/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73763381/usa_today_24845720.0.jpg?w=1200&resize=1200,800&ssl=1 "The Linc – Nick Sirianni reflects on “crazy overreaction” to the Eagles’ 2-2 start")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/73763381/usa_today_24845720.0.jpg "The Linc – Nick Sirianni reflects on “crazy overreaction” to the Eagles’ 2-2 start")
Alex Gallardo-Imagn Images
Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …
Week 13 NFL Takeaways: Eagles’ Run Game Is More Than Just Saquon Barkley – SI
And in finishing off the Ravens to score their eighth straight win, the Eagles also brought the vision Sirianni and his staff, including coordinator Kellen Moore, cooked up during the Week 5 bye to full form—it was back then, through a lot reflection and one-on-one talks between Moore and Hurts, that the Eagles made the call to lean on Barkley, the run game and the play-action game off it (A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith were beat up at the time). Turns out that, even at 2–2, they knew what they were doing. “The panic from anyone was all on the outside,” Sirianni says. “What an overreaction of the NFL media.” Sirianni then laughs, “No offense, but what a crazy overreaction. We’re 2–2. And communication’s key to our organization; we make a key of that always. We also make it a key not to listen, when people are telling us how s—y we are or how good we are, we don’t listen, we just do what we need to do to get better, and that’s what that week was for. … “People get so wrapped up in the scheme, because it’s an easy thing to look at—look at this guy and how they drew this up and did that. At the end of the day, football is about tackling, it’s about getting off blocks, it’s about beating blocks, it’s about blocking, it’s about catching the football, it’s about fundamentals.”
Nick Sirianni deserves his share of credit for Eagles’ turnaround – NBCSP
It wasn’t that long ago when the local sports talk radio stations were flooded with call after call about Nick Sirianni. About his mistakes. About his ineptitude. About his job security. And as much as Sirianni tries to insulate himself, he heard some of that criticism and those calls for his job. There was simply no avoiding it. “You don’t pay too much attention to anything except your process and just try to stick to that,” Sirianni said on Monday afternoon. “That’s what we talk about all the time. I say that to the players all the time. And if in a scenario like that, I’m not practicing what I preach, then those are just words, not actions. Our culture, our habits are about our actions, not just our words. You just try to live by that.” After all that criticism from a slow start, the Eagles have turned it around under Sirianni’s leadership. After eight straight wins, the Eagles have a 10-2 record and are breathing down the necks of the Detroit Lions for the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Sirianni deserves a ton of credit for this turnaround.
Dallas Goedert injury: Eagles tight end reportedly could land on injured reserve – BGN
Goedert would be eligible to return for the Eagles’ regular season finale at home against the New York Giants. So, good news that he’s expected to be available for the playoffs. But Goedert’s continued struggles to stay healthy aren’t ideal. He hasn’t played an entire season since his rookie year in 2018. He’s missed 11 of the Eagles’ last 46 possible regular season games (about 24%).
Eagles film review: Jalen Carter is already one of the NFL’s best players – PhillyVoice
By comparison, Carter has 67 tackles, 10.5 sacks, and 3 forced fumbles with five regular season games left to play in his second season. “I don’t get into the comparison thing with him,” Nick Sirianni said, when asked how he stacks up against the players noted above. “Jalen Carter is Jalen Carter. We’re happy he’s on this football team and playing the way that he’s playing, with the effort and the toughness, and the skill that he’s playing with. “Jalen Carter has had a really good year, a really good game yesterday, and we’re looking for him to continue to grow as a player.” Sirianni’s tempered enthusiasm is interesting, likely because he and the the Eagles staff know that Carter maybe hasn’t even come close to reaching his ceiling. But make no mistake — Carter is already one of the best players in the NFL.
Winning Up Front – Iggles Blitz
Jordan Mailata is having the best year of his career. He and Johnson give the coaches the ability to call a variety of plays. Both guys are agile enough to pull and move on run plays. Both are strong enough to win at the point of attack. Mekhi Becton can still be up and down, but his good moments are special. Becton played well against Baltimore. He’s getting better every week and is able to have dominant moments because of his rare combination of size, strength and agility. Becton is not your normal OG.
MVP race is currently down to two players: Josh Allen and Saquon Barkley – PFT
This dynamic points to the quarterback from the AFC top seed or the NFC top seed winning it. Thus, betting on Allen is essentially betting on the Bills closing the one-game gap with the Chiefs for the top seed. If they don’t, the quarterback from the NFC top seed becomes a finalist along with Mahomes. Allen would still have a chance, but seeing the final assignment of playoff seeds has a major impact on the voting. Barkley can disrupt that trend by having a historic season or something close to it. He’s got 1,499 rushing yards in 12 games. That projects to 2,123, a single-season record. If the Eagles end up toppling the Lions for the top seed, Barkley has a great chance to win it. Even if the Eagles are the No. 2, setting the rushing record could be enough. Regardless, for now it’s down to Allen and Barkley. But others could be lurking, and the odds can and likely will shift, one weekend at a time.
