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Tag: Vic Fangio

  • The NFL Season Is Over and Everything Is Worse Now; So, Here Are Some Alternatives – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Credit: Philadelphia Eagles-Facebook

    The NFL season is over, and everything is worse now. We just saw the Seattle Seahawks soundly defeat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl 60, meaning the Eagles’ title of defending champions is over.

    We now enter the dark day,s also known as the offseason.

    Football-less weekends are upon us.

    How you spend these next few months is up to you, but here’s where I’m starting.

    Coaching Staff

    Credit: Philadelphia Eagles-Facebook

    Prep for the next Eagles season. There’s been a lot of upheaval in the Eagles staff, particularly on the offensive side. Let’s familiarize ourselves with them. New Offensive Coordinator Sean Mannion, Passing Coordinator Josh Grizzard, and Offensive Line Coach Chris Kuper have joined the Eagles staff for 2026. They seem like promising young hires, which is the cliche way of saying we know very little about how they’ll actually perform.

    We do know that Jordan Love has played well under Mannion, Baker has become the franchise guy in Tampa under Grizzard, and the Vikings’ rushing game was surprisingly competent despite the revolving door of starter quarterbacks. I’ll also be looking at players who may join or leave the team next year.

    A.J. Brown

    Brings us to crazy trade scenarios. Is AJ Brown actually going to force a trade out of Philadelphia? Personally, I want to keep AJ despite his antics from the last two years. Most reports show Brown’s value around a second-round pick, which doesn’t justify it to me. Sure, a second-round pick could be any caliber of player; it could even be an AJ Brown-type player. Then again, Howie has shown he’d rather pull the plug early than late.

    Maxx Crosby

    Is Howie going to pull a masterclass and try to get Maxx Crosby? While I would love to see a player like him added to the team, I think it only really happens if the Raiders are desperate to move him.

    He has a massive contract signed last year, and the Eagles need more help on the offensive line than on the defensive line. They’ll likely try to build through the draft.

    2026 NFL Draft

    Speaking of, you can also start prepping for the draft. My early draft prep is to take an o-line or player from either the college playoffs or the SEC. I think the biggest difference for the Eagles from 2024 to 2025 was their running game.

    Hand up, I’m not much of a college football fan, so specifics will come later as we get closer to the draft. I do know that we can’t judge their past season of play until we see how well they exercise before the draft. More to come later, but we have our last idea.

    Landon Dickerson

    Doom scroll about the team. Not recommended, and actually, I’m going to try to talk you down on the big ones. Landon Dickerson might retire due to a knee injury that has reportedly plagued his 2025 season and was an issue when he was first drafted. It may surprise you, but I’m not secretly a doctor with a great knowledge of players’ knees.

    As a sports watcher, I can say we’ve seen a lot of players with leg injuries heal faster and return to 100% as of late. There are ACLs like Jayson Tatum or even Joel Embiid who got knee surgery and have been playing like they did when they won the MVP.

    Lane Johnson

    Lane Johnson also underwent surgery, and as the Eagles’ longest-tenured player (assuming Brandon Graham re-retires), there are questions about his future. I don’t actually expect him to retire unless his healing goes worse than expected.

    What I do expect is that this is his last year, so the Eagles better take one of those guys I haven’t researched yet.

    Vic Fangio

    Vic Fangio also flirted with retirement but has told the team he’d remain for at least another year. While this would be bad for obvious reasons, there’s always the chance that these were just rumors and a return to winning would cure his issues. There’s also our old pal Jim Schwartz, who is taking a year off from football after not being picked as the Browns’ head coach.

    Would he be willing to take another defensive coordinator position? Who knows, but I can tell you he’d get more national coverage with the Eagles than the Browns.

    Those are a few things I’ll be doing.

    I’ll also be writing for all you fine readers.

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    Hello, I’m a greater Philadelphia native writing mostly about the Eagles and the rest of the NFL. Articles aren’t … More about Kyle Lavin

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    Kyle Lavin

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  • Pro-Bowl, All-Rookie, and Now All-Pro. – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.

    Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.

    Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have accomplished some truly incredible feats on the gridiron. They are two of the best defensive backs in the NFL and the first two starting rookie defensive backs ever on a team that won the Super Bowl. Now they are both All-Pro.

    When it comes to the 2026 NFL Pro Bowl — Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Cam Jurgens, Zach Baun, and Jalen Carter are representing the Eagles. For DeJean and Mitchell — two of the finest cornerbacks in the NFL — it’s tacid approval of a an incredible start to two young careers.

    Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.

    For the Eagles — last season was the first time in modern NFL playoff history that a team with two rookie starting defensive backs has reached the playoffs and a Super Bowl appearance. Last season was also is also the first time in the over ninety-two years of the Eagles franchise’s existence that two rookie defensive backs have been nominated for the AP Rookie of the Year in the same season.

    This season — Mukuba — who was the last rookie to sign a four-year contract worth $7,160,538, including $4,196,063 guaranteed money. The prospect of starting Mukuba is that his combination with Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell would make the Eagles’ defensive backfield one of the youngest starting in the NFL. He joins the Eagles secondary that was the only team in NFL history to start two rookie defensive backs in the Conference Championship Game and subsequently — the Super Bowl.

    The Eagles aren’t disillusioned with the possibility of some growing pains in the defensive backfield. Last season , Mitchell and fellow rookie Cooper DeJean were the perfect complement to Darius Slay and CJ Gardner-Johnson.

    This year — they are the best DB combination in the NFL. Perfectly complimenting each other.

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    Michael Thomas Leibrandt

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  • Eagles regular season awards: Who is the Birds’ MVP?

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    The PhillyVoice sports staff gives its end of season Eagles awards, including MVP, top assistant coach, and top breakout performer.

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    Geoff Mosher

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  • Around the NFL: How Week 18 sets up the AFC field for Broncos’ potential playoff opponents

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    Around the AFC

    Patriots, Jaguars vying for top seed. The Broncos received a massive belated Christmas gift on Monday courtesy of Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh, who relinquished all gamesmanship and said point-blank that Los Angeles would rest star quarterback Justin Herbert. Denver would have to absolutely implode to lose Sunday’s matchup. In such an event, though, New England (13-3) and Jacksonville (12-4) would be set up to seize that vaunted No. 1 seed in the AFC. The Patriots are playing a 7-9 Dolphins team that’s been mathematically eliminated; the Jaguars face 3-13 Tennessee, one of the worst teams in the NFL. Denver can’t afford to get too cute here.

    Fernando-mania. The Raiders are the NFL’s hottest current mess. They’ve lost 10 straight. The Pete Carroll experiment seems all but destined to end after one unceremonious year. 48-year-old minority owner Tom Brady was captured by TMZ getting a little close with 25-year-old influencer Alix Earle on New Year’s Eve. Las Vegas continues to be in the news for plenty of reasons beyond the actual on-field product. The good news? Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is only solidifying his case as a legitimate No. 1 pick, with a 14-of-16 line for 192 yards and three touchdowns in a drubbing of Alabama at the Rose Bowl on Thursday. Raiders general manager John Spytek has to be licking his chops.

