Weekend Reading: Expectations For Sanchez

Here is some weekend reading to get you ready for today’s Eagles-Packers game.

Matt Bowen of Bleacher Report likes what he’s seen from Mark Sanchez:

As I said above, this is a unique system under Kelly that caters to the quarterback position in the modern game we watch today. And the Eagles head coach knows how to game-plan an opponent to create opportunities for his players.

However, in my opinion, Monday night was more about Sanchez’s ability to execute (within that scheme), manage the pocket and make the necessary throws to score points.

Remember, a scheme only gets you so far in this league. Players have to produce if you want to win games.

Peter King of MMQB gives his Week 11 preview:

The Sanchize at The Franchise: Newly minted starter Mark Sanchez (assuming he’s digested that celebratory cheesesteak by Sunday) and the 7-2 Eagles travel to 6-3 Green Bay, where Aaron Rodgers plays ridiculously perfect football.

Todd McShay of ESPN.com offers his favorite potential pairing in the first round of next spring’s draft:

Mariota and the Philadelphia Eagles. I know that this is the obvious answer, and it’s also a long shot (for colleague Mike Sando’s explanation for how it could come together, click here) because of what it would take for Philly to move up from a pick that would presumably be in the mid- to late-20s into the top five to get Mariota, and also because the Eagles still have both Nick Foles and Mark Sanchez on the roster — two guys who have been effective for them.

But I still think it would be an excellent match because while Chip Kelly doesn’t need to have a mobile quarterback for his offense to succeed in the NFL, having one would allow him to use the entirety of his offensive menu. There would obviously be a comfort level there with Kelly having coached Mariota before, and he is one of the best players (if not the best overall player) in the entire draft.

King’s “Ten Things I’ll Be Watching For This Weekend”:

10. Who’s blocking Barwin? The sneaky sacker, Connor Barwin of the Eagles, will be used as a chess piece Sunday by Philadelphia defensive coordinator Bill Davis, moving him all over the field to find weak spots of the Packer offensive front. Davis and Barwin have combined to do a good job so far—10.5 sacks in nine games.

Evan Silva of Rotoworld gives his reviews for each Week 11 matchup:

We’re still in a small sample size, but through two 2014 appearances it’s fair to say Mark Sanchez looks better than Nick Foles in Chip Kelly’s system. Sanchez has sped up his decision making, and the Eagles’ up-tempo, high-percentage attack allows him to maintain a passing-game rhythm. His confidence looks to be at an all-time high, and Sanchez brings far more athleticism to the position. Since Foles broke his collarbone, Sanchez is 35-of-59 passing for 534 yards (9.05 YPA) and a 4:2 TD-to-INT ratio, with seven rushing attempts. Keep in mind Sanchez has yet to experience any real in-game adversity, something he’s a virtual lock to face on the road at Lambeau against Green Bay’s top-ten pass defense. But Sanchez has earned low-end QB1 treatment with room to grow. … The Panthers sold out to stop Philadelphia’s running game on Monday Night Football in Week 10, holding LeSean McCoy to a 12-19-1 rushing line and Chris Polk and Darren Sproles to a combined 6-19. Shady didn’t help himself by dropping two passes, but was the victim of constant backfield penetration. Carolina dared Sanchez to beat them and beat them he did, so I wouldn’t expect forthcoming opponents to copy the Panthers’ approach. McCoy entered Week 10 averaging 5.29 YPC over his previous three games. He remains a legitimate RB1 play against Green Bay’s bottom-three run defense. … Since returning from his MCL sprain two games ago, Darren Sproles has snap rates of 22% and 16% with touch totals of 7 and 2. Sproles’ lone Week 10 carry went for an eight-yard touchdown, and he also returned a punt 65 yards to the house. Kelly seems to realize Sproles is at peak effectiveness when his offensive usage is low. That means he’ll help the Eagles win games, but is an unreliable flex play in fantasy.Score Prediction: Packers 30, Eagles 24

Chase Stuart of Football Perspective breaks down the Week 10 game scripts which saw Philadelphia and Green Bay lead the way last week:

On Monday Night Football, the Eagles dominated the Panthers. Darren Sproles scored two first quarter touchdowns, Jordan Matthews chipped in with two touchdown catches from Mark Sanchez later in the game, and Philadelphia won, 45-21. That score is a bit misleading, as Kelvin Benjamin caught two late touchdowns: the Eagles had a Game Script of +20.0, which is more in line with about a 40-point win.

But the biggest Game Script of the week came in the other primetime game, Bears at Packers on Sunday Night Football. Aaron Rodgers was an insane 18/24 for 315 yards and 6 touchdowns… in the first half! Green Bay produced a Game Script of +28.7. The Packers took a 42-0 halftime, lead, and finished with the second best Game Script of 2014.

Darren Sproles makes Bill Barnwell’s All-Bargain Team on Grantland:

It’s not often that a veteran running back with a multiyear contract shows up in this space, but Sproles has been nothing short of a revelation since coming over from the Saints. The diminutive halfback already has six touchdowns on 81 touches, including a pair of kick return scores during an eventful first season in Philadelphia. He’s averaging 6.6 yards per carry for a rushing attack that’s averaging 3.6 yards per pop when Sproles isn’t touching the ball. Not bad for a guy with a cap hit of just $2 million this season. Sproles’s MVP-level impact on a per-carry basis narrowly carried him onto the team ahead of Ahmad Bradshaw (one year, $855,000).

Matt Cassidy is a journalism student at Temple and an intern at Birds 24/7.