Philadelphia Eagles: 3 bold predictions against Vikings in NFC Championship

Like most of the filthy rich, Jeffrey Lurie has made some pretty shrewd decisions.

He did, and it paid off for the Eagles.

The Eagles scored touchdowns on just two of six trips into the red zone over their past three games – and the team has taken notice of the dip in production.

Not a shabby investment, right? The team announced fans can wear them on Sunday as long as they take them off during security check entering the stadium. The Eagles made it to the playoffs in nine of his 14 seasons.

If the Eagles are going to “dominate” the Vikings on Sunday evening, meticulous preparation will be key both for Nick Foles and the offense against Minnesota’s No. 1 ranked defense, but also for Cox and his defensive teammates ahead of a matchup against quarterback Case Keenum who finished with the NFL’s No. 7 ranked passer rating this season. Other times, it might last a few days or more. Now under Doug Pederson, the RPO idea has evolved. After Philadelphia drafted Wentz No. 2 overall in 2016, the organization traded Bradford to the Vikings.

Nick Foles hasn’t had the benefit of being under Pederson as a play-caller for as many games as Carson Wentz, but Foles said he’s “absolutely” on the same page as Pederson. From 27/2 and Pro Bowl MVP to being traded by Chip Kelly to being benched and given up for dead by the Rams to nearly quitting football to returning to Philadelphia to be a backup to starting Sunday in the biggest game of his life.

Against the polished and playoff proven Matt Ryan, Foles looked to be mismatched.

The last five years have been a wild ride for Foles. “That’s how I think, too”. Keenum, an undrafted free agent in 2012 who bounced around from with the Texans and Rams, also didn’t have much success playing for Fisher. Talk about disappointment. Saints fans are still watching the replay trying to figure out how Marcus Williams missed a seemingly easy tackle that could have ended the game. They are three-point underdogs to the Vikings as well. Head coach Mike Zimmer has proven to be an excellent hire.

“It was as important of a game as this one was”, Grant said. “Nothing just comes from out of thin air, off the top of my head”.

“Gameplanning and just playing the game within the play”. I’m no different. I’ve got to study the tape and understand situations. Just enjoy the people and the process that you’re in. Sometimes that can help you. “And an opportunity is only as good as you make it”.

For the second week in a row, the betting line has been the topic of conversation for an Eagles playoff game. The Lincoln Financial Field stands are expected to be filled with the German shepherd dog masks that Long and Johnson wore on the field and in the locker room after Saturday’s 15-10 victory over the Falcons. Ertz had the seventh-best-selling jersey in the National Football League this week, according to the Dick’s Sporting Goods Jersey Report.

“I honestly have not thought much about it”, Reich said. “I drive home at night knowing I put in a full day’s work”.

When asked what he’s learned about Pederson as a play-caller in their two years together, offensive coordinator Frank Reich said Pederson is “a little more unorthodox at times – in a good way”. But I know where my heart is. That’s all I know. Like in 1999 I was in Tennessee when we hit the Music City Miracle, and I’m sure there were a lot of special teams coaches talking about staying back and staying in your lanes and doing all those kind of things. I love being around these guys. “I think our players are smart enough to understand what’s going on, so I don’t see any problem”. I know I did several years ago when I had to take a step back and say, ‘Am I doing this for the right reason?’ Because if I can’t do it with my heart, I can’t do it.

“I don’t think in terms like that”, Keenum said. “I could care less about the stats”. “You’ve got to just go play and be relaxed and stick to the things that got you here”.