    Rivers done, again. The great season-saving Philip Rivers Experiment is over, as the 44-year-old will now step back into retirement after three losses in Indianapolis. What a valiant effort it was, though: Rivers has a higher QBR (39.3) in three starts in 2025 than the Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa or the Raiders’ Geno Smith have this season. The Colts announced rookie QB Riley Leonard will start in Week 18, with Indianapolis (8-8) removed from playoff contention. Rivers, though, expressed nothing but gratitude for the opportunity.

    “I got three bonus games that I never saw coming,” Rivers told reporters, “and couldn’t be more thankful that I got an opportunity.”

    Around the NFC

    Teach me how to Purdy. It’s time to officially crown San Francisco as serious NFC contenders. The 49ers were a distant afterthought in their own division a couple months back, floating at 6-4 behind Seattle and the Rams. Suddenly, the Niners have ripped off six wins in a row with the return of starting quarterback Brock Purdy, who’s playing with rarely-before-seen levels of confidence. Case in point: hitting a nasty Dougie after a touchdown against the Bears last Sunday in a 24-of-33, 303-yard, five-total-TD performance. As 49ers tight end George Kittle has said, heaven “forbid a white guy has a little bit of motion.”

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    Luca Evans

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  • Philly sports’ top 10 figures of 2025

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    Geoff Mosher

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  • Eagles Youth – Assembled. – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.

    The Philadelphia Eagles have made a big commitment. It’s just not a commitment to longevity. It’s a commitment to youth. Another move toward that roadmap specifically in the secondary was made this week when the Eagles traded wide receiver John Metchie III and a six-round draft selection (2027) for New York Jets Cornerback Michael Carter II as well as a seventh-round pick (2027.) The addition of Carter makes the Eagles secondary one of the youngest in the NFL with Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Reed Blankenship, and rookie safety Andrew Mukuba.

    Selected in the fifth round of the NFL Draft (2021) by New York — the 5 foot 10 one hundred eighty-four pound Carter. In September of 2024 —New York signed Carter to a three–year ($30.75) million contract extension that includes ($13.61) million in guaranteed money. The result was that he became the highest paid slot cornerback in the entire National Football League.

    For the Eagles — last season was the first time in modern NFL playoff history — that a team with two rookie starting defensive backs has reached the playoffs and, perhaps — a Super Bowl appearance. This year is also the first time in the thirty-two years of the Eagles franchise’s existence that two rookie defensive backs have been nominated for the AP Rookie of the Year in the same season.

    This season — Mukuba — who was the last rookie to sign a four-year contract worth $7,160,538, including $4,196,063 guaranteed money.The prospect of starting Mukuba is that his combination with Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell would make the Eagles’ defensive backfield one of the youngest starting in the NFL. He joins that Eagles secondary that was the only team in NFL history to start two rookie defensive backs in the Conference Championship Game and subsequently — the Super Bowl.

    The Eagles aren’t disillusioned with the possibility of some growing pains in the defensive backfield. Last season — Mitchell and fellow rookie Cooper DeJean were the perfect compliment to Darius Slay and CJ Gardner-Johnson. So much so that Slay and Gardner-Johnson are now gone — and Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio trusts Mitchell as isolation on the opponent’s best receiver.

    A commitment to a cohesive unit for years to come doesn’t come without the need for some patience. But if last season is any indication — this winter could be full of pleasant playoff surprises.

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    Michael Thomas Leibrandt

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  • In Eric Allen’s Career — Quinyon Mitchell Can Find A Model of Excellence. – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.

    Nearly 70,000 fans in South Philadelphia at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday bore witness at halftime of one of the finest cornerbacks in the 90+ years of the Eagles history who had attended the game as an honorary captain become inducted into the Eagles Ring of Excellence. That cornerback was none other than Eric Allen.

    This past summer, one of the greatest defensive backs ever to don the Kelly Green in Philadelphia was finally inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Allen had a (thirteen-year) career, including nine seasons with the Eagles. He and Waters were part of Buddy Ryan’s Eagles’ secondary that didn’t protect against hard hits — it promoted them. On the podium , Eric Allen spoke extremely fondly of his days wearing green in Philadelphia.

    Nearly thirty-five years ago in December of 1992 — the Eagles had a week sixteen matchup across the South Philadelphia Sports’ Complex with Washington. The winner would get a berth in the NFC Wildcard Playoffs — the loser would be home for them. As Washington quarterback Mark Rypien sprinted out, avoided contact, and threw the ball toward a diving Gary Clark. Eric Allen knocked the ball away and galloped down the Veteran’s Stadium sideline in celebration.

    Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.

    On the field — Eric Allen got a front row seat to the Eagles in their iconic Kelly Green and Philadelphia’s current number one cornerback. Last season — Mitchell and fellow rookie Cooper DeJean were the perfect compliment to Darius Slay and CJ Gardner-Johnson. So much so that Slay and Gardner-Johnson are now gone — and Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio trusts Mitchell as isolation on the opponent’s best receiver. 

    Last season was the first time in modern NFL playoff history — that a team with two rookie starting defensive backs has reached the playoffs and, perhaps — a Super Bowl appearance. This year is also the first time in the thirty-two years of the Eagles franchise’s existence that two rookie defensive backs have been nominated for the AP Rookie of the Year in the same season.

    Last February — in the midst of a cold Super Bowl Championship Parade when Darius Slay stepped to the podium outside of the Art Museum — he didn’t talk about his decade plus NFL career. He didn’t talk about the culmination of his NFL accolades in the nearly complete defensive shutdown that was Super Bowl LIX.

    Nope. He let Philly know that they now have two young lockdown NFL cornerbacks in Mitchell and DeJean for years to come. 

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    Michael Thomas Leibrandt

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  • The Bo Nix Index, Week 5: How tempo, blitz recognition keyed QB’s fourth-quarter breakout

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    Eventually, they stopped talking about points. Bo Nix, and the rest of the Broncos’ offense around him made clear: they needed to go get six.

    They had punted on six straight possessions in Philadelphia. Nix was playing some of his worst football in a topsy-turvy start. He “wasn’t happy,” as he put it postgame.

    And then a shining version of Nix unfurled before the hostile Philly crowd, the best version of the second-year quarterback shooting the Eagles down in the fourth quarter in one of the most important performances of his young career.

    “We handled it how we handled it,” Nix said after the Broncos’ 21-17 win, “and we went out and won the game.”

    Welcome back to The Denver Post’s Bo Nix Index, reviewing every drop-back from Nix’s performance the previous week. For Week 5, let’s focus specifically on the factors that contributed to the quarterback’s star-making final frame: 9-of-10 passing, 127 yards, a touchdown. Plenty of reps both explained Nix’s erratic play early and his steadiness down the stretch. Here are four key themes.

