Tag Archives: Philadelphia Eagles

Philadelphia Receives Super Bowl LII Championship Ring

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Well last weekend the Philadelphia Eagles were given the brass ring for becoming world champions.. their Super Bowl rings. This commemorates a great 2017 campaign concluding with a 41-33 win in LII to take home the Lombardi. To the chagrin of Dallas Cowboy fans everywhere the Eagles do have a rich tradition of championships although there was a 59 year drought between the years they won it all.

As for the ring itself: The top of the Super Bowl ring has an Eagles logo on top of a Lombardi Trophy. There are 52 pavé-diamonds within the Eagle head to signify Super Bowl 52. The base of the trophy has 52 diamonds for each of their 13 regular-season victories. The top has three diamonds for the number of postseason victory. This concludes the 2017 odyssey which landed the Philadelphia Eagles their 4th NFL championship.

Here is a quick question: Who was the NFL’s Commissioner and where was the league’s headquarters before Pete Rozelle?? You guessed it…Philadelphia where team owner/founder Bert Bell established the team in 1933. He became league commissioner in 1946 and remained serving both roles until he passed in October 1959. Much of what is the NFL was shaped during his tenure as owner of the Eagles before he became commissioner. Notable achievements during his years

  • In 1934 it was Bell who lobbied the NFL on a common draft where lesser teams receive higher draft status. The league adopted this rule in 1935 and been in place since.
  • Bell also came up with the NFL’s 1st  championship Trophy. The Ed Thorp Memorial Trophy. A rotating trophy which went from champion to champion from 1934-1965. Just before the advent of the Super Bowl Trophy given out every year.

Bert Bell, new NFL president, talks over the telephone at his Narberth, Pa. home, Jan. 22, 1946, while his children, Bert Jr., 10, left, Upton, 8, and Mary Jane, 4, listen intently. (AP Photo)

The Eagles have a rich heritage filled with famous coaches, players and some of the NFL’s landmark games. Especially in the days of the postwar era after WWII. In fact one of the lost treasures when talking about NFL history is the merging of the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers in 1943 to form the “Steagles”. Each team had lost so many players to WWII service this was a way to remain solvent. Both teams from the Quaker state are still in existence yet hold a respectful rivalry that is mild in comparison to others. It could be due to the respect each organization has for the other coming from this shared history.

However lost on a generation of Steeler fans, since many bandwagon fans jumped on once the Steelers started winning Super Bowls in the 70’s, it was the Eagles that kept them in that 42 year championship drought ending in 1974. Back in the pre-merger NFL both the Eagles and Steelers finished with 8-4 records. Led by NFL rushing champion Steve Van Buren the Eagles buried the Steelers 21-0 in a playoff and Pittsburgh struggled for the next 3 decades.

As for the Eagles? Head Coach Greasy Neale had a ground game that chewed up opponents as few had done before. During the years 1947-1949 not only did Van Buren lead the league in rushing all 3 years. He became the Eagles 1st 1,000 yard rusher (’47) with a league record 1,008 only to break it in ’49 when he pushed the record to 1,146 yards. They lost the ’47 NFL Championship to the Chicago Cardinals 28-21. However they powered their way to a 7-0 win in the ’48 Championship Game in a blizzard then beat the Rams 14-0 out in LA for their 2nd straight NFL title.

Yes you heard that correctly… The Philadelphia Eagles played in 3 straight NFL championship games and became only the 2nd team to win it back to back once a championship game was instituted beginning in 1933.

The late Steve Van Buren finished as the NFL’s leading rusher with 5,860 yards 69 touchdowns, 4 rushing titles and a member of the PFHOF since 1965.

In one of the more ironic twists between the Eagles and their cross state rival Steelers, Bert Bell had coached and co-owned both teams over the years. His life came to an end when he collapsed October 11, 1959 while his Eagles hosted the Steelers after a Tommy McDonald touchdown. The league than moved it’s headquarters to New York to do battle with the new American Football League, hired Pete Rozelle as Bell’s predecessor to compete in the modern age.

