Practice Talk

Posted: May 24th, 2016 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 161 Comments »

Another Tuesday, another open practice for the media. As we always talk about, there are no hard conclusions to be found in these practices. We just get some hints about the players and the team.

We’ll start with Jimmy Bama’s notes.

On the second day of media access to Eagles OTAs, Sam Bradford was very sharp. He missed a wide open Zach Ertz on a sideline throw, but otherwise, Bradford was very accurate, delivering the ball with good placement and allowing receivers to get yards after the catch.

That is good to hear. The Eagles future is all about Carson Wentz, but the present is all about Sam Bradford. This time last year Bradford was rehabbing his knee. Being on the field and developing good chemistry with his teammates should make a difference. There isn’t any hitting or tackling, but QBs and receivers can work on their timing and really get something from these practices.

I don’t know what happened last year in the games that mattered, but there’s no question Nelson Agholor is talented. He snatched a deep crosser with his hands away from his body over the middle and then turned on the jets, running away from the safeties for a score. His acceleration is very impressive.

We’ve already talked a bit about Agholor and his need to play better this year. You could argue he’s the real X-factor on offense. Bradford has to be consistent. Ryan Mathews has to stay healthy. The OL has some very good pieces in place. Agholor has to show that he can be a good starting NFL receiver. If he can make plays this spring and summer, that should help his confidence.

Jimmy has some good depth chart info so be sure to check out his notes.

Jeff McLane also had good practice notes.

— The cornerback position – both outside spots and in the slot – is up for grabs. Leodis McKelvin and Ron Brooks have been the starters, partly, it would seem, because they both know Schwartz’s system from Buffalo. Jalen Mills got some first-team reps. The rookie broke up a jump ball down the sideline vs. Matthews. He has good length. Schwartz is just mixing and matching, and moving players around at this point. My guess is that the outside spots will eventually be McKelvin’s and Eric Rowe’s to lose. Rowe had a solid day. He had coverage on one Chase Daniel toss to Agholor and broke up another long Daniel pass. Rowe spends a lot of time between reps chatting with Cory Undlin. You can tell that Rowe is one of the defensive backs coach’s pet projects. Being a second-round pick helps, but Rowe looks very coachable. Cornerbacks Nolan Carroll (ankle) and JaCorey Shepherd (knee) participated in warmups and some individual drills, but are being held out of team drills for now.

Leodis McKelvin, Eric Rowe and Nolan Carroll are the 3 best corners on the team right now. Carroll isn’t fully healthy so that limits his reps. I think Jim Schwartz is smart to start McKelvin and Ron Brooks. Those guys know the system and allow the others to watch and learn as the starting D is out on the field.

Mills is interesting. The Eagles list him at S, but they are moving him around. After practice, Schwartz talked about Mills having good corner skills. It sounds like he is playing well there right now. The Eagles don’t have any stud CBs right now, but they could have a good competition this summer as these young, talented guys fight for roster spots and playing time.

— Wide receiver Rueben Randle had his gall bladder removed Monday. The surgery was deemed minor, but he will be out for a little while. I thought that Chris Givens, another receiver added in free agency this off-season, had a nice day. He toasted cornerback Denzel Rice at one point. When receiver Jonathan Krause beat Rice a short time later, Undlin and Schwartz pulled the corner in disgust. Agholor was active. He likes to talk on the field. A number of defensive backs (Jenkins, Brooks) gave him a hard time because it was his birthday (he turned 23).

Givens played well with Bradford for a year in St. Louis so it would be good to see him have a nice summer and push for playing time. Givens has good speed, something the Eagles need at receiver.

As for Denzel Rice, he is one of the young corners that is struggling right now. Rice played well enough to make the team as a rookie, but that doesn’t guarantee him anything this season. Every year we see a UDFA or late round pick that looked good last year struggle to stay at that level. Not everyone can stay hungry and play with the edge that helped them to make the team. No idea if that’s the case with Rice, but it has happened a lot in the past. That’s just human nature working against players. When you sample life in the NFL and make several hundred thousand dollars fresh out of college, it can be tough to stay focused.

Tim McManus wraps up the practice notes.

12:15 — We’re positioned on the same sideline as the players and coaches today, which is great because it lets us pick up on some of the interactions. Malcolm Jenkins sees the offense is in a personnel grouping that might give them some issues. He yells out the package number to Schwartz. After a beat, the defensive coordinator responds. “Stay in nickel. F__k ’em.”

“F__k ’em,” Jenkins relays. The following play is an incompletion.

