Bleeding Green Nation - Giants vs. Eagles 2014: Philadelphia finishes the season at 10-6Philadelphia Eagles rumors, news, analysis, roster updates, depth charts and more.https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47571/bleedinggreennation_fave.png2014-12-29T18:00:11-05:00http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/rss/stream/72204062014-12-29T18:00:11-05:002014-12-29T18:00:11-05:00Marcus Smith played 105 snaps in 2014
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<figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Here's a look at how often each player saw the field in the Eagles' season finale. </p> <p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph0">These are the player snap counts from the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Philadelphia Eagles</a>' victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a>.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph1">The following players were <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7456401/eagles-giants-inactives-nolan-carroll-cornerback-bradley-fletcher">inactive</a> and did not play: <span>Jerome Couplin</span>, <span>Jeff Maehl</span>, <span>Bradley Fletcher</span>, <span>Nick Foles</span>, <span>Taylor Hart</span>, <span>Dennis Kelly</span>, <span>Julian Vandervelde</span>.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph2">The following players were active but did not play: <span>Matt Barkley</span>, <span>David Molk</span>, <span>Marcus Smith II</span>.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph">Smith II, the team's first round pick from the 2014 NFL Draft class, finished the season with only 105 snaps played. 68 of those were on defense and the other 37 came on special teams.</p>
<h3>OFFENSE</h3>
<p>(<a target="_blank" href="http://i.imgur.com/5zGt0PL.png">Click here for mobile viewing</a>.)</p>
<p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/5zGt0PL.png" style="max-height: 538px; max-width: 636px;" data-reactid=".2.0.$5zGt0PL=1png"></p>
<p><b>Notes:</b></p>
<p><span>Brent Celek</span> only played one more snap than <span>Zach Ertz</span>. The latter tight end's playing time has increased in the final weeks of the season. A prelude to 2015?</p>
<p><span>Chris Polk</span> took over for <span>LeSean McCoy</span> after he left the game late with an injury. Polk also continues to get goal line carries.</p>
<h3>DEFENSE</h3>
<p>(<a target="_blank" href="http://i.imgur.com/YeCFPpv.png">Click here for mobile viewing</a>.)</p>
<p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/YeCFPpv.png" style="max-height: 538px; max-width: 636px;" data-reactid=".2.0.$YeCFPpv=1png"></p>
<p><b>Notes:</b></p>
<p><span>Nolan Carroll II</span> started in place of Bradley Fletcher. Carroll II shifted to his normal position of dime linebacker when the Eagles used that package. With Carroll II moving inside, the Eagles used outside rookie cornerback <span>Jaylen Watkins</span>, and <span>Brandon Boykin</span>, on the outside. It was the first time Watkins played on defense all season.</p>
<p>It will be interesting to see how the Eagles handle their internal options at cornerback. They will be sure to add some additions in free agency and the draft, but Carroll II is under contract and could be in line for a starting job next season. Watkins could also be in the mix if he earns it. Boykin seems locked in to the nickel spot.</p>
<p>The Eagles relied on <span>Brandon Graham</span> a little more often than they usually do due to the fact <span>Trent Cole</span> was dealing with a broken hand. Cole still played his fair share of snaps, however.</p>
<h3>SPECIAL TEAMS<br>
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<p>(<a target="_blank" href="http://i.imgur.com/9UMcRdo.png">Click here for mobile viewing</a>.)</p>
<p><img src="http://i.imgur.com/9UMcRdo.png" style="max-height: 538px; max-width: 636px;" data-reactid=".2.0.$9UMcRdo=1png"></p>
<p><b>Notes:</b></p>
<p>Nothing out of the ordinary here.</p>
<p>...</p>
<p>And that's a wrap on the last snap counts post until 2015!</p>
https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/29/7464375/nfl-week-17-snap-counts-eagles-marcus-smith-ii-rookie-first-round-pickBrandon Lee Gowton2014-12-29T14:10:22-05:002014-12-29T14:10:22-05:00Shady recites Any Given Sunday speech
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<figcaption><a href='https://sqor.com/posts/73b66ea6-c86b-4c4d-8dc2-d36cbf674726'>via @EvanMathis69</a></figcaption>
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<p>Great stuff.</p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Eagles</a> season is over despite the team finishing 10-6, and that probably has you down. There's a long offseason ahead. But before the book is completely closed on the Eagles 2014 season, here's a little something that might cheer you up. <span>Evan Mathis</span> posted this video to his Twitter account (<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/evanmathis69">@EvanMathis69</a>) on Monday morning. (<a target="_blank" href="https://sqor.com/posts/73b66ea6-c86b-4c4d-8dc2-d36cbf674726">Click to play</a>)</p>
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<p>Yes, that's <a target="_blank" href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0146838/quotes">LeSean McCoy reciting along with Al Pacino's Inch by Inch speech from Any Given Sunday</a> just moments before the Eagles-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a> Week 17 finale. Give it a watch and tell me it didn't make you smile at least a little bit.</p>
