Eagles always like to play aggressively
PHILADELPHIA — In Saturday’s win against the Atlanta Falcons, Nick Foles threw a deep pass into the wind on the first play from scrimmage, LeGarrette Blount scored the team’s only touchdown on fourth down and wide receiver Nelson Agholor ran 21 yards on a new play.
The Philadelphia Eagles (14-3) are aggressive no matter what, but they’ll need that approach even more than usual when they host the Minnesota Vikings (143) and their top-ranked defense in the NFC championship game Sunday.
“You’d probably call me unorthodox with some of the decisions I’ve made on fourth downs and going for it, 2-point conversions, things like that,” Eagles coach Doug Pederson said Wednesday. “Sometimes you just don’t do the norm, you just don’t do what everybody expects you to do, and sometimes that can help you.
“I’m calculated by it, but at the same time, I’m going to make sure that I’m putting our guys in a good position.”
Foles underthrew the long pass to Torrey Smith to start the divisional playoff game, but a pass interference call gave the Eagles a 42-yard gain to the Falcons’ 25. Jay Ajayi fumbled on the next play, or perhaps the game wouldn’t have come down to a defensive stand at the end to preserve Philadelphia’s 15-10 win.
“Take a shot,” Pederson said explaining his decision to throw long into a stiff wind.
On the touchdown drive early in the second quarter, Philadelphia faced third-and-3 from the Falcons’ 24. Foles faked a pitch to running back Corey Clement and handed off to Agholor on an inside counter with Pro Bowl right tackle Lane Johnson pulling out and leading the way. Agholor took it to the Falcons’ 3.
It was the first time Pederson called the play this season.
“Coach has just had a knack of seemingly calling those at the right time,” offensive coordinator Frank Reich said.
“It comes up different every week. We really work well as a staff together in game planning. Sometimes we think we like something, and we go out on the practice field and it doesn’t quite look like it’s ready. So we have to keep it in the crock pot for another week or start over with a new recipe.”
Three plays later, tight end Trey Burton lined up at fullback and Blount followed his block into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown run. Pederson didn’t think twice about going for it instead of kicking a game-tying field goal.
“The ball was just inside the 1-yard line, and we had confidence to go for it in that situation,” Pederson said.”
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — The New England Patriots said quarterback Tom Brady did not attend a scheduled AFC championship game news conference Wednesday because he was meeting with the team’s medical staff due to an injury to his right (throwing) hand.
According to the team’s first injury report of the week, Brady was a limited participant in its practice, held earlier in the day. It was the Patriots’ first session in preparation for Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Defensive lineman Alan Branch and running backs Rex Burkhead and Mike Gillislee were limited by knee injuries.
Brady appeared on the Patriots’ weekly injury report several times during the latter half of the regular season with both an Achilles’ tendon and left shoulder injury.
The 40-year-old quarterback with five Super Bowl rings has never missed a playoff start during his 18-year career.
Brady’s hand hurt
Carr comes first
ALAMEDA, Calif. — Oakland offensive coordinator Greg Olson was quite clear about what the top priority will be for coach Jon Gruden’s new staff with the Raiders.
Everything from the smallest details such as how practice is conducted to bigger decisions about personnel and scheme will be made with the thought of how it will help Derek Carr develop into a top-flight NFL quarterback.
“We grow as Derek Carr grows,” Olson said Wednesday. “We drafted this guy to be that franchise quarterback. We feel like he has the potential to be that guy that can be here and play for 10 more years. It’s up to us to try and get that out of him. We’ll do everything in our power to make sure that that happens, from practice to offseason programs to what we’re doing defensively in practice, all those things will be designed to help Derek’s growth.”
Carr showed steady improvement from his spotty play as a rookie in 2014, when Olson served his first stint as offensive coordinator in Oakland, to a breakthrough 2016 season under Bill Musgrave that garnered MVP consideration and helped him earn a $125 million, five-year contract extension.
That steady ascension hit a speed bump this season as Carr played under his third coordinator in four years after Todd Downing replaced the fired Musgrave. Carr matched his career high with 13 interceptions and recorded his worst totals in yards, touchdowns and passer rating since his rookie year.
Jets have vacancy
NEW YORK — The New York Jets are looking for someone to lead their offense — again.
The Jets announced Wednesday night they fired offensive coordinator John Morton after just one season. His departure means the franchise will have its sixth offensive coordinator in eight years next season.
Morton replaced the retired Chan Gailey last year after two seasons in New Orleans as the Saints’ wide receivers coach. Quarterbacks coach Jeremy Bates, the Seattle Seahawks’ offensive coordinator in 2010, is a candidate to be promoted by head coach Todd Bowles.
New York’s offense finished this past regular season ranked No. 28 overall, and Morton’s play calls came into question at times during an up-and-down season.