The Philly Eagles as a Pop Cultural Institution

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The Philadelphia Eagles and their fans have been a fixture of the urban culture of their home city since the team’s founding in 1933 and have found their way into the popular consciousness of America. Whether it’s the furor and candor of their fan base that impresses most sport publications or the team’s legendary rivalry with the New York Giants, the Philly Eagles have never failed to make an impression.

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Sports is serious business in Philadelphia, and the team itself became a rallying symbol in the biographical and historical film Invincible, depicting a fictionalized version of its first game against the Giants in 1976. The colorful history of the Eagles goes beyond the heated rivalries and the requisite shenanigans that came with them. During the talent shortage that took place during the Second World War, the understaffed Eagles merged with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1943, forming the Phil-Pitt Combine, more commonly known as the Steagles.

Sports in the City of Brotherly love enjoys massive support from the fan community, of which the Eagles are a shining example. The fanbase of the Eagles has been one of the most devoted and eye-catching in the NFL, capable of making extreme turnarounds in ticket sales with little to no assistance. Their unrelenting support for their home team has managed to become a cultural quirk, whose somewhat exaggerated depiction is shown by Robert De Niro’s role in the film Silver Linings Playbook.

Paul Benn is a Philadelphia-based attorney and sports fan. Follow this Twitter account for more updates on the Eagles and other sports teams from Philly.

REPOST: Eagles expect the old RG3

Eagle’s coach Chip Kelly expects to see the old Robert Griffin III (RG3) on their game against the Redskins. Read about what Coach Kelly really thinks about RG3 in this News Observer article below.

PHILADELPHIA — If RG3’s days in Washington are nearing an end, he won’t have to look far to find a coach that appreciates his talent.

Chip Kelly will watch from the opposite sideline Saturday.

Robert Griffin III is back as the starting quarterback for the Redskins (3-11) when they host the Philadelphia Eagles (9-5).

Listening to Kelly rave about Griffin suggests he would rather his team faced Kirk Cousins or Colt McCoy, whose injury allowed Griffin to return under center.

“I know he can run and I know he can throw,” Kelly said. “That’s what we’re preparing for. We’re preparing for the best. He can run the zone-read play and you better be conscious of the guy coming off the disconnect.

“It’s different than Tony Romo. When Tony Romo turns and hands the ball off to DeMarco Murray, you’re not worried about Tony running out the backside. When RG3 turns and hands the ball off, you better be worried about him running out the backside.”

Griffin ran for 815 yards, threw for 3,200 yards and 20 touchdowns to only five interceptions in a sensational rookie season in 2012 when he led the Redskins to an NFC East title. But he tore the ACL in his right knee in a playoff loss that year and dislocated his left ankle earlier this season.

He hasn’t been the same player since his injuries and was benched by coach Jay Gruden a few weeks ago. The Redskins are 4-14 in games Griffin has started since opening 2013 with a home loss to Philadelphia in Kelly’s NFL debut.

Still, the Eagles are wary of Griffin.

“If you’re not aware of where RG3 is, he can hurt you with his legs and his arm,” Kelly said. “We got to be really sharp in our contain when we rush the quarterback because he’s a different element than we’ve seen except for Russell Wilson and you saw what happened to us. I thought we did a really good job at times in defending Seattle, and then all of a sudden Russell just extended plays and continued to make things happen.”

Griffin is 2-2 against the Eagles with a 101.4 passer rating, 10 TD passes and two interceptions in those four games.

“Last week, he looked a lot more confident and looser than earlier in the year,” Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins said. “It looks like the time off has done his legs a lot of good. He’s moving pretty well, has a lot more confidence in his throws. You can tell he’s been a lot more decisive.”

The Eagles are desperate to keep their playoff hopes alive after consecutive homes losses to Seattle and Dallas. They can finish 11-5 and miss the playoffs unless the Cowboys lose one game or the Packers or Lions or Seahawks lose two.

Meanwhile, the Redskins are playing the spoiler role in another miserable season. They’re heading toward their ninth last-place finish since owner Dan Snyder bought the team in 1999.

It doesn’t mean the Eagles will take the Redskins lightly.