Always love stories like this. You can see what a smart player Jenkins is. I think it is also good for the players and Schwartz to bond. He’s teaching them to have an attitude, which is important on defense. Offense is more about timing and execution. Attitude helps on defense, where attacking is the name of the game.

12:00 — Wentz is up and down today. Here he throws a beauty to Chris Givens down the right sideline and then finds Jordan Matthews streaking up the middle. As is his custom, Matthews turns upfield and races 40 yards to the end zone, still running long after the play is over in everyone else’s eyes.

12:22 — Wentz gets tangled up with a lineman, trips, and unleashes a sidearm pass on his way to the ground that somehow makes it to Trey Burton. Rookie growing pains.

12:35 — Red zone drills. Wentz fires a “touchdown” to Pantale. As he rejoins the quarterbacks, Wentz and Bradford share a laugh and then a high five. Maybe Pederson is right. Maybe all is right in the quarterback world. For now.

Wentz is supposed to be up and down. He’s a rookie in his first month of practices. The big thing you’re looking for is to see that the physical skills are legit. The pass to Burton shows how gifted Wentz is. He was off balance and was still able to get enough on the throw for it to get all the way outside. That’s not a play that Matt Barkley is pulling off.

*****

Thanks to all the beat writers who do such a terrific job of covering the practices for those of us who can’t be there to watch in person.

_


161 Comments on “Practice Talk”

  1. 1 daveH said at 10:54 PM on May 24th, 2016:

    Tom are you really talking about practice ?
    ..
    ..

    Sorry just had to respect AI

  2. 2 Mitchell said at 11:32 PM on May 24th, 2016:

    Its pretty strange that an otherwise healthy young man would need his gallbladder taken out. Usually its plump women in their 40s.

  3. 3 Brendan Ekstrom said at 12:27 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    I had to have mine removed at 30 after about ten years of prick doctors telling me nothing was wrong with me. It’s more common than you would think and apparently it’s often hereditary. A few people in my family had to have theirs removed as well.

  4. 4 Mitchell said at 7:25 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    I spent 2 weeks with gen. sugery during a clerkship. I dont remember any males getting it removed but Im sure they are out there.

  5. 5 RobNE said at 11:10 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    SSS?

  6. 6 Mitchell said at 6:55 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Huh?

  7. 7 Cafone said at 12:53 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    In the olden days, people like you would have been removed from the gene pool. Modern medicine is interfering with natural selection.

  8. 8 ChoTime said at 4:03 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Dayum.

  9. 9 CrackSammich said at 12:39 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    My old roommate had hers removed at 26-27.

  10. 10 eagleyankfan said at 10:02 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    was she plump?

  11. 11 Cafone said at 12:54 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    if so, can I have her number?

  12. 12 Tumtum said at 1:00 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Getting crushed by Dbacks when you try to body for the ball sound like something that might cause it trouble?

  13. 13 Mitchell said at 2:24 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Not really. It’s tucked under the liver so its kinda like asking if getting hit makes your liver hurt or something

  14. 14 anon said at 11:59 PM on May 24th, 2016:

    super bowls to alt, south florida (?) and LA – lame

  15. 15 Cafone said at 12:14 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    Maybe Georgia will put in some kind of anti-gay law and they will have to move it.

  16. 16 Media Mike said at 5:09 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    I wouldn’t wish that on the citizens of Georgia, but that would certainly put the NFL in a bad spot.

  17. 17 Bert's Bells said at 7:06 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    They’d have to ban the whole town of Savannah.

  18. 18 Media Mike said at 5:09 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    New stadium, always have one here, new stadium.

    And I heard that one for San Diego is a lock if they get their new stadium built.

  19. 19 Cafone said at 12:10 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    Theoretically, if Jason Peters and Ryan Mathews stay healthy for 16 games and they suffer no other significant injuries, the Eagles could be pretty good on offense this year.

  20. 20 Dude said at 12:57 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    I read somewhere that if Bradford throws 41 TD’s to 3 INT’s, the offense will be good, theoretically.

  21. 21 ChoTime said at 4:05 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    On paper, if SAM plays in regular season games like he does in no-pressure, vanilla preseason games, we will have a good offense, statistics say.

  22. 22 xmbk said at 8:33 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    You want to save the “everyone stayed healthy” years for when the team is ready to make a SB push. If you aren’t a playoff team when everyone stays healthy, you are an especially crappy franchise.

  23. 23 Tumtum said at 1:11 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    So we want to stay healthy this year then?

