PHLY Philadelphia Eagles Podcast - Storylines galore as Nick Sirianni, Philadelphia Eagles prepare for NFC Championship Game

Episode Date: January 23, 2025

From Nick Sirianni and Zach Ertz to Brian Johnson facing the team that fired him, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Dyami Brown, Dan Quinn and Kellen Moore and more, this is an NFC Championship Game with juicy matchups all over the place. As Quinyon Mitchell, Jalen Hurts, Cam Jurgens and Dallas Goedert lick their wounds, we prepare for the big game.Join Zach Berman and Bo Wulf for a full rundown of the matchups before Colleen Wolfe of NFL Network joins the show for her thoughts on everything Eagles. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello, everybody, and welcome to the PHLY Eagles podcast on a Thursday afternoon. Bo Wolf, Zach Berman, as you can see, here in studio, and we're presented by Bet365. Download the Bet365 app and use code P.HLY365 when you sign up. Whatever the moment, it's never ordinary at Bet365. All right, we got Jamie Lynch sitting in for Zach Berman for a little bit. Zach busy doing whatever it is that he does. That's more important than this show. one of those things is writing for all p hl y.com and now is the time to become a diehard because we got a great playoff special going on

$48 for the entire year that's like almost 50% off it's a wild deal now is the time to take advantage go to all phtly dot com and sign up and i think it's one of two ways that you can properly wish julia a happy birthday. She does need people for her birthday wishes to come true to become dieards here. Yes, that's one of two. The other way is in the comments, please tell Julia to make it the best year yet. Julia, Julia, Julia, Julia. Happy birthday, Julia.

Jamie, you and Julia go back a ways. Yeah, Julia happens to be best friends with my wife. How about that? Yes, we go back a ways. She is known in my house as Aunt Julie. and most days I am asked by my girls where's Aunt Julia? Did you see Ann Julia today? Can you call Aunt Julia?

Yeah, she's a fan favorite in our house. I know that's a good parenting trick. You're going to get like 10 minutes out of let's make a birthday card for Aunt Julia. Absolutely. Like that's that's 10 minutes. Usually ends up the mess of stickers with an indescribable shape and figured on it. But yeah, it's a good time. How are you feeling?

How are you feeling about this game? your boy seems to be clear i know i was so proud of you yesterday front and center asking the questions like you okay quinian you i felt like you were me yeah i was trying to channel you is everything okay is your shoulder all right i was worried about you i was worried about you yes that's great news uh i don't know if i believe jalen hurts that he feels as good as he does but he's going to put on a good front they're not playing the gamesmanship thing this week and making Washington prepare for the thought of Kenny Pickett. But, you know, I saw you on Anthony this morning.

I totally agree. He's going to say, hey, give me a run or two, just to keep, you know, Washington honest there. I think so. Yeah, I think it makes sense. We'll see how it plays out. But Quinnian's good news, because Terry McLaren is quite good. And he mostly lines up on that side, I think more than like two-thirds of the time.

He's on the left side of the field. And because they play so much tempo, that's part of the reason. think that they do it. I know Dana is well aware of this. We're going to talk to him on tomorrow's show. But that means that more often than not, the player covering Terry McLaurin is going to be Quignan Mitchell. Yeah, the first game, you know, it was a lockdown mode. And they actually sent him to the right side of the field a little bit more than they typically do. The second time, Terry, you know, as the savvy vet he is, got got the better of Quignon a little bit. So they stuck them more on the left side. So round three should be a great one between those two.

I think the other, a lot of matchups in this game that are like, we'll see how it plays out the third time around and a lot of really juicy storylines that we'll get into. As the show goes on, we're also going to talk to Colleen Wolfe from NFL Network about 3 o'clock, get her perspective, knowing the Eagles fan that she is. Yeah. How do you feel about the Sirian Airs thing? It's ridiculous. Like, what are you doing? I mean, the guy's an eagle's legend. He peed blood for the green.

That's true. Like, why, of all people, like, was there some built-up resentment between the two of them that he felt like he just needed to get off his chest? It was a very weird situation. Very weird. I mean, Zach Ertz is an eagle legend. No doubt about it, yeah. And Ertz has only ever spoken, like, very highly of Siriani,

which was a very weird little marriage early on before they were able to trade Earth. like he was one of the guys going in bat for him. Yeah, I don't know what happened there. I mean, what happened is the guys like, you know, he's seeing red like it's like kill Bill and when he loses a game like whoever it is in his path. That Italian blood got real hot.

He was peacocking around. He was feeling good. I guess he just let it fly. The other league-wide news I want to ask you about is like, what if the Cowboys are they going to hire Brian Schontheimer? You feel good about that? As we now enter like, oh, the commanders are going to be,

a good team and like uh you know at least a team to be worried about for a while it feels like maybe now the cowboys are backsliding so that it remains a two-team race yeah from mike mccarthy to brian schottenheimer that's very funny yeah i also thought that dan quinn wasn't a good hire in hindsight like if you had rewound two 10 months ago okay i was like oh dan quinn okay ha ha ha good job was jack will puff his chest out he said he you know he was very pro dan quid i let him peacock around about that one on Tuesday when I did the show of them. I mean, it's funny. The Cowboys are always, they're always in the news.

They're always something. They're a reality TV show, so why not just lean into it a little bit? Now, Nick Serrani did speak right before the show and was asked about Cam Juergens and Dallas Goddard, who both were estimated as would not have practice during yesterday's walkthrough. He said both guys are going to be out there. But what is your concern level there? is there one that you're more worried about?

Dallas Goddard, I just always assume, is hurt in some way, shape, or form. That's probably why, you know, you might look at a tight end this year in the draft. So that one doesn't surprise me at all. And Cam Juergens is probably just going to eat a couple of raw ears of corn, and he'll be fine. Get some jerky in there.

I'm not worried about him. To me, he's tough as nails. Yeah. But a back, a back is tough. Backs are tough. He's a young man, though. Yeah, he's a big man. He is a big man.

Not. I thought I was thinking one of the questions that was also asked to Siriani, it was about Jalen Carter and he said something like, well, his weight is what is it's supposed to be. I don't know. It's been a while since my weight was what it was supposed to be. Yes, it's been a long time for me as well. That's why I, you know, avoid the doctor sometimes because he just calls me a fat ass and tells me to get it together. How many drinks? Three. Yeah, an hour on the weekends.

I'm dry Sunday through Thursday, most times. Yeah, I mean, the back is certainly concerning for a guy that's hunched over the football. Yeah, you know, 90% of the game. But I'm not too worried, I don't think. Are you? I mean, I think he's going to play. It's impossible to say how much it will affect him. He will be on the good stuff, I'm sure.

Yes. You know, Jalen Hertz was dropping bars out there on Sunday, the good stuff I would assume so they got the good stuff in the building and I would imagine both of them are on it and you know probably feeling as good as they possibly can this time of year there you go let's know if you have questions in the chat for us to address as we rate the rival of Zach Berman who I don't know he may he may not show up at all so I have a list here of all of the juicy little matchups here so give me like on a scale of one to ten one being

being, let's say, Alan Barber coming back to play against the Eagles for the first time. And 10 being Dawkins returned. Sure. How much juice you think these different things. Yeah, all right. Let's do it. We'll start with C.J. Garnow Johnson and Diami Brown, which was the impetus for C.J. Garner Johnson getting thrown out of the game.

