Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
We’re looking at 3 keys for the Philadelphia Eagles offense vs. Arizona Cardinals defense in Week 17
The Eagles (11-4) host the Cardinals (3-12) on Sunday afternoon at Lincoln Financial Field in an intriguing matchup that’ll see Jonathan Gannon return to Philadelphia for the first time since the Super Bowl 57 loss to Kansas City.
There are several vital storylines and matchups to watch, while the quarterback battle will feature two dual-threat stars in Jalen Hurts and Kyler Murray.
With kickoff less than 24 hours away, here are three keys for the Eagles offense against the Cardinal’s defense.
These players are ones that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah could be willing to trade for with a Moneyball approach
The trade deadline is coming up and the Minnesota Vikings have likely made themselves buyers with a 22-17 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night.
It’s quite simple for the Vikings. They have played really well against quality opponents all season, but haven’t been able to finish the job. Why haven’t they been able to finish games? Lack of discipline, mainly with ball control.
The Vikings have turned it over 14 times this season while forcing just nine themselves with six of them coming in their last two games and seven of them forced in their three wins.
They are currently just 0.5 games out of a wild card spot and two games out of the NFC North division lead with five of their six division games still left to play.
Earlier this week, I explored players that the Vikings could target that could help the team immediately and in the future. Most of those were established players that would cost significant draft capital
However, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has shown a willingness to gamble on talent and upside with the use of a Moneyball approach. He did so with Jalen Reagor and Ross Blacklock. I identified five players the Vikings could target to use the same philosophy.
Zaven Collins left the game after getting poked in the eye. Krys Barnes exited with a hand injury.
The Arizona Cardinals have had to suffer more than their fair share of injuries on their defense. On Sunday, two more defenders got hurt.
Linebacker Zaven Collins got poked in the eye and had to leave the game. Linebacker Krys Barnes, already in the starting lineup because of an injury to Josh Woods, left the game with a hand injury.
We will see if either injury causes them to miss any practice time and put their availability in Week 4 at risk.
Woods has missed the last two games with an ankle injury. Starting nose tackle Leki Fotu missed Week 2 with a shoulder injury. Defensive linemen L.J. Collier and Carlos Watkins both are on injured reserve for biceps injuries that required surgery. Neither is likely to return this season.
Safety Budda Baker is on injured reserve with a hamstring injury.
The Cardinals’ depth was questionable to begin with. They can hardly afford to sustain any more injuries.
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
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These players might not be breakout players but could be in a position to produce much more than most would expect.
Every offseason there are rankings and lists. We predict breakout players, players under pressure and who might get cut, traded or otherwise.
This is one of those lists.
This time, it is about players who might surprise with their play in 2023, which is different than breaking out or whatnot.
Whose production in 2023 might be better than expected?
Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
Jonathan Gannon’s goal for greater accountability and pressure is working right now.
The Arizona Cardinals’ new head coach, Jonathan Gannon, is trying to change the culture in the building. He wants greater accountability and he believes in constant competition and pressure.
He once said in a press conference this offseason that “everything is a competition.”
That mentality is showing.
Third-year linebacker Zaven Collins sees a difference and likes what it happening.
“I think it’s nice. It’s a very different vibe in the building,” he told reporters after practice on Monday. “Guys are really bought in. Guys are here all the time. Guys are held with a lot of accountability and a lot of stuff like that. They feel pressure and I think that’s a good thing for everyone.”
Gannon wants meetings focused and he wants to put players in uncomfortable situations do elevate their knowledge and play.
Collins said everything is earned.
“You can’t walk in, because it’s the NFL,” he said. “Everyone is trying to put food on the table, on this team and on other teams. You’re not competing just with the guys you’re practicing with, it’s everyone in the league.”
One of the major concerns with the last coaching staff was a lack of accountability. That doesn’t seem to be the case. Collins got called out for finishing food at the start of a team meeting and now players no longer snack during them. They focus and pay attention.
While they aren’t expected to be good this year, it would appear that the building blocks of success are firmly in place.
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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
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Linebacker Zaven Collins learned quickly his head coach wants players completely focused in team meetings.
