By Evan Krawczuk, Contributing Writer

The Eagles took the trip back to the Super Bowl LII promise land to take on the Minnesota Vikings. They're trying to keep up the momentum they've built over the last few weeks against the Packers and Jets. At the half, the Eagles were down, 24-10, and they came out the half with a little life but quickly went down hill. Here's what I saw in the back half of the action:

The Offense never really got going. Sacks, turnovers, and penalties never let the Eagles offense get in a rhythm. If there was one bright spot I guess it was Alshon. finished with 10 catches for 76 yards and that one touchdown that was pretty sweet. Although the offense sputtered, Alshon did have a solid game and deserves some respect for that. 

The Eagles defense got torched. To add insult to injury, Eagles linebacker, Zach Brown, called out Vikings Quarterback Kirk Cousins earlier this week. 

Zach Brown was not complimentary of his former teammate Kirk Cousins. pic.twitter.com/fz1BeAsjsf

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 11, 2019

Kirk Cousins went on to throw for 333 yards and 4 touchdowns with a 76% completion percentage. Because of this absolute manhandling of the defense, there is no defensive MVP. 

• Andre Dillard- Dillard came in for the injured Jason Peters and played decently. The Vikings defensive line is stout and Dillard held his own in the trenches
• Hasaan Ridgeway- Ridgeway was one of the few Eagle defenders that came to play and totaled 3 tackles and 2 for a loss.

• Carson Wentz's touchdown pass coming out of the half was a pretty sweet play in which Wentz avoided a few Vikings and found Alshon Jeffery in the end zone.

.@cj_wentz connects with @TheWorldof_AJ for another touchdown and we've cut the lead to 7!#PHIvsMIN | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/Sg2rjMIq6w

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) October 13, 2019

• Andrew Sendejo picked off his former team after a drop by Stefan Diggs. A nice moment for Sendejo to have against his former team.

Philadelphia Eagles vs Minnesota Vikings – October 13, 2019

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By Evan Krawczuk, Contributing Writer

The Eagles had ten days to prepare for the Sam Darnold-less New York Jets. They're trying to keep up the momentum they built against the Packers last week in this week's out-of-conference match-up. At the half, the Eagles were ahead, 21-0, and they looked very unimpressive even though they never trailed. Here's what I saw in the back half of the action:

The offense as a whole was not that impressive, but Carson made some incredible plays in the pocket to keep some drives alive. Wentz had two magician-like escapes, one in which he ducked under a defender and fired a bullet to Ertz for a first down. He finished with 189 passing yards and just the one touchdown.

Orlando Scandrick had a monster game today, totaling two sacks, three tackles and a touchdown. On one of those sacks, Scandrick mugged Jets quarterback, Luke Falk, striping the ball away and scampered 44 yards for a touchdown. Scandrick was jobless a week ago and has come up huge in his first game back.

Everybody eats 😤#NYJvsPHI | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/yY0HTCkh8a

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) October 6, 2019

• Nathan Gerry- Gerry had a very solid game today. The line backer-converted-safety had a big interception that he returned for a touchdown and was solid in coverage and in the run game.

.@NathanGerry grabs a pick six to extend our lead!#NYJvsPHI | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/MnyUIlDQBF

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) October 6, 2019

• Zach Ertz- Obviously Ertz is a big time tight end but didn't get his first receiving touchdown until today. Ertz totaled 57 receiving yards on 5 catches and his touchdown.
• Jim Schwartz- Schwartz's defense was incredible. they totaled 10 sacks and only allowed 128 total yards all game.

• Nathan Gerry's pick six came on a big fourth down in Eagles territory for a 51 yard return.
• Brandon Graham's three sacks kept the Jets from taking off and set them in tough down and distances on multiple occasions.
• Zach Ertz's aforementioned touchdown was a huge play going into half time.
• Scandricks mugging of Luke Falk that was taken back for six was the nail in the coffin for the woeful Jets.