The last time these two teams played, they were John back in front. fourth. There's a flag for CJ Gardner Johnson. Then Diami Brown fumbles the ball and C.J. Garna Johnson yaps enough that he gets tossed from the game. Gets like pushed it in the face mask and also toss. Yeah. So that was impressive. And so these two teams playing against each other for the first time. How gazzed up do you think those two guys are going to be? I would hope that C.J. G.J. was talked to a lot this week about, hey, there's a reason Jaden Daniels, you know, put up 22 points in the fourth quarter or whatever it was. We need you in this game. Like you have to keep a level head out there. You have to stay in the game.

So I would hope he's not too gazzed up. I would put that at like a four and a half five for me. Okay. I think, I mean, there's going to be a personal foul flag in this game at some point. Louvo, yeah, right? Yeah, Louvo. Very good bet to do it. I agree with that. All right. How about, I made this point on Bluski, but, you know, all the analysis that we can have about who were the best teams in football, EPA this, DVOA that. Guess what? We're here in the NFC championship game,

and the two best quarterbacks in the NFC are playing against each other by EPA per dropback. And of course, those are Marcus Marriota and Tanner McKee. Yeah. That's true. This is a revenge game for Marcus Marriota. It's a revenge game for Marriota. He's going up, you know, these two guys,

obviously Tanner McKee thoroughly outplayed him last year in training camp. And yet they still brought in Kenny Pickett. I hope the commanders pull out some dumbass move like hiking the ball to Marriota again like they did last weekend. Yeah, I would imagine those two are fired up for this one. I mean, a lot of future earnings on the line here, you know. Two best quarterbacks in the league this year. Yeah, they really are. Okay, so you're giving that a 10?

Yeah, absolutely. How could you go anything lower? How about the Lincoln Financial Field NFC championship crowd against the McCaffrey family? knowing that Christian McCaffrey has come in here and lost in the NFC championship and now Luke is taking his shot. Yeah, and Christian was a part of the last rookie quarterback in a championship game. When Brock Purdy and Kyle Shanahan's dumbass decided to not block Hassan Reddick. Yes, that was a bold strategy. The McCaffirys are probably shaking a little bit, I would imagine.

This is a house of horrors for them. He would think so. Yeah, I mean, I'll go 9-5 on that one. Nine-Fine? Yeah. Wow, okay. I mean, easy ed's going to be in the building. Yeah, yeah, that's true.

They're probably all shaking. How about Jahan Dotson against the team that gave him up? Well, I took his over two and a half receiving yards last weekend. That was a mistake. Apparently he was open, like, on a couple plays, according to my buddy in the stadium, he was like, dude, Jehan Dotson was wide open in the end zone. I would imagine for Jahan, this is a probably fairly big one. from my hoagie-mouth perspective

watching the game pretty low. Okay. Yeah. Yeah, this is one where maybe the actual juice is Adam Peters and Harry Roseman

and Hawley was like, you sold me a lemon. I can't believe I felt for it. Well, he doesn't lose too many trades, so you kind of got to lose a couple on purpose. How about the big matchup

of the two most prolific and productive stories of the NFL international pathway program, Jordan Milana against F.A. Obata. Oh, yeah. I mean, it's huge.

11? 11? Yeah, I mean, I think the whole world's watching this game for this storyline. And the Washington commanders, to my knowledge, do not have a partner internationally. The Eagles have Australia and New Zealand. The commanders have nothing. So the world is actually... The commanders have

Philadelphia and New Jersey. The tri-state area. And Crystal Palace. Yeah. So I'd imagine the world is pointing and laughing at the commanders right now going, you don't even have an international partner. True. How serious of a franchise are you? And we got Australia and New Zealand on lockdown.

So, now how about Jerry Jones, from Jerry Jones perspective, we have, you know, he's figuring out who to hire. Meanwhile, the two guys who he had under his wing, Dan Quinn and Kellynne Moore, both leading successful teams to the NFC championship. Yeah, that's pretty wild. It's like the Washington Commander's staff of old with LaFleur and McVay and who's the other one, Shanahan. And there was somebody else, too, that came out of that. I'm sure Jerry Jones is quite worried about the optics here. I would imagine so. All right, before we keep going, and then the list will continue.

Let's make some time for the Xfinity Game Ball. And as we pull that bad boy up. We are proud to tell you about the Xfinity Game Ball, which is brought to you by our friends at Xfinity Mobile, join the millions who have switched to one of the fastest growing mobile services, the Xfinity Game Ball. And I feel like you should just get to wax poetic about your boy, Quinyon Mitchell here.

Yeah, I mean, I fully look forward to the post game on Sunday when we're talking about Terry McLaren being held for two catches in 27 yards, and Quinyon had him in prison. So we can just preemptively give it. him the game ball is that what you're allowing me to do give him the game ball he's he's nominated for defensive rookie of the year along with cooper de jean give you wax poetic on his seat i mean what a year you know he's not going to have maybe the stats on paper to back up a defensive rookie of the year award per se but the fact he's nominated uh to turn you know what was that 22nd pick or 21st

picking the draft into into that is a remarkable job and you know terry and Arnold was still on the board I believe right yes and they chose Quignon over him so it's a it's a credit to the scouting department and the staff to go to a small school what a remarkable year it was for him him in Cooper de Gene changed everything because James Bradbury I believe is still due back any day now and yeah you know the longest six-week injury of in the history of the NFL if he starts in the Super Bowl but Quignon changed everything a real chance for redemption yeah I mean, that secondary last year was a sieve. And, you know, we were doing the pregame show in Tampa,

and I was just like, Mike Evans is going to go nuts. And now you face a Terry McLaurin, one of the better receivers in the league, and you feel confident about the matchup. So Quinyan, one of my favorite rookie years ever, I would say one of the best rookie seasons in Eagles history. You know, not a lot else come to mind. Not many Eagles have ever, you know, like Keith Jackson back in the day, but not many guys have ever really been in a rookie of the year conversation.

So credit to Quignon. He seems like a great dude. He seems to get it. And what in a remarkable season. Well said. Congratulations to Quignan Mitchell, finalist for the defensive rookie of the year. Love you, Q.

Champion of the Xfinity Mobile Game Ball. I'm an Xfinity Mobile customer. Look at you. Yeah. What a company man. Yeah. All right. Speaking of company men,

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So first off, great to see you. Oh, hi, how are you? I am a few minutes late here because I was at Novocare. For full disclosure, I was meeting with someone else at Novacare during the next Syriani Press conference. So I only got to half of the Siriani Press conference. I was meeting with someone else on the staff I can talk about tomorrow. And so what?

All right, big shot. I'm giving this as a frame of reference that I'm, I wasn't there for the full Siriani press conference. I was there for the second half or for the last few questions of it. As if you didn't then relisten to the beginning of the Siriana press conference on your drive over here. Yeah, but I don't want to be inauthentic and say, I heard, you know, Siriani told me this, right? I think disclosure is important. So, so Dallas God, Cam Juergens are going to be at practice today.

Now, how much will they practice? Nick Seriani didn't want to get into that. practice will be going on in about three it will start in about three minutes we will have updates from our colleagues in the media he recognized at the link at the link yeah those

charter buses and police escorts were there they were they were absolutely why do you think they've done this for the playoffs is it just because of the practice field yeah my guess is the ground's frozen do you think there's superstition involved i don't know or a little cition i don't know i'm asking you

yeah yeah i'm saying because I think the ground's frozen. Okay. It was really cold and then it snowed and then it was really cold again. Okay. So my understanding is Tony Leonard. The head grounds, the vice president of grounds for the Eagles is outstanding.

