Eagles News: Derek Barnett is off to a good start in 2019

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ..

Eagle Eye: Derek Barnett shows plenty of promise in season debut - PE.com
Here is a look at some of the personnel on the defensive front, and I want to start with the player who impressed me most in Sunday’s game, defensive end Derek Barnett. Barnett made several plays in pursuit in this game against Washington, and that’s always been in his repertoire. Barnett will always pick up extra tackle stats with his hustle from the back side, much like his teammate Brandon Graham. What really stood out to me on this play, though, was his pass rushing. Barnett was a top-15 pick three years ago because of his ability to get after the quarterback. Remember, he broke Reggie White’s sack record at the University of Tennessee, but college production (regardless of what position you play) does not always translate to NFL success. Barnett still had to prove himself when attacking professional offensive linemen. You can’t just win with speed in the NFL, and a point of emphasis for Barnett when he first arrived in Philadelphia was to continue developing those inside moves. Every year, they’ve become a more and more expansive part of his array of skills. Those two rushes at the end of that clip were extremely impressive, particularly the last one. That’s a move Khalil Mack has perfected, flattening the tackle with a quick jab step inside to protect the B gap before ripping outside and turning the corner. Barnett is not comparable to Khalil Mack right now, but just watching the continued development of a young player is great to see.

NFL pass-blocking, pass-rushing rankings: 2019 PBWR, PRWR leaderboard - ESPN
Our Pass Block Win Rate metric tells us the rate at which linemen can sustain their blocks for 2.5 seconds or longer. Likewise, our Pass Rush Win Rate metric tells us how often a pass-rusher is able to beat his block within 2.5 seconds. Our model of pass blocking harnesses player tracking data from NFL Next Gen Stats. [...] 7th defensive end — Derek Barnett, Eagles, 33%.

Eagles vs. Falcons Game Preview: Five questions and answers with the enemy - BGN
The pass defense wasn’t tested, really, so I can’t call them the biggest weakness just yet. I do expect the Eagles to be able to pass pretty effectively against them, but it’s not their biggest problem. That’s the run defense, still. The Falcons got stouter on the interior, with Grady Jarrett and Tyeler Davison looking great against Minnesota, but the Vikings found a ton of success running outside. Once Dalvin Cook got to the second level, there just wasn’t a bunch of quality tackling happen, and this defense showed zero ability to set the edge on Sunday. I’m legitimately concerned that Darren Sproles, Miles Sanders, and Jordan Howard will get to the edge and just take off, and a successful effort from the Eagles ground game is going to wear them down and lead to scoring.

Jimmy Kempski, One of Us? - BGN Radio
NEW HOST ALERT! Major announcement as the BGN Family would like to officially welcome Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice to the podcast feed and he joins Brandon Lee Gowton to cover the top Eagles’ concerns after Week 1, identify trade targets, preview PHI-ATL and pick the Week 2 slate of NFL games!Powered by SB Nation and Bleeding Green Nation.

Podcast: Welcoming... me... to BGN Radio - PhillyVoice
Oh, hey, look I’m on a podcast now. BGN Radio, with Brandon Gowton, more specifically, and we recorded a podcast last night. Here are some of the things we discussed.

Jimmy Kempski is Now Co-Hosting BGN Radio - Crossing Broad
Philadelphia sports media update: Jimmy Kempski of Philly Voice is the new co-host of BGN Radio, alongside Brandon Lee Gowton.

DeSean Jackson, Philadelphia’s Prodigal Son, Comes Home - The Ringer
I never believed in magic until I saw Jackson play football. I never knew it was possible for little creatures to dance with such Brobdingnagian proportions. It’s wondrous to watch such a talent streak across the field with such boundless energy. Jackson is Philadelphia, just as I am. I can see it in how he smiles on the sideline, or the energy he brings to touchdown celebrations. Every Sunday this season, he’ll be in midnight green, back where he belongs, a lost son of Philadelphia who finally made the journey back home.

5 burning Falcons - Eagles questions with Bleeding Green Nation - The Falcoholic
When the Eagles and Falcons played back in 2016, Doug Pederson aimed to keep Atlanta’s offense off the field by methodically driving down the field and controlling the clock. If explosive plays aren’t there to be had, I could see the Eagles revisiting that strategy. The Eagles’ offensive identity isn’t about running the ball. The head coach is a former quarterback and the Eagles have a star quarterback in Wentz. I don’t think they’ll be passing the ball only 10 times in the game. With that said, the Eagles should absolutely look to attack the Falcons on the ground. Philly has one of the best run blocking offensive lines in the league and some talented backs to boot. Darren Sproles, Jordan Howard, and Miles Sanders logged 26 carries for 116 yards (4.7 average) against Washington’s defense in Week 1.

