The Linc - “The real beauty of this [Eagles] defense is the whole”

NFL: Washington Commanders at Philadelphia Eagles — Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 12/7/24.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

In Roob’s Eagles Observations: What makes Eagles’ defense unique – NBCSP
1. One of the most amazing things about the Eagles owning the No. 1 defense in the NFL through Week 13 is that this isn’t a star-studded unit. There are only two guys on the defense who’ve ever been to a Pro Bowl – Darius Slay has been to a bunch and Josh Sweat went in 2021. And Slay hasn’t even been playing that much lately because of various injuries. And honestly as good as this defense is, probably only Jalen Carter and Zack Baun will be Pro Bowlers this year. We’ve seen mediocre Eagles defenses send four or five players to the Pro Bowl, but what really sets this group apart is that they play so well together and get contributions from so many people and they’re so unselfish and team-oriented. No cornerback has an interception this year. Nobody is in the top 19 in the NFL in sacks. But what this group does remarkably well is play together as a unit, with guys working together, communicating, setting each other up to make plays and making the guys around them better. And it’s added up to one of the best defenses in Eagles history, which is saying a lot. The Eagles are No. 1 in defense with five games to go, with a good chance to finish No. 1 for the first time since 1991 and only the third time since 1954. And there are certainly stars in this group. Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean have been unreal as rookies. Nakobe Dean has been consistently productive. Baun and Carter have been dominating. Milton Williams has been terrific. Reed Blankenship is having his best year. Nolan Smith has come a long way. Chauncey Gardner-Johnson has been very good since the bye. Role players are doing their thing and every backup who’s been asked to play has held his own. There’s no weak link in this group. But the real beauty of this defense is the whole. The unit. The group. And that’s much more valuable and much more meaningful than sending a bunch of guys to the Pro Bowl.

Eagles-Panthers Final Injury Report: DeVonta Smith and Darius Slay are back, 4 players ruled out – BGN
The big news is that DeVonta Smith and Darius Slay are listed without game statuses. Smith, who was a full participant in practice this week, is set to play for the first time since Week 11. The Eagles’ passing attack stands to benefit from his return. Slay will play after missing Week 13 due to a concussion. The starting cornerback’s return sends Isaiah Rodgers back to the bench.

Brian Answers: Its Eagles Week! And you had some GREAT Questions! – Cat Scratch Reader
KeepPounding88: How long before we see some of the old Bryce? Even the best QBs have their bad moments, so I feel like it’s just a matter of time before we see some natural regression. … If Bryce doesn’t show some moments of the “old Bryce” this week, I would be absolutely shocked. He performed well against a reeling Chiefs team, and he capitalized against a Buccaneers game plan that forced Carolina to throw the ball more than they would normally game plan for. This week, the Eagles are surging, and have a defense that can execute the game plan the Bucs wanted to run but didn’t necessarily have the personnel to against a Bryce Young offense where Bryce is playing at this current level. The Eagles are going to make running the ball difficult, they are going to play tight pass coverage, and they are almost certainly going to get pass rush on him. You could view this offensive line as a top 5 unit and I’d still expect the Eagles to be vastly superior. That’s just how deep this front seven is with top end talent. If Bryce manages almost 300 yards and another strong performance, Panthers fans should be extremely excited for Bryce’s future, because that’s not in the cards for most QBs that go against this Eagles defense.

Week 14 NFL picks: Chiefs unanimously chosen over Chargers; Seahawks or Cardinals in NFC West clash? – NFL.com
Why Ali picked the Eagles: Over the past five weeks, the Panthers have transformed themselves into one of the tougher outs in the NFL. Their marked improvement from NFC cellar-dweller to weekly spoiler candidate has everything to do with Bryce Young’s inspired play since returning to the starting lineup. The former No. 1 overall pick looks like he’s having fun on the field again, and his confidence and enthusiasm is seemingly spreading throughout the locker room. He’s seeing the field better than he has at any point in his young career, which is allowing him to play fast, avoid pressure and make smart decisions. Carolina’s defense, meanwhile, has quietly been solid against the pass since D.J. Wonnum made his season debut in Week 10, ranking fifth in passer rating allowed and eighth in EPA per dropback. Generating consistent pressure continues to be a problem for this group, but when the Panthers have been able to put heat on QBs, they’re really bringing it; Carolina has the fourth-highest sack percentage in the league over the past four weeks. Will all of this positive momentum carry over into their latest, most difficult test yet? I just don’t see it, unfortunately. Philadelphia is simply better across the board. While the Panthers continue to workshop their winning formula, the Eagles already seem to have mastered theirs: Pummel opponents with Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown and the NFL’s top-ranked defense. With Pittsburgh on the horizon, it’s possible Philly could overlook the 3-9 squad coming to town. But I suspect the Eagles will sidestep the trap game after watching Kansas City and Tampa Bay nearly fall victim to it.