One of the best in the league. I actually spoke to what? Go ahead. I spoke to someone that I know in the turf management business. Okay. Who is all over the place here. No, who is raving. Someone on signal.

is just like, hey, I'm in turf management. It was raving about Tony Leonard's work. Okay. But he can't heat fields, right? So, yeah, if the turf is frozen, that would be problematic. So you think definitively Tony Leonard better than the sidefather? I don't know enough about this. This is not my area of expertise.

The person who brought this up to me specifically mentioned Tony Leonard. Okay. And it is Tony Leonard, not Leonard. Tony. It is Tony Leonard, not Leonard Tony. So yeah, so my guess is that it is it's because it's frozen but look they've practiced there the past two weeks they want two games maybe there's a little superstition involved certainly there's a there's a little fomo on my part now right but when you're there the sight lines are so good covering the practice like they're they're working out right in front of you you can take attendance better.

So, but Dallas Goddard, Cam Jergens, expected to be at practice. We will see the extent for which they're practicing. Nick Sirion acknowledged in his press conference how important fourth down is going to be in this game. He wanted to mention for both teams. He said he wanted to get that in there. Okay. Too, right? I mean, Dan Quinn's not the only one going for fourth downs.

Well, he's the only one who's going for it most often when he should. Well, actually, by volume, the Eagles are going for it more. but yeah I mean percentage wise it is it is certainly the Eagles were 12th in the league in going for it when they should this year which is the lowest they've ranked in a while

I like that going for it when they should yes yes okay and should based on fourth down decision bot yes I like that I think the bot is often correct I'm glad you like it yes and and then he spoke about

he doesn't care that he's not a candidate for a coach of the year, he says. He says winning a Super Bowl would be dope. He said would be dope? Would be dope. Why did he say that? Well, I imagine it would be dope for him, right, to win a Super Bowl. Has he ever said that before?

He actually said that to me one time. I was talking about Garrett Nuss. Another flex. He said that in an interview with a reporter who was asking him about Garrett Nuss. Smyre and he said seeing your son have that type of game in the SEC it must be dope okay so to so said report so a reporter has heard him say that before it's a it's a it's a common I'm sure you've used it or your friends have used it I mean I guess that's that's dope have you heard people say that's dope.

I don't say it, but I can't pull it off. You on the other hand, you strike me as someone who could pull off that stope. We have a super chat from Chris Manera who wants to know, Bo. How are you so drippy, bro? That's just how dope I am. So that is what Nick Siriani said. Now, I, so you've been in this. in this spot before.

When you get there a few minutes late, you're worried. You don't want to ask a repeat question. Sure. Right? Especially since you called out those reporters yesterday. Yeah. You don't want to be the one who calls people out and then does it the next day. But it's even more agreed just when you do it the same press conference.

Absolutely. No doubt. So I kind of had to sit on my hands. But I did ask a follow-up, which is in Nick's career, like he has not, this is not normal for Nick Siriani to be in conference championship games before he came to Philly. I think he had one playoff win in his coaching career before coming to Philly if memory serves. So now he's on this run here twice in three years. This is almost becoming the standard. I asked me if he has an appreciation for like where they are right now as a

franchise under his stewardship. And he said, I'm boring. I'm focused on the next game. I imagine in next private time in next quiet hours if you and he were to speak he he would like sometimes want to puff his chest out that there are five coach of the year candidates and Nick

Siriani's not a coach of the year candidate and Eagles are they've won 16 games so far this season if you include the playoffs now they're over under total their preseason win total was was expected to be

good, but they exceeded that. And he has dealt with, look, there were a lot of people who were wondering if he would be fired. There were people in mid-season wondering if he would be fired. I'll give a shout out. Internally as well. Yeah, I'll give a shout-out real quick. I thought the Joe Banner interview today with Anthony was awesome.

Anthony and Baldy, and there were some good nuggets in there, some good stories. and I thought there was a lot of honesty from Joe, and I thought his point about Siriani was really interesting, so make sure you check that out. But he was kind of talking about how it's like a fascinating social study here in that there's so much of what Siriani does that defies the way they think about how a head coach should comport himself, how I go he he always talked about like the you know Andy Reed and Sean McDermin and like the you know coaches who are who are very even keeled on the sideline and how how Nick is is not like that and how some of the things they're doing kind of defies the way this organization's kind of thought about coaches in the in the past but he's like it's clearly working right and like the success he's he he's had cannot be disputed so I I really enjoyed that

interview on Anthony's show as I did the one with you. Thanks. Yeah. Yeah, I think, I don't think we need to have a, well, first of all, thank you for the locker room report by presented by Valley Forge. Go to Valleyforge.org, make it family time and make it Monco. I think that the, the difficulty of the Siriani thing, I don't want to make this whole show about this, it's still hard to, to, you say you can't argue with the results, and that's true.

and he has been the right coach or a good coach for their situation, which is different than him being the right coach for every team in the league. But it's also hard to say definitively that given the infrastructure here, given the roster he has, that a lot of other coaches wouldn't have had similar success. Yes and no. I say yes because there is an infrastructure in place here Every coach has had a degree of success.

Like, you know, I mean, Ray Roads, Andy Reed, Chip Kelly, Doug Peterson, Nick Siriani, have all won double-digit wins within the first two years. They've all made the playoffs within two years. So there's something to that that there is an infrastructure here. Maybe they hire good coaches or maybe they have an infrastructure that allows coaches to succeed. It's like the conversation we had about Zach Bonn and Sakelone-Barkley. Great point. At the same time, like, you know, Nick's doing it. And this is not played in a video game. Like you're still pushing the buttons. You're still a human dealing with humans. There's something, it's in Bill Parcell's his book. And I've spoken to coaches about this where like there's there's something that comes across your desk every single day as a head coach that you're not prepared for. That you have to determine. and how you're going to react to it,

what your approach is going to be to this? Like there's stuff that there's no guidebook for. And so as much as we say, like the infrastructures in place, Nick still needs to do it. He still needs to rescue them or not rescue them. He still needs to hold the team when they're two and two. He still needs to make those adjustments when Jordan Milata and Landon Dickerson and Lane Johnson come into his office.

He still needs to have this team ready to go against Baltimore, a physical team, you know, on traveling across country, going down to Brazil. Like all these different things, he still needs to do it and he's done it. No doubt. That's true. And I think, you know, the team being ready to play all the time is to his credit. I think if you're also chipping away at, you know, you can't argue with the wins or whatever. Yeah. The other thing you had to have to say is that, as you wrote about, this year he has had the bandwidth to deal with some of those other things.

Whereas last year, when he was running the team, the way he wanted to run the team. Yes. He didn't. That's fair. And so he had to be like big brothered into being put in the right situation to be a good head coach or to be a potentially championship caliber head coach. Yeah, I hear what you're saying. but it's as as we well know there are a lot of prideful people who who are defiant when either asked or told to do something there are a lot of prideful people who say you know I want

to do this my way or my way is working this with this is an anomaly I think there's there's I think it says a lot about someone when when there's self-reflection and honesty about their performance. Sure. Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Well, speaking of that, we've been going through some of the juicy matchups here.

I mean, how about Brian Johnson on the other sidelines coming back to Philadelphia? Speaking of. Yeah. Look, Brian Johnson. What a chest puff out he would get to have if he leads the team to an NFC championship and to the Super Bowl at the link. Yeah. And I've been on record with this too. And so I certainly don't want to contradict myself.

