Tag: Philadelphia Eagles

Nick Foles on Colts HC Frank Reich: “He’s a guy that has impacted my life so much”

Nick Foles says he’s forever grateful for Colts HC Frank Reich, who changed his career in a big way while with the Eagles.

Not only will Sunday’s game mark the first for quarterback Nick Foles since his Week 1 collarbone injury but it will also mark the first time that he and offensive coordinator John DeFilippo will be up against one of their former bosses in Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich. With the three winning a Super Bowl together in 2017 with the Philadelphia Eagles, there is a great deal of respect between the three and Foles expressed that this week by praising Reich, who was his former offensive coordinator and obviously played a key part in his career.

“He’s a guy that I admire more than anything,” Foles said Wednesday. “He’s a guy that has impacted my life so much, and he’s going to be on the opposing sideline, so that’s going to be fun. […] I think it will be emotional seeing him because of what he means to me. He’s one of the greatest people I’ve ever met, so when he went there I was so excited for him. But I’m going to go out there and play.”

When Eagles starting quarterback Carson Wentz went down in December of 2017 with a torn ACL in his left knee, nobody expected Foles to have the run that he did and lead the team to the playoffs. However, Reich (and DeFilippo) worked with the veteran to revitalize his career. Needless to say, Foles had the best year of his career, going 77-of-106 (72.6%) for 971 yards and six touchdowns in the postseason. He also ended up becoming the Super Bowl’s MVP as a result.

The Jags could have the edge going into Sunday’s game being that there is a lack of film on Foles. Then again, nobody knows Foles and DeFilippo as well as Reich does, so things could be rather interesting.

Eagles Injury Report: Alshon Jeffery among 3 players who did not practice

Alshon Jeffery among 3 Eagles players who did not practice

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The Philadelphia Eagles released their Thursday injury report in advance of Sunday’s showdown with the Patriots and Alshon Jeffery missed his second practice in a row.

Darren Sproles was a new addition to the report after Thursday’s practice with a quad injury that sidelined him previously. Nigel Bradham (ankle) missed practice, while Jordan Howard (shoulder) and Jason Peters (knee) remain limited.

If Jeffery can’t go, the Eagles will have Jordan Howard and Nelson Agholor as their No. 1 receivers, with JJ Arcega-Whiteside and Mack Hollins as the other available players on the outside.

Expect Philadelphia to lean on tight ends Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert.

Eagles could have interest in WR Antonio Callaway after release from Browns

The Philadelphia Eagles could have interest in wide receiver Antonio Callaway after his release from the Browns

The Philadelphia Eagles have a need for speed on the outside, and the Cleveland Browns just got rid of a wide receiver with plenty of it. On Thursday, the Browns released wide receiver Antonio Callaway.

A perceived problem child, Callaway served a four-game suspension to start the season after a violation of the league’s policy and program for substances of abuse.

The former Florida Gators star is talented, which is why Browns general manager John Dorsey took a risk on him in the fourth round of the 2018 draft, despite Callaway’s past off-field transgressions.

According to Josina Anderson of ESPN.com, Callaway had run of chances in Cleveland.

They say culture makes a locker room, and his struggles in Cleveland could easily be reversed in a locker room that offers quality leadership and accountability, while also being one of the gold standard organizations in the NFL.

Callaway will have to go through the waiver process, but he could definitely be an option for Howie Roseman and the Eagles.

Callaway has eight catches for 89 yards in four games (two starts) in 2019.

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Update:

The Eagles and other teams around the league are likely to pass on Callaway after Ian Rapoport just reported that the former Browns wideout is facing a 10-game suspension.

Jordan Matthews could be Eagles’ No. 1 WR in matchup with Patriots

Jordan Matthews could end up being the Eagles number one receiving option on Sunday when they face the Patriots.

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Jordan Matthews is living the American dream this week, going from being unemployed to the top dawg on an NFL roster. Recently cut by the San Francisco 49ers, Matthews returned to the team that originally drafted him, thinking he’d be an added weapon.

Now with Alshon Jeffery nursing an ankle injury, Matthews could be tossed into the role of No. 1 wide receiver when Stephon Gilmore and the Patriots come into town.

If Jeffery can’t go, Matthews will be called upon even more, while JJ Arcega-Whiteside could finally get an extended opportunity to make plays on the outside as well.

Nate Gerry a person of interest as Patriots gameplan for Eagles’ defense

Philadelphia linebacker Nate Gerry will play a huge role in the Eagles matchup with the Patriots

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Any Eagles related conversation focusing on Nate Gerry is certain to bring a variety of opinions centered on his value as a linebacker in Philadelphia’s defense. Gerry for the most part, is either beloved or severely questioned by local fans and media on a weekly basis.

This week, the Eagles face the king of getting the most out of key matchups, when Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots come to town.

With the Patriots practicing and preparing for a tough Eagles front-7, ESPN’s Mike Reiss pointed out New England focusing and preparing specifically for Fletcher Cox, and Gerry.