The 1960 NFL Championship Ring.

However the 1960 Eagles paid the absolute tribute to a fallen Bell by storming to the 1960 NFL championship. Having acquired former Ram quarterback Norm Van Brocklin, who had been a part of the “point a minute” offense earlier in the 50s had a renaissance year. In his final season he passed for 153 of 284 for 2,471 yards and a career best 24 TD passes in only a 12 game season.

The signature game came in midseason when the 6-1 Eagles went to New York to play the 5-1-1 Giants who had won the Eastern Conference 3 of the last 4 years. This is the game where Hall of Famer “Concrete” Charlie Bednarik flattened HOFer Frank Gifford, knocking him out of action for nearly 2 years. Philadelphia won 17-14 to take command and rode a 10-2 record to the NFL Championship Game.

Bednarik’s hit on Gifford was one of the greatest in NFL history.

In what would go down as the only postseason defeat in Vince Lombardi’s career, a more veteran laden ball club pulled out a 17-13 win. One of the enduring images of that game was the last play when Bart Starr hit Jim Taylor with a short pass and Bednarik saved the day with a tackle on the 9 yard line as time ran out. Having made the last tackle, “Concrete Charlie” bookended the day where he became the last full time two way player in NFL history. He played the entire game at Center and Middle Linebacker. Not a CB coming in as a WR as a gimmick for 5 plays in a game. Hitting on every play as a 35 yr old.

Bednarik would play on for 2 more seasons, however “The Dutchman” or Norm Van Brocklin for the history impaired retired after the title game. He became the 1st starting QB to lead two different teams to championships in NFL history. A feat that took another 55 years to be duplicated. Unlike Peyton Manning’s 9 TD 17 interception performance in 2015, Van Brocklin left a champion after his greatest statistical season.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it generation ESPN/NFL Network newbies.

A history lesson from the desk of The Chancellor of Football. Congratulations Philadelphia Eagles we await to see what your encore will be after a magnificent Super Bowl win.

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The NFL’s Shameful Impatience with Black Quarterbacks

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We are just a month removed from the NFL Network airing a special on the history of players and the importance of Historically Black Colleges & Universities. Even here I wrote an epilogue on the enshrinement of Thomas “Hollywood” Henderson’s into the Black College Hall of Fame last month. Outside of these circles you’ll hear comments as though every racial barrier has been eradicated and they haven’t. You have NFL experts pitching the notion Heisman Trophy winning QB Lamar Jackson should switch to WR at the NFL Combine last weekend.

Are you serious?? Why is that even being asked?? Why isn’t this being asked of Baker Mayfield, Josh Rosen, or Sam Darnold?? To many black former players and to this historian, it reeks of those in NFL circles who wish to keep the quarterback position white and that is a problem. It unveils what many of us have talked about in private circles for years and we’re talking about this today.

Now Colin Kaepernick situation withstanding, someone undoubtedly will mention “Julian Edelman was a qb in college and he switched.”  Yet he was a marginal talent at Kent St in the Mid America Conference where he threw for 1,820 yds 13 TDs and 11 interceptions as a senior. Hardly NFL material. He was not an electrifying talent that ran for 1,571 yards 21 TDs before tossing 30 more scores with just 9 ints and another 3,543 yards in a Heisman winning year. So lets kill that noise right off the top.

Its the audacity of having it come up in the first place when the young man has earned the right to be drafted as a quarterback. It pulls back the veil of the long ago thought that blacks weren’t to play the thinking positions and were asked to switch positions going into the pros.