    1. Nix favors tempo. It worked against Eagles

    Last week, head coach Sean Payton noted that Nix “likes tempo” to start a game — a kind of fast-paced offense that incorporates no-huddle and motion to wear defenses down. Within that, too, Payton hinted his staff has adapted to reduce verbiage in play calls so Nix can get to the line quicker.

    “He’ll have input like, ‘Hey, this is a play I really like, can we get that in?’” Lombardi said of Nix. “And nine times out of 10, we do it.”

    Denver went straight to tempo in their first drive against the Eagles. Nix clapped his hands in an early no-huddle third-down look, smoothly one-handing a high snap, pivoting, and firing a quick comebacker to Courtland Sutton for a first down. The Broncos went no-huddle three times across that first drive, and Nix moved them into Philadelphia territory before a sack by Cooper DeJean stalled the drive.

    After veering away from tempo in the third quarter, Nix got rolling in Denver’s early fourth-quarter drive with some faster looks. He hit Sutton again on a quick play-action back-shoulder ball for a first down to push the Broncos into Eagles territory. His eventual game-tying touchdown pass came off tempo, as Nix cycled through his reads while rolling out and found Evan Engram for a score.

    Nix has a 108.8 quarterback rating this season on play-action passes, and a 101.5 QB rating when taking less than 2.5 seconds to throw, according to Next Gen Stats. Generally, he appears to make quicker decisions when Payton speeds up opposing defenses.

    2. Nix scraps strange statue-feet habit

    As has been pointed out in previous Bo Nix Indexes, the QB is better when he actually sets his feet to throw — and more importantly, doesn’t drift. But Nix also has a particular mechanical quirk at the opposite end of the spectrum. At times, on quick-hits, he’ll take a snap and fire with only a tiny tap of his front foot, generating little lower-body momentum.

    Sometimes, it works out fine — like a second-quarter strike to Trent Sherfield, when Nix fired quickly to expose an opening in the middle of the Eagles’ zone. But it can also backfire.

    On a late Broncos third-quarter drive that stalled out, Nix had receiver Marvin Mims Jr. open on a short flare on third-and-2. He turned his body in Mims’ direction toward the right sideline. But instead of shuffling his feet again to point parallel at Mims, Nix planted near-horizontally and fired a sidearm throw. The ball sailed and tipped off an outstretched Mims’ fingertips for an ugly incompletion.

    Nix’s feet went topsy-turvy at times throughout the fourth quarter, as he’s wont to do. But each of his most visible strikes — a 10-yard hit to Troy Franklin, an 18-yard crosser to Engram, a pivotal 34-yard connection with Sutton — came with drive off his back foot. He switched off statue mode, and the Broncos were better for it.

    3. Nix deciphered and felt out pressure much more quickly in fourth quarter

    Broncos third-string running back Tyler Badie got more snaps on Sunday than rookie RJ Harvey, in large part because Denver trusts him more in pass protection (and two-minute situations). Badie absolutely wiped out Eagles inside linebacker Zack Baun on an early third-down ILB blitz.

    Harvey, meanwhile, got smoked by DeJean on a blitz on that same drive, and Nix nearly was dinged for a game-changing sack-fumble.

    That play knocked the Broncos out of field-goal range and an early opportunity to put points on the board. But it wasn’t all on Harvey. Nix had a few puzzling moments where he got himself into trouble against the Eagles by not feeling pressure off the edge.

    Harvey wasn’t even blocking DeJean on Nix’s blind side, and the quarterback had ample room to step up or even escape the pocket on that third down. This played out again in the second quarter, when Azeez Ojulari got an angle on Broncos left tackle Garett Bolles and hit Nix for an incompletion when he didn’t step up.

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    Luca Evans

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  • Before FGs blocks, Eagles iDLs Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter were culprits in run defense

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    Eagles defensive tackles Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter made two of the biggest plays Sunday in the Eagles’ 33-26 comeback win over the Rams, which is somewhat ironic given that both were both culprits in the porous run defense that enabled the Rams to have a 19-point lead in the second half.

    The All-22 footage that we’ll look at shows that Davis and Carter were consistently moved by the Rams’ offensive line, which cleared the way for Kyren Williams and Blake Corum to combine for 147 rushing yards and average 5.25 yards per carry.

    Surely, Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio will want that corrected by Sunday’s game in Tampa against the Bucs, who have struggled to run the ball effectively.

    The Rams are a run-heavy team and didn’t use any trickery or guile to get their ground yards. Their bread and butter is running between the tackles, using double teams up front to execute simple inside zone schemes. Occasionally, they’ll pull a lineman or tight end – or both – in a Gap scheme run, but they basically stick to what they do best, and did against the Eagles. 

    Kyren Williams and Blake Corum are crafty runners who lack elite athleticism but have nifty jump-cuts and are known for getting downhill quickly and skinny through the run lanes. The Eagles prepared for the Rams’ run game all week. 

    Davis and Carter are frequently tasked with taking on double teams and either beating or stalemating them so that linebackers can flow downhill into the gaps to make tackles. Against the Rams, for the better part of three quarters, the two mammoth DTs were often moved. 

    The Rams logged 17 runs of five or more yards. Let’s take a look at some of them. 

    The first three are pretty basic – inside zone runs made possible by Davis and Carter getting swallowed up by double teams.

    On this run, Davis and Carter were both defeated by double teams before both guards moved off their combo blocks and climbed to cover the linebackers, leaving a clear path for Williams to get five yards.

    This run was another zone run that thrived on double teams up front, but Williams’ pathway was the right-side B gap (between the guard and tackle) made possible by Carter literally getting driven back about five yards, obstructing LB Jihaad Campbell’s path to Williams, who gained six.

    The Rams picked their poison between LB Zack Baun and NB DeJean Cooper, and decided they’d take their chances running to the nickelback side, away from Baun. On that run, a 5-yard gain, their o-line reset the line of scrimmage with double teams on Davis and Carter, who got swallowed up and driven backward and into second-level defenders. Rams WR Jordan Whittington, who motioned from left to right, blocked DeJean while the RT sealed the edge.

    Bad tackling was also problematic. Even when the Eagles did a better job at the point of attack, they didn’t wrap up well.

    Pressure up front made Williams jump-cut to his right, but Carter again got moved out of the gap that Williams cut into, and even worse, Reed Blankenship made a terrible lunging attempt while DeJean got pancaked by a wide receiver. Quinyon Mitchell also whiffed on a lunge as Williams got 11.

    Here the Rams deviated from their standard inside zone and went outside. In outside zone, o-linemen block horizontally and try to spring the running back on the edge. DeJean came down to set the edge correctly but totally whiffed on the body tackle. Also, Campbell couldn’t get off the RT’s block in enough time and had to chase down Williams from behind.

    Eventually, Fangio adjusted at times by putting an extra defender on the line of scrimmage (a “Bear” front). That way, if the Rams had six on the line (5 OL, 1 TE), they could only execute one double team unless they left a defender unblocked. 