<p><i>"I don't know what to say, really. Three minutes to the biggest battle of our professional lives. All comes down to today, and either, we heal as a team, or we're gonna crumble. Inch by inch, play by play. Until we're finished. We're in hell right now, gentlemen. Believe me. And, we can stay here, get the shit kicked out of us, or we can fight our way back into the light. We can climb outta hell... one inch at a time. Now I can't do it for ya, I'm too old. I look around, I see these young faces and I think, I mean, I've made every wrong choice a middle-aged man can make. I, uh, I've pissed away all my money, believe it or not. I chased off anyone who's ever loved me. And lately, I can't even stand the face I see in the mirror. You know, when you get old, in life, things get taken from you. I mean, that's... that's... that's a part of life. But, you only learn that when you start losin' stuff. You find out life's this game of inches, so is football. Because in either game - life or football - the margin for error is so small. I mean, one half a step too late or too early and you don't quite make it. One half second too slow, too fast and you don't quite catch it. The inches we need are everywhere around us. They're in every break of the game, every minute, every second. <b>On this team we fight for that inch. On this team we tear ourselves and everyone else around us to pieces for that inch. We claw with our fingernails for that inch. Because we know when add up all those inches, that's gonna make the fucking difference between winning and losing! </b>Between living and dying! I'll tell you this, in any fight it's the guy whose willing to die whose gonna win that inch. And I know, if I'm gonna have any life anymore it's because I'm still willing to fight and die for that inch, because that's what living is, the six inches in front of your face. Now I can't make you do it. You've got to look at the guy next to you, look into his eyes. Now I think ya going to see a guy who will go that inch with you. Your gonna see a guy who will sacrifice himself for this team, because he knows when it comes down to it your gonna do the same for him. That's a team, gentlemen, and either, we heal, now, as a team, or we will die as individuals. That's football guys, that's all it is. Now, what are you gonna do?."</i></p>
https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/29/7463685/lesean-mccoy-recites-inch-by-inch-speech-any-given-sunday-video-al-pacinoBrandon Lee Gowton2014-12-29T12:52:17-05:002014-12-29T12:52:17-05:00Eagles offensive line finishes on a high note
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<p>The best and worst player performances from the Eagles' 2014 Week 17 game against the New York Giants. </p> <p class="pgh-paragraph has-dropcap" id="paragraph0">Pro Football Focus is everyone's favorite site that grades NFL player performances. Let's take a look at what they had to say about the performances from the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Philadelphia Eagles</a> victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a>.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph" id="paragraph1">PFF offers explanation on their grading system on their website. <a target="_blank" href="https://go.redirectingat.com?id=66960X1641758&xs=1&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.profootballfocus.com%2Fabout%2Fgrading%2F&referrer=sbnation.com&sref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleedinggreennation.com%2F2014%2F12%2F29%2F7460625%2Feagles-giants-pff-grades-philaelphias-offensive-line-finishes-season" rel="sponsored nofollow noopener">Read more about that here</a>.</p>
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<h4>OFFENSE</h4>
<p id="paragraph3" class="pgh-paragraph"><b>Best</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph"><span>Lane Johnson</span> +4.9<br><span>Jason Peters</span> +3.4<br><span>Jason Kelce</span> +2.2<br><span>Evan Mathis</span> +1.4<br><span>James Casey</span> +1.3<br><span>LeSean McCoy</span> +1.1</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph"><b>Analysis:</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph">Philadelphia's offensive line finished the season strong. Lane Johnson led the way with the highest mark he's had all season. He graded out very highly as a run blocker. Jason Peters, meanwhile, struggled in pass protection with one sack and four hurries allowed. His positive grade came from run blocking. Jason Kelce graded out well in pass protection will <span>Evan Mathis</span> graded out well as a run blocker. Tight end James Casey only played 11 snaps but also finished well as a run blocker. All that good run blocking paved the way for <span>LeSean McCoy</span> to finish with 99 yards on 17 carries for an 5.8 average.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph"><b>Worst</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph"><span>Mark Sanchez</span> -3.7<br><span>Jeremy Maclin</span> -1.6<br><span>Andrew Gardner</span> -1.1</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph"><b>Penalty:</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph">Mark Sanchez played worse than the stats appeared. What's odd is that a lot of his struggles came when he wasn't even facing pressure; he was just making bad decisions and unnecessarily forcing throws. Sanchez threw a number of near-picks including one that was actually intercepted but called back on a weak pass interference penalty on New York.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph">Jeremy Maclin was mostly marked down for a penalty he had. Nothing too much to take away from his grade.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph">Andrew Gardner allowed one sack and one hurry. He also committed a holding penalty.</p>
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<h4>DEFENSE</h4>
