time2rock

OK let's go Rams tonight!! Not that a W would impact order this week but it could put them in position to potentially do so the following week. Remaining rooting guide for this weekend: The Broncos to beat the Chiefs The Panthers to beat the Seahawks The Jaguars to beat the Titans The Texans to beat the Cowboys The Lions to beat the Vikings The Cardinals to beat the Patriots The Steelers to beat the Ravens The Browns to beat the Bengals The Buccaneers to beat the 49ers The Chargers to beat the Dolphins

Indeed ... especially ones that ball the way he does. We will be in need of a WR in 2024 as Watkins' rookie deal is up after 2023. Brown / Smith / MHjr

Indeed Could you imagine??

No results being made public yet of his MRI but he was a limited participant in yesterday's practice, so that seems to be a good sign. I'd only entertain the idea of adding him IF either Brown or Smith got injured.

Yessir

Would hopefully set us up for a decent comp pick in 2024. With a need for a major shift in cap allocation in the near future (paying Hurts), and a significant number of players in key roles scheduled to hit free agency, there is going to be a huge need to fill as many holes with cheap draft picks as possible.

Not that Scott was playing bad in his absence, but would be nice to get him back on the field. Then hopefully Goedert next week (@ Bears) and then CJGJ 2 weeks later (vs Saints). Hopefully we are nearing full strength as we approach the post season.

Suh, Joseph, and a 4th >> Suh, Joseph, and Quinn But seriously, I understand wanting to bolster the pass rush considering the state of the team and wanting to go all in to maximize our chances at another championship. And no matter how unlikely it may seem now, there is still a chance he returns for either the regular season finale (first game he is eligible to do so .. .see below) or the playoffs. If he makes just 1-2 key plays in a postseason game that help catapult us to a W then it will have made it worth the 4th.

Agreed, I highly doubt any team will bring him in guaranteeing him a starting spot. More likely he will be given an offer to go somewhere and compete for a spot.

Hurts makes history with yet another award There’s just no stopping Jalen Hurts right now. The Eagles quarterback and MVP candidate has been named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for the second consecutive week after his performance in a blowout win over the Titans on Sunday. Hurts is the first Eagle ever to win a Player of the Week award in back-to-back weeks. Here’s a look at Hurts’ numbers from his two award-winning games. He did it with two different styles: Week 12 vs. Packers: 16/28, 153 yards, 2 TDs; 17 rushing attempts, 157 yards Week 13 vs. Titans: 29/39, 380 yards, 3 TDs; 5 rushing attempts, 12 yards, 1 TD While A.J. Brown had a strong claim to the Player of the Week award with his 119 yards and 2 touchdowns, DeVonta Smith also had a 100-yard game and a score of his own. So instead, the award goes to the guy who threw them all those passes. And Hurts is definitely deserving. These last couple games should give a pretty big boost to Hurts’ MVP odds. He’s clearly one of the favorites, although the Eagles are trying not to talk about it too much. "I love where he is,” head coach Nick Sirianni said. "But the MVP stuff is for you guys to decide, right, of where that is. He just has to do what he has to do to play well, give us a chance to win each week, and all that matters is next week. He's probably going to say the same thing to you.” Through 12 games, Hurts has led the Eagles to an 11-1 record. He’s completed over 68% of his passes for 2,940 yards with 20 touchdowns and 3 touchdowns through the air. He’s also rushed for 609 yards with 9 more touchdowns on the ground. In addition to his two Player of the Week awards, Hurts was also the NFC Offensive Player of the Month for September. The Eagles have been filling up their trophy case this year: Week 1: Zech McPhearson, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week Week 2: Darius Slay, NFC Defensive Player of the Week Week 3: Brandon Graham, NFC Defensive Player of the Week September: Jalen Hurts, NFC Offensive Player of the Month Week 4: Haason Reddick, NFC Defensive Player of the Week Week 5: Cameron Dicker, NFC Special Teams Player of the Week Week 12: Jalen Hurts, NFC Offensive Player of the Week Week 13: Jalen Hurts, NFC Offensive Player of the Week https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-jalen-hurts-makes-history-another-award

