The Eagles arrived in New England on Monday in advance of their week of joint practices with the Patriots followed by Friday night's preseason showdown. The last time the Eagles had a week of practices on the road before a game was the Super Bowl in the 2004 season. With Training Camp now held at the NovaCare Complex, this week will help provide the traditional bonding associated with camp as the entire team stays together at the same hotel. Our coverage from New England begins with offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur's press conference at 1:20 PM and we'll wrap it all up later this evening on Inside Training Camp presented by Xfinity ...
1. Today's Practice Is Open To The Public
This week marks our second consecutive year of joint practices with the New England Patriots. This time, New England plays host, which means one thing: It's time to paint Foxborough, Mass. green. Here is a complete rundown of everything Eagles Nation needs to know to join us in New England. Joint practices begin at 2 pm on August 12 and 13, typically gates open 30 minutes early (subject to change). Parking and admission are free. Seating is on a first-come, first-serve basis.
2. Cary Williams: It's Going To Be Different
Last year, the Eagles welcomed the Patriots for a week of joint practices. The Eagles' defense, making the transition to the 3-4, struggled to slow down quarterback Tom Brady and the Patriots' offense in the training sessions. With a year invested in the scheme as well as some additional firepower, the Eagles are better prepared but want to let their actions speak for themselves. "It's going to be different," said cornerback Cary Williams. "That's all I'm going to say."
Orlando Scandrick Suspended For First 4 Weeks Of Season http://t.co/Y3fXbIQ9E8 pic.twitter.com/VLjz9azSCw — Dallas Cowboys (@dallascowboys) August 12, 2014
In 2013, Cowboys gave up 400 yards 8x, 500 yards 4x, 600 yards 2x, & now they'll be without their 4 best defenders for the first 4 weeks. — Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) August 12, 2014
3. Hits Keep Coming For Dallas Defense
Eagles fans are not going to shed a tear for this note. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones told reporters on Monday that cornerback Orlando Scandrick will be suspended the first four games of the season for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing substances. Dallas lost linebacker DeMarcus Ware this offseason when he signed with the Denver Broncos. Demarcus Lawrence, the team's second-round pick, was expected to help pick up the pass-rush slack, but he's sidelined with a foot injury. Linebacker Sean Lee is done for the season after tearing his ACL in Organized Team Activities. Now, the Cowboys temporarily lose Scandrick who started 15 games and had two sacks and two interceptions last season.
4. Hit 'Em Short, Hit 'Em Long
No, the Eagles don't have a new fight song. Peter King of TheMMQB.com cited a number of Eagles-related facts courtesy of the Football Outsiders Almanac in his Monday Morning Quarterback column.
- 86 - The Eagles used the shotgun on 86 percent of their plays, the most in the league.
- 6.6 - Philadelphia led the league with an average of 6.6 yards after catch, the highest since FO started tracking the stat in 2005.
- 12.1 - Yards after catch on receptions thrown at or behind the line of scrimmage.
- 28 - Percent of pass attempts that went at least 15 yards past the line of scrimmage. No other team had more than 24 percent.
The Eagles' offense generated a league-record 99 plays of 20 yards or more. And the Eagles believe they could break the record again in 2014.
"Hopefully, we get more than that," tight end Brent Celek said. "Our goal as an offense is to be better than last year."
5. A New Avenue For The Latest Eagles News
The NFL has launched a new personalized video service called NFL Now, which delivers the latest news, analysis and highlights they want across their Internet-connected devices. This innovative and ground-breaking new digital offering can be personalized for each Eagles fans' interests, allowing them to follow the NFL how they want, where they want, when they want. Users will indicate their favorite team, fantasy players and which videos they like and dislike. The content stream will dynamically personalize each user's viewing experience to deliver a customizable news, analysis and highlights offering for NFL fans around the world. Additionally, NFL Now provides users with access to the deepest vault of on-demand NFL video content available anywhere.