  24. 24 Tumtum said at 1:11 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    I get killed for saying it, but this team on paper has the ability of being very good.

  25. 25 Gian GEAGLE said at 1:12 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    You aren’t wrong at all… Think we are very capable of winning this division, especially if SAM has the big year 2 I expect him to have.
    ..
    I don’t think we will be able to contend with the big dogs, but no reason to expect anything less than a division crown. I think we will be good enough to get pissed off if we don’t win the division
    .
    But hopefully they keep underestimating us and allow us to fly under the radar. I like having our plays hear how they suck from everyone all summer

  26. 26 ACViking said at 1:14 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Yes . . . SAM.

  27. 27 Tumtum said at 2:08 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    See I don’t think Sam needs to be anything more than he was after the first 1/4 of last season.

  28. 28 Gian GEAGLE said at 4:41 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    He doesn’t have to be more, but I don’t see how we could have possibly seen the best he was capable of last year after a Two year hiatus playing behind an OL that was probably much worse than what he will enjoy this year. His young weapons being one yeàr older… I don’t see why he wouldn’t be better than he was last year, better WR coach

  29. 29 Tumtum said at 3:01 PM on May 26th, 2016:

    Yeah man. That is the hope. My eggs are in the defense basket to win the division though. If the offense turns out to be better than KC (very well could), that will be a nice bonus.

  30. 30 P_P_K said at 1:16 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    I think the same thing but we might just be homers. I think Vegas has our over/under wins at 7.5. That’s vanilla.

  31. 31 Tumtum said at 2:07 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Yeah, could be wearing green goggles. In my mind I’m being objective. I have a strange feeling, and I really don’t know how the math would work. I think the odds of us winning 10 games is probably lower than if we were CK’s team still. On the other hand I would put our odds at going deep in the post-season a good deal higher.

    There is so much projection of unknowns due to the coaching change and drafting of a rookie QB, I think any prediction if proved right would be more a result of blind luck than anything else at this point. May as well be optimistic then, right?!

  32. 32 James said at 12:33 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    Reports have been saying that the offense has been torching the defense. I am sure the defense will have it’s growing pains, but so should the offense. I have been expecting the defense to carry the team this year, so I hope they can pull things together, especially when the pads go on and when/if Cox is back..

  33. 33 anon said at 12:38 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    no pads/touching makes it way easier for offense

  34. 34 James said at 2:52 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    Yes it does. Although the article said the defense was ‘a mess’ (or something akin to that).

  35. 35 Anders said at 5:55 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    Unless you have great CBs, defenses always look like a mesh because there is zero real pass rush, no contact during routes etc.

  36. 36 Gian GEAGLE said at 9:10 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    Actually there have been Practives were the defense got the best of the offense…
    .
    And Schwartz yesterday told the media that it was a crappy day of practice for his defense… The Negativity sorrounding the defense was only based off yesterday’s practice,,, you can find notes of practice sessions where the defense was flying around and getying the best of the offense… Schwartz didn’t even have all his starting personnel yesterday. He started Jalen Mills because he wanted to see how he can looks against our better WRs.
    ..
    Defense is a mess tallk was just based on yesterday’s practice, not the general state of our defense
    ..
    We are still installing new plays each day. For new coaches, OTAs are all about teaching the new offense and defense to the players. This is a time for learning, trying to improve their grasp of the playbook each day, and try to improve their technique each day from the day before
    ..
    How the Offense and Defense do each day against each other during OTAs isn’t going to paint the most accurate picture

  37. 37 Tumtum said at 1:09 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    The defense is pretty much only there to help the offense. This part of the offseason only helps them with their playbook knowledge. They can’t bump, they can’t rush.

    Sure the DBs get to run around do stuff, but it is sort of the equivalent of tying their hands behind their back and having them box.

  38. 38 Dude said at 1:08 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    “That’s not a play that Matt Barkley is pulling off.”

    Phew… I was worried we gave up on him too soon!

  39. 39 Bert's Bells said at 9:12 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    If Barkley got the Bradford treatment, he’d have a phalanx of apologists for his inability to rise about third string.

  40. 40 Dude said at 12:09 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    So true.

  41. 41 ChoTime said at 4:06 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Great to hear that Barkley is the baseline for Wentz.

  42. 42 Media Mike said at 5:05 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    Glad to see the team getting some work in. Hopefully the full 90 roster will be out there soon and healthy.

  43. 43 xmbk said at 8:40 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    Schwartz publicly questioning Pederson’s decision to award Bradford the starting spot? A guy with NFL head coach experience questioning his rookie coach is, at the very least, interesting.

