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“It was just a great night. It was so fun, so fun to get back out on the field.”

[Please excuse any typos, sleep is a mere concept right now.]

I am now 100% sold.

Chip Kelly does have a quarterback-proof offense. Jon Gruden said as much last night. Sanchez threw for 20-of-37, 332 yards, two touchdowns, and a quaterback rating of 102.5. He was far from perfect, and the special teams, defense and Connor Barwin (now a cateogry of his own) certainly played a huge role. But Sanchez, despite showing a little rust on some screen passes, didn’t miss a beat, kept up the tempo, and moved around the pocket almost as beautifully as his smile. It’s incredible to think that the Sanchez-to-Jordan Matthews connection, which was good for 138 yards and both touchdowns, didn’t even exist last year. If you need an example of how Culture Wins Football, look no further than two guys who didn’t play a game in the NFL last season lighting it up on Monday Night Football. What’s even sillier is that the Eagles only had 37 rushing yards in a 45-21 beatdown with their backup quarterback starting his first game in nearly two years. It’s a plug-and-play offense, folks.

Of course, the Carolina Panthers stink.

 

Sanchez

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Someone sent me this Tweet last night comparing Nick Foles, just two weeks ago a beloved figure in Philly sports, to a cop killer. That’s the Mark Sanchez effect. What’s the saying, for every action there’s an equal and opposite reaction? Well, for every Sanchez bro smile there’s an equal and opposite Foles face. This isn’t to pile on Foles – because I genuinely feel bad for him – but I’m not sure we’re quite ready for the Mark Sanchez Era. Hell, I can’t even believe I just wrote the Mark Sanchez Era without a hint of irony. Remember all those traits Buzz Bissinger said Foles lacked? Remember that time I said Sanchez appeared to be the alpha male in the Eagles quarterback ranks? Personality-wise, Sanchez is all the things Foles isn’t. He’s a celebrity quarterback, for better or worse. Like, this…

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… this is probably going to be a thing this year. I can’t wrap my head around it. I hated Mark Sanchez before we last turned our clocks back. He was awful his last two years with the Jets. Horrifically, sadly, pathetically awful. He represented everything that was soulless and wrong with sports– flashy, showy celeb with questionable on-field skills. But now he’s the mature, bro-y, smiley veteran who will be tasked with taking the Eagles on a deep playoff run, something he’s done twice before with an offense and coach half as good as what he has here. I’m speechless. I don’t even know what to write. Mark Sanchez just wore a beanie for a national TV interview and a trip to Pat’s and Geno’s… and I liked it. He paid tribute to America’s armed forces in the middle of his post-game presser: “We’re happy to play well in front of our fans… somebody’s phone’s going off… we’re happy to play well in front of our fans, play well in salute to service night. That’s very important to us. For all the troops and people watching across the country and around the world, we appreciate your service, we’re praying for you and we love you.” Mark’s milkshakes smoothies are indeed bringing all the boys to the yard:

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Legend. Man of the people. What is happening on this Earth? What are these changes to my body?! FROM WHERE ARE THESE FEELINGS I FEEL COMING?!

On the field, Sanchez was decent. There was some rust, especially on the timing plays and screen passes, but otherwise he was solid and, yep, better than Foles was in any game this season except the Redskins game. Sanchez’s connection with Jordan Matthews (maybe they formed a kinship as new players?) was impressive. And perhaps most importantly (or perhaps because he had both Jason Kelce and Evan Mathis in front of him), Sanchez looked comfortable in the pocket. There was one pass later in the game – I’d pull a screenshot, but the NFL’s weird blackout rules are preventing me from doing so – in which he sidestepped the blitz and completed a pass over the middle of the field. That play would’ve ended with a sack and possible homicide charges if the 2014 version of Foles had been behind the line. Only once did Sanchez backpedal the way Foles had been doing this year… and it resulted in an intentional grounding penalty.

Sanchez celebrates like a lovable goober too. Fist pumps, hands in the air. Whatever, bro. Hell, he even high-fived the ball boy after his second touchdown pass to Matthews, I can only assume because he had just been handed a SWEET new ball.

