Redskins vs. Eagles: What Are Experts Saying About Philadelphia?

Despite two wins to start their season, it's been anything but a walk in the park for the Philadelphia Eagles. They're the first team in NFL history to win their first two games of the season after trailing by at least 14 points at halftime in both games.

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#Eagles move to 2-0 with a 30-27 win. First team in #NFL history to overcome a second half 14 point deficit and win in first two weeks.

— Matt Lombardo (@MattLombardo975) September 16, 2014"

They're leading the league in both points and yards, even though Nick Foles and LeSean McCoy are both struggling, the receivers are dropping passes, and the offensive line is missing two key starters. 

Hosting Washington in the home opener won't be an easy task for the Eagles, as they're facing the league's No. 1-ranked defense, a unit that collected 10 sacks against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2. Sure, it was the Jaguars, but 10 sacks are 10 sacks. 

The big storyline is obviously the return of two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver DeSean Jackson, who was cut by the Eagles during the offseason following a career-best season. Jackson has openly expressed his excitement for his return to Philadelphia, and despite a shoulder injury, he's a virtual lock to play, according to McCoy (h/t The Washington Post).

Around the league, the Eagles are a hot topic right now. The following slides highlight five points of discussion regarding the team. 

Nick Foles Still Has the Look of a Franchise Quarterback

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Much debate has centered on quarterback Nick Foles, who hasn't played anything remotely close to his 2013 level during the first two games of 2014. In 2013, as we all remember, Foles tossed 27 touchdowns and posted the third-highest single-season passer rating. He also set a record for touchdown-to-interception ratio and led the league in both yards per attempt and yards per completion.

But in 2014, Foles has been uncharacteristically off his game. He's still managed to lead the Eagles to 57 offensive points, including 51 in the second half. He's completed six of nine passes for 193 yards and a touchdown in the fourth quarter, and his game-winning drive against the Indianapolis Colts was perfectly executed. 

Former NFL players Jonathan Vilma and Chris Simms each discussed whether Foles can be a franchise quarterback for the Eagles on Bleacher Report's Team Stream video. 

Vilma said, "I do think Foles is a franchise quarterback. He's just not there yet. I do love his leadership, his mental toughness, his accuracy. I love all these things about him." 

Simms added, "Can he physically carry this team when they need him to? He's doing a lot of great things, no doubt about it. His mental makeup is certainly franchise quarterback-esque...I put Nick Foles right in the middle of the pack. He's right around that 15 to 16 range."

It's unlikely that Foles will ever come close to the incredible numbers he posted in 2013, but if he wants to become Philadelphia's franchise quarterback, he's going to have to play better than he did the last two weeks. I have no doubt he will, though. And when he does, just how good will this offense be?

Jay Gruden Terrified of Darren Sproles

AJ Mast/Associated Press

Against all odds, LeSean McCoy has been just the second-best running back on his own team through the first two games of the 2014 season. His numbers look mediocre, as he's rushed for 153 yards but averaged just 3.7 yards per carry. 

It's been veteran Darren Sproles, acquired in an offseason trade with the New Orleans Saints, who has been the most explosive offensive player on the team—and perhaps in the entire league—this season. 

Sproles has rushed for 97 yards and two touchdowns on 6.5 yards per carry. He's also caught 11 balls for 166 yards. Oh, and he's returned eight punts for 97 yards. 

Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden said it best, via CSN Philly (h/t Pro Football Talk), when he summed up his thoughts on the Eagles' running back situation: 

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You’d think when McCoy comes out of the game we’re high-fiving, you know, ‘Hey, he’s on the bench, thank god.’ All of a sudden Sproles come in and we’re like, ‘Oh, s—.' They’re two dynamic players when the ball is in their hands out in space. Our job is to know where they are at all times. We’ve got to do a great job of not just tackling one guy but gang-tackling and everybody running to the ball.

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It's really not out of the question to think that the Eagles might be 0-2 without Sproles. They certainly wouldn't have beaten the Colts. 

Still Unclear Whether the Eagles Miss DeSean Jackson

AJ Mast/Associated Press

One of the biggest mysteries in recent years involving the Philadelphia Eagles centers on the real reason why the team cut its best wide receiver, DeSean Jackson, after the best season of his career. 

It could be his alleged ties to gangs, as Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com reported. It could be his unwillingness to buy into Chip Kelly's system. It could be his projected salary-cap figure in 2014. Or it could be his size, as head coach Chip Kelly claimed to reporters on Thursday. 

ESPN.com's Phil Sheridan spoke about the strange offensive production for the Eagles through the first two games of the 2014 season:

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It’s a more complicated question and answer than it should be. The Eagles’ wide receivers have 17 catches through two games. They have dropped a few balls and had trouble getting open at times. That suggests the team misses Jackson’s presence, especially his game-changing speed. On the other hand, the Eagles lead the NFL in total yards and points scored. That suggests they are getting along just fine without Jackson. It was always going to be a group effort to replace Jackson’s production. Running back Darren Sproles has 263 yards from scrimmage and has replaced Jackson as the undersized home run hitter. Second-year tight end Zach Ertz has seven catches for 163 yards in his first two games. As for admitting he misses Jackson, I wouldn’t expect that from Kelly.

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Whether or not the Eagles miss Jackson still remains to be seen, and right now, it's not even relevant. The Eagles just have to focus on fixing their inconsistent offense while remaining among the league's leaders in points scored. 

Sports Science Helping to Keep Eagles Fresh in Fourth Quarter

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Remember three years ago when the Philadelphia Eagles blew six fourth-quarter leads, turning in one of the most disappointing seasons by any team in recent memory? The 2014 Philadelphia Eagles are shaping up to be the opposite of that bunch. 

Through two games, they have two fourth-quarter comebacks. They've dominated on both offense and defense in the game's final quarter. 

Credit Chip Kelly's sports science and intense obsession with his team's fitness as reasons for the Eagles' success in the fourth quarter. 

Malcolm Jenkins told The Associated Press, via the Daily Reporter: "We practice at such a pace that we'll get into the fourth quarter and guys are fresh. Our guys are still full speed late in the game. This is what we train for and guys are ready when we get in those situations. I don't think the moment is too big for any of us."

Eagles Have 12-1 Odds to Win the Super Bowl

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

There are two ways to look at this Eagles team through the first two games of the season. 

1. Their first-half struggles will eventually catch up to them, and this team is destined to regress from last year's version where almost everything went right in Chip Kelly's first year.
2. The Eagles will be the most unstoppable team in the league once Nick Foles and LeSean McCoy start playing better and the offensive line returns to full strength. 

According to the latest Bovada Super Bowl odds, per CSN Philly, most people tend to view the Eagles optimistically despite their slow starts in both games:

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The Eagles turned their last-second victory over the Colts into a slight bump in odds, as they rose from 16/1 to 12/1, a one-spot improvement. They passed the Saints, who dropped two spots after finding themselves on the other end of a last-second field goal against the Browns. The Eagles also hold the top odds of winning the NFC East at 2/5. The Redskins are second at 4/1.

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