Why he could win: This has been the year of the running back, with no player at that position being more instrumental to his team’s success than this dude. Barkley has produced six 100-yard efforts in his last seven games, with 107 in Sunday’s win over Baltimore. He’s enjoyed monster games when he’s been in the spotlight, as he did in Week 12 when he generated 302 total yards (255 rushing) and two touchdowns in a Sunday night win over the Rams. Like with Henry, it’s also worth noting that Philadelphia caught fire when head coach Nick Sirianni started running his offense through Barkley. The Eagles have won eight straight games, and Barkley is now on pace for 2,124 rushing yards (which would break Eric Dickerson’s single-season league record of 2,105). Barkley has become the heartbeat of this team. There’s no question about it.
NFL Week 13 Under Review: Surprise, the Eagles Have the League’s Best Defense – The Ringer
After another impressive performance against the Ravens on Sunday, this looks like the NFL’s best defense. Weighted DVOA examines which units are playing the best right now, putting less emphasis on early-season performance, and the Eagles defense ranks no. 1. Their ability to keep every game close allows the offense to be patient and stick with the run. The overall formula focuses on outlasting opponents, and given that the Eagles have outscored teams by a league-high 52 points in the fourth quarter, it’s safe to say that formula is working quite well. So maybe this isn’t what the 2024 Eagles were supposed to look like, but with the defense leading the way during the current eight-game win streak, the Eagles have to be thrilled with where they’re at—positioned well as legit Super Bowl contenders.
Why your NFL team won, lost in Week 13 – PFF
Why the Eagles won: Saquon Barkley was the difference for the Eagles again. His first half was slow, but Barkley erupted with a 25-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to give the Eagles the edge. The running back carried the ball 23 times for 107 yards and a touchdown, forcing five missed tackles and adding three rushes for over 10 yards. His ability to break out big runs has been key for Philadelphia this season, and those moments have felt inevitable.
NFL Week 13 lessons: 49ers’ demise, Steelers’ offensive rise – ESPN+
All-Film Team: Post-Week 13 acknowledgements. Nolan Smith Jr., Edge, Philadelphia Eagles: Smith really struggled to get on the field as a rookie given his lack of NFL size, but in his second season, he’s starting to figure out the ropes as a sub-240-pounder. I admire the way Smith will give his all for his run defense responsibility even when he’s giving up 100 pounds to a pulling guard, but it’s that quick first step that’s really making waves in the pass rush (4.5 sacks). Milton Williams, DT, Philadelphia Eagles: Jalen Carter gets the deserved hype as one of the best defensive tackles in the game, but Williams — in a contract year — has been a force. His ability to play every gap from tackle to tackle allows the Eagles to stunt and twist in the running game, and he’s a great upfield penetration player. If your team is in the market for a defensive tackle this offseason, do yourself a favor and watch Williams.
The Eagles’ biggest win of the season so far stemmed from the defensive line’s biggest performance. There were several contributing factors in the Eagles’ 24-19 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday, but the amount of pressure the Eagles’ defensive front managed without sending many blitzes jumps out as one of the most encouraging signs from the statement victory. Led by another dominant showing from Jalen Carter, the Eagles got pressure on Baltimore signal caller Lamar Jackson on 25 of his 45 dropbacks according to Pro Football Focus. It’s both the highest total number of pressures the MVP quarterback has faced this season and the highest pressure rate he has dealt with as well. The 35 total pressures PFF credited to Eagles pass rushers is also the most the group has had this season.
NFL Week 13 best and worst coaching decisions: Vic Fangio has Eagles defense soaring – The Athletic
The Eagles might have the most idealized version of Fangio’s defense. They have a dominant defensive line that can handle the run without safety help, versatile safeties, a great nickel and a suffocating cornerback. This defense could be many defensive coordinators’ dream roster, but every piece fits perfectly into what Fangio wants to do. When his defense is at its best, it can defend against the run with light boxes and the secondary plays so in sync it’s hard to decipher what the coverage rules are even when watching in slow motion on film. That’s exactly what the Eagles are doing right now, and they make a strong case for being the best defense in the league. They held the Baltimore Ravens offense (No. 1 in offensive DVOA) to only one touchdown Sunday — the first time this season. They also held them to by far their lowest yards per play of the season (5.2). Before Week 13, the Ravens were on track to be the only team ever to average 7 yards per play. The Eagles knocked them down to 6.8 YPP for the season.
