Category: Game Preview

NFC East team is looking to load up on cornerbacks to combat Eagles passing attack

The Washington Commanders are looking to add cornerbacks at the trade deadline as they hope to combat the Philadelphia Eagles passing attack

The Eagles and Commanders sit atop the NFC East and appear on a collision course to determine the division winner and playoff seedings. Over the next three weeks, Philadelphia will face two NFC East opponents, facing the Cowboys (Week 10) and Commanders (Week 11) within four days.

The NFL trade Deadline is just three days away, and Washington is looking to make a few big moves to contain A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.

The Athletic’s Dianna Russini reports that the Washington Commanders are calling around in search of a potential trade for a cornerback. According to the report, head coach Dan Quinn wants a jolt to the secondary, and at 6-2, Washington needs help if they get past the Philadelphia Eagles and their superb receiver group in the NFC East.

It’s no surprise the red-hot Washington Commanders are calling around in search of a corner. Coach Dan Quinn knows this is a weakness on his roster, and at 6-2, Washington needs help if they want to get past the Philadelphia Eagles and their superb receiver group in the NFC East.

The Eagles are averaging 28.3 points per game since Week 6 while recording the 2nd-most rushing yards per game (182.0), trailing only San Francisco (184.0). During that span, Philadelphia is one of only
two teams with 0 turnovers, joining Washington in that category.

Despite missing three games due to injury, A.J. Brown leads the team with 408 yards and 3 TDs on 21 catches (19.4 avg.). His 102.0 receiving yards per game rank 2nd in the NFL, behind Nico Collins (113.4).

Brown is the first Eagle to log 80+ receiving yards in each of their first four games played to start a season since Terrell Owens in 2005. Brown and DeVonta Smith, who caught a 45-yard TD in Week 8 at Cincinnati (2nd-longest touchdown of his career), are the only NFL teammates with multiple 40+ yard touchdowns.

Brown ranks 3rd in the NFL in receiving average (19.4), trailing only Alec Pierce (24.6) and Jameson Williams (21.2).

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Eagles injury updates: Dallas Goedert, Darius Slay ruled out for Week 9 vs. Jaguars

Philadelphia stars Dallas Goedert, and Darius Slay have been ruled out for the Eagles Week 9 game vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars

The Eagles will be without two of their biggest stars in Week 9, as Dallas Goedert and Darius Slay have been ruled out against the Jaguars.

Slay (groin) and Goedert (hamstring) both missed their third practice of the week and will be inactive for Sunday.

Goedert has missed the last two games after injuring his hamstring early in the Week 6 win over Cleveland and did not practice.

Slay, who exited Sunday’s win with a groin injury, did not practice on Thursday. Isaiah Rodgers replaced him in the Bengals game, and he tipped a pass intended for wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase that led to an interception by safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

Mekhi Becton, Jalen Carter, and Landon Dickerson all got in full practice and will play.

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Lane Johnson discusses role the offensive line played in Eagles’ shift to a run-first approach

Philadelphia offensive tackle Lane Johnson discusses the role the offensive line played in Eagles shift to a run first approach

The Philadelphia Eagles have been 3-0 since the bye week ended, and while the defense is starting to find their groove, Kellen Moore’s versatile offense has found its identity.

While meeting with the media on Friday, Johnson said there were discussions during the bye week about the offense embodying the “same formula” of 2021: using the run game and play-action.

Offensive Coordinator Kellen Moore attributed the gains to “just finding our rhythm,” while Lane Johnson and the Eagles offensive line played a significant role in the identity shift.

“It was an offensive-led movement. We knew we had to make some adjustments,” Johnson said. “Some of the leaders on the O-line had our fair share of talk in helping it. We want our offense to be the best version of itself, win some games, and score points in the fucking first quarter. That would be nice.”

Since the bye week, the Eagles are First in the NFL in fewest giveaways (0), tied for first in the NFL in rushing touchdowns (6), first in the NFL in rushing first downs (34), second in the NFL in rushing offense (182 yards per game), second in the NFL in average yards per pass attempt (9.4 yards)second in yards per reception (14.6 yards), third in passer rating (125.3), and fifth in completion percentage (70 percent).

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Getting pressure on Broncos QB Bo Nix is key to a Ravens victory in Week 9

Simply put, the Baltimore Ravens must bring a lot of pressure on Bo Nix, get him rattled, and just force him into making mistakes.

One of the worst cliches in football media is when a pundit lists one of his keys to the game as “winning the turnover battle.” However, it is a cliche for a good reason, as it’s true.

Quarterbacks who turn the ball over often do not win many games. Ball security is especially important with rookie starting quarterbacks, and the Baltimore Ravens will face one Sunday in Bo Nix.

