Tackle Jason Peters is not your ordinary football player. The 6-4, 328-pound, seven-time Pro Bowl selection is building a resume worthy of the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Peters, who is entering his 12th year in the NFL and seventh with the Eagles, is known by many experts as the best left tackle in the game. On this week’s Eagles Insider Podcast, Peters explained why he thinks he has connected with the fans in Philadelphia.
"We've got some loyal fans and when you go out there and perform and you win for them, you start a fan base," he said in a podcast on Friday. "I've got a good one here in Philly and I just try to keep it going. The longer you go out there and show them you're trying to win and give great effort; you'll keep your fan base here."
Peters has been through enough Training Camps and seasons to have an idea of just how good a team will be when the game counts in the standings. As the Eagles approach their first regular season game against the Atlanta Falcons on Monday, Peters likes what he sees from this year's group.
"We look real good right now. (Sam) Bradford back there slinging it around, all the guys look great upfront, receivers running great routes, running backs hitting the hole great," he said. "Three-and-one in the preseason, we look real polished. I think we're pretty good this year."
Peters also discussed his transformation from tight end in college to All-Pro tackle, how many yards the running backs will get this season and whether or not he thought he would an elite tackle again after his Achilles injury in 2012.
Subscribe to the Eagles Insider Podcast, and check out:
Three-And-Out: Chris McPherson and Fran Duffy introduce our new co-host and analyze the big storylines heading into the opener.
Enemy Intel: A breakdown of the key matchups between the Eagles and the Falcons.
Game Time: Peachy or reachy? You'll just have to listen.
Mailing It In: Your questions including why the passing attack will be improved in 2015.
Each week, Fran Duffy and NFL Films senior producer Greg Cosell take an in-depth look at the X's and O's of team strategy and philosophy, aiming to give fans a greater understanding of the game of football. In the latest edition of the Eagle Eye in the Sky Podcast, the two chat about the Falcons ahead of Philadelphia's season opener in Atlanta.
With a new coaching staff, highlighted by head coach Dan Quinn, the former defensive coordinator of the Seattle Seahawks, the Falcons are set to look like a very different team this season. However, they are not set to be a team with an intricate defense, as Cosell points out in the episode.
"It's a 4-3 under front, which means usually of course with an under front that the three-technique tackle is on the weak side of the offensive formation," Cosell said. "But, it's a 4-3 Cover 3. It's a predictable defense. It's what we call an execution defense. They don't beat you with scheme, with tactics, a lot of detail, conceptual premises. They beat you with execution of basic concepts."
Despite the fact that Cosell and Duffy agree the Falcons don't currently have the defensive depth to execute the scheme to the same level Quinn did while in Seattle, the two do agree the offense will be a test for the Eagles, especially with a quarterback like Matt Ryan.
"I think Matt Ryan is a little more mobile than people think," Cosell said. "'Last year, different coaching staff, but they got him on the move by design a lot more than previous years. It's something that Matt Ryan has worked on, so you're going to see the zone run game, you're going to see play action and boot action off of that."
Also on the Eagle Eye in the Sky Podcast:
Two-Technique with defensive back Eric Rowe at the 26:06 mark
Saturday Scouting with Bryan Thomas at the 31:03 mark
To hear Duffy and Cosell's thoughts on a weekly basis, make sure to subscribe to the podcast.
