Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles news and links …
Eagles notes: Jalen Hurts seeks improvement, ‘awful’ energy and an inflatable bunny – The Athletic
Players have noted that practices have been full of energy this week, and that will need to carry over onto the field, because, as Saquon Barkley acknowledged, the Eagles can use more energy on the sideline. “During games? Honestly, I think it’s been awful,” Barkley said. “I think if you ask anybody, if they’re being honest, we’d all agree on that. Most importantly, I think the energy in practice, in walk-throughs, in meetings, has been great. Now we got to carry that to game day. So all the stuff has been great, and now we need to make sure on game day, the energy is high and we execute and we make plays. The rest will take care of itself.” His explanation was that they haven’t been playing well enough to generate the needed energy. When Barkley rushes for a 60-yard touchdown, there’s more energy. “Execution fuels emotion,” Barkley said.
Eagles-Chargers Final Injury Report: Justin Herbert ruled questionable – BGN
The Eagles ruled two players QUESTIONABLE: Marcus Epps and Myles Hinton. The Eagles opened Epps’ 21-day practice window to return from injured reserve earlier this week. He was full go in practice all week, so, it seems like he’s ready to play. The Eagles have until 4:00 PM Eastern on Monday to activate Epps to the roster in order for him to play against the Chargers. If he does play, he’ll likely start at safety ahead of Sydney Brown.
In Roob’s Observations: Why do the Eagles keep collapsing in the 4th quarter? – NBCSP
If there’s one quarter you want to be at your best it’s the fourth quarter. That’s when the Eagles are at their worst. And as they enter the stretch run, it’s a major concern. The Eagles have been outscored 84-56 in the fourth quarter this year, and that minus-28 point differential is 5th-worst in the NFL, behind only the Browns (minus-41), Cards (minus-40), Steelers (minus-30) and Jaguars (minus-29). Last year, the Eagles were an NFL-best plus-52 in the fourth quarter. The minus-28 figure is their worst through 12 games since 2013, Chip Kelly’s first year. When you can’t finish, it’s hard to win. All four games the Eagles have lost they’ve been terrible in the fourth quarter. The Broncos outscored them 18-0 and won by four. The Giants outscored them 7-0 and won by 17. The Cowboys outscored them 10-0 and won by three. The Bears outscored them 14-6 and won by nine. The Eagles are plus-26 in the first quarter, plus-18 in the second quarter and plus-five in the third quarter. When they aren’t outscored in the fourth quarter by at least a touchdown, they’re 8-0. When they are, they’re 0-4. First three quarters, Saquon Barkley is rushing for 4.4 yards per carry, fourth quarter he’s at 2.0. First three quarters, Jake Elliott is 11-for-12, fourth quarter he’s 1-for-4. First three quarters, the Eagles are 10th in scoring and 8th in scoring defense. Fourth quarter they’re 30th in scoring and 20th in scoring defense. Is it a conditioning issue? Is it a focus issue? Are opposing coaches figuring the Eagles out the first two or three quarters and then taking advantage in the fourth quarter? Probably all of the above. But it’s just another thing they need to figure out as the games become more important and the playoffs grow closer.
Searching for Answers – Iggles Blitz
We will find out on Monday in Los Angeles. I don’t think there are any magic fixes at this point, but there are small things that can lead to better play and better results. Just avoiding turnovers would have made a big difference in the past two losses. If Sirianni, his staff and his players can figure out small tweaks that work, that would be even better. The Eagles came into the season with a loaded roster, but nagging injuries have had a major impact. People can talk about Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens as Pro Bowl players, but not the 2025 versions. Those guys have struggled in a big way. Jalen Carter has dealt with shoulder problems most of the year. Nolan Smith hasn’t been 100 percent all year. This is a year when the Eagles can’t just roll out a great team. The little things matter a lot this year. Maybe all of this is a fool’s errand and this team just is what it is. But the coaches and players have to keep pushing buttons to see if they can find something to give them a boost. Since they played on Friday last week they have had a bit of extra time. We’ll see on Monday night if that time did the Eagles any good.
