Tag: PHILADELPHIA EAGLES
Eagles’ Sirianni: ‘This is the most complete team that I’ve ever been around’
In 2022, the Philadelphia Eagles(14-3) had the best record in football in the regular season and are one game away(battle the 49ers in the NFC title game at the Linc on Sunday) from getting to the Super Bowl.
The Eagles have a league-best eight Pro Bowlers and, from top to bottom, have one of the best rosters in the NFL.
According to Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni, who has been around the NFL as a coach since 2009, the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles is the most complete team he’s been around.
“We had some good Mount Union(University) teams. I mean, we had some really good Mount Union teams, that’s for darn sure,'” Sirianni said on Thursday. “But, yeah, in the NFL, this is the most complete team that I’ve ever been around.
“The thing that makes you say that is that I’ve been taught from very young that it’s O-line, D-line, O-line, D-line, O-line, D-line. It doesn’t matter if it’s my son’s pee wee game, it doesn’t matter if it’s a high school game, it doesn’t matter if it’s a college game, it doesn’t matter if it’s a pro game, the O-line, D-line, wins games and sets the tone.
“We have a great defensive line. We have a great offensive line. And not only do we have these pieces in place there, we also understand that we have backups, and we have rotations, guys ready to step in and make plays, and guys that have stepped in to make plays.
“We also know this about San Francisco: They have a great O-line and D-line. You get to the NFC Championship game, that’s what it’s going to look like. I haven’t looked at Cincinnati or Kansas City, but I am assuming it is similar traits.
“So, it’ll be a battle. Yeah, a lot of credit to our O-line, D-line. A lot of credit to [Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman], and how he’s put this roster together and his staff and [Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line] coach Stout [Jeff Stoutland] and [Defensive Line] coach [Tracy] Rocker and [Defensive Ends/Outside Linebackers] coach Wash [Jeremiah Washburn]. We have a lot of guys in place that are making it possible with those guys.”
Sirianni is right; the Eagles are a complete team and may have the most complete team in the NFL, but none of that means a thing if they don’t get the ring.
Eagles DC Gannon talks 2017 NFC Championship Game at the Linc
The last time the Philadelphia Eagles made it to the NFC title game was in the 2017 season, and in that game, the Eagles routed the Minnesota Vikings 38-7 at Lincoln Financial Field to go to the Super Bowl.
Ultimately, Philadelphia would win the first Super Bowl in franchise history two weeks later against the Patriots.
Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon was there when the Eagles faced the Vikings in the NFC title game. At the time, he was Minnesota’s assistant defensive backs coach. On Wednesday, Gannon recalled the energy in the building that day.
“In warmups, a guy that I was coaching, he looked at me with a look in his eye like, whoa. [Minnesota Vikings S] Harrison Smith. I said, whoa, back,” Gannon said. “You could feel the energy, and it’s awesome. This is one of the best atmospheres that you’re going to get in the National Football League, and obviously, being the championship game, it’ll be heightened.
“Yeah, I thought the energy in the building was just phenomenal. Before kickoff, as the game got going, and it’s a tough place to play, and it’s a big advantage for us.”
Playing the Vikings in Minnesota is always challenging, and they have a great fan base. However, according to Gannon, Philly is more electric.
“You know, you kind of think that’s an external factor that you kind of block out, but in ’16 and ’17 in Minnesota when that new facility got built, that new stadium got built, that was a really good atmosphere, too,” he said. “That was the Minnesota miracle, that game, to come here(Philadelphia) to play, and I was like, wow, I don’t know if there will ever be a stadium more electric than that that I’ve been a part of after [former Minnesota Vikings WR Stefon] Diggs has a walk-off. When we were here in warmups, that’s what it was. When we were here in warmups, it was like, whoa, this is as electric — it’s more electric than that place was.
“I always joke about it with Mr. Lurie [Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Lurie] and [Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman]; I’ve always wanted to be a part of a Philly team to play in playoff games at that stadium because that’s how it stood out in my mind.”