Weak link no more: Eagles special teams responds During the week, Eagles special teams coordinator Michael Clay talked about looking himself in the mirror, trying to figure out how to get his units to play better. It can’t feel good to be the weak link on a great team. That’s what the Eagles’ special teams units have been a lot of the time this season: A weak link. It even goes beyond their horrendous performance on kick return coverage last week against the Packers. They had a lot to clean up. But Clay’s unit responded in a major way against the Titans. "Special teams went crazy today,” edger rusher Haason Reddick said. "It just seemed like electrifying hit after electrifying hit after electrifying hit. And then [Britain] Covey running the ball today on punts. The special teams unit stepped up in a very big way today. I like how they responded compared to last week. Those guys was on a roll today.” The Eagles took down the Titans in dominant fashion, 35-10, on Sunday at the Linc in what was arguably the most well-rounded win of the season. All three unites — offense, defense and special teams — dominated in this game. And, finally, special teams really held up its end of the deal. "It was good after the hit we took last week with everybody kind of blaming special teams for a lot of the team’s woes,” rookie linebacker Nakobe Dean said. "So we just kind of took it upon ourselves to go out there and make plays.” They made a ton of them on Sunday. Dean, Shaun Bradley and recently elevated Christian Elliss were monsters on the coverage units against the Titans. They each had huge hits as the Eagles finished the game with six special teams tackles. Rookie Britain Covey had a great game as a punt returner too. He had 6 punt returns for 105 yards (17.5). His 105 return yards are the second-most by any NFL player this season. And after coming into the day with a career-long punt return of 15 yards, Covey had returns of 27, 25, 20 and 16 in this game. Covey’s returns set up the Eagles with some great field position. And when the Eagles get great field position, they’re awfully hard to stop. "Awesome. What a bounce back game, right?” head coach Nick Sirianni said. "So, we had those three kickoff returns that really sat with us all week, and then it was just a great bounce back game. Nakobe came down and lit somebody up. Britain Covey. We got a lot of good production out of our rookies and our second-year players. "Christian Ellis, Britain Covey, Nakobe, Shaun Bradley, K'Von (Wallace), Andre (Chachere), all those guys came out. I'm missing a bunch of guys. Kyron (Johnson). But they went out there and they were hungry to bounce back.” In an attempt to give the special teams units a boost, the Eagles elevated Elliss from the practice squad for the first time all season. This was just the second NFL game of Elliss’s career and he made the most of it. He learned on Wednesday that he was going to be active for this game. "I believe in our guys,” Elliss said. "We have some amazing special teams players. We just needed to do our job. That was the big emphasis this week. Do our job. Be Energizer Bunnies, bring the energy. I was just trying to add a piece to that. We have guys who are ballers so I was just trying to fit into that puzzle any way I could.” Elliss made three tackles on defense when he got on the field late, but his real highlights came on those two big special teams tackles. That’s why he was playing, after all. In addition to the returns and the tackles, Arryn Siposs averaged 43.0 yards per punt and Jake Elliott nailed all five of his point after attempts. "I would say it was just more attention to details. We got back to fundamentals,” Dean said. "I wouldn’t say too much changed other than the passion towards special teams. The whole mindset kind of shifted in the unit and I feel like we play the best when we play the best with that energy and passion.” While the Eagles’ biggest special teams debacle came last week when they gave up several big kick returns, there have been issues all year. Penalties, fake punts, minimal returns. You got the feeling that one of those mistakes was eventually going to cost them a game. That’s why Sunday’s performance was so encouraging. Because the Eagles are a team with legitimate Super Bowl hopes. The Eagles have been solid on offense and defense all season. And it was just one game, but that was a great special teams performance on Sunday. They might not be a weak link after all. https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-special-teams-unit-responds-major-way-vs-titans

