Full-Team Philadelphia Eagles Awards at the Quarter Mark of the 2014 NFL Season
A 3-1 start to the season puts the Philadelphia Eagles in a tie for first place in the NFC East. The offense is third in points scored, and Chip Kelly has gotten ridiculous production out of the special teams units.
Still, there’s a hollow feeling in the hearts of fans following Sunday’s backbreaking loss to the San Francisco 49ers. The Eagles came oh-so-close to a win but couldn’t punch the ball through on both 3rd-and-goal from the 1 and then 4th-and-goal from the 1.
According to Pro Football Reference’s play index, the Eagles were the first NFL team to miss a 4th-and-goal from the opponent’s 1 with under two minutes remaining in a one-score deficit since 2009. Three feet. That’s how close Philadelphia could be to being 4-0 and undefeated right now.
Nick Foles has struggled at quarterback, never more so than in the Week 4 loss to the 49ers. The three game-winning drives are a remarkable achievement, but his statistics this season look alarmingly similar to recently benched Buffalo Bills quarterback EJ Manuel.
"Manuel hasn't been very good, but this season he's almost identical to Foles: EJ - 58%, 5-3 TD/INT ratio, 80.3 rating Foles 57.8, 6-4, 81.7
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) September 29, 2014"
Foles can’t possibly be the most valuable player of the Eagles this season, but who is? LeSean McCoy is producing scarily similar numbers to Ray Rice from a year ago. The offensive line is decimated by injuries, and the defense rates in the bottom eight in both points allowed and yards allowed.
Yet, the Eagles have gotten key performances from a handful of players. The following will highlight the major awards for Philadelphia—not just the quarter-season MVP, but the top offensive and defensive player, best rookie and a few other notable players.
Most Valuable Player: Darren Sproles
1 of 7
On a 3-1 team with the third-rated scoring offense in the league, the quarterback is almost always the best player. Or at least the most valuable.
Nick Foles’ value to the Philadelphia Eagles was extremely evident in the fourth quarter of the season’s first three games. He led three consecutive comebacks, becoming the first quarterback in over 25 years to lead a game-winning drive in the first three games.
But he’s been too erratic—never more so than in Week 4—to be the MVP of the team thus far. A strong case could be made for newly acquired safety Malcolm Jenkins, but the race really comes down to either Darren Sproles or Jeremy Maclin.
Sproles’ impact can’t be understated. He had the 50-yard run on a key 4th-and-1 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, one that jump-started the Eagles offense. He also had a pair of 22-yard punt returns in the game, totaling 147 all-purpose yards on 19 touches.
The following week against the Indianapolis Colts, Sproles was just as dynamic with the football in his hands. His incredible 19-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter tied the game at 20-20, but Sproles did the most damage as a receiver out of the backfield.
Sproles finished with seven receptions for 152 yards. That included a 57-yard catch-and-carry and then a 51-yard reception. Sproles also finished with 25 yards on punt returns, which gives him over 200 for the day in another historic output.
"Darren Sproles became the seventh player ever with at least 25 rushing yards, a rushing TD, and 150 receiving yards in the same game. #MVP
— Cody Swartz (@cbswartz5) September 16, 2014"
In Week 3, Sproles had a fairly quiet game but still totaled 20 rushing yards (on just two carries), 30 receiving yards and 27 punt return yards. He was again given limited playing time in Week 4 but made the most of his opportunities by taking a punt 82 yards to the house.
Sproles inexplicably hasn’t been given the ball a lot, but he certainly makes things happen when he does touch it.
"Darren Sproles' 6.7 rushing average is best by any NFL running back, but his carries have gone down each week (11, 4, 2, 1).
— Reuben Frank (@RoobCSN) September 29, 2014"
For the season, Sproles is sixth among all players with 519 all-purpose yards. He’s scored three times, twice on runs and once on a punt return.
He’s sixth among running backs in win probability added (0.39), per Advanced NFL Stats. He’s leading all running backs in receiving yards. And he was instrumental in saving the Eagles in both Week 1 and 2 (and he certainly did his best against the San Francisco 49ers).
What makes Sproles really valuable is that All-Pro runner LeSean McCoy has struggled mightily this season.
McCoy is at just 2.9 yards per carry. He finished with just 22 rushing yards in Week 3 and then 17 in Week 4.
"LeSean McCoy's 192 rush yards are the fewest through four games by a running back with 70 or more carries since Reggie Cobb had 181 in 1993.
