Eagles News: Jay Ajayi is ready for a bigger role against the Cowboys

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Frank Reich: Eagles comfortable using RB Jay Ajayi with any play in game plan - Inquirer
“I look at our game plan for this week, there’s probably not a play on there I wouldn’t feel comfortable putting his number on, as far as him learning it and knowing what to do,” offensive coordinator Frank Reich said Tuesday. “That speaks a lot about him as a player.” On Ajayi’s first day with the Eagles, he retreated to a meeting room with running backs coach Duce Staley. They remained there for hours, going over the Eagles’ scheme and protection requirements. It was a crash course on the Eagles offense just to get Ajayi ready to play four days later. Staley emerged from the meeting room with an endorsement. “We’re good,” Staley said, according to Reich. “This guy’s going to be fine, mentally.” That was all Reich needed to hear. But he also watched Ajayi during Ajayi’s first week and felt more confident in the unknown of how Ajayi would transition to a new scheme in the middle of the season.

Daily Dose: Jay Day - Rotoworld
It appears Ajayi will top the depth chart in Sunday's game in Dallas, ahead of LeGarrette Blount and Corey Clement, much to the dismay of their fantasy owners. Ajayi also did a good job picking up pass protection, particularly on a touchdown strike to Alshon Jeffery in Week 9, and that adds to the coaching staff's trust in him. He also had spent several hours prior to his team debut working with running backs coach Duce Staley cramming as much information as possible before playing. Ajayi appears to be energized moving out of Adam Gase's doghouse in Miami to Philadelphia, a team that is a legitimate contender for the Super Bowl. So what can you expect in Week 11 in Dallas? The Cowboys rank 12th in the NFL against the run, allowing 104.7 yards per game with five touchdowns. While they have allowed just three runs of 20 or more yards, and none over 40 yards on a single play, Ajayi can be trusted as an RB2 in all fantasy leagues across the board since he is expected to get a majority of the touches.

Put Brian Dawkins In The Hall Of Fame - BGNRadio.com
Brian Dawkins is an icon. He's the heart and soul of an Eagles team that went to 5 NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl. His love for the fans is legendary...and now he needs our help! According to the official website, there are only 4 safeties that have made it to the Hall of Fame. The most recent addition, Kenny Easley, wasn't elected until 20 years after his retirement. It's hard to make the Hall as a safety. That's where you come in! Here are a number of ways to have your voice heard. Pick as many as you'd like! The football world needs to know our message.

Dannell Ellerbe: Things to know about the new Eagles linebacker - BGN
Get familiar with the new Eagles LB.

Eagles need to take advantage of Cowboys' overrated offensive line - PhillyVoice
It is rare in the NFL to have that kind of injury luck along your offensive line, and it's unsustainable over a long period of time. That is why having offensive line depth is crucial in the NFL. Last Sunday, the Cowboys faced a huge challenge when they played the Atlanta Falcons on the road sans Smith. In that contest, it was definitively proven that the Cowboys' offensive line depth is garbage. The Falcons sacked quarterback Dak Prescott eight times, as Falcons DE Adrian Clayborn completely wrecked the game, collecting six sacks, mostly against over-matched reserve LT Chaz Green. Heading into that matchup, Clayborn had 22.5 career sacks in 73 games. In other words, he's not exactly Von Miller.

An Eye to the Playoffs - Iggles Blitz
With the team off to an 8-1 start, the front office has to start thinking about the playoffs. If someone gets hurt, you can’t afford to put a project on the field. You need a player you trust can get the job done. Forget long term thinking. You try to win and advance. The Eagles aren’t making any dumb moves. Vaitai will still be the LT. Beatty is here for depth. If Vaitai started to struggle, Beatty could get a chance to show what he could do. Ellerbe is here to compete with Joe Walker for the MLB job. I think Ellerbe should win that. It is interesting that the front office is willing to make these moves. It pretty much acknowledges that they have an eye on the postseason.

How the Eagles were built into contenders at warp speed (or 88 mph, at least) - ESPN
It was the ability to turn that No. 13 pick into Carson Wentz and the extremely high batting average in the trades and free-agent moves that followed that made for a quick repair and sped the Eagles into the future, leaving a trail of fire in their wake (a la Marty McFly in "Back to the Future"). Here is a look at how Roseman & Co. transformed the Eagles, now 8-1, into serious contenders in just two years.

Jim Schwartz Preps For New-Look Dallas - PE.com
This wasn’t the matchup the schedule makers had in mind back in the spring. It’s the Eagles and the Cowboys in prime time on Sunday night, but the Dallas offense is missing star running back Ezekiel Elliott and could be without All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith ...