I think Brian Johnson got a raw deal here. I think I blame Nick Siriani for a big part of that because I think Brian Johnson at his hands tied to a certain degree. Now, I think Jalen Hertz is responsible for that as well. I think Seriani and Jalen, but I think Brian Johnson, I don't know if we saw Brian Johnson at his optimum last year. Now, that said, this is not Brian Johnson's offense. Like there might be elements of Brian Johnson.

here. This is Cliff Kingsbury's the offensive coordinator. Cliff Kingsbury's in charge. So if they win, I'm giving the credit, you know, from an offensive scheming perspective to Cliff Kingsbury. But yeah, Brian Johnson. Why? You're just not going to give Brian Johnson

any credit? No, I'm, I mean Cliff Kingsbury's fingers on the button. He's calling the plays. Yeah. Give Jane Daniels the credit too. Well, yeah, of course. I meant from a play calling perspective. Someone in the comment is making the point about like, you know, Vic being nominated for,

Vic Fangio being nominated for assistant coach of the year and how that speaks to who the league really gives credit to. And I do think that is the Nick Siriani conversation, is that, yeah, Nick, Nick has done a very good job. But if you are splitting the turkeys for credit to how this team is as good as it is, the roster, the quality of the roster is way ahead of the, you know,

in-game decision-making and the, you know, getting the guys ready to play. And the defensive, coaching is ahead of that. And it's not like Nick Siriani went out and found Vic Fangio. Like, that was a Howie Roseman Jeffrey Lurie doing, right? And so I'm not trying to take credit away from Nick. It sounds like you are.

Well, I'm trying to be honest. Yeah. Like, I don't think that he is the most important reason that they're here. No, I think players are the most important reason why they're why they're here. Without a doubt, like, you know, more so. And frankly, I think one of the one of the reasons to be worried about, about this matchup. Is the in-game decision-making disadvantage

between the two head coaches? Go on. Dan Quinn has been very good this year in game decision-making, both fourth down and like situational stuff and the Eagles continue to bungle end-of-half situations and they play scared in fourth-down situations and like third and long situations.

And yes, I know that that is how they have won games this year by, you know, victory favors the team who makes the fewest mistakes and playing not to lose. And they have not lost. And that's great. But I don't know that that's going to hold up forever. Yeah, I hear your point. And this is something that I grapple with.

Like, as a football reporter, football analysts, you know, we do a lot of analysis on the show, is that I'm of the same. inclination or proclivities as you are here regarding fourth down decisions right and I want him to be or I would be more aggressive at times if I were in in his position and I there are multiple times where I think he's played it too conservative but I also don't think someone makes the wrong decision just because it's not the decision that I would do and there I understand process outcome but like their process factors, their, their, their process is based on what, on what they believe it takes

to win the game. So take the Baltimore game. I wouldn't have punted when they punted it. Okay. But they punted it and it worked. And I, I know we're not, but we're not just judging the outcome there. Like, that's one of their process. But he is judging the outcome. And, and what happens is it worked in that situation. And so he went back to it and it didn't work. Because over the course of time, when you make the slightly wrong decision, it's not going to play out in your favor. It's the same thing as the coward's draws, which we talked about yesterday. They had one coward's draw that went for a touchdown to Sake Juan Barclay, and now they keep doing it, and guess what? They've done it 16 times, and it's worked once.

But so your definition of it working is getting a first down. And my point is there. Yeah, none of them led to first downs. They might have led to a field goal, but they didn't. Yeah, but I'm saying, but they might not be, and perhaps I'm just playing devil's advocate here, but I'm workshopping this conversation. They're not running that to necessarily get the first down there. I think sometimes they're running it for their quarterback not to get hit. They're running it not to turn the ball over. So the Coward's Draw is like, is lived to see another play.

Like to use the expression that you just cited and that he's used, victory favors the team that makes the fewer mistakes. I don't like an operating principle that's make fewer mistakes in the other team. I prefer the operating principle. The last game they lost to the Washington commanders, guess what? The commanders turned the ball over five times. Yeah. And they still lost the game.

Yeah. So, like, I think you take that approach when you're the inferior team. I think if you're Notre Dame playing Ohio State, your victory favors the team that makes a fewer mistakes. If you were the better team, like, I would say be on the offensive. Like, go score points. Don't play. Go do special stuff. Exactly.

So, but I also don't believe that just because someone does something differently than I would do it, that they're doing it the wrong way. Yeah, I mean, globally, that's true. But if someone does it, a different than you would like, they're doing it the wrong way? No, I'm saying globally, that's true. Okay. But I think, I think that doesn't go for everything. Okay. Yeah.

But Brian Johnson could get the last laugh here. How about the Eagles offensive coordinator search aspect to this game? Hiring Kellyn Moore, but they were potentially very interested in Cliffs Kingsbury. And you've heard some rumors, some sniffing that there was maybe a little bit extra to that. Yeah. And we discussed this earlier in the season is that there's the Jeff Stoutland of this all, is that Cliff Kingsbury has a very... A very specific way of playing. But I don't know if this actually was the reason for the decision.

but the Eagles viewed Kellyn Moore, my understanding, as someone who could really marry these concepts, these concepts that Keln Moore would introduce and these concepts that the Eagles have run and like to run. And part of that is what Jeff Stoughtlin has done and brought here since 2013. And there's a lot of run game concepts that the Eagles have that are the same that they've had before Callen Moore was here. And that will be the same that they have after Kellan Moore is here. presuming Jeff Stallons here. Right. The intimation here being that,

not that this is what happened, but something along the lines of in a fictional universe, like the egos are like, you know, Cliff, I think we might be living in your direction. Like, you know, is there anything else that you want to button up? And Cliff's like,

well, yeah, I'd like to bring in my own offensive line coach. There's a guy I really like, and then Jeff here's like, ha ha ha ha, ha, ha, get the hell out of here. Or, yeah, you're not going to, you're not going to oust, stout.

Or I like my own line playing with these concepts. Or I, I'd like my, my running game with this style. And because I think there was, look, this is not a secret. Cliff Kingsbury has a background in the offense that J. J. L.O.N. Hertz thrived in in college at Oklahoma. Cliff Kingsbury once recruited J.O.N. Hertz to Texas Tech. Like, there is a background there.

And so I think there was a lot of interest this offseason in trying to find a style that would maximize J.O.N. Hertz. And I think that was part of the appeal. of Cliff Kingsbury. And I remember being right in the seat, probably around the same time last year, to be honest with you, like probably this week last year when we're talking about OC candidates. And I say the interesting Cliff Kingsbury is because of that background with Jalen Hertz. Now the reports from The Link are that Cam Drogens is not out there,

despite Nick Siriani saying that he would be now. They're still in warmups. They're still in stretches. He could show up. Just be honest. Dallas Goddard is there? But I imagine if he's not practicing, we're going to get some words soon on what the offensive line looks like. My guess is if he's really not going to be there, that it would be Dickerson and center and Tyler's stand left guard. And how do you think that affects the game? I think.

I think it's a, I have no idea. It's a fact. Obviously, we have no idea. I once asked, I don't know, but it's the offensive line is presumably not as good. I once asked Chip Kelly a question. He's like, I don't deal in hypotheticals. And I was like, all you do is deal in hypotheticals. Your entire job is if this team does X, then you do.

Why? What we do on the show Monday to Friday is talk about the game Sunday. How do you think it's going to affect them? That's, yeah. So I think it's, it makes, it makes all of the protection stuff much less buttoned up. Does it change the way you view the game? Yes. Okay.

