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PHILADELPHIA — The Eagles have gotten a stylish decide to make a deep playoff run. And if there’s one factor offensive linemen do not do, it is stylish.
“I do know all people expects us to be Tremendous Bowl champions in Philadelphia proper now,” middle Jason Kelce mentioned earlier this week. “I believe that may undoubtedly occur, nevertheless it’s undoubtedly not going to occur being comfy. I can assure you that.
“Expectations are simply that. They’re f—ing nothing. We gotta go on the market and play. The second you’re comfy on this league, any individual’s coming for you.”
So the tone internally is ready, however outdoors the partitions, the hype practice continues to realize steam. The Dallas Cowboys have been the favorites to win the NFC East virtually all offseason till just lately. After transferring from +150 to +130 this previous Sunday, the Eagles have formally overtaken the Cowboys (+135) as division favorites, per Caesars Sportsbook. They’re fourth within the NFC in ESPN’s Football Power Index behind the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams, with a 65% probability to make the playoffs and a 7.5% probability to succeed in the Tremendous Bowl — similar because the Kansas City Chiefs.
Offseason additions like receiver A.J. Brown, edge rusher Haason Reddick, cornerback James Bradberry and linebacker Kyzir White have solidified an Eagles roster that, on paper, appears to be top-shelf. And so they occur to be enjoying in a convention that seems fairly weak total. Add these two issues collectively and it is comprehensible why the Eagles’ inventory is on a bull run forward of Sunday’s season opener towards the Detroit Lions (1 p.m. ET, Fox).
However are they actually respectable title contenders? The reply to those 5 questions will determine:
Can Jalen Hurts enhance his accuracy?
Hurts is a robust chief. He is a playmaker. He led all quarterbacks final 12 months in dashing yards (784) and dashing touchdowns (10). He confirmed in his first full 12 months as a starter that he is able to taking a staff to the playoffs. However he wants to enhance as a passer for Philadelphia to raise into the higher echelon.
Hurts completed twenty sixth in completion proportion in 2021 (61.3%). He accomplished 53.7% of his throws on third down, additionally twenty sixth within the league. Escaping would-be tacklers and creating on the transfer is Hurts’ “superpower” as his coaches wish to name it. However the offense lacked rhythm throws. Hurts was tops in common time earlier than the cross (3.12 seconds) and common time within the pocket (2.66 seconds), in accordance with ESPN Stats & Data.
Hurts, 24, spent a part of the summer season in Southern California working with quarterback gurus to enhance his fundamentals. And the assumption is that familiarity with the offense — that is the primary time he is been in the identical system since his father was his coach again in highschool — will result in him getting the ball out sooner.
“I believe what now we have seen in observe again and again is him with the ability to get via reads faster, him being extra correct along with his throws,” coach Nick Sirianni mentioned. “Guys which might be aggressive, guys which might be powerful and guys that love soccer have the power to succeed in their ceiling, and I can see him persevering with to develop.”
Will defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon be extra aggressive?
Gannon is well-regarded throughout the NFL and even received some head coach interviews this offseason, however he was arguably too conservative in his first 12 months as a defensive coordinator.
The Eagles dialed up the second-fewest blitzes (122) and, along with his safeties usually enjoying ultra-deep, allowed quarterbacks to finish 69.4% of their throws, tied for the best mark within the league.
That strategy had one thing to do with personnel — Gannon did not have all of the items he wanted in Yr 1 to suit his hybrid scheme — nevertheless it was largely about philosophy. He is a giant believer that limiting explosive performs results in wins, so he averted calls which may result in a giant gainer excessive.
Nevertheless it did not permit sufficient for playmakers to make performs. The Eagles completed second-to-last in sacks (29), twenty seventh in QB contacts (132) and twenty eighth in takeaways (16).
Requested what enhancements he’d wish to see in Yr 2 from his protection, Gannon mentioned: “Most likely take the ball away a bit bit extra, have an effect on the quarterback a bit bit extra and be constant.”
“I believe letting them play a bit bit extra, and to not say that we did not allow them to play final 12 months, however I informed these guys, now we have to problem-solve and also you guys should assume in your toes and get me out of hassle when a name is just not very best,” Gannon mentioned. “That is what I believe that our protection, the blokes that now we have proper now have proven that via camp, and I simply truthfully belief the entire room a bit bit higher.”
Will Chauncey Gardner-Johnson settle their security concern?
The largest query on the roster this offseason has been the protection place. Normal supervisor Howie Roseman alleviated a lot of the general public concern by buying Gardner-Johnson from the New Orleans Saints on Aug. 30.
Gardner-Johnson suits the mould of a “modern-day security,” Gannon recommended — somebody with “protection skill, with the ability to play within the field, having vary, enjoying submit closed, submit open, masking, tackling, speaking, being good.”
Just one drawback: He hasn’t performed a lot security since graduating from the College of Florida in 2018.
Gardner-Johnson is not sweating it. “I’m a ballplayer,” he mentioned. “It’s simply soccer. I’ve been enjoying it since I used to be 6 years outdated.” And there are sufficient similarities between slot nook and security in Gannon’s scheme to melt the transition. However it’s a new place on a brand new protection, and Gardner-Johnson has had lower than two weeks to get acclimated.
Can Fletcher Cox get out of his ‘personal method’?
When assessing the energy of the Eagles’ line of defense, it is simple to bake in Cox’s excessive stage of manufacturing as a given. It is in all probability time to regulate.
His final dominant season was 2018 (10.5 sacks, 34 QB hits, 12 tackles for loss). There’s been regression since then for the 31-year-old defensive sort out. He posted 3.5 sacks and 12 QB hits final season. Cox made it publicly recognized that he was not keen on how Gannon was utilizing him. He was the topic of commerce talks previous to the November deadline and was launched in March in a money-saving transfer earlier than being introduced again on a one-year deal two days later.
“I believe final 12 months, I received in my very own method,” Cox mentioned, explaining that he was “getting in my head” in 2021. “And that’s been my objective: Simply don’t get in my very own method this 12 months. I’ve been having loads of enjoyable doing it.”
The Eagles have rather a lot going for them alongside the defensive entrance, together with Reddick, Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham (again from an Achilles damage), Javon Hargrave, Milton Williams and rookie Jordan Davis. Cox would not have to be a famous person, however he must ratchet it up for the protection to appreciate its potential.
Is Nick Sirianni a championship-caliber coach?
It wasn’t too way back that the Eagles had been 2-5 and followers had been able to ship Sirianni and his flower analogies packing. Then Philly rattled off seven wins over its closing 10 video games — beginning with a 44-6 drubbing of this week’s opponent, the Lions — to snag the ultimate wild-card spot within the NFC playoffs and funky Sirianni’s seat off.
Issues have stabilized for Sirianni as he enters his second 12 months as head coach. He is gotten extra comfy within the highlight and has endeared himself to Philly a bit along with his sideline hearth and everyman demeanor.
However as he discovered via a turbulent Yr 1, the underside can drop out fairly shortly. And this time round, the stakes are raised. It will not be sufficient to squeak into the playoffs by beating a bunch of mediocre groups and quarterbacks down the stretch this time round. There must be important progress.
Sirianni has proved to be an efficient connector. His gamers didn’t bail on him when the going received powerful final season, and the locker room, as issues stand, seems to have purchased in getting into 2022. However the pattern measurement stays small. How will he reply to the added strain? Can he stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Sean McVays of the teaching world? Is he the person to information a proficient staff to the highest of the mountain?
We’ll begin getting solutions quickly.