San Francisco 49ers rookie quarterback Brock Purdy will experience this environment on Sunday. Will he be ready? We’ll find out soon enough.
Week 14: Chiefs, Vikings, Eagles can clinch playoff sports
As enter Week 14 of the NFL season, three teams have put themselves in a position to clinch a playoff spot. Two of those teams can clinch division titles.
Below are playoff scenarios for Week 14:
AFC
KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (9-3) (at Denver (3-9), Sunday, 4:05 PM ET, CBS)
Kansas City clinches AFC West division title with:
1) KC win + LAC loss
NFC
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (10-2) (at Detroit (5-7), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)
Minnesota clinches NFC North division title with:
-
1) MIN win or tie
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (11-1) (at N.Y. Giants (7-4-1), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)
Philadelphia clinches playoff berth with:
1) PHI win or tie OR
2) SF loss + SEA loss
Eagles, Vikings can clinch playoff spots this weekend
We’re getting late in the NFL season, and some teams might be able to punch their tickets to the playoffs.
The two top teams in the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings, could be in the playoffs at the end of Sunday’s play. The Vikings could clinch the NFC North, while the Eagles can clinch at least a wild-card spot.
Below are the playoff scenarios for the Eagles and Vikings:
MINNESOTA VIKINGS (9-2) (vs. N.Y. Jets (7-4), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, CBS)
Minnesota clinches NFC North division title with:
1) MIN win + DET loss or tie OR
2) MIN tie + DET loss
PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (10-1) (vs. Tennessee (7-4), Sunday, 1:00 PM ET, FOX)
Philadelphia clinches playoff berth with:
1) PHI win + WAS loss + SF loss or tie + SEA loss or tie
(as long as both SF and SEA each don’t tie) OR
2) PHI win + WAS tie + SF loss + SEA loss
Eagles’ Sirianni: ‘Dallas Goedert needs to be in the conversation for best tight ends in the NFL’
In the Eagles’ 29-14 win over the Texans on Thursday, tight end Dallas Goedert had a season and team-high eight catches for a season and a team-high 100 yards and a touchdown.
This was Goedert’s fourth 100-yard game of his career.
After eight games, Goedert has 40 catches(fourth among tight ends) for 521 yards(second among tight ends) and two touchdowns.
Part of the reason for the fifth-year tight end’s success is his connection with quarterback Jalen Hurts. They have good chemistry, and it shows.
Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni believes it’s time to put Goedert’s name in the conversation for best tight ends in football.
“I said yesterday, and I double down on it, Dallas Goedert needs to be in the conversation for best tight ends in the NFL,” Sirianni said Friday. “He’s a big-time player. He can do it many different ways. He does it in the intermediate game, he does it in the short passing game, he does it in the screen game, and then he’s an all-around good blocker. There aren’t a lot of guys like him.
“Jalen(Hurt) has full trust in him, our offensive coaches and myself have full trust in him, that we know when we need a play, there’s certain plays that we call for Dallas that we know are going to be successful, and that’s part of that self-scout, too. To be able to study some of those things that we know that we’re good at and that we know Dallas is good at and continue to get him that football.
They have great chemistry. I think there was a third down play yesterday where we completed it down to the four on a corner route to Dallas, and it was just a great touch by Jalen, knowing exactly where Dallas was going to be, that he was going to be right in front of the safety and right behind the corner against cover two. I think that was on full display, the trust that he has, that he was going to be right there in that spot for him on that play yesterday. It was a big conversion that set up a score for us.”
Goedert, who signed a four-year, $57 million contract extension last season, is playing like a Pro Bowler and one of the best tight ends in football. If he keeps playing at this level, he will be mentioned as one of the better tight ends in the NFL.
Eagles’ Davis: ‘I just want to do anything I can to help’
On Thursday night, The Philadelphia Eagles moved up to the 13th pick after trading with the Texans for picks 15, 124, 162, and 166.
Following the move, the Eagles grabbed former University of Georgia DT Jordan Davis.
Last season, Davis(6-6, 340 pounds), who won the Outland Trophy(presented to the best interior lineman) and Chuck Bednarik Award(given to the best defensive player in college football), had career-highs in tackles and sacks.