Philadelphia Eagles vs New York Jets – October 6, 2019

Embed from Getty Images

By Evan Krawczuk, Contributing Writer

The Eagles had a quick turn around this week against the Green Bay Packers. They head to Lambeau Field on Thursday night to try to get back to .500 on the year. At the half, the Eagles were ahead, 21-20, and the Eagles offense looked very strong in the second half. Here's what I saw in the back half of the action:

Jordan Howard had a phenomenal game for the Birds. He rushed for 87 yards and 28 yards receiving while tacking on a receiving touchdown and two rushing touchdowns. Howard did it all in the backfield and even showed his critics that he has improved on his hands. It was a breakout game for Jordan Howard and a much needed one at that. 

Although Barnett did have that very ugly play that took Packers running back, Jamaal Williams, out of the game, he did get a huge strip sack that led to a touchdown for Philadelphia. Barnett also tacked on 3 other tackles and got solid pressure on Aaron Rodgers all night. 

We’ll take that!#PHIvsGB | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/K9ex0wWgxA

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 27, 2019

• Jordan Howard- Like I said before, Howard had his break out game for the Eagles tonight. He could be the "big" back that the Eagles have been looking for. 
• Rodney McLeod- McLeod has missed a lot of time recently due to injuries, but tonight McLeod played pretty well. McLeod finished with 9 tackles and had great coverage on Jimmy Graham in the corner of the end zone while giving up seven inches to the large tight end. 

• Alshon Jeffery's touchdown a few minutes into the sound quarter was a turning point for the Eagles and got our offense rolling.
• As stated before, Barnett's strip sack was a huge momentum push for the Eagles. 
• Nigel Bradham's interception to end the Packer's drive late in the fourth quarter sealed the deal for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Philadelphia Eagles vs Green Bay Packers – September 27, 2019

By Evan Krawczuk, Contributing Writer

The Eagles were looking for a bounce back game after dropping their game last week to the Atlanta Falcons. They host the 1-0-1 Detroit Lions in this week 3 match-up. At the half, the Eagles were trailing, 20-10, and the Eagles showed some signs of resilience in the second half, but it wasn't enough. Here's what I saw in the back half of the action:

This was a tough decision. Miles Sanders led the team in total yards, but he fumbled twice in the same drive, losing one of them. Nelson Agholor has two touchdowns but he also coughed the ball up that led to three points for the Detroit Lions. So by process of elimination the QB gets the nod here

Douglas played much better this week after the whole secondary struggled last week.

The young corner had two pass deflections, two tackles for a loss, as well as scooping that blocked field goal attempt and advancing it for a sizable return.

Don’t turn that dial!#DETvsPHI | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/Mf9Fy6gKmK

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 22, 2019

• Rasul Douglas- as stated before Douglas had a very solid day and showed some promise for the struggling secondary.
• Mack Hollins- Hollins had four catches for 62 yards and, although he had the two offensive pass interference calls against him, he looked solid.

• A blocked field goal by Malcolm Jenkins in the fourth quarter was an enormous play for the Eagles. The Birds squandered that opportunity but if they would've been able to convert, the blocked kick would've been the play of the game.

Philadelphia Eagles vs Detroit Lions – September 22, 2019

By Evan Krawczuk, Contributing Writer

The Eagles are in the spotlight playing on this fine Sunday night. Atlanta isn't the easiest place to play especially with the amount of points their high flying offense could put up.  At the half, the Eagles were trailing, 10-6, but the Eagles showed signs of life at the end. Here's what I saw in the back half of action:

Although Wentz missed a few plays due to being in concussion protocol, he has been a magician working around in the pocket and making crucial play after crucial play. Wentz rushed for one touchdown and threw for another

It seemed as though Schwartz defense might be a reason for concern for the Eagles, but Schwartz called a fantastic game. he made some bold calls and they paid off. Yes, the secondary blew some coverages but that is no fault of Schwartz.

