Extra Points: Best, Worst of Eagles Regular Season
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Eagles coach Nick Sirianni did the right thing Saturday night.
Fans undoubtedly had a tough time watching Dallas roll to a 51-26 victory over the backups at Lincoln Financial Field, but any disappointment or anger will fade this week as the team prepares for the playoffs.
The Eagles had nothing to gain by playing the starters against the Cowboys. The talk about maintaining momentum is baloney. Better to let quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Miles Sanders and company rest and recuperate from minor injuries.
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Sirianni allowed several players to achieve some milestones early in the game - wide receiver DeVonta Smith set the team’s rookie receiving record and center Jason Kelce made his 122nd consecutive start - before banishing them to the bench. As a result, the Eagles will be well-rested when they take on Tampa Bay, the Los Angeles Rams, Arizona or perhaps even the Cowboys in next weekend’s wild-card round.
By qualifying for the playoffs for the fourth time in five seasons, the Eagles (9-8) have already surpassed expectations. Las Vegas oddsmaker set the over/under of wins this season at 6.5. Yours truly predicted a 4-13 outcome. But after a 2-5 start, Sirianni and defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon engineered an impressive turnaround.
I think the Eagles will be one-and-done in the playoffs, but just qualifying is a nice accomplishment. Here’s a look back at some of the plays and players who had roles in the best and worst of the regular season.
BEST GAME: Eagles 40, Saints 29 (Nov. 21, 2021). Quarterback Jalen Hurts rushed for three touchdowns and the Eagles began to establish their status as one of the league’s top running teams by rushing for a combined 242 yards. It was also the Eagles’ first at the Linc after an 0-4 start.
WORST GAME: Giants 13, Eagles 7 (Nov. 28, 2021). Hard to believe their best game was followed by their worst, but it’s true. They were horrible against the Giants. Hurts threw three interceptions and Giants quarterback Daniel Jones threw a touchdown pass before suffering a neck injury that ended his season.
BEST PLAY: (OFFENSE): Hurts connected with wide receiver Quez Watkins for a 91-yard gain against the 49ers on Sept. 19. It was tied for the second-longest pass play in franchise history. Ron Jaworski and Mike Quick own the record with a 99-yarder.
BEST PLAY (DEFENSE): Cornerback Darius Slay scooped up a fumble, dodged some would-be Broncos tacklers, and weaved his way upfield for an 82-yard touchdown at Denver on Nov. 14. It was the Eagles’ longest defensive touchdown since Walter Thurmond returned a fumble 83 yards for a TD against the Giants in 2015.
BEST PLAY (SPECIAL TEAMS): Linebacker T.J. Edwards blocked a punt at Carolina on Oct. 10 that linebacker Shaun Bradley recovered on the Panthers’ 26-yard line late in the game. That set up Hurts’ TD run that sealed a 21-18 victory.
WORST PLAY (OFFENSE): Ironically, the worst play occurred on the same day as their best play. Sirianni tried a version of the famous “Philly Special” against the 49ers on a fourth-and-goal from the 3-yard line. Wide receiver Greg Ward was supposed to throw an option pass to Hurts, but wound up throwing it out of bounds.
WORST PLAY (DEFENSE): Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes hit wide receiver Tyreek Hill for a 44-yard TD in Kansas City’s 42-30 win at the Linc on Oct. 3.
WORST PLAY (SPECIAL TEAMS): Brexton Berrios ran through a huge hole in the Eagles kickoff coverage for a 79-yard return to start the game that set up the Jets’ first touchdown on Dec. 5.
BEST SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE (OFFENSE): Hurts threw for 384 yards and three touchdowns against the Chiefs.
BEST SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE (DEFENSE): Slay had two interceptions at Carolina.
BEST SINGLE-GAME PERFORMANCE (SPECIAL TEAMS): Place-kicker Jake Elliott went 4-for-4 on field goals and also booted four extra points in the win over the Saints.
UNLUCKIEST PLAYER: Guard Brandon Brooks lasted just two games before suffering a pectoral muscle injury that wound up sidelining him for the rest of the season.
BEST OFFSEASON PICKUP: The Eagles caught a bit of flak for drafting wide receiver DeVonta Smith in the first round. Smith responded by setting a team rookie receiving record with 916 yards.
WORST OFFSEASON PICKUP: The Eagles signed former Washington defensive end Ryan Kerrigan to provide some depth up front. He was a non-factor with no sacks and just three tackles.
BEST OPPONENT (OFFENSE): Mahomes threw for 278 yards and five touchdowns against the Eagles. It tied the record for most TD passes vs. the Birds.
BEST OPPONENT (DEFENSE): Washington safety Landon Collins had an interception and a fumble recovery against the Eagles on Dec. 21.
WEIRD STAT OF THE SEASON: Running back Miles Sanders rushed for 754 yards and caught 26 passes for 158 yards, yet did not have any touchdowns.
TURNAROUND POINT: A 33-22 loss to the Raiders on Oct. 24 dropped their record to 2-5 and left critics wondering of Sirianni and Gannon would last the season. A 44-6 romp at Detroit the following week started the comeback.
WKU’s Zappe wins Earl Campbell Award
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Baltimore Ravens 2022 Offseason Preview: Pending free agents, team needs, draft picks, and more
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The Baltimore Ravens head into the offseason after enduring a tumultuous 2021 NFL season riddled with serious injuries and illnesses to most of their major contributors. What will Baltimore’s offseason look like? How will the Ravens deal with their pending 2022 free agents and team needs, and how will they utilize their draft picks?
