The Eagles hold their first training session of the week today at the NovaCare Complex ahead of this Sunday's matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We're live at 11:45 AM as offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur and defensive coordinator Bill Davis review their notes from Sunday's game against Miami and offer insight into the plan for the Bucs game.
Following the team's practice at around 1:30 PM, hear from safety Malcolm Jenkins and at 5 PM it's Eagles 360 with Dave Spadaro and Glen Macnow. The two will offer one final look at the Dolphins game, offer a complete recap of all the day's news including the latest at the quarterback position. Until then, here are the 5 Things to Know Today for Tuesday, November 17 ...
1. Jameis Winston's Bold Declaration
The No. 1 overall pick of the 2015 NFL Draft was fired up after Sunday's win over Dallas. Quarterback Jameis Winston scored the game-winning touchdown run on a 1-yard bootleg with 54 seconds remaining as Tampa Bay won 10-6. Winston and the Bucs have every right to be excited. With four wins on the season, they have already doubled last year's total. At 4-5, like the Eagles, Tampa Bay is very much in the playoff mix.
Following the game, Winston gave a passionate speech in the locker room and finished with these words.
"If we give all we got. If we have each other's back, we gonna go 7-0 on these (expletive)," Winston yelled. "Let's go!"
To get to 1-0 in the final seven games, the Bucs will have to defeat the Eagles on Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.
2. Who Will Start At Quarterback For The Eagles?
There is no question who will be the quarterback for the Bucs this Sunday, but who will be taking the snaps for the Eagles? Head coach Chip Kelly did not have any additional updates on Monday regarding the status of quarterback Sam Bradford except that when Bradford is healthy he is the starter. We know that Bradford is in the NFL's concussion protocol and must be cleared before he can return to practice. Bradford also injured his non-throwing shoulder on the third-quarter sack by linebacker Chris McCain that knocked him out of the game.
On Monday, Kelly offered these thoughts on Sanchez and the quarterback's performance in relief of Bradford.
"I don't think the offense is much different (with Sanchez at quarterback)," Kelly said. "Sanchez graded out well. Obviously the interception was a big down for him, but he made some plays. ... I thought there were some good plays in there but obviously some that he'd like to have back."
3. The Blueprint For Turning The Season Around
Between the close losses - Sunday's was the third by three points or fewer - Chip Kelly discussed the need for better execution down the stretch. There are seven teams in the NFC alone, including the Eagles, that are either 4-5 or 5-5 entering Week 11. The NFC East is up for grabs certainly, and the Eagles are in the mix, but as Brian Westbrook said on Monday's Eagles 360, they don't have the margin of error to overcome mistakes.
Dave Spadaro laid out what he wants to see from the team in the final seven regular season games and among the items was making the rushing attack the "focal point of the offense."
"Running the football well down the stretch makes all the difference in the world for the Eagles, who can then set up the play-action passing game and give Bradford/Sanchez an extra tick to set up and throw the football," Spadaro wrote. "The shocking part of Sunday's loss was an Eagles rushing attack that gained only 83 yards against a Miami defense that had allowed 266 on the ground the week before against Buffalo and that ranked 31st in the league against the run."
4. This Play Highlights Bradford's Improvement
In Monday's edition of Eagle Eye in the Sky, Fran Duffy reviewed the All-22 of the Eagles' offensive performance. He detailed some of the missed opportunities the team had, especially late in the game. However, Duffy also unearthed some new wrinkles from the coaching staff. Misdirection was a key element to the game plan on Sunday. Bradford's touchdown pass to Josh Huff highlights one area of Bradford's game that has improved through the course of the season - his mobility.
Shot 5 - Boot action again working in #Eagles favor. Huff uncovers late, Bradford stays alive for TD. pic.twitter.com/rcKstuPA9Z — Fran Duffy (@fduffy3) November 16, 2015
"Two plays after the (Brent) Celek 60-yard catch, the Eagles were able to reach the end zone on this pass from Sam Bradford to Huff. It started with that same basic run-action. The Eagles faked outside zone to the left with Bradford rolling to the right. The cornerback to that side knows what's coming, so even though he's in man coverage he abandons his responsibility (Huff) and puts himself in position to defend Riley Cooper running in the flat," Duffy wrote.
"The next progression for Bradford is Celek on the crossing route. This is a high-low read for Bradford, but both options are taken away there's pressure in his face. He buys time by continuing to roll right, and hits Huff wide open in the back of the end zone for the touchdown. Credit Huff for uncovering late in the down as well as Bradford for keeping the play alive and his eyes down the field on this play. That's an example of the boot-action working well for the Eagles."
Jordan Matthews was back at the Franklin Institute's SportsZone exhibit on Monday afternoon with Eagles Care partner Steppingstone Scholars ...
5. Matthews Preaches Importance Of Education
On Monday, Jordan Matthews visited the Franklin Institute's SportsZone exhibit with students from the Steppingstone Scholars program, which is a 2015 Eagles Care partner that aims to prepare students for admission to college preparatory schools. Ultimately, the non-profit works to create opportunities that will lead its students toward successful college careers.
The Franklin Institute recently added an interactive game where visitors can race a hologram of Matthews on a 40-foot track. The real Matthews ran with the students, but also took the opportunity to highlight how he's benefited from a great education.
"Their program is actually really inspiring," Matthews said of Steppingstone Scholars. "The graduation rate around where a lot of these kids are growing up is in the lower 60th percentile, but the graduation rate for these kids once they get in this institute, it's actually 100 percent from 2013 to 2014. That's really inspiring and also to see kids be able to come here and be able to be in an organization like that and give them hope, it's really great to see. It's awesome to be able to come out here and just encourage them to stay on top of their education."