Spadaro: 6 storylines to follow in Eagles at Chargers – PE.com
Eagles’ defense vs. Los Angeles running game. No matter who plays quarterback for Los Angeles, the Chargers are going to be a run-first offense, and they do it very well. The offense is expected to get a boost with the return of Omarion Hampton, the team’s top running back who averaged 4.8 yards per carry before suffering an ankle injury. His practice window has been open for two weeks and he was a full participant in practice late in the week. Los Angeles also has Kimani Vidal, who gained 137 scrimmage yards in the win over the Raiders last week – he’s a shorter, powerful running back who leads the Chargers with 543 rushing yards this season. The Chargers can run the football. They will run the football. The Eagles know the challenge is there and so, yes, stopping the run is the No. 1 priority for this defense.
How to watch Eagles-Chargers Monsters Funday Football on ESPN – ESPN
Week 14’s edition of ESPN’s “Monday Night Football” between the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles and the Los Angeles Chargers will feature a twist. “Monsters Funday Football,” an animated alternate telecast (or “altcast”) of the prime-time showdown, will deliver the game live inside the world of Pixar, featuring the iconic “Monsters, Inc.” headquarters and characters. Animated versions of the Eagles and Chargers will face off in real-time on the field in Monstropolis, mirroring the live action inside SoFi Stadium. Mike Wazowski, voiced again by Billy Crystal, will suit up for the Eagles, while James P. “Sulley” Sullivan, brought to life once again by John Goodman, will take the field with the Chargers. Roz, voiced again by Bob Peterson, will handle the sideline-reporting duties.
NFL Week 14 picks: Upset and score predictions, matchup breakdowns for every game – NFL.com
Why Brooke picked the Eagles: All eyes are on Justin Herbert, who had a plate and screws inserted during a Monday surgery to stabilize his fractured left (non-throwing) hand. Backup Trey Lance will start if Herbert can’t go, but Herbert plans to play … behind a wrecked offensive line that has allowed Herbert to face 196 pressures (most in the NFL), take 97 QB hits (most) and get sacked 38 times (fourth-most). To no one’s surprise, NFL Pro gives the Eagles’ defense the advantage in every Chargers passing situation except for play-action. But alas, news broke just before publishing on Thursday that star DT Jalen Carter won’t be active in this game for Philly after undergoing a procedure to help fix issues with both shoulders. This all leads to Jim Harbaugh leaning heavily on Kimani Vidal — and maybe Omarion Hampton, who could return after missing the last two months with an ankle injury. It’s hard to think that such a talented Eagles offense wouldn’t be able to outscore a Chargers unit facing such an uphill battle. Yet, when you consider Kevin Patullo’s unit has averaged 15.5 points per game since the Week 9 bye, it doesn’t inspire much confidence. There are a lot of on-paper reasons why I shouldn’t believe in Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and Co., but good teams like this don’t just go away. This unit could ignite at any time, even against a defense as stout as the Chargers’ group. I’m not writing off the defending champs just yet.
Saturday (Final) Update: The Chargers have dropped their final injury report of Week 14 and both quarterback Justin Herbert (left hand) and running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) are each listed as questionable for Monday night against the Eagles. Jim Harbaugh has been optimistic about Herbert playing as normal this week and the same goes for Hampton. The latter was also officially activated off of IR so it looks like it’s full steam ahead for the team’s star rookie. Other players who will carry a questionable tag into Monday night are running back Hassan Haskins and defensive tackle Otito Ogbonnia. Tight end/fullback Tucker Fisk is the lone player ruled out for Monday Night Football after he failed to log a practice this seek.
Jahan Dotson start or sit: Week 14 fantasy football advice – SB Nation
Jahan Dotson caught just one of three targets foe 12 yards in the Eagles’ loss to the Bears on Black Friday, following up a performance against the Cowboys the week prior where he had zero receptions. The fourth-year wideout has mostly been a bit player for the Eagles and what should be concerning is that he’s put up the numbers that he has over the past two weeks despite being on the field for over 50% of the snaps. Dotson actually has the lowest target share among receivers with at least 250 routes run this season at 6.5%, so it’s been hard for him to attract any type of attention from Jalen Hurts. We’ll see if a few tweaks will be made for this big-time showdown.