“The pressure’s kind of off,” Jenkins said. “(Griffin) doesn’t have a lot to lose. He actually looks better. We expect to get his best. This is an opportunity at the end of the year for him to put some good tape out there and finish on a good note.”

And perhaps impress a potential new team. Considering Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez were inconsistent this year, Kelly could have interest in bringing Griffin to Philadelphia.

That’s a topic for the offseason.

“That kid is athletic as heck and he can run really, really well,” Kelly said.

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REPOST: 5 Bold Predictions for Philadelphia Eagles’ Week 6 Matchup

Bleacher Report’s Bryan Swartz shares five bold predictions for Philadelphia Eagle’s next matchup.

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The Philadelphia Eagles have the highest-scoring offense in the NFL. They have a defense that has a knack for making game-saving plays in the final minutes. They have perhaps the most explosive special teams unit in the history of the NFL. And if the season ended now, they would be the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

Yet despite the Eagles’ 4-1 record and knack for pulling out close wins, there’s a general sense of pessimism in Philly right now. I would know. I’m in that group.

It’s the way Nick Foles has played in four of the five games this year. It’s the league’s rushing champion in 2013 averaging fewer than three yards per carry. It’s a depleted offensive line and a defense that ranks 27th in points allowed. It’s a team that could just as easily be 0-5 as 4-1.

Right now, though, it’s about victories. You want your team to play their best at the end of the season. At the beginning, you just want close wins, any way you can. That’s a trend the Eagles will hope to continue against the New York Giants this week on Sunday Night Football. On the following slides, I give five predictions for the much-anticipated battle between two playoff contenders.

1. Nick Foles Completes 73 Percent of Passes

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Remember the Nick Foles who threw 27 touchdowns against just two interceptions in 2013? Yeah, that was a long time ago.

The Nick Foles of 2014 looks more like the Nick Foles of 2012, a rookie who threw six touchdowns and five interceptions despite injuries to LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, Jason Peters, Jason Kelce and Todd Herremans.

In 2014, Foles has thrown for eight scores against five picks with a very average 82.5 passer rating. He’s played just one great game in five contests. He’s also due for a second great game.

Although the Giants have some talented cornerbacks, I think Foles looks like 2013 Foles on Sunday night. I’m predicting Foles to complete 24 of 33 passes for 234 yards and two touchdowns. More importantly, he won’t commit a turnover.

2. Darren Sproles Continues to Outproduce LeSean McCoy

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The LeSean McCoy problem may have reached its peak in the final minutes of the Eagles’ game against the St. Louis Rams when the All-Pro tailback found himself on the sideline, benched. It was 31-year-old veteran Darren Sproles who helped run down the clock, and it was Sproles who broke a 25-yard run, the team’s longest offensive play of the game.

I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to McCoy. Actually, I do, but it involves the return of Evan Mathis and Jason Kelce. Without a dominant offensive line, McCoy isn’t even close to the same back. Look at his 2012 season, when he averaged just 4.2 yards per carry and scored just two touchdowns without Jason Peters and Kelce on the offensive line.

Sproles, on the other hand, is finding holes when McCoy can’t. Expect Chip Kelly to finally realize which back is the more productive of the two right now. I see Sproles carrying 11 times for 58 yards and a score, while McCoy carries 16 times for 61 yards and no touchdowns.

3. Each Team Collects Four Sacks

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The Eagles’ much-criticized pass rush from early in the season has really picked it up over the past two games. After collecting zero sacks in Weeks 2 and 3, the Eagles registered four sacks against San Francisco in Week 4 and four more against St. Louis in Week 5.

It’s not one player collecting all of the sacks for Philly, either. Connor Barwin has three over the past two weeks. Vinny Curry has two. Trent Cole has 1.5, Brandon Graham has one, and even Casey Matthews has half a sack.

The Eagles’ pass rush is hot right now, and I think that continues, even against an underrated Giants offensive line.

However, the Eagles’ offensive line has overachieved in pass protection over the last two weeks, surrendering just a single sack. They’re due to regress.

I’m expecting both quarterbacks to spend a lot of time on the ground on Sunday night.

4. Brandon Boykin Records Longest Interception Return of Career

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By this point, it’s become apparent that Brandon Boykin just isn’t going to get an opportunity to play on the outside, even though he’s clearly the best cover corner on the team.