Interesting. Um, so I mean, of course, it changes the way. It's a different, it's a different offensive line. Of course, that, that alters it a little bit. Yeah. Um, that's interesting. Well, we'll see. Uh, I think we need to get ourselves together here.

Let's take a quick break. Uh, if you are unsure of whether you want to go to the game and you're not, you know, you really, you need to decide whether Cam Jergans is going to be playing or not. And that's going to affect whether you want to go. Give it a couple of hours. But the good news is you can wait. Because with Game Time, that's your ticket to last minute tickets, the best place, the best ticketing app in the industry. Why? Because they've got GameTime picks, where curation makes it easier to find better value for tickets to sports, concerts, comedy, theater, and more.

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last minute tickets, lowest price, guaranteed. While the Eagles are hunting down a ring, you can hunt one for one too. Go to 8th in Chesna in Philly and go to Golden Nugget Jules. It's family owned and operated since 1987. So that's, if you're getting engaged, they have a wide assortment of rings and wedding bands to fit anyone's style. Receive a final cleaning and written appraisal with every engagement ring purpose. Not just wedding jewelry, you can find watches, diamond necklaces, diamond bracelets, earrings, and more. You deserve an expert and the best price golden nugget jewels where Philly gets engaged. Head over to golden nuggetjewers.com to learn more. Go ahead. So I'm seeing the reports from NovaCare and the Eagles did a, you know, I think someone

behind the scenes amended it and said that Cam Durgan wouldn't be out there. Dallas Goddard would. I don't know why 45 minutes ago Nick didn't come forward with that but possible something changed. Possible something changed. Also it sounds like Dallas Goddard's doing work on the side. We spoke last night about them adding Cam Irving to the practice squad. They also added a tight end to the practice squad too. So the two positions where they have

injuries, they added guys with NFL experience to the practice squad. Obviously, we don't know what the injury situation is, but Dave Zangero, our friend from NBC Sports Philly, says, without Cam Juergens at practice today, Landon Dickerson is working at center. So this would, the fact that Dickerson's working at center makes me think they're preparing for, right? I think that's right. Well, either way, they need to be prepared. for the possibility and it's not like Leonard Dickerson necessarily needs the left guard reps.

He needs to get ready at center. I do think it's probably fair to say that, you know, if they're going to have to make this replacement anyway, it's better to get the week of practice for it. Yeah. Maybe. I don't know. But I mean, it's not just, you know, it's obviously it's not just you have a different center and a different left guard.

You've also got a different operation with the quarterback and the center calling the protections, you know, Hower Landon snaps, all that stuff. How is he at diagnosing stuff pre-snap? I remember talking to Dickerson in the summer about Juergens and just the idea of like, do we underrate the difficulty of the job

when you have to snap the ball first and then block? And he's like, honestly, it's not that hard. You just snap the ball. It's like your offensive line, and he snap the ball. So he doesn't seem to think that it's a heavy lift.

Yeah. I think sometimes they, they downplay it. I remember speaking the Juergens during the summer about like, you know, do you have to get used to snapping two jell and things like that? And he was like, it's just snapping. And then early in the season, they had multiple issues snapping. So, yeah, no, I think, look, I think everything's a big deal.

There's nothing involving your starting lineup during an NFC championship week. That's a small deal. But when you're dealing with a Pro Bowl center, now you change two. spots. You have a tight end who's extraordinarily valuable to both the run game and the past game. Yeah, this should not be swept under the rug. This is, I imagine the Eagles are going to act like this isn't a big deal, but I think this is a big enough deal for us to, you know, spend time on on our show. Well, yeah. Of course it is. We have an Eagles show. They're going to have Yeah, I would say so.

Yes. As opposed to my next question for you, which is how much juice do you think there is in this game between Jeremy Reeves going up against Howie Roseman? Probably not. Although, look, everyone looks for certain slights. So I think I don't know what was the first two items on the list, but I think that one would be pretty far down the list.

How about Anim Danqua and Julian Good Jones? Seeking vengeance against Jeff Stoutland for letting them go. Maybe Dankwa. Yeah, maybe a little Dancua. I know. I actually argue that Good Jones is the one who has more of a beef because of the story I brought up before where it was a midsummer press conference on Zoom

with Jeff Staling. And he couldn't remember Julian's name. Yes, that's sure. That probably should have been assigned though, right? Yeah, I would say so. But Dankwad was supposed to be like the project offensive tackle. And I think they were quick to. depart that project.

How about E.J. Jenkins against Tyree Jackson. Now Tyree Jackson's like, that was supposed to be my spot. I was, Howie's developmental guy. Well, it actually comes full circle because Zach Ertz is like, they traded me because of you, Tyree. That's true. If you recall when Eagles traded Zach Ertz, Hallie Roseman's like, and we're really,

we were really impressed with Tyree Jackson this summer. And the Tyree Jackson experiment, he'll always have that practice where he caught touchdown in the back of the end zone and everyone was like the Eagles found the next Antonio Gates. Now how about the Eagles going up against one of the greatest playoff performers in their franchise's history?

Talking of course about Ryan Carragher. Ah, yes. Yeah, Ryan Carrigan. It was a complete zero his entire year and then they go to Tampa Bay and we have two sacks. Yeah, like it was his first start of the season I believe because Josh Swett had

the issue that week. Yeah, Ryan Kerrigan, we were talking about the great, the potential, a great one-year Eagles. I don't think Ryan Kerrigan would be on that list. I would agree. Yeah. But I tell you what, big weekend in West Lafayette that Ryan Carrigan and George Carloptez competing in the same weekend. Well, everyone will always have that quote. I will always have that quote.

That is in the file under Carragon Carl Laftus. if I go in my Google if I go on my Google docs and I type in character Yeah shout out to Google That's a big They're a huge part of my life Google sucks now

Have you tried Googling something lately It's awful It's a terrible experience What's the last thing you googled? Zach Berman naked You Googled that That's a weird thing I hope nothing came

I hope it sucks then I hope nothing came up Um What's the last thing you Google? Zach Berman naked. Looks like the top result is a Zach Berman Instagram, but not yours. Not mine.

Okay. It's made out of aluminum alloy and was 50 pounds naked. That's the hook here. Let me see here. I don't know if I want to go down this rabbit hole. Let me see here. This was their thing in the Eagles locker room this week. was what their Google history?

What's your most recent Google? Okay. I did not know that they did this. Seriously, Googling is terrible right now. Okay. Mine's Darius Lay. Just Darius Lay? Nothing more specific than that?

Oh, here. Search for Darius Lay, searched for Christian Parker. Searched for... That's it. Just their names? Yeah. M-S-Y-2.

P-HL. Okay. Raise schedule. Some GM candidates. Wait, raise the schedule? Yeah. Tempe raised schedule. Why?

Something for my nephews. Okay. Yeah. Something for my nephews. I don't need to get into it. Okay. Well, you're the one who mentioned it. I can not ask why.

I'm looking at my schedule. Yeah. Here's a. an assistant GM searched for in the NFL. So yeah. So nothing, probably the kind of thing

you'd expect from mine. But yeah, so you're down on Google these days? Like actual Google, yes, it's a terrible thing. Okay. All right.

It's completely unhelpful. How so? The search results are awful. You're not getting the stuff you want to find, okay? I'm not alone here. This is like, This is every, like, okay, anyways, Google thoughts.