• Avonte Maddox was a bright spot in the secondary. he was a consistent tackler and had no major blown coverages.
• Mack Hollins came in for Desean Jackson and played well. He probably wasn't a "star" but he did his job in relief for Jackson.

• Carson Wentz's pass from (almost) his knees: Wentz resembled Houdini on this third and nine where he avoided a sack and completed a pass, while falling, to Mack Hollins for a clutch first down.

How did @cj_wentz do that?!#PHIvsATL | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/r2tH7v5oPT

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 16, 2019

• Nathan Gerry's interception: with the Falcons driving, Gerry came up clutch and picked off Matt Ryan deep in the Eagles red zone.

Watch out for the White Snake!#PHIvsATL | #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/HvX4rjJgjN

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) September 16, 2019

Philadelphia Eagles vs Atlanta Falcons – September 16, 2019

By Evan Krawczuk, Contributing Writer

The home opener for the Eagles this year was a shaky one for sure, but a hot second half led the Birds to a 1-0 start for the 2019 campaign. Here's what I saw in the the back half of the game:

Targeted 10 times, Jackson caught eight passes on his way to recording two touchdowns on 154 yards. Not only was he a deep threat, but he made some nice shorter-yardage grabs.

Cox is the leader of the defense and although he didn't record a sack in this one, he managed to put up two tackles (one for loss), a defensed pass and two quarterback hits.

• Miles Sanders. Sanders played well in his NFL debut. He ran the ball well between the tackles and blocked well for a rookie, with at least two plays where he came across the line to prevent a blitzer from hitting Carson Wentz.

• Desean Jackson caught two 50+ yard touchdowns today in his return to Philly. Jackson's play making ability is exactly what Bird's fans have been waiting for.

Washington Redskins vs. Philadelphia Eagles – September 8, 2019

By Evan Krawczuk, Contributing Writer

The Philadelphia Eagles won a rainy game in Jacksonville against the Jaguars by a score of 24-10. Fellow Sports Talk Philly Contributor, Matt Ryan, covered some of the things that did and didn’t work from the first half. Through the whole game, though, these were my thought on some things that stood out.

The Quarterback Situation:

It seems to be a great decision by Coach Pederson to not play star quarterback, Carson Wentz. Week 1: Nate Sudfeld injures his wrist and is out for six weeks. This week: Cody Kessler gets crushed in the first half and leaves with a concussion with his timetable being unclear as of now. Who does that leave? Northwestern quarterback Clayton Thorson. Thorson did not throw the ball deep down the field much. Most of his passes were short dump-offs, screens, or quick game patterns. One of the longest passes attempted by an Eagles player was by wide receiver Greg Ward Jr., who through a reverse pass in the second half. The Birds are going to need another quarterback in the meantime and the free agent market could be a quick fix. Sam Bradford is still a free agent and, although a lot of people didn’t love “Sammy Sleeves”, he is still serviceable. Also still available are Josh McCown, Colin Kaepernick and Mark Sanchez if he could be convinced to come out of retirement.

Pederson’s Challenge Success:

Doug Pederson successfully challenged two plays in the second half in two attempts. The first, was a catch made by Carlton Agudosi that was initially called an incomplete pass. The second, the new pass interference challenge. Charles Johnson was being held in the end zone and the pass interference was not initially called. Pederson challenged the call, won the challenge and the Eagles scored on a one-yard run by Josh Adams. If Coach Pederson is willing to throw the challenge flag around without hesitation, that could be very meaningful in key spots down the line this season. The only concern is obviously losing time outs if Pederson gambles and loses.

Too Much Depth?:

The Eagles are DEEP at a few positions and General Manager Howie Roseman is going to have to find a place for all of this talent. At the running back position, seven out of eight of the guys on the roster could be legitimate rotation running backs or returners. With the roster maxing out at probably four running backs, Roseman needs to find a place to either stash these guys or find value for them elsewhere. Similarly, on the defensive line, the Birds have a lot of length and athleticism on the edges. With edge rushers being valued so high in the NFL, Roseman might as well strike while the iron is hot and find some value for guys like Shareef Miller, Eli Harold and preseason stud Daeshon Hall.

