The Philidelphia Eagles concluded their three game road trip today with a comprehensive victory over the NFC East rival Giants today however it didn't begin so well for the Eagles. They began in the new and improved Georgia Dome against the consistently strong Atlanta Falcons. Coach Paterson went in with a gameplan to contain sophomore running back Tevin Coleman and star wide receiver Julio Jones. For the most part the Eagles were successful in doing this however it was unlikely hero Leonard Hankerson who would torch the secondary for 170 yards on just 3 receptions. The offense was solid with its production and looked to Riley Cooper for big plays. They would suffer however once in the Falcons half and had to settle for 3 field goals. Had the Eagles been more productive in the shortened field the outcome of this one may well have been different. The Eagles would then travel to their 2nd new stadium in as many weeks to play the vikings. Minnesota had a very strong offseason and this was notable in this matchup. The Eagles defense performed well for the most part but would tire towards the end of the game and ultimately fall to a handful of deep plays to Randall Cobb and rookie sensation Tyrone Poteat. Philly were never out of the game until midway through the 4th and will wonder yet again why they weren't able to perform in a shortened field. The Eagles finished the road trip travelling to the meadowlands and managed to improve to .500 as the offense continuously moved the ball and the defense could do its thing forcing 4 turnovers. The Eagles look forward now to getting back to the "Linc" and building on the back of this strong team performance.
To begin week 17, the 12-3 Philadelphia Eagles were coachless. Already a mature team with young talent they needed somebody who could keep the momentum going into the playoffs and who could put his own ideas to one side and continue what his predecessor had started. In coach Paterson's first game the Eagles would travel to New York to face the playoff seeking Giants. Trailing 27-10 at the half, they would rally back to win OT 37-34. The Eagles felt unbeatable. As the team was preparing to host the 8-8 Seahawks coach Paterson was struck ill and rushed to hospital. He would not make it to the game. The Eagles went on to lose 42-3 and would put up only 187 offensive yards. Compare that to the 527 yards the week prior and it's hard not to wonder what the result would have been had Coach Paterson been present.
Paterson and the front office would quickly get to work and plan how they would reload for the 2016/17 season. Free Agency wasn't exciting, but it was productive for the Eagles. Harry Douglas was brought into to provide a reliable option in the slot. In an attempt to strength the offensive line they heavily targeted LT Ryan Clady however they had to settle for the experienced, steady Barry Richardson. After converting to a 4-3 the Eagles brought back Vinny Curry for a second stint as well as the experienced Kroy Biermann and Chris Clemons to provide some rotation on the D-Line Playmaker Reggie Nelson will fit in perfectly next to Jenkins at FS. Granted, no superstars were signed, but the Eagles did pick up solid role players who are in the stages of their careers where their drive for a ring has never been greater. Heading into the draft Paterson knows he has areas still to strengthen. He knows he needs a no.1 WR to take pressure off the run game but will he have a QB who can give him the ball. Maxwell needs a partner at CB. Fans are excited at the prospect of another playoff berth. With the right additions in the draft, Eagles fans can be confident of progressing further to the big game.