The Linc – Nick Foles talks about what it means to retire in Philly

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

Nick Foles: ‘To retire as an Eagle is the right way to end my career’ – PE.com

“It will be my first time to go to a game as a non-player. I’ve never been to an NFL game without a jersey on, running out of the tunnel,” Foles said in an exclusive interview for the Microsoft Teams Legend of the Week feature. “I’m so grateful I get to do it as a Philadelphia Eagle. I’ve dreamed of going out of that tunnel at least once more and being there with the crowd and seeing them cheering on the Eagles, cheering on this team – it’s a new team each and every year – and I really don’t know what the emotions will be like. Just talking about it right now, I’m starting to sweat a little bit and I’m starting to feel it, and I’m not there (in Philadelphia) yet. I’m truly excited. To end it this way is the right way and it means a lot to me.”

As Foles retires, former Eagles teammates share memories of the Philly legend – NBCSP

While Foles helped instill confidence in Goedert, at least the second-round pick had played football before. Back in 2018, Jordan Mailata was still new to the game and he was getting beaten quite frequently on the scout team. Foles was always there to encourage him. That’s what Mailata remembers most. “He was very supportive,” Mailata said. “Every time I’d mess up or I gave up a sack or messed up a run block, he was always there to pick me up. He was always encouraging. He would always say, ‘It’s going to come, it’s going to come. You just gotta keep on going every day.’ He would just give me nuggets every day. “It went a long way because I was a young boy who didn’t know anything. As much as our vets help us, the vets weren’t out there with me on scout team when Foles was. Foles was very supportive.” Back then, it seemed like a long shot that Mailata would ever really work out. But a couple years later he got some starts at left tackle and now in Year 7, Mailata is one of the better left tackles in the NFL. “I think him being encouraging helped a lot with my mindset,” Mailata said. “If Nick is telling you it’s OK, then just play the next play. I kept doing that every day.”

Eagles got some good news and some bad news on Sunday – BGN

The Dallas Cowboys lost! If the Eagles can beat the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football, the Birds will gain a game on their biggest competition to win the division. The Cowboys losing to the New Orleans Saints could be especially damaging for Dallas since it’s a conference loss and that head-to-head tiebreaker could be relevant down the road.

Eagles notes: A bunch of NFC contenders lose, more on A.J. Brown’s injury – PhillyVoice

As noted in our five matchups to watch, one of the Falcons’ biggest needs heading into free agency and the draft was at cornerback, but they didn’t really do much to address it. They have one very good corner in A.J. Terrell, but the other two starters — Mike Hughes (CB2) and Dee Alford (slot) — are replacement-level players who in theory would be overmatched against Brown and DeVonta Smith, who combined for 12 catches for 203 yards and a TD Week 1. It felt a lot like Brown would see a lot of Terrell, leaving Smith to be able to do damage against Alford in the slot. Now, the Falcons might be wise to just have Terrell follow Smith, because, I mean, what other receivers would you fear if you’re Atlanta?

Game Preview – ATL at PHI – Iggles Blitz

This game presents an opportunity for the other guys to step up, mostly Jahan Dotson. He was targeted once last week, but didn’t have a catch. Dotson will definitely be targeted more than once on Monday night. If he can make some plays, it will make Howie Roseman’s trade look pretty smart. This is the kind of situation they got Dotson for. Parris Campbell is likely to be elevated for this game so the team will have another veteran receiver in the mix. He could be the guy with one target and no catches. The other skill players will have more chances to make plays. Maybe they go with more two RB sets and have one of the backs line up in the slot. Maybe the Eagles run more 12 personnel and Grant Calcaterra gets his chance to shine. Maybe this is the Britain Covey game. It will be very interesting to see how Jalen Hurts performs without AJ in the lineup. AJ led the team with 10 targets last week. He is Hurts go-to guy. The Falcons will focus their coverage on DeVonta so that means Hurts must spread the ball around. The Eagles offense tends to funnel the ball to the stars. With AJ out the offense will have a different look.