After the selection, Davis, who is known for ability to stop the run, reacted to becoming a member of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Q. What was the moment like for you, and how much interest did you think the Eagles had in you during this process?
JORDAN DAVIS: It was extremely unreal getting a call. 30 seconds earlier, before the call, you hear that they moved up and you got the phone call, and you knew that they really wanted you. It was crazy. I talked to [Eagles Executive Vice President/General Manager] Howie [Roseman] on the phone, and then it was like, man, this is a dream come true.
I knew the Eagles were interested in me. They were one of three of my Top-30 visits, so I [had] already been to the facility, and I saw how it looks and I saw all the staff. I’m just really excited to be here.
Q. Just curious when you talk about that pre-Draft process and meeting with the Eagles, do you remember who you were talking to, was it just Eagles Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman? Was it Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni? Was it Eagles Defensive Coordinator Jonathan Gannon? What did they tell you about the organization, and what did they tell you that they liked about your skill set?
JORDAN DAVIS: They liked how I was as a defensive player. They thought I could be a great addition to the D-Line. You have guys like [DT Javon] Hargrave and Fletch [DT Fletcher Cox], and those are [some] of the best people. Those are guys I watched growing up. So, to be an addition and to help the team, I just want to do anything I can to help.
Q. Could you explain more about your relationship with Eagles Defensive Line Coach Tracy Rocker and your early interactions with him dating back to several years ago?
JORDAN DAVIS: D-Line coach Tracy Rocker, he recruited me at Georgia when he was there and gave me an offer. I talked to him and stayed in communication with him. To be able to work with him and just get to work. You can obviously see the type of work that he does, and he can put in the work. I’m really excited.
Q. As you know, in the pre-Draft process, a big question was about how you can affect the game in the passing game. How do you think you can do so?
JORDAN DAVIS: My get-off is getting faster. I’m getting after the QB, I’m working bags, and I’m just willing to learn. You have great guys in the defensive room that can teach you little tools and can teach you a lot of things. Schematically, we’re similar to what we were doing in Georgia. So, it’s like going into the same place with the same playbook, it’s just different terms. It’s definitely going to be a smooth transition. I just have to get in that playbook and learn the nuances of the game.
Q. You said you mentioned beforehand that you watched video of DT Fletcher Cox and tried to emulate some of the stuff into your game. What’s some of the stuff you took away from that video, and what’s it going to be like playing next to him now, and what can you take away from him now that you are both on the same team?
JORDAN DAVIS: Just how dominant he is. He put in a lot of work to get where he is now. If he can do it, I feel like I can do it. Just soak in all the information, soak in all the teachings that he will give me. He’s a vet. He’s well represented in the league, not just on this team, but all across the league. Anything he says or any knowledge he drops, I just want to soak it up like a sponge.
Q. You tested as this unbelievable athlete at the Combine, all these crazy results. Are there any like crazy athletic things that you can do that we might not know about, like a back flip or anything like that?
JORDAN DAVIS: I do back flips in the pool, jumping off the edge, I don’t know if that counts. Pretty solid at basketball if you want to know. I know Coach [Sirianni], when I was on my Top-30 we were shooting around, and I lost in a game of Pig. But other than that, I’m just an athlete. I’ve played sports all my life and I will continue to.
Q. How did you react after you lost? I am sure that is what Coach Sirianni wanted to know.
JORDAN DAVIS: You have to give your respect, man. When an athlete beats another athlete, they really put in the work, and he spends a lot of time down there and he trains. Maybe next time I see him, we can run it back and get a rematch in.
Q. What’s the strongest aspect of your game, and how good are you at taking on double-teams and people coming at you and whatnot?
JORDAN DAVIS: Being a run defender is what my bread and butter is. That was the first thing I learned at the University of Georgia. Just being a run defender, being stout in the middle, making sure I could get out, get off, be an athlete, make a play. That play-making ability and also being stout in the middle and being selfless, not selfish, because it takes a lot of selflessness to take two defenders so your linebackers can run free, or your safety can come down cracking the B gap. It’s one of those things I learned along the way that I’m going to continue to carry with me.
