a nightmare for us for quite some time but luckily as long as Eli “Wait-I-Am-Allowed-to-Throw-the-Ball-Deep?” Manning is still their quarterback we are in good shape.
Now onto this week’s opponent: the Carolina Panthers.
This week last year we were still fuming from the infamous Pete Morelli Yellow Flag Festival, where he penalized the Eagles 10x more than the Panthers during our week 6 visit to Charlotte. Well, it seems the tables may have turned this year because in addition to the game being played at the Linc, there is also reason to believe the refs may be more favorable to us this time around. All I is a clean game with minimal interference from the zebras, oh and possibly the head of Pete Morelli on a silver platter! I mean really, does this guy even know that roughing the passer call on Barnett’s SACK of Cam Floppin’ was outrageous.
But I digress. This was our first real test last year after our week 2 loss against the Chiefs and will serve as a similar barometer for whether or not this year’s team is back on track. The Panthers are a lukewarm 3-2 with a recent loss to the Redskins and a nail-biter with the Giants. They may have cooled off after their somewhat hot start but they are still seen as real contenders in the NFC, especially with the Falcons sitting at 2-4 and the Bucs cratering back to reality.
McCaffery is having a strong season and will pose a significant threat to our banged-up defense. Cam won’t have much time to get the ball in his hands, though, because our front four will be putting pressure on him all afternoon. I am also going to call again for our first pick-6 of the season (eventually I will get it right). There will be some garbage points at the end but the Panthers offense will look mediocre for most of the game.
Wentz & Co will continue to connect through the air and on the ground as he puts up 4 TDs for the first time since the Rams game last year (note: he also threw for 4 TDs in week 7 last year against the Redskins). With the attention on Jeffery and Ertz, expect Matthews or Goedert to step up in this game. After this game, we will begin to forgive and forget the terrible football we suffered through in September as we Fly Eagles Fly on the road to Wembley!
Eagles win 35-17
Record 4-3
A week ago today, the City of Philadelphia breathed a collective sigh of relief and rejoiced in the further dismantling of the already crumbling 2018 season for NY Giants. Our Birds came out with a statement game and as Coach Pederson mentioned in his post-game locker room speech, this win should serve as the spark they were needed to propel their title-defense campaign for the rest of season.
Wentz had his best game of the year and is off to a better statistical start than last year, which is amazing considering he is only nine months out from serious knee surgery. The chemistry he has with Jeffery, Ertz, and Agholor is likely to only improve from here, so get used to the return of +30-pts games. Clement and Smallwood performed well and have another chance to prove their mettle this weekend. With any lucky, they will have stellar outings and continue to quiet the doubters who contend we need to bring in a big-name running back before the trade deadline.
Speaking of running backs, though, we have to give credit where credit is due. Saquon Barkley was absolutely brilliant last Thursday. He runs the way Jay Ajayi thinks he is running when he hits the hole. Barkley also seems like a decent guy - he anti-OBJ - which makes it even harder to dislike him. He is going to be a nightmare for us for quite some time but luckily as long as Eli “Wait-I-Am-Allowed-to-Throw-the-Ball-Deep?” Manning is still their quarterback we are in good shape.
Now onto this week’s opponent: the Carolina Panthers.
This week last year we were still fuming from the infamous Pete Morelli Yellow Flag Festival, where he penalized the Eagles 10x more than the Panthers during our week 6 visit to Charlotte. Well, it seems the tables may have turned this year because in addition to the game being played at the Linc, there is also reason to believe the refs may be more favorable to us this time around. All I is a clean game with minimal interference from the zebras, oh and possibly the head of Pete Morelli on a silver platter! I mean really, does this guy even know that roughing the passer call on Barnett’s SACK of Cam Floppin’ was outrageous.
But I digress. This was our first real test last year after our week 2 loss against the Chiefs and will serve as a similar barometer for whether or not this year’s team is back on track. The Panthers are a lukewarm 3-2 with a recent loss to the Redskins and a nail-biter with the Giants. They may have cooled off after their somewhat hot start but they are still seen as real contenders in the NFC, especially with the Falcons sitting at 2-4 and the Bucs cratering back to reality.
