Wake-Up Call: How Sunday Affected the Eagles

Like many of you, I spent all of Sunday parked in front of the TV watching non-Eagles action around the league. Below is a roundup of some of the highlights that specifically relate to the Birds.

* We have to start in Washington where the Redskins beat the Jaguars, 41-10, but saw their season take an unexpected turn when Robert Griffin III suffered a dislocated ankle in the first quarter. According to The Washington Post, Griffin will have an MRI and X-rays today, but there are indications that his season could be over.

Kirk Cousins completed 22 of 33 passes for two touchdowns and no interceptions against a Jacksonville defense that has looked terrible early in the season. In eight career games prior to Sunday, Cousins had completed 56.2 percent of his passes, averaged 6.5 YPA and tossed eight touchdowns against 10 interceptions. Still, there’s been plenty of clamoring that he’s deserved a shot to play. And barring surprising news with Griffin, it appears that’s about to happen.

* Griffin wasn’t the only player to go down for the Redskins. DeSean Jackson departed in the first half after falling on his shoulder.

DeSean Jackson AC joint. Day to day

— Mike Jones (@MikeJonesWaPo) September 14, 2014

Obviously, there’s a chance that Jackson doesn’t suit up for next Sunday’s game between the Eagles and Redskins at the Linc. The bright side? We may get to avoid the “Will you boo or cheer DeSean?” discussion that would have been touted by sports-talk radio hosts all week long.

* Nobody’s going to confuse the Tennessee Titans for an offensive juggernaut, but the Dallas Cowboys’ defense has performed better than expected. In the first half of Sunday’s game, the Titans managed six punts to go along with an interception. Four of those possessions resulted in three-and-outs. None of those possessions lasted longer than five plays.

Offensively, DeMarco Murray went off for 167 yards and averaged 5.8 YPC. The Cowboys are well-built to run the ball if they commit to it (and if Murray stays healthy).

* And then there’s the Giants. Going against a Drew Stanton-led Cardinals team, New York fell to 0-2 on the season with a 25-14 loss.

In the fourth quarter, the Giants trailed by eight and drove into the red zone. Eli Manning dumped the ball off to Rashad Jennings, who stumbled and lost control of the ball without being touched. Friend of the blog Noah Becker provided an apt observation:

In case you were wondering whether the ’14 Giants are the ’12 Eagles, that Jennings fumble should clear things up. — Noah Becker (@Noah_Becker) September 14, 2014

It’s still relatively early, but this really does have that type of feel to it.

WHAT YOU MISSED

Here’s the scouting report for tonight’s Eagles-Colts game.

Game predictions from me and McManus.

Updated injury report from T-Mac.

Inside Voices from McManus: On the Eagles’ different training methods, Matt Barkley trade rumors and Ed Reynolds’ wild ride.

Lane Johnson will not be affected by the drug policy proposal.

Three Eagles leftovers on Cody Parkey’s notebook, Billy Davis’ play-calling and Wade Smith’s progress.

T-Mac on the Andrew Luck–Zach Ertz reunion.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

Zach Berman of the Inquirer has a story on Fletcher Cox and Mychal Kendricks:

“I noticed he wasn’t from my side of the world,” Kendricks said. “When I’m asking him questions because we could be on the same team . . . he’s talking about mudding . . . and catching fish. All this country stuff. I just thought he was a weird dude.”

Cox laughed when recounting the ride. His recollection was similar – two players from different parts of the country who knew little about each other, both riding the speculative confidence of the predraft hoopla.

Paul Domowitch of the Daily News on how refs are keeping pace with the Eagles:

“The officials definitely limited how fast we could go numerous times last year,” Kelce said. “I think the NFL probably will change in the next few years,” as more and more teams go to a hurry-up style.

“But as of right now, it’s still totally up to the officials as to when the ball is going to be spotted in play. They can hold that ball for as long as they want.

COMING UP

We’ll fly out to Indianapolis this morning and have complete coverage.