Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …
Nick Sirianni scorches Jonathan Gannon and the Eagles defensive staff – Inquirer
League sources said Thursday that, after Sunday’s blowout loss to the Chiefs, Eagles rookie coach Nick Sirianni blistered his defensive coaching staff in meetings early this week. He targeted rookie coordinator Jonathan Gannon in particular. Sirianni is frustrated at Gannon’s toothless, amorphous scheme; Gannon’s timid calls; and Gannon’s poor utilization of star players like defensive tackle Fletcher Cox and Darius Slay. “It was some tough conversations in the defensive room this morning,” Sirianni said Monday. This, according to the sources, was an understatement. Sirianni was mad. But it sounds like Gannon didn’t get the message. Gannon’s defense hasn’t defended much of anything in three weeks (the 49ers didn’t score much because quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo was awful). Still, on Tuesday, Gannon insisted Cox is playing fine; but this is demonstrably untrue, partially due to how Gannon uses him. Gannon also said that, for the moment, he won’t put a sixth defensive back on the field, even if a dynamo like Tyreek Hill might go virtually uncovered, which is essentially what happened on the Chiefs’ second touchdown Sunday.
Weapon X Mailbag: How did the Eagles fall so far after winning the Super Bowl? – BGN
The Eagles’ best players were in their prime in 2017. Now they’re all older, injury prone or gone from the team entirely. It feels like an oversimplification, but it’s the truth. It’s okay to wreck Roseman for the Eagles’ draft blunders, as I’ve done countless times, but it’s also pretty damn hard to draft a core of All-Pro players every few years. The Eagles got lucky when Graham no longer performed like a bust, Kelce was an all-time sixth-round steal, they were able to trade up for Cox and then Johnson and Zach Ertz fell to them in 2013. There was a path to keep building with homegrown talent and the Eagles took their train off the rails instead. There’s the quarterback issue too. Yes, without a shred of doubt, there is no way the Eagles win the Super Bowl without having Wentz under center that season. That’s a fact. He never returned to that 2017 form though and that’s what also doomed the organization. If you don’t have a franchise quarterback, it’s impossible to build a consistent contender. Wentz played like an MVP in 2017, but following his catastrophic knee injury, he was never able to quite be that guy again. There was also the elephant in the room of him having to play under the shadow of Nick Foles’ playoff glory. That’s understandable. He is human. It just never clicked for Wentz in Philly after that.
Odds and End Zones #4 – Eagles-Panthers Betting Preview – BGN Radio
Shamus and Zo react to last week’s loss to Kansas City, debate Miles Sanders vs. Kenny Gainwell and look at prop bets for Sunday’s matchup with the Panthers.
The Eagles’ shocking Pro Bowl drought in Roob’s 10 observations – NBCSP
The Eagles don’t have a position player on the roster in his 20s that’s ever been to a Pro Bowl. That has never happened before since the inception of the Pro Bowl after the 1951 season. How crazy is that? Javon Hargrave is only 28 so the way he’s going he should be a Pro Bowler this year. Maybe Smith makes it. Or Hurts. But it’s just another way of putting into perspective just how poorly Howie Roseman and his staff have drafted over the years, especially on the defensive side of the football. The only former Pro Bowlers on the roster are that older nucleus: Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Brandon Brooks, Zach Ertz, Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson (and long snapper Rick Lovato). When your best players are your oldest players, that’s a risky way to survive in the NFL. Because as Roseman always says, older players are more susceptible to injury and you never know when that inevitable decline is going to start. We’re seeing both of those things right now. There’s nothing wrong with having some key older veterans on the roster. But if you’re unable to draft and develop their replacements, it’s a scary place for a franchise to be.
Mailbag: An early look at the Eagles’ biggest draft needs in 2022 – PhillyVoice
But I do think there’s an element of “chicken or the egg” at play here, as the players themselves haven’t exactly been good either. Javon Hargrave aside, the defensive line has underperformed, to put it kindly, while the linebackers haven’t been able to get off blocks and make tackles near the line of scrimmage. Meanwhile, the back end has for the most part kept the action in front of them, but they have not forced turnovers or even incompletions for that matter, and receivers have killed them underneath. So take your pick. Bad scheme? Bad game plans? Bad use of the skills of the players on the roster? Bad players? I think it’s all in question when you allow 11 touchdowns on 18 drives over two games.