The Denver Broncos QB1 had an up-and-down first month of his rookie year, but he is definitely on an upward trajectory now, as he was just named the NFL’s Offensive Rookie Player of the Month for October.

Nix led all rookies in passing completion percentage (66.7%), passing yards (870), and TD passes (seven). In leading the Broncos to a 3-1 record over the month that just concluded, he also finished second in passer rating (102.7) among first-year signal callers.

That’s an impressive feat when you consider how loaded and deep this rookie class of quarterbacks is. Outperforming Washington’s Jaden Daniels, who’s having a stellar season, is difficult right now.

So, how do the Ravens slow him down and stunt his career development a bit on Sunday? Simply put, they must apply a lot of pressure, get him rattled, and force him to make mistakes.

As NFL passing legend Drew Brees explained, the Broncos have had some issues, at times, protecting their franchise QB.

“I think the O-Line for the Broncos has probably not performed as well as they’re going to,” Brees said in an exclusive with RG.org. “I feel like Bo Nix has been under duress more than they would like. I think their ability to know where their outlets are, know where they can get rid of the ball.

“It’s great when you can scramble and make some plays. But there are times when you just have to stay in the pocket, deliver the ball accurately and be able to go through progressions very quickly and concisely.

“That’s where those guys will continue to grow as they develop.”

Brees, who holds multiple NFL records, including the most 5,000+ yard passing seasons, is right about the 12th overall pick in this year’s draft—he won’t always be able to scramble and make plays when the protections break down.

The rookie will need to maintain the composure of a veteran and stay in the pocket when protections start to break down. So, it’s on the Ravens’ defensive front seven to ensure that the pocket collapses early and often.

Unfortunately, Baltimore’s defensive line is currently dealing with a severe rash of injuries. So unless the Ravens’ reserve DL can step up and make plays to the best of their abilities, defenders from the other two position groups will bring the heat to the Broncos’ OL.

Given the well-chronicled secondary issues this season, that is a very tricky proposition for defensive coordinator Zach Orr. Baltimore’s best remedy for repeatedly yielding large amounts of passing yards is to pressure and severely rattle the opposing quarterback consistently.

If you can do that to a rookie quarterback, it could more easily result in forcing some turnovers.

DeVonta Smtih injury updates: Will Eagles star WR play in Week 9?

DeVonta Smith will play on Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars despite missing Eagles Friday practice for personal reasons

The Eagles are moments away from releasing their final injury report for the week and star wide receiver DeVonta Smith will have a designation after missing Friday’s practice.

Smith wasn’t injured, but he missed practice for a personal reason. He’ll be primed and ready for Sunday afternoon.

Jalen Carter returned to practice on Thursday as a full participant after missing Wednesday’s practice with a shoulder injury, and he’ll be active on Sunday.

Eagles starting right guard Mekhi Becton (concussion) was upgraded to a full participant on Thursday. He was limited on Wednesday after missing Sunday’s win over Cincinnati. Starting Pro Bowl left guard Landon Dickerson (knee) returned to practice as a limited participant after missing Wednesday’s practice.

Tight end Dallas Goedert (hamstring) and cornerback Darius Slay (groin) were the only Eagles who did not participate in practice on Friday because of injury. Goedert has not practiced since suffering the injury against the Cleveland Browns in Week 6.

Slay exited Sunday’s win over the Bengals early due to injury.

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WATCH: Brian Dawkins credits Cooper DeJean for Eagles defensive improvements

Brian Dawkins credits Cooper DeJean for unlocking Eagles defense under Vic Fangio and the vast improvement for Philadelphia

We knew Cooper DeJean was going to impact the Eagles’ secondary, but after a 2-2 start, Vic Fangio’s defensive unit has been elite since the former Iowa star entered the starting lineup following the Week 5 bye. Legendary Hall of Fame defensive back Brian Dawkins sat down with The Eagles Wire to discuss mental health, his salute to service, and the growing pains in Philadelphia.

Dawkins praised Vic Fangio for getting comfortable and blitzing even more and then raved about Cooper DeJean and what he brings to the Philadelphia defense.

When asked about DeJean’s performance at the slot cornerback position as a rookie fresh out of college, Dawkins credited the former Iowa star with unlocking Fangio’s defense scheme even more.

Dawkins has a point, with DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell giving the Eagles dynamic versatility in the secondary. Among NFL cornerbacks with 75+ coverage snaps, DeJean ranks 2nd in PFF coverage grade (86.9), trailing only Marlon Humphrey (87.3).

His running mate has been just as dominant.

