The Linc

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

The most surprising thing about Eagles’ hot defensive start – NBCSP
During this four-game winning streak, the defense has been spectacular, allowing just 11 ½ points and 215 yards per game. This is only the third Eagles defense in the last 70 years to allow four or fewer offensive touchdowns and fewer than 900 scrimmage yards in a four-game span. They also did it during the 2017 championship season. The only other Eagles defense with a four-game streak like this over the last 70 years was the legendary 1991 group. Over these last four games, the Eagles have allowed an NFL-low 3.95 yards per play and an NFL-low five plays of 20 yards or more. What’s remarkable about all this is that the Eagles have the youngest defense in the NFL. On Sunday, their oldest starter was 27-year-old Zack Baun, who’s a few months older than Josh Sweat. According to the Stathead database, it was the first time in Eagles history they played a meaningful game without a starter older than 27. “I don’t typically like being the oldest guy,” Baun said with a laugh. “But this time I’ll take it.” The Eagles’ 11 starters in the win over the Jaguars averaged 24.4 years old. The next-oldest starting defenses in Week 9 belonged to the Giants (25.3), Chiefs (25.6), Cards (25.7) and Rams (26.0). Even when 33-year-old Darius Slay is healthy and starts over Isaiah Rodgers, the Eagles are still the NFL’s youngest defense at 25.0.

24 Questions About the 2024 NFL Season, Asked and Answered – The Ringer
15. Does the Vic Fangio defense still have it? The Fangio coaching tree isn’t looking as lush as it did three years ago, but the man at the root of it is still getting it done. In just one year, Fangio has completely turned around an Eagles defense that ranked 30th in defensive success rate last season. Let’s just ignore the fact that Fangio was replacing one of his former assistants in Sean Desai and instead focus on how the Eagles now rank 10th in the same stat. Fangio has Philadelphia playing more man coverage than it did a season ago, which is a shift for the veteran coordinator. Throughout his career he’s generally preferred a zone-heavy approach, but in Darius Slay and rookie Quinyon Mitchell, he has the dudes to play tighter coverage, and he’s taking advantage. That’s a positive sign for Fangio, who was criticized by Jalen Ramsey for not properly using the skilled Dolphins secondary he had in 2023. He’s still adapting. It may not be enough to earn him another head coaching job, or to rehabilitate the image of his entire tree, but he’s got the Eagles back in the playoff hunt.

Eagles-Cowboys Game Preview: 5 questions and answers with the Week 10 enemy – BGN
5 – Who wins this game and why? With the Eagles currently listed as 7-point road favorites, what’s your score prediction? And then what’re you expecting from the rest of this Cowboys season? I don’t think there is any reason to think the Cowboys will win this game. They are a sloppy, undisciplined team that will be starting a backup QB and playing at home where they have yet to win this year. Even if they do get back a few key players they just don’t have the firepower on offense to keep up. If you can contain CeeDee Lamb you can pretty much contain the Cowboys offense. I would think the Eagles win by something like a 28-17 margin. And seven of Dallas’ points will come in last-minute garbage time. As for the rest of the season, I am wanting the Cowboys to be smart and start playing players based on their potential future with the club so we can prepare for a new regime in 2025. But I’m not expecting it, and I have no confidence that they will turn things around in a meaningful way.

Cowboys vs Eagles: Saquon Barkley’s success has lessened the need for Jalen Hurts to carry the offense – Blogging The Boys
This week the Dallas Cowboys return to NFC East play by welcoming the Philadelphia Eagles to AT&T Stadium. We spoke with Brandon Gowton at Bleeding Green Nation for more information about the Eagles.

NFC East Mixtape: It’s Eagles-Cowboys Week! – Eagles Pin-Pull Network
Brandon Lee Gowton and RJ Ochoa team back up for a special, bonus episode of the NFC East Mixtape to break down the Eagles’ matchup with the Cowboys and take a look around the division at the disaster that is the New York Giants and the resurgence of the Washington Commanders.

Eagles-Cowboys preview: Five things to watch – PhillyVoice
Notice how absurdly wide open Lamb was on most of those catches. In 2024, the Eagles’ pass defense has been much better, and Cooper DeJean has been a significant upgrade over Avonte Maddox, Eli Ricks, Bradley Roby, or whoever else you want to name who played in the slot for the Eagles last season. Quinyon Mitchell has also been an upgrade over James Bradberry. The back end has also just played more cohesively as a unit. Still, the focus of the Eagles’ game plan should be on slowing down Lamb, even if he won’t be 100 percent for this matchup. He’s really all they have. My guess? The Eagles will play a lot of zone, and force Cooper Rush to make window throws.