It appears we are getting close to possibly getting Maddox back on the field - they opened the 21 day practice window for him yesterday. Should be seeing the same with Goedert next week. https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-avonte-maddox-returning-practice-week

Eagles getting key player back at practice this week Reuben Frank EAGLES INSIDER Last week, the Eagles got Jordan Davis back, and this week they very well may get Avonte Maddox back. The Eagles on Wednesday opened the 21-day practice window for Maddox, their veteran slot corner. Maddox suffered a hamstring injury in the Eagles’ Nov. 3 win over the Texans and was placed on Injured Reserve Nov. 14, missing games against Commanders, Colts, Packers and Titans. Players on IR must miss at least four games before becoming eligible to return. Maddox is now able to practice with the team without counting against the 53-man roster. The Eagles have 21 days to either activate him or decide to keep him on IR for the rest of the year. They can wait until Saturday afternoon to formally activate him and still have him available for the game Sunday against the Giants in East Rutherford. Although some don’t consider slot corner a starting position, the reality is that with modern three-receiver NFL passing attacks, slot corners play as much as most starters. Maddox started five of the six games he played this year and has 33 starts since the Eagles made him a 4th-round pick in 2018. In the five games he’s played start to finish, he’s been on the field for 86 percent of the Eagles’ defensive snaps. Only Marcus Epps (99 percent), James Bradberry (98), T.J. Edwards (95) and Darius Slay (89) have played a higher percentage of snaps when healthy. Maddox has 27 tackles, three pass knockdowns, one tackle for loss and one forced fumble this year. He has four career interceptions, including one in the Eagles’ win over the Vikings in Week 2. In Maddox’s absence, Josiah Scott has held down the slot. He had five pass knockdowns and his first NFL interception in Maddox’s absence, picking off Aaron Rodgers in the win over the Packers. Scott played 70 percent of the Eagles’ snaps in the last four games, seventh-most on the defense during that span. With Davis and Maddox off IR, the next player the Eagles could get back is tight end Dallas Goedert, who went on IR Nov. 16 with a shoulder injury suffered against the Commanders. He’s missed wins over the Colts, Packers and Titans and has to miss the Giants game on Sunday but will be eligible to return to practice next week and said last week he's optimistic he'll be able to return the following week for the game against the Bears in Chicago. Safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson went on IR Saturday with the lacerated kidney he suffered against the Packers. He’s out for at least another three games and would be eligible to return on Jan. 1 vs. the Saints, the team he spent his first three seasons with. Also on IR are Derek Barnett (out for the year), Robert Quinn (could be eligible for the second Giants game), Marlon Tuipulotu (eligible to return for the Bears but not expected back this year). https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-avonte-maddox-returning-practice-week