Jacksonville Jaguars vs Philadelphia Eagles – August 15, 2019

By Evan Krawczuk, Contributing Writer

The Philadelphia 76ers' Summer-League team has lost another game, being defeated by the Detroit Pistons by a score of 96-81. It was not a great game for the Sixers, obviously, but here are some of the most notable takeaways from today’s game.

Embed from Getty Images

By Evan Krawczuk, Contributing Writer

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Houston Rockets are pursuing Jimmy Butler in the form of a sign and trade with the Philadelphia 76ers. The Rockets want to create a big three with Butler, James Harden and Chris Paul. They could offer Butler a max contract but they know the Sixers can offer a super max that includes an extra year and more money. Therefore, the Rockets are willing to give up pieces to acquire Jimmy through a trade to get that extra year and to make sure their guy gets paid. Let’s dive into a possible trade and what some pros and cons could be for the Sixers.

Rockets' "priority" for free agency is to land Jimmy Butler through a sign-and-trade deal with the Sixers, @wojespn pic.twitter.com/jQ974Manq5

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 25, 2019

Sixers Receive: Clint Capela, Eric Gordon, P.J. Tucker and 2023 First Round pick

Rockets Receive: Jimmy Butler

Pros:

Depth: This trade would help the depth a lot. The Sixers would essentially be taking the money for one guy in Butler and allotting the money to three other efficient players. The bench was a weak spot for the Sixers last year and the bench would automatically be upgraded with a great 3-and-D guy in P.J. Tucker. Tucker can defend multiple positions and shot 37% from deep last season.

Cap Space: Cap space and depth go hand-in-hand. The more cap space a team has, the more people they can pay, the deeper their team can be. Butler would an expensive option, not only for this season, but for the next five seasons. People forget Butler will be 30 at the start of this season. Will Jimmy Butler be worth $38 million when he’s 35? This could open up the cap space not just this season, but down the line too.

Defense: If this trade goes through and the Sixers re-sign Tobias Harris, the starting lineup could be: Ben Simmons, Eric Gordon, Tobias Harris, Clint Capela and Joel Embiid. First of all, that lineup is enormous. The lineup does not really fit the small ball meta that has been on the rise but this lineup would be lockdown defensively. The rim protection would be impeccable and Simmons and Gordon are great on the perimeter.

Cons:

Losing Jimmy Butler: Jimmy Butler was the leader of this Sixers team last year. He was also the go-to guy in the fourth quarter, which the Sixers desperately needed. He gave the offense some spacing, ran point guard at times and was lock down against elite guards on the defensive end. Not only did Butler perform on the court but also in the locker room. Butler was a vocal, motivational leader and pushed the younger guys in big games. The loss of Butler would be a huge hit to Embiid and Simmons and the Sixers as a whole.

Offensive Spacing: Again, assuming the Sixers sign Harris, the starting lineup could be: Ben Simmons, Eric Gordon, Tobias Harris, Clint Capela and Joel Embiid. The spacing would be awkward. Obviously, Simmons can’t shoot (yet), Gordon is a sharp shooter so that could go well, Harris is more of a slasher/mid-range guy so he won’t be creating that much space and Capela and Embiid are most effective under the basket. Opposing defenses could pack the paint and force the sixers to find other ways to score.

Chemistry: Brett Brown noted last year that he felt like he had three different teams last year with all the trades Elton Brand pulled off. What would this trade do to that narrative? Four teams in two seasons? That has chemistry issues written all over it. The “Big 5” the Sixers had started to click towards the end of the season and the playoffs. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, right? The chemistry could be at an all-time high if they bring everyone back from last year and the Sixers could end up making an even deeper run this upcoming season.