Posts for Teams Category

Three and Out: Play Calling, Screen Adjustments, and What-Ifs

Sean Cottrell - September 18, 2017

PHOTO CREDIT: DENNY MEDLEY - USA TODAY SPORTS

Each Monday during football season, I will be breaking down three key facets of the previous day’s Eagles game in my “Three & Out” series. I may look at specific plays and discuss player performances or big moments in the game, but my overall goal is to bring to your attention some really specific, but important, pieces of the game. I hope you enjoy it.

Now that we’ve had some time to digest it, I suppose the loss could’ve been worse. The Eagles weren’t given much of a chance heading into Kansas City, but they really gave the Chiefs a tough game and even looked like the better team at times.

That said, there’s nothing that sucks worse than losing a winnable game.

Let’s get into it! Continue Reading

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Jon Dorenbos Is Cheering Up Other Patients In the Hospital While He Recovers

Tyler Trumbauer - September 18, 2017

Credit: Benny Sieu - USA TODAY Sports

Jon Dorenbos is the greatest. The former Eagles long snapper, who achieved national fame for his run to the America’s Got Talent finals last summer, underwent open-heart surgery last week and is still in the hospital recovering. In typical Dorenbos fashion, he isn’t sulking in bed. The moonlighted magician has been seen walking around the hospital cheering up other patients:

Dorenbos was traded to the Saints before the season began, which led to doctors finding his medical condition and potentially saving his life. The trade was voided and Dorenbos is likely to not play football again. I’d love to see the Eagles bring him back in some capacity when he is completely healed.

Don’t Blame The Defense! 10 Takeaways From Chiefs 27, Eagles 20

Kevin Kinkead - September 18, 2017

Photo Credit - Denny Medley, USA TODAY Sports

For awhile there, it looked like an Andy Reid shovel pass would be the final nail in the coffin.

Instead, an unlikely fourth quarter comeback resulted in Mary, Mother of God, turning a blind eye to your Philadelphia Eagles when they needed her the most.

Sure, it might have been a different result if Vinny Curry had finished that fourth quarter sack, but we can’t put the 27-20 loss on a defense that ultimately played well enough to win the game. Context is king, and Curry’s whiff came on a short-field Kansas City drive only created by a Carson Wentz interception.

Jim Schwartz’s defense earlier bailed out the other two units, holding the Chiefs to three points after a crucial Darren Spoles fumble. The pair of turnovers resulted in a 10-point swing, with Jake Elliot’s 30-yard field goal miss completing a trifecta of Eagle mistakes.

That, combined with spotty offensive line play and the lack of an effective running game, was probably the difference in this one. Continue Reading

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Eagles-Chiefs Week 2 Live Thread

Chris Jastrzembski - September 17, 2017

Photo credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Week 2 is here, as the Eagles travel to Kansas City to take on the Chiefs in what will probably be the Clock Management Bowl.

Injury wise, Ronald Darby and Destiny Vaeao are out, while Corey Graham is questionable. It’ll also be the first game for new kicker Jake Elliott, who was picked up from the Bengals practice squad after Caleb Sturgis went on IR.

For the Chiefs, LB Reggie Ragland and OG Parker Ehringer are doubtful, while S Ron Parker and LB Kevin Pierre-Louis are listed as questionable. With starter Eric Berry out for the season, Parker’s injury is something to watch, as the secondary could be a weakness the Eagles try and expose this afternoon.

We’ll continually update this post as the game goes along. And check out our predictions to see how good (or probably bad) we guessed this game. Continue Reading

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Eagles-Chiefs Predictions

Chris Jastrzembski - September 15, 2017

Photo credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

After a shaky Week 1 win, the Eagles head to Kansas City to take on Andy Reid and the Chiefs in what could be the Clock Management Bowl.

To recap, here’s where the staff stands after one week:

T1: Sean, Tyler, Jim, Tim, Bob, Kyle (1-0)

T7: Phil, Chris, Kevin K, Kevin L (Both Kevins are getting a loss since they never got their Week 1 picks in), Coggin (0-1)

Our predictions for this week are after the jump: Continue Reading

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Alex Smith Didn’t Look like a “Game Manager” Against the Patriots

Kevin Kinkead - September 15, 2017

Photo credit: Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Calling someone a “game manager” is always more derogatory than complimentary.

We use it to describe NFL quarterbacks who just aren’t that great. These are the shrewd, mistake-free types who dink and dunk their way to victory on the strength of their skill players, special teams, and defense.

Alex Smith has always been the archetypal game manager, a guy who played five mediocre seasons in San Francisco before leading the Niners to a 13-3 record in 2011. The next year, he suffered a concussion and lost his job to an upstart second-year quarterback named Colin Kaepernick.

So Smith went to Kansas City, where he hasn’t had a losing season since. Yet the doubt always seems to be there; can this guy win you a Super Bowl?

Smith certainly looked like an elite quarterback in Week 1, completing 28 of 35 passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns. That bears repeating. Alex Smith completed 28 of 35 passes for 368 yards and four touchdowns (and he did it against the Patriots in Foxboro).

He hadn’t thrown more than three touchdowns since December of 2013, when he went for five in a 56-31 win against the Raiders.

Here’s Smith’s game log for the entirety of 2016: Continue Reading

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The Sixers Hired a VP of Joel Embiid’s Knees

Kyle Scott - September 15, 2017

The Sixers hired a new doctor. He used to be the team doctor for Barcelona, arguably the most famous sports team in the world with, arguably, the most famous athlete in the world, Lionel Messi.

Dr. Medina will replace the Sixers’ former head of medicine, Swedish Chef:

Donnel Pumphrey Tore His Hamstring and Won’t Be Playing Any Time Soon

Kevin Kinkead - September 15, 2017

Photo Credit - Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Add another draft pick to the injury list.

Eagles’ rookie running back Donnel Pumphrey tore his hamstring during Wednesday’s practice and is expected to be out for some time. Head coach Doug Pederson described the injury as “significant.”

It’s another disappointing setback for the fourth-round pick, who didn’t have a great training camp.

Pumphrey ended up on an Eagles roster featuring five running backs, including undrafted free agent Corey Clement. Pumphrey was not active for the Birds’ Week 1 win while Clement saw 13 special teams snaps. Third round draft pick Rasul Douglas and fifth round selection Shelton Gibson were also inactive, while second round pick Sidney Jones is on injured reserve.

Pumphrey wasn’t going to play much this season, but the injury could significantly stunt the growth of a player that many see as an eventual replacement for the aging Darren Sproles.

Ruled out for the weekend are Ronald Darby and Caleb Sturgis, who suffered a dislocated ankle and hip flexor injury, respectively, in the Redskins win. Destiny Vaeao was also confirmed out this weekend with a wrist issue. Jason Peters was a full practice participant.