— Reuben Frank (@RoobCSN) September 29, 2014"
Without Sproles—and with all due respect to both Maclin and Jenkins—there’s no way the Eagles would be 3-1.
Offensive Player of Year: Jeremy Maclin
2 of 7
So if Darren Sproles is the recipient of the team’s quarter-season Most Valuable Player award, why isn’t he also the Offensive Player of the Year?
Well, his punt return was technically a special teams play. Take that away, and a really close race probably goes to Jeremy Maclin.
Maclin has stepped in and replaced DeSean Jackson with ease this season, and he’s doing it coming off a torn ACL just a year ago. Maclin also hasn’t had much help from No. 2 wide receiver Riley Cooper opposite him, but that hasn’t slowed Maclin.
Maclin is fifth among all wide receivers in receiving yards (353), per Pro Football Focus (subscription required). He’s scored in three of four games. He’s averaging 17.7 yards per reception, which leads all receivers (min. 15 catches) in yards per catch. He's been very durable, currently tied for fourth among receivers in snaps played (263).
And he’s replacing Jackson’s role with ease, having been targeted 19 times on deep passes this season, a full seven more than any other receiver.
Maclin’s sideline catch in Sunday’s loss to San Francisco was one of the more remarkable catches you’ll ever see, and it’s a shame the loss will likely overshadow it. It was the second consecutive game Maclin came up with a pivotal third-down sideline reception in a one-score contest in the fourth quarter; in fact, the previous week, he followed the sideline catch with a game-winning grab.
He’s been an extremely pleasant surprise this season, and at this point, the Eagles have to re-sign him to a long-term deal after 2014. After all, he's on track to beat Jackson's 1,332 receiving yards from last season, and he's doing this without particularly good quarterback play.
Defensive Player of Year: Malcolm Jenkins
3 of 7
There are a handful of candidates for this award. Fletcher Cox is emerging as a legitimate first-round player at the 5-technique position. Trent Cole has had an underrated season as a 3-4 outside linebacker and Mychal Kendricks’ value is best demonstrated in what the Philadelphia Eagles defense has been without him there.
But no one has been even close to as valuable as Malcolm Jenkins, a free-agent addition from the New Orleans Saints. The Eagles were heavily criticized for signing Jenkins, especially considering the organization could have had Jairus Byrd or T.J. Ward.
Ironically, Jenkins has vastly outperformed the two; Pro Football Focus rates Jenkins as the third-best overall safety in the league. Compare that to Byrd or Ward.
"Malcolm Jenkins rates as the third-best safety in the NFL, per PFF. TJ Ward 45th. Jairus Byrd 67th.
— Bryn Swartz (@eaglescentral) September 29, 2014"
Jenkins came up with a huge game-saving interception off Andrew Luck in Week 2. He came up with another grab in the Week 3 win against the Washington Redskins. Each of these came in the fourth quarter. And Jenkins followed that up with a 53-yard pick-six against the San Francisco 49ers.
"Last Eagle safety with an INT in three straight games was Dawk in 2004.
— Reuben Frank (@RoobCSN) September 28, 2014
"
Think about how different of a player Jenkins is than Patrick Chung. He’s not quite Brian Dawkins, but he’s playing on a Pro Bowl level right now.
Last week when nickel corner Brandon Boykin was hurt, Jenkins filled in at that role. He's a jack-of-all-trades player, and he's pretty good at his trades too.
Give credit to general manager Howie Roseman for making a very under-the-radar signing when he grabbed Jenkins.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Rookie of Year: Jordan Matthews
4 of 7
The 2014 rookie class hasn’t made a big impact so far. Aside from second-round wide receiver Jordan Matthews, the first five picks have barely played.
First-round linebacker Marcus Smith is at just 26 snaps. Third-round receiver Josh Huff hasn’t seen the field yet due to a shoulder injury. Fourth-round cornerback Jaylen Watkins has been a healthy scratch. Fifth-round safety Ed Reynolds was released and then signed to the practice squad, while defensive end Taylor Hart hasn’t seen the field.
Seventh-round nose tackle Beau Allen was a pleasant surprise in preseason, and he’s played 57 defensive snaps in four weeks while mustering a minus-0.3 rating, per Pro Football Focus. That's OK, but that's all it is.
The only other candidate for Matthews’ award is undrafted rookie kicker Cody Parkey. Parkey has been terrific, but Matthews plays a much greater role than a kicker.
