Dear Philadelphia: Are You Ready for Some Football?
Dear Philadelphia,
We’re just days away from the season opener against the Washington Football Team.
The off-season that seemed as if it would never come to an end is finally winding down. And boy, this couldn’t come soon enough. The Sixers were swept in the first round against the Boston Celtics and the Flyers after a phenomenal season fell short in game seven of the conference semifinals against the New York Islanders. To save your sanity we won’t even discuss how horrific the Phillies bullpen looks this season. It’s not a really good time in Philadelphia sports right now, to say the least.
Yet long behold, here comes the Eagles as the last chance to shed some light on 2020.
For the first time since the playoff loss to the Seahawks in January, the Eagles prepare for play in a football game. So long to training camp tweets of how this player looks and pictures of that player in practice attire. The opportunity just how this Eagles unit looks is finally upon us. There are so many different storylines to watch as the Birds take the field on Sunday. For starters, on Monday Doug Pederson finally put the Eagles problems at left tackle to rest with Jason Peters electing to return to his original position.
As excited as Eagles fans are with Peters making the switch, no one might be happier than quarterback Carson Wentz.
Wentz’s blindside now has a sense of stability. Which is much needed because not only do you want to protect your $128m quarterback. Then when you consider the matchup against second overall pick Chase Young looming it certainly wouldn’t be ideal to trot out let’s say Matt Pryor at left tackle. Crazy idea, right?
As for Pryor, he is scheduled to slide over to the right guard position (according to the Eagles depth chart released) that he played to end the 2019 season, again filling in for Brandon Brooks who suffered a torn Achilles’ tendon back in June.
Speaking of Chase Young, as we mentioned the Birds will travel to FedEx Field on Sunday for a matchup with The Football Team (Gosh, this is going to take some getting used to). The Eagles fans won’t be making the trip with the team this to visit their “home away from home” this season. As we know though, due to the COVID-19 outbreak fans will not be allowed in various NFL teams stadiums, Washington and Philadelphia both being included. However, there are three things guaranteed in life; death, taxes, and Philly fans tailgating for an Eagles game.
So, if you’re looking for a safe and socially distant way to cheer on the Birds, there happens to be an Eagles fan who owns a drive-in venue that will broadcast the game for $40. The venue has a 40-foot video screen, holds up to 150 vehicles, and will offer a DJ and a food stand.
You can’t fight the inevitable, and the ‘bleed green’ mentality Eagles fans possess is what this city and this team thrive off. Simply as former Eagles linebacker, Ike Reese put it:
While it hurts that fans will not be able to support the Eagles inside the confines of Lincoln Financial Field or just about any other stadium for the foreseeable future. The fact that we’re even able to watch the Birds at all should not be taken for granted because as we know it can all be taken away in an instance.
Just like the NBA, NHL, MLB, and every other sport that was forced into a work stoppage due to the outbreak. Yet with all of the anticipation that surrounds the Birds heading into this season, it’s almost to easy to get caught up in the hype.
The Eagles acquired Fletcher Cox a running mate in Javon Hargrave to go along with Hassan Ridgeway and the Malik Jackson who Cox sounded ecstatic to have back in the rotation after the first padded practice of training camp.
“I just feel like today me and Malik kind of picked up where we left off from that first game last year. He’s healthy right now, and when we get [Javon] back, it should be good depth right there in the rotation.”
With the front four intact, the Eagles went hunting for a lockdown cornerback and came away with three-time Pro Bowler, Darius Slay. In fact, the Eagles completely remade most of the secondary bringing in a few new faces such as Nickell Robey-Coleman, Will Parks, and K’Von Wallace. Now as the Eagles head into the 2020 season, with Jalen Mills making a move to safety, the only returning cornerbacks on the roster from the 2019 season will be Avonte Maddox and Cre’Von LeBlanc. So long to Rasul Douglas, Ronald Darby, and Sidney Jones and hello to a unit that Roseman prophesied would make the games more pleasurable, aside from the group that made it “hard when you’re watching games and the ball is getting thrown over your head.” While the Eagles have fielded at the top 12 defense in terms of points allowed in each of the last three seasons, this year’s unit has an opportunity to provide a boost much like the one the 2017 group did.
When you think about the Eagles offense it’s hard for the improved arsenal not to be amongst the top topics of discussion. For the first time in his young career, Carson Wentz has a multitude of weapons that could be considered ‘burners’. After an injury scare during a team scrimmage on August 30, first-round pick Jalen Reagor is scheduled to make his first career start in his first career game. He had been trending in the right direction, participating in practice in a limited capacity during the week, and is no longer listed on the injury report. Fifth-round speedster John Hightower is also quickly becoming a coaching staff favorite after making a big-time play in what seemed like every practice. Then, of course, DeSean Jackson makes his long-anticipated return to the Eagles lineup, Wentz has his fair share of options defenses will have to consider deep threats as the season progresses.
Can’t you already picture Carson Wentz throwing a 50+ yard bomb to DeSean Jackson to open the season? Pretty weird, right?
It’s almost like it’s happened before or something. Oh, right.
With all the talk of an improved roster, we haven’t even had a chance to touch on the changes the Eagles made to the coaching staff during the off-season. While it is said that Doug Pederson was initially”irritated, pissed off, and frustrated by the miscommunication leading to the firing of Mike Groh and Carson Walsh back in January. An unnamed source reports that Pederson became okay with the events at some point, after meeting with owner Jeffery Lurie.
Since then the Eagles went on a quest to find Pederson an offensive coordinator and end up with a plethora of minds but no official offensive coordinator. It remains to be seen if this was the best possible outcome for the Eagles but there is no denying the fact that the new wrinkles that a mind like Rich Scangarello could bring to this offense is much needed.
Could it be possible that the Eagles offense finally regains some of the excitement that was lost over the past two seasons?
Fun Fact: Did you know that 15% of the Eagles rosters are captains?
That’s a whopping EIGHT players, increasing the total of recent years from five. Your 2020 Philadelphia Eagles captains will be.
Offense
- Carson Wentz
- Jason Kelce
- Jason Peters
Defense
- Fletcher Cox
- Brandon Graham
- Rodney McLeod
Special Teams
- Duke Riley
- Craig James
The most surprising name in the group being Craig James. A great story honestly; signed by Minnesota as a UDFA in 2016. Waived and signed to Vikings practice squad in 2018. Promoted to the active roster later that season only to be released a year later after playing in only 25 snaps the prior season. Signed to the Eagles practice squad last September and was activated to the main roster a week later. All this to be forced into action against Aaron Rodgers in the same week.
James beat out Sidney Jones and Rasul Douglas in camp to earn the final cornerback, is a special teams standout (recorded a career-high 12 special teams tackles in 2019), and has carved out a role on this year’s defense. He’s proven to have that hard nose grind mentality that Philly fans love in their athletes both in his story and on the field and has been rewarded with a two-year contract extension and the status of a captain for this year’s roster in.
How can you not love it?
“I think Craig was one of our most improved players. He went from being sort of a special teams only guy last year — he did have to start against the Jets — but he was more of a niche special teams (player) for us, (but) he came in from the first day of training camp and really looked like a different guy.” – Jim Schwartz
All this talking probably has you ready to run through a brick wall.
Well if you weren’t before, the Eagles first 2020 season hype video will sure do the trick.
Anyway, enough with the talk, it’s time for action. So back on Broad Street, we go.
Grab your jerseys, your hats, and don’t forget your mask. You’ve waited eight months for this moment.
So I ask you… Philadelphia, are you ready for some football?
Featured Image: Yong Kim/The Inquirer
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