NFL Week 14 predictions, fantasy sleepers, upset picks, buzz – ESPN+
Does Adam Thielen have a chance against the Eagles’ secondary? It’s no secret the Panthers are lacking at wide receiver. But amid Bryce Young’s sudden improvement, Thielen has emerged from a hamstring injury as their most reliable target. He recorded 156 receiving yards over the past two weeks, including 99 in an overtime loss to the Buccaneers. Thielen will have a tough challenge this Sunday against the Eagles’ secondary. He also plays slot 70% of the time, meaning he should face Cooper DeJean (who covers the slot 82% of the time). The rookie cornerback is allowing 1.0 yards per coverage snap and minus-12 EPA as the nearest defender — both better than average for a slot corner, per NFL Next Gen Stats. Young might have to look elsewhere.

Appreciating Nick – Iggles Blitz
Sirianni gave up control of the offense and hired an outsider to come in and run that side of the ball. He hired a veteran coach to run the defense. He decided to tone down his behavior on the sidelines, wanting to be more under control. How could he preach to his players to stay under control if he wasn’t doing it himself? He decided to be less verbal with the officials. Sirianni constantly tells his players to focus on what they can control. Him screaming at the officials sent a different message so that had to change. Sirianni seemed genuinely interested in making real changes. I guess being part of a historic collapse can do that to you. Changes can take time to work. After the win over the Browns it was fair to question whether the changes were working. Sirianni never panicked. He gave his team time to improve and show that progress. If you truly believe in something, you stick with it. Sirianni listened to his players when they told him he had become too bland on the sidelines. They wanted him to show some emotion, especially when it came time to celebrating with them. He opened up a bit and that has worked well. The team has been winning. The obvious credit goes to Saquon Barkley, Jalen Carter, Vic Fangio, etc., but Sirianni deserves some as well.

Nick Sirianni changed the way the Eagles practice at the behest of team leadership. Now, they’re seeing results. – Inquirer
Sirianni’s added emphasis on Mondays was one of the by-products, something he said was reinforced by a request from quarterback Jalen Hurts, among others. “I was thinking about it, [it was] one of the things I ruminated on over some of the things that happened last year and why I felt like some things happened,” Sirianni told The Inquirer. “Even though we had a big win, we’re going to come in here, and we’re going to get better from this tape. … And that was from some of the players, too. I talked to Jalen about it. Jalen was like, ‘Hey, we need to put this game — we have to learn from the game.’ I think we all came up with the same theory.” The approach to practice has changed as well. It was foreshadowed by a training camp that Sirianni warned would be more difficult than summers before and has now materialized into padded practices later into the season with an added emphasis on physicality.

Microsoft Teams Legend of the Week: Sheldon Brown – PE.com
Sheldon Brown’s hit on Reggie Bush in the 2006 Divisional Round of the playoffs is still talked about to this day. It’s no surprise that his name resurfaced after Cooper DeJean’s takedown of Baltimore’s Derrick Henry. It just so happens that Brown will be in town Sunday, as he is the Honorary Captain for the game against the Panthers. Eagles Insider Dave Spadaro catches up with Brown in this exclusive interview.

Commanders fans expect the team to finish the ‘24 regular season with double-digit wins – Hogs Haven
What a difference a week makes! Last week, fan confidence, as measured in our weekly Reacts survey, fell to its lowest point in 2024 following an unexpected home loss to an injured and struggling Dallas Cowboys team. After that bad loss, only 57% of Hogs Haven readers surveyed expressed confidence in the direction of the team. This past Sunday, the Commanders thrashed the Titans 42-19, and, seemingly as a result of that, this week, fan confidence bounced back up above 92%, where it had been from Week 3 to Week 12.

New report makes it unlikely that Ben Johnson would take Cowboys head coaching job – Blogging The Boys
In thinking back over all the comments Jones has made throughout this trying season, not one of them seems to suggest that the owner and general manager is willing to sit down with any coaching candidate and admit that he’s made mistakes in running his team. That would seem to suggest that any dreams of Johnson coaching the Cowboys next year are just that: a fantasy.

Big Blue View mailbag: What does the Giants’ future hold at QB, GM, head coach, more? – Big Blue View
New York Giants rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers has joined the ranks of the team’s injured players. Nabers did not practice on Friday due to a hip flexor injury he apparently sustained during Thursday’s practice. He is listed as questionable. Head coach Brian Daboll said Nabers underwent an MRI after suffering the injury. Linebacker Bobby Okereke (back), defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches (neck) and cornerback Deonte Banks (rib) did not practice for a third straight day. They have all been ruled out. The Giants placed star defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (dislocated elbow) and tight end Theo Johnson (Lisfranc) on injured reserve this week. Nabers, the team’s first-round pick, is their leading receiver with 75 receptions for 740 yards. Nabers has dealt with a groin issue throughout the season, and did miss two games earlier in the year with a concussion.

Dan Campbell’s gutsy fourth down decisions define the Lions – SB Nation
The Lions’ fourth down decisions are what give them an edge over other teams.