Quinyon Mitchell leads the Eagles with 6 PDs and ranks 3rd in the NFL with nine forced incompletions, behind Paulson Adebo (12) and Denzel Ward (12) (according to PFF). Mitchell has held opponents to a 51.3%
completion percentage (9th among NFL CBs, min. 35 targets).

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WATCH: Brian Dawkins calls this the season of growing pains for Eagles

Hall of Fame defensive back Brian Dawkins talked about the Philadelphia Eagles slow start this season and called it growing pains

The Eagles are 5-2 and playing like one of the best teams in the NFL, but four weeks ago, there were discussions about the quarterback not being good enough to win without weapons and calls for the head coach to be fired.

Since then, Philadelphia has won three straight games, Vic Fangio’s defensive unit is growing up and making plays, and Sirianni has coached himself off the hot seat.

During a recent interview with The Eagles Wire, Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins discussed the Birds’ early-season adversity, labeling it the “season of growing pains.”

“There’s going to be more growing pains than not.” “I love the fact that they struggled early on this season, because when you begin to struggle, you really begin to learn who we truly are.” “There’s a whole lot of publicity.” “When you get into that film room though, the film shows you exactly who you are.”

A team with several flaws one month ago is now one of the most completely efficient and explosive teams in the NFL.

Entering Week 9, Philadelphia is one of only two NFL franchises that rank among the top 10 in the league in both total offense (8th, 367.1 ypg) and total defense (7th, 300.9 ypg), joining Houston.

The Eagles lead the NFL with 11 plays of 40+ yards this season, recording plays of 40+ yards in six of seven games.

Defensively, Philadelphia has allowed the third-fewest 40+ yard plays (3). Below, you can see Dawkins’ comments about growing pains, mental health, and more.

WATCH: Brian Dawkins talks mental health, Building Relationships with veterans and more

Glenn Erby of The Eagles Wire sits down with Hall of Fame defensive back Brian Dawkins for The Eagles Wire to discuss his Salute to Service, Mental Health, Cooper DeJean, Vic Fango, and the Philadelphia Eagles.

Brian Dawkins is an all-time great athlete and a Hall of Famer, but he’s progressed into an even greater man. He’s focused on service, using his platform to bolster the mental health of others and pouring into others with his faith, resilience, and empathy.

The Hall of Famer participated in a ruck march in San Antonio, Texas, in partnership with USAA, the Wounded Warrior Project (WWP), and Face The Fight to help amplify the cause of mental health awareness and, more specifically, support the mission of the battle of veteran suicide prevention.  During his HOF induction speech in 2018, Dawkins notably talked about his mental health struggles while in the NFL, sharing his thoughts of suicide and how he ultimately overcame them.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBwi5ceP2QP/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

We sat down with the legendary Eagles on behalf of USAA to discuss his relationship with USAA and the importance of supporting veterans, particularly in mental wellness. Dawkins emphasizes the need for community and support systems for individuals dealing with trauma, drawing parallels between veterans’ experiences and personal struggles.

Dawkins shares insights from his participation in a Ruck march, highlighting his respect for veterans and the inspiration he draws from their resilience. He also touches on the Eagles’ current season, reflecting on their growth and challenges, and concludes with a message of hope and gratitude amidst negativity.

Eagles could be without two key starters for game vs. Jaguars in Week 9

The Philadelphia Eagles are likely to be without Darius Slay and Dallas Goedert for Sundays game vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 9

The Eagles just hit the practice field for the final time this week and the team is trending towards being without two of their key starters.

Darius Slay (groin) and Dallas Goedert (hamstring) both miss their third practice of the week, and will likely be inactive for Sunday against the Jaguars.

Goedert has missed the last two games after injuring his hamstring early in the Week 6 win over Cleveland and did not practice.

Slay, who exited Sunday’s win with a groin injury, did not practice on Thursday. Isaiah Rodgers replaced him in the Bengals game, and he tipped a pass intended for wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase that led to an interception by safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

Super confident Jalen Hurts says there’s nothing he can’t do in Eagles offense

Super confident Jalen Hurts says there’s nothing he can’t do in the Philadelphia Eagles offense

After a slow start to the season, the Eagles have won three straight games since starting the year out 2-2, and Jalen Hurts evolution at quarterback is a primary reason why.

Hurts has gone weeks without a turnover. He’s making plays from under center and targeting the opposition in the middle of the field. Following a recent practice ahead of Sunday’s matchup against the Jaguars, a confident Hurts told the media that there’s nothing he can’t do in the Eagles’ offense.

Heading into Week 9, Hurts has completed 132-191 attempts for 1,544 yards passing, a 69.1 completion percentage, eight touchdowns, and four interceptions.

He’s the sixth-ranked quarterback in the NFL in QBR and, again, one of the league leaders with seven rushing touchdowns.

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