Graham good with any move to right ship
Brandon Graham has survived the last two head coaching changes with the Eagles, both of which led to quarterback changes.
This season has been particularly troubling for the 2011 firstround pick out of Michigan. Graham is having a career year with 7.0 sacks. On the other hand, the Eagles (3-6-1) need to win-out to make it four straight winning campaigns. It doesn’t feel like it but the Eagles are percentage points ahead of the Giants (3-7) in the NFC East.
“I know what it feels like at our worst,” Graham said Sunday after the 22-17 loss to the Browns. “I don’t feel this is the worst, worst because obviously with our record, as bad as it is, we still have a game up (on the Giants). We’ve got to go out and fix it and we’ve got six games to do it. I do know we’ve got some fighters that went to get this right. We’re winners here.”
The bigger issue now for the
Eagles is to stick together. That despite questions over whether Carson Wentz gives them a better chance to win than rookie backup Jalen Hurts, who is much more mobile. The offensive line is leaking oil with aging tackles Jason Peters and Lane Johnson are physically unable to complete games. Hurts might help.
Graham is the ultimate team guy. If the Eagles decide it takes a quarterback change to save the season, he’s all for it. The important thing is not to let a potential change divide the locker room.
“I’m confident in whatever Coach wants to do and whatever they figure out on the offensive side,” Graham said. “That ain’t got nothing to do with us other than we’ve got to keep on keeping it tight on defense. I know that Coach is going to make the right decision regardless of what happens. I know it means something to Carson. I know it means something to a lot of guys. Whatever it takes to get a W, we’re going to do.
“So, whoever Coach leans on doing we’re going to support and we’re going to support him. And we’re going to support our teammates regardless of what happens.”
Running back Miles
Sanders still has a gut feeling the Eagles will turn their season around. That despite a schedule with heavyweights Seattle (7-3) Green Bay (7-3), New Orleans (82) and Arizona (6-4) dead ahead.
“There’s no quit in us,” Sanders said. “We still have a lot of football left … but time’s running out. We’ve got a lot of football left but we’ve got to get this thing right, soon, like fast.” •••
At St. Joseph’s Prep, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski’s quote in the yearbook was “I love it when a plan comes together.”
It was from the A-Team, one of his favorite shows.
Stefanski had a pretty good plan Sunday. His Browns weathered an early surge by the Eagles, then held them off the rest of the way. They never trailed in a victory at FirstEnergy Stadium.
The Browns (7-3) live and die by their run game. They were limited to 18 rushing yards in the first half. They finished with 137 yards, including a touchdown.
“I think the guys stuck with it,” Stefanski said. “We were searching for the right personnel group and searching for the right scheme versus them. (The Eagles are) a good run defense. They played downhill until they were gassed. We knew it was not going to be easy. They come off the ball so we kind of were poking
around looking for the right run scheme for our guys. I think we kind of unlocked it a little bit there at the end and were able to get again some hard yards. It was not going to be easy versus that front.”
•••
Sanders was upset with himself for fumbling inside the five-yard line of the Browns on the Eagles’ first possession.
It cost the Eagles at least three points in a five-point loss.
“I’ve got to be better,” said Sanders, who rushed for 66 yards on 16 carries. “No excuses. I exposed myself in there and they go one out of me.”
•••
The Eagles started their ninth different offensive line in 10 games.
Isaac Seumalo was back in the lineup at left guard. Matt Pryor was at right tackle.
Peters played so poorly he wasn’t on the field for a chunk of the fourth quarter. Doug Pederson indicated Peters took himself out because of an injury.
Johnson exited with a shoulder injury. He’s been in and out of the lineup as much as Peters.
Even Jason Kelce, who started his 99th straight regular season game at center, the longest streak among active pivots, missed time after hyperextending his left elbow it the second quarter.