Arizona Cardinals linebacker Zaven Collins says there is a new vibe with the team under head coach Jonathan Gannon. Gannon runs things differently than previous head coach Kliff Kingsbury and Collins found out the hard way.
Collins, speaking to reporters after Monday’s practice from voluntary OTAs, recalled how he got called out after doing something in the team’s first team meeting that he did all the time previously.
He walked into the meeting finishing up a bowl of eggs.
The next day, he saw his number up on the screen and Gannon called him out for it.
“‘Collins, eating in the first team meeting of the day,'” Collins recalled Gannon saying. “‘Get here just 10 minutes earlier and you can finish your food. We’re trying to talk about defensive stuff and offensive philosophies, team philosophies, defensive philosophies in the meeting, and you’re over there eating. You’re not paying attention.'”
He realized it was a new expectation and understood why. He buys in and now handles things differently.
It used to be commonplace for players to take snacks to meetings. It is different now.
“No one is taking snacks to team meetings.”
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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
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Collins continues to see offseason reps with the team’s edge rushers.
The Arizona Cardinals might be moving linebacker Zaven Collins. Drafted in the first round in 2021 to be the team’s MIKE linebacker, he has been getting work with the outside linebackers.
On Monday, at the Cardinals’ first practice of voluntary OTAs (organized team activities), Collins was practicing with the outside linebackers, which include players like Cameron Thomas and Myjai Sanders.
Zaven Collins working with edge rushers as he was earlier in the #AZCardinals offseason pic.twitter.com/FpoJWza2To
— Craig Grialou (@CraigAZSports) May 22, 2023
The 6-foot-4, 265-pound Collins is built like a lot of pass rushers but mostly played off the ball in college.
This is not the first time he has worked with this position group.
Collins is still listed as an inside linebacker on the roster, but head coach Jonathan Gannon said earlier in the offseason he wants Collins to have some versatility.
Having him play more outside linebacker might be a way to keep him on the field more with Kyzir White and Isaiah Simmons potentially playing the two inside linebacker spots.
It will be something to watch over the next two weeks of OTAs and then the week of minicamp. And if training camp rolls around and he is still rushing off the edge, we will know what his primary role might be in 2023.
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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
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His 30-yard interception return for a touchdown gave the Cardinals a 14-10 lead.
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The Arizona Cardinals took a 14-10 lead in the second half against the Seattle Seahawks thanks to a huge play by former first-round pick Zaven Collins.
Collins picked off Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith on the first play of their second possession of the second half, taking a pass that was intended for running back Kenneth Walker III 30 yards for a touchdown.
It was the Cardinals’ fourth defensive touchdown of the year and third pick-6.
It was their fifth return touchdown of the season as well.
It was another strong showing by Collins, who has been very solid this season.
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Listen to the latest from Cards Wire’s Jess Root on his podcast, Rise Up, See Red. Subscribe on Apple podcasts or Spotify.
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Watch Smith throw a screen pass to Ken Walker but not see Zaven Collins lurking, resulting in a pick-six.
This was not a good throw by Geno Smith, who’s finally having a mere-mortal kind of game after a brilliant Player of the Month type run.
Watch Smith throw a screen pass to Ken Walker but not see Zaven Collins lurking, resulting in a pick-six.
While that’s ultimately on Smith, at some point Seahawks offensive coordinator Shane Waldron has to catch on to the fact that his team simply isn’t very good at executing these plays.
Arizona leads 14-10 with three minutes left in the third.
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The Cardinals pick off Geno Smith and take a second-half lead
Geno Smith was looking for a safe, simple pass.
He tried to find rookie Kenneth Walker III in the flat for the Seahawks on Sunday in Arizona.
The Cardinals’ Zaven Collins had other plans.
Collins makes a great grab and once settled takes off for the goal line.
Thirty yards and a PAT later the Cardinals were up 14-10 on their NFC West rivals.
Picked and going the other way! Spectacular play by @ZavenCollins! 🔥
📺: #SEAvsAZ on FOX
📱: Stream on NFL+ https://t.co/kMZLWAYkDL pic.twitter.com/Hzead9kM4P— NFL (@NFL) November 6, 2022