<p><b>Best</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph"><span>Brandon Boykin</span> +3.5<br><span>Bennie Logan</span> +3.3<br><span>Fletcher Cox</span> +2.8<br><span>Nate Allen</span> +2.8<br><span>Mychal Kendricks</span> +1.6<br><span>Cedric Thornton</span> +1.1<br><span>Casey Matthews</span> +1.1<br><span>Nolan Carroll II</span> +1.1</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph"><b>Analysis:</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph">Brandon Boykin finished with the highest grade. He was targeted five times but only allowed three catches for 26 yards. He also recorded three passes defensed. Boykin was very solid in coverage against Giants rookie star Odell Beckham Jr. He really deserves a chance to play on the outside.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph">Big Bennie Logan recorded one hurry, four tackles, and four stops. He was a big part of shutting down the Giants rushing attack. Fletcher Cox and Cedric Thornton also had good games in run defense.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph">Nate Allen and Nolan Carroll II surprisingly graded out well in coverage. Allen was apparently targeted twice but allowed no receptions. He also had the game-sealing interception. Carroll II allowed four receptions on seven targets for 82 yards. He recorded one pass defensed.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph">Both inside linebackers graded out well against the run. Mychal Kendricks had five tackles whereas Casey Matthews had three. The latter of the linebackers recorded a quarterback hit as well.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph"><b>Worst</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph"><span>Jaylen Watkins</span> -3.8<br><span>Trent Cole</span> -2.3</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph"><b>Analysis:</b></p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph">Jaylen Watkins saw his first playing time of the season due to Bradley Fletcher's inactive status. Watkins struggled. He missed two tackles and he allowed five receptions on eight targets for 143 yards, which included a long touchdown by Beckham Jr. Watkins simply fell down on the play.</p>
<p class="pgh-paragraph">Trent Cole received a bad grade due to a lack of pass rush. He didn't finish with any kind of pressure in 25 pass rush snaps. To Cole's credit, he was playing with a broken hand. Give him credit for going out there (<a target="_blank" href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7459261/trent-cole-eagles-life-twitter-contract-uncertain-future">for possibly one last time as an Eagles player</a>) and giving it his all.</p>
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<h4>SPECIAL TEAMS</h4>
<p><b>Best</b></p>
<p>James Casey +1.4<br><span>Donnie Jones</span> +1.3</p>
<p><b>Analysis:</b></p>
<p>James Casey made a ST tackle and also blocked a punt that was recovered by <span>Trey Burton</span>. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/29/7457279/giants-eagles-final-score-philadelphias-win-new-york-34-26-10-6">Casey earns his paycheck</a>.</p>
<p>Donnie Jones punted seven times for 292 yards, which is an average of 41.7. Jones has landed 34 punts inside the 20-yard line this season, setting a personal best and a franchise record.</p>
https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/29/7460625/eagles-giants-pff-grades-philaelphias-offensive-line-finishes-seasonBrandon Lee Gowton2014-12-29T08:00:06-05:002014-12-29T08:00:06-05:00Eagles - Giants: 5 Good Things and 5 Bad
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<p>The Eagles got back to their winning ways with a solid run game, crushing run defense and yet another special teams touchdown. As usual, there was good and bad in this victory over a really bad team with a really good receiver.</p> <h3>The Good</h3>
<h5>1) <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7457195/eagles-vs-giants-final-score-philadelphia-new-york-finish-34-26-record-10-6">THE EAGLES WON</a><b style="text-transform: uppercase;">.</b>
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<p>It's been a while. I almost forgot how good that feels. Some people thought the Birds should lose to move up a couple spots in the draft order. I didn't. And Chip Kelly absolutely doesn't think that way. He likes to keep it simple. The point of playing is to win. When you start over-thinking it and playing games, you're developing bad habits.</p>
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<p>Next thing you know, players dog it if they have a big lead, or are behind a lot, or x or y or z, and you're a losing team. There's always a reason to lose. Winning is the point, and it needs to be a habit.</p>
<p>Before this season I predicted a 10-6 record, which is an improvement over last year given the tougher schedule. It wasn't enough to make the playoffs this time, but that's not only because of a dropoff in some areas (notably turnovers and quarterback play). 10-6 shouldn't have been enough to win the division last year, but the NFCE was terrible. Dallas improved too this year, so the standard was higher.</p>
<p>This team has big holes in talent that we're all familiar with -- QB, DB, ILB, OL depth -- but it continues to move in the right direction. (The loss to Washington still sucked balls, though.)</p>
<p><span>2) </span><b style="font-size: 1em;">S</b><b style="text-transform: uppercase;">PECIAL TEAMS ARE BACK.</b></p>
<p>The blocked punt and TD run back by <span>Trey Burton</span> (the 10th player to score on a return this year) was tremendous, and crucial to the victory. But there were other, smaller examples of how great this special teams unit is. Sproles' punt return TDs are great, but his ability to routinely turn a 2 yard return into 10 yards helps this team just as much over the season. And the coverage units do a great job of limiting opponents' returns. <span>Donnie Jones</span> landed four more punts inside the 20 yard line to break his own team record from last year. He has 34 punts inside the 20 this year.</p>
<h5>3) RED ZONE DEFENSE<b style="text-transform: uppercase;">.</b>
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<p>Philadelphia stopped the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">Giants</a> on four consecutive red zone trips, cutting what could have been 28 points down to 12. It made the difference in the game. A lot of that had to do with the Birds' now-routine masterful run defense. But even the long-suffering defensive backs had their moments, none bigger than <span>Brandon Boykin</span>s' pass breakup in the end zone on 3rd and 2.</p>