Week 5 Previews: Prove-It Time for the Buffalo Bills – Football Outsiders
Philadelphia Eagles at Carolina Panthers, Sunday, 1 p.m. From the Walkthough Fun Facts Factory: the Panthers defense ranks 32nd in the NFL in stopping passes to the offensive right side of the field. Meanwhile, Jalen Hurts is 31-of-47 for a league high 411 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception on passes listed as “right” by Sports Info Solutions. The Next Gen Stats passing charts from Week 1 and Week 2 reveal just how reliant the Eagles offense was on passes to the right early in the season, though things are starting to balance out. Stephon Gilmore won’t be available to upgrade the Panthers secondary for two more weeks. And CJ Henderson isn’t good, folks. The Panthers should still win and cover, but Walkthrough whipped up a sweet little prop on DraftKings: Hurts Over 249.5 yards AND 1.5 touchdowns at +130. That way, we can root for late-game screens and bombs along the right sideline. Panthers 31, Eagles 22.
NFL Week 5 fantasy football questions and answers: 32 reporters give advice on Odell Beckham Jr., CeeDee Lamb, more – ESPN
Any reason to think a Miles Sanders rebound is coming? Yes. The Eagles realize nine carries over two games is not enough. Look for a concerted effort to get him more involved, starting this week against Carolina. Rookie Kenneth Gainwell has earned himself a bigger role, but Sanders remains the lead back for now and will have ample opportunity to prove he deserves that designation.
Eagles-Panthers cheat sheet: Projected lineups, injuries and what you need to know – The Athletic
Wulf: This is a winnable game for the Eagles. It’s a better matchup for them defensively than anything we’ve seen since Week 1. The Panthers offensive line is ripe for the picking and Darnold still has to prove capable of avoiding turnovers over the long haul. The matchup on the other side is a little more daunting than what the Eagles have seen all season. With another patchwork offensive line, things could go haywire against the blitz-happy Panthers. Dillard will be under the microscope again. I think the Eagles will hang in the game, and Hurts will make a few big plays with his legs. Before the season, I had this penciled in as a win, but I’m going the other way now. All of a sudden, 1-7 seems a haunting possibility. Panthers 27, Eagles 24
Fantasy Football: Best and worst DFS targets in Week 5 – PFF
Worst: Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles. Betting against Hurts seems relatively rash, given his QB3 ranking thus far. However, we cannot afford any slip-ups at his salary, and he’s got a tough matchup against the Carolina Panthers coming up. The Eagles quarterback has relied relatively heavily on his rushing production this season, as 28.2% of his fantasy points have come by way of his legs. Unfortunately for Hurts, the Panthers have allowed only 70 rushing yards and the second-fewest passing yards (725) to quarterbacks this season. Hurts may be able to overcome this matchup, but rostering him for Week 5 DFS could be a costly decision.
Week 5 WR/CB Matchups: Who to target and avoid in NFL DFS lineups – Fake Teams
DeVonta Smith (PHI) vs. Donte Jackson (CAR). DeVonta has shown two very different faces so far in his rookie campaign. He’s gone for 19+ PPR points twice (W1 and W4) but in the other two matches, he was a complete disaster finishing with 3.6 and 5.8 fantasy points. The targets, though, were more or less the same as he’s getting 6+ looks per game, but the receptions sucked (2 and 3 in those two duds) while the receiving yardage also stunk (16 and 28 yards). I love QB Jalen Hurts, I love WR DeVonta Smith, but I for the love of God can’t put DVS in my lineup this week considering his ultra-bouncy nature and the man projected to spend most of the day in front of him. Donte Jackson, he of the now-fearsome Panthers, has aligned as the right-corner in almost 70% of the snaps he’s played while Smith has played 50% of his down the left side. The matchup is definitely going to happen. And that’s quite bad news for the young receiver here. Jackson’s PFF Grade is sublime and the fourth-best among CBs with 100+ defended routes. Makes sense, considering Jackson is giving up just 1.02 Yards/Route on a 58% completion rate for only 0.25 FP/Route surrendered to his main cover-wideouts. Also, he’s been burned for just one TD in four games, and it’s not that Smith poses quite the biggest threat on that department.
Panthers vs Eagles defensive preview: The defense needs to recapture their mojo – Cat Scratch Reader
Guard against the short passing game. Jalen Hurts has a -3 yard difference between his average intended air yards and his average completed air yards, the third lowest number in the league. His 4.7 yard average air yards per completion is fifth lowest in the league. He’s had a lot more success throwing short than long, and that’s been especially true after you take out Week 1 against the hapless Falcons. The backs and tight ends have gotten exactly half of Hurts’ targets, so expect them to play a major part in that. The Eagles are perfectly capable of hitting big shots, but they’re likely going to do most of their damage getting the ball out around the line of scrimmage.
Matt Rhule’s unorthodox brilliance fueling Panthers’ rise; Daniel Jones playing like franchise quarterback – NFL.com
Despite dropping their first game last week in Dallas, the 3-1 Carolina Panthers remain one of the most surprising teams in the early goings of the 2021 NFL season. And much of their success revolves around a defense that heads into this Sunday’s game against the Eagles ranked third in both yards and points allowed. It’s not surprising to see Matt Rhule prioritize building a championship-caliber defense as the foundation of Carolina’s turnaround, given the blueprint he used to elevate Temple and Baylor at the college level. The 46-year-old coach utilized an outside-the-box approach to put more speed on the field to help his undermanned programs quickly close the gap and eventually surpass competitors in the American Athletic Conference and Big 12. Rhule turned track stars into defensive backs, safeties into linebackers, and second-level defenders into edge rushers. While we are accustomed to seeing underdog college programs incorporate unorthodox methods to gain relevancy, it’s rare for an NFL team-builder to take a different path when constructing a defensive juggernaut. But Rhule’s bucking that trend, taking a radical approach to building a top-notch defense loaded with young, athletic defenders possessing complementary skills. From drafting all defensive players in 2020 to trading for marquee names with blue-chip traits to signing familiar faces with successful track records under this coaching staff, the Panthers have left no stone unturned in their effort to field a lineup with dynamic defenders on every level.
2021 Eagles Autism Challenge raises more than $2.7 million for autism research and care – PE.com
The Eagles Autism Foundation has announced that the 2021 Eagles Autism Challenge presented by Lincoln Financial Group raised more than $2.7 million for autism research and care, thanks to donors from 15 countries, 1,850 participants, and 12,819 donations. One hundred percent of the participant-raised funds will be directed to groundbreaking autism research and programs. Fundraising for the 2021 Eagles Autism Challenge season officially closed on Thursday, September 30. Since the first year of the Eagles Autism Challenge in 2018, a total of 36 countries and 76,788 donations have contributed to the more than $12 million raised through the Eagles Autism Foundation. “On behalf of the Philadelphia Eagles and my family, I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has supported our efforts to advance autism research and for contributing to what has been yet another successful year of fundraising,” said Jeffrey Lurie, Philadelphia Eagles Chairman and CEO. “We all clearly know the passion that Eagles fans have for their football team, but more importantly, I have found over the years that it is their generosity, empathy, and commitment to important causes, such as this, that truly define them. The progress we have made – which has positively impacted so many families around the world – would not be possible without our fans and supporters of the Eagles Autism Foundation. As we reflect on this amazing year, we also look ahead to a future of endless possibilities thanks to the support that we are so fortunate to have.”
The failed experiment of Jaylon Smith and what it ended up costing the Cowboys – Blogging The Boys
At the time, it was a debatable move only because of the position he played. Smith was trending up and having that much player control would turn out to be brilliant if Smith continued to improve. Sadly, as soon as the ink dried on that contract, his play started declining. After two underwhelming seasons, the Cowboys opted to hit the reset button by selecting Micah Parsons twelfth overall in April. Aided by the super-fast emergence of the rookie Parsons, the Cowboys decided enough was enough with Smith. Twice the Cowboys took a chance with Smith. The first gamble seemed like the riskiest as his long-term health was up in the air, but that risk paid off. He was a viable player on a cheap four-year, $6.49 million deal. Unfortunately, it was the second risk that proved to be the costliest as the team paid a hefty price for what little they got from him since.
