Eagles 2019-2020 Season

[Lawman]

Amazing how much better Wentz looks when, you know, his receivers actually catch the ball.

[bkeich]

Wouldn't really help today, but not sure the Eagles can give up the chance and not put a claim in for Jenoris Jackson. He said something stupid, didn't do something stupid. We desperately need DBs, how can we pass?

This is going to be a tough offseason, our needs are deep, basically any position that involves speed and we might need a Center. Restructures galore coming I suspect.

We are probably stuck with DJax and Jeffries, so it is really going to hurt to have to pay more for a WR or use 1st round pick. JJAW might already be a bust, I can't think of anyone who has ever looked worse as a rookie WR. He has basically no NFL skills.

[Lawman]

Wouldn't really help today, but not sure the Eagles can give up the chance and not put a claim in for Jenoris Jackson.

Agreed.

[zambonir]

Jenkins. We certainly have position I guess. Doesn't seem likely though. I wonder if he'll just clear waivers.

[bkeich]

One of the strangest things in team history continues now. In 20 seasons we have had 3 long snappers, and one could argue they were each the best at the position in their time.

Mike Bartrum made a few Pro Bowls
Dorenbos was not only the best long snapper in the game, but just a really cool guy too.
Now Lovato gets his first nod as the Pro Bowl snapper.

Maybe not the first position that you hope your team dominated in, but we clearly have had the best group in this century.

[xogfog]

You may not remember he stories of when Andy Reid was hired, but one of the things he stressed in his interview with Laurie was the importance of the long snapper.

[bkeich]

Darren Sproles: Eagles fans, I gave you all I had

Very few guys as classy and dangerous on a football field

[allentown]

Very few guys as classy and dangerous on a football field

True, but Howie made a serious (and obvious) error giving Sproles a roster spot this season.

[bkeich]

Cost us Wendell Smallwood. I didn’t think he should have been signed, but it really wasn’t a big impact.

[phillychuck]

Also kept Boston Scott on the practice squad, which might have had an impact here and there.

[BostonRoss]

If I’m remembering correctly, Sproles was on the field for only two Eagles losses, Atlanta and Detroit. Though those were close games, it seems hard to argue that having Scott in those games would have reversed any outcomes. I guess it’s possible that Sproles’s spot might have been taken by someone else had he not been signed, but it’s a stretch to think the result would have been more wins.

[phillychuck]

Agree...unlikely, but possible. The most significant impact was likely whoever wasn't signed...can't tell who that might have been, and if their presence might have helped. Win today, and it doesn't matter.

[zambonir]

It's easy now to say that it was obvious Sproles would get hurt again, and was on the downside of his career. But he was a role player, and it's a fine line between sentiment and valuing what you knew he could bring (in the locker room as well). If Pumphrey had worked out they probably wouldn't have signed him again.

[allentown]

True, but the Eagles were not good last year and were becoming an old team. They, not unreasonably decided to bring back Peters at big $ as Dillard could be expected to need time to develop, adding back Sproles, along with bringing back Jackson was just getting too old and too tied into nostalgia. It was a repeat of the Phillies post-2008 blunders. Actually, the Eagles have suffered from the same draft quality issues, which in the NFL hit far faster than they do in MLB. The Eagles should have moved to get younger for this season. Probably doesn't put us in significantly better shape for making the playoffs than we are currently in, and we are only knocking on the door, because Dallas has been inexplicably bad and also has more losses than the scoring differential would predict. As things stand, win or lose against Dallas, the Eagles go into next season with many holes and a critical need to get younger. The 2020 draft will be crucial and I have no confidence that Howie is up to the task.

[zambonir]

Were the Eagles even good in 2017? Better, certainly.

I won't root against them today but would still be fine with the better draft picks. Article today also mentioned how winning the division would set them up for five prime-time games next year, and presumably a tougher schedule too (though the former doesn't really make sense to me, are the Cowboys really any less attractive to MNF if they are 8-8 division winners as an an 8-8 non-playoff team?).

[schillingfan]

Beating Dallas would be an excellent Christmas present for me.

[zambonir]

We sure don't like to make it look easy. But so far so good.

[xogfog]

How 'bout them Eagles!

[bkeich]

This game vs the Giants is very scary.

We barely beat them at home with an inept QB. With a young guy trying to make a mark in NY this is not a walk over game.

But beating the Cowboys with Troy Boy announcing is awesome

[zambonir]

What makes you think the Cowboys are going to win next week?

Nobody thinks this team is good but they are 5-3 over the last 8 and only one of the losses should have been a win. The team I saw today is the same one that gave New England and Seattle a game. Probably they won because the Cowboys aren't that good, not because Wentz figured it out. But everyone stepped up.