<h5>4) THE BOYKING IS BACK<b style="text-transform: uppercase;">.</b>
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<p>The Giants targeted Odell Beckham on 8 short passes while Boykin was defending. 4 were incomplete, and none was a first down. (The completions were 4, 9, 4 and 9 yards.) At the end of a disappointing year, Boykin finished strong, especially on a day when Beckham abused the rest of the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Eagles</a>' secondary (as he's done with the rest of the league, to be fair.)</p>
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<p>The Boy King has one year left on his contract. It will be interesting to see if the Eagles extend him, try to trade him, or stand pat. BB has not made a great case to start outside this year. Can anyone imagine him shutting down <span>Dez Bryant</span> or <span>Julio Jones</span>?</p>
<p>That said, it might be worth investing some coaching creativity into finding a way to have him cover speedy, shorter receivers such as <span>DeSean Jackson</span> and <span>John Brown</span> who have given the Eagles so much trouble lately.</p>
<h5>5) THE RUN GAME<b style="text-transform: uppercase;">.</b>
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<p>It has been erratic this year, but the Eagles ground attack finished strong. <span>LeSean McCoy</span> rolled up 99 yards and got around the corner repeatedly. Sanchez pulled the ball a few times and picked up 22 yards, which is crucial to this offense.</p>
<p>And on just 7 carries, <span>Chris Polk</span> picked up 38 yards, a touchdown and two first downs. One of them clinched the game by giving the Birds a new set of downs just after the two-minute warning. Another run, for 17 yards, didn't get a first down only because it came on 3rd and 18.</p>
<p>What does Polk have to do to earn more snaps? In two years, he has 6 touchdowns and 14 first downs on just 50 carries. (Don't forget his kickoff return touchdown.) You'd think that would be enough production to earn a couple more touches.</p>
<h3>The Bad</h3>
<h5>1) PASS DEFENSE<b style="text-transform: uppercase;">.</b>
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<p>To be fair, there were some good moments, not all by Brandon Boykin. Rookie <span>Jaylen Watkins</span> got thrown into the deep end of the swimming pool, guarding Beckham, Jr. at outside corner after Nolan Carroll, Jr. got injured, and he did a solid job. (Aside from falling down and giving up a touchdown.)</p>
<p><span>Eli Manning</span> was only 28 for 53 passing, and not all of it was his errant aim (though a lot was.) That said, he still completed enough passes to rack up 429 yards through the air, and there's no way to spin that as good. Would it be excessive for the Eagles to acquire 4 or 5 defensive backs in free agency and the draft this year? I don't think so.</p>
<h5>2) <b style="text-transform: uppercase;"></b><span>MARK SANCHEZ</span><b style="text-transform: uppercase;">.</b>
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<p>He had decent numbers -- 292 yards on 23-36 with 2 TDs and 1 INT for a rating of 96.1 -- but the numbers do not do any justice to how many bad decisions the Sanchize made. It seemed as if he literally could not see defensive backs, repeatedly throwing to double-covered WRs and missing interceptions only by luck or flag. (And why in God's name were the Giants double-covering <span>Riley Cooper</span>?)</p>
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<p>Give him credit for a nice touch on his short TD pass to Celek in the end zone, and for running a few times -- one scamper picked up 15 yards. (Learn to slide though, bud.) Before this game I thought he still made sense to keep as a backup quarterback. Now I doubt he'll return.</p>
<h5>3) <b style="text-transform: uppercase;"></b><span>TURNOVERS</span><b style="text-transform: uppercase;">.</b>
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<p>Same book, new chapter. Still just as depressing as ever. The Eagles were lucky there was only one; easily five of Sanchez' passes could have been interceptions, without any heroic play needed by the defense.</p>
<p>Bright side? No fumbles, and getting rid of Sanchez will take a big bite out of the problem. (Foles had plenty of trouble with giveaways himself this year, though.)</p>
<p>Also, if the Eagles secondary could learn how to catch balls that are ALREADY IN THEIR HANDS, that would go a long way toward improving the takeaway/giveaway ratio.</p>
<h5>4) <b style="text-transform: uppercase;"></b><span>CASEY MATTHEWS IS NOT LEGITIMATELY HATEABLE ANY MORE</span><b style="text-transform: uppercase;">.</b>
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<p>Eagles fans have had years of pleasure hating the crap out of <span>Casey Matthews</span>. I don't quite get it, he seems like a nice enough guy playing at his level (special teamer and depth ILB). But who am I to rain on anybody's blame parade? It's sad to lose any fun part of the game.</p>
<p>When Demeco Ryans went down for the season to be replaced by Matthews, the stars aligned for a massive hate-festival. It's true that this stretch coincided with the Eagles' collapse, but Matthews has played solidly at worst and occasionally been quite good.</p>
<p>He's been strong in run defense, OK in coverage and not bad when his number is called to rush (including a QB hit). So sadly, the fun is gone in slamming him. Luckily, <span>Bradley Fletcher</span>, <span>Nate Allen</span> and <span>Mark Sanchez</span> have performed well coming off the hate bench.</p>
<h5>5) <b style="text-transform: uppercase;"></b><span>THE SEASON'S OVER</span><b style="text-transform: uppercase;">.</b>
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<p>For all the roller coaster emotions, the bad QB play and worse defense, the Charlie-Brown-field-goal 9-3 hope and the Lucy-pulling-the-ball-away disappointment, this season has been a lot of fun. It's an honor to write about the Eagles and to have you read my words.</p>
