Bonding

Posted: October 27th, 2018 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | Comments Off on Bonding

One of the reasons coaches used to love to go away for Training Camp is that they valued having players spending time together and bonding. No one was with their family or girlfriend. No one was just sitting at home alone. The players roomed together and did everything as a group. Coaches felt that bonding helped them develop as a team.

Teams no longer travel for Training Camp, but creative coaches do take advantage of other travel opportunities. Last year the Eagles played consecutive games on the west coast. Rather than going back and forth, the Eagles spent the week between games down in Los Angeles. The Eagles then went out and got their biggest win of the year.

They might have won without spending the week on the road, but coaches and players felt the trip helped them.

With the Eagles in London for Sunday’s game against the Jaguars, the Eagles are having another travel opportunity. This isn’t for an extended time, but the team is in a strange setting. That tends to make people more insular. That could serve as a good bonding event for the players.

After a tough loss, being on the road can be a help. Players don’t want to be told over and over how they blew last week’s game. They want to move on to the next game. The best way to do that is to get away from home. There are a ton of Eagles fans in London so players won’t be in a completely foreign setting, but those fans are likely to be more celebratory, seeing this trip as a fun event rather than a 3-4 team playing in a crucial game.

Being in the UK won’t be some magic elixir. The hope is that the trip will bring the players closer together and that will help them play better.

The bottom line is that the players must execute better and clean up their mistakes, whether the game is played in London, Philly or Haddonfield, Illinois.

*****

Cool.

Will be even cooler if the team actually wins.

*****

I’m glad to hear Jason is cognizant of the fact he’s been up and down. He needs to play better. One of the reasons a team will underachieve is that some stars and other key players are underachieving.

This has to be JP’s final season with the Eagles. I want him to go out in the right way, playing well and helping this team get back to the postseason.

*****

Would be good for Ngata to play against the Jags. They’ll want to run the ball. Ngata can help shut down the inside.

*****

Jacksonville has one of the best pass defenses in the league, but with a trio of CBs out, you have to think Doug Pederson will have Carson Wentz testing that secondary.

The Jags have been vulnerable to the run. The Eagles need to get that part of their offense going. Pederson, the runners and the blockers all must do a better job for the run game to really come alive. Just calling more run plays isn’t the answer.

_

Comments are closed.