Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 10/20/17.

Let's get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Redskins' Chris Thompson: I've warned family about rowdy Eagles Fans - ESPN
"I heard that's the one stadium you keep your family from going to," Thompson said. "My family will be here this week, and they were like, 'I want to come to the Philly game.' I said, 'Absolutely not, you're going to have to wait until Dallas comes around.' Because my stepdad, he's a big guy and if he starts fighting, it'll be real bad out there. I was told that right away my rookie year: Keep your family away."

The Eagles Can Grab The NFC East By The Throat - BGN
The newest edition of BGN Radio is here! (Episode #270). In this episode, we preview the Eagles vs. Redskins game in Week 7, analyze key matchups, and much more.

A Word Of Caution To Eagles Fans - BGNRadio.com
James Seltzer discusses why he believes the Eagles are the best team in the NFC -- including Carson Wentz's awesomeness, domination in the trenches, and much more. James also tells you why he's bullish the success will continue, but offers a word of caution for Eagles fans as well.

Year 2 bumps, slumps: Carson Wentz up, Ezekiel Elliott down - NFL.com
If you were to draw up a picture of the ideal quarterback, it would look like Wentz coming out of North Dakota State: 6-foot-5 1/4, 237 pounds, 4.77-second 40-yard dash, 10-inch hands. A strong start to his rookie season was slowed by deficiencies in his supporting cast. In the first four games of 2016, Wentz posted a 67 percent completion rate, 7:1 TD-to-INT ratio and 103.5 passer rating. But then tackle Lane Johnson's 10-game suspension took effect, the pass-protection went south, and so did Wentz's numbers: He posted a 61 percent completion rate, 6:12 TD-to-INT ratio and 70.2 passer rating in the 10-game span for which Johnson was out. A lack of receiver depth didn't help. This year, with Johnson back and new weapons Alshon Jeffery, Torrey Smith, LeGarrette Blount and Mack Hollins in the fold, Wentz is playing great and getting better every game. His passer rating (99.6) through six games is 20 points higher than his final mark from 2016 (79.3), while he's nearly halved his interception rate (from 2.3 percent in 2016 to 1.4 percent in 2017). Wentz seems to have taken a huge step forward as an on-field leader. He's a gem, a rare commodity as a quarterback who's got it all: size, athleticism, skills and smarts. You can just see him playing with much more confidence and authority. He'll be a top-five quarterback in the next three years or so.

Mailbag: Should Doug Pederson get 'Coach of the Year' consideration? - PhillyVoice
The Coach of the Year Award almost always goes to the coach of a team that has greatly improved the team’s record from a season ago. Here’s a history of recent Coach of the Year Award winners, and their team's record that year compared with the team's record the previous year. As you know, the Eagles finished 7-9 last year (6-9 if you discount the Week 17 win over the Cowboys' second string). If the Eagles can win 12 games this season, I like Pederson's chances.

They Call Me Mr. Fipp - Iggles Blitz
How the heck does Fipp do this? He gets the team to sign Jake Elliott, a rookie kicker cut by the Bengals, and now Elliott looks like one of the best kickers we’ve ever seen. He hit a 61-yard FG to win a game. We would have all been very impressed if he hit a winning kick from 51 yards out. Heck no, he was 10 yards further back than that. The kid has an explosive leg. He has been an amazing find.

Carson Wentz feels 5-1 Eagles 'just wired different this year' - NBC Sports Philadelphia
“It’s something that we always strive for," Wentz said. "And really, in everything we do in life, you strive for greatness. "When we’re sitting where we’re at right now, we can just never let that slip. We can never let that slip from our preparation in the film room, the meeting room, the weight room, in practice, so that’s just something I feel like we have to always keep focusing on. "Never settle, never settle, and just keep striving for that greatness.”