    Campbell came down to play the edge here, kicking Jalyx Hunt inside over the RT’s inside shoulder and Carter directly over the center. But Carter still got driven back by a combo block by the center and left guard, then struggled to shed the guard’s block before Williams ran right past him to gain seven.

    Of course, McVay, a run game whiz, always has some tricks up his sleeve.

    This is an outside zone, but the play side is opposite the zone block side. All the Eagles’ big guys – Davis, Carter, and Campbell – were taken out altogether as Williams had a 3-on-2 blocking advantage once he took the handoff. He went untouched for about eight yards of the run. The Eagles’ backside edge on this play was Za’Darius Smith (52), who got stoned by TE89, allowing Williams to jump-cut for more yards.

    To avoid being stale, McVay tossed in an occasional Gap scheme run, including this one inside the Eagles’ red zone.

    On this run, the Rams pulled their right guard and tight end through the left-side A gap to set up a pathway for Corum. Every Rams blocker won his matchup, as the center and right tackle combo-blocked Carter, the pulling left guard sealed off Hunt at the edge, and the left guard took advantage of Davis “playing high” – losing his pad leverage – to drive him off the line. 

    The pulling tight end got just enough body on Campbell and the left tackle climbed to cover Zack Baun, giving Corum an alley. Williams wasn’t actually touched for the first eight yards of this 10-yard run. 

    On Sunday, the Eagles face a Bucs team that likes to run but has struggled to move the ball on the ground. Offensive line health issues have hurt Tampa Bay’s offense. But temperatures at Raymond James Stadium are expected to be close to 100 degrees, which can lead to cramping and fatigue that can result in loss of technique and fundamentals.

    Three Bucs RBs combined to average 4.7 yards per carry in Tampa’s 33-16 win over the Eagles last year at the Pirate Ship. The Eagles will have to brave the elements and tighten up on run defense to avoid another letdown.

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  • A Look Ahead to Top Betting Lines for Eagles This Season – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    This blog contains links from which we may earn a commission.Credit: Casey Murphy/Unsplash

    After a strong season last year, the Philadelphia Eagles remain among the top contenders in 2025.

    As the new season is before us, sportsbooks are already showing the first odds that would let fans place their bets.

    While you’re analyzing and placing bets, fans can also have more fun playing casino games with a sports theme. You can even find NFL-themed games among the best-paying pokies that are available at https://onlinepokiesmates.com/best-paying-pokies/, which are a popular way of spinning the reels if you’re a football fan.

    Some of these games feature the Super Bowl theme because it’s the biggest sports event in the US.

    If you’re considering betting on the Philadelphia Eagles, here are the odds that are currently available.

    Keep in mind that the odds are subject to change, the same way past Super Bowl point spreads changed over time, especially when the competition progresses and teams’ performances become obvious.

    First Games in September

    PHOTO: Casey Murphy/Unsplash

    The first week of the league is placing the Eagles as favorites in both of their matches. The first one is against the Dallas Cowboys, and the second one is against the Kansas City Chiefs. The spread odds are -120 and -122, respectively. For the moneyline, the Eagles are stronger favorites with odds being -310 and -110 for the first and the second game.

    Overs and unders are a bit different. The odds against the Dallas Cowboys for under 46.5 are -115, whereas the game with the Kansas City Chiefs offers -105 for over 46.5.

    This is the first sign that the whole team is still perceived as being strong and ready to go far in the competition. This is somewhat normal due to the success of the team last time.

    Super Bowl Odds

    This year, the Eagles are considered the favorites. Here’s how the odds compare to the past Super Bowl scores and spreads. 

    Eagles currently share +750 odds to win the Super Bowl, placing them among the top 4 contenders alongside the Chiefs and 49ers. There are a couple of other teams with the same odds, but the majority of the others have lower odds of winning.

    Playoffs Odds

    When it comes to the playoffs, the odds are again saying that the Philadelphia Eagles will reach them. Odds of them making it to the playoffs are -350. On the contrary, the odds of them not reaching the playoffs are +265. That’s not so surprising, given how well the team played last season.

    Win Totals Odds

    Win Toals is the type of bet that you place on how many games the team will win over the regular season. Players can bet on to win 6, 8, or 10. If you want to bet on six, that’s impossible because there are no odds for this number of games. However, to win 8, the odds are -800, and to win 10, the odds are -250.

    These odds imply that the team will most likely achieve more than 10 wins in the regular season.

    Futures Specials

    In the futures section, there’s just one unique bet that includes the Eagles, but it’s not exclusive to them. The bet means that the Eagles, Ravens, and Chiefs need to make it to the playoffs.

    Eagles, Chiefs, and Ravens each have a chance to make it to the playoffs. As these teams are likely to achieve that, the odds are -110.

    Division Winners

    Placing a bet on the NFC East Winners and the NFC Championship winner this early relies on a lot of luck. Still, that is reflected in somewhat appealing odds. The Eagles are considered favorites to win the NFC East with odds of -130.  They are also the favorites to win the NFC Championship, with the odds being +370.

    PHOTO: Caleb Woods/Unsplash

    Awards

    These are not the best for the whole team, but for the individuals on the team. The highlights include Saquon Barkley, who you can bet on as the AP NFL Offensive Player of the Year with the odds of +600. He is the favorite with these odds that place him at the top.

    Lane Johnson is considered among the best protectors in the league, which is reflected in the odds of +650, which are putting him as a favorite NFL protector of the year 2025/2026.

    Even though not a favorite, Vic Fangio is the fourth candidate to be the AP NFL Assistant Coach of the Year, with the odds of +1000. So, plenty of nominations from the Eagles team.

    Team Specials

    This is where things get fun, as there are team specials odds that also show the strength of the Philadelphia Eagles. Here’s a list featuring the top specials:

    • Eagles to score at least one touchdown in every regular season game, with the odds of -160.
    • Eagles to beat the Dallas Cowboys at home and away in the regular season, with the odds of -125.
    • Eagles to beat the Washington Commanders at home and away in the regular season, with the odds of +110.
    • Saquon Barkley is expected to get 500+ regular-season receiving yards, with the odds of +160.
    • Saquon Barkley & Jalen Hurts to combine 2500+ rushing yards in the regular season,  with the odds of +250.
    • Jalen Carter is expected to achieve 10+ sacks in the regular season, with the odds of +300.

    First Odds Are Promising

    According to the first and betting lines that have appeared, the Philadelphia Eagles are still considered a team that could repeat the success they had last year.

    While being different from the past Super Bowl spreads, they still show who is considered to be the favorite.

    Of course, we’ll see whether that’s true once the season starts in September.

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  • Eagles Bring Back Some Familiar Faces After Roster Cuts – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Amidst all the chaos of a blockbuster trade happening in the division. The Eagles have been loading the practice squad and depth chart back up with some familiar faces from the last few seasons. While we’ve already seen Patrick Johnson make his return in the preseason. The Eagles didn’t stop there.

    Adding To The Practice Squad

    After the initial rush of Waiver Claims saw 27 players get picked up across the league.

    Once the hype of the day was over the Eagles made a few extra additions to the team.