The quality of the Google search results have been terrible. It's the same as every other internet product where it starts helpful and then they make it really, really crappy once they've got you in. I hope not every internet product. Well, we're not a technology company. Oh, yeah, sure we are. Oh, is that why you're here? We're not a technology company. What?

What? Oh, no. 16 months in 16 months 16 months I remember I remember at a No you tell me no

Yeah I remember at a At a previous job I was I was talking to someone And they're like Why are you interested in that? I was like It's not a journalism company

It's a technology company that does journals And so In any event I know it has a name of So I wasn't going to say it Thank you Yes. What?

All right. This all leads up to the big one, Zach, which is the thummer. Ertz and Siriani. Yeah. Look, Siriani was in the wrong last time for doing that. Zach Ertz, like, I have so much respect for Jack Ertz as a player. I've seen Zach Ertz play with a, what, a rupture spleen was it? ruptured,

I believe it was, ruptured, I think it was Splean. I've seen Zackertz endure a lot in his career. I've seen Zackertz do a lot of good

for Philadelphia. Lacerated kidney. Lacerated kidney, okay. Yeah, Zachertz, like Zackertz is an all-time eagle and I get emotions

are high at the end of a game. I get a lot of said on the field. I thought Siriani was wrong there. I do think Zach Ertz there. I know Zach Ertz there. loves Philly and I know Zach Ertz has a lot of respect for the Eagles organization but I don't think Zach Hertz loved the way it ended.

I mean Zacherts, we've talked about like the core four conversation. Yeah, they just cast him aside. Zachers should have been in that. Yeah. Yeah, he's the one guy that chose that chose not to just keep around forever. Yeah.

I mean, they had a guy they wanted to elevate. And I think probably the personal dynamics of that were difficult. Sure. with Goddard wanting to be the guy. But yeah, they didn't necessarily treat him. Yeah, super well. I know there are certain times when the Eagles are like,

we're never going to let this guy play in another uniform. You know, and they said that about guys like, you know, Kelsey and Lane and Brandon Graham. But they didn't say that about Zach Ertz. They didn't say that about Malcolm Jenkins. What do you think the difference is? And they're us. I think they had a replacement. I think, I think that's, that's really have one for Malcolm.

Oh, yeah, I mean. We've got to make it a Carson's team. I know that's how they spotted. Why do you think, you know, or were they not willing to go to that? Yeah, I think, well, I actually think that that goes back. I think that, uh, Malcolm a year earlier wanted a new deal. They weren't willing to do it. I actually think they had an agreement in place that they would let Malcolm be free.

Okay. It's good, Scoopy. I'm pretty sure that, that's what occurred. Uh, we are going to hear. from Colleen Wolf in just a couple minutes. So we're looking forward to that. What else is on your mind here? So did you talk about Zakeas before I got here?

I mentioned Johan Dotson in a lot of these Cajas. Yeah, Zakeas was someone who I know Nick really... Oh, Zakaas, O Zakaas, O Zakaeus. So did you hear the Cliff Kingsbury Zikaa's story? No. Okay. So for the first... Spend me a yarn.

So for the first few... weeks or maybe months, he kept calling him Oz because he thought that, because people were calling him OZ, so he was saying Oz, he was saying Oz. And then, and, uh, and, uh, uh, is the case, like, uh, he was afraid to correct him or like, didn't want to correct him. Then eventually he's like, by the way, my name's not Oz. My name's OZ. And I think Kingsbury said it was like the, the whitest he ever felt. That thing, that's a direct quote. Yeah. want me look it up here sure

Google it that's exactly what I'm doing Cliff Kingsbury White here well let's see at the Washington commanders I feel like that's honestly bad self-awareness

by Cliff Kingsbury if it took him that long you took him that long and didn't he see those pictures of himself in his house here so this This is the quote.

Cliff Kingsbury said for the first two months he called Zayas Oz. Finally Diomni Brown told him he hates being called Oz. It's OZ. And Kingsbury said, quote, it's like the whitest mistake ever. Okay, that's a better framing actually. Yeah. Okay. Yeah, so a little behind the scenes.

But Sykees, I remember, nice route. Way to go, buddy. I remember Nick Siriani saying that a guy like Zikaas will always have a role on his team because of when they brought in Julio Jones, he said that last year. because of like how tough he is. He does all the little stuff. And by the way, like Zakeas, they tried replacing him with Hoyo Jones, which I can completely understand.

But Sekees was better than Hoyo Jones last year. And then this year, they tried to upgrade that number three wide receivers. But Zikaas has been better than Jahan Dotson. And Washington clearly felt Zikaas was better than Jahan Dotson. Clearly. And guess what Alameda Zakeas and Jahan have in common? What? With the Eagles, they both finished dead last.

among all qualifying wide receivers and yards per route run. Because they just don't get thrown the ball. This year, Johan Dotson 80th of 80. Last year, Alamede Zakeas, 88th of 88. And if I publish this, which I may not do. Why not?

Wait, so this is in your story? This is a thing. Oh, I can't wait. Over the past 10 years, you would not believe like the statistical unlikelyhood of how often an Eagles wide receiver is at the very bottom of this list is wild. It's almost as if this is the actual key to their team.

He's having a receiver who you don't throw it to. Yes. Thank you for watching on Fast, by the way, on TV. We'll be back with more on all p.chol.com. Check it out there. All right, yes. Do you think you could guess all of the wide receivers over the past 10 years who have been at the bottom of the list for the Eagles?

Matt Collins? No. No. Okay. This is at least 300 yards or routes, at least 300 routes run over the course of a season. And it's the last 10 years. This year, Johnny Wilson would be even lower than John Dodson. Yeah, so we're going.

Run enough routes. So we're going to 2014. J. Owen Rager. 15. Yeah, J. J.on Rager in 2021 was 89th of 90. Yes. Okay.

So worst on the Eagles. J.J. I think of Whiteside? In 2019, J.J.R. Theta, Whiteside was 77th of 78. So, yes, second from the bottom. Okay. 2015 was Miles Austin there? No. I don't know if he ran out of routes.

Okay. So 2015, let me think, was Riley Cooper still there in 15? No. Not on this. Not on this. Was Aguilor's first year on there, 2016? Actually, both of his years, 2015 and 2016.

In both years, he was dead last in the league. Ah, okay. Green Beckham, someone says. I don't know if Green Beckham ran enough routes. I don't think that's, yeah, I think that's right. Okay. Is there anyone else I'm missing?

There are a couple, but maybe that's the tease. By the way, if you want to read that, which may or may not ever go up, but if it does, it'll be on all p.hly.com for the diehards. And now is the time to become a diehard. As we said at the top of the show, great deal, almost 50% off. $48 a year to become a diehard.

I'm not going to get a better deal than that. Super chat from Axy who says, have we ever seen Casey Affleck and Kellyn Moore in the same room? Interesting. I'm not so sure I see that. I don't see that. Yeah, a different shake face. Yeah, Kellyn Moore's got a bit of a doier cheek thing going on,

whereas I don't know that I see that with Casey Affleck. Also, I mean, their hair styles are different. Listen, I'm in for these, but I'm not so sure I see that one. Chase Daniel Plainview says, I've heard Ben Johnson is getting $13 million a year as Nick Siriani's agent. I would like to get a similar number for Nick, but I am bad at negotiating. Any advice? Yeah, this is going to be interesting.

Look, the Eagles do pay. If you saw Rick Stroud from Tampa Bay Times reported yesterday that Liam Cohen is being made like the highest pay coordinator or his contract is going to compare to Vic Fangio's. It's the first time I'd seen this number out there. He said Vic Fangio is getting paid $4.5 million. Not too shabby. Yeah. So the Eagles do pay. They invest.