Big brother Kelce looms over Eagles’ tush push success – ESPN

“That’s the peak of the wedge right there, so obviously make sure you’ve got the cadence, getting off on the snap, and that all starts with the center and the quarterback,” Jurgens said. The turf at Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo was slick, causing issues for players on both sides. Moore said “there was an element of slipping there” on the late-game attempt at the goal line that resulted in a fumble. If the conditions were different, perhaps the success rate would have been as well. “You can only rep that snap and the way it feels live,” Kelce said. “And the reality is you are so far leaning forward trying to get leverage it’s a very awkward snap to get to the quarterback if you’re doing it right. I’ve got to think, especially with the slick field, that there were factors there that led to that fumbled one. I think the reality is the more reps these guys get at it, the more it’s going to get back to that 90-plus percent success rate. This has done nothing to discourage me.”

Monday Night Football: Falcons-Eagles betting preview (odds, lines, best bets) – PFF

New Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins looked fairly uncomfortable in the pocket in his return from Achilles surgery, resulting in a pair of ugly interceptions. Cousins finished the night with a troubling 42.0 PFF passing grade. The glaring disproportionate usage stats made the rounds following this game, detailing the Falcons’ tells and trends in the run game. This offense can’t function as a one-dimensional unit that tips its running downs to defenses solely based on alignment. If Atlanta is to find redemption this week, it starts with adjusting their approach on the ground to highlight talented workhouse back Bijan Robinson.

Eagles’ Zack Baun, ‘a superstar, mega-athlete,’ is still growing as an NFL linebacker – Inquirer

Game action on defense wasn’t easy for Baun to come by at first. He missed the entire 2017 season with a foot injury. Patience, persistence, and a positive attitude paid off. Baun started all 27 games in his final two seasons in 2018 and 2019, ranking second in the Big Ten in his final year with 19½ tackles for losses and 12½ sacks. He also notched six pass breakups and two interceptions through the two seasons. “He had a real knack for bending the corner, being an athlete, playing in space, which I know was helpful in that scheme, because he can then drop out and cover some slot receivers or even a running back, depending on where he was on the field,” said Jared Thomas, a former Northwestern offensive lineman who played against Baun. “Zack was always a superstar, mega-athlete.”

One reason to feel confident and one reason to worry about Falcons – Eagles – The Falcoholic

Worry that the offense will remain broken. All the turnovers in the world won’t matter if the Falcons can’t move the ball. Bijan Robinson aside, the Falcons offense combined for 133 yards on the ground and through the air. Bijan should once again be the focal point of this offense, but even if he is and he gets going in a way he couldn’t on the ground against Pittsburgh, the Falcons are going to have to pass at a semi-credible level to win this game. I’m worried they won’t be able to do it, given the predictable game plan we saw against the Steelers and the limitations Kirk Cousins appears to be working with. If Cousins isn’t confident enough in his Achilles yet—or worse, if he’s not actually fully healthy—he’ll be the one offering up turnover-worthy throws and drive-killing misses. If Zac Robinson can’t figure out a less obvious way to both protect Cousins from his limitations and keep a very capable Eagles pass rush off of him, chances are good the offense will once again stutter and stagger its way down the field. Even if the defense is on point, it’s difficult to imagine the Falcons holding the Eagles to fewer than 20 points. If the Falcons look anything like they did a week ago, it’s hard to imagine them scoring 20 points. The offense is my major worry, and for good reason.

Saints march into Week 3 as 2.5-point underdogs vs. the Eagles – Canal Street Chronicles

According to FanDuel, the Saints are currently 2.5-point underdogs against the Eagles. The over/under is currently 48.5 points but there will surely be some movement on these odds pending the outcoming of tonight’s game.

Commanders Vs. Giants – Studs and Duds – Hogs Haven – Hogs Haven

Zach Ertz – Ertz is making this list for his play in the second quarter on a third and four where he fought off the Giants defender to come down with a pass many thought was going to be intercepted. Aside from that play, Zach provided a great security blanket for Jayden Daniels, hauling in four catches for a team-high 62 yards.