Week 2 Rankings - Rotoworld
Carson Wentz’s Week 1 was how summer drafters drew it up. DeSean Jackson had an enormous impact, not only ripping big plays but returning balance to the Eagles’ passing attack. The Falcons’ pass defense hasn’t made many changes after a doormat 2018, though it has recovered from a biblical wave of injuries.

Arcega-Whiteside says NFL has admitted mistake to Eagles on his holding penalty - Morning Call
On Wednesday, Arcega-Whiteside insisted there was no holding and offered proof to back it up. “Everybody upstairs said it wasn’t holding, everybody on TV said it wasn’t holding and even the NFL officials association said it was a bad call,” Arcega-Whiteside said. “So, I mean, it’s part of the game. Sometimes you’re going to make mistakes. Even before we got back to the locker room, [the coaches] were telling me they had already sent an apology.”

Eagles film breakdown: Carson Wentz should only get better - Inquirer
The old NFL adage that it’s never as bad as it looks and never as good, either, is usually an apt one when re-watching the coaches’ film. But there are exceptions, and in the case of Carson Wentz’s performance in the Eagles’ season-opening win over the Redskins, the quarterback played as good as he looked live. The surface numbers were impressive. Wentz completed 28 of 39 passes (71 percent) for 313 yards (8 yards per attempt) and three touchdowns without a turnover. But he was superb across the board. He was outstanding on third down, completing 12 of 13 passes for 197 yards and three scores. He was great under pressure, hitting on 9 of 10 passes for 141 yards and two scores. And he was good when blitzed with 12 of 16 passing for 70 yards. He threw darts from the pocket, from the perimeter, and completed short, intermediate and deep passes. Were there a few tosses he’d like to have back? Sure. But, overall, it was probably Wentz’s best outing since before he tore his ACL in December 2017, and possibly only a sampling of the leap he may take in Year 4.

Carson Wentz’s sneaky skill is quite a weapon for Eagles - NBCSP
There’s something Carson Wentz does better than almost anybody else in the NFL. And it has nothing to do with throwing a football. And it’s something he could barely even do last year. Wentz is one of the best in the NFL on keepers. He’s now 21-for-23 in his career on 3rd and 4th and 1, including three big conversions on Sunday. Those three conversions matched his ENTIRE TOTAL from last year. Which tells you how much those injuries really were affecting him. Wentz was 2-for-3 on keepers as a rookie, then a perfect 13-for-13 in his injury-shortened Pro Bowl season in 2017, then last year – still dealing with lingering knee issues and a worsening back injury -- attempted just four keepers, converting three.

Start and Sit: Week 2 - Football Outsiders
I was a little surprised to have a pair of Falcons on my best matchups list this week, even if they are at home in the dome. The Eagles have traditionally had an excellent pass defense courtesy their deep pass rush. But Week 1 skewed the other way, with the Eagles having the fourth-worst DVOA pass defense and third-best DVOA run defense. That may be a one-week anomaly, but the Eagles also increase pass plays by 19%, the most in football. Even if Matt Ryan is less efficient than usual in the matchup, he should provide ample targets to buoy Julio Jones to the No. 1 and Calvin Ridley to the No. 11 fantasy receivers this week.

Week 2 NFL picks against the spread - The Athletic
Falcons vs. Eagles: Whichever team wins the matchup between the Falcons’ offensive line and the Eagles’ defensive line will likely win this game. Matt Ryan was sacked four times, took seven hits and tossed a pair of interceptions in Atlanta’s Week 1 loss to the Vikings. As Jason Butt outlines well here, left tackle Jake Matthews didn’t play well, the Falcons could be going with a rotation at right tackle, and they’ll start Jamon Brown (a healthy scratch last week) at right guard. The Eagles, meanwhile, lost defensive tackle Malik Jackson to a foot injury in the opener. They’ll need a dominant performance (very possible) from Fletcher Cox and more disruption from defensive ends Derek Barnett and Brandon Graham. The Falcons (yet another home dog) need this game badly. The pick: Falcons (+1.5).