Quick question: Who holds the Denver Bronco record for touchdown passes as a rookie?? *jeopardy music* The answer is Marlon Briscoe with 14 in 1968. Yes he has held the record for 49 years… not John Elway…not Tim Tebow…not Jay Cutler. In fact if you add Elway and Tebow’s rookie TDs together you would still only have 12. Briscoe’s reward?? He never quarterbacked in the AFL or NFL again and was switched to receiver. He won Super Bowl VII and VIII in Miami but the point we don’t know is what could he have developed into??

One aspect that rears it’s head are coaches and general managers impatience with wanting to get black QBs on the field. Why is it you rarely see black QBs groomed to be placed out there once they’re developed and ready??

What happens is the black quarterback is inserted for an element of excitement. Fans get behind the team. The team’s coaches don’t further develop the game of the quarterback and lock into the same plays. Opposing defense catches on to the quarterbacks tendencies within 2 years and the fans turn on the quarterback when he isn’t effective. Then hit Twitter, social media and the blogosphere about how they need to draft the next best thing. Sound familiar??

Its the same reason you didn’t see the Kordell Stewarts & Duante Culpeppers have long careers as backups once they weren’t starters. However a Ryan Fitzpatrick (7 teams looking for his 8th) and Josh McCown (8 teams) have been terrible yet hold clip boards and play without distinction for 28 years and not a playoff appearance between them.

If Duante Culpepper went from throwing for 4717 yards and 39 TDs to out of the league in 6 years, how did Fitz and McCown stay so long?? He couldn’t help develop a young QB as a gray beard George Blanda-type?

Even Doug Williams who won Super Bowl XXII with the most electrifying game in history was cut by the Redskins 1 year and 1 day later. In NFL Films Black Star Rising in 1995, Viking DE Jim Marshall expressed how “black players weren’t allowed to be 2nd tier players and had to perform just to be on a team.” That it was different for their white counterparts in the 1960’s. This still seems to hold true with the quarterback position.

This is where and how many of these black quarterbacks are thrown in before they’re ready. “If the play isn’t there take off and run the football” and not develop the QB fully before defenses catch up to them. This is what happened to RGIII, Kaepernick and would have happened to Russell Wilson had he not had such a great defense and running game. Its on the offensive coaches to gradually mature these scramblers into pocket quarterbacks. Landry did it with Roger Staubach and Bill Walsh and Mike Holmgren did this with Steve Young. It takes years… it takes commitment.

Aside from Warren Moon down in Houston the one time I saw an organization really develop and commit to black quarterbacks has been the Philadelphia Eagles. Not only did Andy Reid help develop Donovan McNabb to a QB who led his team to 4 straight NFC Championship Games and a Super Bowl appearance… it goes further back than that.

Go back to the late Buddy Ryan and Randall Cunningham. Keep in mind Cunningham was drafted the year before Ryan got there. Buddy was hired in 1986 and worked to get the most out of the players on the roster. First he would deploy Cunningham as a wildcard, only on 3rd down packages and by 1987 had him on the field once he developed to the point he could play every down. He hired Doug Scovil to be his QB coach. It was Scovil who tutored BYU QBs as their coach in the early 80’s with Jim McMahon and Gifford Nielsen. So he had developed pro quarterbacks and bonded while working with Cunningham.

Ryan and Scovil helped develop Cunningham into the NFL’s ultimate weapon. He led the Eagles to the playoffs over the next 3 years in ’88, ’89, & ’90. Tragically late in the 1989 season Scovil died of a heart attack at Veteran’s Stadium and it derailed an Eagle team with a chance at the Super Bowl. Without his coaching confidante, Cunningham fell prey to the LA Rams and Fritz Shurmur‘s confusing “Eagle Defense” with 2 linemen and 5 linebackers on the field. They lost an NFC wildcard playoff 21-7 at home in a drizzly rain and couldn’t make offensive adjustments.

