Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 9/11/22.

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NFL Week 1 bold predictions: A.J. Brown has Terrell Owens-like debut with Philly; pair of rookies shine - NFL.com
A.J. Brown has a Terrell Owens-level debut with the Philadelphia Eagles. In case you forgot, the Hall of Famer hit paydirt three times in his first game with Philly in 2004. On Sunday against the Lions, Brown goes for 200 yards and three touchdowns. Yeah, this trade was worth it.

Fantasy Football Millionaire Picks: Top DraftKings NFL DFS Plays for Week 1 - DraftKings Nation
I’ll go A.J. Brown. It’s just a complete skill mismatch. The Detroit Lions on the outside, they just don’t have the horses. Jeff Okudah was terrible, he allowed a 121.8 passer rating against them last season, and now he’s going up against A.J. Brown, a guy who has been taking on No. 1 CBs since he went into this league with Ryan Tannehill as his quarterback and producing. This is just an absolute mismatch, Philly against Detroit in Week 1. I think A.J. Brown is going to go over 25 DK fantasy points.

Five over/unders for the Eagles’ Week 1 matchup vs. the Lions - PhillyVoice
A.J. Brown touchdowns: 0.5. A.J. Brown’s arrival in Philadelphia is the spiritual successor to the addition of Terrell Owens back in 2004. Brown is the best receiver the franchise has had since Owens, who totaled 14 touchdowns in just 14 games in ‘04. In T.O.’s first game, he scored three touchdowns against the Giants and the city went wild. Three touchdowns is likely out of the cards, but Brown starting his Eagles career off with a bang feels all too fitting. For those who are superstitious and ready entirely too much into a team’s uniform decisions, the Eagles will be going with white jerseys and green pants in Detroit, just as they did during Owens’ Eagles debut.

The Hype Bowl - Iggles Blitz
The big story on Sunday will be the Eagles debut for AJ Brown. There hasn’t been this much hype on an Eagles receiver since TO came to town back in 2004. That doesn’t mean Brown needs to catch three TD passes, but I’m very excited to see what he brings to the passing game. He’ll affect the defense whether the ball comes to him or not.

Roob’s observations: How much will Eagles run the ball in 2022? - NBCSP
4. Sometimes I watch A.J. Brown making these absurd catches in practice and I just can’t believe he’s here. The Eagles flat-out stole him. Did they really acquire a 24-year-old stud WR (now 25) for a mid-1st-round pick and a 3rd-round pick? And then lock him up through 2025 with a four-year deal? This will go down as one of the greatest moves of Howie Roseman’s tenure. I knew Brown was really good, but what I saw this preseason was scary. He’s better than I thought. Way better. Fast, tough, hard-nosed, physical, aggressive. With plenty of swagger. Brown is already one of only five WRs in NFL history with 150 catches, 20 TDs and a 16.0 average before his 25th birthday. And he just might be better than ever this fall. This is going to be fun.

Eagles defense vs. Lions offense preview by the numbers - BGN
Overall, the Lions were not a scary offense last year and if you stopped the backs and tight ends, you pretty much stopped them on offense. They will be slightly different this year, with Amon-Ra St. Brown in his second season, but I think the wildcard will be DJ Chark. Look at how bad the Lions were throwing deep outside the numbers last year and you will see why they added DJ Chark. He didn’t do much last year but has proven he can be a threat, so the Eagles should watch out for him.

Above the Nest with Raichele #57: Lions players to watch + Injury Reports - BGN Radio
Raichele Privette runs through players to watch during the Eagles-Lions Week 1 matchup and injury reports for each team.

NFL Week 1 expert roundtable: Intriguing games, QBs on hot seat and upset picks - The Athletic
Which team is too overconfident heading into its first game? Sando: I have no way to measure overconfidence across the league, but this offseason has been one big celebration of the Eagles’ incredible roster, with little regard for some of the risks associated with players that team is counting on. I would expect Philly to beat the Lions in the opener. I would expect Philly to expect to win that game as well. But the last time we saw the Eagles, they trailed 31-0 through three quarters of a playoff game. That seems totally forgotten.

2022 NFL Predictions: Super Bowl LVII, Playoff Picks, Award Winners and More - SI
The NFC team that I see making a huge jump is the Eagles, now with an explosive No. 1 receiver in A.J. Brown and possessing top offensive and defensive lines. In going through the NFC, my sense is there are not many good teams, and the conference is clearly the lesser one in terms of top teams.