    Britain Covey

    After missing most of last season due to injury, the Eagles tried moving on from Covey in the offseason. Even attempting to find a solution in Avery Williams at the start of free agency.

    Once Williams was released for roster cuts the question became, who would be taking returns? Fangio stated last season he didn’t want DeJean permanently on the return team and the Eagles needed a solution.

    Now the Eagles will have Covey back on the practice squad and be able to promote him to the game day roster three times. In 2023 Covey played in 16 games with 29 Punt Returns for 417 yards and a longest return of 54 yards. 

    For now, there is a solution on the return team.

    Marcus Epps

    Just in case the C.J. Gardner-Johnson trade wasn’t confusing already. The Eagles brought back another familiar face to the practice squad. With 94 total tackles, 4 TFL and 1 Forced fumble on the Super Bowl 57 team. Epps moved on with many of the Free Agents after the 2022 season, where he landed with the Raiders.

    Missing the majority of the 2024 season from a torn ACL. With his 2 year deal expiring, the Eagles brought back Epps and waived Tristan McCollum (who was picked up by the Raiders).

    Epps will rejoin his former team, as well as former Raiders teammate Jakorian Bennett.

    For now, the Safety position group consists of 

    • Reed Blankenship
    • Andrew Mukuba
    • Sydney Brown
    • Marcus Epps (PS)
    • Andre Sam (PS)

    One More August Trade

    The day before 53-man rosters were due, the Eagles brought back one more familiar face from the Super Bowl 59 roster. This time via a trade. 

    Bringing back Fred Johnson gives the Eagles an extra body along the offensive line who’s already familiar with Stoutland and the Eagles offense.

    With 6 games started in the 2024 season Fred will be able to fill in for multiple positions across the OL. Including right guard, tackle and left tackle.

    Now with extra versatility along the offensive line. Will the Eagles finally be finished making moves before their September 4th season opener?

    Or is there one more trick up Howie Roseman’s sleeve?

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    Tyler L’Heureux

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  • Observations from Eagles-Jets preseason finale: Valuable reps for some, OL depth concerning, Jake Elliott is back

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    Finally, mercifully, preseason football is over for the Eagles. They’ll rest up Saturday after their 19-17 win against the Jets at MetLife Stadium on Friday night and get back on the field next week, which promises a flurry of action – maybe even some trades – before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. roster cutdown deadline to 53.

    Real football comes the following week, when the Eagles will open their regular season on the following Thursday at The Linc against the Cowboys. You might have heard this already, but the Cowboys will have to watch the Eagles unveil their Super Bowl banner.

    Most of the starters and several key contributors didn’t play against the Jets, which is par for the course in the Nick Sirianni era. But here are my takeaways from the game.

    Who didn’t play reveals a lot

    Of all those who played vs. didn’t play, it’s interesting that Josh Uche didn’t dress but Azeez Ojulari did. Uche had a good start to camp and cooled down while Ojulari did the opposite. Ojulari’s track record of injuries clearly didn’t convince the Eagles to put him bubble wrap for the final exhibition, which could say something about his roster spot. EDGE depth is an area Howie Roseman will be examining closely in the coming days.

    Sydney Brown didn’t play. He obviously was making the 53-man roster, but it’s a good sign for him that Vic Fangio didn’t think he needed more reps. Jihaad Campell, who like most rookies needs reps, didn’t play while Jeremiah Trotter Jr. did – so there’s your clue that Campbell won the starting job.

    Veterans Adoree’ Jackson, Matt Pryor and A.J. Dillon didn’t play, so it appears they’ve locked up jobs, but Brett Toth and Kendall Lamm did, which isn’t a great sign for them.

    Jakorian Bennett got more valuable reps

    One guy who’s making the team but still played quite a bit was cornerback Jakorian Bennett, who played 35 snaps against the Browns last week and got a bunch more against the Jets. Bennett gave up a few completions despite some pretty good coverage. He also had a pass breakup very early in zone coverage against a receiver sitting down in front of him, although Bennett arrived a little early and probably would’ve been flagged in a preseason game.

    The hunch here is that Adoree’ Jackson starts the first few weeks until Bennett gets more experience in the defense and is ready to take over, although the Cooper DeJean factor is also there. Mac McWilliams will be an interesting rookie to watch as the season goes along. He makes plays.

    Kyle McCord finally drove the ball, but …

    …It wasn’t a good thing. McCord was known coming out of Syracuse, where he led the NCAA in passing, as a very willing downfield thrower, which we didn’t get to see much of in his limited camp reps or against the Browns. He took deep shots early and often against the Jets, but none connected, and one led to an interception.

    From a five-wide formation on 2nd-and-13, McCord went deep down the left side for … Montrell Johnson Jr., a running back who for some reason was about 30 yards downfield and didn’t have much of a chance to make a play. On his next deep heave, McCord looked for Darius Cooper, who wasn’t really open and ended up double covered as the safety came over by the time McCord’s pass made it to him, leading to Malachi Moore picking off the pass. In the second half, he under-threw Terrace Marshall deep down the right sideline. 

    Overall, McCord threw some risky passes, a bunch of errant passes and showed skittish pocket presence. He had one nice sidearm toss to Ben Van Sumeren and he was victimized by a few drops, but he also made two other throws that should’ve been picked. He’ll make the 53 because he was drafted, but he needs more development, especially with pocket poise.

    OL depth is a concern

    Some, if not all, of the rookies will make it because they were draft picks, but none of them are ready to play right now. Who’s #nextmanup at right or left guard if the Eagles need a starter for a few games? Matt Pryor, perhaps. Last year, Fred Johnson and Tyler Steen were those guys. With Johnson gone and Steen starting at right guard, the Eagles don’t appear as stocked in the reserve cupboard. 

    Trevor Keegan, a 2024 fifth-round pick from Michigan, should have been a competitor for a top reserve role this year but he’s been anchored to the third team, even trying out center, which hasn’t gone well. Looks like he’s a rare OL pick by the Eagles who could be cut after one season. Trade acquisition Kenyon Green likewise hasn’t seized the opportunity.

    Montrell Johnson Jr. fits the zone run scheme

    He probably won’t make the 53 but rookie free agent running back Montrell Johnson Jr. showed he’s got some juice. He ran a 4.41 at the NFL Combine, which is impressive for a 212-pound back, and put that speed on display, averaging more than five yards per carry. He’s got a nice jump cut that suits well for the Eagles’ zone-heavy run schemes, which shined through on his 15-yard TD run (right after he got flattened by a Jets linebacker). The Eagles didn’t run the ball well from under-center formations – like at all – but they rarely go under center in real games, so it’s not a big deal.

    He didn’t play the preseason opener because of an injury and gained just 20 yards on six carries against the Browns, but he’s an ideal candidate to have on the practice squad and could see an elevation if the running back room sustains an injury. Johnson came out of the game after appearing to sustain a lower leg injury. Hopefully, he’s ok. 