Yet they never would have made it that far had Cunningham been thrown to the wolves without proper coaching and just “go make a few plays with your legs.” He would have been replaced by 1989 instead of 3 straight trips to the Pro Bowl and coming in 2nd in the NFL MVP voting in 1990. It was this fundamental structure being coached fully “how to play qb” is what allowed an older Cunningham to be 1998’s NFL Comeback Player of the Year. In that season Minnesota went 15-1 with the highest scoring offense in NFL history with 556 points. He did it from the pocket and framework of the offense.

Keep in mind Ryan and Scovil didn’t draft Cunningham yet polished a raw talent into something special. What Lamar Jackson brings to the table rivals what Michael Vick did as a quarterback a generation before. Yes he can get by on his legs when he doesn’t get through his reads. However I hope the staff that takes him has the patience and vision to start him when he is ready and further develop him to perform within the framework of the offense.

So the issue before us has several facets to it. One is the lack of commitment to fully developing black qbs to be more than an offensive anomaly for a few years. Another is the stereotypes and prejudices we see surrounding that position from the executive level. When Bill Polian suggested he switch to WR it made my blood boil and I have written about him here on his brilliance as a general manager.

While I know Polian doesn’t harbor those prejudices, after all he hired Tony Dungy to be the Colts coach, it raises an eyebrow because of the sensitive past it invokes. His voice carries weight in other NFL boardrooms and he could have damaged Jackson’s draft status. While I don’t agree with Polian’s assessment I do disagree with Jackson having his mother as his agent. He needs an agent who knows in NFL circles what to look for in a team. The scouting process to make sure the right organization will put the plan and succession in place for Jackson to be the most successful.  The Chancellor of Football can get you in touch with Adrian Ross or Leigh Steinberg…its not too late.

Dedicated to the memories of “Jefferson St.” Joe Gilliam, Buddy Ryan and Doug Scovil

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Super Bowl LII Recap: Eagles 41-33 Fly Eagles Fly!

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Ahhh yes Super Sunday dawned with the pomp and pageantry that has become an American holiday surrounding the NFL championship. Although this year was at a cold weather site, Minneapolis put on a great event.

Right from the opening kick the Eagles came out with their patented read-option look to settle Foles into the game. Each team came out with long marches that stalled inside the  leading to field goals.

The first big play came on the 2nd play of the following drive when LeGarrette Blount burst off guard for a 37 yard run where he broke two tackle attempts. Establishing an attitude the Eagles were here to play. Then Foles on another run option feathered a 34 yard bomb to Alshon Jeffries …surprise 9-3 Iggles!! Two bold strokes opened up a game where each team had been probing with intermediate shots.

All of a sudden we were reliving the early stages of Super Bowl LII as Brady fell behind by score and tempo of the game. The Patriots had been moving the ball and keeping even from a momentum perspective…and then S Malcolm Jenkins hit wideout Brandon Cooks knocking him out of the game. From that moment on the Patriots played nervous as momentum was on Philly’s side. New England even reverted to trickery with an Amendola reverse throw back to Brady. Once he dropped that pass and a failed 4th down attempt gave Foles a short field.

It was the corner throw from Foles to Jeffries that allowed the Iggles to maintain momentum. Then Blount turned in his second big play when he burst off a belly to the left for a 21 yard TD and a 15-3 lead.

Then came the 2nd turning point that many fans and pundits have issue with Patriot playoff games. With a 15-6 lead the Eagles were intercepted on a deep throw to Jeffies. The ball was tipped and intercepted. After beginning on their own 10 the Patriots started a drive that faced a 3rd and long when a questionable defensive holding call kept their drive alive. New England was saved by a bogus call again and a completed a 90 yard drive against a stunned Eagle defense. They cut the lead to 15-12 after White’s 26 yard touchdown tackle breaking run.