McCaffery is having a strong season and will pose a significant threat to our banged-up defense. Cam won’t have much time to get the ball in his hands, though, because our front four will be putting pressure on him all afternoon. I am also going to call again for our first pick-6 of the season (eventually I will get it right). There will be some garbage points at the end but the Panthers offense will look mediocre for most of the game.
Wentz & Co will continue to connect through the air and on the ground as he puts up 4 TDs for the first time since the Rams game last year (note: he also threw for 4 TDs in week 7 last year against the Redskins). With the attention on Jeffery and Ertz, expect Matthews or Goedert to step up in this game. After this game, we will begin to forgive and forget the terrible football we suffered through in September as we Fly Eagles Fly on the road to Wembley!
Eagles win 35-17
Record 4-3
Thursday, October 11, 2018
Eagles Need a Statement Game
By KO Kelly
Very few of us - if any - foresaw the Eagles season starting off this way. After a miserable preseason we all hoped was part of masterful misdirection plan to hide our real campaign to defend our title - we have continued to see sloppy and inconsistent play from our Birds.
We originally chalked it up to Foles’ high variance play and believed once Carson Wentz was back, things would come together. Wentz has performed much better these past two weeks but unfortunately it has not been enough. There have been too many mistakes (e.g. costly pass interference penalties, red-zone fumble), missed opportunities (e.g. not scoring after turnovers, not stopping three 4th downs in over-time), and just plain bad luck (e.g. Bennett’s roughing the passer, Vikings’ Joseph’s 64-yd TD).
Last year’s team wasn’t exactly lucky when you consider all the key injuries we suffered but many things did fall in our favor last year that are just not happening this year (e.g. Elliott’s 61-yd field goal, Julio Jones slipping in the end-zone). Having said that, we are just a few plays away from being 4-1 right now. If Ajayi does not fumble within the 5-yd line last week, that game potentially goes the other way. If we stop any of those three 4th downs in Tennessee, we win that game. Close does not count in the NFL, though, so we just need to play better.
I am not going to dwell on the bad. There are plenty of those writers discussing those concerns. In the pre-season I said there would be weeks like this, so I am going to heed my own advice and focus on three things to be thankful for:
• Wentz appears to have shaken off any lingering rust as is getting in mid-season form
• We are in the NFC East, which can be won by a 10-6 / 9-7 team
• Aside from the Rams and the Saints, the NFC in general is pretty wide-open
Now onto this week’s match-up against the much-despised albeit woefully inept NY Giants. I thought Eli might go on a revenge tour this year to demonstrate how wrong McAdoo was in benching him but the same old, cement-for-shoes Eli is still causing a good chunk of the NY metro area to have heartburn every Sunday. Luckily for them, they will be able to enjoy this weekend since they will have all day tomorrow to digest the pain they are about to be dished tonight.
I have tried to reel in my homerism in my first several predictions - (“Really?” you might be asking, “Those were tempered predictions?”) - but this week I am throwing logic and reason to the wind. The Eagles need a big win to change their momentum and what would be better for this team and city right now than a complete dismantling of a hated divisional rival in their own home.
Carson is going to put on a show that will earn him player of the week accolades and Clement will quiet down the clamoring to mortgage our future for a featured back. The defense will harass Eli all night and we will see our first pick-6 of the season. We still have a long uphill battle ahead of us but just like last year, beating the Giants will provide a spark for the rest of the season.
Eagles win 31 - 0
Record 3-3
Editor's Note
KO is looking for a long night for Giants' fans, but I do not think we will get a chance to go to bed early tonight. After slipping past New York last season on a 61-yard field goal in the first meeting of the year, the Birds got into gear for their Super Bowl run. Look for another tight matchup this time around to keep things interesting until the fourth quarter before Philly finally plays to form.