    Jake Elliott looks primed for a bounce-back

    After a tough 2024 season marked by some nagging injuries, Jake Elliott has looked very strong, both in camp and the preseason. Elliott nailed a 51-yard field goal right inside the goal post against the Jets and then nailed a 53-yarder in the second, showcasing his length strength and potentially forecasting a bounce-back season. He added a few more as the Eagles had trouble finding the end zone.

    Also, the operation looked clean, a nice sign for veteran long snapper Charley Hughlett and punter Braden Mann, who as Jimmy Kempski noted recently, had a great camp. 

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  • An ACL and An MCL? – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    An ACL and An MCL? – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Physical Matchups Are Like Second Nature When the Eagles Meet the Packers.
    PHOTO: Kirby Lee/Imagn Images

    In the waning moments of the Eagles and Packers Game on Friday night, with Green Bay’s offense down 34–29 and needing a touchdown late in the fourth quarter and desperately trying to get into range for one last-gasp hail mary — Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love was sacked by Jalen Carter.

    Writhing in pain on the night Brazilian Turf—Love was taken off of the field and replaced by Malik Willis — who was also then sacked to secure the first Philadelphia win in a season where the Eagles are considered a top contender in the NFC for the Super Bowl.

    The Eagles and Packers have both seen this before.

    In another season when the Eagles were a Super Bowl contender, the 1991 season they opened with Philadelphia playing at Lambeau Field against the Green Bay Packers. The Eagles began the season with perhaps the franchise’s best defense in team history, coupled with one of the NFL’s most dynamic quarterbacks in Randall Cunningham. In the second quarter, Packers linebacker Bryce Paup landed on Randall Cunningham’s knee — tearing his ACL — an injury that would sideline him for the rest of the 1991 season.

    That 1991 team did give us some amazing moments. The defense was number 1 against the pass, the run, and total yards. During an away game at Houston in a stadium designated as the House of Pain — the Eagles obliterated Warren Moon and the Houston Oilers’ Shoot Offense. In week 3, the Eagles sacked Dallas Quarterback Troy Aikman eleven times in a 24–3 romp at Texas Stadium. Against the Cleveland Browns in Week 10, the Eagles would return from a 24–0 deficit to win 32–30.

    Unfortunately, without Cunningham and an injured two-time Super Bowl Champion in Jim McMahon — the Eagles had to rely on a carousel of signal callers like veteran Jeff Kemp — and would miss the playoffs with a 10–6 record.

    Some will blame the turf at Corinthians Stadium or the Eagles defense for Love’s injury in Brazil. Everyone must expect a physical matchup for two of the oldest franchises in NFL history. In Brazil, that’s exactly what we have.

    After the 1991 win in Houston against the Oilers, Eagles Defensive Tackle Jerome Brown said, “They brought the house. WE brought the pain.”

    PHOTO: Kirby Lee/Imagn Images

    The post An ACL and An MCL? appeared first on Philadelphia Sports Nation.

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  • Training Camp, Hall Of Fame and 2024 Preseason: The NFL Is Back! – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Training Camp, Hall Of Fame and 2024 Preseason: The NFL Is Back! – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Today marks the first day of the NFL season with an actual game being played.
    I was lucky enough to share that day with the Eagle’s open practice. 

    Hall Of Fame Game

    The Eagles might not have had any relations to this year’s Hall of Fame class, including Steve McMichael and Devin Hester, giving the Bears their second appearance at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in the last six years. But they might soon, with some Eagles greats who have recently retired, like Fletcher Cox and Jason Kelce.

    Perhaps the Eagles will end their 18-year absence one day, with 17 nominees in the 2024 class. Or once either of these recently retired players hits eligibility five years from now.

    And for those who think 62 or 91 might not make the hall one day, here’s a glimpse at their resumes.

    • Fletcher Cox: 6x Pro Bowl / 1x All-Pro / HOF All-2010’s Team / Super Bowl 52 Champ
    • Jason Kelce: 7x Pro Bowl / 6x All-Pro / Eagles-Record 145 Consecutive Starts / Super Bowl 52 Champ

    Open Practice!

    On the other side of Thursday was the Eagles open practice, and if you’ve been as impatient as I have for football season, then today was a pretty good day.

    Nearly 50,000 fans showed up at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday, and almost 75% of the Linc was filled for practice. 

    And the offense didn’t disappoint, with Hurts posting the following stat line to end the day.

    We’re only five weeks out from the Eagles opening the season against the Packers in Brazil.

    And while they still have plenty to make up for last season’s disastrous end, we still have preseason games to get through before we get there.

    Preseason

    The Eagles will have three preseason games in the coming weeks:

    • @ Baltimore Ravens
    • @ New England Patriots
    • @Minnesota Vikings

    For once, the Eagles won’t host the Vikings in the regular season to start their year; instead, it’ll come one week earlier in their final preseason match.

    Regardless if the Eagles starters see any real action in the coming weeks, there are plenty of names to look out for, but they might not even see much of the playing field this season.

    Jalyx Hunt

    After cutting Barnett late last season, the Eagles’ defensive line depth weakened. After acquiring Huff and moving on from Reddick, they would need more insurance in the defensive end position. Enter the Eagles’ third-round pick.

    If Vic Fangio is committed to playing those who deserve playing time, we may see more rookies play than we have in the past. While that opens the door for the rookies, it could also limit some of the other playmakers on the roster.

    Isaiah Rodgers

    The Eagles had Rodgers tucked away on the suspended list for most of last season, and now that the year is beginning, we’re finding out the Eagles have a massive logjam in the secondary.

    Multiple rookies, Mitchell and DeJean(injured), as well as plenty of other sophomores and veterans, are vying for a roster spot. 

    However, Rodgers is getting reps with the first team, so there are even more questions about who might play in the preseason.

    If Rodgers is penciled in as a starter, we won’t see much from a player who hasn’t seen playing time in almost 18 months.

    We’ll find out next week which Eagles will get to suit up for their first preseason game, less than a week away.
    Football is back!

    PHOTO: Philadelphia Eagles/Facebook

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  • Philadelphia Eagles’ Defense Is Ultimate X-Factor for 2024 – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    Philadelphia Eagles’ Defense Is Ultimate X-Factor for 2024 – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Last season, the Philadelphia Eagles had one of the worst defenses in football. They had one of the best offenses to combat that, so they were still a great team, but their upside was capped as a result.

    With a new defensive coordinator as well as some more pieces to work with, that unit is the ultimate X-factor of the Eagles’ 2024 season.  It has the potential to be great, but can it? What might that actually do for Philadelphia?

    Eagles’ Defensive Woes in 2023

    In terms of expected points average (EPA) per play last season, the Eagles had the third-worst rushing defense and the fourth-worst defense overall. With their EPA per play allowed being nearly seven times higher than the closest playoff team (0.058 versus the Green Bay Packers 0.009), Philadelphia’s offense did all of the heavy lifting in 2023—ideally, that can’t be happening again.