With Belichick having a highlighted jersey for Gerry at Patriots practice, Belichick is either concerned about the Birds inside linebacker or, he’s sees something he can obviously exploit early and often.

With Sony Michel, James White and Rex Burkhead in the backfield, Josh McDaniel’s and the Patriots could choose to center their offensive game plan around targeting Gerry’s man whenever he’s forced into pass coverage.

Gerry has shown himself to be the Eagles’ most versatile linebacker, playing upwards over four positions during the past five or six weeks. He’s amassed 33 tackles, a sack, two interceptions, and a pick-six over that time span.

This insane statistic puts perspective on Patriots’ lockdown secondary

Here’s a disclaimer for NFL teams: Don’t throw a deep ball against the New England Patriots. 

Here’s a disclaimer for NFL teams: Don’t throw a deep ball against the New England Patriots.

Through nine games this season, opposing quarterbacks have a 13.3 passer rating while throwing 21 yards or more in the air, H/T Boston Globe’s Ben Volin. New England has more interceptions (7) than opposing teams have completions (5) when throwing for more than 21 yards.

The second-best team in this category is the Buffalo Bills, who have kept opposing quarterbacks at a 40.6 passer rating. But, they’ve only had 20 pass attempts against them, compared to New England with 44 pass attempts. The Patriots have the No. 2 pass defense in the league currently with 150.2 passing yards allowed per game.

The secondary is primarily composed of Stephon Gilmore, Devin McCourty, Jason McCourty, J.C. Jackson, Pat Chung and Duron Harmon. Devin leads the group with five interceptions and Gilmore is second in the unit with three.  New England has a league-high 19 interceptions through nine games and the second-best team has 14.

The Patriots have accumulated a league-high 270 yards from interceptions along with two touchdowns. They’ve been able to create great field position for the offense, while helping hold opposing offenses to an average of 10.9 points per game.

New England struggled against the Baltimore Ravens in a Week 9 loss, but it was mostly due to the run defense. Baltimore had 210 rushing yards against the Patriots and only 162 passing yards.

This secondary has some talented quarterbacks ahead of them with Carson Wentz, Day Prescott, Deshaun Watson and Patrick Mahomes. It would be an incredible feat if the Patriots could keep these numbers up for the entirety of the season.

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Eagles rise in latest USA Today NFL Power Rankings

Eagles No. 11 in latest USA Today NFL Power Rankings

The Philadelphia Eagles are preparing to battle the New England Patriots at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday and the Birds are feeling good after a refreshing bye week. After two straight victories to move their record to 5-4 on the season, Philadelphia jumped up two spots in the latest USA Today NFL Power Rankings.

Backing the Brinks truck up for a guard often a questionable move … but giving Brandon Brooks a $54 million extension could be a bargain.

The Eagles are using a ton of two-tight end sets with Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert and Wentz will likely rely on their versatility while targeting Miles Sanders in the passing game against Dont’a Hightower.

Doug Pederson discusses comparisons between Patriots and 2000 Ravens defense

The Patriots have put up historic numbers through nine games this season and they’ve drew comparisons to many elite defenses. 

The New England Patriots have put up historic numbers through nine games this season and they’ve drew comparisons to many former teams.

One of the most talented and dominant defenses that they’ve been compared with is the 2000 Baltimore Ravens. This team included Ray Lewis, Rod Woodson, Sam Adams and many other elite defenders. They went on to win the Super Bowl and they opposing teams only averaged 10.3 points per game in the regular season.

Philadelphia Eagles coach Doug Pederson played against them as the Cleveland Brown’s quarterback, so he has a vivid memory of the unit. Fast-forward to 2019 and he’ll face a similar defense with New England, one that has opposing teams averaging a league-low 10.9 points per game.

Pederson talked to reporters about the similarities while on a press conference on Wednesday.

“It is an interesting conversation, and you can obviously draw some parallels with those two defenses,” Pederson said, transcribed by NESN. “I think the biggest thing that jumps out to you right now, the glaring thing, is the turnover ratio. I mean, the fact that they’ve got six defensive scores this season, the interceptions, the fumbles they’re causing — it’s a brand of defense where they just smother you. They just corral you. They’re OK with giving you 2, 3, 4 yards, but they’re right on top of you. Their secondary is that way aggressively, and their front seven are that way.

“That’s something I think when you look back, if I remember correctly with that Baltimore team, the same structure, the same style of defense. It was a smothering style of defense, and they played fast and they played aggressively. They may not do a whole lot schematically, and I think that’s a positive because it does allow your guys to play free, and to play fast and to play smart. I think that’s a similarity that I see with this Patriots defense today.”

The Patriots struggled against Lamar Jackson and the Ravens coincidentally before the bye week, but Bill Belichick has always had trouble with running quarterbacks. New England had an extra week to gameplan for Philadelphia and to get the players rested up.