Very few of us - if any - foresaw the Eagles season starting off this way. After a miserable preseason we all hoped was part of masterful misdirection plan to hide our real campaign to defend our title - we have continued to see sloppy and inconsistent play from our Birds.
We originally chalked it up to Foles’ high variance play and believed once Carson Wentz was back, things would come together. Wentz has performed much better these past two weeks but unfortunately it has not been enough. There have been too many mistakes (e.g. costly pass interference penalties, red-zone fumble), missed opportunities (e.g. not scoring after turnovers, not stopping three 4th downs in over-time), and just plain bad luck (e.g. Bennett’s roughing the passer, Vikings’ Joseph’s 64-yd TD).
Last year’s team wasn’t exactly lucky when you consider all the key injuries we suffered but many things did fall in our favor last year that are just not happening this year (e.g. Elliott’s 61-yd field goal, Julio Jones slipping in the end-zone). Having said that, we are just a few plays away from being 4-1 right now. If Ajayi does not fumble within the 5-yd line last week, that game potentially goes the other way. If we stop any of those three 4th downs in Tennessee, we win that game. Close does not count in the NFL, though, so we just need to play better.
I am not going to dwell on the bad. There are plenty of those writers discussing those concerns. In the pre-season I said there would be weeks like this, so I am going to heed my own advice and focus on three things to be thankful for:
• Wentz appears to have shaken off any lingering rust as is getting in mid-season form
• We are in the NFC East, which can be won by a 10-6 / 9-7 team
• Aside from the Rams and the Saints, the NFC in general is pretty wide-open
Now onto this week’s match-up against the much-despised albeit woefully inept NY Giants. I thought Eli might go on a revenge tour this year to demonstrate how wrong McAdoo was in benching him but the same old, cement-for-shoes Eli is still causing a good chunk of the NY metro area to have heartburn every Sunday. Luckily for them, they will be able to enjoy this weekend since they will have all day tomorrow to digest the pain they are about to be dished tonight.
I have tried to reel in my homerism in my first several predictions - (“Really?” you might be asking, “Those were tempered predictions?”) - but this week I am throwing logic and reason to the wind. The Eagles need a big win to change their momentum and what would be better for this team and city right now than a complete dismantling of a hated divisional rival in their own home.
Carson is going to put on a show that will earn him player of the week accolades and Clement will quiet down the clamoring to mortgage our future for a featured back. The defense will harass Eli all night and we will see our first pick-6 of the season. We still have a long uphill battle ahead of us but just like last year, beating the Giants will provide a spark for the rest of the season.
Eagles win 31 - 0
Record 3-3
Editor's Note
KO is looking for a long night for Giants' fans, but I do not think we will get a chance to go to bed early tonight. After slipping past New York last season on a 61-yard field goal in the first meeting of the year, the Birds got into gear for their Super Bowl run. Look for another tight matchup this time around to keep things interesting until the fourth quarter before Philly finally plays to form.
Friday, October 5, 2018
Eagles Face Familiar Foes with Some New Faces
By: KO Kelly
Last week’s meltdown against the Titans wasn’t due to the return of 2016 Agholor or the ghosts of Asomugha/ Williams/Fletcher in the secondary or our porous o-line. No, it was my fault. Like Big Red used to say, “It’s starts with me”. Both of our losses this year have occurred while I was also on the road. I was aware of our home record when I am at the games (2-0) but I didn’t realize the responsibility I was shouldering this year for road games. I will act more responsibly next Thursday when we travel to the Meadowlands and stay in Philly.
Additionally, it did not help that I built up last week’s match-up as a game to remember. I was just trying to be creative in my writing. I did not expect the Titans to actually deliver on my prediction of it being a close and memorable game. I mean really - who would have thought they would go for and convert three fourth downs . . . in a row . . . within field goal range . . . in overtime! That takes some serious huevos. Even in defeat an Eagles fan can appreciate that. So let’s give credit where credit is due, the Titans - after disappearing for a while in the middle - did not give up and willed their way to victory.
