9:00 AM: DeVonta Smith is coming off his best game as a pro, going for a career-high 183 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Vikings. The passing game got going in a big way last week, and Smith knows if that continues it can present opportunities for the entire offense.
"It's going to help the run game just like the run game is going to help the pass game," he said. "You know, we're still trying to figure that out and things, but it's going to click soon."
Smith will be the focal point of the New York secondary on Sunday with A.J. Brown ruled out due to a hamstring injury. However, the Eagles still have a lot of pass catchers in players like Dallas Goedert, Jahan Dotson, and others, and they will try to keep the momentum going against the team that beat them just two weeks prior.
"I feel like we had a good week of practice, just constantly getting on the same page, constantly everyone getting to their spots, paying attention to the attention to details and everything that we do," Smith said. — Matt Ryan
4:55 PM: On Friday, Brett Toth was asked how he's survived in the NFL, after entering as a rookie free agent signing of the Eagles in 2019.
He came out of Army, where the Black Knights ran a triple option offense. He recalled the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis where the Patriots quizzed him on various defensive fronts and looks. He candidly admitted that he didn't know what they were. He learned how to pass block at the Senior Bowl, just weeks earlier.
On Sunday, Toth is in line to make his fourth career start and first at center, with Cam Jurgens out due to a knee injury. Toth subbed in for Jurgens during last Sunday's win over the Vikings.
"Just always learning, being able to help guys any way you can, passing on the wisdom you gained through the vets and to the young guys once you're finally a vet," Toth said. "Acknowledging the fact of availability is the best ability. That's why you learn all five (positions)."
Toth was critical of his performance against the Vikings. He said that he reviewed the tape, made sure he was seeing things correctly and focused on what technique changes he would have made.
With Jurgens out, communication will be a group effort, but the center is the person who is the "conductor of the band," Toth said.
"Everyone's job relies on you putting everyone in the right position to do their job," Toth said.
It doesn't help that the Giants have "generational players" along the defensive line, including nose tackle Dexter Lawrence, who Toth said will go down as one of the best of all-time when it's all said and done.
"How great everyone believes he is online or in fandom, he's even better," Toth added.
The Giants are fresh on Toth's mind after starting at left guard two weeks ago, but it's completely different moving over one spot to the center position. Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line Coach Jeff Stoutland has "left no stone unturned" in helping prepare Toth, but there's going to be unscouted looks.
"That's where you rely on your training in terms of how to react to it, put everyone in a position to be successful," Toth said. – Chris McPherson
12:35 PM: At the end of Sunday's win over the Vikings, Inside Linebackers Coach Bobby King told team captain and All-Pro linebacker Zack Baun that "we got our swagger back."
Linebacker Nakobe Dean agreed with the sentiment this week, saying, "It was only a matter of time. We were preaching getting our swagger back."
Dean made his season debut in the first meeting against the Giants on October 9, but was limited to special teams duty. In his first game back on defense, Dean posted six tackles in 31 defensive snaps. His tackle for loss of Vikings running back Zavier Scott in the third quarter was recognized by the NFL with the weekly Way to Play Award for demonstrating textbook form.
The Eagles get another crack at the Giants this Sunday at home. New York emerged victorious in the first meeting behind 98 rushing yards and three scores from rookie running back Cam Skattebo.
"He definitely their energy pack," Dean said. "Not only on the offense, but I feel like the whole team. When they get him going, it feels like the whole team gets energy from that."
Dean admitted that the Giants were the more physical team in the first go-around. Baun agreed.
"Definitely personal, especially in the fashion that we lost – the score not being close and the physicality we didn't play with that game," Baun said. "For that to be our MO, that's not the standard that we want to set. We definitely don't want to have games like that.
"I think the last game was definitely the start of something good. I thought we did a really good job in the red zone, but we let up too many yards than I would have liked. Too many third-down conversions. Still a lot of stuff to clean up, but I liked our energy, our enthusiasm, our celebrating. And we took the ball away twice, so that's good."
Dean added that the goal for the defense is to be hitting its stride as the season creeps into the winter months. Sunday's rematch, in the Kelly Green uniforms, is the next opportunity to get closer to that goal.
"We just got to play our style of football – tough, detailed, together. And play a full 60-minute ballgame," Dean said. – Chris McPherson
Thursday, October 24
6:25 PM: The Eagles are 5-2 and coming off their most explosive offensive game of the season against the Vikings. Saquon Barkley hasn't eclipsed 100 rushing yards in a game yet this season, but his focus is if Philadelphia stacks wins, not his numbers.
"I don't really get caught up in that (the numbers)," Barkley said. "I don't think it defines me as a player. I still know what I bring to the table. But I do know we have to be more efficient in the run game, and that's something that we're focused on. But at the end of the day, our whole goal is to go 6-2 and win another football game. So whatever that looks like, that's the only thing that matters."
Barkley will face his former team for the third time this Sunday. Multiple players spoke about how New York was the more physical team two weeks ago in the Giants' 34-17 victory, and Barkley said if a team comes out with that much energy and you fail to match it, you're not going to come away with the win.
"That's what happens when you go against a team who got juice and (is) playing with swagger and confidence," Barkley said. "And a defense that we already know that they're really good ... When you go against a team that has that passion, that fire, you can get it handed to you, that's just the truth." — Matt Ryan
Wednesday, October 22
1:28 PM: The Eagles had a big addition on Tuesday, agreeing to terms with franchise icon Brandon Graham, who is coming out of retirement. Graham will play a team-record 16th season in Philadelphia and return to action after posting 3.5 sacks in 11 games last season.
Defensive Coordinator Vic Fangio said he was teasing Graham not to retire after last season, and he is glad to have No. 55 back. The Eagles have a banged up edge rush room, and Graham figures to factor into the equation when he's ready to take the field.
"You see what kind of shape he's in, what kind of retention he has from last year," Fangio said on how Graham can help. "You know, shape comes in two forms. One, just your conditioning, but [also] in football shape, too, contact shape. So, hopefully the sooner the better." — Matt Ryan
