Eagles News: Doug Pederson says being called ‘Big Balls Doug’ is an honor

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Doug Pederson and an Eagles Encore - Sports Illustrated
MG: You talk a lot in the book about being aggressive, and you’re now pretty well-known for that. There are people who’ve given you the nickname Big Balls Doug, which I’m sure you’ve seen…

DP: I’ve seen the caricature, or whatever you call it.

MG: The ‘South Park’ meme?

DP: Yeah, I’ve seen that.

MG: So what are your thoughts on the nickname and the meme?

DP: Gosh. You know, it sounds a little, it sounds bad, but … I love being touted as being aggressive. Because if I only get one opportunity in this business to be a head football coach, I definitely want to do it my way and lead my way. Calculated, not a gambler by any means, or on a whim. Very calculated and thought-out and detail-oriented. But at the same time, put our team in a position to be successful, and help us win as many games as possible each season. So it’s an honor to be respected and be thought of that way. The pictures, obviously, I could do without. But it’s an honor.

Eagles Training Camp Practice Notes: Carson Wentz looked really good today - BGN
Daily Carson Wentz update: Today marked the eighth practice in a row with Wentz not participating in 11-on-11. With that said, it was still a very encouraging practice for No. 11. He looked super sharp during his 7-on-7 reps. Wentz was delivering strike after strike with pin-point accuracy and strong velocity on his throws. He started off with a short completion to Kamar Aiken, who was tightly covered by Ronald Darby. Then he hit Greg Ward Jr. through over the middle through a tight window in stride. Wentz completed a 20-yard post to Mack Hollins where he left just enough room for the wide receiver to get both feet in. The defensive back never had a chance. During 7-on-7 in the red zone, Wentz floated a ball to Dallas Goedert in the back right corner of the end zone. The rookie tight end made a jump ball touchdown catch over Jalen Mills. Wentz’s final touchdown came on a play where Josh Perkins fell down to his knees but Wentz threw to him anyway since the defense backed off a little. Really strong showing from No. 11. I remain convinced he’s playing Week 1.

Eagles 53-man roster projection - PhillyVoice
The starting five plus Vaitai are all obviously locks, and Pryor is rapidly becoming one. Seumalo still makes a lot of sense as a trade possibility, in my view, unless the team views him as the primary backup at center, as opposed to moving Wisniewski to the middle and re-shuffling the line in the event of a Kelce injury. Previously, I noted that Chance Warmack hasn’t had a good camp, but figured he’d survive on the premise that he’s a Jeff Stoutland favorite. However, he’s been really bad. Based on what he has done to this point in camp, his roster spot as a guard-only backup simply isn’t justifiable.

Practice Notes Roundup - Iggles Blitz
Jeff noted that Josh Adams got some reps with the #2 offense. Unfortunately, he had a bad dropped pass on one play. The good news for Adams is that none of the other #4 RB candidates has really stood out. Matt Jones, Wendell Smallwood, Donnel Pumphrey and Adams are bunched up. Someone needs to create separation.

NFL Insiders predict: The next Eagles, underrated free-agent signings, more - ESPN
Mike Wallace, WR, Philadelphia Eagles. The combination of Carson Wentz’s big arm and Wallace’s speed could be scary. Wallace leads the NFL in 50-plus yard receptions since 2016 (8). He figures to be an upgrade over Torrey Smith as a starter opposite Alshon Jeffery, and should help boost an already high-powered offense that tied for second in points per game last season (28.6).

Lawlor: A Final Hall Of Fame Tribute To Brian Dawkins - PE.com
Coming out of college, Dawkins had such good man cover skills that some thought he might be best suited to play cornerback. None of the other Eagles safeties I’ve mentioned were anywhere close to Dawkins in this regard. Dawkins could line up over the slot receiver and lock that player down. For my money, Dawkins is the best blitzing defensive back I’ve ever seen. He had great timing. Some defensive backs are overanxious, and that actually makes them slow off the ball. Others try to play it too cool, and that makes them slow off the ball. Dawkins timed the snap well and exploded into the backfield.

Ranking the 25 Best NFL Players Who Have Been in the League Since 2008 - The Ringer
14) Jason Peters. In 2008: By his fifth year in the league, Peters had two Pro Bowl appearances under his belt, but his future as a top left tackle was still in doubt. He allowed 11.5 sacks that season, and the Bills traded him for first-, fourth-, and sixth-round picks. In 2018: Peters has made the Pro Bowl every healthy year since 2008, and has also notched two All-Pro appearances. He’s one of the best tackles in game, but now his health is in question: Peters tore his ACL and MCL seven games into the 2017 season, though he was participating in 11-on-11 drills in training camp. One Random Highlight: Peters ran a 4.93 40-yard dash at the NFL combine in 2004. For a 328-pound man, dude can move.