It should have been a joyful memory as the game where the Eagles offense found their groove with the return of Jeffrey and the continued progression of Wentz’s recovery but alas it will be a painful memory of defeat snatched from the hands of victory. Luckily it was an out-of-conference game and should not have too much of an effect on playoff standings.
This week’s match-up, however, has serious playoff implications for two teams thought to be clear NFC favorites only a month ago. Who would have predicted that with 4 games under their belts, these teams would not even collectively have that many wins?
After losing a shoot-out with the Rams last Thursday, the Vikings are in a near do or die situation. They haven’t won since week 1 (vs the Niners) and are likely still recovering from their embarrassing outing against the Bills two weeks ago. Speaking of embarrassing, remember when the Vikings came to the Linc last year heavily favored by all the major media outlets and oddsmakers and then were summarily Skol’ed out of town to the tune of 38-7? Good times!
This time around they will have a real QB at the helm (Hey Kirk, you like that shout-out?) who has a history of putting up big numbers against our Birds. Paired with one of the three offensive masterminds (DeFilippo) from Wentz’s break-out 2017 campaign, I do not foresee Cousins’ track record against us slowing down.
Fortunately, Wentz will continue his upward surge with a masterful performance that will silence the doubters and restore confidence in this beleaguered city that hasn’t won a Super Bowl in 8 long months! The defense will look better throughout most of the game - pressuring Cousins’ and forcing some turnovers but they will give up some garbage points in the 4th quarter, which will rightfully annoy all of us who are hoping for a 38-7 repeat.
Eagles win 35 - 21
(Record 3-2)
Last week’s meltdown against the Titans wasn’t due to the return of 2016 Agholor or the ghosts of Asomugha/ Williams/Fletcher in the secondary or our porous o-line. No, it was my fault. Like Big Red used to say, “It’s starts with me”. Both of our losses this year have occurred while I was also on the road. I was aware of our home record when I am at the games (2-0) but I didn’t realize the responsibility I was shouldering this year for road games. I will act more responsibly next Thursday when we travel to the Meadowlands and stay in Philly.
Additionally, it did not help that I built up last week’s match-up as a game to remember. I was just trying to be creative in my writing. I did not expect the Titans to actually deliver on my prediction of it being a close and memorable game. I mean really - who would have thought they would go for and convert three fourth downs . . . in a row . . . within field goal range . . . in overtime! That takes some serious huevos. Even in defeat an Eagles fan can appreciate that. So let’s give credit where credit is due, the Titans - after disappearing for a while in the middle - did not give up and willed their way to victory.
It should have been a joyful memory as the game where the Eagles offense found their groove with the return of Jeffrey and the continued progression of Wentz’s recovery but alas it will be a painful memory of defeat snatched from the hands of victory. Luckily it was an out-of-conference game and should not have too much of an effect on playoff standings.
This week’s match-up, however, has serious playoff implications for two teams thought to be clear NFC favorites only a month ago. Who would have predicted that with 4 games under their belts, these teams would not even collectively have that many wins?
After losing a shoot-out with the Rams last Thursday, the Vikings are in a near do or die situation. They haven’t won since week 1 (vs the Niners) and are likely still recovering from their embarrassing outing against the Bills two weeks ago. Speaking of embarrassing, remember when the Vikings came to the Linc last year heavily favored by all the major media outlets and oddsmakers and then were summarily Skol’ed out of town to the tune of 38-7? Good times!
This time around they will have a real QB at the helm (Hey Kirk, you like that shout-out?) who has a history of putting up big numbers against our Birds. Paired with one of the three offensive masterminds (DeFilippo) from Wentz’s break-out 2017 campaign, I do not foresee Cousins’ track record against us slowing down.
Fortunately, Wentz will continue his upward surge with a masterful performance that will silence the doubters and restore confidence in this beleaguered city that hasn’t won a Super Bowl in 8 long months! The defense will look better throughout most of the game - pressuring Cousins’ and forcing some turnovers but they will give up some garbage points in the 4th quarter, which will rightfully annoy all of us who are hoping for a 38-7 repeat.
