The Stretch Run

There are seven games left in the 2019 season. The Eagles are 5-4, which is disappointing. The Eagles are also tied for the division lead, which is important. They still control their fate. If the Eagles play well down the stretch, they’ll make the postseason. They don’t need luck to get in.

Any talk of the playoffs raises a couple of key questions. First, why should anyone have faith in this team? Second, even if this team does get in, can they really do anything?

The Eagles are flawed, but still talented.

Carson Wentz
Jason Kelce
Brandon Brooks
Lane Johnson
Zach Ertz
Fletcher Cox

Those players are among the best in the league at their respective positions. That isn’t hype, it’s reality. Those are blue chip players.

Then you have guys like Jordan Howard, Brandon Graham and Dallas Goedert. They aren’t necessarily stars, but are very good.

This team has talent.

The slow start is due to a variety of factors. Some players have underachieved (Alshon Jeffery for instance). Injuries have been a factor, at times causing players to miss games and other times limiting their performance when they did play.

Losses to ATL and DET featured key mistakes. In Atlanta, Nelson Agholor failed to catch the winning TD pass. Isaac Seumalo played his worst game of the year by far and that really held the offense back. The loss to the Lions was filled with dropped passes, including two on the final drive that would have put the Eagles in FG range. If the Eagles had won both or even just one of those games, you would feel very differently about this team.

The butt-kickings by the Vikings and Cowboys were bad. Injuries played a huge part in those games, but the Eagles still had enough talent to play better and be more competitive than they were. Those losses certainly make it hard to buy into this team.

But I think the team is legitimately improving. Jalen Mills has been a big help since returning from injury. LB T.J. Edwards has done a good job since getting onto the field. Fletcher Cox seems to get better each week. Avonte Maddox has helped since taking over in the slot. The coaches have figured out how to get the most out of Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders. The screen game, whether to TEs or RBs, has been very effective in recent weeks.

The addition of Jordan Matthews should help the offense. If he can just catch 2 or 3 balls a game, that will give a boost to the passing game. Tim Jernigan should be healthier and more effective this week. Nigel Bradham could be back from his injury. Cre’Von LeBlanc will start practicing soon. DE/LB Genard Avery should become a valuable role player down the stretch.

The team hasn’t maxed out. There is still a lot of room for improvement. Under Doug Pederson, the Eagles have played some of their best football in the final month or so. This team has the potential to get a lot better as more players return and as the other guys get better.

The defense has played very well the past two weeks. Getting healthier has made a real difference. Those were week opponents, but the Eagles did what they were supposed to. They controlled both games. Neither team scored more than 14 points and both struggled to move the ball.

The offense is among the best in the league on third downs and in the Red Zone. They have scored 30 or more points four times in nine games. Last year the Eagles scored 30 or more three times in the entire season. This offense produced good numbers against top defenses the past two weeks. The run game has really come alive.

It sure feels like the offense and the defense are both trending in the right direction.

Let’s say the Eagles are able to go 5-2 down the stretch and they do win the NFC East. Can they really make some noise in the postseason?

Absolutely.

We saw last year that the regular season doesn’t have to define you. The 9-7 Eagles went on the road and upset the 12-4 Bears. The Eagles then went down to play the 13-3 Saints. The Eagles led at halftime, but ended up losing 20-14. The team was in position to steal that game at the end, but AJ had a pass go through his hands and right to a DB.

Go back to 2008. The Eagles went 9-6-1 and were a couple of plays from going to the Super Bowl. Get in and you have a chance.

You know Carson Wentz is desperate to play in the postseason. If the Eagles can get there, he will do everything in his power to win the game. The Eagles went 4-1 in the postseason over the past two years. This team isn’t afraid of January.

They just have to show they can get there.

*****

The NFL announced the Week 12 matchup between the Eagles and Seahawks on Sunday, November 24 at Lincoln Financial Field has been moved from an 8:20 p.m. kickoff on NBC to a 1 p.m. kickoff on FOX. pic.twitter.com/sbvaDqq77M

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) November 12, 2019

Good. I hate night games.

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