<p>Now let's rip apart this team and tell Chip and Howie how to fix it.</p>
https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/29/7389421/eagles-vs-giants-5-good-bad-odell-beckham-sanchez-boykinMark Saltveit2014-12-29T02:02:25-05:002014-12-29T02:02:25-05:0010 final thoughts on the Eagles final game
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<p>Final thoughts on the Eagles final game. </p> <p>The <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Philadelphia Eagles</a> finished the season at 10-6 after beating the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a> by a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7457195/eagles-vs-giants-final-score-philadelphia-new-york-finish-34-26-record-10-6">final score of 34-26</a> in the meaningless finale.</p>
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<p><br>Here are 10 things to be learned from this game. There is a lot to discuss, and it's the final edition of this post for 2014, so let's get right to it. Since no one really games much about the game itself, I'll try to mix in a long-term focus in this post.</p>
<p><b>1) The season is over</b></p>
<p>Starting off with the most obvious. The Eagles are 10-6 but they didn't qualify for the playoffs so the season is over. It went by really, really fast. It was fun, it was painful, and it was everything in-between. The Eagles won't play a regular season game again for about another 250 days or so. It's going to be a long wait. In the meantime, some things you need to know:</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7457897/nfl-draft-order-2015-eagles-pick-no-20-overall">The Eagles will draft at pick No. 20</a>.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7457317/philadelphia-eagles-2015-opponents-released-patriots-cardinals-lions"> </a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7457317/philadelphia-eagles-2015-opponents-released-patriots-cardinals-lions">The Eagles will play the following teams in 2015</a>.</p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7457317/philadelphia-eagles-2015-opponents-released-patriots-cardinals-lions"> </a></p>
<p><a target="_blank" href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7458983/nfl-playoff-schedule-2015-postseason-picture-finalized-teams-seeds-games">This is what the 2015 NFL playoff schedule looks like</a>.</p>
<p><b>2) The Eagles need an answer at quarterback</b></p>
<p>This has only been written, what, a billion times this year? Against the Giants, <span>Mark Sanchez</span> once again showed he is nothing more than a backup in the NFL. He turned the ball over, had a number of fortunate dropped interceptions, and missed wide open receivers. Sanchez wasted the potential of Kelly's offense before our very eyes.</p>
<p><span>Nick Foles</span> may or may not be the answer at quarterback. Coming off a down year, it's hard to be Uberly optimistic, but the truth is they're likely stuck with Foles due to a lack of other options. That doesn't mean the Eagles should ignore the position completely. It's actually quite clear that quarterback has been a huge issue for the Eagles since <span>Donovan McNabb</span> was traded away.</p>
<p>Since 2011, the Eagles lead the NFL in turnovers with 130. In the Chip Kelly era alone, the Eagles have turned the ball over 55 times. 41 of those were from a quarterback, which comes out to 74.5%. Find a quarterback is much, much easier said than done... but it needs to be done. The Eagles can't afford to put all of their eggs in one basket with Foles and merely hope that things work out. They need to hedge their bet to some extent. Whether that means taking a flyer on a reclamation project or using a draft pick where appropriate, something has to be done. Failing to address the position entirely would be a huge gamble.</p>
<p>Howie Roseman has a lot of work to do this offseason.</p>
<p><b>3) Chip Kelly is great</b></p>
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<p>Chip Kelly might not be perfect (who is?), but he's damn good. This Eagles team set a franchise record for points scored with well below average play from the quarterback position for most of the season. That's an incredible accomplishment. Imagine if they didn't lead the league in turnovers and their red zone offense was even merely average instead of horrible?</p>
<p><b>4) Eagles secondary is bad</b></p>
<p>Also: water is wet. Yeah, it's apparent the Eagles need upgrades here. <span>Cary Williams</span> has a high salary cap figure and might not be back. <span>Bradley Fletcher</span> will be a free agent. <span>Nate Allen</span> will be a free agent, but could he return on an inexpensive deal again? Who knows. <span>Malcolm Jenkins</span> struggled against New York but he was easily the least worst of the defensive backs.</p>
<p><span>Brandon Boykin</span> looked pretty good against the Giants. It seems clear to this point that the Eagles have no intention of using him on the outside, which continues to be curious. Maybe he would fail there, sure, but they should at least try, right? Maybe the Eagles coaching staff will surprise everybody in 2015 and allow him to compete for an outside job. Or maybe not.</p>
<p><span>Nolan Carroll II</span> looked OK. Probably not as bad as Fletcher, but not incredibly better. Carroll II could feasibly be one of the starters on the outside next season.</p>
<p><span>Jaylen Watkins</span> played relatively well with respect to the fact it was his NFL debut. He battled hard and had a great pass breakup on a ball that was in Odell Beckham Jr.'s hands. Watkins was later burned by Beckham Jr. after falling down, so he clearly has some work to do. It could have been worse. Watkins won't be guaranteed a corner spot by any means but perhaps he can compete for a starting job in 2015.</p>
<p><b>5) Don't expect Bill Davis to be fired</b></p>
