1. The Eagles are a classic “worst to first” team, finishing last (albeit 7-9) in the NFC East 2016 and are now the top team in the whole NFL in 2017. Give Bears fans a glimmer of hope – how have the Eagles done it? What’s been the key to their resurgence? Is this the year the Eagles finally win the Super Bowl?
What’s amazing, my friend, is I’m one of a few people who have felt like this was all a very real possibility. The Eagles were on the verge of being so much better than what their record indicated, and if the ball would have bounced in a different direction on several occasions last season, this could have easily been a 10 or 11-win team. Every addition gave us all, as fans, some measure of hope, but what’s funny is the fact that it’s been some of the guys who were already there that stepped things up, Zach Ertz and Nelson Agholor for example. Carson Wentz is developing much faster than we hoped, the defense is settling in to Jim Schwartz’s system and it seems, with that foundation in place, the new guys are stepping in and fitting perfectly.
I believe, with Wentz, this team will win eventually, but I’m not sure that this is the year. I believe it’s Wentz’s league once guys like Tom Brady and Drew Brees filter out, but we’ll see.
2. How has Alshon Jeffery fit in with the Eagles? He started off slow but seems to be picking up steam and clicking with Carson Wentz as the season has gone on. Do the Eagles try to ink Jeffery to a long-term deal? What can we expect from him on Sunday?
I’m liking what I’m seeing from Jeffery now, but with so many moves needing to be made, I’m not sure that a long-term deal with Jeffery can be done unless he’s willing to sign for less than what he thinks he’s worth. The same an be said for LeGarrette Blount.
I’ve learned as a fan though that I should never count out anything with Howie Roseman. We weren’t supposed to be able to afford Jeffery, Blount and Torrey Smith but Roseman made that work, but we’ll see.
As far as Sunday goes, I think Jeffery will get close to 100 yards, and he should find the end zone once. Then at some point, Doug Pederson will go for two, and Jeffery will be the target there as well.