Eagles News: Carson Wentz finishes 2018 as PFF’s 13th ranked quarterback

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...

Final list of PFF’s highest-graded quarterbacks in the NFL in 2018 - PFF
13. Carson Wentz, Philadelphia Eagles. Overall Grade: 79.4. Wentz fell back down to earth a bit after his breakout 2017 season. His big-time throw percentage (4.5) and turnover-worthy throw percentage (2.99) dropped outside the top-10, as did the two figures from a clean pocket. He’ll look to get healthy and return to his 2017 form to reclaim a top-10 spot on this list in 2019.

Alshon Jeffery had some good quotes ahead of the Eagles vs. Bears playoff game - BGN
Alshon Jeffery doesn’t always jump to mind as a guy you think of as a “great quote.” The veteran wide receiver typically speaks in a quiet, mumbly voice and often keeps his answers short. But sometimes Jeffery has some really strong quotes. Whether that’s correctly guaranteeing a Super Bowl win (twice!) or the “Ain’t nobody f***ing with us” line he’s dropped before ... he’s not afraid to be bold. That was the case once again on Wednesday as Jeffery was predictably swarmed by media to ask him about going up against his former team. Jeffery’s answer was fantastic.

The QB Scho Show #9: Mitch Trubisky & Vlad the Impaler - BGN Radio
Michael Kist is joined by Mark Schofield to give you, gentle listener, and in-depth look at the Chicago Bears’ quarterback Mitch Trubisky! Strengths, weaknesses, scheme, and how he matches up against the Eagles! Powered by SB Nation and Bleeding Green Nation.

Eagles vs. Bears: Five matchups to watch, when Philly has the ball - PhillyVoice
Against a team that does such an incredible job of turning teams over, Pederson should be relying on his most trustworthy route runner and catcher of the football, which is obviously Ertz. In my view, from a 60,000-foot view, the Eagles’ offensive game plan should focus on players, not plays, and Ertz is the best skill position player the Eagles have. There should be no “too much Ertz” in this matchup.

NFL playoffs confidential: Players and coaches talk strategy, tell all - ESPN
Whom do you consider the biggest headache on this offense? “[Zach] Ertz. Just because they throw the ball to him so much [116 receptions, 1,163 yards, eight TDs], short routes. Alshon [Jeffrey] is a big-time weapon, too, but I feel like they’re always looking for Ertz. He’s a big dude. He’s faster than linebackers, bigger than safeties. You get a tight end like that, flex him out, the quarterback always feels he has a mismatch no matter what. That’s why he gets the ball so much.” After defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, who is the Eagles’ most disruptive player? “Malcolm Jenkins. Because he can do so many things, you can play him in the box, he can cover tight ends, and you can play him in the slot. And he’s a seasoned guy that knows everything. He definitely disrupts a lot of schemes more so than anything. You look at [Brandon Graham] and [Michael Bennett]. [Graham] is a pass-rushing force off the edge, and [Bennett] is always disruptive. He knows how to get in the gaps and press the pocket. He does it all. He’s like a Swiss army knife when talking about D-linemen. Malcolm would be second behind Cox, but those two guys would be good anywhere they go.”

Jordan Hicks Has ‘Special’ Playoff Debut Ahead - PE.com
This is a moment to savor. Middle linebacker Jordan Hicks is doing just that, pouring every ounce of his energy and focus into preparations for Sunday’s playoff game in Chicago (4:40 p.m., NBC). He was injured during last season’s Super Bowl Championship run and so this is the maiden postseason voyage for Hicks, in his fourth Eagles season. And he’s smiling ear-to-ear at the significance of it all. “It’s very special, just knowing everything that I’ve personally gone through, the ups and downs the team has had this year, the way we fought, the way we continued to grind,” Hicks said. “It’s special, man. It’s a different feeling already.”

Inside Bears coach Matt Nagy’s one day as an Eagles quarterback - Inquirer
When Matt Nagy’s Bears host the Eagles Sunday, it will be the first time an ex-Eagles quarterback has coached against his former team since Norm Van Brocklin. Matt Nagy played for the Eagles? Well, sort of. He’s not listed anywhere in the team’s official register, nor was he ever paid, but Nagy spent one training camp morning in an Eagles uniform nearly ten years ago. By the afternoon, though, he was back on the sideline as a coaching intern after the NFL thwarted Andy Reid’s attempt to circumvent the rules. Nagy jokes now about his missed opportunity. “Yeah, I thought I was going to be a starter in the NFL for like the next eight years,” he said Wednesday. But Nagy, who had played quarterback at Manheim Central High in Lancaster, then at the University of Delaware, and then for six seasons in the Arena Football League, was distraught when his dreams of playing in a 2009 preseason game – and possibly opening doors elsewhere – were dashed in a matter of hours. One moment, he was slinging passes alongside Donovan McNabb and snatching up extra tickets at Lincoln Financial Field. The next, he was being told by then-general manager Tom Heckert to switch back into coach’s gear, and had to break the bad news to family and friends.