  44. 44 Gian GEAGLE said at 8:43 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    Lol thats not what happened at all… Just our tabloid media trash twisting words

  45. 45 xmbk said at 9:07 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    Actually, it’s probably me twisting words. He may very well not have meant it that way, but I don’t think he should be publicly questioning Pederson’s moves. At least let him lose a few games first.

  46. 46 Gian GEAGLE said at 9:10 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    he didn’t question Pedersons decision AT ALL!!!
    ..
    Go watch the press Confrence. You will feel very different about it

  47. 47 A_T_G said at 10:54 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    So yesterday Schwartz said: “Don’t judge him on somebody else, and then also don’t predetermine the results of the race. Just let him go play. Don’t put pressure on him.” about Wentz, seeming to imply what you said about Bradford.

    Today, Reich added to the discussion on the radio with this when asked about Pederson referring to Bradford as the #1: “No, that’s probably not the right impression…to say that there’s not competition, that’s just the furthest thing from the truth.”

    I am not sure this is Schwartz stepping out of line as much as it is a coordinated effort to shift the perception of the QB situation. First, Pederson says what is needed to bring Bradford back into hand, then the subordinates start redirecting the conversation.

  48. 48 xmbk said at 10:56 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    I would love to see that level of cohesion. Be a welcome change at the Linc.

  49. 49 Gian GEAGLE said at 5:55 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    The impression I got was that Schwartz was talking about his experience with how he handled Matt Stafford when he made Those comments… But of course it’s moe fun for the media to make it about Wentz.. His only real comment about Wentz was that he will Develope at his own pace

  50. 50 A_T_G said at 7:11 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    The question was certainly framed about Stafford. And appears on the mothership that way, but the answer with it seems conviently broad. Combined with today’s comments from Reich, I am not surprised people paid to connect dots are drawing lines.

    Think Wentz as you read this, the dots aren’t that far apart:

    “…don’t predetermine the results of the race. Just let him go play. Don’t put pressure on him. I can’t speak for Carson and what’s going on. I have my own worries. … But I think that when we drafted Stafford, we just let it play. Was he our best quarterback? Was he ready? Unfortunately, he got hurt both his first and second year … He learned those lessons, and his third year he really, really took off.”

    That could certainly be planted in order to bloom into a full-blown rationale later.

  51. 51 Gian GEAGLE said at 9:03 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    Schwartz said he has no depth chart now and That he is reserving judgment until the pads come on, and that jobs will be won or lost in training camp/preseason
    ..
    He says that he is using OTAs to mix and match his personnel to get a look at what is best combo of players, and he will mix and match to get a look at how his players perform against diffrent offensive players, for example he wanted to start Jalen Mills yesterday to see how he does against our #1 WRs after Mills has been practicing against second and third string WRs
    .
    Important to remember that coaches are still implementing their scheme and introducing new plays in practice, so realistically guys can’t even really start competing until training camp once players have a decent grasp of The schemes
    .
    Guys are just competing against themselves right now, trying to improve their technique each day and get more and more comfortable with the playbook each day
    ,.
    OTAs are just the training needed to be ready to play fast enough to compete during Camp… Hard to show your best when you have to think too much

  52. 52 P_P_K said at 9:08 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    I think Schwartz has the talent and personality to be loved by Eagles fans. The new JJ.

  53. 53 Gian GEAGLE said at 1:08 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    I agree.. But he needs to stick around for 3-4 years for that to happen… But not if he leaves,for a Headcoaching job in two years
    ..
    Just salvaging MS2’s and Vinny Currys eagle careers will make schwartz adored in Philly

  54. 54 P_P_K said at 1:13 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    That’s a good point. Success could lead him elsewhere. Unless Pederson screws up and then Schwartz could step into his shoes. Not my hope, not my hope.

  55. 55 Gian GEAGLE said at 1:17 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Hopefully we have enough success the next two years, look to be growing into a contender enough to get him to stick around long enough to see if we can do something special… Two years from now, if he sees a team THATS ready to contend, he could put his HC aspirations on hold for a year or two and try taking advantage of a window to win here….. He is going to be a HC again some day, THATS certain… He doesn’t have a Super Bowl ring tho, so hopefully we create a window to contend that ends up keeping him here and postponing his HC aspirations
    .
    I assume jim Johnson could have become a HC if he wanted to leave Philly

  56. 56 ACViking said at 1:25 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    I assume jim Johnson could have become a HC if he wanted to leave Philly.
    _____________

    . . .

