/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73786314/2188918590.0.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,800&ssl=1 "The Linc – NFL executive believes Jalen Hurts “will improve down the stretch”")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73786314/2188918590.0.jpg "The Linc – NFL executive believes Jalen Hurts “will improve down the stretch”")
Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …
NFL Week 15 predictions, fantasy sleepers, upset picks, buzz – ESPN+
Fowler: What I’m hearing as we near kickoff. Expect the Eagles to establish a rhythm for quarterback Jalen Hurts early in their game against the Steelers, possibly with some quick-game throws and easily defined reads. The Steelers will be loosely prepared for that, while still expecting a rather large workload for running back Saquon Barkley and the league’s best rushing attack. The Eagles’ clear identity is a run-first team, but Hurts is averaging 166 passing yards per game over his past five outings, and it’s clear to many around the league that he isn’t seeing the field as well of late. He can change that starting Sunday. “You have to be able to pass the ball effectively in December and January,” an NFL coordinator told me. “[The Eagles] will always be a run-first team, but they will need that from [Hurts] moving forward.” Added an NFC executive: “I know what he’s capable of. He has played better than he is now, he can still hurt you in a lot of ways, and I think he’ll improve down the stretch.”
Eagles-Steelers Final Injury Report: George Pickens ruled OUT – BGN
The Steelers ruled three players OUT: leading receiver George Pickens, starting safety and leading tackler DeShone Elliott, and starting defensive lineman Larry Ogunjobi. When it comes to the Steelers’ passing attack, Pickens has accounted for 25.8% of their targets, 22.4% of their receptions, and 29.2% of their receiving yards in 2024. So, that’s a pretty significant absence for them. Their remaining receivers: Calvin Austin III, Van Jefferson, Mike Williams, Scotty Miller, and Ben Skowronek. The Eagles’ secondary should be expected to keep those guys relatively quiet.
Roob’s Random Observations: Inside A.J. Brown’s hidden numbers – NBCSP
1. It’s actually remarkable what A.J. Brown has done this year with reduced targets and opportunities. The narrative that he’s having a down year couldn’t be farther from the truth. Very few wide receivers in recent NFL history have done more with less. His targets are down 26 percent from the last two years, yet he’s among the league leaders in yards per game, yards per catch and yards per target. Brown is actually having an incredible year all things considered. Brown averaged 8.9 targets per game in his first two seasons with the Eagles, but that’s plunged to 6.6 this year as the Eagles’ offensive focus has turned to running the ball and Jalen Hurts at times has been reluctant to throw to Brown. Yet A.J. is actually fifth in the NFL with 84 yards per game, so he’s made the most of the targets he’s gotten in the 10 games he’s played. Brown is averaging 12.7 yards per target, and to put that in perspective, it’s the highest by an Eagle since the NFL began tracking targets in 1992, by far highest in the NFL this year and 9th-highest by any WR on record. He’s also got a catch percentage of 73 percent, 13th-highest of 67 receivers who’ve been targeted at least 50 times. Brown missed those three games early in the year, but he’s still on pace for 1,170 yards, which is wild. His 17.4 per-catch average is 2nd-highest in the league – Jameson Williams of the Lions is at 18.2 – and he’s on pace to become only the seventh player on record to average over 12 ½ yards per target and 17 yards per catch in the same season. It’s scary to imagine what kind of damage he’d be doing if he was back around nine targets per game.
NFL Week 15 Preview: Schedule, storylines and matchups to watch – PFF
Matchups to watch: Eagles LG Landon Dickerson vs. Steelers DI Cameron Heyward. This Eagles offensive line holding up against this Steelers defensive line will undoubtedly play a crucial role in the outcome of this one, with this matchup carrying a crucial advantage. Heyward, the 14-year veteran, hasn’t skipped a beat and is playing some of the best ball of his career. His 90.3 overall defensive grade this season leads all interior defenders, powered top-four marks in both run defense and pass-rushing. Tasked with slowing down the 35-year-old monster will be Landon Dickerson, who has had himself a career year as well. The Eagles guard has generated an 80.2 overall offensive grade, but he really shines as a run blocker, where he holds the seventh-highest run blocking grade among guards.
Why Gennaro picked the Eagles: Will the squeaky wheel get the grease in Philadelphia? The Eagles are riding a nine-game win streak, and yet, the biggest story in Philly is tumult in the locker room. A.J. Brown was clearly frustrated with the Eagles’ passing game during and after this past Sunday’s narrow win over the Panthers. Then on Monday, vested vet Brandon Graham openly discussed a rift between Brown and QB Jalen Hurts on his weekly radio show. Graham abruptly backtracked on his comments — “I made a mistake and I assumed that it was something that it wasn’t” — but you can’t put that toothpaste back in the tube. The ensuing media circus has produced damage-control attempts from all parties involved. Head coach Nick Sirianni downplayed the drama on Tuesday, with Hurts and Brown following suit Wednesday. But what does all this mean for Sunday? To me, this entire ordeal underscores a champagne problem with the Eagles’ roster: too much firepower. Meanwhile, the Steelers will play this game without their one true mismatch weapon in George Pickens (hamstring). So, while this Keystone State showdown features two of the league’s best defenses, Philadelphia holds a distinct advantage over Pittsburgh on the offensive front. Eagles OC Kellen Moore stressed the importance of feeding Brown earlier this week. And given that the cornerback position has been the soft spot on this Steelers defense in 2024, it’s not hard to imagine the greased-up squeaky wheel rolling over the visiting team. Did I mention that the Steelers haven’t won in Philadelphia since 1965, losing their past 10 ventures across the state?