That doesn’t take away his ability to make plays, however. Boykin hasn’t intercepted a pass yet this season after recording six last year (in barely half of the snaps).

Boykin took to Twitter earlier today to ask fans the longest interception return of his career. The answer, by the way, was 76 yards against the Green Bay Packers.

I’m predicting Boykin to break that record with a 102-yard pick-six against Eli Manning in the third quarter. Let’s see if that’s enough to earn him more playing time.

5. Giants Win in Shootout to Take NFC East Lead

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I will not be picking the Eagles to win on Sunday night. They’re a good team, maybe a very good team, but they’re only going to be able to survive so many close contests.

The Giants are a really good football team right now. Their offense is clicking, and they’ve scored at least 35 points in three straight games. Eli Manning looks like the quarterback who won two Super Bowls during a five-year span, and the defense ranks first in the league in interceptions.

The Eagles have some holes to fix right now. They also need some key players to return from injuries, notably Evan Mathis and Jason Kelce, plus inside linebacker Mychal Kendricks.

I think the Eagles will win the NFC East this season. But it won’t be easy, especially after losing to the Giants on Sunday Night Football.

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Jeremy Maclin back on track after ACL injury

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Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin is back in fighting form after months in rehab for his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. He suffered a tear in the ACL of his right knee during training camp at the end of a no-contact drill last summer. The injury caused Maclin to miss the entire 2013 season.

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Maclin was vocal in his disappointment, as he was hoping to try out a new offense strategy under head coach Chip Kelley.

After surgery to repair his knee and an extensive rehab process, the former University of Missouri star is heading back into the swing of things. Maclin spoke to Philly.com at a charity basketball game held by his teammate LeSean McCoy, stating that he felt faster and much stronger physically. Maclin also expressed his anticipation for the coming season and faith in the abilities of his teammates, particularly rookie Jordan Matthews and wide receiver Josh Huff.

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With the departure of DeSean Jackson, Maclin will play as the Eagles’ top wide receiver. Jackson and quarterback Nick Foles hope to recapture their chemistry, which was evident in Foles’ seven consecutive game appearances in 2012 during which Maclin caught 37 balls for 479 yards and three touchdowns.

The two-time All American signed a $6 million one-year deal with the Philadelphia Eagles in February this year. With Maclin heating it up at mini-camp and showing all signs of a complete recovery, the Eagles are poised for a spectacular season.

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Philadelphia Eagles’ Upcoming Draft Picks Require Precision for a Profitable Future

With the NFL draft coming up, Philadelphia Eagles fans naturally are wondering how their flock of players will look this fall. The picks made during the next several days truly will dictate how victorious Philadelphia will be in the coming months and even the coming years on the gridiron.

One promising Philadelphia player pick is cornerback Bradley Roby of Ohio State University, whose speed is above average and whose footwork is top-notch. You also may want to have outside linebacker Jeremiah Attaochu from the Georgia Institute of Technology on your radar, as he is unparalleled in his impact pass rushing ability. His skills could help to meet this dire need on the Philadelphia Eagles’ team, and although he still needs a bit more refinement in his craft, he remains a top pick who is wise to consider.

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In addition, the Philadelphia Eagles may need a new, younger offensive guard on hand to replace Todd Herremans and Evan Mathis in the future. Dakota Dozier of Furman University may be the Philadelphia Eagles’ top choice in this area, as he has quick feet and naturally controls his body in a manner that will work well with Philadelphia’s blocking scheme.

Two other Eagles positions that currently need attention are those of the linebacker and wide receiver. If Philadelphia takes hold of Khari Fortt of the University of California, the team could stand to benefit from this linebacker’s speed, strength and size. In addition, wide receiver Brandon Coleman of Rutgers University shows promise in pass-catching and could develop into one competitive player for the Eagles.

Led by Coach Chip Kelly, the Philadelphia Eagles performed better than expected last season, but the team’s rookies were not as productive as the team initially hoped they would be. If the Philadelphia Eagles want a better return on their investment this next go-around, their draft picks need to made with high-soaring precision this spring. For more information about the Philadelphia Eagles, visit Paul Benn‘s website.