A big thank you to the Executive Team at Eagledelphia for having me back to answer another edition of the mailbag!
The 2015 Philadelphia Eagles season is halfway in the books and there may, actually, be more questions now than way back prior to Week One. Please keep the questions coming! The more outrageous the question, the more outrageous the answer!
Has Sam Bradford finally turned the corner after Sunday's win in Dallas? – JOHN in NEW HOPE, PA
John…before I get to your answer, a good friend of mine owns Suzie's Hot Shoppe in New Hope so please be a patron if you enjoy anything spicy! As for Bradford, Sam played his most consistent game of the 2015 season Sunday night but what you've seen against Carolina and Dallas the last two weeks is, pretty much, what you are going to get from Sam. He is throwing the ball better with more confidence and, more importantly, following through with the lower half of his body. The push you are seeing with his legs is proof he has more confidence in his rehabilitated knee. All the team needs now is more imagination with the play calling and more consistent play from the skill positions surrounding Bradford. Keep the drops limited and keep a balanced run to pass ratio and we may just see this team in the playoffs.
How big is the impact of Jordan Hicks' injury to the Eagles' defense? – CHARLIE in MALVERN, PA
Charlie, let me begin with my stating on Draft day, I called the Hicks third round pick, "weak." I'm rarely wrong but when I am, it's almost never as off as I was about Jordan. His instincts and react-time are very rare for a rookie linebacker and you could make a case that if he stayed healthy, he would not only be the Eagles' defensive MVP but a legitimate NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year candidate. Losing Hicks could be catastrophic because of the fragility of the remaining inside backers. We all love Ryans, Kendricks and Alonso but all three struggle to get on the field week to week. Compound this loss with the lack of pass rush coming from the outside linebackers and we could be looking at a big challenge for Philadelphia's defensive front seven in the second half of the season.
Which of the next three games is the biggest trap game to you? – SEAN in HAMILTON, NJ
Sean, Delorenzo's pizza near you, technically, Trenton. Try it. I highly recommend. As for your question, the easy answer is Detroit on Thanksgiving as this is the Lions' Super Bowl every year. The real answer is Tampa Bay. The Bucs have a savvy, veteran head coach in Lovie Smith, a brilliant offensive coordinator in Dirk Koetter and a rookie quarterback capable of taking over a game in Jameis Winston. Mike Evans is a big time weapon for the Bucs, as well, so let's hope Billy Davis doesn't take that team lightly here at Lincoln Financial Field.
If the season ended today, who is the MVP of this team and why? – STEPHEN in WEST DEPTFORD, NJ
Stephen, the answer comes from the specifics of your question, "if the season ended today." In that case, Jordan Hicks is the MVP of this Eagles team. Think about this: if not for Hicks, Dallas not only sweeps the Eagles but has a healthy Tony Romo which would catapult the Cowboys into first place of this dreadful NFC East division. I can't say enough about Hicks and how proud I am of his play at such a young age. Let's hope he is not an injury prone player and we all enjoy watching him for many years.
Who is the most underrated player on the team this season? – TOM in WEST CHESTER
Tom? Is this my brother, Tom? Nah…you'd just call me. Regardless, Tom, that's a tough question for a team underachieving almost across the board. Bennie Logan is a big man and a big name in town but I don't think he gets nearly enough credit for his consistent play, particularly against the run. It's a big task for a two gap defensive tackle in a 3-4 and Logan handles it well. How can you not love this Eagles defensive line?
That's it for this edition of the Eagledelphia Mailbag! Please keep the questions coming. We're all excited here at Eagledelphia to cater to the fans and grateful for you taking the time to send us your thoughts!
You can also read my NFL Notes and Musings and What 2 Watch 4 columns on voodoobrown.com where I reside as Senior Editor.
If you're a night owl or an early riser, Football Friday starts with me and Big Daddy Graham on Sportsradio 94WIP in Philadelphia every week from 2 a.m. to 6 a.m.
Follow me on Twitter: @darrendegaetano