I think you reported a few years ago that they made Jeff Stoutland the highest paid offensive line coach in the NFL. I believe that I believe at the time, at least the highest paid position coach in the NFL. Yeah. But yeah, I think that was your report. But so Nick, look, that resume Sterling. But for the reason you just said, there is a thought that, you know, this is a job that other people can do. do now. I mean, I wouldn't hire Broughton, I wouldn't hire Brian Schottonheimer to do it.

But here's a thought that it's a job other people could do. Did you guys address that? We talked about it a little bit. Okay. You have some thoughts you want to share? As I look at pictures of Casey Affleck? Yeah. We have, we have Colleen. I, my quick thought on it is how unimaginative are you to fire your coach and hire your offensive coordinator and offensive assistant before?

who has been, like, fired in, like, five different places or four different places and is not received. I mean, I'm not saying it to go out. But from Jerry's perspective, he's watching Dan Quinn and Kellan Moore coached in the NFC championship game. He's thinking, I should have kept those guys. It seems unimaginative to me, that's all. But great job, actually, by DOLS. They've been doing awesome out there on this story. All right.

Enough, uh, Mishigas. Let's get to the good stuff and bring on Colleen Wolf from NFL Network. Colleen, how you doing? How are you doing? you. Good to see you. How are you feeling? What's your, what's your confidence level heading into this game? I was going to say, I've actually been sick. So thank you so much for asking how I've been feeling. And I adopted a puppy that is also sick right now. So like we're dealing with a lot of outside noise and adversity. However, I'm obviously excited about this game. I can't believe it's

the commanders. I can't believe the Eagles are playing the commanders in the NFC championship game. Like what cut type of bizarre world is this. I am kind of envisioning a nightmare scenario for Eagles fans. I don't know if that's just like the Philadelphia that's still in me. But if the commanders end up winning this game at the link and you have in the trophy. That, that really hope that doesn't happen. So just kind of throwing it out there.

to get ahead of it. Go ahead. First off, great to see you, Colleen. I hope, I hope everything's okay out in L.A. We're all thinking of you here in Philly. We were talking about Nixiriani before you came on. You have the perspective of someone from this area, but also someone who knows the league real well.

What's like the outside Philly perception of Nick Sieriani right now? It's such a hard question because I don't know what it's like inside Philly, but it feels like it's kind of the same looking from the outside in because this is the team that's obviously winning and they have the record, the fact that they are one game away from the Super Bowl and Nick Siriani seems to be keeping everyone together and the players seem to love him

and the players seem to respond to him. But then it's like all of the things that happened earlier this year are kind of tough to be like, he's almost like a bro that's a head coach. And it's two things that like don't normally go together. But it's just he's a different, he's a different kind of guy as a different pedigree and just does things a different way. But it works. So until it doesn't work, then you can't really criticize him.

Colleen, I have to ask you because Julia, our producer, it's her birthday today. And I know that she wants to know what kind of puppy did you get? Oh my God. Happy birthday, first of all. So I got, she's a border collie. So she is very smart. But she also, I got her. I drove up to the pound, one of like the animal control in L.A.,

one of the L.A. County ones. And because from the fires, all of the shelters are like at max capacity. So I grabbed one of the dogs. And as it turns out, she is like, has an ear infection, has a respiratory infection, has kennel cough. Like literally has like everything going wrong. She's wrestled through multiple cones because she just got spayed. So I've had to take her back to get her like incision, redone, re-stitched, restapled, like twice. So we're doing good.

She has a little bit of separation anxiety, but she's a real sweetheart. She's passed out in the other room, though, because she's all zonked out on Trasidome. So she's chilling. She's healing right now, but she's really cute. Yeah. It's the only thing that could get Zach to sleep during the playoffs. Um, same. Collin, can you answer?

I don't want to, I don't want to hold you your feet to the fire, but can you answer for Jalen Hertz not being on quarterback Island? Oh my God. Okay. So quarterback island has been, I, I can't believe I keep every single show. I feel like I'm on. It's quarterback island for NFL daily. I don't want to be a repeat question, though. No, no, no, no.

This has been a thing all season long. And up until recently, I was really standing on the table for Jalen Hertz, wondering why he wasn't on the island, thinking it was unfair when you had Sam Darnold in there. But obviously, the tables have turned for both of them. But Jalen Hertz, I just don't understand what's going on. I really do want to be like, it's fine. Everything's fine. They're still winning.

Like, who cares? They're running the ball. The offensive line is good. Their defense is good. Don't worry about Jalen. But you can't really blame the conditions from last week on the way that Jalen Hertz played because Matthew Stafford also played in those conditions and did pretty damn good. Through for over 300 yards, almost had a dramatic fourth quarter comeback.

I don't really know what is going on. I don't know if you guys know, but you also can't blame the conditions on Jalen Hertz sitting in the pocket, not moving at all and taking all of these sacks too. So I know he had the concussion earlier. I know that he got hurt in the third quarter and his mobility was not the same. I know that he had hurt his finger on his non-throwing hand. So that really shouldn't be an issue there. I don't know, maybe sitting out the last two games in the regular season.

There are so many different things that maybe it could be. But I'm just not sure they're winning and that's great. think that things would be a lot easier for the Eagles if they were able to get something going in the passing game as well. I think they're winning and that's great, but is basically all we talk about on the show. Go ahead, Zach. Okay, cool. What's your reaction watching Sequin Barclay this year? Oh my God. Are you kidding me? First of all, it's so great that he came over from the Giants. I was always so sad that he was a giant because just coming from sort of Philadelphia-ish area.

It always felt like he should have been an eagle. And I remember when the giants drafted him, it was like, oh, my God, they're drafting a running back so high. And now seeing Seekoine Barkley, it's like, oh, my God, this poor guy was in purgatory. This entire time, he could have been just like living his best life

for his entire career. I'm so happy that he finally knows what it's like and feels what it's like to reach his potential, which I'm sure he knew he had this whole time, but I can't imagine the frustration he felt with the talent that he has. It was so much fun to watch him this year. And just like from a pettiness standpoint, like when Howie Roseman,

when that acquisition went down, it was like, okay, this is such a luxury move for the Eagles because like they don't really necessarily need this. And they're like kind of spending a lot of money on like a running back. but also it'd be cool if it worked. And then it's like really, like now the poor Giants fans have to watch Sequan thrive in their division. And of course, with hard knocks and everything that was recorded with John Mara and just everyone in that organization saying they hope he didn't go to the Eagles. It just feels really great for Philadelphia and the Eagles, I think. Yeah, we were talking about that this week, that like there's something beautiful about Sequin Barkley and this person.

who has all this talent but never got to realize it getting put in the right position. And then you start to think about how many other players in the league must be like thinking similar things or wondering similar things. And whether that's going from great to unbelievable or good to great or just back up to starter, all that. And then you can think about it as a world philosophy. But yeah, you can really go down the rabbit hole with the Sequin Barkley's situation. It's so true.