Matthews’ highlight was his two-touchdown game against the Washington Redskins in Week 3. In the first two games, Nick Foles was just 3-of-8 passing to Matthews, and Matthews had a dropped pass. Since then, Foles is 12-of-14 for 87 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.
Matthews is a special player who should have a bright future. If Riley Cooper continues to struggle, Matthews will assuredly take over the No. 2 role.
Breakout Player: Zach Ertz
5 of 7
Zach Ertz has stalled in recent weeks, but he’s still an extremely talented tight end with a Pro Bowl future.
Ertz was productive as a rookie, catching 36 passes for 469 yards and four touchdowns. This season, he’s already on pace for 52 catches for 880 yards and four scores. Ertz is seventh among tight ends in receiving yards. He’s first at his position in average yards per catch (16.9) among tight ends with at least 10 receptions.
Ertz will have to improve upon a disappointing Week 4 performance. His lost fumble early in the second half proved to be costly, as the San Francisco 49ers marched down the field and scored a touchdown.
But the Philadelphia Eagles clearly like Ertz.
He averaged 30 snaps per game as a rookie, per PFF. This season, he’s at 47. Considering Brent Celek has just three catches in four games, Ertz’s snap count will continue to rise. After all, he's a mismatch problem with the potential to be a big-time threat in the red zone.
Biggest Disappointment: LeSean McCoy
6 of 7
There are a handful of candidates for this, which is unusual for a team that is 3-1 and still playing really good football, despite a crushing Week 4 loss.
Nick Foles hasn’t followed up his Pro Bowl season with anything of note. Aside from the fourth-quarter comebacks, he’s been largely mediocre. Veteran cornerback Cary Williams has been torched, but he’s just a stopgap player anyway. And tight end Brent Celek has been shockingly invisible in the passing game.
But none of them is LeSean McCoy. McCoy was fresh off a rushing title and All-Pro season. He spent the offseason talking about how great he is, as he alluded to when accepting the John Wanamaker Athletic Award (via ProFootballTalk).
And yet through four games, McCoy has been historically awful. He’s fifth in rushing attempts, but just 20th in carries. He’s 48th among 51 qualifying running backs in yards per carry (2.7), per Pro Football Focus. He’s also 48th in average yards after contact per carry (1.7).
McCoy is also coming off a two-game stretch that ranks up there with the worst of any feature back ever.
"Over the last two weeks, LeSean McCoy has rushed 29 times for 39 yards with zero touchdowns.
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) September 28, 2014 "
McCoy also ended the Week 2 Indianapolis game with five carries for five yards, meaning he’s at 44 yards on his last 34 rushes.
The offensive line certainly isn’t helping—the Eagles have put forth a makeshift offensive line for much of the season, and the loss of center Jason Kelce has been devastating—but that’s no excuse for McCoy’s numbers.
Darren Sproles is averaging 6.7 yards per carry. Obviously, Sproles has had a limited number of attempts, but that’s a much greater rate than McCoy. Perhaps McCoy is still feeling the effects of the hit he took against Washington, and a few games off may be good for him.
Regardless, the 2013 offense ran through McCoy, and the Eagles need No. 25 to be producing at a high level.
Best Play: Malcolm Jenkins' Interception Against Indianapolis
7 of 7
There are so many fine plays to pick from this season.
The Philadelphia Eagles have an absurd five touchdowns via defense or special teams—Chris Polk's kick return, Darren Sproles' punt return, Brad Smith's blocked punt recovery, Fletcher Cox's fumble return and Malcolm Jenkins' pick-six.
Remarkably, none of those is the top play. Neither is Darren Sproles' 50-yard run on 4th-and-1 in the opening week or his 19-yard touchdown run against the Indianapolis Colts. And while Jeremy Maclin has a pair of unbelievable sideline catches and the game-winner against the Washington Redskins, he's not the recipient of the best play either.
It's Jenkins' first interception, the one that came late in the fourth quarter against the Colts. To recap the situation, Andrew Luck was driving deep in Eagles' territory with a 27-20 lead and just five minutes to play. Rather than run the ball on a key third down to set up a field goal, Luck tried forcing a pass.
New Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins stepped in front and picked it off. Had Reggie Wayne not been right there, Jenkins definitely would have taken it all the way. Regardless, it was a huge momentum-changer. Nick Foles responded by leading the Eagles to a game-tying touchdown drive, and Philadelphia eventually won the game.
Without that interception, there's no way the Eagles would have won, and that means they would be stuck at 2-2 and tied for second place in the NFC East right now.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
.png?w=480)