Game Preview: Steelers vs. Eagles – PE.com
This one sets up as a game in the Pennsylvania rivalry that could be iconic: The 10-3 Pittsburgh Steelers visit the 11-2 Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field in a game that features two very similar teams, franchises with decades of success, and so much at stake for both squads. A classic? It sure could be if the game lives up to its advanced billing. The Steelers have won seven of their last eight games to surge into first place in the AFC North Division. Philadelphia, of course, has won nine straight games and looks for a franchise-record 10th consecutive victory with a W on Sunday. We’ve got storylines for you, probably too many of them to list. It’s safe to say that everything matters in this one, a game that is going to have a playoff feel on a late Sunday afternoon in South Philadelphia …
Saquon Barkley needs 111 yards vs. Steelers to stay on NFL record pace – PFT
With four games left in the season, Eagles running back Saquon Barkley is ahead of the pace he’d need to keep to break the NFL record for rushing yards in a season. But on Sunday he faces the toughest run defense remaining on the Eagles’ schedule. The Steelers’ defense ranks fourth in the NFL in rushing yards allowed, and they’ve only allowed a 100-yard rusher once this season. (Tyrone Tracy of the Giants in Week Eight.) Barkley won’t have an easy time staying ahead of record pace on Sunday. Barkley currently has 1,623 rushing yards through 13 games. To stay on pace to break Eric Dickerson’s NFL record of 2,105 yards in a season, Barkley needs 111 yards on Sunday. If he hits 111 exactly, he’d be on pace to finish the season with 2,106 yards. A 111-yard game for Barkley is no big thing, but against the Steelers’ defense it would be.
Eagles’ chemistry got stronger after last year’s collapse: ‘That’s on our hearts and minds’ – NJ.com
After Friday’s practice, DeJean was wearing a black sweatshirt that had the photo of Barkley’s reverse leap against the Jaguars on the front of it. Some players wore a sweatshirt that said “Tough. Detailed. Together,” which was Sirianni’s message in this week’s team meeting. Philadelphia’s chemistry improved after last year’s collapse. Now, the Eagles are prepared to deal with challenging moments that might pop up over the next four weeks or in the playoffs. “Those tough times prepared us to look at every opportunity as that opportunity alone,” Johnson said. “Everybody is focused on this team winning and everybody is focused on seeing this team prosper every week, week in and week out. That’s on our hearts and minds.”
Week 14 DVOA: Lions Hold Their Lead – FTN Fantasy
[BLG Note: The Eagles rank 5th in DVOA. The Steelers are 12th.]
Steelers Read & React: Can the offense survive without George Pickens? – Behind The Steel Curtain
The run game may be the backbone of the Steelers’ offense, but Pickens is the sparkplug. With him off the field, defenses can creep up and condense. Pickens’ talent creates gravity against a defense. The more defenses commit to taking him out of the game, the more opportunities present themselves in other areas of the field for the Steelers to take advantage of. Calvin Austin and Scott Miller are fast, but they aren’t as physical as Pickens. If defenses don’t fear them on the deep ball — and teams like the Ravens and Chiefs have physical secondaries who will not fear them — that allows the defense to shrink the field and take away more of the quick-hitting underneath routes. One solution could be more of Mike Williams. Williams isn’t a speed demon, but he has made a career of winning contested balls downfield. Williams has flashed whenever the Steelers have thrown his way, but that hasn’t come often since acquiring him at the trade deadline. Tomlin has hinted at a bigger role for Williams, and that would be significant in bolstering the offense if Pickens continues to be sidelined.
Washington Commanders Injury Update: Jonathan Allen is trying to return this season – Hogs Haven
Jonathan Allen suffered a torn pec during the Washington Commanders’ Week 6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on October 13th. It was feared that he was lost for the season, but ESPN’s John Keim reports that he has been working out at team facilities and he is trying to return by the end of the month.
Cowboys fans have already made their decision about the future of Mike McCarthy – Blogging The Boys
Further, Cowboys fans have rendered their verdict on the future of Mike McCarthy. It was assumed that McCarthy would be gone once the season started to go south. But then Dak Prescott, Jerry Jones and others made comments that McCarthy could stay. Cowboys fans aren’t buying the argument. Only 16% of fans think McCarthy should be back.
Giants-Ravens injury report: Depleted Giants will be without several starters – Big Blue View
The New York Giants, already fielding a depleted roster with several top players on injured reserve, have ruled out four current starters for Sunday’s Week 15 game against Baltimore Ravens. Linebacker Bobby Okereke (back), defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches (neck/shoulder), left guard Jon Runyan Jr. (ankle) and slot cornerback Andru Phillips (shoulder) will not play. This will be two straight games missed for Okereke, Nunez-Roches and Phillips. Runyan was injured last Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
De’Vondre Campbell quit on the 49ers, and his teammates blasted him after loss – SB Nation
It’s no secret that things are going extremely poorly for the San Francisco 49ers this season, but that doesn’t excuse what happened on Thursday night. Linebacker De’Vonrdre Campbell essentially quit the game by refusing to enter in the third quarter, before walking off the field in the fourth.
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