New England still leads the league in defensive yards allowed per game (249.3) and they’re second in passing yards allowed per game (150.2). Aside from the hiccup in Week 9, the Patriots should be right back to elite form against the Eagles.

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Shaquem Griffin earns bigger role after Monday night performance

The Seattle Seahawks are planning to find ways to get Shaquem Griffin involved as an edge rusher for the rest of the season.

The Seattle Seahawks are 8-2 through the first 10 weeks of the season, in part because they are able to flash different tricks up their sleeve each week to keep opponents guessing.

Monday night against the 49ers saw Seattle debut two new impact players, safety Quandre Diggs and receiver Josh Gordon, which made it difficult for San Francisco to gameplan without having seen either of them in a Seahawks uniform.

As if that wasn’t enough, Shaquem Griffin, who has been an active member of the special teams all year, made his 2019 debut on the defensive side of the ball against San Francisco — and he was playing a new position.

Griffin played 14 snaps on defense for the Seahawks, all coming on passing downs as an edge rusher. While he did not record any stats, coach Pete Carroll liked enough of what he saw to keep him in that role going forward.

“We’re going to find ways to utilize him,” Carroll said on Tuesday. “It’s really clear, more than it has been, that we might be able to build [him] a role that could be a factor. We have to work at that more so just to use his speed. He’s instinctively a good rusher. He’s just not very big. You have to do special things with him. We’ll put that together and see if we can make that a good complement to what we’re doing.”

Part of the reason Carroll believes Griffin should play more is certainly due to his performance in practice — but it might have more to do with the poor performance of veteran Ziggy Ansah, who has failed to live up to expectations in his first season in the blue and green.

Ansah also only played 14 snaps on Monday, and he was benched after committing a neutral zone infraction late in the game.

The veteran edge rusher has just one sack and three quarterback hits all season, and has struggled to adjust to Seattle’s defensive scheme.

Griffin is not a slam dunk to instantly contribute off the edge, but considering how great at it he was in college, he’s certainly earned at least a look out there. Plus, this allows Carroll to challenge Ansah to improve, knowing his role is no longer guaranteed if Griffin can find a modicum of success getting to the quarterback.

The Seahawks have a Week 11 bye but will be back in action on Sunday, November 24 against the Eagles in Philadelphia.

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Patriots-Eagles odds: New England road favorite over Philadelphia in Week 11

Analyzing the New England Patriots at Philadelphia Eagles Week 11 NFL match up, with NFL betting odds, lines, picks and best bets

The Philadelphia Eagles (5-4) play host to the New England Patriots (8-1) Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET at Lincoln Financial Field. Here, we focus on the Patriots-Eagles odds and lines, while providing NFL betting tips and advise on this key Week 11 NFL matchup.

Patriots at Eagles: Week 11 preview, betting trends and notes

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  • The Patriots are coming off a bye. In their last game, the Baltimore Ravens handed them their first loss of the season with a convincing 37-20 beating. It was a good loss at a good time for the defending Super Bowl Champions.
  • The Eagles are also coming off a bye. They beat the Chicago Bears 22-14 in Week 9, which was their second consecutive win.
  • Since 2003, the Patriots have won four of the six matchups vs. the Eagles. New England has lost the last two, including a 41-33 loss during Super Bowl LII.
  • The Patriots are 6-3 against the spread (ATS) this season, but 3-2 on the road. They’re 3-6 against the Over/Under (O/U), and 1-4 on the road.
  • The Eagles are 4-5 ATS, while 2-2 at home. They are 5-4 vs. the O/U, with a 2-2 record at home.

Patriots at Eagles: Key injuries

Eagles LT Jason Peters (knee), WR Alshon Jeffery (ankle) and RB Jordan Howard (shoulder) are all dealing with injuries. Peters and Howard were limited Wednesday, Jeffery missed practice.

Patriots at Eagles: Odds, betting lines and prediction

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 9:45 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Patriots 24, Eagles 20

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Moneyline (?)

The PATRIOTS (-186) are the play; and, while still chalky, the juice isn’t nearly as painful as usual. You can thank the Ravens for that. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has a .736 win percentage following a bye. Brady is 13-4 following a bye. While the Eagles (+155) might be enticing, it’s a hard pass here.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the Patriots returns a profit of $5.38 with a New England victory.

Against the Spread (?)

The Patriots are favored by three-and-a-hook, which is a teasing line (-106). Don’t take the bait. In the Eagles’ four losses, they’ve either been blown out or played it very close. This spread is too dangerous to wager and the best bet here is no bet at all. AVOID.

Over/Under (?)

With 44.5 points slated as the total and both teams returning from a bye, this feels like it will be a game of chess and that number will be a razor-thin margin on my projections. The UNDER (-115) is the play, but just a small-unit wager.

Want action on this game? Sign up and bet at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Ryan’s NFL-pick record: 18-10

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