Q. You were obviously part of a stacked defensive line at Georgia with Travon Walker, Devonte Wyatt and Jalen Carter. Obviously, it probably didn’t help your stats much, but how much did it help you get to this point playing with those guys day-in and day-out in practice and everything?
JORDAN DAVIS: We push each other to be the best and we talked about this day for a very long time. Jalen’s time is coming this time next year, so I’ll be watching out for that. It’s just we work together. Those are the guys you have memories with, you bleed, you sweat, you cry with them and just to have that and those memories and to win a National Championship alongside those guys, you’re going to carry that forever.
Carson Wentz returns to the NFC East
Carson Wentz is on the move for the second time in two seasons.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Colts will send Wentz to the Washington Commanders for’ third-round picks in 2022 and 2023. The 2023 third-rounder can become a second-round selection If Wentz plays 70% of Washington’s snaps. The teams also swapped second-round picks in 2022, with the Colts moving up from No. 47 overall to No. 42.
In addition, the Commanders will pay Wentz’s entire contract, which will be $28 million next season, which includes a $5 million roster bonus, according to the report.
In 2021, the six-year veteran, who was acquired by the Colts from Philadelphia last offseason, started all 17 games for Indianapolis and threw for 3563 yards, 27 touchdowns, and only seven interceptions, but he came up small in the team’s final game against the Jaguars with the playoffs on the line.
At age 29, this could be Wentz’s last opportunity to be a starter in the NFL. In his final season in Philly, he struggled, and Wentz did not do what he was supposed to do in Indy.
Washington, who missed the playoffs last season, was clearly looking to upgrade the quarterback position as both Ryan Fitzpatrick and Taylor Heinicke started for the team last season. Washington reportedly made a run at Russell Wilson, but that did not work out as Wilson is expected to be traded to the Denver Broncos.
Wentz is an upgrade for Washington and still can play. People forget that Wentz had an MVP- caliber season in Philly in 2017 before tearing his ACL, and in all reality, the Eagles don’t win a Super Bowl without his play that season.
Interestingly enough, the number two overall pick in the 2016 draft of the Philadelphia Eagles will have an opportunity to play his former team two times next season, which should be a lot of fun.
Chiefs-Broncos, Cowboys-Eagles set for Saturday
The NFL finalized today the schedule for Week 18, Season Finale on Saturday, January 8 and Sunday, January 9.
The week begins with a Saturday doubleheader:
At 4:30 PM ET, the Kansas City Chiefs will visit the Denver Broncos.
Then at 8:15 PM ET, the Dallas Cowboys will visit the Philadelphia Eagles.
The regular season will conclude with the Los Angeles Chargers against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday Night Football.
The Week 18 schedule (all times ET, pm):
Saturday, January 8 |
Kansas City at Denver |
ESPN/ABC |
4:30 |
Dallas at Philadelphia |
ESPN/ABC |
8:15 |
|
Sunday, January 9 |
Pittsburgh at Baltimore |
CBS |
1:00 |
Cincinnati at Cleveland |
FOX |
1:00 |
|
|
|
Green Bay at Detroit |
FOX |
1:00 |
|
|
Tennessee at Houston |
CBS |
1:00 |
|
|
Indianapolis at Jacksonville |
CBS |
1:00 |
|
|
Chicago at Minnesota |
FOX |
1:00 |
|
|
Washington at New York Giants |
FOX |
1:00 |
|
|
Seattle at Arizona |
FOX |
4:25 |
|
|
New Orleans at Atlanta |
FOX |
4:25 |
|
|
New York Jets at Buffalo |
CBS |
4:25 |
|
|
San Francisco at Los Angeles Rams |
FOX |
4:25 |
|
|
New England at Miami |
CBS |
4:25 |
|
|
Carolina at Tampa Bay |
CBS |
4:25 |
Los Angeles Chargers at Las Vegas |
NBC |
8:20 |