<p>No inside information here. I just don't expect Davis to be canned despite a disappointing finish to the season. I know a lot of fans want the head of Billy D served on a silver platter but I don't think the team is going to give up on him. While he is far from flawless, I think the real downfall of this defense was personnel rather than coaching. People will point to the fact he didn't give Bradley Fletcher help, but it's not always that simple. He can't always give Fletcher help because that's not how their defense works. Also, you may have noticed he DID give some of his defensive backs help against New York and they were still beaten anyway.</p>
<p>On a side note: defensive line coach (and assistant head coach) Jerry Azzinaro seems to have more of an influence over the defense than people realize. Davis has the title of defensive coordinator and calls the plays, and I can't speak to the exact level of power Azzinaro has, but I get the sense it's far from insignificant.</p>
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<p>One more thing: Rex Ryan isn't coming to Philadelphia. He's already stated multiple times he's not going to take a defensive coordinator job. It's not happening.</p>
<p><b>6) <span>Jordan Matthews</span> headlines the 2014 NFL Draft class</b></p>
<p>The Eagles rookie class hasn't exactly been a huge success. <span>Marcus Smith II</span> hasn't really played, <span>Josh Huff</span> has showed potential but has made a lot of costly mistakes, Jaylen Watkins couldn't get active until Week 17, <span>Taylor Hart</span> spent the whole season inactive, <span>Ed Reynolds II</span> spent the whole season on the practice squad, and <span>Beau Allen</span> largely served as a very situational backup player (which is fine), but... second round pick Jordan Matthews was really everything that was advertised. He had a great season as far as rookie standards go: 67 receptions for 872 yards (14.1 average) and eight touchdowns is quality stuff. JMatt should be a fixture in the slot for years to come.</p>
<p>As for the other picks, let's see what they do in Year 2. Sometimes it takes players a full offseason for things to click. This class didn't offer much immediate impact and that can't be undone. But that doesn't mean all hope for it is lost.</p>
<p>And let's not forget the contributions of undrafted rookie free agents such as <span>Cody Parkey</span>, <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7457637/cody-parkey-breaks-eagles-single-season-record-points-scored">who broke an NFL record</a>, and <span>Trey Burton</span>, who scored a touchdown on a blocked punt.</p>
<p><b>7) <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7459261/trent-cole-eagles-life-twitter-contract-uncertain-future">Trent Cole may have played his last game as an Eagle</a></b></p>
<p>That's kind of hard to believe. Cole has been around since 2005 and I can't ever recall a play he's taken off in that 10-year stretch. The guy plays harder than anyone and he's tough as nails. He's only missed a handful of games due to injury since arriving in Philadelphia. Cole deserves your respect.</p>
<p><b>8) Odell Beckham Jr. is a problem</b></p>
<p>He's really, really good. He's going to be a tough cover for years to come. He also doesn't seem to be shy to get involved in taunting and such, so that will make things even more fun.</p>
<p>Another side note: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7457195/eagles-vs-giants-final-score-philadelphia-new-york-finish-34-26-record-10-6">I wrote about this in the recap</a>, but I can't get over how ridiculous it was that he wasn't penalized for taking his helmet off while arguing for a flag that wasn't called. It's not even a subjective penalty; it's an automatic rule violation. But hey, maybe OBJ has already secretly earned his own set of rules.</p>
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<p><b><b>9) Unsung heroes:</b> <span>James Casey</span> earns his paycheck, <span>Bennie Logan</span> is good<br></b></p>
<p>Heading into the 2014 offseason, a number of fans thought the James Casey signing was a huge disappointment and he was going to be released. It was easy to see why some thought this way: he didn't play a lot of offensive snaps due to his relatively high cap number. What I think people didn't account for is the fact he's really good on special teams. And no, you can't just get anyone to play special teams as well as he's played. He led the team in ST tackles in 2013 and he's third this year, plus he's blocked two punts in 2014. He's also caught two touchdowns on three receptions. Casey is due $4 million in 2015 but no guaranteed money. I wonder if the Eagles will extend him this offseason.</p>
<p>Remember when people thought Bennie Logan was too small to play nose tackle following the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.canalstreetchronicles.com/">Saints</a> game last year? That narrative turned out to be complete BS. Logan has had a real solid season in the middle. He stuffed a couple runs against New York.</p>
<p>Logan is a real solid guy to root for. He's consistently involved in the Eagles weekly Community Monday program where he spends time giving back to the community. Logan doesn't get enough love so I figured I'd fit it in here.</p>
<p>Plus, <a href="http://i.imgur.com/kwapsLZ.png">there's always this</a>.</p>
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<p><b>10) THANK YOU!</b></p>
<p>Despite a disappointing finish to the season for the Birds, it's been a great year for BGN due to your continued support. I truly appreciate your readership, and I hope you can equally appreciate everything we do at the site. BGN wouldn't be where it is today with you, the reader, so give yourself a pat on the back and know that you're part of the life-force that drives this awesome community. There's a very long offseason ahead but we'll get through it together, so don't go anywhere. It should be a really interesting one.</p>
