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Let's get to the links...
5 random Eagles notes: RB ball security, the DL, DJax in Hawaii, a podcast, and BEEFTANK - JimmyK, Philly.com
Did you know that Nick Foles only threw 2 INTs this season?!? Oh, you did? OK. Well did you know that Eagles running backs only fumbled once this year? In 2012, Eagles running backs fumbled the ball 8 times on 334 carries. The opposing defense recovered 6 of them. In 2013, Eagles running backs, as noted above, fumbled the ball just once on 400 carries. In other words, Eagles running backs fumbled once every 42 carries in 2012, and once every 400 carries in 2013.
Fan-Demonium: Taking The Next Step - Tommy Lawlor, PE.com
Going 10-6 and winning the NFC East was a great start to Chip Kelly's tenure as coach of the Eagles. It felt so good to see the Eagles atop the division standings and playing in the postseason. I hope Kelly and his players took some time to sit back and admire their accomplishments. How does 30 minutes sound? While getting back on the winning track is a good thing, you can argue that it was easy compared to what comes next. The Eagles played a last-place schedule this year. That helped with the quick turnaround, as the NFL designed it to. Next year, the Eagles will be playing the division winners from this season. The Eagles will also be more of a marked team. They won't sneak up on anyone. There will be expectations to live up to. Pressure from the fans and media will be very different from this season. That can wear on coaches and players.
Eagles' Roseman has been effective since gaining power from Banner - Jeff McLane, Inquirer
Nearly two years after the transition, the Eagles rebounded from a 4-12 record in Reid's final season and returned to the playoffs under the guidance of new coach Chip Kelly. And Roseman deserves credit. It is only one winning season, and the Eagles are still a long way from having the sustained success of the Reid-Banner regime, but the changes implemented by the 38-year-old GM had a direct effect on this season's 10-6 mark and the promise the future holds. The last two drafts have produced eight players who project as starters next season. Free agency has been a mixed bag, but the signings of mid-tier talents haven't bogged down the Eagles with guaranteed contracts beyond the first year.
Twitter Mailbag: How Far Away Are They? - Tim McManus, Birds 24/7
Good question. Given that every season is its own event and the number of variables that are involved, it’s hard to define just "how far away" a team is from being championship-caliber. Like most, I believe a playmaking safety and a havoc-wreaking pass rusher would certainly help the cause. I think an upgrade at the kicker position is in order as well. But the bigger key for me is seasoning. Kelly will benefit from experience. Same with Nick Foles, Mychal Kendricks, Fletcher Cox, Brandon Boykin, Lane Johnson, Zach Ertz, etc. As the core strengthens and develops, so too will the team’s chances of advancing deep into the tournament.
Eagles Stay or Go: Roob's Part 5 - Reuben Frank, CSN Philly
DeMeco Ryans: There’s a school of thought that as well as Ryans played, maybe it's time to cut ties. He turns 30 this summer, he’s due to earn $6.8 million in 2014, and the Eagles need to get younger at linebacker. I don’t buy it. Ryans is still very productive, he’s a tremendous leader, and guys like him are crucial on a young defense. STAYS
Breaking Madden, 49ers vs. Seahawks: BEEFTANK's path to Self - Jon Bois, SB Nation
Clarence BEEFTANK is the hero of Breaking Madden, and the lovable little man who started it all. After a three-month absence, he returns for the NFC Championship Game to humiliate the Seahawks, and to discover his very self.
Chip Kelly Update: Year in Review (Take One) - Mark Saltveit, Fishduck
Chip Kelly was hired by the Philadelphia Eagles exactly one year ago yesterday, on January 16, 2013. It wasn’t exactly a surprise; his outrageous success with the Oregon Ducks made him a top line candidate for NFL openings, and he had had extensive negotiations with Tampa Bay and Cleveland — and even walked away from the Eagles job once — before he finally made the jump to the big league. Still, there were many skeptics. Dozens of football pundits wrote him off as another Steve Spurrier or Bobby Petrino, a college offense trickster who neglected defense and was too cute and clever for NFL opponents. Kelly needed a special kind of mobile quarterback to run his read option, you see, and pro linebackers were so big and fast they they would cripple his QB very soon. RGIII was their exhibit A – knocked out of the playoffs before the end of his first year as a running quarterback. Like Spurrier, they said, he’d last a year or two and crawl back to college with his tail between his legs. If he was lucky, he might get the job at USC or Texas.
Young Core Fuels Eagles' Roster - Dave Spadaro, PE.com
It is a roster built with durable success in mind, and here is a key number to remember: As the current Eagles stand, only 9 players are aged 30 and above. There is plenty of tread on this young tire ...