Baltimore Ravens 2022 offseason preview
Lamar Jackson was not himself this season. His elusiveness and athleticism played to his detriment as a passer in 2021, as he freelanced far more frequently than in the past. As such, he made poor decisions and throws in the process.
The Ravens have a massive decision to make concerning Jackson’s potential contract extension. The process is a bit of an unknown because the star QB does not employ an agent. However, it’s difficult to envision the former league MVP not coming to some sort of long-term deal with the franchise this offseason.
Aside from Jackson’s future, the most significant list item for the Ravens to achieve in the offseason is health. They need Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Peters, J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Ronnie Stanley, and the local pizza delivery guy to all come back healthy in 2022.
It’s incredible they found as much success as they did this season without those key contributors for most of it.
The Ravens have $22.8 million in projected cap space
Source: Spotrac (as of Jan. 9)
Baltimore hasn’t made a habit of paying players if they don’t deserve it, so they won’t be looking to make too many moves in the offseason. Jackson will be their largest cap hit on his option year, but he is still extremely cheap in the grand scheme. His $23 million cap charge is a drop in the bucket compared to his market value.
With only Jackson accounting for more than 10% of the cap in 2022, the Ravens are in a prime position to bolster the softer spots of their roster with veterans on one-year deals. There will be some interesting decisions around the likes of Marcus Peters, Alejandro Villanueva, and Miles Boykin. Releasing all three could open up around $18.5 million if they feel they can replace all three with worthwhile options.
Ravens’ pending free agents
The Ravens could lose multiple contributing members from their defensive line. Brandon Williams and Calais Campbell are both scheduled to hit free agency. Between the two, their previous contracts added up to $23 million in average annual value. They’re both older now and could come cheaper, but that’s still a large chunk of their money that the Ravens “gain” in 2022.
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Patrick Ricard, Anthony Averett, DeShon Elliott, Sammy Watkins, and Justin Houston are all contributors with expiring contracts. The culture in Baltimore is A1, so there is a chance the Ravens sneak some of these guys back on the roster for slightly less than they’d receive on the open market.
How do the Ravens’ free agents rank among the best available in 2022? Be sure out our list of top free agents available at each position to find out.
Ravens’ team needs
We’ve talked a little bit about the defensive line, but that’s far from the only need Baltimore possesses heading into 2022. They need help in both trenches and quite possibly at cornerback as well.
The decisions around Villanueva and Peters will be crucial to shaping these needs. If they let Villanueva walk then tackle really is crucially important. However, the uncertainty around Ronnie Stanley’s health could also limit what they are willing to do at tackle this offseason.
Baltimore’s top five needs in the 2022 NFL offseason
Offensive tackle
Defensive tackle
Cornerback
Guard
Safety
Ravens’ 2022 NFL Draft picks
Baltimore could have more fourth-round picks than I’ve had toothbrushes since becoming an adult if they get their projected compensatory selections. And with four selections inside the top 102 picks, they should be able to do some damage at positions of need. They look set to have as many as nine total choices in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Here’s how the Ravens’ 2022 NFL Draft picks currently stand according to the draft order:
Round 1 (Pick 14)
Round 2 (Pick 13)
Round 3 (Pick 12 & 38)
Round 4 (Pick 5 — from NYG, 14, & 24* — from ARI)
Round 6 (Pick 196)
*Pick number dependent on results of 2022 NFL playoffs.
Labs, Leaders, Critical Connections
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Virtual Event Date: January 25-27, 2022
Time: 2:00 pm – 5:00 pm ET
The perseverance of women in science has been on full display this past year: they have made seminal scientific discoveries, taken up new leadership positions, started companies, and led the charge in the fight against COVID-19. The Rosalind Franklin Society celebrates these accomplishments, and many more, by recognizing, fostering, and advancing critical contributions from women in the life sciences and affiliated disciplines.
On January 25, 26, and 27 the Rosalind Franklin Society will host their annual end-of-year virtual conference co-sponsored by GEN. During this 3-day, complimentary event, we will hear insights from leaders in cutting-edge fields such as precision medicine and space exploration to large and small biotech industry leaders, as well as journalists, and new leadership in Washington. We know you will want to hear these presentations from prestigious scholars, authors, award winners, government leaders from NSF, OTPS, NASA, and the casting producer from Shark Tank!
To celebrate the life, work, and symbolic power of Dr. Franklin, the Society recognizes the work of outstanding women scientists, cultivates more significant opportunities for women in the sciences, and motivates and educates new generations of women who have this calling.
Now that the season is over for the Ravens, the real questions begin for the team’s decision-makers
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The offseason has arrived far earlier than anybody associated with the Ravens expected. When training camp began last July, Ravens decision-makers believed that they had built a team capable of weathering the inevitable challenges of a 17-game regular season and playing deep into January and possibly February.Their enthusiasm wasn’t dampened when they lost key performers J.K. Dobbins Derek Wolfe and L.J. Fort to season-ending injuries before Week 1 or when Ronnie Stanley ’s season ended after one game.For the better part of three months, the Ravens persevered through injuries and illness. Quarterback Lamar Jackson was in the MVP conversation. Kicker Justin Tucker was again showing why he’s one of the most unique weapons in the league. There were obvious flaws and shortcomings, but the Ravens were finding ways to win games. They ended November with an 8-3 record and in the top spot of both the division and the conference.With a difficult season-closing stretch and the injuries continuing to mount, nobody expected it to be easy.