PHILADELPHIA – Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni likes to use a lot of metaphors. That’s why it wasn’t surprising that he used one in the locker room Sunday after the Eagles defeated the Atlanta Falcons, 32-6. Sirianni said the victory was only a “Round 1” win, alluding to the fact that the season would be a 17-round fight to make the playoffs and be successful.
The Eagles, the young upstart team whom many felt would be a tune-up fight and lose to the Falcons, delivered a TKO win to their NFC South foe convincingly, opening up many eyes around the league.
Want more Eagles coverage? Get exclusive news, behind-the-scenes observations and the ability to text directly with reporters
Now, Sirianni is taking that comparison to the next level. During Wednesday’s press conference, Sirianni said that his team could not dwell on their Week 1 performance, stating they have to focus on the opponent that will be in the corner across from them in Week 2: The San Francisco 49ers.
“You can win Round 1, and if you are sitting in the corner thinking about how good you fought in Round 1, you’re going to get your butt kicked in Round 2,” Sirianni said. “Think about all the fans we have in the NFL. It’s unbelievable in this game. It’s like a heavyweight prizefight where people pay all this money to go see that fight. Every game is a heavyweight championship bout.”
The Eagles’ defense held the Falcons to 260 total yards of offense. In Week 2, the Eagles will have to face a 49ers offense that racked up the fifth-most amount of yards in Week 1 (442).
Sirianni credited 49ers head coach and offensive play-caller Kyle Shanahan for San Francisco’s early success, stating Shanahan focuses on the details just like Sirianni tries to do and knows how to attack a defense.
“His team plays with good fundamentals and a good scheme,” Sirianni said. “To me, that’s a big part of how you’re a good coach. That’s where he’s had an influence on me is just his scheme and the way his players play. No secret how good of a football coach he is.”
Veterans observe practice from the sidelines
Right guard Brandon Brooks and tight end Zach Ertz watched practice from the sidelines Wednesday. Brooks played in Sunday’s game, but has been dealing with a lingering knee issue. Ertz was held out as he deals with a hamstring issue that popped up late in the second quarter against the Falcons.
Safety Marcus Epps, who is still in the concussion protocol, was seen running on the field during the session of practice open to the media. Rodney McLeod (knee) was limited in practice. McLeod was seen taking part in some drills alongside Darius Slay and Steve Nelson when the team was working on special teams.
Wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside (ankle) and defensive end Ryan Kerrigan (personal matter) also did not practice.
The Eagles also limited the practice reps for defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, defensive end Brandon Graham, right tackle Lane Johnson, center Jason Kelce, and cornerback Darius Slay. Running back Miles Sanders was also limited in practice not only for rest, but for an ankle injury.
Gainwell and his pass protection
It came as a surprise that Kenny Gainwell saw a lot of time on the field Sunday, playing 25 snaps, including an entire two-minute drill that led to a touchdown. Gainwell has earned the coaching staff’s trust by improving his pass blocking, which he struggled with early in training camp.
Gainwell figures to play a similar role in the Week 2 game against the 49ers. Gainwell will have to decipher the 49ers front-seven and pick up on whom he has to pick up not only in standard pass protection but blitzes drawn up by 49ers defensive coordinator DeMeco Ryans.
Gainwell says that he is ready for the task and will lean on center Jason Kelce to help set the protection of quarterback Jalen Hurts.
“It’s making sure I listen to the calls from the center and understanding everything,” Gainwell said. “It means being attentive, learning, and studying, doing everything I have to do.”
Quick Hits
- With Brooks out of practice, this year’s second-round draft pick Landon Dickerson stepped in to play right guard. Dickerson was inactive for Week 1, as he is still recovering from an ACL surgery he underwent in December, but he has looked much improved this week in practice. A full participant in practice, Dickerson was moving around with no problems while showing some power in run blocking drills.
- Prior to practice, Sirianni addressed speculation that the 49ers might have signed former Eagles running back Kerryon Johnson -- at least partially -- due to his knowledge of the Philly offense. Sirianni said, in his experience, that information overload can cause disadvantages for a defense and he isn’t concerned about the potential strategy sharing.
-Linebacker Davion Taylor was a full participant in practice. Taylor missed multiple weeks with a calf injury. Taylor is expected to backup Alex Singleton at the WILL position and play on special teams.
Your browser doesn’t support HTML5 audio
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Chris Franklin may be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com.
Ad Choices