Alshon Jeffery lines up against a familiar opponent when the Chicago Bears arrive in Philadelphia.
Jeffery spent his first five seasons in Chicago after the Bears drafted him back in 2012. He was the team's top reception leader for three of those seasons. While his numbers aren't as gaudy as they were in Chicago, Jeffery's sacrificed the stats as a key contributor to the league's best team at 9-1.
In the last three games, the Eagles have scored a combined 121 points with Jeffery adding four touchdowns and a pair of two-point conversions. He's been the team's leading receiver in each of those contests while catching 12 passes. Needless to say, he's capitalized off those touches converting them into 213 yards and an average of nearly 18 yards a catch.
He signed a one-year deal with the Eagles and is not concerned about his long-term outlook.
"I love it here in Philly. I hope so," Jeffery responded when asked if he'd like to stay an Eagle past this season, "but right now I'm just playing football, just staying locked in, and focusing in on one day at a time."
The chemistry between him and quarterback Carson Wentz continues to blossom. His three-game touchdown streak is the first since 2014. Wentz hasn't shied away from targeting his No. 1 receiver either looking his way 18 times in the last two games. Against the Cowboys, Jeffery recorded 67 yards on four catches including an impressive touchdown grab on fourth-and-5 that put the Cowboys away for good.
"That's one of the things that I love about Alshon. Even early on when the ball wasn't going to him as much, (he is) totally unselfish, hard worker," offensive coordinator Frank Reich said Tuesday. "You just know these things take time – the chemistry, the opportunities – and so the confidence level grows. He's made some huge plays, a couple huge plays in that Dallas game, and that's why he's here."
As for the upcoming faceoff with the Bears, Jeffery said it won't be long before the trash talk begins between his former teammates.
"In Chicago, we were pretty tight. No disrespect to any of my boys there but I would say we're probably a lot tighter here," Jeffery said of the receiving corps. "Maybe because Torrey and I are the older guys and I was always the younger guy (in Chicago) but we're tighter here."