Two Eagles defensive ends helped turn Lane Johnson into an All Pro-caliber RT - The Athletic
The majority of the battles between Johnson and Graham take place in the offseason, and Johnson has predicted big years for Graham each of the past two seasons based on the defensive end’s performance during those battles. But one of the small wrinkles head coach Doug Pederson has implemented into his weekly in-season practice schedule is a session or two of the first-team offense and first-team defense facing off. “They make each other better, both players,” said Stoutland. “We see a lot of similarities with some of the top rushers in this league. Brandon Graham uses those. And so, for Lane, he’s getting exposed to it in practice before he gets to the actual game, at a high speed.”

Eagles add more depth with 'monster' LB Dannell Ellerbe - NBC Sports Philadelphia
New Eagles linebacker Dannell Ellerbe is not your average midseason signing. This is a playmaker with eight years of NFL experience, and a starter for the Super Bowl champion Ravens in 2012. Ask any player in the Eagles’ locker room who knows Ellerbe or really studies defense, and they’ll tell you the same thing. This is not just any street free agent. Ellerbe represents a huge upgrade for the Eagles. “Dominant player from what I remember in Baltimore,” Eagles safety and former teammate Corey Graham said on Monday. “Running through linemen, very physical, very aggressive. Flat-out beast. We used to call him ‘Eller-beast.’ “When he was out there and when he was healthy, he’s a monster.”

Week 10 DVOA Ratings - Football Outsiders
Another big victory helps the Los Angeles Rams increase their lead on top of the Football Outsiders DVOA ratings this week. The Rams move up to the No. 1 spot in defense this week, making them our top team for both defense and special teams. They are now our Super Bowl favorite, winning it in one out of every six simulations (16.7 percent). The Saints move into the No. 2 spot after their huge 47-10 win over Buffalo, replacing the Pittsburgh Steelers, who drop to No. 4 after barely beating Indianapolis. Philadelphia remains at No. 3 after a bye week.

The best defenses to stream in fantasy in Week 11 - PFF
Playing without left tackle Tyron Smith (groin) the Cowboys struggled mightily in pass protection against the Falcons last week. Actually, that might be an understatement as Dallas gave up eight sacks along with 13 quarterback hurries and two hits. With head coach Jason Garrett admitting Monday that Smith is uncertain to play in Week 11 the Eagles becoming a very nice streaming option. In the three games prior to their Week 10 bye Philadelphia put up 11 sacks, five interceptions and a defensive score. The Eagles have a dominating pass rush that can bring interior pressure with Fletcher Cox along with edge pressure from Brandon Graham and company. This looks to be another “meet at the quarterback” sackfest for the Eagles.

Jerry Jones: We will do better if Tyron Smith can’t play Sunday night - PFT
The Eagles surely are excited about the prospect of facing Cowboys left tackle Chaz Green, if starter Tyron Smith‘s back injury keeps him from facing the Eagles on Sunday night. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones vows improvement, if Tyron Smith can’t play. “I’d like to hope that Tyron is back,” Jones told 105.3 The Fan in Dallas on Tuesday. “But I’ll assure you that we will have that, if Tyron is not back, we will personnel-wise as well as technique wise, we will do better.” Obviously, they can’t do much worse.

Detroit Pistons Coach: Athletes Who Protest Are Patriots - TIME
The Players Coalition, a group of about 40 NFL Players led by Malcolm Jenkins and Anquan Boldin, the latter of whom recently gave up his football career to work full-time on criminal justice reform, are now doing the hard work behind the scenes to try to influence political leaders to make legislative and policy changes focused on criminal justice reform. They have done so because they have seen it as the greatest civil rights problem of their time, a problem that has harmed their loved ones, friends, communities and families. You cannot escape it if you are a person of color in the United States. These players are in the process of bringing athletes and coaches from other leagues to join with them, forming powerful alliances to lead to meaningful change. On virtually every Tuesday during the NFL season (the NFL’s traditional off-day), these committed athletes are using their platform as professional athletes in town halls, statehouses and even Washington, D.C., to listen, learn, meet with leaders, advocate for change and put the issues of criminal justice reform in the spotlight.

Saints games for Weeks 12 and 13 will be flexed - SB Nation
Sometimes the league moves more interesting games to Sunday Night Football, but that’s not happening in either of these weeks, probably because the rules only allow the league to do that twice per season. Those matchups between the Packers and Steelers in Week 12 and the Eagles and Seahawks in Week 13 will stay the same.

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