Just when the feeling of “here we go again” with the Patriots seizing control of the game, Nick Foles showed a cool no one thought he would have in a championship game. First he has Torrey Smith drop a sure 1st down and you could sense the unease rising where the Eagles needed a play. Then Foles hit with this:

The 55 yard swing pass to Clement brought the Eagles back to focus and after bogging down inside the 5, Foles threw to Jeffries where interference could have been called. Facing a 4th and goal Coach Pederson rolled the dice with Nick Foles…

In what could have been the greatest call in Super Bowl history Foles became the 1st QB in Super Bowl history to catch a TD. Its the type of play where an underdog has to take some chances and was the turning point of the game. Inside your opponents 5 on 4th down?? Those are some huge stones Coach Pederson and Offensive Coordinator Frank Reich called. Cinderella and her glass slippers led 22-12 going into the half.

However did we mention this is the Super Bowl?? Well Tom Brady who saw pressure yet had fired for nearly 200 yards in the 1st half. Well he went on to dominate the 3rd quarter and on his next drive completed 4 to a no longer quiet Gronkowski. The last being a 5 yard toss and the lead was 22-19 and could Philly answer the bell again??

super-bowl-52-tom-brady-loser-3Foles did answer with a touchdown however the defense that was supposed to put pressure on Brady was tiring out. Brady led the Patriots on 3 straight drives of 75 yards to take a 33-32 lead as the 4th quarter began. He was masterful and just completely demoralized the Eagle defense. The pass rush was exhausted and the Eagle DBs were running in cement. Danny Amendola and Chris Hogan were running open all through the 2nd half.

In what was becoming one of the greatest Super Bowls ever we were locked into a track meet where Nick Foles was battling Tom Brady in a heavy weight fight. Who would blink?

Finally Foles leads the Eagles on a touchdown drive with a pass to Zach Ertz that was debated, but clearly was a catch two steps and a lunge with an 11 yard pass to take a 41-33 lead. Cinderella was still dancing with a lead 2:21 to go on the clock and just steps away from their 1st championship since 1960. The stage was set for Tom Brady, who had been on 3 straight touchdown drives. Could Brady pull another miracle.

Holding their breath with a defense that hadn’t sacked Brady all night Brandon Graham blew into the backfield for the 1st, a forced fumble and a Lombardi Trophy for the City of Brotherly Love.

This was easily one of the most entertaining Super Bowls ever played and the Chancellor of Football’s choice for MVP?? Nick Foles… how could you not?? He completes 28 of 43 for 373 yards 3 TDs and caught another touchdown.

Celebrate Philadelphia, you produced the timely plays to win it. Your first NFL Championship since 1960. Fly Eagles Fly! E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles!!

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The 2017 Taylor Blitz Times Offensive MVP: Carson Wentz

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As we near the end of another NFL season, it’s time to hand out the accolades for those players who made the season. For the second straight season the best offensive player didn’t finish the regular stanza. Yet Carson Wentz is deserving of this award as he guided the Philadelphia Eagles to the best record and homefield advantage throughout the 2017 NFC playoffs.

The fact the Eagles are in Super Bowl LII with replacement Nick Foles at QB is a testament to Coach Pederson adjusting the gameplan to their strengths.

Keep in mind Wentz had an All Pro season completing 265 of 440 throws for 3,296 yards 33 TDs to just 7 interceptions while losing a star Tackle in Jason Peters and RB Darren Sproles. He breathed confidence in his offense and during his 11-2 record before his injury, the Eagles had scored 404 points or averaging 31.7 ppg. He finished 2nd in the NFL in touchdown passes to Russell Wilson (34-33) even though he missed the last 3 games. Carson was on pace for 40 TDs and had the Iggles doing the “Electric Slide” at the 2 minute warning with games well in hand.

With all eyes on Wentz he came through in big wins against Carolina and a 51 point outburst on Denver and the “No Fly Zone.” He saved the best for last with the grit he showed against the Rams in the showcase game of the season.