    JJ was already 58 when he joined the Eagles. (And 68 when he passed after the ’08 season.)

    According to Reid, he desperately wanted a shot at a HC position.

    But, because of his age, teams wouldn’t interview him.

  57. 57 Cafone said at 10:09 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Or, if they don’t have success, they fire Pederson and promote Schwartz.

  58. 58 eagleyankfan said at 10:03 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    OTA’s = baseline, shake some cobwebs, say hi to a few people. As long as I don’t read about any serious injuries – OTA’s were a success.

  59. 59 Bert's Bells said at 10:12 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    O/U on the inappropriate use of “vanilla” in the next 8 weeks? I set the line at 4 bazillion.

    Take note: vanilla is the second most expensive foodstuff on earth after saffron.

  60. 60 A_T_G said at 10:37 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    I think movie theater popcorn might give them a run for their money.

  61. 61 Bert's Bells said at 10:42 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    Good point.

    Preseason: Better git yo popcorn.

  62. 62 P_P_K said at 12:27 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    I know saffron is difficult to gather, had no idea about vanilla being expensive. Learned something new, thanks.

  63. 63 Bert's Bells said at 2:41 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Read something in New Scientist (?) a few weeks back about climate change in Madagascar almost driving vanilla to extinction.

  64. 64 Tumtum said at 12:39 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Over

  65. 65 Cafone said at 12:49 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Vanilla seems like the perfect expression for the QB situation then: Expensive but not very exciting.

  66. 66 Tumtum said at 12:56 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    May not be exciting but there is a reason it is by farm the most popular flavor in the U.S! Why? This country loves winners. Vanilla is a winner. I endorse vanilla.

  67. 67 ChoTime said at 4:09 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Vanilla is sublime. Check out Haagen Daz 5.

  68. 68 ChoTime said at 4:08 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Sam Bradford lit up the defense with its predictable, vanilli_n_* scheme.
    *cheap artificial substitute for natural vanilla.

  69. 69 Rellihcs said at 10:14 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Ok, but is vanilla icecream rare, hard to get, and expensive? It’s more about the mundane and boring ubiquitous ice cream flavor. Get it now?

    Part of speech too – it’s an adjective used in sports similes… not a noun.

  70. 70 Bert's Bells said at 2:23 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    So you’re taking the over.

  71. 71 Rellihcs said at 9:47 AM on May 27th, 2016:

    Nah, I’d take 2.5 bazillion.

  72. 72 anon said at 11:45 AM on May 25th, 2016:

    So Frank Reich says QB competition

  73. 73 P_P_K said at 12:26 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Who will be the first to say “QB controversy”?

  74. 74 Gian GEAGLE said at 12:59 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    It’s not a controversy one when QB is head and shoulders above the rest… If Reicht wants to make Wentz and Chase feel better by calling it a competition, be my guest. Call it what we want, unrealistic to expect Wentz to beat out SAM this summer, especially since SAM is typically pretty awesome with a red jersey on

  75. 75 P_P_K said at 1:11 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    It’s not a controversy in a world of reason and logic. You must be forgeting we are in Eagles-land.

  76. 76 Gian GEAGLE said at 1:18 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    This is also true… The land where idiots support even Tebow

  77. 77 Ryan Rambo said at 1:51 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Good thing I live in Texas.

  78. 78 Cafone said at 2:12 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Chip Kelly didn’t have faith in Tebow and now he’s been exiled to Sodom.

  79. 79 Cafone said at 1:05 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    I predict the first QB controversy will occur between Daniel and Wentz when Bradford inevitably goes down with an injury.

  80. 80 P_P_K said at 1:10 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    I adapt: “I know very little about darkness, Mr Cafone, except that we cannot stop its coming.”

  81. 81 Cafone said at 1:01 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Another training camp where the biggest story is the third string quarterback who will probably never take a regular season snap.

  82. 82 Tumtum said at 1:03 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    I haven’t seen the most important detail from these practices revealed. What type of sleeves is Wentz wearing?

    If they are long, I’m done with this team forever.

  83. 83 ChoTime said at 4:10 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Dude is from ND, isn’t he? It’ll probably be hard to get him to wear a shirt, let alone long sleeves.

  84. 84 Lord of the Rings said at 2:37 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    if anything just the defensive coach change is enough to be excited about this season. Schwartz will be a huge upgrade and will get these guys fired up. the offense could win some games but you know what they say, defense wins some games too.