The Toolbox Posted: December 7th, 2022 | Author: Tommy Lawlor Football has a language all its own. It constantly evolves, just like the game does. There was a time when "blitz” was a new word. No one knew what an RPO was all that long ago. We won’t even get into the weird stuff like turkey hole or slobber-knocker or butt-fumble. Nick Sirianni and his staff like to use the phrase "toolbox”. I don’t recall hearing that on a regular basis in the past (in regard to football). What the coaches are referring to is a player or unit’s ability to do different things. Find the right tool for the situation. Use a hammer to drive in a nail. Use a screwdriver for screws. Use a wrench when you need something to throw at Jimmy Bama. Find the right tool. The 2022 Eagles have a big toolbox. They seem to have an answer for everything. Let’s start with the offense. The Eagles are 5th in the NFL in rushing yards. Miles Sanders is the leading rusher and is a versatile back. He has the speed to get outside and really stretch teams. He’s improved as an inside runner. He is running tougher than ever and fights for yards. Shut him down and you have to deal with Jalen Hurts. He can burn you on designed runs or scrambles. Hurts is unique because he is elusive and athletic, but also very strong. He is outstanding on QB sneaks. That simple play has become a weapon for the Eagles. Hurts can use RPOs to drive a defense crazy. Run or pass. And with Hurts handling the ball he can turn the pass back into a run if he wants. That sure feels a cheat code. One of the keys to these options is good blocking by the offensive line. The Eagles have a big, physical, athletic OL. Their talent and versatility allows the Eagles coaches to call up any run play they want. The OL can make it work. They can be dominant at times. Re-watch the Titans game and you’ll see one thing in common on all three of Hurts TD passes. He had a clean pocket. Hurts could have pulled out Danielle Steele’s most recent novel and read a bit before looking downfield. The Eagles OL becomes truly special when you factor in their ability to pass block. Most OLs are good at run or pass, but not both. If the defense does somehow shut down the Eagles run game, Hurts and the passing game are ready to beat you through the air. Hurts is #3 in the league in passer rating. He’s completing 68 percent of his passes and averaging 8.2 yards per attempt. Hurts has become one of the better deep passers in the league. The Eagles are 11th in the league in RAC yards so that tells you Hurts is getting the ball to his guys on short and intermediate throws and letting them make plays. Blitz the Eagles and they can burn you. Play man and they can burn you. Play zone and they can burn you. Hurts has great weapons to get the ball to. AJ Brown is proving to be one of the elite receivers in the league. He is special. DeVonta Smith is one of the best route-runners in the league. He can move the chains or make plays down the field. Quez Watkins is an explosive weapon. Zach Pascal is a terrific blocker and clutch receiver. Then you mix in Dallas Goedert, one of the best TEs in the league. The Eagles passing game can beat you in a variety of ways. And that is just the offensive toolbox. The defense is talented and versatile as well. The DL is big. They’re also athletic. That group can take on blocks or shoot gaps. They can go with a 5-man front or a 4-man DL. Javon Hargrave is the dynamic inside guy. Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat are the weapons off the edge. Then you mix in Fletcher Cox, Linval Joseph, Brandon Graham, Jordan Davis, Ndamukong Suh and Milton Williams. That is a special group of DL. The Eagles are second in the NFL in sacks. They lead the league in sacks on third down. They get the job done when it matters most. TJ Edwards and Kyzir White can play the run or pass. They aren’t great at anything, but do everything pretty well. Nakobe Dean showed real promise last Sunday. The secondary is the best in the league. The Eagles allow the lowest opposing passer rating and they have the most INTs. They are third in completion percentage allowed. Throwing the ball on them is a major challenge. With corners like Slay and James Bradberry, they can play man or zone. The safeties are somewhat interchangeable, allowing the coaches to have more freedom and not worry about protecting a weak link. The defense can be susceptible to the run at times, but as you saw on Sunday, they can shut it down when they focus on run defense. The Eagles held Derrick Henry to only 30 yards, his second worst game of the year. The Eagles don’t blitz a lot, but they are good when they do it. Edwards can fly when he comes up the middle. He’s got a pair of sacks this year. The defense has only allowed one second half TD in the last six games. That tells you they adjust well and clamp down when the game is on the line. They are second in yards allowed, 10th in third down defense and 6th in red zone defense. Nothing comes easy against this defense. The Eagles toolbox is full of options for whatever opponents bring their way. There are still tests to come, most notably the postseason. We’ll find out just how big that toolbox is. ***** It can be easy to think poorly of sports. Athletes can be pampered and crazy at times. We all spend too much time and energy on games that kids can play. But there is something magic about sports, especially when played by the right athletes. That can be true on and off the field. Jason Kelce seems like a Hall of Famer as a person and as a player. Brandon Graham won’t be going to the HOF, but he is still a special dude. This video is pretty amazing. You can see how he’s touched the lives of different people over the years. We’ve been very lucky to get to follow Jason and Brandon as players, on and off the field. http://igglesblitz.com/2022/12/the-toolbox/