Eagles win 35 - 21
(Record 3-2)
Saturday, September 29, 2018
Remember the Titans
By KO Kelly
Everyone has a handful of movies that no matter how many times you have seen them, if one starts playing on TV you will stop what you are doing and settle in to watch it for the umpteenth time. Remember the Titans is one of those movies for me.
Remember the Titans is a phenomenal portrayal of a changing time and how each individual has their role to play in making the world a better, more productive place. There is no room for excuses, only action towards a goal greater than yourself. There is joy and wickedness; triumph and disaster; integrity and cowardice; redemption and despair. Basically, if you have not seen this move yet - turn on the TV in whatever cave you live in and watch it tonight.
Speaking of Titans, with two wins against seemingly stout divisional rivals, they are starting to separate from the pack and priming themselves for another playoff run. A win against the defending Super Bowl Champs would certainly raise their expectations, so our Birds need to focus on this game and not look ahead to two upcoming conference battles against the plummeting but still potent Vikings and hapless but hated Giants.
Mariota - the dream quarterback of former Eagles HC Chip Kelly (no relation) - has struggled with injuries and his number one receiving threat is seeking a trade. However, with his offensive line getting healthy, his lead tailback Henry running with a chip on his shoulder, and a depleted Eagles secondary - No. 8 will put on a show at home that makes Eagles fans begrudgingly agree with Kelly’s assessment. Luckily, our own franchise QB is healthy and back on the field again.
In some ways the return of Wentz was not as amazing as we all would have hoped for (1 TD, 2 Turnovers & 89.9 rating) but in a much more meaningful way it was everything we could have asked for. Wentz is back on the field only 9 months after his devastating knee injury and is leading this offense with the same energy and passion as his MVP-level campaign last year. Was there some rust on a few of his throws and reads, sure. But with Jeffrey and Ajayi returning this week as well - Wentz will once again start putting on his weekly quarterback clinics.
The Eagles defense once again performed exceedingly well in the red-zone, limiting T.Y. Hilton to a mere 50-yds and no touchdowns (much to the chagrin of fantasy owners such as myself). But with the injury to McLeod and their tendency not to play as well on the road - this will be a tough game for Jim Schwartz’s unit. (Note: if a sea of green takes over Nissan Stadium - this prediction is voided and instead the Eagles defensive line will feast!)
The Eagles will ultimately come away the win this weekend but we will certainly remember the Titans as one of the better and more challenging teams we play this year.
Eagles win 24 - 21
(Record 3-1)
Everyone has a handful of movies that no matter how many times you have seen them, if one starts playing on TV you will stop what you are doing and settle in to watch it for the umpteenth time. Remember the Titans is one of those movies for me.
Remember the Titans is a phenomenal portrayal of a changing time and how each individual has their role to play in making the world a better, more productive place. There is no room for excuses, only action towards a goal greater than yourself. There is joy and wickedness; triumph and disaster; integrity and cowardice; redemption and despair. Basically, if you have not seen this move yet - turn on the TV in whatever cave you live in and watch it tonight.
Speaking of Titans, with two wins against seemingly stout divisional rivals, they are starting to separate from the pack and priming themselves for another playoff run. A win against the defending Super Bowl Champs would certainly raise their expectations, so our Birds need to focus on this game and not look ahead to two upcoming conference battles against the plummeting but still potent Vikings and hapless but hated Giants.
Mariota - the dream quarterback of former Eagles HC Chip Kelly (no relation) - has struggled with injuries and his number one receiving threat is seeking a trade. However, with his offensive line getting healthy, his lead tailback Henry running with a chip on his shoulder, and a depleted Eagles secondary - No. 8 will put on a show at home that makes Eagles fans begrudgingly agree with Kelly’s assessment. Luckily, our own franchise QB is healthy and back on the field again.