And I think about it all of the time with themes that are successful and especially quarterbacks that end up being successful because so many things have to go right. The stars have to align in so many different ways. Like you need to have luck on the injury of the front. You need to have the right personalities in the coaching staff to go with the personality of your quarterback. You need to have the personnel there and the scheme and the system. And like it also luck with like the schedule and everything else. There's so many things that have to go right. And when they do go right, it's kind of amazing to watch. Now you grew up here when the NFC

championship game was like the end of the season. Every year it seemed like, right? But then these past two times when Eagles have played in the NFC championship game, you saw San Francisco, they beat the 49ers 31-7. They beat the Vikings 38-7. Are you sensing this to be more similar

to what you saw those last two NFC championship games? Or do you, I'm not saying, do you think they could lose? Do you think it's going to be a closer game, like what you were used to more in the mid-2000s? I, that's a great question because I'm a little worried because I'm not going to be at this game. And I was at the last two. So like, I don't know if maybe I am the good luck charm or not. But exactly, I am the reason. But I remember when they played the Vikings.

Cut to like our entire audience trying to buy you a flight to Philadelphia. or make sure that you're getting... Please. I mean, my bosses hate me. I'm like, hey, how about this week? What do you think about sending me on this week? But I remember when the Eagles played the Vikings and they had just come off of the game against the Falcons.

And it was kind of like, they kind of barely squeaked by in that game. And then the Vikings came in and they had this vaunted defense and how the hell were the Eagles going to beat the Vikings? And then the defense just did. didn't even travel, didn't even show up, and it was no problem. And then against the 49ers, just the injuries right away. And then it just felt like they had the momentum from the very jump. So this one is different, though.

It always worries me. Division games in general worry me. A division game that's an NFC championship game is sort of, I don't know, terrifying a bit. Maybe I'm just someone who is anxious and prepares for the worst because I don't want to be disappointed in general. But I just, I don't love that this is a team that's like an upstart team that has like hit its stride at just the right time. Jalen, Jaden Daniels looks awesome.

Everything he throws up just, it seems like a receiver always comes down with it. Terry McClaren finally has a quarterback for the first time in his career. It's almost like a Sequan Barkley situation, but he just didn't leave. And I, I just like, I'm always afraid of teams that are playing. with house money and it's such a dumb cliche but it's true and it's just like you're playing with a more free kind of I don't know like just like that energy where you're not the pressure isn't on you and you're not expected to be there so it's just different right it's it's you know it makes you think of that that 17 eagle season right when you are unburdened by expectations and and you do

have that and it's a little bit different obviously but uh the the x factor here is jaden Daniels How scary is he to you? Oh my God. I mean, this this quarterback is so good. And he's really fun to watch too. The way that he just expertly throws the ball. Like it's just it comes out perfectly. And he puts it in a place where only his receivers can get it.

He does not look like a rookie at all when he's playing. And he's, I wish that I could be a little bit more like Jane Daniels in that I wish that my blood pressure was just like, at the floor. I wish that I like barely had any type of like pulse because it just seems like he has no stress. I mean, yeah, that's true. I was taking his blood pressure. Any of it. Any of it. But it's just he's really good. Now the one thing that I don't know, I was just like really kind of digging into this and nerding out a little bit, but they're starting right guard. Obviously,

he had the season ending injury in Detroit and playing against Jalen Carter this week. That could be some type of an issue to watch out for just because the Eagles pass rush is so good. And then from the last time that the Eagles played the commanders, there's a few other guys that are back. I mean, Austin Echler, obviously. He's now in the lineup. Jonathan Allen, he is as well. And I feel like Marshawn Lattimore did not look like his best in that game when they played

the Eagles. And he certainly did last week. So those are a couple different factors too. How far be it for me to offer or to ask for a peck nest migrate. But Bo brought this up last night on our bonus show. And I think it's a good one to ask people who are filia adjacent or is, is that peck nest migrate, the 2024 eagles, the 2022 Eagles, the 2017 Eagles. Are you going to explain what pet nest migrates? I'm like, my sense to know what this is.

Sorry. I've officially been initiated into the show. Yeah, can you explain it? No, this is you, my friend. Peckness migraine is like an old game that you might play. It's like Kiss Mary Kill. Kiss Mary Kill. Oh, God, okay, wow.

Nest is forever. Yeah. Migrate is kill. Yeah. Peck is the. It's just one day. Yeah. Okay.

Okay. All right, cool. I was like just going to guess what that was. That's sort of how I did all of my SAT work. Just kind of like connected the dots here for the best. Okay. So Nest would be 2017. That was like I loved that team.

They were so much fun. It was the first time in a long time. They were the underdogs. They had so much personality. It just felt like they had everything going their way. They were just, it was such a fun season for them. And like Nick Foles, what? That's crazy still.

And then what was the kill one? Migrate. Migrate, okay. Migrate would be the 2022 Eagles, just because I didn't love the way that that ended. And then PAC would be 2024. Let's see how it turns out. Yeah.

Because I, exactly. I'm putting some eggs in that basket. Get at eggs and nest. All right. You see? Terrible. I don't get it. All right.

Colleen, thank you so much for taking the time. Where will you be watching this weekend? I have to work. So I'll be watching. I'll actually be watching it in this very room with my dog because I can't really leave. And if anyone is in the L.A. area and can watch my dog while I'm doing the show, that would be great.

I'm still trying to figure that component out. I mean, you put out the word. I feel like we definitely have some L.A. listeners, so I like that. Great. Cool. Thank you so much for taking the time, Colleen.

Thank you, guys. Good to see you. Good to see you. Good to see you, Colleen. Bye. You know what, Zach? Like, we get you last night to finally just criticize a billionaire a little bit. And all of a sudden, you hear you come the next day,

just throwing out Pekness migrants without any context. Look, that was my fault there. Slowly but surely you're turning into a second. Well, I want to go that far. But yeah, six years doing this. That was the first time I didn't over-explain. My bad. But I appreciate Colleen.

I appreciate Colleen. And my fantasy basketball team needs some help with Colleen. I know it's anyone who can help me. There you go. All right. Anything else that you're going to be paying attention to the rest of the day here before we get out of here? Yeah. Yeah, so I'm looking forward to locker room today.

There's a few players I'm looking forward to catching up with. I have a story, if I can do some shameless promotion, which I suppose all my promotion is shameless on here. I have a story coming out that I'm looking forward to writing tonight on here. I'll just say it. I've been working on a story on Darius Lay, who might be playing his final game in Philly. And I think, yeah, I have some good stuff in here,

some good perspective. I'm looking forward to writing that story and having that out tomorrow and all p hl y.com so make sure you check that out you think it's definitely his last game in phil yeah i do and i look i don't know if it's his last game in the nflb i think it's his last game in philly yeah and i and i've been saying part of the rationale i think for being able to pay zach bond is that they're going to have three corners on rookie at least three corners on rookie deals next year in obviously Quinyan, Cooper de Gene, and Kiley Ringo.

You think they bring back Isaiah Rogers? I could see them bring back Isaiah Rogers on... Look, I wouldn't even call it a team friendly, on a fair deal. Like, Isaiah Rogers isn't going to get from... I could be wrong here. I don't think he gets like 12 to 15 million. You know, I think it's... So you get him in like a second start, you know,

almost like the Bradley Fletcher type contract. I think that's something I could see for sure. All right. That'll do it for this episode of the P.H.O.I. Eagles podcast. Remember, good chance to get in, become a diehard. Best deal you're going to get. And also check out the store at All City. Get that birds, P.H.Y. Merch.

And, again, waiting too long into the episode to say it. But like the video, subscribe, comment underneath. help us out. Zach does so much for you. He sacrifices his sleep. All he's asking is just a click of the finger. All right. For the birthday girl, Zach and Jamie, we thank you for watching and listening. We'll talk to you tomorrow at 2 o'clock with the professor. And as always, we love you.