Cowboys vs Saints stock report: Mike Zimmer leads stock downs as defense flails – Blogging The Boys

Stock Down: Mike Zimmer. As it relates to the new defensive play-caller, it was hardly a great return to the home building for Mike Zimmer’s career with the Dallas Cowboys. Is it fair to blame Mike Zimmer entirely? That would be an overreaction. But Klint Kubiak had the New Orleans Saints ready to go and was scheming players open constantly. Derek Carr threw for 243 yards on only 11 completions because of how many explosive plays they were able to generate. This matchup was lost in the game-planning whether or not Zimmer knew it. The Cowboys continue to struggle with any semblance of Kyle Shanahan’s offensive system, and in their first test to be ready for it with a new defensive coordinator they massively failed.

The Winners and Losers of NFL Week 2 – The Ringer

It has been a theme of the Mike McCarthy era for Dallas to come out flat against a seemingly inferior opponent, so maybe Jerry shouldn’t be so surprised it happened again after an uneventful offseason. One of the few changes to the team came at defensive coordinator, where Mike Zimmer replaced Dan Quinn. Zimmer is a more aggressive play caller than Quinn. And while that increased aggression helped Dallas beat Cleveland in Week 1, we saw the downside of the approach against the Saints. Carr (surprisingly) thrived in the face of the Cowboys’ pressure, and Zimmer couldn’t come up with an adjustment to slow him down. Getting dissected by Carr, whom Zimmer had never lost to before Sunday, might have been the first sign that Zimmer has passed his expiration date as an elite defensive coordinator. The shots of a confused Zimmer searching for answers on the sideline didn’t inspire confidence. Even if Zimmer’s defense ends up leading to this team’s demise, it will be McCarthy, who has run out of scapegoats after replacing both of his coordinators the past two offseasons, in the hot seat. Last offseason, Kellen Moore got the boot so McCarthy could take over as the chief play caller … but the offense is plagued by all the same issues. Bringing in Zimmer was supposed to get this defense over the hump in the playoffs … but it looks vulnerable in all the same ways it did under Quinn. And with the team now pot committed to Prescott after signing him to a record-breaking deal last week, McCarthy looks like the only viable fall guy for the Cowboys’ inevitable late-season collapse, because, well, Jerry can’t face the real culprit for this mess of mediocrity: himself.

Giants QB Daniel Jones keeps the wolves at bay … for now – Big Blue View

Whether you consider it to be a good thing or a bad one, New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones on Sunday beat back the bloodhounds calling for his job for at least another week. Jones bounced back from a horrific Week 1 performance with a turnover-free 16 of 28, 178-yard, two-touchdown effort in a 21-18 loss to the Washington Commanders. With a healthy placekicker, and without a key drop from Malik Nabers and a fumble in scoring position from Devin Singletary, the Giants could have scored more points. Head coach Brian Daboll was pleased with the quarterback.

Jaguars vs Browns: Winners and losers from Week 2 – Big Cat Country

The Jacksonville Jaguars offensive coaching staff. Through two weeks the Jags have scored 30 points. In those games, quarterback Trevor Lawrence has completed a combined 26 passes and has been sacked seven times. The offensive line is doing this team NO favors but there has to be some possible way the team can scheme around it. Since New Year’s Eve last year, Lawrence has not won a game as the team’s starter, the worst mark in the league. The team has just one total win in its last eight games with the win coming from C.J. Beathard under center. After bringing in Mitch Morse to sure up the line, things have almost gotten worse on offense. TrEverbank is now (almost unsurprisingly) 0-1 and there is little hope to think this offense will turn around by Week 3 on the road against an undefeated Buffalo Bills team. For reference, the Bills have scored 65 points in two weeks and beat the Miami Dolphins on a short week, on the road, by 21.

The Jaguars have no vision on offense, and Trevor Lawrence is suffering for it – SB Nation

The Jaguars are 0-2 and coming off an 18-13 loss to a Browns team that had 37 dropped on them the week before. The Doug Pederson era got off to a great start, but it’s time to ask some serious questions, especially about the offense. To be quite honest, I do not care who’s calling plays. In 2022, Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor split time calling plays, then in 2023 Taylor took over full time. Pederson has been very…quiet about who’s calling plays this year, but it doesn’t matter. Press Taylor and Doug Pederson both come from the same coaching tree with the same coaching philosophies, so I’m just going to group both of them together here.

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