Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 9/15/22.

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Week 2 NFL Picks Against the Spread - The Ringer
Last week’s performance was pretty much ideal for Eagles fans. The team won, but they still had plenty to complain about. The offense went up and down the field, piling up 27 first downs and 455 yards against the Lions. But the defense was a disaster, allowing the Lions to score touchdowns on four of their final five possessions. The Vikings looked like one of the NFL’s best-coached teams in Kevin O’Connell’s debut. They schemed up explosive plays for wide receiver Justin Jefferson, and their defensive performance was encouraging. If last week was any indication, the Vikings defense will play a lot of zone and mix up their fronts to make life hard for opposing quarterbacks. This is a toss-up game, but the bottom line is I have very little faith in the Eagles defense after what we saw last week. The pick: Vikings (+1.5)

Eight things the Eagles’ defense has to fix - NBCSP
PUTTING A TEAM AWAY: This is just basic killer instinct. When you’re up 17 points in the middle of the third quarter and you’ve more than doubled your opponent’s yardage total (364-170), you need to know how to finish a team off. Whether it’s a takeaway, a big hit, a 3rd-down stop, you find a way. Playoff teams don’t let teams come back on them like the Eagles did Sunday. After the Eagles went up 17 on the Kenny Gainwell TD early in the third quarter, the Lions outgained them 216-82 the rest of the way and outscored them 21-7. The Lions went 7-for-8 on third down after halftime. When the momentum starts to swing, somebody has to make a play. Nobody did.

Eagles All-22 Film Review: Takeaways from the win over the Lions - BGN
We all know what happened when the Eagles went to a 5 man front with Jordan Davis. We know they stopped the run better. The problem is, going to a 5 man front obviously limits your coverage. In simple maths terms, you can run more coverages with more defenders with a 4 man front than a 5-man front. But the Eagles weren’t playing Mahomes, it was Goff! Why not do more of this stuff. I totally understand the limitations of using a 5-man front but I just do not get why it wasn’t more of an option this week. Especially on early downs, against a run first Jared Goff led offense. My fear that Gannon is a good coach but is just naturally too passive and defensive to make this defense really good. It has to be better than this moving forward, the team is too talented to give up that many points to the Lions.

NFC East Mixtape Vol.74: Thoughts on Week 1 - BGN Radio
With Week 1 in the rear-view mirror, Brandon Lee Gowton and RJ Ochoa discuss the biggest takeaways from each team.

Eagles vs. Vikings: Five matchups to watch - PhillyVoice
Leading up to the 2020 draft, Jefferson got labeled by some as “just a slot receiver,” despite putting up huge numbers in LSU’s offense both in the slot and as an outside receiver. Some Eagles folks were among those who viewed him that way, opting instead to take Jalen Reagor, who they believed was the outside speed receiver they were looking for. Jefferson was a savvy route runner who had plenty of speed in his own right, who had no problem getting separation at the college level, which then quickly translated to the pros. The lesson: Don’t draft specific traits for what you think you need in the moment. Just take the better player. Monday night will be the first time the Eagles will have to face Jefferson since that draft blunder, and it’ll be interesting to see what the plan is to try to slow him down. Darius Slay is the obvious candidate, but as Gannon mentioned, it’s hard to game plan for receivers that line up everywhere, particularly when trying to have a corner follow the best receiver without tipping coverages.

Game Review – PHI 38, DET 35 - Iggles Blitz
Fletcher Cox had an up and down game. He started s-l-o-w. There were a couple of runs where double teams really moved him. I’m not used to seeing that. Eventually he got fired up or pissed off or something. When the Lions single-blocked him, Cox got good push on pass plays. He and BG split a sack. He was more disruptive as the game went along, but certainly not his best game. Javon Hargrave had a weird game. The stat sheet shows 2 tackles and that’s it. The game tape is certainly better than that. Hargrave was disruptive at times, but he could not make a play. He was always just a step away from getting to the QB or RB. He played hard and really worked to get to the ball. He got more pressure in the 2nd half. Jordan Davis was up and down. I thought he started off well, but I wonder if he got tired. His pad level wasn’t good later in the game. Lions C Frank Ragnow was able to single-block him for most of the 2nd half. How could a guy get tired on only 22 snaps? Maybe he wasn’t tired, but his play was sloppy. Early on, I thought he was good vs the run and showed some good athleticism.

NFL QB Index, Week 2: Josh Allen claims the No. 1 spot, but Patrick Mahomes is hot on his heels - NFL.com
QB12) Jalen Hurts. It’s no surprise Hurts plowed through the Lions for 90 yards and a score off 17 carries. It’s how — and why — he did it. Hurts used his legs to save the attack from breakdowns up front, with center Jason Kelce acknowledging: “He bailed us out numerous times.” The Eagles don’t beat the Lions without that aspect to Jalen’s game, but his arm helped, too. Check out this heave to A.J. Brown, who dialed up a monster 10/155 line in a powerful debut.

Dan Campbell: League office admitted Eagles got away with intentional grounding - PFT
Lions coach Dan Campbell said today that the league office has confirmed a missed call by the officials on Sunday that benefited the Eagles. Campbell said he asked the league to explain why Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts wasn’t called for intentional grounding on a first-and-goal play in the second quarter, when the Lions were pressuring him and he threw the ball into the ground. Campbell said the league admitted it should have been flagged, but that he couldn’t have challenged it at the time.

