If you follow me on Twitter – first of all, I apologize for all the bad jokes. Second, and more to the point, you'll know that I've been out of the country for the last week-plus and have been intentionally unplugged from the sports world.
It was worth it. Trust me.
- MORE EAGLES COVERAGE
- Mailbag: Can Ertz lead all tight ends in receiving this season?
- Contradictory to CNN report, Eagles Malcolm Jenkins not a 'former' NFL player
- Wendell Smallwood is improving as an all-around running back, with gifs and stuff
- Week 4 NFL picks
And because of that, it only makes sense that my first story upon returning from my honeymoon is a "What They're Saying" about the Eagles, since I probably need to play catch-up even more than you do.
But I do know a few things: Jake Elliott has a leg; Darren Sproles, not so much. The Birds will likely be without Cox when they face the Chargers on Sunday. And people are still over-analyzing every single play call from Doug Pederson – ah, at least some things never change.
With that in mind, here's a look at what they're saying about the Eagles.
Carson in charge
Tim McManus | ESPN
Statistically, Wentz didn't have his best game against the Giants, but the Eagles were able to come away with a win nonetheless. That was due in large part to Wentz's in-game decision-making, specifically the ones he made before the ball was even snapped.
Philadelphia Eagles running back Wendell Smallwood found plenty of daylight against the New York Giants Sunday, piling up several meaty runs to finish with 71 yards on just 12 carries. He said this week that the holes he got to run through were some of the biggest he's seen since being drafted by the Eagles last year, and revealed that most of those gashers were plays that quarterback Carson Wentz checked into.
"He picked the plays out. He saw a favorable box or he saw a scheme that would work for us -- some of the schemes we haven't done in a while -- and he checked to them. And they looked pretty good," Smallwood said…
Sunday highlighted the significant freedoms Wentz has in operating this offense. Pederson explained that there is a "take-it system" that the coach can shift into at any point in the game where he just gives Wentz the formation and has the quarterback take it from there, the restriction being that the plays are to be pulled from that week's game plan. The playbook is loaded with run-pass options (RPOs), allowing Wentz to make a judgement call at the line of scrimmage based on how he reads the defense. [espn.com]
Football is 90 percent half-mental
Tyler Jackson | Bleeding Green Nation
That kind of savvy from Wentz is what doesn't show up on the stat sheet, but oftentimes is just as important.
The guys over at BGN have a nice film breakdown of Wentz – I suggest you go check it out if you haven't already – but here's they're overall assessment of the Eagles QB through three games.
Overall, we’ve seen improvements in Wentz’s game. At points there are lapses where he reverts to the bad habits that plagued him his rookie year, but he’s still showing the traits that made him the No. 2 overall pick in the draft. Although this week called for a different gameplay from the first two weeks, in a way I believe it benefited Wentz. The Eagles were able to run the ball and move it down the field effectively so they didn't need to start from that gameplan. One thing I found interesting was something Sheil Kapadia wrote over at the Athletic. Wentz was changing the calls and audibling into runs based on what he was seeing pre-snap. As much as I focus on the physical aspects of Wentz’s game, it’s important to remember the game is just as much mental, if not more. Wentz isn't a rookie anymore, so it’s not surprising to see him making these adjustments, but that doesn't make it any less impressive or mean that it doesn't deserve praise as well. Sometimes the smart thing to do is to stick with what’s working and that’s exactly what Carson Wentz and the Eagles did on Sunday. [bleedinggreennation.com]
Expect more green than blue
Bernie Wilson | Associated Press
Every time the Eagles played in San Diego, it felt like a home game for the Birds. And now that the team is playing in L.A., don't expect that to change – even if their temporary home stadium is the smallest and most expensive in the league.
In other words, Eagles fans travel well, especially when the weather is this nice...
[The] StubHub [Center], by far the NFL's smallest and priciest stadium, hasn't given the Chargers a home-field advantage after they bolted up the freeway after spending 56 seasons in San Diego. There were plenty of Dolphins and Chiefs fans for the first two home games, and there should be plenty of green in the stands Sunday.
“It's going to be different for all of us,” Philly coach Doug Pederson said. “It's a smaller venue in that 27,000-30,000 range. It will be a little different. I don't want that to be a distraction for our football team, and for any of us going out there.
“But I do know that our fans do travel well, and they are all over the country and I would expect probably a good turnout for Eagle fans this weekend.” [yahoo.com]
Prime time?
Zach Berman | The Philadelphia Inquirer
At 27, Mychal Kendricks is entering what should be the prime of his career. But he hasn't been a regular on the field this season, despite playing extremely well when given the opportunity (even after asking to be traded this offseason). And that's starting to wear on the Birds linebacker, as one might expect.
But Kendricks had been equally effective in all phases this season, and it started in the preseason when he recorded three interceptions, three passes defensed, two tackles for loss and a sack in just 61 snaps over three games.
Hicks and Bradham were very good last season and played all 16 games, so it’s been difficult to argue for more playing time. But Kendricks has stood out thus far this season, however small the sample, and it’s not as if he doesn’t have a history of making game-changing plays as a regular.
He doesn’t expect to play more, however.
“I don’t know. Who knows, man?” Kendricks said. “All I can do is do what I do.” [phily.com]
No Cox, no problem?
Aaron Kasinitz | pennlive.com
Without their Pro Bowl defensive tackle, the Eagles are going to have to play even better on Sunday along the line. But just because they don't have Cox, doesn't mean they can't win.
That's how the rest of the defense sees it, at least...
Cox owns one of the league's most lucrative contracts, and he's long been a stalwart on the Birds' defense line. He's piled up 30.5 sacks in his six-year career, while often drawing attention from opposing offensive lines, which frees up other players on the defense -- and he hasn't missed a game since the season finale in 2012, his rookie year.
Sunday in Los Angeles, Philly will likely relearn what life is like without Cox on the field to cause havoc and attract double teams.
"We can't sit here and just mope around and move around our game plan or do whatever just because one person is down," said rookie Elijah Qualls, who could play a bigger role in the defensive line rotation Sunday in Cox's absence. "Now, that one person down is Fletch, but at the same time, we can't just hang on that. We can't let a dropoff in production be acceptable in any kind of way." [pennlive.com]
Who has the edge on Sunday?
Andrew Kulp | The700Level
When it comes to quarterback, Andrew gives San Diego the advantage. But he doesn't see them having much else in their favor on Sunday.
Philip Rivers is one of the most prolific quarterbacks in the NFL over the last decade. With a strong arm and routinely saddled with a bad team, Rivers does have a tendency to try to do too much, which often leads to turnovers. But when he’s on, he’s as good as anybody in the league. Carson Wentz shows signs of one day becoming that type of player, but the consistency isn’t there. Right now, Wentz really needs to improve his downfield passing to take the next step.
Edge: Chargers [csnphilly.com]
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