    The Eagles, while going 11-6 and threatening to boast the best record in the NFC before an abysmal six-game stretch to end the season, were 30th in points against across the NFL and seventh in points for. The offense kept them in games, but they were never able to win in a blowout because the whole 53-man roster was never able to put it together. Whether it was the offense or defense not doing their fair share, something always went wrong—that is poised to change.

    Can the Eagles Return to Form with Fangio?

     PHOTO: —

    We can’t say for certain how much the Eagles’ defense will improve—if at all—but overhauling the coaching staff on that side of the ball and emphasizing the secondary in the 2024 NFL Draft should definitely help. Bringing in Vic Fangio, a long-time defensive guru and Pennsylvania native, a voice like his should definitely change some things around. Seeing as he hasn’t manned a bottom-27 defense in terms of points since 2005, it’s safe to say he’ll be an upgrade for the Birds.

    He should do especially well (or, at least, not as poor as Sean Desai and Matt Patricia) because of one big reason: the potential in the group he is taking over. There is simply too much talent to be outdone by 29 or more teams in the league.

    When the Eagles went to the Super Bowl in 2022, they had the fourth-best defense in EPA per play but did rank 23rd against the run. With their elite pass defense, they had the eighth-best points-against rate in the league—it should come as no surprise that they went 14-3, as they coupled that with the league’s third-best offense.

    Considering the fact that the Eagles added Saquon Barkley during the 2024 offseason, there isn’t too much of a reason to believe their offense will actively get worse. Yes, they lost Jason Kelce, but a player of Barkley’s talent would rather inspire that Philadelphia’s offense can be better—that unit should soar no matter what.

    But the defense? That’s where everything is a complete mystery. Going from 70 sacks to a measly 43 from 2022 to 2023 and severely regressing in pass defense, having a bolstered secondary with Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, and C.J. Gardner-Johnson could help out more than words can describe.

    The sky is the limit for Fangio here, but can he put it all together? Will the Eagles’ defense be poor again? Will it be around average (which would be a significant upgrade from last season)? Or can it be great, perhaps taking Philadelphia back to their Super Bowl expectations from 2022? That’s what’s on the line.

    Fangio doesn’t need to field the NFL’s best defense, because that would be asking for far too much. However, he has the tools to work with to help the Eagles shine in 2024. He has never won a Vince Lombardi Trophy partially due to a lack of roster talent through the years—the 65-year-old finally has it.

     

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  • More Coaching Hires. Kellen Moore & Clint Hurtt to Philly – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    More Coaching Hires. Kellen Moore & Clint Hurtt to Philly – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Amidst the flurry of coaching hires and Pro Bowl dodgeball. The Eagles have continued to make moves on their coaching staff.

    Last week, the Eagles had begun their search for new coordinators. They started off by hiring Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator. Fangio was most likely their 1st choice last season, but the Arizona Cardinals tampering incident saw Fangio off to Miami for the year. 

    Moving on from the Patricia & Desai conundrum as quickly as possible might have saved this Eagles off-season.

     

    Another Coach On The Way Out

    It was announced that Quarterback Coach Alex Tanney will be looking for new opportunities. The Eagles would have yet another hole to fill in their coaching staff with OC Brian Johnson also being let go. There’s been no formal severance from Tanney yet, so there’s a potential he could remain with the team still.

     

    Another Coach On The Way Out

    The Eagles might’ve already found their Defensive Coordinator in Vic Fangio. But it looks like the Eagles will flesh out their defensive staffing with coaches Fangio has spent previous time with.

    New Defensive Line Coach Clint Hurtt spent two years with the Chicago Bears as an Outside Linebackers Coach during Fangio’s time as Chicago’s Defensive Coordinator (2015-16). Hurtt was most recently the Seattle Seahawks defensive coordinator for the last 2 seasons. With a familiar joining Fangio’s team. The Eagles now have to question what they’ll be doing with Tracy Rocker. The current Defensive Line Coach who has been with the team since Sirianni’s arrival.

     

    There’s another coach from the Dolphins staff that the Eagles have already reached out to.

    If the Eagles are able to bring in Fangio and potentially Joe Kasper from Miami. Perhaps GM Howie Roseman might consider making another blockbuster trade for the Safety position?

    In August of 2022, the Eagles acquired C.J. Gardner-Johnson and a 2025 7th round pick from the New Orleans Saints for a 2023 5th, and the worse of their 2024 6th round picks.

    If the Eagles were considering a splash with a trade. Using a couple of their picks, perhaps they could make a move on Miami’s Jevon Holland? With the loss of Sydney Brown in Week 18, it’s unlikely the Eagles will see their own Canadian-born Safety back for the 2024 season. Why not get another one?

    After all. Jevon posted this video of himself kicking rocks the same day that Fangio was moving on from the Dolphins staff. While Holland tried to down play the video. Even Dolphins pages like PhinPhanatic think that Miami should listen in on potential trade offers.

     

     

    Finally, An Offensive Coordinator

    Last week, the rumored names for the Eagles Offensive Coordinator availability were Kellen Moore and Kliff Kingsbury.

    With Moore winning the job and Kingsbury staying in the desert with the  Las Vegas Raiders. It almost seems like the Eagles once again dodged a bullet that the Raiders once again took for them.

    During the 2021 coaching cycle. The Eagles almost hired Josh McDaniels over Nick Sirianni. Since then McDaniels went on to coach the Raiders to an uninspiring 9-16 while Sirianni has gone 34-17 in Philly, with 3 straight playoff appearances.

    Missing out on another coach that ends up going to Vegas might be good for the Eagles. It worked once, hopefully it works again.

    With Moore moving on from the Chargers (understandably after hiring Harbaugh), it was a surprise to see him heading to Philly. Expected to get Head Coaching offers following his last year in Dallas. Moore even refused the interim position in Los Angeles after Brandon Staley was relieved from his position, as Kellen Moore was expected to be hired as a head coach himself during this years cycle.

    If you really wanted to know how lackluster the Eagles 2023 offense was. They ranked 32nd (10.9%) in Pre-snap motion. And when they started using more motion later in the season, it was mostly for show. Kellen Moore’s offense in Los Angeles ranked 8th with 25.9%. Expect big changes in a Philadelphia offense with only 2 active Running Backs, Receivers and Tight Ends.

     

    How are you feeling about the Eagles new coordinator hires?

     

    Go Birds!

     

     

    Photo Credit: Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images



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  • The Coordinator Search Is Half Over, Eagles Hiring Vic Fangio – Philadelphia Sports Nation

    The Coordinator Search Is Half Over, Eagles Hiring Vic Fangio – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Eagles fans are able to breathe a partial sigh of relief.

     

    It’s been a long week of slowly learning that the Eagles were letting go of coordinators.

    Sean Desai was the first to go. With the wording that Sirianni made the call confirmed that the divisive head coach would keep his job.

    Many wanted to see Sirianni let go after the Eagles catastrophic end to the season. Losing 6 of their last 7 games, including a 23 point blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during wildcard weekend.