On a late season road trip where many NFL observers still questioned the Eagles legitimacy. Rumblings continued after a 24-10 prime time Sunday night loss in Seattle. The high flying offense which scored over 30 points in 6 of their last 7 games looked overwhelmed that night. Now at 10-2 they had to travel to Los Angeles (9-3) to play another rising team in the Rams. The winner of this game would have to be taken serious with homefield advantage looming.

After spotting the Rams an early 7-0 lead, Wentz took control tossing 3 TDs on 3 straight possessions taking a 24-10 halftime lead.  Wentz injured his knee late in the 3rd quarter when he was sandwiched near the goal line trying to score. Although he tore ligaments in his knee he stayed on the field to throw his 4th TD before giving way to Nick Foles. Carson would finish 23 of 41 for 291 yards 4 TDs out-dueling fellow 2nd year QB Jared Goff in a 43-35 win.

That win helped cement the Eagles belief they could finish off the Rams who rallied furiously in that game. That inspired belief carried the team through the doubters now circling to say the team would lose in the postseason without him. This is what makes an MVP in our eyes and now this team is playing in Super Bowl LII.

Tomorrow the Eagles would have a better chance to win with Wentz on the field, however they wouldn’t have made it there without him. Fly Eagles Fly!

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2017 NFC Predictions

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Well its that time of year again where we have to gaze into the crystal ball and see who will make it to this year’s Super Bowl in Minneapolis. A big swing to the NFC pendulum has to do with the pending suspension of Ezekiel Elliott. Will it happen?? When will it begin??

One of the biggest issues with the free agency era in the NFL are how flawed all the teams are. Even at the top every team has a hole they need to fill. Several teams have defenses and running games and struggle at the QB position. Others are centered on $100 million quarterbacks with a good set of receivers, yet have a send in the clowns defense and can’t run for 50 yards as a team on a consistent basis.

This leads to the b.s. misnomer “its a quarterback driven league.” No it is not… the model that has proven to get to the Super Bowl in the last 10 years has been to have a young QB on his 1st contract, a solid running game and above average defense. Even the Super Bowl L champion Broncos won it with running and defense and carried a fading Peyton Manning. I know… wrong conference but you get the gist…. yet I digress

2017 NFC Predictions:

NFC East Champs: New York Giants 12-4*

NFC South Champs: Tampa Bay Bucs 11-5

NFC North Champs: Green Bay Packers 10-6

NFC West Champs: Seattle Seahawks 10-6

Wildcards: Carolina Panthers, Minnesota Vikings

NFC Champions: New York Giants

Most are going to bristle at the choice of the New York Giants but you watched them lose to Dallas with no Odell Beckham. The Giants know they have to work Brandon Marshall into the game and find a running back. New York has two things working for them. They have time and they may field the NFL’s #1 defense.

New York will field the best defense in 2017 barring injuries.

As The Chancellor foretold in the 2017 NFC East Preview: Do you realize the Giants are returning with last year’s 10th ranked defense, which held Dallas to 26 combined points, sweeping them in 2016?? Even though the Giants were 29th in offensive time of possession they were the NFL’s #3 defense against the run. Then they nabbed DT Dalvin Tomlinson in the 2nd round out of Alabama. This was a Giants strength not a statistic manipulated by scheme.

A lot of new energy will come from the NFC South with Cam Newton and the Panthers finding their 2015 rhythm on offense with super rookie Christian McCaffrey providing mismatches against defenses. Tampa Bay will make a move with Jameis Winston, a bounce back year from Doug Martin, and a boost from the NFL’s best 1-2 punch at linebacker with Kwon Alexander and Lavonte David. Tampa might be a year away but each team will overtake the defending NFC Champion Falcons who will stagger through 2017.

Atlanta will be a case study as they decompress from the greatest collapse in Super Bowl history. Their battle in 2017 will be psychological.

