Eagles Wake-Up Call: The Buzz Is Back

When the locker room opened up to reporters Thursday afternoon, the place was humming. Nnamdi Asomugha and Kurt Coleman were engaged in a passionate conversation. Mardy Gilyard was chasing an unidentified victim around with a towel. Music blasted from Trent Cole‘s stall. (At one point an Oldies song came on and everyone began looking at Cole sideways. “It’s not me!” he said. “It’s Pandora!”)

There were signs of life for the first time in weeks.

Marty Mornhinweg foreshadowed these developments earlier in the day.

“There’s quite a bit of excitement, I think, in this situation, because of a couple things,” said Mornhinweg. “Number one, the situation we’re in. Can we get it done and make a run here? Secondly, with a rookie quarterback there is certainly some excitement there.”

There was a noticeable bump in energy when Foles entered the game against the Cowboys. It was short-lived, of course, as Dallas dried up all enthusiasm with a punt return and an interception for a touchdown. But the feeling is back this week.

“Everyone, especially on the offensive side, has to take their game up another notch just because Nick hasn’t seen all the different looks he’s about to see this week,” said Coleman. “Everyone has to raise their level of play just so they can help him out. It’s not that we weren’t playing hard, because Mike [Vick] does so much for this team and he’s able to play through so many different circumstances. But I think everybody’s level of play has to rise another notch because they know it’s going to be Nick’s first start. He’s not going to be perfect so we have to be able to take our game up another notch to try and help him out.”

Andy Reid told the players this week just to go back to having fun. Judging by this week’s atmosphere, they are heeding the advice of their coach.

“We’ve still got a chance, man, you have to be fired up,” said Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie. “You get another chance to go out there and right all the wrongs.”

Added Coleman: “It’s been getting lost, because you go through a loss, a loss, a loss,  and you lose kind of your identity or what this game’s about. It becomes not fun playing when you’re losing. We’re not worried about trying to win, we’re not worrying about maybe if we lose,  we’re just worried about, let’s play our best ball and have fun.”

WHAT YOU MISSED

In my Twitter Mailbag, I try to answer this all-important question: Can Foles attract a big-name coach?

As Kapadia points out, finding a QB is more important than finding a head coach.

Bobby April points the finger at himself for the Cowboys’ punt return Sunday.

Foles has the second-biggest shoe on the team, and other fun facts courtesy of Trent Edwards.

Sheil takes a look at whether it’s finally Vinny Curry time.

DRC will not get a new deal before the end of the season. Here’s why.

The latest coaching buzz, including some quality insight into Chip Kelly.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

Winston Justice chimed in on the state of the Eagles during a recent interview with an Indianapolis radio station. Via the 700 Level:

“I’m not really watching the games that much but you can’t help but hear them going through stuff and I mean every year there is always some type of drama with Philly. Something was going to happen. 

RGIII enters the matchup against the Eagles with a new title: Team captain. From the Washington Post.

Shanahan said he could not recall one of his teams ever electing a rookie as a captain previously.

“It’s very hard to vote a rookie to be your captain,” Shanahan said. “But midway through the season, you say, ‘Hey, he’s our leader.’ ”

COMING UP 

One last practice for the Eagles before the Redskins game. We’ll have you covered.

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