In some ways the return of Wentz was not as amazing as we all would have hoped for (1 TD, 2 Turnovers & 89.9 rating) but in a much more meaningful way it was everything we could have asked for. Wentz is back on the field only 9 months after his devastating knee injury and is leading this offense with the same energy and passion as his MVP-level campaign last year. Was there some rust on a few of his throws and reads, sure. But with Jeffrey and Ajayi returning this week as well - Wentz will once again start putting on his weekly quarterback clinics.
The Eagles defense once again performed exceedingly well in the red-zone, limiting T.Y. Hilton to a mere 50-yds and no touchdowns (much to the chagrin of fantasy owners such as myself). But with the injury to McLeod and their tendency not to play as well on the road - this will be a tough game for Jim Schwartz’s unit. (Note: if a sea of green takes over Nissan Stadium - this prediction is voided and instead the Eagles defensive line will feast!)
The Eagles will ultimately come away the win this weekend but we will certainly remember the Titans as one of the better and more challenging teams we play this year.
Eagles win 24 - 21
(Record 3-1)
Friday, September 21, 2018
Eagles' Fans Await the Return of the King
By KO Kelly
Last Sunday I was traveling back from West Virginia after a 3-day camping trip/bachelor party and missed the entire Eagles game. And from what I read, it sounds like half the team did not show up for the game either.
The injury bug we caught last year has continued to wreak havoc in these first two weeks. It was one thing not to have Carson Wentz on the field but to be missing Jeffrey, Sproles, Ajayi, and now Wallace - it is no wonder this offense has been inconsistent at best. And while the defense had a pair of take-aways and sacks, they missed on two major plays from which we never recovered. Lest not forget, Elliott’s 42-yd field goal miss. He should only be able attempt +50-yd field goals. I just have more confidence in him for at that range.
Having said all that, this team keeps fighting. They may look sloppy at times but they do not give up. They were in it until the end of the game - they just need more of a spark on offense. Luckily, that spark returns this week in the form of Carson Wentz. After watching from the sidelines as his teammates made history in the playoffs, he will certainly be fired up to reclaim his rightful throne.
Before we move onto this week’s match-up, though, let’s take a moment to once again thank Foles for stepping up when his team needed him. He wasn’t impressive this pre-season or through either of these two first games but his run last year will go down in the history books as one of the most spectacular performances by any quarterback - let alone a backup.
As an amateur armchair psychologist, it is my unprofessional opinion that Foles suffers from a form of Impostor Syndrome, which is “the idea that you’ve only succeeded due to luck, and not because of your talent or qualifications”. Many people experience this feeling at some point in their lives but imagine if you just won the Super Bowl as the back-up. Even for someone as talented as Foles, it would be hard to follow-up that act, especially knowing this team belongs to Carson. It was a tall order to fill last year and I am happy we started off 1-1 this year.
Now onto this week’s game. We have the rising sensei vs former student. The 2016 #2 overall pick vs 2012 #1 overall pick. If these teams were in mid-season form - it would have the possibility of being a real shoot-out. However, after last week’s shellacking, Schwartz is going to have his men ready attack. Luck is going to be chased around all afternoon by Cox & Co and with star receiver T.Y. Hilton potentially side-lined, there will be limited options.
As for the Eagles’ offense, I expect Carson to come out hungry and aggressive. He will take some time to settle in but once he does, he is going to re-establish himself as the rising star in this league. This is also the game were Clement further cements himself as the chief workhouse in our running attack. Ajayi has splash but I am not confident in his durability.
Eagles win 35 - 10
(Record 2-1)
Last Sunday I was traveling back from West Virginia after a 3-day camping trip/bachelor party and missed the entire Eagles game. And from what I read, it sounds like half the team did not show up for the game either.
The injury bug we caught last year has continued to wreak havoc in these first two weeks. It was one thing not to have Carson Wentz on the field but to be missing Jeffrey, Sproles, Ajayi, and now Wallace - it is no wonder this offense has been inconsistent at best. And while the defense had a pair of take-aways and sacks, they missed on two major plays from which we never recovered. Lest not forget, Elliott’s 42-yd field goal miss. He should only be able attempt +50-yd field goals. I just have more confidence in him for at that range.