The same can be said of the Seattle Seahawks and the Green Bay Packers. As 2016 ended, we knew the weaknesses of both teams and neither addressed them in the offseason. Trying to recreate Marshawn Lynch with overweight Eddie Lacy is a complete mirage. The Seahawks still have a suspect offensive line that suffered a season ending injury to LT George Fant. They are right back to where they were… running by committee, Russell Wilson running for his life and depending upon a good no longer great defense. They’ll win 10 and lose early in the playoffs.

The Green Bay Packers have wasted the prime of Aaron Rodgers by not drafting or acquiring a sturdy dependable back. Or are they believing the mantra about a quarterback driven league?? Here we are in a new year and displaced WR Ty Montgomery is still running the football. Relying on gimmicks and Rodgers to scramble and make plays to save this team is a recipe for playoff flame-out again. They will beat the Detroits, the Chicagos, the Washingtons and NFL bottom feeders. They will be exposed against solid defenses in big games on the road by the divisional round of the playoffs.

Here at Taylor Blitz Times its about defense 1st however you have to bring some offensive continuity. Teams will shift their secondary attention to Beckham and open up the field for Eli and newly acquired wideout Brandon Marshall. New York’s “D” will keep them in games until they figure it out. Once the Giants get Beckham back and either acquire Adrian Peterson or develop their running game, it will be the Giants representing the NFC in Super Bowl LII.

Funny thing about football is all the misnomers most national pundits push through their agendas, they completely misinform the masses. So if it’s a passing league then answer this question: Which Super Bowl winning QB had the most passing yards in the season they won it all?? Try Eli Manning with 4,933 when he won Super Bowl XLVI with the league’s 27th best defense. 

What will he do with one of the league’s best??

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2017 NFC East Previews & Predictions

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Last year was unprecedented in NFL annals. Never before had we witnessed a team with a rookie QB (Dak Prescott) and a rookie RB (Ezekiel Elliot) lead a team to their division title. Elliot became the 1st rookie rushing champion (1,631 yds) since Edgerrin James in 1999. The Cowboys surprised many with a 13-3 record and a 1st round bye. The question is can the Cowboys repeat that performance now they have lost 2 members off The Great Wall II??

Keep in mind last year was the second time this line paved the way for the NFL’s rushing champion in the last 3 years. The last time The Chancellor can remember that happening dates back to the late 80’s with the LA Rams with Eric Dickerson and Charles White. That was so long ago the Rams left Anaheim, spent a generation in St Louis, and now returned to LA. RT Doug Free retired and LG Ron Leary signed with Denver.

With All Pro LT Tyron Smith an immovable object teams may flip their speed rushers against the Cowboys to go against La’el Collins. He’s taking over for Doug Free and is learning on the fly how to be an NFL tackle. Look for combo blitzes to the right probing for weakness in Collins. Also to see if a strong rush in Prescott’s face will cause him to pull the ball down disrupting the rhythm of their passing game.

Unlike any other unit in football, the offensive line has to learn to play together. Hence every unit practices their timing and explosion off the ball blocking on a 7 man sled. This could be a significant blow to Dallas offensive timing.

2017 NFC East Predictions

New York Giants 12-4**

Philadelphia Eagles 10-6

Dallas Cowboys 7-9

Washington Redskins 4-12

Do you realize the Giants are returning with last year’s 10th ranked defense, which held Dallas to 26 combined points, sweeping them in 2016?? Even though the Giants were 29th in offensive time of possession they were the NFL’s #3 defense against the run. Then they nabbed DT Dalvin Tomlinson in the 2nd round out of Alabama. This was a Giants strength not a statistic manipulated by scheme.

Casillas should be even better in his 2nd year in New York.

If they can get a stronger push inside, Olivier Vernon (8.5 sacks) and Jason Pierre Paul (7 sacks) should thrive crashing the pass pocket. This plays hand in hand with the Giants ability to cover with CBs Janoris Jenkins, Eli Apple, and Dominique Rogers-Cromartie. New York could field a lethal defense in 2017.

