First off, I’m a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan.
I tried searching Steem for posts on the Eagles and didn’t find any so decided to create my own blog of sorts on them.
It’s still crazy to think this team is 13-2. THIRTEEN AND TWO. Doug Pederson came out today and said all of the starters are playing Sunday vs Dallas except for Brandon Graham who has an injured ankle.
I’m torn on what to think about that because on the one hand you don’t want anyone to get injured (with Peters, Sproles, Wentz, Hicks, among others already done for the year, we can little afford another serious injury), however with how awful the offense looked against the Raiders I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad decision. I just don’t get how Foles could have regressed so much in 1 game. Against the Giants he looked like a Carson Wentz doppelgänger, and then against the Raiders (who’s defense is not good at all) he looked like, well, the bad Nick Foles we saw during his last stint in Philadelphia. The slow, lethargic, immobile QB who was slow going through his progression and had a noodle arm, unable to fit balls into tight windows.
Alshon Jeffrey was a complete non factor against Oakland, which there is no excuse for given the Raiders have nothing close to a shut down corner, and which can’t happen if the Eagles want any chance to make a deep playoff run.
In reality, once Wentz went down so did the season. I really thought this team had a chance to make a run with Wentz, who in all likelihood was the MVP front runner until he tore his acl.
Quick side note - I was and am still furious at Wentz for getting hurt. People won’t blame him because he was trying to score, laying it all out for the team, etc. But you won’t hear that from me. As the most important player on the team, you just can’t go diving head first into two Rams defenders on a meaningless game in week 14. You have to be smarter than that, slide, and live to play another down.
Okay getting back to the here and now. I’m terrified of playing a team like New Orleans, even in Philly. I get they are a dome team so the Eagles have an advantage there, and statistically Drew Brees has pretty large home vs road splits. Also their biggest strength this year has been the 2 headed monster run game with Ingram and Kamara, and the Eagles have the best run D in the league, but even though the stats say that the eye test tells a different story. Gashed by huge play after huge play by Todd Gurley, Marshawn Lynch then ran for over 90 yards. This defense just isn’t the same without Jordan Hicks, just like the Eagles O line isn’t even close to as dominant without Jason Peters.
I’m not giving up on this team yet...there’s a reason they are 13-2 and it wasn’t only Carson Wentz winning every game, though he was a large part. The Eagles defense has shown flashes and they still have one of the best special teams units in the league, but the key to it all is Nick Foles. If he can convert on 3rd down and make a few throws down the field, it gives us a chance to win. I just don’t think it’s in the cards for this team this year, and it won’t be sunny in Philadelphia when the Eagles get knocked out of the playoffs.
Go Birds
It's funny looking back on this post going into the NFC Championship game. I am sure many didn't think we'd get this far. Kudos to Pederson and the team itself.
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