    After the news of Desai’s departure. Fear began to settle in that Matt Patricia would remain the defensive coordinator in Philadelphia.

    Only on a one-year contract, Matt Patricia will be moving on from the Eagles. Probably ending up with Bill Belichick, who just lost out on the Atlanta Falcons vacant head coach position.

    With Brian Johnson the last to be let go. Just like that, the Eagles would be replacing both coordinators for the 2nd straight off-season.

    The Interviews Begin

    There’s plenty of coaches available this hiring cycle. While the Eagles missed out on potentially replacing Nick Sirianni with Jim Harbaugh or Mike Vrabel. They’ve already begun on potential coordinators.

    The Eagles began their search by reaching out to and interviewing the following coaches:

    (OC) Chargers OC Kellen Moore

    (DC) Former Giants DC Wink Martindale

    (DC) Falcons DC Ryan Nielsen (Hired by Jaguars)

    (OC) USC Senior Offensive Analyst Kliff Kingsbury

    (DC) Former Commanders HC Ron Rivera

    (DC) Former Jaguars DC Mike Caldwell

     

    While things seemed to favor Ron Rivera as a potential DC who wouldn’t end up getting poached the following season. The Eagles interesting news broke during Howie Roseman and Nick Sirianni’s press conference Wednesday afternoon.

    Eagles New Defensive Coordinator, Vic Fangio?

    During Wednesday’s press conference, Adam Schefter reported that Vic Fangio was moving on from the Miami Dolphins and that the expected landing spot would be the Philadelphia Eagles. It would be confirmed on Thursday

    Turns out the Eagles got the defensive coordinator they were after all along. If not for a tampering incident with Jonathan Gannon, the Eagles would have most likely hired Vic Fangio instead of Sean Desai.

    Changing to a 3-4 defensive front could mean a philosphy change for the Eagles. A team that spent the least amount on the linebacker position, at $3.8M. With 4 Free Agent linebackers, the Eagles have a lot of work to do in rebuilding that room.

    Howie Roseman pointed out that Zach Cunningham had a good season despite missing 3 games. Perhaps that’s a hint toward a potential re-signee later in the off-season?

    With plenty of free agents available, including Patrick Queen, Devin White and Azeez Al-Shaair. This could be the off-season for the Eagles to spend at the position they neglect the most, while also building through the draft with players like Jeremiah Trotter Jr. or Junior Colson.

     

    One Coordinator To Go

    So far, the Eagles interviewed candidates for the offensive coordinator position don’t bring much hope for the future of the offense. Kellen Moore was expected to get head coaching interviews following his season in San Diego. Bringing in a coordinator that worked with the Cowboys during Dak Prescott’s worst season is one thing. But Kliff Kingsbury following his disastrous exit in Arizona is another.

     

    There’s been no decision at offensive coordinator yet. What potential candidates do you hope the Eagles reach out to before making a final choice?

     

    Go Birds!

     

     

    Photo Credit: Kirby Lee / USA Today Sports

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  • AP source: Panthers to interview Sean Payton for HC job

    AP source: Panthers to interview Sean Payton for HC job

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    CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — The Carolina Panthers have received permission from the New Orleans Saints to interview Sean Payton for their vacant head coaching position, according to a person familiar with the situation.

    The Panthers have also requested permission to speak to Philadelphia Eagles defensive consultant Vic Fangio, New York Jets safeties coach Marquand Manuel and New Orleans Saints defensive backs coach Kris Richard for their defensive coordinator position.

    The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team does not release details of its coaching searches.

    Steve Wilks was the Panthers interim head coach this season and Al Holcomb the interim defensive coordinator.

    The 59-year-old Payton is expected to be a hot commodity among NFL teams searching for stability at the coaching position.

    He could be particularly pricey for Panthers owner David Tepper to land given the Panthers are in the same division as the Saints and face them twice a season. New Orleans would likely receive significant draft pick compensation before agreeing to allow Payton to join the Panthers.

    Payton won the NFC South seven times with the Saints and the Super Bowl in the 2009 season, amassing a 152-89 record.

    Fangio previously worked as the Panthers defensive coordinator more than two decades ago from 1995 to 1998.

    ___

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

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  • Broncos fire rookie head coach Hackett after 4-11 start

    Broncos fire rookie head coach Hackett after 4-11 start

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    ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Denver Broncos fired first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett on Monday with two games left in the season.

    Owner and CEO Greg Penner said he’ll lead the search for a new coach with assistance from GM George Paton, in whom he expressed confidence while announcing Hackett’s dismissal.

    Firing Hackett with two games left in a lost season allows Penner to begin his search for a replacement immediately.

    The Broncos scheduled a news conference for Tuesday, when they’re expected to name their interim head coach for games at Kansas City next weekend and at home against the Chargers in Week 18.

    The Walton-Penner group purchased the Broncos for $4.65 billion last summer, a global record for a professional sports franchise, and Rob Walton said after the league’s approval that he aimed to make the Broncos perennial championship contenders again.

    On Sunday, the Broncos (4-11) were blown out by the equally downtrodden Los Angeles Rams 51-14 when Russell Wilson threw three interceptions and was sacked six times. The game featured a sideline spat between backup QB Brett Rypien and guard Dalton Risner, and pass rusher Randy Gregory threw a punch at a Rams player after the game.

    In a statement Monday, Penner thanked Hackett for his dedication but said that “following extensive conversations with George and our ownership group, we determined a new direction would ultimately be in the best interest of the Broncos. This change was made now out of respect for everyone involved and allows us to immediately begin the search for a new head coach.”

    Penner said that “moving forward, we will carefully evaluate every aspect of our football operations and make whatever changes are necessary to restore this franchise’s winning tradition.”

    Hackett replaced Vic Fangio last January but hasn’t been able to build an offense suitable to Wilson, who recently turned 34.

    Hackett is the third NFL head coach fired during the 2022 season. The Carolina Panthers replaced Matt Rhule with interim head coach Steve Wilks and the Indianapolis Colts fired Frank Reich and replaced him with coaching novice Jeff Saturday.

    Many fans thought the Broncos hired Hackett away from the Green Bay Packers, where he was offensive coordinator, to help them land quarterback Aaron Rodgers. But Rodgers decided to re-up with the Packers and the Broncos instead traded for Wilson, who was seen as still in his prime.

    Wilson, however, has had an awful first season in Denver after the Broncos sent four premium draft picks and three players to Seattle for the nine-time Pro Bowler. Wilson has 12 touchdown passes with nine interceptions and 49 sacks in 13 starts and has been unable to snap out of a season-long funk.

    He is 3-10 as Denver’s starter and has missed games with a pulled hamstring and a concussion.

    He routinely has ignored open receivers underneath to try for deep throws and he has shown a noticeable dip in his ability to escape from pass rushers this season.

    The Broncos have missed the playoffs seven straight seasons and extended their string of losing records to six.

    They will try to snap a 14-game losing streak to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday and beat Patrick Mahomes for the first time in 11 tries.

    ———

    AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP—NFL

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