Eagles News: Doug Pederson needs to hire a stud defensive coordinator

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Did the Eagles hire their own version of Jason Garrett? - BGN
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Pederson's big decision: Who'll direct Eagles defense? - Inquirer
And that isn't necessarily a bad thing. But if his defensive coordinator - or his offensive coordinator, for that matter - overshadows him, it will become a problem. Pederson is an offensive-minded coach, so his first defensive coordinator will be the most important coaching hire of his Eagles tenure. He should make his choice based upon his schematic preference and the Eagles' current personnel, but he shouldn't be married to either. He needs to find some middle ground. Chip Kelly, for instance, was bringing a two-gap 3-4 defensive front to the Eagles no matter what.

Eagles reportedly (and inexplicably) interested in Steve Spagnuolo as defensive coordinator - PhillyVoice
As the chart above shows, Spagnuolo's defenses have finished dead last in the NFL in each of his last two seasons as a defensive coordinator. In fact, the 2012 Saints and 2015 Giants defenses rank worst and third-worst respectively in NFL history for yards allowed in a season. Obviously, it's not just scheme that led to Spagnuolo's atrocious defenses. There have to be bad players contributing to that mess. But consider this -- Spagnuolo's 2012 Saints, which, again, were the worst defense in NFL history, improved to fourth in the NFL the next season under the awful Rob Ryan.

Steve Spagnuolo as Eagles defensive coordinator? Unlikely move with Giants holding cards - NJ.com
In an ideal world, new Eagles coach Doug Pederson would like to hire current Giants defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to run his defense and former Chargers assistant Frank Reich as his offensive coordinator, a person familiar with the situation told NJ Advance Media. The Philadelphia Daily News reported the same on Sunday afternoon. The problem is that the Giants seem intent on having Spagnuolo as their defensive coordinator, and he still has one year remaining on his current contract.

Can Doug Pederson Help the Eagles Return to Their Winning Ways? - numberFire
Under Pederson's watch, the offense has ranked in the top-half of the league in points per game every single year. The Adjusted Passing NEP per play continued to rank towards the middle of the pack, which is rather impressive given what quarterback Alex Smith has had to work until this year.  Working with Jamaal Charles comes with its benefits, as they've ranked in the top-five in Adjusted Rushing NEP per play every season. Most impressive was Pederson's ability to adapt after losing Charles in Week 5 this year. The rag-tag combination of Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware stepped in and ended up providing big plays for Kansas City while keeping the offense moving in an efficient manner.

Some Coaching News - Iggles Blitz
As for Reich, I have no problems with him being the offensive coordinator. He played in a great offense with Buffalo in the 1980’s and 1990’s. That hurry-up attack produced great results. Reich has coached in Indianapolis, Arizona and San Diego. He’s been part of the Tom Moore offense and the West Coast offense. Pederson will want to run some version of the WCO. Reich also worked with veteran QBs who like to audible and do a lot at the line of scrimmage. The Chiefs did a lot of that with Alex Smith this year so I could see Pederson wanting to continue with that. Reich makes a good fit in that sense.

Draft Buzz: Clemson Underclassmen - PE.com
Fran Duffy discusses Clemson defensive ends Shaq Lawson and Kevin Dodd and the possibility of Clemson cornerback Mackensie Alexander declaring for the 2016 NFL Draft ...

Small-Town Boy, Big-Time Man - SouthernPigskin.com
We could all take a lesson in giving from Cornelius Ingram, once known as a big fish in a small pond — now, in the eyes of many, more like a whale in a fish bowl.

NFL playoff odds 2016: Panthers, Patriots open as Championship Game favorites - SB Nation
The early Vegas lines point towards a Super Bowl XXXVIII rematch between the Panthers and Patriots.

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