Spadaro: What inspired the turnaround on defense? That and more in the day-after notebook – PE.com
In the game of football, as much if not more than in any sport, success is linked with the performance of one position, and in Jalen Hurts the Eagles have one of the best quarterbacks in the entire NFL. There are many reasons for this team’s 8-game winning streak, and Hurts’ performance during this eight-game stretch is as impressive as the numbers indicate. To digest … Hurts has averaged 9.1 yards per pass attempt, up from 7 yards in the 2-2 start. His passing touchdown-to-interception ratio is 10-1. It was 4-4 after four games. Hurts has compiled a passer rating of 114.1 in these eight wins. He has a total of two giveaways in the eight victories after having seven in the opening four weeks. Rushing touchdowns? Not even close. Hurts has 10 TDs on the ground in the eight wins. He had 2 in the 2-2 start to the season. Correlating with the statistical success is the winning success. Hurts is now 9-3 (.750) against teams with a winning record entering matchups since the 2023 season, and that’s tied for the second-highest quarterback winning percentage in that span (behind Baltimore’s Lamar Jackson, 12-3).
Ravens stock report: Usual issues cost Baltimore in loss to Eagles – Baltimore Beatdown
Offensive line. The play calling and overall talent of the Ravens offense has masked major offensive line issues all year. On Sunday, those issues were very apparent against a ferocious Eagles defensive line. The Eagles pressured Lamar Jackson on 46% of his drop backs, mostly with four rushers, forcing him to take deeper drops and extend plays with his legs. The Ravens’ guard play has been bad all season but John Harbaugh has refused to entertain other options. Patrick Mekari allowed 9 pressures and seemingly can’t play the guard spot effectively without committing penalties. Daniel Faalele has been solid in pass protection but is simply too slow to consistently execute Baltimore’s blocking schemes. The Ravens made key personnel changes on defense that turned the tide on that side of the ball. Will they do the same on offense?
Monday Morning Optimist: A glimpse of relevance hurts – Cat Scratch Reader
Bryce Young. He still hasn’t fully sold me on being the undisputed future of the Panthers, but he’s getting there. That’s four weeks in a row now of improved quarterbacking. This week wasn’t quite as impressive as last week’s effort against Kansas City, but he kept the team alive and played well against a lot of pressure. There are a lot of factors that led to yesterday’s loss, drops high among them, but Young’s play was once again a reason the team was competitive. That’s huge compared to how he started the season. He’s got four more games to audition for next season. We’ll see if he can keep it up. It would be a huge boon for the Panthers ability to build a competitive team if he can.
Film Session: Commanders offensive line dominates in the run game – Hogs Haven
The Washington Commanders found their grove again against the Tennessee Titans as the offense dominated in the run game and controlled the pace of the game the entire 60 minutes. For Washington, it was obvious that there was an emphasis on establishing a ground presence against a very talented Titans defense, and the Commanders rose to the challenge every time on Sunday. Brian Robinson Jr. led the way, kicking things off with a 40-yard rushing touchdown on the game’s third play, but each running back had success Sunday. Their success was partly due to them making plays through their vision and burst, but more importantly, the offensive linemen and skilled positions dominated all day.
The Cowboys need to be more sound from top to bottom, front office all the way down to coaching staff, if they plan on fixing this and being a consistent winner again. McCarthy’s consistency in winning 12 games in three consecutive seasons should not be totally forgotten in this self-evaluation, but neither will all of the shortcomings that have put the 2024 season well below expectations. If these current Cowboys are truly at the point where winning games is being frowned upon by some because it won’t encourage the front office to shake things up to their liking enough, breaking character and moving on from a coach after just five seasons regardless of how this team finishes in December and January feels necessary.
Giants-Saints odds: Giants will, of course, be underdogs vs. New Orleans – Big Blue View
The New York Giants will be trying to break a seven-game losing streak on Sunday when they host the New Orleans Saints at MetLife Stadium. Per FanDuel Sportsbook, the home-standing Giants will be 4.5-point underdogs. The Giants are 2-10. Not only have they lost seven straight games after starting the season 2-3, they have lost all six games they have played at home this season.
Azeez Al-Shaair suspended 3 games for hit on Trevor Lawrence in Jaguars-Texans – SB Nation
One of the most memorable moments from Week 13 of the 2024 NFL season has now resulted in a suspension. Trevor Lawrence returned to the starting lineup last Sunday against the Houston Texans, but was injured on this brutal hit from Houston linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair. As you can see below Lawrence slid near the first-down marker on this second down play late in the first half, but Al-Shaair launched into the QB’s head with a forearm, leaving the QB stunned on the turf at EverBank Stadium.
…
Social Media Information:
BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page
BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen
BGN Bluesky: Follow @bleedgreennation.bsky.social
BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta
BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton
BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio
