If you haven’t noticed because of that whole Thanksgiving thing and the fact you have a life outside of the Internet good for you.  But it’s been a weird couple of days on the Eagles beat. Maybe weird isn’t the correct word, but I’ve got a tummy full of mashed potatoes and that’s the only word my tryptophan brain can muster currently. But as I sit here in a food coma endlessly scrolling B̶l̶u̶e̶s̶k̶y̶  Twitter I’m starting to think the fellas on the Eagles beat are getting a little tired of all this winning. Winning doesn’t sell subs. You can’t write a scathing profile with unnamed sources and secret locker room conversations when everyone in there is happy because they’re beating the shit out of everyone. So what have they done? They’ve waited during the busiest time of the year when Eagles fans are occupied with giving thanks for Saquon Barkley and doing some holiday shopping to pepper in some questions to some of the highest paid players on the offense and ask them what they think about not throwing the ball enough or not getting as many targets as they’re used too. It started with Jalen Hurts on Wednesday and happened again to AJ Brown today:

A.J. Brown with good perspective on relative lack of passing plays and how much the Eagles are running: “No, it don’t surprise me, because what we have in the backfield, he’s rare. Once you accept that, everything else is easier. …I don’t (get bothered) because what I see on a day-to-day basis is very special. …I played with Derrick Henry, that’s the same thing. You have to switch your mindset a little bit and not get comfortable with touches. That’s not a bad thing. I’m going to give you a little context, because I know guys can run with that. So whenever you get the opportunity, you have to make the most of it. And when guys get a lot touches in a game, you may not go as hard here or there because you know you go another touch coming. But when you don’t know, you’re going to make the most of it because of who’s in the backfield in how special they are.”

Beautiful answers like you’d expect from your veteran leaders.

Now am I overreacting? Maybe. But isn’t it kind of a convenient time to start sowing dissension into the team. Like I said people don’t read fluff pieces. They don’t have 15 Real Housewives spin-offs on Bravo because they all like each other. It feels like a pointed question. Like some guys are trying to get a quote and make it easier to write their story. I’m not saying that’s what they’re doing, but that’s what the optics look like. Eagles fans LOVE running the ball. They’ve been calling for them to run the ball for decades. So it’s not like this question is serving the fan – who reporters claim to be a conduit of to cover their asses whenever they get in hot water of course. Now I can’t get inside the minds of Jeff McLane, ZBerm, Roob, ESP or anyone else on the beat. I can only ask questions like they do. Like why is AJ Brown not a bad teammate this year like he was considered last year? Why were the Eagles apparently the most miserable 10-1 team last year, but seem to have the happiest locker room in the world with the majority of the core guys from last year’s team still here? Is Jalen’s leadership style still being questioned internally like it apparently was last year? Or do we just dust that sourced information under the rug and dig it up when it’s convenient? I don’t know! I’m just asking questions!

All I know is this team is firing on all cylinders and I know that myself and Eagles fans would just like the media to butt out. If you’re thinking of trying anything nefarious just know we’ll see it and we’ll call it out. I don’t want to be mean around the holidays, but if you’re going to try and plant rat poison in this Super Bowl caliber team with a #1 seed on the line you’re going to leave me no choice. My hands will be tied and I’ll have to call you a miserable low-life hack who’s only employed because of your union’s powerful chokehold on your company in between bites of my Snickerdoodle and a sip of Nog.

P.S. I think one day a year Eagles players should be able to put the beats on the microphone. Have the 53 guys and coaches sit in the auditorium and grill them with questions. Flip it on them. Put them under the light. Record it on video for millions of Birds and NFL fans to dissect the tiniest quote. Each reporter gets 20 minutes on the mic. Nick Sirianni gets to read a quote from so and so about calling for his job and gets to watch them squirm in their seat. Everyone gets a turn all the way down to Tanner McKee. It would be fun!