Fantasy football rankings: The players our rankers most disagree on - PFF
Following the crowded backfield mantra, Corey Clement was another running back that our staff had a difficult time finding where to rank. Pat Thorman believes in both Eagles backs, finishing as our highest ranker of both Clement and Jay Ajayi, but it’s the Clement pick that we’ll hone in on here. Clement was a receiving stud for the Eagles during their Super Bowl run, sporting a healthy 3.86 YPRR during the playoffs. For context’s sake, Alvin Kamara led all backs in this category last year during the regular season with 2.84 YPRR. The Eagles have 190 unclaimed handoffs up for grabs this year. Ajayi should inherit most of those, but it wouldn’t be surprising to see Clement see some of those valuable touches as well in one of the league’s most prolific offenses.

Michael Bennett’s arraignment set for Sept. 18 - Inquirer
It’s been nearly two years since Michael Bennett allegedly pushed an elderly worker at NRG Stadium after Super Bowl LI, but prosecutors in Harris County, Texas, once again pushed back a court date that could have decided whether the Eagles defensive end would go to trial on a felony charge of injury of the elderly. The arraignment or “setting” — as Bennett attorney Rusty Hardin labeled it — is set for Sept. 18. Bennett, who surrendered to authorities in March after he was charged, won’t be required to attend. The arraignment originally was scheduled for April 28 and has now been pushed back four times, the most recent on Tuesday.

Carson Wentz frustrated he can’t do more at practice but still plans to play Week 1 - NBCSP
You’re frustrated waiting for Carson Wentz to get cleared? How do you think he feels! Wentz did full-team drills on July 26 and July 28 but hasn’t participated in them since, and it’s driving him nuts. “It’s frustrating,” he said after practice Tuesday. “Obviously, getting a chance to get out there and everything, I felt great, it was fun to be out there, but again just trusting what the doctors are saying. “But without a doubt it’s tough to just sit there and watch. I did it last season and now getting your feet wet and going in and out, it’s not what I’d like. But I’m making the most of it.”

How Doug Pederson and the Eagles showed the NFL that the college offense is here to stay - The Athletic
The moral of the story is that Pederson has built a diverse offense that is heavily reliant on spread concepts. Watch his 2017 film and you’ll see these concepts thickly layered throughout and used with great success. In the end, while getting Super Bowl MVP play out of Nick Foles may always be considered Pederson’s greatest accomplishment, the foundation for that success was laid when the playbook was first installed. If not for the support of a strong running game and implementation of “college” concepts, the Lombardi Trophy might be living elsewhere right now. Last season, Pederson showed the NFL that perhaps, just maybe, the spread offense is here to stay and that horizontal is indeed the new vertical.

Eric Weddle declares run-pass options a fad - PFT
“I think in five years, it’s going to be out,” Weddle said, via Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. “I think it’s just another phase. . . . It’s just a revolving door. It’s just like the Wildcat, and the quarterback run game, yada, yada, yada. Teams that run the ball and take shots are usually the hard teams to beat.”

Forget New York or Boston — Philadelphia Might Just Be the Best Food City on the East Coast Right Now - Travel And Leisure
It’s easy to dismiss Philadelphia as a place forever languishing in New York City’s shadow. But when it comes to food, Philly is actually one of the more exciting destinations in the country right now. The city’s lower prices and young, scrappy energy have given chefs and restaurateurs free rein to experiment, allowing them to reinvent its classic cuisine and add influences from around the globe. Despite the Eagles defeating the Patriots in February’s Super Bowl, Philadelphia will always be proud of its underdog spirit. It’s a place where servers befriend you, and strangers in bars talk you into taking shots. It’s not uncommon to see someone break into a dance while making your sandwich. The vibe is more personal and upbeat than that of many U.S. cities —there’s simply more space to play.

Steelers will play the Eagles with a trio of backup quarterbacks, the order of which is unknown - Behind The Steel Curtain
As stated above by Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, it is expected fans will see Landry Jones under center when the team opens the game in the first quarter, but after Jones is certainly up for debate. Joshua Dobbs and/or Mason Rudolph will be the ones conducting the offense for the remainder of the game, but how much each will play, and when, was not divulged. It is safe to say if Dobbs and Rudolph have three quarters to split, you could see them getting equal time. However, the difference between second quarter reps and fourth quarter reps in the preseason is a big deal. You go from backups, to players who are just trying to stay alive at the NFL level.

Exploring the (weird) story of the very first ‘John Madden Football’ game - SB Nation
A game that John Madden himself influenced heavily has a more interesting story behind it than you’d think, from its debut on the Apple II to its more arcade-style Sega Genesis port.

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