‘Go crazy’: Tim Jernigan is himself again, and the Eagles really need him to step up after a tough 2018 - NJ.com
At a key moment in the first half, Eagles trailing 17-7, Jernigan burst through the offensive line and, with help from Vinny Curry taking on an extra blocker, got to quarterback Case Keenum and threw him to the ground. It was his first full sack since Nov. 19, 2017. So, Jernigan started to celebrate. He pointed with both of his hands toward his head, and started to spin his finger. It means “go loco,” he explained on Thursday, “go crazy.” It was cut short — the Redskins were in hurry-up, so Jernigan had to run back to line-up for the next play, which wound up being a spike and then, a field goal. If not for Jernigan’s sack, the half could’ve ended much differently. Instead, he forced a field goal, and eventually the Eagles won 32-27. “It felt good,” Jernigan said on Thursday. “I know the team needed it, I know the defense needed it, I think it helped turned the game around a little bit for us, get some momentum going into halftime and stuff ... I’m just playing my role.”

Akeem Spence feels bad for players still on the Dolphins - PFT
“It just so happened, around 3 or 4, I’m taking my clothes to the cleaners, I see my agent called me,” Spence said, via the Philadelphia Inquirer. “He asked me, how would I like the opportunity to be on a Super Bowl contender? I said, ‘Who wouldn’t?’” Spence called the Eagles a “first class” organization and said playing the Eagles system with former Dolphins defensive coordinator Matt Burke is “the perfect fit for me.” He suggested that playing in Miami in 2019 was on the extreme other end of the spectrum for his former teammates.

Focus and Finish: How Football Taught Me Grit, Teamwork, and Integrity - Amazon
Zach Ertz didn’t start out as a great football player. In fact, his first love was basketball. But then a chance encounter with an NFL legend changed the course of his life forever. Join Zach as he works his way up from oversized middle-school lineman to the Super Bowl–-winning and All-Pro tight end he is today. Go behind the scenes and discover what the life of a professional athlete playing at the highest level looks like. Children ages 8-12 will learn, by Zach’s example, the value of hard work, dedication, and perseverance, traits that he developed with the help of his mom, coaches, and most important, Jesus Christ.

2020 NFL Mock Draft 2.0: Alabama’s Tua Tagovailoa, Jerry Jeudy in the Top Three - MMQB
31. Philadelphia Eagles: Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin. Center Jason Kelce was considering retirement, but the Eagles gave him an extension through the 2021 season. Like with Andre Dillard as a long-term replacement for Jason Peters, Biadasz gives the Eagles an elite long-term replacement for Kelce.

Fan confidence nosedives after Giants’ lopsided loss to Dallas Cowboys - Big Blue View
Entering the 2019 regular season a whopping 73 percent of Giants fans who voted in our FanPulse survey said they were confident in the direction of the team. After a 5-11 season in 2018 and a widely-panned offseason, that amount of faith might have been considered surprising. What can’t be considered surprising is that the confidence of our voters has basically fallen off the map after a one-sided season-opening loss to the defending NFC East champion Dallas Cowboys. Fan confidence in the direction of the franchise, as indicated by our FanPulse poll, plummeted all the way to 29 percent after Sunday’s loss. That’s a drop of 44 percent.

Redskins Injury Update: Derrius Guice has surgery to trim torn meniscus, out indefinitely - Hogs Haven
Guice got the start last week, and last season’s Redskins Offensive Player of the Year Adrian Peterson was a healthy scratch. AD won’t be on the sidelines this week, and is the team’s #1 RB again while Guice is out.

Dolphins grant DB Minkah Fitzpatrick permission to seek trade - The Phinsider
In 2018, Fitzpatrick looked dominant for most of the season. As a rookie, he recorded 80 tackles, two tackles for loss, two interceptions and a touchdown. The sky was the limit for Fitzpatrick, especially with a defensive-minded HC coming to town. Unfortunately, the relationship between player and coach seems repairable.

And just like that, the New York Jets are already unraveling - SB Nation
Everything started out promisingly for New York. The Jets led the Bills 16-0 late in the third quarter of their season opener. One prized offseason pickup, C.J. Mosley, had found the end zone after intercepting Josh Allen. The other, Le’Veon Bell, hit paydirt not long after, hauling in a 9-yard pass from rising second-year quarterback Sam Darnold. For three quarters, New York’s rebuild was right on schedule. Then everything came crumbling down. And, like a poorly stacked Duplo mountain, continues to crumble down. The Jets fell apart over the final 20 minutes of Week 1 to allow Allen to start his season 1-0 despite committing four turnovers in the first half. And, somehow, things have gotten worse from there. Mosley, Bell, and Darnold could all miss extended time thanks to injuries and, uh, mononucleosis. [BLG Note: Poor Joe Douglas. The Eagles play the Jets in Week 5.]

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