NFL Week 10 picks, schedule, odds, injuries, fantasy tips – ESPN
Eagles storyline to watch: Running back Saquon Barkley is 0-10 in career against the Cowboys. All of those losses, though, came as a member of the Giants. He’s with a more talented group in Philadelphia now and has absolutely flourished through eight games. Barkley is averaging 5.9 yards per carry and ranks second in rushing yards per game (115.6) behind only the Ravens’ Derrick Henry (116.9). Coming off an electric, reverse-hurdling performance against Jacksonville, Barkley appears well positioned to get off the schneid against Dallas.

Fantasy Football WR Report: Man, zone coverage performance ahead of NFL Week 10 – PFF
The Cowboys have played man and zone coverages at league-average rates this season. They have allowed 15.8 yards per reception while in man (29th) and 11.5 yards per reception while in zone (25th) and rank just below average in first down-plus-touchdown rate allowed in both coverages. A.J. Brown has been one of the best receivers in the league versus man coverage, ranking first in PFF receiving grade and yards per route run. DeVonta Smith ranks 13th among 93 qualifying wide receivers in fantasy points per route run versus zone, making this an ideal matchup for both to succeed, assuming Brown is healthy.

Eagles’ Saquon Barkley got drug tested after ‘crazy’ performance – NJ.com
Saquon Barkley drew special attention last Sunday from his Philadelphia Eagles teammates, NFL fans, other athletes — and, apparently, computer programs, too. While his back-flip against the Jacksonville Jaguars punctuated a 199-yard, one-touchdown day, the celebration of a 28-23 win took a pause when he was randomly drug tested, he told the “Air it Out” podcast hosted by A.J. Greene and former NFL lineman Justin Pugh.

Jalen Hurts and Nakobe Dean Mic’d Up in Kelly Green! – PE.com
Jalen Hurts and Nakobe Dean are ON. THE. MIC. Watch as the two are Mic’d Up for the Kelly Green game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. From Jalen Hurts’ pregame speech to Nakobe Dean’s game-sealing interception, every moment of this intense game is covered in this episode of Mic’d Up!

Week 10 NFL picks: Lions to keep rolling in Houston? Will Steelers or Commanders win fourth straight? – NFL.com
Why Brooke picked the Eagles: These division rivals are trending in opposite directions. On one hand, the Eagles are making sweet music offensively and have been since Week 6. Jalen Hurts is tied for the NFL lead with 12 offensive TDs (zero giveaways) in that span, cooking with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith on the regular, and Saquon Barkley is over here jumping backward over people. Even if Philly is without Brown (knee), the Dallas defense hasn’t shown it can stop much of anything in recent weeks. Getting Micah Parsons back would certainly help a unit with the worst red zone defense and second-worst scoring defense. That’s not the worst part, though, as suddenly the offense is without Dak Prescott, whose hamstring injury will force him to miss several weeks. Backup Cooper Rush spearheaded some excitement in relief a few years back, but this is not those Cowboys. These ‘Boys are without a reliable run game and feature a one-stop shop in the pass game with CeeDee Lamb, who is dealing with a shoulder injury. Not great for a team that still hasn’t won at home (0-3) this season. You know the saying: When it rains, it pours.

The addition of Marshon Lattimore will bring changes to the Commanders secondary – Hogs Haven
One of the first things defensive coordinator Joe Whitt said at his Thursday press conference this week was that he doesn’t know when Marshon Lattimore — the CB just traded to Washington from New Orleans — will play. There are two potential issues. First is Lattimore’s health; he has missed time recently with the Saints due to a hamstring injury, and was listed as ‘not practicing’ on Washington’s Wednesday injury report with that hamstring. The second issue, of course, is that Lattimore’s coaches and teammates need to be confident that he understands the defensive system and his role within it, and that he can communicate effectively on the field to prevent coverage breakdowns. I get the sense that we won’t see him on the field Sunday against the Steelers, though his status remains up in the air at the moment.

Jason Pinnock injury a concern for Giants vs. Panthers – Big Blue View
Jason Pinnock’s status for Sunday’s game in Munich, Germany against the Carolina Panthers is a concern for the New York Giants. Pinnock, a starting safety, was on Thursday’s injury report with an abdominal issue. Head coach Brian Daboll said the Giants would see what Pinnock is able to do in practice on Friday. If Pinnock is unable to play, Dane Belton would likely replace him. Anthony Johnson could also see playing time. […] Wide receiver Darius Slayton (concussion) has already been ruled out.