Having said all that, this team keeps fighting. They may look sloppy at times but they do not give up. They were in it until the end of the game - they just need more of a spark on offense. Luckily, that spark returns this week in the form of Carson Wentz. After watching from the sidelines as his teammates made history in the playoffs, he will certainly be fired up to reclaim his rightful throne.
Before we move onto this week’s match-up, though, let’s take a moment to once again thank Foles for stepping up when his team needed him. He wasn’t impressive this pre-season or through either of these two first games but his run last year will go down in the history books as one of the most spectacular performances by any quarterback - let alone a backup.
As an amateur armchair psychologist, it is my unprofessional opinion that Foles suffers from a form of Impostor Syndrome, which is “the idea that you’ve only succeeded due to luck, and not because of your talent or qualifications”. Many people experience this feeling at some point in their lives but imagine if you just won the Super Bowl as the back-up. Even for someone as talented as Foles, it would be hard to follow-up that act, especially knowing this team belongs to Carson. It was a tall order to fill last year and I am happy we started off 1-1 this year.
Now onto this week’s game. We have the rising sensei vs former student. The 2016 #2 overall pick vs 2012 #1 overall pick. If these teams were in mid-season form - it would have the possibility of being a real shoot-out. However, after last week’s shellacking, Schwartz is going to have his men ready attack. Luck is going to be chased around all afternoon by Cox & Co and with star receiver T.Y. Hilton potentially side-lined, there will be limited options.
As for the Eagles’ offense, I expect Carson to come out hungry and aggressive. He will take some time to settle in but once he does, he is going to re-establish himself as the rising star in this league. This is also the game were Clement further cements himself as the chief workhouse in our running attack. Ajayi has splash but I am not confident in his durability.
Eagles win 35 - 10
(Record 2-1)
Thursday, September 6, 2018
Falcons at Eagles Battle of the Birds Free Pick
By KO Kelly
The kick-off to the 2018 season is less than 24 hrs. away. The 7-month drought of meaningful football is finally over! While there were some bright spots this preseason - DeAndre Carter (read his story and just try not to root for him), Shelton Gibson, Jordan Mailata, etc. - in general it was certainly one to forget.
Just imagine for a second how unbearable we Eagles fans would be right now if we were not still basking in Super Bowl glory. I shudder at the thought of that level of discontent - over meaningless games! Luckily, tonight we will watch a Super Bowl banner being unfurled at the Linc and any lingering grumblings from the past 4 weeks will be completely jettisoned from our memories.
Speaking of memories, do you remember how you felt at the beginning of last season and probably most seasons before it?
If you are like me, then you knew last year - like all other years before it - was finally going to be our year. Any green-blooded fan worth their weight in cheese steaks knows it is their civic duty to believe this year things will be different. This time of year is when the city’s hopes and dreams for the upcoming season would rise like the Phoenix out of the ashes of five decades of disappointment. Even Septa would start sounding like Confucius with their inspirational “Every Fall, We Rise” banners emblazoned on their trains and buses.
But last year was different - it actually was our year! Did it play out like any of us dreamers expected? No - it played out better. For the city of Rocky to live through their own Rocky moment - there could be no better story.
With that said, I wasn’t going to let that perfect storyline stop me from attempting to write a better story arc for this season! That is until I realized it would ultimately just end up being me predicting a 19-0 season, which is fun to dream about but tedious to read.
[Although, to be completely honest, I really do think they have a shot at running the tables and pulling off an even more improbable Super Bowl run than last year. They will be doubted throughout the season due to injuries, personnel changes, and other weak excuses they steam-rolled over last year. This will fuel their fire to repeat and make them eager to shutdown doubters at every turn of the road. So just remember where you heard this wholly-unsupported and completely outlandish prediction first!]
So instead, as our fearless leader Doug would assert, let’s take it one game at a time.
The first game in our campaign to defend our title is against a familiar foe: the Atlanta Falcons.
