Eagles News: Cowboys should be worried about the Eagles

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Eagles appear to highly value pass breakups from defensive backs - PhillyVoice
On the "position specifics" front, evidence would clearly indicate that the Eagles prioritize defensive backs who get their hands on the ball. I aggregated the number of pass breakups that each of the 31 cornerbacks that were selected in the 2015 NFL Draft had in 2013 and 2014. The three corners the Eagles drafted all landed among the top six players in that category, including the #1 overall player, sixth round pick JaCorey Shepherd.

Roundtable: Which division winner is least likely to repeat in 2015? - SI.com
Across the division, Eagles coach Chip Kelly stole the off-season storylines with his show-stopping (and sometimes head-scratching) moves, signing Murray in free agency after trading away top back LeSean McCoy, letting top receiver Jeremy Maclin walk in free agency and swapping quarterbacks with the Rams. It’s clear that Kelly is gunning for the playoffs, and the Cowboys should be worried. Without their top running back and forced to lean on a wide receiver who hasn’t yet signed his franchise tag, Dallas’s perch atop the NFC East may be short-lived.

The Big Question: Sproles' Role For '15 - PE.com
Only use Sproles on punt returns? I get it that Sproles is 32 years old and this will be his 11th NFL season, but I think he certainly showed that there’s still plenty of juice in those legs. I do agree with the sentiment that he should have a more active role in the receiving game this year. Here’s some food for thought. Could we see some sets where DeMarco Murray and Sproles are on the field at the same time? Maybe Ryan Mathews and Sproles? Who do you focus on stopping with the other weapons on the outside?

Eagles Wake-Up Call: The Familiarity Factor With Chip - Birds 24/7
As Rob said, Kelly likes to run a lot of the same concepts over and over again while dressing them up differently. But with good execution, the use of tempo and guys winning their individual matchups, the offense can work that way. At times, it felt like the offense was a disaster last year. But the Eagles still ranked 13th in DVOA on that side of the ball. In other words, even with shaky QB play, the offensive line injuries and an inconsistent run game, the offense was mediocre, not bad.

Eagles Better or Worse 2015: Cornerback - The 700 Level
Signing Byron Maxwell was the first step toward changing that. Yes, the organization went back to the free-agent well, but this time sprung for an athlete with the potential to become a shutdown corner. Maxwell is 6’1", 207 pounds with 4.4 speed and a championship pedigree coming over from the Seattle Seahawks. He has the size to challenge wide receivers at the line of scrimmage, yet is fast enough to limit big gains over the top—whereas Williams and Fletcher had to concede a lot of underneath routes for fear of getting beat deep.

Chip vs the World - Iggles Blitz
Remember when "The Gus Bus" was a thing? Chip Kelly had spurned the Eagles. The team then talked to Brian Kelly, but he wasn’t ready to leave college football. Gus Bradley was the top assistant coach left on the market and the Eagles then talked to him. The Eagles were probably going to hire Bradley, but a funny thing happened on the way to the forum (your first oddball reference of the day). Chip called the Eagles and said he wanted to talk to them again. That situation moved quickly and he was hired shortly after that.

76ers Keep Getting Unlucky Despite Making Good Decisions - About.com
Like Chip Kelly, Sam Hinkie trusts the process. Now they both need some luck.

Generate your own ridiculous NFL offseason rumor - SB Nation
The NFL Rumor Mill is a weird and often inaccurate place all year long, but it gets especially stupid in the middle of summer, when very little is actually happening and people start imagining crazy things just to keep from getting bored. As ong as it's accompanied by some vague assertion of sourcing and the reporter putting it out there doesn't overplay their hand, it's surprisingly easy to get traction with unfounded gossip. So easy, in fact, that we made you a generator. Go forth and make your own scoops!

Pre-order the Eagles Almanac 2015! - BGN
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