Daniel gladly customizing Wentz as Birds’ QB
PHILADELPHIA >> Nothing screams for attention like Chase Daniel’s jet black Jeep Wrangler Sport, the main creature comfort he allowed himself after signing a three-year contract with the With 37-inch wheels, it towers above everything in the company parking lot. The winch and overrider hoop on the front bumper — sick.
Not that he’s ever the winch.
“But it can haul up to 9,500 pounds,” Daniel said. “So if anyone ever gets stuck, call me up. I got you.”
It’s only a matter of time before winter hits Eagles. used and Chase Daniel uses his rig to tow teammates, staff, head coach Doug Pederson or John Q. Public in a snowstorm.
Daniel was born to have people’s backs. It’s authentic.
Much has been made of the help Daniel, the veteran of six seasons, has provided as the channel between rookie quarterback Carson Wentz and the Eagles’ coaching staff.
It’s hardly a coincidence Wentz is off to a solid, if not mildly spectacular start with no turnovers and two victories entering a Week 3 showdown with the unbeaten Steelers. The quarterbacks follow a training regimen borrowed from the book of Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees, refined by Daniel and proven playing field.
Daniel arrived in New Orleans the year after the Saints prevailed in Super Bowl XLIV. The three-year relationship with Brees was so beneficial Daniel tore a couple of pages of his mentor’s schedule and refined it with Kansas City the following three years. Now it’s in Philly.
“Obviously the schedule isn’t what’s made him play well,” Daniel said. “I think his superior athletic ability, his intangibles, smarts. That’s what made him play well. But you’d love to think that the preparation part is pretty important, too.”
The Daniel Plan has the Eagles’ quarterbacks beginning work at 5:30 a.m., staying until around 6:30 p.m., if not later, and trying to keep a day ahead in their game preparation. Time figured to be a problem in this, the short work week coming off the Monday night game. Instead it was just another challenge embraced by Wentz.
“It’s fun, especially when you’re doing it in there with Chase and with Aaron Murray and then breaking it down with your coaches,” Wentz said. “It’s crazy to see a game plan really come together. You start seeing things. You start really understanding. Early in the week you’re usually like ‘Holy smokes, how are we going to attack this team?’ As the week goes you really just start to understand it more. And that’s always fun. And then you get to go out there on Sundays on the and play pretty fast and pretty confident.”
On game days Daniel and his Windows tablet with video of plays are joined at the hip of Wentz, when he comes to the sideline. Daniel is another set of eyes for the rookie.
“I think he brings a sense of confidence to the sideline in the quarterbacks and Carson,” offensive coordinator Frank Reich said. “Chase does a great job. I can’t emphasize that enough.”
Back to the massive and luxuriously appointed jeep, which on the surface would seem to be something a lineman, not a quarterback would embrace.
Daniel didn’t just drive it off the lot. No, he spent a ton of time researching and customizing it.
“I wanted to get it just how I like,” Daniel said. “There’s a lot of custom stuff done to it. We spent a lot of time looking at what we wanted to do and doing it and finally got it done. It’s pretty cool. There’s not one ounce of plastic on it. We took all the plastic off it. It’s all metal and steel.”
Just out of curiosity, why the winch?
“It just looks cool,” Daniel said. “Yeah, pretty much it looks cool.”
*** The cover of TIME has a piece on the NFL protests “fueling a debate about how America defines patriotism,” according to publicity people.
Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins, who led teammates Steven Means, Ron Brooks and Marcus Smith in raising fists during the national anthem this past Monday, is a part of the story.
“We’re not doing this made-up thing to get attention,” Jenkins told Time. “Real lives are being lost. Real communities are being affected. The negativity comes from people’s unwillingness to digest the hard truth.”
Jenkins will continue the protest Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
On the other side of the field, Steelers offensive tackle Alejandro Villanueva will be saluting the flag during the anthem.
Villanueva is a decorated Army Ranger.
*** Jordan Matthews of the Eagles is tied for 10th in the league with 10 passes not caught, according to Stats LLC.
Mike Evans (Bucs), Will Fuller (Texans) and T.Y. Hilton (Colts) are tied for the lead with 13 not caught.
Matthews is tied for the league lead in drops with Tavon Austin (Rams). They’ve dropped three passes each.
The Eagles are tied for third in the NFL with the 49ers, having dropped five passes (two drops by Darren Sproles).
The Rams have seven drops, the Texans six.
*** The Eagles have been assessed just 12 penalties, tied for 12th fewest in the league.
Only seven teams have been penalized fewer yards than the Eagles, who have been pushed back 80 yards.
The Lions lead the league with 25 penalties worth 208 yards.
The Steelers have been assessed just nine penalties worth 135 yards.