Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Don’t tell Birds’ defenders they need to improve ... they know it
PHILADELPHIA » Most of us have been where the Eagles were Sunday, which is grinding it out and hoping there’s a benefit on the horizon.
For the Eagles, there certainly is. They clinched a bye in the NFC playoffs, and with it a few days to rest those tired legs that have carried them to an NFLbest 12-2 record while awaiting the survivors of the wild card round.
“Everybody’s banged-up at this point of the year,” veteran Malcolm Jenkins said. “Everybody is kind of fatigued. But this is the time we really have to ratchet it up. To me the significance of having a first-round bye is that it puts you one game closer to a Super Bowl. You win two games and you’re in the Super Bowl. Just the odds go up. Two is obviously a lot easier than three. It doesn’t make the journey any easier. You’ve still got to win some games. But you don’t have to go on the road for that wild card. You can rest up and prepare and address any of the issues you’ve got from a schematic standpoint. And then you show up and play a home game. Hopefully that gives us an advantage.”
The Eagles had just enough gas in the tank to defeat the Giants, 34-29, and avoid shaming themselves for a variety of lapses, including their inability to tackle authoritatively. Had they lost, it would have made their Christmas night game against the Oakland Raiders at Lincoln Financial Field a must-win.
Instead the Eagles can clinch the top seed in the playoffs with victory in that game. They also would be the No. 1 seed if the Minnesota Vikings (11-3) are beaten Saturday night at Lambeau Field by Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers (7-7). If the Vikings and Packers tie, the Eagles need only tie the Raiders to clinch home field throughout.
For now, the bye is as good as it gets. It’s not a coincidence the games get tighter the closer teams get to the playoffs.
“At this point in the season we’ve played a lot of games,” center Jason Kelce said. “The ability to rest and the ability to recover that first week, I think this team needs it. Obviously, we’ve been through the wringer injury wise and a lot of guys are banged-up. That’s the way it is toward the end of the season. To be able to get that little week off to rejuvenate just a little, small amount is a great situation.”
Head coach Doug Pederson says he has a plan to rest players but with so many variables, there’s no benefit in releasing it. It’s likely there will be suggestions from his coaching staff and yes, probably the executives in the front office.
“I’ve begun thinking (about it), but my focus is winning the game on Monday night, because that, to me, is the most important thing,” Pederson said Monday. “Once we get to next week, we’ll figure out next week. But my mindset this week is all about the Oakland Raiders, Monday Night Football, and if we win that one. And like I’ve said pretty much these last few weeks, we control our destiny right now. So that’s the focus for me.”
This is new terrain for Pederson. If the Vikings lose and he plays quarterback Nick Foles or other key veterans the entire game against the Raiders, exposing them to injury, there’s going to be a lot of explaining to do. Pederson indicated as much when he said, “I’m not going to cross that bridge because … I don’t know the answer to yet.
“You just make the best decisions for your football team and if that means resting a guy, you rest a guy, or two or three,” Pederson said. “But you also have to maintain the edge with these players. And you’ve got to maintain that confidence and that dominating swagger. You’ve got to keep that alive. It’s not a preseason game where you can rest in Week 4, all your guys. You can’t do that because you’re still limited to the roster limits on game day. Guys are still going to have to play. But at the same time I’m going to be smart about the decisions we make moving forward and getting guys who need it, rest, if possible.”
The Eagles looked like they could use a vacation after their 34-29 win over the Giants. The defense was shredded for 504 yards, including 434 passing by Eli Manning. The Eagles ranked fourth in the NFL in yards allowed, surrendering just 294.2 entering the game.
“We don’t need nobody to tell us we’ve got to do better,” linebacker Nigel Bradham said. “We see it just like everybody else. One thing about us is we’ve all got chips on our shoulders. We want to get better. We’re going to challenge ourselves. We’ll get that corrected. We’re trying to be hot during this postseason.”
Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz wasn’t amused. Players confirmed he wasn’t happy. But the Eagles, backed up to their 11yard line, stopped Manning with 48 seconds remaining. Corey Graham had tight coverage on Evan Engram at the back of the end zone.
“I think each one of us needs to take a look a hard look at ourselves and be critical and evaluate where we can be better, whether that’s knowing the opponent better or knowing the scheme better,” Jenkins said. “At this point of the year the games are going to be harder to win and the opponents get tougher. We’re going to need everybody to execute. It’s a race to get better right now.”
*** NOTES » Eagles slot cornerback Patrick Robinson is in concussion protocol. … Chance Warmack was decent in place of left guard Steve Wisniewski, who sat out the Giants game with an injured ankle.