https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/29/7457279/giants-eagles-final-score-philadelphias-win-new-york-34-26-10-6Brandon Lee Gowton2014-12-28T21:06:49-05:002014-12-28T21:06:49-05:00Jordan Matthews and Beckham Jr. exchanged jerseys
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<p>Respect between rookie rivals.</p> <p><a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/">Philadelphia Eagles</a>' <span>Jordan Matthews</span> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.bigblueview.com/">New York Giants</a>' Odell Beckham Jr. are rivals by definition, but the two rookie receivers actually share a special bond. <a target="_blank" href="http://www.csnphilly.com/football-philadelphia-eagles/matthews-giants-wr-beckham-has-%E2%80%98natural-feel%E2%80%99-game">Matthews and Beckham Jr. first formed a friendship during their SEC days</a>, and that friendship hasn't worn thin. In a cool gesture, the two receivers exchanged jerseys following the Eagles' 34-26 win over the Giants in the Week 17 season finale.</p>
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<p>Odell Beckham Jr. and Jordan Matthews exchange jerseys postgame <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSPhilly">@CBSPhilly</a> <a href="http://t.co/C7enUBJg6w">pic.twitter.com/C7enUBJg6w</a></p>
— Casey Kuhn (@caseyfkuhn) <a href="https://twitter.com/caseyfkuhn/status/549315876424781824">December 28, 2014</a>
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Both players put on strong performances in their final games as rookies. Beckham Jr.'s finished with 12 receptions for 185 yards and one touchdown. His lone score involved a DeSean Jackson-like backwards strut into the end zone, and <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/BartHubbuch/status/549326120513183745">he let reporters know the resemblance wasn't by accident</a>. Matthews doesn't quite have the flash of Beckham Jr., but the Vanderbilt alumnus finished with eight receptions for 105 yards and one touchdown.</p>
<p>Beckham Jr. and Matthews are just two players from a 2014 NFL Draft class that was loaded at wide receiver. Each player is bound to be headache for opposing defenses for years to come, but it's cool to see they share a relationship despite their enemy status.</p>
https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7458415/odell-beckham-jr-jordan-matthews-exchange-jerseys-eagles-giants-gameBrandon Lee Gowton2014-12-28T20:34:32-05:002014-12-28T20:34:32-05:00Eagles-Giants Winners & Losers: Good for You!
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<p><a href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/22/7436267/cranky-chip-kelly-only-cares-about-beating-new-york-giants" target="new">Chip Kelly wanted to beat the Giants </a>in Week 17 and he got his wish at the cost of draft positioning.</p> <p>The season is over but the <a href="https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Eagles</a> ended it on a high note, defeating the <a href="https://www.bigblueview.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">New York Giants</a> by a <a href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7457195/eagles-vs-giants-final-score-philadelphia-new-york-finish-34-26-record-10-6" target="_blank">final score of 34-26</a>. In a game full of empty yards, turnovers and a wide variety of expressions on the faces of both quarterbacks, Chip Kelly's squad was able to come out on top with a game-sealing interception by (who else?) <span>Nate Allen</span>. Kelly wanted to beat the Giants this week and dismissed any thought of the future leading up to the NFC East showdown. In the end, his squad somehow delivered, despite giving up over 300 yards to just two Giants receivers.</p>
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<p>With the win, the Eagles finish at 10-6 for the second straight season, only this time there will be no postseason for Philadelphia. The Eagles will be in the "no fly zone" for the 2015 NFL Draft which is roughly between picks 16-20. It's a position that most fanbases like to avoid, but that's not really going to impact a professional football franchise. Stay tuned to BGN for our draft coverage starting next week! (sigh)</p>
<p>Anyway, let's get to the winners and losers of the final game of the season.</p>
<h4>Winners</h4>
<p><b><span>Jordan Matthews</span>:</b> The rookie finished his season with eight catches for 105 receiving yards, including a fun 44-yard touchdown catch and run. Matthews collected 872 receiving yards and eight scores in his first season, which is very impressive, considering he was rarely thrown to at times with <span>Nick Foles</span> at quarterback. He was essentially the Eagles top pick with <span>Marcus Smith</span> barely registering playing time. The slot has a bright future with him in it.</p>
<p><b><span>Chris Polk</span>:</b> The bruiser clearly has had an uneven season but the Eagles trust him in the redzone and he has played well when called upon. He finished with seven carries for 38 rushing yards and a touchdown. He showed his speed on a 17-yard run in the fourth quarter.</p>
<p><b><span>Brandon Boykin</span>:</b> He will probably never get the respect of the coaching staff, but he played very well in coverage all game. He broke up a pair of Odell Beckham catches and also played <span>Rueben Randle</span> and <span>Preston Parker</span> tight. He's the Rodney Dangerfield of the secondary.</p>
<p><b><span>Jaylen Watkins</span>: </b>Speaking of staying tight in coverage, Watkins really held his own. He fell while playing press against Beckham, who then scored a long touchdown and also missed a tackle in the second quarter. Outside of those two plays, the rookie was terrific in coverage and broke up at least a pair of passes to Beckham. He fared much better than his veteran counterparts, <span>Cary Williams</span> and Nolan Carroll. This was his first game on defense and I felt he delivered. He shouldn't be looked at as a starter but as competition for a starting job next year.</p>