  85. 85 Aaron said at 2:47 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Now, bow to zod

  86. 86 P_P_K said at 4:40 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Meanwhile, in SF, a 49ers beat reporter tweets:
    “During the 49ers’ team period, they ran 24 plays in eight minutes. That’s one snap every 20 seconds.”

    Same ol’ same ol’.

  87. 87 Gian GEAGLE said at 4:45 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    “Ask any of the coaches that were with me in philly, they can tell you that I haven’t changed anything”-chip
    .
    His ego is so out of touch that I don’t think he realizes that telling the media he hasn’t changed anything since last years disaster ISNT perceived as a good thing

  88. 88 Sean Stott said at 4:56 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    It’s cool. When it doesn’t work he can just blame it on execution. Works every time.

  89. 89 Lord of the Rings said at 6:13 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    it has worked before. so you never know.

  90. 90 xmbk said at 6:09 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Will be very interesting.

  91. 91 Will:Howie is Nino Brown said at 7:35 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    He’s trolling

  92. 92 laeagle said at 3:04 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    Good way to burn those bad habits right in there.

  93. 93 Anders said at 3:33 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    Last year they was down to around 13-15 sec per snap, so they are slow right now.

  94. 94 MagHelpsHubby.... said at 4:25 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    Navarro Bowman and some others like it. Like Parcells and Coughlin have both said, work real hard in practice and you won’t get so tired late in games.

  95. 95 anon said at 5:02 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    “As a former head coach, has Doug Pederson used you as a resource?

    I think Doug is very good at using a lot of different resources. We have a lot of different experiences on the staff. Some guys were here last year, that’s valuable
    insight to him. I’ve been a head coach before. I think that’s valuable insight to him. I think that’s one of the good things about him. He doesn’t have very much of an ego and he’s open minded when it comes to a lot of different things. The same thing goes with players. I see him talking to players all the time and getting their input on things. I think that’s all important. He’s going to make his own decisions. He’s his own man, and he’s going to have to find his own way. But sometimes people can have a little different — you know, a little different input
    or a little different experience that he might be able to draw from. He’s not shy about asking anybody their opinion.”

  96. 96 Media Mike said at 5:49 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    That’s encouraging to hear.

  97. 97 unhinged said at 5:59 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Schwartz does an awesome PC. He’s cool and confident, and he isn’t trying to sell anything. He has provided a very good reason to watch this defense closely. If Pederson is a big question mark, our DC is an exclamation point.

  98. 98 Gian GEAGLE said at 6:18 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Doug has also sounded better in his most recent press confrences, seems to be getting more comfortable..
    ..
    Can’t be worst than the bumbling idiot that was a Tomasula press conference in San Fran

  99. 99 daveH said at 8:24 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Respect the new DC .. no dnoyc to the DC

  100. 100 Rellihcs said at 10:06 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    What on earth is dnoyc?

  101. 101 daveH said at 11:15 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    (Deez nuts on yoor chin) little dr dre humor

  102. 102 Insomniac said at 6:13 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    sounds like a leader to me unlike the last coach here.

  103. 103 MagHelpsHubby.... said at 4:22 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    How silly. And untrue.

  104. 104 Gian GEAGLE said at 7:48 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    Fishwife strikes again,,. Smh

  105. 105 Sean Stott said at 5:30 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Holy shit the DNC convention in Philly is going to get so nasty. Feel bad for you guys.

  106. 106 Media Mike said at 5:48 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    It’ll be a good time. The rancor crowd on team D will have calmed down by then while the real demonstrative aggression will be in Cleveland.

  107. 107 Sean Stott said at 5:55 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    I might have predicted that a couple of months ago but at this point the GOP is almost entirely behind Trump, while the Dems are squabbling amongst themselves. You have the superdelegate BS, talks about booting DWS, the fact that Hillary violated security laws, tons of Bernie supporters who would rather vote Trump than Hillary, the fact that Bernie polls better against Trump than Hillary, oh, and Hillary running on a pro-woman platform when she enabled sexual abuse of Bill Clinton and even went so far as to try to discredit the women Bill harassed.

    The whole thing is insane and it might be funny if it weren’t so tragic.

  108. 108 RobNE said at 5:57 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Very objectively stated.