Updated: Justin Simmons sent to IR; Broncos sign S Anthony Harris to Practice Squad - Mile High Report
The quad injury is worse than originally hinted at. The Broncos have moved Justin Simmons to injured reserve, so he will miss at least four games. In a corresponding move, the team has promoted cornerback Essang Bassey to the active roster and signed former Minnesota Vikings veteran safety Anthony Harris to the practice squad. Harris, 30, is an eight year pro having spent most of his career with the Vikings before playing with the Philadelphia Eagles last season. In 2020, he led the team with 104 total tackles and in 2019 he led the team with 6 interceptions. He could provide a good stop-gap while Simmons gets healthy.

Giants’ injury report: CB Aaron Robinson out following appendix surgery - Big Blue View
Starting cornerback Aaron Robinson had his appendix removed on Wednesday and will miss Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants coach Brian Daboll said on Wednesday morning. Daboll also said that wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson (knee) and cornerback Nick McCloud (hamstring) will not practice on Wednesday. Edge defenders Azeez Ojulari (calf) and Kayvon Thibodeaux will be limited, along with starting center Jon Feliciano and backup safety Jason Pinnock. Rookie safety Dane Belton, who has been out since suffering a broken collarbone early in training camp, will be a full participant. Daboll said he expects Belton to make his NFL debut this Sunday. Who replaces Robinson as the starting outside cornerback opposite Adoree’ Jackson? Daboll basically listed every available cornerback — rookie Cor’Dale Flott, veteran Fabian Moreau (currently on the practice squad), McCloud if he is healthy, Justin Layne and rookie Zyon Gilbert (practice squad) as possibilities.

Jason Peters could help Cowboys cut down on penalties, team “will have a spot for him” per Jerry - Blogging The Boys
By waiting for the season to start to address some of these issues, the Cowboys are playing a dangerous game in a fight to stay relevant until Prescott returns. The fact the offense looked overmatched even with Dak on the field can be addressed once he’s healthy again, and the line protecting him could look much different by then too. Peters had his choice to stay retired or join a team he thought would be in contention, whether he was a starter or not. Sitting on the bench for a team that continues to struggle isn’t the outcome the Cowboys had in mind when they signed him, and though its just one game, the time to leave no stone unturned for the Cowboys offense is here. [BLG Note: Lol at the first part of this headline.]

Commanders vs Lions Wednesday Injury Report: Lions RB D’Andre Swift doesn’t practice with an ankle injury - Hogs Haven
Wes Schweitzer was the only player on the active roster listed as did not practice(DNP) today. He suffered a hamstring injury vs the Jaguars and was one of 3 players getting MRIs for injuries. Phidarian Mathis will have season-ending surgery for a torn meniscus, and Jonathan Allen left the game with a groin injury. He was limited along with Kam Curl, Trai Turner(quad) and Jamin Davis(personal). Kam Curl missed the first game after suffering a thumb injury in the 2nd preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs, and having surgery before the season started. He was on the side field in full gear and with a wrap on the thumb. He wanted to play last week, but Darrick Forrest stepped in and show what he could do and how much he has developed from his rookie season.

The Commanders are strapped in the Carson Wentz roller coaster, with all its ups and downs - SB Nation
Six Flags America stands just over seven miles from FedEx Field in Bowie, Maryland. A quick spin down the Capitol Beltway, coupled with a few miles east along Maryland Route 214, takes you from where the Washington Commanders play on Sundays, to where thrill seekers get to ride roller coasters such as Batwing, Firebird, and Superman: Ride of Steel. After Sunday, those seeking up-and-down thrills might want to reverse those directions, and leave Six Flags behind for Carson Wentz and the confines of FedEx Field. As described by former Washington quarterback Robert Griffin III, Wentz’s debut in the burgundy and gold was “the most Carson Wentz game of all time.” In Washington’s win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, Wentz hit on 27 of 41 passes for 313 yards and 4 touchdowns, but also threw a pair of jaw-dropping interceptions in the fourth quarter that allowed the visitors to claw back into the game and take the lead. Yet Wentz came through down the stretch, as he closed out the game with two of those touchdown passes in the final ten minutes, propelling Washington to the victory.

Jets Sign S Will Parks to Active Roster - New York Jets
The Jets have signed Will Parks to the active roster and signed CB Jimmy Moreland and P/K Ty Long to the practice squad. The Green & White also released WR-KR Diontae Spencer from the practice squad.

Trey Wingo, Thursday Night Preview, & The Gauntlet - The SB Nation NFL Show
This week on the SB Nation NFL Show, Rob “Stats” Guerrera, Kyle Posey, and Justis Mosqueda prepare you for week 2 of the NFL season. Before we get into Thursday Night Football–we’re joined by the host of the “Half Forgotten History podcast” Trey Wingo. Trey has a statement to make about the Patrick Mahomes doubters and shares his takeaways from week 1 of the NFL season. We’ve got a massive matchup on Thursday night between Patrick Mahomes and Justin Herbert. In this week’s edition of the gauntlet, we discuss week 1 narratives that will continue throughout the regular season.

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