After falling short in January, the Falcons will try to make an early statement - both to the Eagles and the NFC in general. However, the energy in the Linc after they drop the Super Bowl banner will ignite the defense as they begin their night-long shellacking of Ryan, Jones, and any other Falcon who has their eyes set on the endzone.
Foles will continue to knock off some rust in the first quarter but with support from our stable of running backs, any early misfires will be neutralized. And remember, no booing - Foles is the reigning Super Bowl MVP after all.
Throughout the rest of the game, Foles will rely heavily on Ertz and Goedert, hitting both of them for jaw-dropping TDs. We will see some good runs from Clement and Ajayi but it will be mighty mouse - Sproles - who gets the TD in his triumphant return to the field.
It will be a hard-fought game with points left on the field and missed opportunities but the score will send the message that the Eagles are a force to be reckoned with this season. There will be no doubt they are ready to fight tooth and nail to defend their title. And we are not even at full health yet!
Eagles win 21 - 6
Record (1 - 0)
The kick-off to the 2018 season is less than 24 hrs. away. The 7-month drought of meaningful football is finally over! While there were some bright spots this preseason - DeAndre Carter (read his story and just try not to root for him), Shelton Gibson, Jordan Mailata, etc. - in general it was certainly one to forget.
Just imagine for a second how unbearable we Eagles fans would be right now if we were not still basking in Super Bowl glory. I shudder at the thought of that level of discontent - over meaningless games! Luckily, tonight we will watch a Super Bowl banner being unfurled at the Linc and any lingering grumblings from the past 4 weeks will be completely jettisoned from our memories.
Speaking of memories, do you remember how you felt at the beginning of last season and probably most seasons before it?
If you are like me, then you knew last year - like all other years before it - was finally going to be our year. Any green-blooded fan worth their weight in cheese steaks knows it is their civic duty to believe this year things will be different. This time of year is when the city’s hopes and dreams for the upcoming season would rise like the Phoenix out of the ashes of five decades of disappointment. Even Septa would start sounding like Confucius with their inspirational “Every Fall, We Rise” banners emblazoned on their trains and buses.
But last year was different - it actually was our year! Did it play out like any of us dreamers expected? No - it played out better. For the city of Rocky to live through their own Rocky moment - there could be no better story.
With that said, I wasn’t going to let that perfect storyline stop me from attempting to write a better story arc for this season! That is until I realized it would ultimately just end up being me predicting a 19-0 season, which is fun to dream about but tedious to read.
[Although, to be completely honest, I really do think they have a shot at running the tables and pulling off an even more improbable Super Bowl run than last year. They will be doubted throughout the season due to injuries, personnel changes, and other weak excuses they steam-rolled over last year. This will fuel their fire to repeat and make them eager to shutdown doubters at every turn of the road. So just remember where you heard this wholly-unsupported and completely outlandish prediction first!]
So instead, as our fearless leader Doug would assert, let’s take it one game at a time.
The first game in our campaign to defend our title is against a familiar foe: the Atlanta Falcons.
After falling short in January, the Falcons will try to make an early statement - both to the Eagles and the NFC in general. However, the energy in the Linc after they drop the Super Bowl banner will ignite the defense as they begin their night-long shellacking of Ryan, Jones, and any other Falcon who has their eyes set on the endzone.
Foles will continue to knock off some rust in the first quarter but with support from our stable of running backs, any early misfires will be neutralized. And remember, no booing - Foles is the reigning Super Bowl MVP after all.
Throughout the rest of the game, Foles will rely heavily on Ertz and Goedert, hitting both of them for jaw-dropping TDs. We will see some good runs from Clement and Ajayi but it will be mighty mouse - Sproles - who gets the TD in his triumphant return to the field.
It will be a hard-fought game with points left on the field and missed opportunities but the score will send the message that the Eagles are a force to be reckoned with this season. There will be no doubt they are ready to fight tooth and nail to defend their title. And we are not even at full health yet!
Eagles win 21 - 6
Record (1 - 0)
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