The 1-0 Eagles are home at last! The team is prepared for a prime-time Monday night showdown against the Minnesota Vikings on September 19th.
It's the first regular-season home game for the Eagles' strengthened roster – that means fans will get their first look at the team's newly acquired players in action. It also means the new Eagles will get their first looks at Philly fans' fervor for football under the lights.
Kickoff is at 8:30 PM in South Philadelphia.
Haason's Homecoming
At long last, Monday night will mark Camden native Haason Reddick's Eagles debut in Philadelphia. The last time he ran through the tunnel at Lincoln Financial Field for a home football game was 2016 – he sported cherry, white, and the same number 7 he'll wear as an Eagle. He'll line up on the field where he played college ball for Temple University for his home premiere as an Eagles linebacker.
The game synergistically falls two days after Temple University's homecoming game against Rutgers.
"It just worked out perfectly schedule-wise. Since I've been in the league, I haven't been able to make it back to actually watch a Temple game," Reddick said.
"So, I'm actually excited that this will be my first one that I get to see."
He has eagerly awaited the home opener since the team signed him to a three-year contract in March, but as the prime-time showdown against the Minnesota Vikings quickly approaches, Reddick's focus has shifted.
"While I know it's a Monday night game, I'm not going to get caught up in the hype. I'm just focused on being better than I was in Week 1. Fixing the things that I didn't do right in Week 1," he said.
"The only thing I'm worried about is playing good football for the Philadelphia Eagles."
The linebacker had a quiet first game in Detroit. He recorded two tackles in 47 snaps, but he's determined to yield a greater impact in his second game in green.
"There were a couple things I saw after the game that I wish I would have seen during the game, but now that I know what those things are, I can focus on that and it'll open up a lot of things for me," said Reddick.
Nonetheless, Reddick's homecoming will be decidedly special. Family, friends, and fans from his Temple tenure alike are looking forward to watching him proudly represent his Philadelphia and Camden roots, playing for the hometown football team.
Tarron Jackson embracing his opportunity
"I'm just trying to live up to the standard that's already been set," said defensive end Tarron Jackson, thinking of his teammate, Derek Barnett.
Jackson was one of six players listed as inactive against Detroit. Now, he is preparing to be a rotational defensive end in Monday's home opener at Lincoln Financial Field, stepping into the role of Barnett who suffered a season-ending ACL injury in Sunday's opener.
Any injury is a blow for a contending team coming out of Week 1; situations like this are the reason that nurturing a "next-man-up mentality" is essential for players sitting second, third on the depth chart, or on the practice squad. The Eagles' coaching staff and front office have been working in tandem, harping that mantra while persistently ensuring depth across the roster.
"Howie (Roseman) and his staff have done a great job of making us deep at the O- and D-line. We have some good options there. We have good rotation right there. Tarron wasn't up (Sunday), but how quickly it can turn from you not being up for a game to you having a significant role," said Head Coach Nick Sirianni on Monday.
"I know our guys understand that. We talk to our guys a lot about that, about their roles and how if you're a backup, you're one snap away from going in, and it's just the way that's going to play out for Tarron. But my heart breaks for Derek, and he'll be missed, and I look forward to Tarron getting some more reps, though."
Jackson is looking forward to it, too. He says he's an entirely different player than last year when he totaled 17 tackles, nine pressures, one sack, and one forced fumble in 253 defensive snaps.
"I got a lot more experience, and I feel like I'm a lot more comfortable than I was last year," Jackson said.
"I'm always ready to go out there and show what I can do. I'm excited. Ready to go,"
Not One, Not Two, But Three Batmans?
In the team's Week 1 win against Detroit, A.J. Brown recorded a staggering 155 yards on 10 receptions, including a 54-yard catch from Hurts with 46 seconds remaining in the first quarter. Fans equated his swagger, skill, and tinted visor to Batman. He received the lion's share of targets from Jalen Hurts, but during a press conference this week, cornerback Darius Slay ensured that there's not just one Batman. Not even two. But three Batmen: Swole Batman (Brown), Skinny Batman (DeVonta Smith), and Fast Batman (Quez Watkins).
Unbeatable Connection
Sunday's win marked the first time four different Eagles had rushing touchdowns in one game in over 60 years. Two of those scores were run in by running backs Miles Sanders and Boston Scott – they are quite the duo. The two are almost always on the same page. Check out their Unbeatable Connection, presented by Xfinity.
News and Notes
• Philadelphia is tied for the fifth-best prime-time winning percentage (.609, 14-9) since the 2017 season, which includes a 4-2 mark (.667) on Monday Night Football in that span.
• Jason Kelce has started 123 straight games, the second-longest active streak among all NFL players. Kelce's streak is the longest by an NFL center since Chris Myers' 123-game stretch from 2007-14. It is also the fourth-longest streak in franchise history.
• Philadelphia posted the third-most total yards (455) in the NFL (1st among NFC teams) during Week 1, behind Indianapolis (517) and Kansas City (488).
• A.J. Brown's 155 receiving yards in Week 1 are the eighth-most by a player in their team debut in NFL history (Most in Eagles History).
• A.J. Brown and Vikings' Justin Jefferson were 1st and 2nd in receiving yards in Week 1:
Jefferson: 11 targets, 9 rec, 184 rec yds, 2 rec TD vs. GB
Brown: 13 targets, 10 rec, 155 rec yds at DET