Eagles’ safety hit with fine on what has become an unpopular rule among defensive players – NJ.com
Add Eagles safety Reed Blankenship to the list of NFL players who have been fined for the controversial hip-drop tackle this season. Blankenship was hit with a $10,250 fine for a tackle on Chicago rookie running back Kyle Monangai during the Eagles’ 24-15 loss to the Bears on Black Friday at Lincoln Financial Field. He was not flagged on the play, which has usually been the case since the NFL competition committee made the hip-drop tackle illegal ahead of the 2024 season.
The Broncos Are On The Cutting Edge Of Cap Dollar Allocation – Over The Cap
The Eagles, on the other hand, rarely end up showing themselves as over the cap. That’s because, under Howie Roseman’s recent usage of singular annual option bonuses to secure maximal proration of cap dollars in advance, it’s presumed that the restructuring will already take place. Thus, there are much fewer scare stories written about their cap dollar allocation (also aided, of course, by making wise signings and being a regularly competitive football team, currently defending Super Bowl champs). The Broncos, however, are positioning themselves in a different realm altogether. Unlike with the Eagles or other teams that use option bonuses, the presence of multiple option bonuses contained within the same season cannot as easily be presumed that each option will actually be exercised. They may very well do so, but they may also see that their expenditures in any given season aren’t as high as forecasted, and decide to take some cap dollar charges in the present in lieu of having more space in the future. And this would apply to any other teams that do the same as the Broncos here.
Dallas Cowboys may have found a late-round gem in WR Ryan Flournoy – Blogging The Boys
The disappointment is still fresh from the Dallas Cowboys unfortunate 44-30 loss to the Detroit Lions Thursday night in Week 14. It’s much easier to dwell on all the negative than it is the positive, but sometimes it’s better to look on the brighter side of things. That is where wide receiver Ryan Flournoy comes into play. Flournoy stepped up in a big way after CeeDee Lamb was forced to exit the game early due to a concussion. With Lamb out of the picture and George Pickens receiving extra attention from the Lions in pass coverage, Flournoy suddenly became Dak Prescott’s go-to receiver in the passing game. Flournoy ended up finishing the game with nine catches for 115 yards and a touchdown, a career-best for him. This was his second 100+ receiving yards game of the season, unfortunately this time it came on a losing effort. Despite that, he’s proven to be a reliable weapon in the passing game when called upon.
Washington Commanders Roster Moves: Noah Brown activated; replaces veteran WR – Hogs Haven
The Washington Commanders made several roster moves before tomorrow’s game against the Minnesota Vikings. Wide receiver Noah Brown was activated from injured reserve as expected. He hasn’t played since suffering a groin injury in Week 2, and he’s also still listed with a knee injury he’s been dealing with since June’s mandatory mini-camp. Brown will join Terry McLaurin who returned from a quad injury last week and had a big impact in a close overtime loss.
New York Giants mailbag: Coaching candidates, Joe Schoen’s future, more – Big Blue View
Jaxson Dart had one concussion when he took an awkward hit trying to make a play against the Bears. He took a massive hit Monday night against the Patriots. He says he still wants to continue to play aggressively. Yes, I think he needs to temper some of that. But, I think people need to stop jumping off the cliff and freaking out. The kid wants to win games. He wants to be part of the solution for a franchise he knows has been struggling. He is willing, and able, to take it on himself to try and make plays to help that happen. The idea of using a top 5 pick on a quarterback is, in my view, absurd. What do you with Dart? Trade him? If not, you have two top 5 quarterbacks on the roster, and one is not going to play. You instantly have a quarterback controversy and a mess. You build around Dart. You improve the team. You add more game-changing players on BOTH sides of the ball so that Dart doesn’t feel like he has to try to do so much on his own. You upgrade the coaching staff. You don’t cut the knees out from under the kid before he has a full chance to show you if he can be what it looks like he can be.
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