Veterans look to work out kinks vs. Cowboys
PHILADELPHIA » The Eagles are coming off what one veteran described as “probably our worst half” of offense this season.
And that wasn’t a rip job of quarterback Nick Foles, who looked like a cross between Geno Smith and Derek Carr before marching the Eagles into range for the go-ahead field goal on their last offensive possession in a too-close-for-comfort win over the Oakland Raiders Monday.
No, it was a team effort. The Eagles accumulated just 56 yards, two first downs and until Derek Barnett’s scoop-and-score on a desperation lateral, just two field goals in the second half of their 19-10 victory.
The guilt has been so overwhelming that Eagles veterans unanimously agree it’s best to at least try to work out the kinks in their otherwise meaningless regular season finale against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday at the Linc.
The Eagles, despite the
dismal numbers, still are among just five teams to rank in the top 10 in both offense and defense. Not coincidentally, four of the teams have clinched division pennants.
For starters, Foles was unhappy with his accuracy, as he connected on just 19 of 38 attempts for 163 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His passer rating of 59.4 was only slightly higher than the completion percentage.
Third down was a product of that inaccuracy and the decisions of Foles, who has vowed to work on his check-down throws this week. The Eagles were second in the league in third down success before
converting just one of 14 chances Monday. Now they’re fifth, with a 42.9 percent success rate.
“I think the big thing is on first and second down, it’s really important to get completions, stay inside the chains,” Foles said Thursday. “I think we went to a lot of second-and-long, third-andlong, and that puts you in a tough position. Secondand-seven, that’s better than second-and-10. It’s little things like that where it’s all correctable. Obviously be aggressive down field, but if it’s not there, get it to the check down right away.”
Unexciting as that sounds, it forces the defense to tackle. And while Foles wants to get the ball to Alshon Jeffery, who had zero catches Monday, the quarterback won’t do that
at the expense of open receivers. Jeffery leads the Eagles with nine touchdown catches. But Nelson Agholor and Zach Ertz have eight each, and Trey Burton has five.
“I definitely need to target Alshon more,” Foles said. “But everyone can make a play. Every guy whose out there running routes — receivers, tight ends, running backs — can make plays. Spreading the ball around is important. But also making sure I give Alshon the opportunity to make plays.”
Foles — surprise, surprise — says he’s been taking the starting reps in practice and is proceeding as if he’ll play the entire game against the Cowboys. The Eagles, however, almost certainly will give backup quarterback Nate
Sudfeld his first taste of NFL action. Sudfeld has been staying out of range of reporters this week.
Center Jason Kelce doesn’t care how many snaps the Eagles regulars get this week. He just thinks it makes sense for the Eagles to do something they can build upon entering their bye week. The Eagles are the top seed in the NFC, giving them home field advantage throughout the tournament.
“I would certainly like to go into the postseason feeling a lot better coming off of something a little bit better than what we put forth this last game,” Kelce said. “Of course, rest and recovery is very important, too. But we’ve just got to get back on track. Obviously, the Raiders did some really
good things on defense and we struggled on offense quite a bit. That was probably our worst half of the second half of the season.”
The Eagles (13-2) can set a single-season franchise record with a victory over the Cowboys (8-7), who have vowed to play their regulars. Head coach Jason Garrett said the Cowboys, who won the NFC East last year want to “finish strong.”
Foles, who hails from Westlake, Texas, where football almost is a religion, insisted he’s always amped up to play the Cowboys.
At the same time, Foles tried to remind critics what the Philly coaching staff attempted earlier in the week.
“I think it’s important to remember we won that
game as a team,” Foles said of the Monday night triumph. “Obviously the defense and special teams sort of carried us that game but we were able to put something together, get in field goal range and Jake (Elliott) kicked it through the uprights. There are times in games like that where teams start turning on each other. If you look at the sidelines, and I was there, there was never one moment where we doubted we would win the game. Defense had our back and offense always has the defense’s back. No matter what happens through the four quarters, we’re going to stick together.”