Eagles’ Jalen Hurts doesn’t change, and he’s changing lives because of it: ‘This is who I am’ - CBS Sports
A year before his contributions to the Rockstarz, the QB showed up unannounced to a 7-year-old cancer patient’s house, with $30,000 of his own money. This June, he lent his even-keeled voice to the End Philly Gun Violence campaign, promoting weapon buybacks alongside local police to “get artillery off the streets.” Then he hit the walk-off home run at teammate DeVonta Smith’s celebrity softball game, raising money for St. Luke’s University hospitals. August saw him surprise Philly-area middle-schoolers, partnering with Kellogg’s to deliver $75K for the creation of local flag football teams.

Detroit Lions elevate RB Justin Jackson, LB Anthony Pittman for Week 1 vs. Eagles - Pride Of Detroit
As the fourth running back on the roster—barring one of the top three being inactive—Jackson is likely being elevated for special teams purposes. In the third game of the preseason, Jackson was one of the Lions’ kick returners and averaged 26.5 yards per return. But his ability to contribute to special teams goes beyond kick returns and can be used in all four phases. Pittman is also a four-phase special teams player and as the team’s sixth stack linebacker, he will surely be asked to contribute there. Last season Pittman saw more special teams snaps than any other Lions player—nearly 100 more—and was a surprise cut this season because of his value there. Pittman also specializes as a third-down pass-rushing linebacker and could be used situationally as needed. [BLG Note: The Lions notably didn’t elevate any offensive linemen, which probably indicates Frank Ragnow will play.]

Cowboys point/counterpoint: Dread fighting anticipation for the coming season - Blogging The Boys
Tom: Full disclosure, I am not buying completely into anything until we see it on the field. But there are certainly possibilities. While the offensive line is so crucial, we can’t forget the receiver situation. They showed tantalizing potential all through camp, and Prescott is a great QB to draw that out. Now we have to have Kellen Moore working at top efficiency to make the offense go. Still, we can’t believe it until we see it. The Cowboys face that test starting Sunday night. The Bucs are a team that has some very similar traits, a QB that can make things happen despite problems around him, a questionable offensive line, and a defense that can be scary. If you want to be negative about the prospects, that is understandable. But it is also valid to be hopeful until results on the field force you to change. That is the beauty of this moment. Dallas is 0-0 and all possibilities lie ahead of them. Now we will find out what they really are.

Big Blue View mailbag: Saquon Barkley scenarios, 2022 expectations, more - Big Blue View
What happens with Barkley is, I think, going to have as much to do with ownership as it is with Schoen. John Mara watched the situation with Odell Beckham, a player he did not want to lose, implode. If he watches the Giants move on from Jones, that will be another painful blow for the co-owner. If Barkley stays healthy for the next couple of years and gives the Giants a reason to keep him, I think Mara is going to push for a way to make that happen. I think the Giants are going to push that decision off as long as they can. If I had to guess today I think they tag Barkley next year and kick the can on a long-term decision until the 2024 season.

Washington Injury Update: Logan Thomas expected to play tomorrow; Rookie Cole Turner will miss his first NFL game - Hogs Haven
We’ve got a Saturday injury update for the Washington Commanders courtesy of ESPN reporter John Keim. Logan Thomas (ACL) and Cole Turnerv(hamstring) were both listed as questionable for tomorrow’s season opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars at FedEx Field. Keim reports that Thomas had a great week and will return to action after suffering a major knee injury in early December last season. Rookie TE Cole Turner will be given another week of practice before he likely makes his debut in Week 2. These results seemed like they were heading in the other direction as the week went on. Logan Thomas wasn’t sure if he would be able to return this week, but gave Week 2 as a target if he had to sit out the opener. He said his knee was testing better than it did before the injury, but he would have to see how it felt as the game got closer.

C.J. Stroud backed up his lofty NFL Draft stock against Arkansas State - SB Nation
One of his strengths as a passer, and something to remember as we get deeper into draft season, is how effective he is at making decisions in the presnap phase of the play. Before this ball is snapped, Stroud knows exactly where he is going with the football. With Harrison flexed wide to the right, and the cornerback using inside leverage and giving a cushion, the receiver has a free release off the line and the advantage to the outside. With the safeties aligned well in the middle of the field, Stroud knows that Harrison is going to get open downfield, and that the cornerback will be at a disadvantage on this play. This is a prime example of Stroud taking information in before the snap, and putting it to his advantage as the play begins.

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