1. Tom Brady admits he is not over Super Bowl LII loss to the Eagles
As the Eagles and Patriots prep for their first meeting since Super Bowl LII, New England's quarterback still has a bad taste in his mouth from the loss at U.S. Bank Stadium. Tom Brady threw for 505 yards in the contest, but the Eagles triumphed with a 41-33 victory. On Monday morning, Brady was asked how long it took for him to get over that loss on The Greg Hill Show.
"You assume I'm over it? Come on now," Brady said. "That's a lot of mental scar tissue from that year. That was a tough game. In a lot of ways, we learned from that year and we came back stronger the next year. We won the Super Bowl in '18. I think everything is a matter of perspective and when you play in that game and you play great teams, you're not going to win them all. This is not the Harlem Globetrotters vs. the Washington Generals. This is all about tough competition against the best teams. They deserved it that year, and now a couple years later we get a chance to play the organization again. We've had a lot changes, they've had a lot of changes. It's totally different circumstances. Huge game for us. Big game for them. The better team is going to win."
2. Brandon Brooks' remarkable comeback leads to four-year contract extension
Brandon Brooks came off the practice field on Monday, showered in the locker room, and started his trip upstairs to sign a four-year contract extension through the 2024 season. He was calm. He was feeling on top of the world. Eagles Insider Dave Spadaro has the full story along with Brooks’ reaction here.
"I don't know what to say right now, really," Brooks said as he walked through the hallways of the NovaCare Complex. "I'm blessed. After my first couple of weeks here when the Eagles signed me (in 2016), I knew I didn't want to go anywhere else. I'm honored that the organization extended me early, with a year to go on my contract. I don't know, man. I'm kind of speechless at this point."
3. Eagles welcome back Jordan Matthews
On Monday morning, the team re-signed wide receiver Jordan Matthews, a former second-round pick of the team in 2014 who returned to make an impact as an emergency addition last season. The 6-3, 215-pound Matthews is a reliable target who can play both on the outside and in the slot. Check out Matthews' full impact on the team and what head coach Doug Pederson said about the team as a whole here.
"We just have to continue to work with these guys. Every week is a new week. Every week is a new set of challenges," Pederson said. "As we put game plans together, we do think about these guys and putting them into positions and look, sometimes you get in the game, and I'm the one calling the plays, and sometimes the game kind of steers a different direction than what you think during the week.
See how the Eagles enjoyed the bye week in the latest social media roundup!
DE Vinny Curry: "Chloe Marie Curry I will be your first love. I will open doors for you, pull your seat out, talk and treat you like the princess you are. With the utmost respect, set expectations on how a man should treat his lady. For you, I will cross mountains. You are and will forever be, Daddy's princess"
QB Carson Wentz: "Happy 1st birthday to our little man, Riggs! Can't wait to spend many mornings over some flooded timber or out in the field with this dude! And I can't forget how his mom can't wait for many years of snugglin' on the couch too! He's the man cuz he can do both! We love this dude!"
TE Zach Ertz: "Bye week. Can't wait to get back to it"
CB Avonte Maddox: "You know the vibes."
CB Jalen Mills: "MO FIRE"
RB Jordan Howard: "You like the way I play the cards that I'm dealt, huh"
G Brandon Brooks: "Love playing at the Linc in front of the best fans in the world. Needed that dub headed into the bye."
T Lane Johnson: "Riding the wave into the bye week..."
4. Back to work: 9 thoughts with Patriots now in sight
The Seven-Week Countdown to the end of the regular season begins now with the bye week over, as the Eagles set their sights on the New England Patriots and the NFL postseason. We've got a wild ride ahead, starting now. Check out Spadaro's nine thoughts as the Eagles head into the Week 11 matchup.
The Eagles need help at wide receiver with the loss of Jackson, and they certainly need to have the entire room bring more production to the offense in the final seven games of the regular season. That said, remember this: The Eagles have played without Jackson in, basically, eight games this season. It's not like the offense has to reboot for the stretch run. Doug Pederson and his coaching staff will play to their strengths – a good running game behind an outstanding offensive line, two terrific tight ends in Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert, and some position flexibility. Let's not forget the role of Miles Sanders and, in spot situations, Darren Sproles in the passing game.
5. Why is Avonte Maddox always smiling?
Even during the worst moment of Avonte Maddox's young career, he found a way to smile. The same smile he flashes after making a big play was the same smile he flashed while lying on a backboard in the cathedral of football, Lambeau Field, back in Week 4 during a Thursday night game against the Green Bay Packers. Find out why that smile never strays from his face here.
"They know how I am as a person," Maddox said. "I'm always smiling, always joking around. They know if they can get a smile out of me, then I'm at ease. Make sure they aren't worried about me. They still had a game to finish."