Confidence poll: Giants fans split down the middle in terms of feelings about 2021 team – Big Blue View
With roughly a quarter of the 2021 NFL season gone and a critical Week 5 game coming up against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, how confident are New York Giants fans in their team right now? Well, as you might expect it turns out that the Week 4 victory over the New Orleans Saints was good for the souls of Giants fans after three straight losses, according to our SB Nation Reacts polling data. After fan confidence had dipped to a season low 14 percent when the Giants fell to 0-3 after a loss to the Atlanta Falcons, it shot back up to the 49 percent of fans voting in our poll showing confidence heading into Week 5.
Washington fans remain surprisingly upbeat about the team direction in recent poll – Hogs Haven
That confidence in the team hadn’t dropped at all ahead of the season opener against the Chargers, with 100% of those surveyed still feeling good about the direction of the franchise. Since then, however, the results have been driven at least partly by the game results, and the fluctuations in fan confidence seem to be getting more pronounced by the week. The confidence level fell off a bit to 86% following the loss to the Chargers, recovered to 90% when the Football Team beat the Giants, but then fell off a cliff to just 34% in the wake of the blowout loss to Buffalo.
Colts’ Fans Confidence in Team Rises After Week 4 Win Over Dolphins – Stampede Blue
Indy will be looking to earn its second straight win when they take on the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night. Coming away with a victory in their first primetime game of the season, especially against who many believe to be a legitimate AFC contender, would be a huge shift for the Colts’ season expectations. We know Indy is capable of beating the below-average teams, and now we have to see them face off against a dominant Ravens team to get a better idea of what the fans could possibly expect from their team this season.
Dolphins vs Buccaneers 2021 Week 5 injury report: Gronk out, Parker questionable – The Phinsider
The Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers are into their final preparations for Sunday’s intra-state matchup. As the Dolphins head northeast to visit the defending Super Bowl champions, they will do it with nearly a full compliment of players available. While injured reserve players like quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and wide receiver Will Fuller will not be available, Miami only had one player listed on the injury report for Friday. Wide receiver DeVante Parker, who was limited in practice all week due to shoulder and hamstring problems, was made questionable for Sunday’s game. The rest of Miami’s injury reports from throughout the week included cornerback Xavien Howard (shoulder/groin), safety Brandon Jones (ankle), cornerback Byron Jones (quadriceps/ankle), center Greg Mancz (neck), and tight end Adam Shaheen (neck) all appear to be cleared for the game.
Russell Wilson’s return timetable remains unclear amid multiple reports – Field Gulls
You’ve probably heard the crushing blow by now. Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson has never missed a single start in his career, but that appears likely to come to an end in Week 6 after suffering an injury to his middle finger and getting surgery in Los Angeles on Friday. It’s clear Wilson will in all likelihood miss time. What is anyone’s best guess at this point is exactly how much time. The initial reports were between six to eight weeks of time for the Seahawks QB.
4 must watch games in NFL Week 5 – SB Nation
No. 4: Bills vs. Chiefs, Sunday, 8:20 p.m. ET — NBC. AFC Championship rematch … nuff said. Well, there is more we can talk about here. Namely that the Chiefs are looking really, really shaky this season and are in dire need of a win. Meanwhile the Bills are looking for revenge for keeping them out of the Super Bowl. The Kansas City defense is so spectacularly bad this season I honestly don’t know if they can stop Josh Allen. I have a lot more faith in Buffalo winning this one, but should Kansas City fall to 2-3, well, that’s definitely a hole to dig out of. That’s enough drama for me to tune in.
NFL Reacts #10: Pick 3, Reacts Polls, & Games of the Week – The SB Nation NFL Show
Welcome to another edition of NFL Reacts! Stephen Serda, Justis Mosqueda, and Kate Magdziuk discuss the greatest punting incident in NFL history! The Seahawks and Rams played a weird football game on Thursday night, and Seahawks star quarterback Russel Wilson left the game with a finger injury. We ‘Pick 3’ to build our premium daily lineups and Justis has his top 3 NFL bets of week 5. Would you rather start Trey Lance or Justin Fields in fantasy this week? We wrap things up by unveiling the results of the quarterback the show will represent from this day forward.
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