This is our new existence as fans. It’s not what we expected, and perhaps not ideal, but the next two months (at least) will be the Mark Sanchez Era in Philadelphia football. It’s crazy. It’s awesome. It’s sweeeeet, man.

 

Connor Barwin

Barwin

YOU ARE A MAN.

Barwin had three and a half sacks and six tackles. He made linemen look like they were inflatable punching bags:

https://vine.co/v/Oi1i2rDZxgj

In DeMeco’s Ryans’ absence (though he did bring his spirit and Roll-A-Bout to the game), Barwin was the leader on D. He spied Cam Newton like a fiend. He mauled ballcarriers. It was the closest thing I’ve seen to Brian Dawkins on the Eagles since Brian Dawkins. And imagine how fired up EDP is today?

http://youtu.be/U0upDzss-P0

 

Defense

The Eagles defense gets better every week. They still give up their share of yards (317 last night– though much of them coming in garbage time), but they are ferocious in attacking the line and quarterback, and in creating mayhem on the field. Again, this might be the first time since Jim Johnson defenses that I feel like the Eagles defense is dictating play rather than reacting to it. Quarterbacks just don’t look comfortable against them. Sure, there are some matchup issues, Cary Williams is good for getting burnt and then sulking about it once or twice per game, and Casey Matthews will always make us uncomfortable, but that line… that tenacity to take the ball away… that playmaking ability… the Eagles defense is no longer a liability or even just adequate, it’s a game-changing asset. And Mychal Kendricks? Now I kind of get what Rihanna sees. He played really well last night. He’s so fast.

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But the real reason for all that success:

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Your goddamn right it does.

 

EXSPROLSIONS

When I started tweeting about them, in Week 1, I figured it was something I’d used once or twice more throughout the season when Darren Sproles broke off a huge run or punt return, but it’s seemingly every week he does something ridiculous. “He’s pretty special,” Sanchez said about him after the game. If you’re keeping score at home, that’s now two – 2! – quarterbacks who have called him special this year.

At a certain point he has to, um, just stop doing this. It can’t keep up forever, right? RIGHT?! Please keep up forever. So it’s gonna be forever, isn’t it? I love the game.

 

Keyshawn, what?

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pic via (@acoustischris)

 

Chip’s extra 2%

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Spyder 2 Y Banana Smoothie

pic via (@paul_j_greco)

pic via (@paul_j_greco)

pic via (@mutsack)

pic via (@mutsack)

Video here.

 

Gruden

He’s the best analyst in football, maybe in pro sports. I can listen to him all day. He’s the perfect mix of entertaining and informative. He usually tells you something you don’t know, makes you laugh, and while he pretty much loves everyone, he’s not afraid to pick a topic and hammer on it– like he did last night with the Panthers, their line, their handling of Cam Newton, and their existence in general. His enthusiasm is real and Mike Tirico is his perfect yang. They are so wildly better than the Sunday Night crew of sleepy Al Michaels* and Cris Collinsworth, who is a dork.

Of course, Tirico did say “Mike Vick and the Carolina Panthers.”

*I like Al Michaels, but it really feels like he’s mailing it in. He makes Joe Buck seem over-the-top. 

 

This guy

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Jersey fouls

via (@frankblust25)

via (@frankblust25)

via (@ffconnoisseur84)

via (@ffconnoisseur84)

via (@JSmitty37)

via (@JSmitty37)

via (@finsupbindy)

via (@finsupbindy)

Green

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How many different shades of green are in this photo? There are four. I actually like the Ninja Turtle Green Nike produced. But it’s a matte green and the problem is that it doesn’t match the metallic green on the helmets. And it doesn’t match Midnight Green because Midnight Green’s not a color. But I like it. They just need to ditch the metallic helmets so it matches the jersey better and we’ll be fine. Fashion editor Dan wrote about it.

 

Culture

Culture-Wins-Football-Long-Sleeve-Shirt

Get one.