  109. 109 Gian GEAGLE said at 6:01 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    I don’t like Hillary trying to be slick appealing to the UFO community about how she will get to the bottom of it and provide “disclosure”.. Knowing Damn well that even if there is something to “Disclose” she will end up hiding behind “National security”… It’s such a lame cheap trick to appeal to a sub demographic of people… She will send a team into Area 51 to get to the bottom of what’s going on there? Give me a break, don’t make me laugh…lf people fall for this silly trick, thats a damn shame…. Hopefully there aremt millions of desperate UFO nuts

  110. 110 Lord of the Rings said at 8:20 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    trump hates aliens

  111. 111 anon said at 8:29 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    It’s not like your vote matters less if you’re stupid…

  112. 112 Gian GEAGLE said at 7:47 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    Sad but true…. Such a lame attempt to reach a sub demographic of fools

  113. 113 Rellihcs said at 10:00 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Yeah, most important policy issue is definitely UFO policy…wait…what!?

  114. 114 unhinged said at 6:04 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    To me, the only tragedy will occur if and when the money-obsessed DNC slam the door on Bernie and hand the general election to the boor with money and no class.

  115. 115 anon said at 8:31 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    That’d be sad, but we live in a democracy so you get the leader you deserve.

  116. 116 unhinged said at 9:22 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Where’s your evidence?

  117. 117 Dude said at 3:35 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    We live in a republic. “And to the Republic, for which it stands.”

    The main difference is you don’t vote for laws (democracy); you vote for a representative (republic). That representative is supposed to vote for the laws that they said they would vote for while they were campaigning. But there’s no law holding them to that standard. That’s how you get, “Read my lips, no new taxes!”

  118. 118 bill said at 8:18 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    Heh. The Feds just shot down a law that would have required financial advisors to be subject to fiduciary duty. Seriously. You think the pols are going to subject themselves any sort of duty, even if it is simply honesty? “Not gonna happen…”

  119. 119 anon said at 8:29 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    “when she enabled sexual abuse of Bill Clinton and even went so far as to try to discredit the women Bill harassed” — when she did was most any wife would do?

    I hate that all this crap from the 90s is getting brought like Hillary actually did any of this stuff. Trump throwing lots of stones for a guy that builds all glass buildings.

  120. 120 Rob Jarratt said at 9:42 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Are you Donald Drumpf? You sound just like him. Do you have orange hair?

  121. 121 Rellihcs said at 9:59 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Yep, and the republican party was the one who had a clear decision the whole way. They were about Trump the whole time while the Ds had 18 candidates with “kids table” secondary debate lineups….oh wait…

    And there was no controversy about Trump. Perfectly clean record, never lied, never did any unethical or potential illegal activities. Upstanding citizen who always did whats best for the greater good of the country…oh…wait…

    Your point is 100% logical and reasonable, if you remove a 1 and a 0.

  122. 122 daveH said at 8:21 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    They truly are a nasty mob .. heres a massive double DNOYCDNOYC to the DNC

  123. 123 ChoTime said at 8:24 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    They’re as angry as Republicans!

  124. 124 daveH said at 8:31 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Always. And ruder and always ready to fight and call you nssty names if you dont agree with them … they left nyc a disgusting mess a few yrs back

  125. 125 Cafone said at 10:03 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    You will be the first to the guillotine when we overthrow the corporate oligarchy.

  126. 126 Rellihcs said at 10:20 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    when liberals call republicans stupid and evil, it’s not calling them names. It’s describing how they are! It’s not saying “you’re stupid” as opposed to “you are daveH”. Don’t be stupid, daveH.

  127. 127 daveH said at 11:19 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Sorry u lost me.
    I googled yhe DNC in NYC and cant believe it was ’92 . . But it was a big deal for the city to have it.. but all the press was ‘never again’.. like the meanest set of tourists ever

  128. 128 laeagle said at 3:02 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    Yeah, it’s like they actually sucker punch people, and are whipped up to violence by the candidates themselves! Wait, which party are we talking about here?

  129. 129 Cafone said at 8:22 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    write in Bernie Sanders forever

  130. 130 unhinged said at 9:50 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Does that mean you are outside of the neoliberal corporatocracy?

  131. 131 Gian GEAGLE said at 6:09 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    I have this reoccuring day dream of Schwartz sucker punching Chip

  132. 132 Sean Stott said at 6:10 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    I would call that more of a fantasy than a day dream.

  133. 133 Gian GEAGLE said at 6:12 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    I’d love to hear the Schwartz pregame pep talk for the first time he leads the Eagles defense against chips offense… Over/under 37 “Fucks” in that pregame speech

  134. 134 Gian GEAGLE said at 6:15 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Holy dysfunctipnal Juan Castillio, “Tzar of defense” had Kendricks responsible for 4 gaps playing behind the wide 9 at times during his rookie year….. That’s so absurd, it’s tough to even believe if it wasn’t for the mess we witnessed
    ..
    Safe to say Schwartz has a little betyet understanding of the wide 9 than Juan did

  135. 135 Will:Howie is Nino Brown said at 7:32 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    The wide 9 was stapled onto an already questionable defense. It’s no wonder it never worked. You had Washburn and an OL coach staring right into the sun

  136. 136 wee2424 said at 1:34 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    Not only that but besides Cole, Jenkins, and Babin the personal were simply not meant to play in the wide 9.

