Zone Read: Eagles-Jaguars, the Day After


GAME BALL OFFENSE: DARREN SPROLES

This was a tough one because the usual suspects – McCoy, Foles – didn’t play all that well. I thought about Jeremy Maclin (four catches, 97 yards) or Zach Ertz (three catches, 77  yards), but they’ll have more impactful games in the weeks ahead.

So we circle back to Sproles.

We covered most of this in the lead, but teammates and coaches rave about the way the veteran goes about his day-to-day business.

“He’s a beast,” said Ertz. “Seeing him live like that in person, so much passion and energy for the game is unbelievable. You see why he’s been so successful for so long. He makes plays in the run game, in the return game, and it was huge for us today.”

Added Jordan Matthews: “”You gotta be versatile. You gotta be able to do it all. Sproles can do that. He can catch it. He can run. And most importantly, he’s a leader on and off the field too. When he comes out and has big games like this and just changes the momentum, it doesn’t surprise you because every day in practice, he’s doing the same thing. He’s taking all these reps. I don’t think I’ve seen him miss one practice since he’s been here. It’s just a testament to how hard he works, and I think we’re gonna get that type of production from him for the rest of the season.”

GAME BALL DEFENSE: MYCHAL KENDRICKS

I take notes during the game for my post-game observations, and I found myself writing Kendricks’ name down over and over again.

He was in on an early 3rd-and-1 stuff. He sacked Henne on the next drive. He later had another hit on Henne. And Kendricks batted down a pass. Overall, he led the Eagles with six tackles.

I think we’re going to see one of the Eagles’ most talented defensive players take the leap this year. Be sure to check out T-Mac’s in-depth profile of Kendricks if you haven’t done so already.

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THAT’S WHAT HE SAID

“I talked to him a few times. I can see why he was frustrated. I think everybody was frustrated. I heard a few fans that were frustrated too. Go figure, but they had every right. I was booing myself.” – CHIP KELLY

Kelly was asked what approach he takes when his QB is in a funk like Foles was early in the game.

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FIVE RANDOM THOUGHTS

1. We can’t overlook the role special teams had in the Eagles’ comeback. I mentioned Parkey earlier, but there were other standout efforts. Brandon Boykin, one of the best gunners in the league, downed a punt at the 1-yard-line in the first half. Chris Maragos, a free-agent acquisition, put the defense in a nice spot, making a tackle on kickoff coverage at the 18-yard-line after Sproles’ touchdown run. And Sproles’ 22-yard return gave the Eagles the ball at the Jacksonville 40 before Foles connected with Ertz on a 25-yard touchdown.

2. And then there is Brandon Bair, one of the best stories on the team. Playing in his first NFL game, the soon-to-be 30-year-old blocked a 36-yard field-goal attempt by Josh Scobee in the second quarter. I asked Bair what the most important thing is on a play like that.

“First of all, my key is the guy in front of me,” he explained. “I’ve gotta take care of my responsibility, the guy next to me [Bennie Logan], both me and him blew up the guy in front of us. It just happened to work out perfect where we came through and they had to kick across and I got through and put my hand up and got it.”

Is it painful?

“No, just like blocking a shot in basketball,” he said. “It doesn’t hurt. When the hype’s going, everything’s going, you’re just full of energy.”

Bair seemed to hold up well rotating in on defense as well. You can tell some guys are thankful to be where they are. Bair is one of those guys. And he’s making the most of his opportunity.

3. What I’ve found over the past couple years is that most players are willing to provide good detail when you ask them about positive plays. When you ask about negative plays, they often speak in generalities, sometimes becoming stand-offish or shooting you a cold look.

That wasn’t the case with Jenkins when I asked him about the touchdown in the No-22 breakdown above. And that kind of accountability is refreshing.

Last week, Jenkins was talking about his first NFL game. Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams called a Cover-0 blitz, meaning there was no safety deep. Jenkins’ task? No big deal. Just matching up one-on-one with Calvin Johnson. The rookie got beaten for a 64-yard bomb.

It was then, Jenkins said, that he realized he had to have a short memory and move on to the next play. That’s something he’s been preaching to the younger guys on the Eagles this summer, and it’s a valuable message for them to hear.

4. I know we’re not supposed to overreact to one week, but one of main reasons why I picked the Eagles to go 10-6 is that the NFC East looks like a brutal division.

Yesterday, the Redskins managed just six points against the Texans, a team that finished last year by losing 14 straight games. And the Cowboys were in a 28-3 hole at halftime against the 49ers.

To be honest, I wasn’t in love with the Eagles’ offseason, but it’s quite possible that there’s a sizable gap between them and the rest of the NFC East teams.

We’ll see if the theme continues tonight when the Giants take on the Lions at 7:10.

5. Regular readers know we like to go non-football in this space on certain occasions. So it’s worth noting that McManus and I are actually on the same page about something: We both agree that ketchup adds to the enjoyment of omelettes and other egg products. This will be our third season working together, but it wasn’t until our pre-game meal yesterday that we discovered our tastes were aligned.

For years, friends have ripped me for using ketchup on eggs, so it was nice to find an ally. Now the important question: Is the Birds 24/7 community on the same page as us? Or do we walk alone?

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