Eagles News: Alshon Jeffery has scored more touchdowns against the Vikings than any other NFL team

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Alshon Jeffery has more TDs against Vikings than any other team - PFT
Before he joined the Eagles this year, wide receiver Alshon Jeffery spent five years with the Bears and faced the Vikings nine times. Some of those were big days, including Jeffery’s 249 yards and two touchdowns in a 2013 loss in Minnesota, and Jeffery wound up with seven touchdowns against the Vikings overall. That’s the most he has against any team and coach Doug Pederson was asked on Thursday if he’s gone back to watch Jeffery work against Vikings cornerback Xavier Rhodes as he prepares for Sunday

Here are all of Eagles WR Alshon Jeffery’s career targets vs. Vikings CB Xavier Rhodes - PhillyVoice
In the comment section of our matchups piece, it was pointed out that Jeffery has had a lot of success against the Vikings over his career. In fact, Jeffery has more catches (45), yards (685), and touchdowns (7) against the Vikings than he has against any other team. Naturally, the thinking would be that Jeffery has enjoyed some of that success against Rhodes. So, out of curiosity, I looked at every game Jeffery ever played against Rhodes, from 2013 to 2016. It turns out that only one of those touchdown receptions came against Rhodes, with Jeffery doing most of his damage against Chris Cook and Terence Newman. Rhodes had two interceptions while covering Jeffery.

What the Eagles need to do to beat the Vikings - BGN
The newest edition of BGN Radio is here! (Episode #294). In this episode, we preview the Eagles vs. Vikings NFC Championship Game, talk about key matchups, and much more.

Game Review – PHI 15, ATL 10 - Iggles Blitz
The Eagles played in their first playoff game in four years. Was the wait worth it? Yes. Heck yes. No one knew exactly what to expect. Most of that was due to the fact Nick Foles was starting at QB, but there was also some question about how Doug Pederson would handle his first playoff game. This is also the first playoff game for “this team”. A lot of guys had experience, some even as Eagles. But not running these schemes for these coaches and with these teammates. The Falcons were defending NFC champs. They were coming off a big win in the Wild Card round had been hot down the stretch. There were plenty of reasons to think the Falcons should win the game.

Coaching up the Jags, Eagles for conference title game upsets - ESPN
1. Continue to use run-pass options with Nick Foles. Why it’s important: In the divisional-round win over the Falcons, Foles completed all 11 of his passes on throws inside the numbers for 119 yards. And a majority of those throws came off run-pass options in which he attacked clean windows. How they can do it: RPOs at the NFL level don’t require the quarterback to run all over the field. Instead, these pair the run game with a quick passing concept. In Philadelphia, this puts Foles in a position to hand the ball off on an outside zone or sweep look while reading Vikings linebackers Eric Kendricks or Anthony Barr. If Kendricks or Barr attack downhill to the run -- vacating the inside hole -- Foles can quickly throw the inside slant (or pop pass) to receivers Nelson Agholor or Alshon Jeffery. And if Kendricks or Barr sit, then hand the ball off to Jay Ajayi. If executed properly, the offense is always right. Always. And doing this against the fast and aggressive defense of Minnesota will create superhigh-percentage throws for Foles to work the middle of the field.

Playoff Football: ‘One False Move Can Cost You’ - PE.com
We know playoff football as a can’t-miss event, something as Eagles fans we live to experience and cherish. Playoff football is unlike the regular season, but how, exactly would you describe the experience? It’s the question I’ve asked players the last two days: How would you describe playoff football? Here are some responses …

How Conference Championship Teams Were Built - Sports Illustrated
A look at how the rosters for the Vikings, Eagles, Patriots and Jaguars were put together, and the recent philosophies applied by the two NFC combatants.

Of all players, Big V could be key to Eagles’ victory - NBC Sports Philadelphia
Halapoulivaati Vaitai is already a huge reason why the Eagles are playing for the NFC Championship. Now, he might be the key to reaching the Super Bowl. The Eagles couldn’t have made it this far without Vaitai, who took over at left tackle way back in Week 7 when Jason Peters was lost for the season. But on Sunday, Peters’ replacement faces one of his stiffest tests to date in Vikings right defensive end Everson Griffen. “He’s a game-wrecker,” Eagles coach Doug Pederson said of Griffen this week.

Film Room: Case Keenum - Football Outsiders
Case Keenum, a career backup and spot starter since entering the league in 2012, ascended into the MVP conversation after taking over for an injured Sam Bradford in Week 2. Only a year removed from a disastrous stint with the Los Angeles Rams, Keenum finished the 2017 regular season with a league-high 28.2% DVOA. He had other great stats as well, finishing ninth with 7.03 adjusted net yards per attempt and fourth with a 1.46 percent interception rate. By many statistical measures, Keenum was a superb quarterback, but the film did not always show him to be the core of Minnesota’s offense.

Eagles questioning, but embracing, underdog status during playoff run - Sporting News
No tears streamed down his face, nor was there a “That’s my quarterback!” proclamation a la Terrell Owens. But the emotion in Philadelphia Eagles left guard Stefen Wisniewski’s voice was strong when speaking up for his franchise and its beleaguered quarterback, just like it was when Owens did the same for then-Dallas Cowboys teammate Tony Romo a decade ago. Despite finishing the regular season atop the NFC, Philadelphia enters its second straight playoff game Sunday with underdog status. This time, it’s second-seeded Minnesota that heads to Lincoln Financial Field as a betting favorite — 3.5 points for the conference title game.

All-22: Eagles must guard against pick plays, Thielen, and Chip Kelly’s influence on Shurmur - The Athletic
The Eagles have to make the Vikings’ run game inefficient, or they’ll face Shurmur’s extensive pick play package on third-and-short. It’s hard to see Keenum staying in rhythm for very long against the Eagles’ secondary and pass rush without the help of a run game and play-action. If they can force him into third-and-long situations, they have a good shot at containing the Vikings’ offense.

A look back at the Eagles’ last trip to the NFC championship game - Daily News
The Eagles have made it to the NFC championship game for the first time in nine years. The last trip wasn’t nearly as smooth as this one.

26 stats to know for fantasy in the Conference Championships - PFF
Including the playoffs, Nick Foles’ 13.8 passer rating on deep passes was the lowest among all quarterbacks who started any game this year.

Seven Good Questions with Bleeding Green Nation - Daily Norseman
It’s once again time to get some intel from the folks that run the site for the Minnesota Vikings’ next opponent. This week, we’re talking with Bleeding Green Nation, the site that knows everything about the Philadelphia Eagles. Lead blogger Brandon Gowton took the time to answer some of our questions for this one. You can see the questions I’ve answered for him right here (with a comments section that’s gone. . .well, we’ll say “as expected”), and here are his answers for us.

How NFL players planned a season’s worth of touchdown celebrations - SB Nation
In the Eagles’ Week 5 game against the Arizona Cardinals, Torrey Smith scored a 59-yard touchdown, turned around, and hit a home run. Smith’s fellow wide receiver Nelson Agholor pitched him an invisible baseball, and Smith, still holding the football, knocked it out of the imaginary park. He sprinted back to the bench as his dreamed-up moon shot sailed into the stands of Lincoln Financial Field, where Philadelphia fans were losing their minds. “Alshon [Jeffery] said in the beginning of the season that when we catch bombs, that’s a home run,” Smith said Wednesday, standing in front of his locker at the Eagles’ practice facility. “So I hit one. We’re just out there celebrating, having a good time.”

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