Agholor and Ertz's strong starts show that Matthews trade was good move - Inquirer
But Ertz and Matthews, while different in ways, shared similarities as inside possession receivers who could act as quarterback Carson Wentz’s safety valve. Losing one made sense. And Agholor gives the Eagles an explosiveness they lacked with Matthews. With the speedy Smith on the outside, defenses are sometimes forced to pick their poison over the top. “It keeps them honest,” Agholor said. “You’re looking at two verticals — one coming right at the safety and if the corner needs help and the safety’s occupied with the slot receiver’s vertical route, then you win outside. If the safety wants to cheat, then the slot just gashes through the middle.” Agholor has done a lot gashing after the catch. In fact, he’s fourth in the NFL in yards after the catch among receivers. Matthews, surprisingly, is first (8.4), although he has only 10 catches and has played in only four games.

[BLG Note: Hm, interesting article from the Inquirer!]

Special Teams Absorbs Another Key Injury - PE.com
Just how many personnel losses can Dave Fipp’s special teams units sustain and continue to win every week? The latest is Chris Maragos, who was placed on Injured Reserve after suffering a knee injury last Thursday in the win over Carolina ...

'He looked decent': Eagles' Ronald Darby limited in practice, but his return energizes teammates - PennLive
Eagles cornerback Ronald Darby tracked a ball in the air during a routine drill at Thursday's practice, leapt to snag it and landed to an eruption of shouts from his fellow defensive backs. It was a simple act Darby pulled off. No other players were around him when he secured the catch. But during Darby's first practice since a gruesome ankle dislocation in Week 1, his teammates wanted to both support him and rib him a bit as he eased back into action. "He jumped up and high-pointed that ball," cornerback Jalen Mills said. "A lot of DBs, we got excited when we seen it, and we were cheering him on, so he's looking pretty good."

Washington Redskins-Philadelphia Eagles odds: Picks from expert on a Philly roll - CBS Sports
Before you make any bets on this must-see prime-time game, you'll want to see what SportsLine handicapper Josh Nagel has to say. He has covered the wagering industry for two decades and won numerous sports handicapping contests. For insightful analysis, Nagel is unmatched. Last week, in another prime-time spot, Nagel advised readers to fade the public and play Philly as a field-goal underdog at Carolina. The result: Eagles 28, Panthers 23, an outright upset. He's going for six winning Eagles picks in a row on "Monday Night Football." And he's sharing his pick over at SportsLine.

Ranking all 32 NFL defenses after Week 6 - PFF
11. Philadelphia Eagles - BEST-GRADED STARTER: Patrick Robinson, CB, 91.5. WORST-GRADED: Jalen Mills, CB, 46.5. The Eagles may have the best defensive front in football, but the back end is relying a little bit on smoke and mirrors, and the unsustainable play of Patrick Robinson, suddenly the team’s best cornerback due to injury. Robinson has six pass breakups and two interceptions, and has played phenomenally well, but the Eagles secondary is being relentlessly targeted, and may struggle to maintain parity over the season.

NFL Old School Game of the Week: Eagles Knock off Redskins in Wild Shootout
When most Eagles fans think of a shocking fumble in the final minutes that lead to an unbelievable win, they think of “Miracle at the Meadowlands” in 1978 when cornerback Herman Edwards recovered Giants quarterback Joe Pisarcik fumble and ran it back 26 yards for the game-winning touchdown as the Giants chose to run one more play and instead of taking a knee to run out the clock. While maybe not as miraculous and not as memorable to some, 11 years later the Eagles got a mini-sequel to the “Miracle at the Meadowlands” when they traveled to RFK Stadium to face their division rival the Washington Redskins in the second week of the NFL season.

2017 NFL celebration rankings: Vikings take over with duck, duck, goose celebration - SB Nation
2. Eagles score a touchdown, then hit a home run. Torrey Smith scores to put the Eagles up 20-0, and then he knocks one out of the park. It doesn’t get much better than this.

...

Social Media Information:

BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen

BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio

BGN Radio Facebook: Click here to like our page

BGN Radio Patreon: Support the show!

BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton