Football is back, so let’s celebrate
The group celebration is back, and not a minute too soon.
Fans are tired of player protests during the National Anthem, scary CTE reports and most of all, Jerry Jones protesting the six-game suspension of Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott.
The owners prefer celebrations to demonstrations, having relaxed the stringent celebratory rules while making a big deal out of encouraging players to embrace their inner creativity. Ideally it will give fans something fun to talk about. For the New York Jets, the group celebration is about all there is to be excited about.
For the Eagles, a break here or there and they’re celebrating their first playoff berth since the 2013 season in spite of a brutal schedule.
For most teams there is hope. Last year almost 53 percent of games were decided by seven or fewer points, the most in NFL history. Additionally, 72 percent of the games were within one score in the fourth quarter.
In this, the year of the celebration, the football can be used as a prop. (Note: Balls now contain a tracking chip allegedly to provide interesting stats, not necessarily evidence in case of another Deflategate).
As for some other interesting numbers, from worst to first... 32. JETS » With the first pick in the 2018 draft, the Jets select … Sam Darnold, quarterback, USC. 31: RAMS » All you need to know about this franchise is its best player, Aaron Donald, hasn’t reported for work. Good luck with that, 31-yearold rookie coach Sean McVay. 30: BROWNS » The analytics geeks here have run amok. There’s no other way to explain coach Hue Jackson thinking college bust quarterback DeShone Kizer gives him the best chance to win. 29. BEARS » The sooner they turn the keys to the franchise over to rookie quarterback Mitch Trubisky, the better. This is the swan song for coach John Fox. Only a governor’s reprieve can save him. 28. 49ERS » Even with Kirk Cousins, who they courted in trade proposoals, this would have been a rebuilding year for GM John Lynch and Kyle Shanahan. 27. JAGUARS » Doug Marrone and team president Tom Coughlin are changing the culture here. Unfortunately it’s going to take a lot more than the old, “if you’re not five minutes early, you’re late to the team meeting.” 26. COLTS » Franchise quarterback Andrew Luck may never be the same after shoulder surgery, which is what you get for going cheap on the offensive line. Scott Tolzien gets the snaps through September. 25. BILLS » Rookie coach Sean McDermott leads a franchise that’s gotten rid of, or alienated most of its good players. Maybe quality control coach Kathryn Smith, the first full-time female coaching hire, can make a difference. 24. CHARGERS » Sadly, Philip Rivers’ career will wind down in a football dive — the 30,000-seat soccer StubHub Center. 23. LIONS » At least they’re set at quarterback after signing Matt Stafford to a $135 million contract. 22. REDSKINS » This almost certainly will be Cousins’ last season with this dysfunctional franchise. You like that! You like that! 21. SAINTS » OK, it’s boring watching Drew Brees play dink-anddunk catch-up. After a Super Bowl title and four straight doubledigit win seasons, Sean Payton has had three consecutive seven-win campaigns. 20. DOLPHINS » Too many obstacles for this fragile young team, including hurricanes and the adjustment to emergency quarterback import Jay Cutler. 19. BENGALS » They’ll lead the league in fines, excuses for the guys who are fined and news conferences explaining why. 18. RAVENS » When Joe Flacco’s back breaks down, the Ravens will turn to … Ryan Mallet? John Harbaugh with just one winning season since winning the Super Bowl in the 2012 season. 17. PANTHERS » Cam Newton always gives them a chance to win but they’ve aged in too many areas. 16. BRONCOS » Football genius John Elway laid the foundation for a quarterback controversy by bringing back Brock Osweiler. 15. EAGLES » Another draft and they’ll be in the playoffs. They’re still not there, although Carson Wentz will take a step forward in spite of a tough schedule. 14. VIKINGS » And they thought Sam Bradford would make them good enough to be the first host team to play in the Super Bowl. 13. CARDINALS » Bruce Arians, genius that he is, has done as much as he can with 37-yearold quarterback Carson Palmer. 12. COWBOYS » The suspension of Elliott on hold, the Cowboys still are talented enough to reach the playoffs. 11. FALCONS » Speaking of talent, reigning MVP Matt Ryan and Julio Jones avoid the post SB hangover in their new stadium. 10. TEXANS » Quarterback Tom Savage, the Cardinal O’Hara product, has a chance to lead this team back to the playoffs. Hats off to J.J. Watt, as big of a force off the field as on it as he’s raised $30 million for Hurricane Harvey victims. 9. GIANTS » Stellar defense and a brilliant offensive scheme are enough to lift Big Blue to the NFC East pennant. Ben McAdoo and Steve Spagnuolo comprise the best coaching staff in the NFC East. 8. RAIDERS » All together now, Derek (Carr), Khalil Mack and Beast Mode (Marshawn Lynch), oh, my! 7. STEELERS » Upgrades on defense keep Ben Roethlisberger, Le’Veon Bell and Antonio Brown in charge of the AFC North. 6. TITANS » This is the year Marcus Mariota stays healthy and the offense explodes. Promise. 5. BUCCANEERS » The Eagles ought to check out this Jason Licht model, as it’s built to last; starting with quarterback Jameis Winston, a young talented cast and a few grizzled veterans. 4. CHIEFS » Loaded with playmakers, the Chiefs also play defense and special teams. Don’t be surprised if Andy Reid takes them to US Bank Stadium for the title game. 3. PACKERS » Unless Aaron Rodgers perfects the art of keep-away offense, the Pack still is one competent defense from a Super Bowl title. 2. PATRIOTS » Soft division, best head coach, winningest Super Bowl quarterback ever. It’s hard to count Bill Belichick and Tom Brady out, even after their brutal loss to the Chiefs in the opener. 1. SEAHAWKS » It’s payback time for the Seahawks, who are deep, edgy and won’t let the Super Bowl title game come down to a last play. Oh, and give former Eagles first-round pick Marcus Smith a sack in the finale. PHILADELPHIA » Lane Johnson started the war of words, the big offensive tackle authoring a story for the Players Tribune stating he and the Eagles were going down to “D.C. and whup some ass against the Redskins.”
Redskins linebacker Zach Brown countered with a Tweet: “We don’t need PEDs to win ... but just for u, 53 will be seeing you!”
Johnson and Brown, the Eagles and the Redskins, fill in the blanks Sunday at FedEx Field (1 p.m., Channel 29, WIP 94.1-FM).
Johnson was suspended for both games against the Redskins last season, having tested positive for PEDs. He was part of the previous wreckage that, all told, gives the Birds a fivegame losing streak in the series.
Why in the world did Johnson go ballistic on the Redskins?
“We just want to go out there and go play with an edge,” Johnson said after a recent practice at the NovaCare Center. “We’re not scared of anybody. What you see is what you get. We need to go out and set a tone, especially against a division opponent. And it’s a team we haven’t done well against in the past four or five games.”
Four of the Eagles’ last five losses in the series have been by a touchdown or less. The pass-blocking presence of Johnson should help, as quarterback Carson Wentz was sacked nine times last season.
The Eagles believe they’ve upgraded the run game with LeGarrette Blount, who rushed for a league-best 18 touchdowns last season with the Patriots. Wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith improve the pass game.
That’s got to be worth at least a couple of scores. Last year the Birds totaled just one offensive touchdown in the series. Defensively the Eagles have to hit quarterback Kirk Cousins, who they’ve been unable to put on his back often enough.
The Eagles feel they’ve upgraded the pass rush with rookie first-round draft pick Derek Barnett, who deserves the starting job, and defensive tackle Tim Jernigan. That would help cornerbacks Ronald Darby and Jalen Mills match up with the Redskins’ Terrelle Pryor, Jamison Crowder and Josh Doctson.