What Are Experts Saying About Philadelphia Eagles as 2014 Season Nears Its End
Two weeks ago, the Philadelphia Eagles were flying high, with a 9-3 record and a very real chance at obtaining home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs. How times have changed. Now the Eagles are 9-5, having lost consecutive home games to likely NFC playoff teams.
Their most recent loss, a 38-27 contest against the Dallas Cowboys at home on Sunday Night Football, was absolutely devastating. The loss exposed two of the biggest weaknesses on the Eagles: quarterback play and the defensive backfield.
Right now, the Eagles are still in the thick of the NFC playoff hunt, but they need to win their final two games, and obtain a little bit of help, to reach the postseason for the second straight year in the Chip Kelly era.
The following slides will highlight five of the big storylines surrounding the Eagles for this week, the remainder of the season and this offseason.
Despite Need at QB, Eagles Should Pass on Jay Cutler
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One of the biggest storylines for the 2014 season was whether Nick Foles would play well enough to earn a contract extension after the year. Obviously that didn't happen, as the third-year quarterback showed major regression from a breakout 2013 campaign. A broken clavicle has sidelined him for the last six starts and likely the remainder of the season.
Foles remains the most likely option to begin the 2015 season as Chip Kelly's starter, based on his limited salary. The Eagles could attempt to go all-in to move up and draft Heisman winner Marcus Mariota but that's a risky haul, especially since the Eagles would likely have to move up at least 20 spots in the first round.
Another option is swinging a trade for veteran Jay Cutler, who was just benched by the Chicago Bears for Jimmy Clausen. Cutler, 31, has thrown for 28 touchdowns and more than 3,600 yards this season, but he ranks first in the NFL with 18 interceptions and he's led Chicago to just five victories. His poor attitude and massive salary have to be a major turn-off for an Eagles team that looks for high-character, low-cost players that fit their scheme.
Mike Kaye of Bleeding Green Nation agrees, writing the following:
"At 31, Cutler has put up a lot of yardage and touchdowns, but really hasn't had a ton of success. While it may be hard to trade up for Marcus Mariota or find a key target in later rounds, it also may not make sense to take on the massive salary of a quarterback who really hasn't earned it as of late.
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First-Round Cornerback?
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The Eagles could re-sign Bradley Fletcher to a lifetime deal when he becomes a free agent this offseason. Or they could allow the veteran cornerback, a player who has allowed the most touchdown passes of any corner in the NFL in a season since 2007, per Pro Football Focus, to walk.
It actually makes sense for the Eagles to at least consider bringing back Cary Williams for the final year of his contract. Williams has picked up his game over the last five weeks, allowing just a 40.9 passer rating. But he's gone after 2015 and the Eagles really need to look to figure out the position. ESPN's Todd McShay has the team selecting a cornerback, Trae Waynes, in the first round of his most recent mock draft, a move that makes complete sense for one of the worst pass defenses in the game.
"The Eagles have been better on defense this season, but cornerback remains a position of need and Waynes would be a good fit. He has good length and speed for the corner position, and he's a sure tackler who isn't afraid to come up and assist in run support. His field awareness is very impressive as well.
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Eagles Still Rebuilding Despite Winning Records
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Despite the potentially disappointing ending to the Eagles' season, there's still a very bright future for Chip Kelly. After all, he took over a four-win team that ranked in the bottom five in both offense and defense in the 2012 season. He immediately led that squad to 10 victories and a division title, which included a memorable breakout season from Nick Foles.
But the Eagles have regressed in 2014, even though they're likely going to win as many or more games than the previous season. They've been noticeably worse at every offensive position this year, especially quarterback, where there's still the all-important question of what the team plans to do long term.
It's important to remember, however, that Kelly has only been the Eagles head coach for just under two full seasons. He has a clear vision of how he wants his team, placing an emphasis on culture and character. He's a winner, and the playoff wins will come. Bleacher Report's Andrew Kulp said the same in this piece.
"Whether they reach the playoffs or not, this club isn’t a convincing Super Bowl contender at this point in time. But then they aren’t necessarily supposed to be that, either.
Not so long ago, Philadelphia was viewed as a major rebuilding project to coaching candidates, fans and analysts alike. The only thing that changed was the expectations of folks on the outside.
The Eagles aren’t quite a complete team, and that’s okay, because they weren’t scheduled to be a finished product yet. There are some questions of how they are eventually supposed to get there, but little doubt they are headed in the right direction—as long as you are patient.
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Limited Turnovers Will Help Eagles Beat Redskins
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The Eagles will be heavy favorites against a Washington Redskins squad that is starting Robert Griffin III, not by choice, but because of an injury to Colt McCoy.
To stay in the playoff hunt, the Eagles need to take care of business on Saturday afternoon. They're playing a Redskins team that is ranked 27th in points allowed, but this is the same group that came within one score of beating Nick Foles and the Eagles a few months ago.
The game plan for the Eagles is extremely simple: protect the football and don't turn the ball over. If the Eagles don't commit a turnover, there's almost no way they can lose.
So said Cody Swartz of Bleacher Report:
"To come away with a victory, it starts with Sanchez.
The key to beating the Washington Redskins will be Sanchez's ability to limit his turnovers. That's essentially been the story of the season for him; in his starts, the Eagles are 2-0 when he doesn't turn the ball over and 1-3 when he does.
Kelly's offense has done wonders for Sanchez in almost all aspects but the turnovers.
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40 Percent Chance to Reach Playoffs
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The Eagles' playoff chances took a major hit on Sunday night when they lost at home against the Dallas Cowboys. But just how much of a hit did their chances take?
According to Sports Club Stats, the Eagles have just a 40.5 percent chance of reaching the postseason, down from 73.3 before the game. The Eagles have a 35 percent chance of winning the NFC East title, and a five percent chance of obtaining a wild-card spot.
For the Eagles to win the division, they need to win both of their final two games, while the Cowboys lose one. For the Eagles to earn a wild-card spot, they need to win both of their final two games, while either the Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers or Seattle Seahawks lose their final two games.
If the Eagles win their final two games, both of which look pretty winnable on paper, they have a 77.2 percent chance of reaching the playoffs.
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