Eagles news: Eagles defense flying high

Hey do you think there’s anything to talk about so far this season...

Jim Schwartz's stock is way up - Inquirer

"Jim's not as big of a jerk as people think," safety Malcolm Jenkins said. "Game day, he's actually calm and fun. It's during the week he gets on his antics."

Schwartz isn't immune to calling players out in team meetings. During film review, he has been known to point his red laser at the negligent as he details his mistakes. It has been a culture shift for some who had grown accustomed to former coordinator Bill Davis' more diplomatic approach.

"He tells us when things aren't up to par," cornerback Nolan Carroll said. "He doesn't let anything slide by. He does a good job of putting the responsibility on us to get it done."

Eagles' defensive backfield is in attack mode - Daily News

"I'm still teaching and demanding the same stuff - technique and effort," Undlin said Tuesday, as he looked forward to a break later in the bye week for a little fly-fishing in northern Pennsylvania. Undlin said that, more than anything he has done, new defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz "and his philosophy, the things we're doing on defense have a little bit to do with that."

"I think it goes back to the pass rush and the way the guys up front are honing in and attacking the quarterback. It doesn't make it any easier, but it takes a little of the heat off those guys back there. And we've only played three games. We have a long way to go."

Three Philadelphia Eagles Numbers That Matter - Philly Mag

76% – The amount of teams that have made the playoffs after starting out 3-0.

Football Outsiders gives the Eagles a 69% chance of qualifying for the post-season. FiveThirtyEight’s projections have the Eagles slightly higher at 70%.

The season is young, and things can change quickly, but it’s hard not to think about how far these Eagles can fly. The Birds have a promising rookie quarterback in Carson Wentz. Head coach Doug Pederson has been stellar so far and looks like an early Coach of the Year candidate. Jim Schwartz is overseeing a defense that’s allowed a mere 27 points through three games. This seems like a winning combination.

Are the Eagles more than just a playoff team? Are they actually a legitimate Super Bowl contender? Again, there’s plenty of games left to be played, but the early answer shouldn’t immediately be “no.”

Greg Cosell's Week 3 Review: Another reason for Carson Wentz's success - Yahoo

Wentz, the Philadelphia Eagles rookie quarterback, is tough in the pocket with an innate willingness to stand and deliver in the face of pressure. He doesn’t force passes when he doesn’t have clarity. He also has an intuitive feel for game situations, not trying to make difficult throws in the red zone when he knows the Eagles have points and he doesn’t want to turn it over. And as we talked about previously, he understands defensive concepts and how to beat them, which is very advanced for a rookie.

But the Eagles’ offensive coaches are doing a great job too, which makes Wentz’s job easier. What has stood out in the offensive play-calling is that coach Doug Pederson runs basic plays but presents them in different ways. Maybe it’s a different formation, or a pre-snap motion or shift. Perhaps he uses a different formation group. Sometimes it’s backfield action designed to confused the defense. But it’s a recurring theme: basic plays presented in different ways to throw off a defense. That helps Wentz make plays.