<p><b><span>Zach Ertz</span>:</b> Too little, too late with the targets to the tight end, but he has been taking advantage. Ertz finished with four catches for 56 receiving yards.</p>
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<p><b>Nate Allen:</b> He had his ups and downs on the day, including allowing a massive reception to Randle in the first quarter because Carroll couldn't breakup a pass. That said, he had the game-clinching interception. He may walk this year but he will get a chance to compete somewhere. It'd be wise to bring Allen back and have him compete for a starting spot against superior talent at safety opposite <span>Malcolm Jenkins</span>. He would provide good depth. I think there is a misconception that the Eagles were wrong to re-sign Allen. The real issue was that they didn't sign or draft anyone else worthy of competing with him.</p>
<p><b><span>LeSean McCoy</span>:</b> He was up and down as well, but showed up when needed in the second half. He finished with 17 carries for 99 rushing yards and added 15 yards on a catch. He will finish with 1,319 rushing yards, five rushing touchdowns and 155 receiving yards. All of those stats have dwindled significantly from last season. This will be an interesting offseason for Shady.</p>
<p><b>Special Teams:</b> Again, Dave Fipp delivers. <span>James Casey</span> blocked a punt which led to a <span>Trey Burton</span> touchdown. Casey also had a stop immediately after on a kick return. <span>Chris Maragos</span> forced a fumble early on a kickoff but the Eagles were unable to take advantage. That trio has been terrific all year, yet none were voted to the Pro Bowl. (<a href="http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/23/7441055/2015-pro-bowl-roster-eagles-lesean-mccoy-darren-sproles-arizona-players" target="_blank">Maragos is a second team alternate, however</a>.)</p>
<h4>Losers</h4>
<p><b>Malcolm Jenkins' Hands:</b> I remarked during the game on Twitter that Jenkins has the ball skills of <span>Ifeanyi Momah</span>... That's all I've got.</p>
<p><b>Nolan Carroll:</b> He was abused early and often by the Giants and should have received at least two pass interference calls. If that is the way he plays in practice, you can kind of understand why <span>Bradley Fletcher</span> was able to hold on to his job for so long. It was an unfortunate showing.</p>
<p><b>Pass Rush:</b> It really wasn't there at all despite <span>Eli Manning</span> throwing 53 times.</p>
<p><b>Draft Fans:</b> Well, if you were looking forward to trading up for Marcus Mariota, things just got a lot more difficult. If the team doesn't trade up for a quarterback, they could have interest in receiver, cornerback, safety or offensive line. As I said above, stayed tuned for BGN's draft coverage. As others may attest, you won't be disappointed.</p>
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<p><b>Billy Davis: </b>Teach your cornerbacks to turn around or they will consistently give up yardage to even the most mediocre receivers and get called for pass interference.</p>
<h4>The Sanchize</h4>
<p><b><span>Mark Sanchez</span>:</b> He wasn't a winner, despite the stats. He threw a bunch of off-target balls, missed open receivers on literally every negative play and got lucky on a handful of would-be interceptions. It was not a terrible day for him as it could have been much worse against a capable defense, but he wasn't what anyone would call good. He finished 23-of-36 for 292 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception. He also added 22 rushing yards on seven carries, including a solid 15-yard sprint in the first half.</p>
<p>Sanchez did have his moments when throwing to Jordan Matthews. His main issue was staring down targets throughout the game. If you were paying attention, you knew when he was going to throw to Ertz or <span>Darren Sproles</span> and the Giants did too. He is likely to continue his career as a backup in Philly or elsewhere. While he was exciting to watch at times, it's clear he's not an NFL starter on a playoff team. Perhaps, he gets a look in Tennessee or St. Louis where he can serve as veteran competition. I think <span>Nick Foles</span> stays based on his contract and flashes in 2013 but the Eagles do need to address the position to get better. Foles will likely start next year because the options seem extremely limited, but that doesn't mean he should be "the guy."</p>
https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7458011/eagles-vs-giants-winners-losers-chip-kelly-week-17-victoryMike Kaye2014-12-28T17:49:01-05:002014-12-28T17:49:01-05:00Cody Parkey makes Eagles and NFL history
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<p>Philadelphia's rookie kicker has been a bright spot in a disappointing season. </p> <p>Philadelphia rookie kicker <span>Cody Parkey</span> made history during the Eagles 34-26 victory over the Giants on Sunday. His 10 points in the finale helped set a new team record for scoring. His 145 points eclipsed David Akers' former mark and also broke the NFL rookie scoring record set by Bears kicker Kevin Butler in 1985.</p>
<p>The Jupiter, Fla. native was acquired by the Eagles during the third week of the preseason. Philadelphia traded undrafted running back David Fluellen to Indianapolis for Parkey. Then-incumbent kicker Alex Henery had been struggling throughout the preseason and his competition, Carey Spear, was non-existent. A stellar performance by Parkey in the preseason finale forced the Eagles to move away from Henery and stick with the rookie.</p>
<p>The trade has clearly worked out well for Philadelphia, as Parkey has been terrific throughout the season. He made 32-of-36 field goal attempts (88.9%) and all 54 of his extra point attempts during his rookie year.</p>
https://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2014/12/28/7457637/cody-parkey-breaks-eagles-single-season-record-points-scoredMike KayeBrandon Lee Gowton