Pompei: Inside the Doug Pederson-Matt Nagy coaching connection - The Athletic
Nagy and Peterson go back a long way. When Nagy had aspirations to play quarterback in the NFL, he had a tryout with the Packers in September 2001. One of the quarterbacks on the Green Bay roster at the time was Pederson. But the two never crossed paths that year, and haven’t even talked about it, Pederson said. They spent many hours together in Philadelphia and Kansas City as assistant coaches. Pederson on coaching with Nagy: “We didn’t share an office, but in Kansas City his was right next to mine. When we were in Philadelphia, we were around the corner from each other. “There was some teaching and mentoring (of him), especially in Kansas City. I was learning to be a coordinator and he was learning to be a first-time position coach, quarterbacks coach. There were some things like scripting plays, coordinating a meeting, getting cutups ready, studying things like red zone or blitzes. He’s a smart guy. You showed him once and he had it. Then once he got a feel for it, he did it how he saw fit. You could kind of see the path he was on. You knew one day he would have opportunity to be a head coach.”

Eagles’ defensive line gets a lift from veteran Haloti Ngata - NBCSP
His increased production the last few weeks is one of the reasons the Eagles have been so much better against the run. They’re allowing 89 yards per game during the 5-1 stretch after giving up 136 per game the previous five, something Schwartz took note of. Whether it’s been a tackle for a loss or pressure, the last couple weeks he’s made a couple plays for us that have had a big impact on the game. The Eagles will need the 340-pound Ngata Sunday against a Bears team that loves to run the football — 29½ times per game.

Bears vs. Eagles: Three “Different” Matchups to Watch - Windy City Gridiron
The last time the Eagles played the Bears, it was all Philadelphia with a 31-3 score in favor of Carson Wentz’s team. In that game, Nick Foles played 11 snaps and went 3/3 and 21 yards. That is actually the high point of Nick Foles’ efforts against a Vic Fangio defense. When Foles was in St. Louis (yes, St. Louis) with the Rams, his efforts against Chicago in 2015 amounted to 17 completions on 36 attempts, 200 yards, an interception, and a 9-yard sack. The year before that Foles was with the Eagles (for the first time) and Fangio was coaching the 49ers. Foles managed 195 yards out of 21 completions (on 43 attempts). He had no touchdowns, a pair of interceptions, and took a 4-yard sack. That means that under admittedly different circumstances, Foles’ track record against Fangio’s defenses adds up to 41 completions on 82 attempts, with 416 yards, no touchdowns, 3 interceptions, and 2 sacks for -13 yards. That’s a 49.64 passer rating and an ANY/A of 3.15. Of course, that’s a really limited view of things. Foles has more talent around him these days, just like Fangio has more to work with. It’s also worth considering the coaches.

Report: Arizona to hire former college, NFL star DeMarco Murray as running backs coach - Arizona Desert Swarm
The Arizona Wildcats have reportedly found their new running backs coach, tapping a recently retired NFL standout with ties to coach Kevin Sumlin for the job. Michael Lev of the Arizona Daily Star is reporting that DeMarco Murray, a former NFL all-pro rusher, will be named as Arizona’s RBs coach. He will replace Clarence McKinney, who left to become head coach at Texas Southern last month. Murray, 30, spent the past year as a college football analyst for Fox Sports after ending a seven-year pro career. From 2011-17 he rushed for 7,174 yards and 49 touchdowns for the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles and Tennessee Titans.

The Curse of a Salary-Cap-Eating Quarterback - The Ringer
Big-money quarterbacks like Kirk Cousins, Matt Ryan, and Aaron Rodgers are sitting at home during the playoffs, while the Rams, Chiefs, and Texans have built contenders around young starters still on their rookie deals. The lesson is obvious if NFL teams pay attention.

NFL picks 2019: Experts giving the Eagles, Ravens a chance to keep rolling - SB Nation
We’ve got a few believers in the Nick Foles miracle among our panelists. But he’ll have his work cut out for him against Chicago’s defense, which is holding opponents to an average of less than 15 points in its last 10 games. The Bears are big favorites, but they haven’t played the toughest schedule in their last 10 games, except for an impressive win against the Rams. Philadelphia on the other hand came up big in their last three games, with playoff stakes on the line each week. Those three wins by Nick Foles and Co. include victories against the Rams and Texans to be here.

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