‘Love What I’m Seeing’

Despite obstacles on both sides of the ball, the 10-1 Philadelphia Eagles continue to beat the odds and find ways to win.

On the latest episode of “Q&A” on “Inside The Birds,” former Eagles standouts Jason Avant and Quintin Mikell recapped the biggest moments of the team’s latest comeback victory and gave their thoughts on a speculated addition. 

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts continues to make big adjustments to keep team in games

Jalen Hurts

Quintin Mikell: “Just seeing the growth of Jalen, [the Bills] ran a very similar defense to the Chiefs. They brought a lot of the same type of nickel pressures from Jalen’s right side. Last week he was having trouble seeing it and was getting uncomfortable. This game, he is getting the ball out faster and hitting the weakside. I am loving what I am seeing from Jalen.” 

Jake Elliot

Jason Avant: “He is kicking the ball at a high level, hasn’t missed a kick in the postseason. And in these clutch situations like this, 61-yarders, 59-yarders in the rain, in wind, and bad field conditions, he drilled it. And he is a great athlete, Elliot is usually the best at every team-building game that the Eagles do. He’s not just a kicker.”

Olamide Zaccheaus

Avant: “Zaccheaus saw he had no other outlet and as soon as he saw that, he took it up toward the post. Jalen [Hurts] had already signaled what to do because he gave that little point. He threw the ball up early enough where Zaccheaus wasn’t open yet but put it in the spot. It was an excellent chance to take. Great throw by Jalen Hurts and an even tougher catch by Zaccheaus in the rain. Every time he is in the game, there is a play to be made.”

Secondary

Mikell: “The real breakdown was on the perimeter with our cornerback play. We were just a little bit too soft and communication is a huge factor. It keeps seeming to be the same issue.”

Avant: “Our zone is just like what the doctor ordered: it’s prescription, it’s what you see. It’s very vanilla, what you see on tape and paper when they draw it up in the gameplan: you drop back in this spot. There is no creativity or nuance to it, it’s just a cold zone defense. If we are going to be a zone team, we have to play zone the proper way and not just zone drop blindly and think guys are not going to find open.”

Shaquille Leonard

Mikell: “We need him very badly. Our linebacking core is pretty banged up. I know he is coming off injury, but even as a veteran presence, someone that can give you 10 to 15 plays in certain situations, passing downs where he can get in there and use his knowledge of the game to drop to those zones and get everybody lined up, he can only help. We are just so depleted at the linebacker position. Christian Elliss did okay, but he still has a lot of work to do.”

Avant: “We only have Nic Morrow and Christain Elliss, so you need a guy. If he can return to a Pro Bowl type player that can be helpful, he can’t cover any worse than our guys have. It can only be beneficial.”

– Benjamin Paul is a staff writer for InsideTheBirds.com.