Did you know the Illadelphia Iggles were in every game last year?? Of their 9 losses, 7 of those were decided by a touchdown or less.. including two 1 point losses. What about their 6-2 home record and 1-7 record on the road?? With so much attention on the Cowboys and Giants last year, this is a team waiting to surprise with a little improvement.

The Eagles gambled in letting go of DE Conner Barwin and selecting Derek Barnett out of Tennessee in the 1st round. They needed to make a move to add pop to the defense instead of just a steady unspectacular roster.What they lose in experience they gain in explosion. In fact the Iggles spent the 1st 3 draft picks to improve a defense that ranked 13th last year. Although they have to hold their breath that both rookie CBs Sidney Jones (2nd / Washington) and Rasul Douglas (3rd / West Virginia) have to fill the void of last year’s starters being let go.

Wentz looks like the real deal and will have a breakout 2017.

If Carson Wentz can develop into the QB this pundit believes he can, he will take a step up here in year 2. The signing of wideout Alshon Jeffrey gives him the big intermediate target to move the chains. Lagarrette Blount was supposed to come in and lend power between the tackles. However he may lose out to Wendell Smallwood as the starting RB and Darren Sproles is still a weapon on 3rd downs. The Eagles are steady and will win very boring grind it out games this season… TBT thinks 10 boring games at the most.

Which brings us back to Dallas where the unfair suspension of Elliott still stands at 6 games. What many Cowboy fans are forgetting is if this suspension stands he cannot be at practice or attend any meetings for over a month and a half. That is a bad combination when you’re missing 40% of last year’s line and your touches are limited in the preseason. He may not get in synch with the OLine until the last few games of the season.

Dallas is still rebuilding a defense which ranked in the middle of the pack at 14th and rookie DE Taco Charlton has flashed brilliantly this preseason. LB Jaylon Smith looks like he has fully healed from his gruesome knee injury. We’ve only seen Smith sparingly but he looks as explosive as he was with the Fighting Irish.

Right now Dallas just needs progress out of a completely revamped secondary. Too many questions to bank on this year. Coupled with the Elliot suspension and the additional pressure on being “the hunted” the Cowboys will lose more than double the games they did last year. It will be interesting to see how Dak Prescott fares now that defensive coordinators have a year of game film on him. What happens if he doesn’t have the NFL’s best running game to lean on this year?? It’s 2018 where this Super Bowl plan will have to manifest itself.

Right now the Washington Redskins are in disarray. How do you have Kirk Cousins complete 68% of his passes for 9,083 yards and 54 touchdowns in the last 2 seasons and let all his receivers go?? Not signing him to a long term deal then allowing 2 – 1,000 yd receivers in DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon go. By setting him up to prove himself again after jettisoning off his weapons, you set yourself up to fail and i cant see where Washington is going.

Which brings us back to the Giants from Gotham City. They are easily the most intact and proven defense in the division and Eli Manning is due for a bounce back year. The acquisition of veteran wideout Brandon Marshall, a veteran starving for a title in the twilight of his career, could be the grounding that diva Odell Beckham needs as the playoffs near. With 101 receptions 1367 yards and 10 TDs, Beckham is still the dynamic playmaker for this team, he needs to grow up and make the game the focus come January and not his antics.

Aside from veterans in Beckham’s ear  what is forgotten is Eli Manning is now the grizzled veteran QB in the NFC East. He has weapons and a defense that will keep him in close games all year where Eli can win them in the end. Keep in mind Manning has thrown for the most yards (4,933 yards) and had the lowest ranked defense (27th) when he won his last Super Bowl. This year he might have the NFL’s best defense and if he improves on his 4,027 yards 26Tds and 16 interceptions of a year ago, a Super Bowl trip to Minnesota could be in the making. Now many writers and pundits have come to this blog for years and we have told you several times about Eli. Just remember…The Chancellor kept telling you he would get a 3rd Super Bowl and this looks like the year.

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