  137. 137 Anders said at 3:30 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    most likely a typo or mishear, more likely he had the A and the D gap, not A trough D. But still crazy that the MLB would have two gaps so far from each other and only reason he needed the D gap is because the DEs didnt have any then

  138. 138 MagHelpsHubby.... said at 4:17 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    Just because MK thought he was supposed to cover 4 gaps doesn’t actually make it so. I believe his grasp of the overall picture has been questioned before.

  139. 139 Gian GEAGLE said at 7:53 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    Lol

  140. 140 meteorologist said at 9:04 PM on May 26th, 2016:

    Hahahaha

  141. 141 Gian GEAGLE said at 7:44 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    Not a typo.. He said it in an interview and then talked about how absurd it was to ask him to cover A, B, C and D gap.. He talked about it as If it was the dumbest thing ever asked of him, which it Probably is

  142. 142 Gian GEAGLE said at 6:24 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    The video of Brooks vs JJ Watt going against each other in Texans training camp put a smile on my face

  143. 143 Nick C said at 6:25 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Why is Nelson Agholor buying a jugs machine in the offseason actually news? Why the hell wouldn’t every NFL receiver have a freaking jugs machine?

  144. 144 wee2424 said at 7:22 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    It shouldnt be news, but not every WR needs it. Thats why not every WR has it.

  145. 145 Will:Howie is Nino Brown said at 7:23 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    I don’t know, but it’s 100% better than he stuff he could be buying.

  146. 146 ChoTime said at 8:20 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    I get your drift, but is there actually any proof they work?

  147. 147 Rellihcs said at 9:53 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Do we really need proof to know that they work 100% better than trying to practice catching balls when nobody is throwing them to you, without the jugs machine?

  148. 148 BlindChow said at 1:27 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    Seriously, with all the time we heard Matthews spent on the jugs machine the last two years, I have serious doubts as to their efficacy.

    Perhaps the problem with drops isn’t simply a mechanical issue but one of concentration that just isn’t replicated when standing alone in front of a machine.

  149. 149 A_T_G said at 10:05 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Better yet, why isn’t Howie working it in as part of the salary package?

  150. 150 Anders said at 3:29 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    You cant. If the team buys him a jugs machine, it will count as salary and count as cap

  151. 151 Cafone said at 8:24 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Apparently DeSean Jackson is not attending voluntary activities. It sounds like a great time for Howie to give Washington a call. How about Jackson for Josh Huff and Taylor Hart?

  152. 152 anon said at 8:25 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Jackson never attends. Makes me wonder if it’s part of the reason he was sidelined with a hammy for half of last year.

  153. 153 eagleyankfan said at 9:23 PM on May 26th, 2016:

    Death taxes and Cafones never ending heart ache over DJ…….let it go man…not healthy to keep it bottled up….lol

  154. 154 anon said at 8:26 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    Brandon Boykin getting no love from Falcons — report said maybe he has a hip issue.

  155. 155 Gian GEAGLE said at 7:52 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    Who could have guessed that Boykin has become almost as untouchable as Cooper….good kid, hope someone gives him a chance and he lands on his feet

  156. 156 OakBrigade said at 9:18 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    This year’s practice battles are much more interesting. Can’t wait to see how the roster will look at training camp.

  157. 157 Dragon_Eagle said at 9:30 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    And there is your 2016 Eagles Battlecry, “Stay in the nickel! F__k ’em!” Or just “F__k ’em!” for short.

  158. 158 A_T_G said at 10:03 PM on May 25th, 2016:

    “F__k ’em!” will be a welcome change from last year’s “F__k me!”, “F__k you!” and, of course, “F__k my life!”

  159. 159 anon said at 3:01 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    The New York Post reports Eric Decker is skipping Jets OTAs “because he is upset the organization has yet to sign Ryan Fitzpatrick.”

  160. 160 Gian GEAGLE said at 7:43 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    Not the greatest vote of confidence for Geno smith

  161. 161 anon said at 9:30 AM on May 26th, 2016:

    or hack, or hat dude they drafted last year