Eagles Believe They Can Tackle Scheduling Quirk

Monday night's game against the Commanders will be just the third time the team has played in 29 days

PHILADELPHIA – There are some reasons that Washington can come into Philadelphia and steal a win, such as a ground attack with a pair of thumpers in Brian Robinson and Antonio Gibson, a better quarterback than Carson Wentz in Taylor Heinecke, and a defensive line capable of shutting down the running game.

Perhaps at the top of the list is a quirk in the Eagles’ schedule that had them play just two games in the last 28 games and those two games came four days apart.

It will be just the third game in 29 days the Eagle will play a game when the Eagles host the Commanders on Monday night.

There could be some rust. 

There could be some early flatness to their game that, if they don’t snap out of it quick enough, could lead to a flatline and a farewell to that undefeated season.

Lose to the Colts and neophyte head coach Frank Saturday the following week, no harm. It’s an out-of-conference game.

Lose to the Commanders and it leaves a mark because it’s a game in the NFC East.

So maybe the Eagles won’t come out flat and spend a half trying to find their legs.

“Myself, I feel really rested and energized,” said edge rusher Haason Reddick on Thursday. “I don’t think it’s about getting myself to go. I just feel good and it’s about going out there and going.”

Maybe they will be just fine tackling, something that has been a struggle most of the season.

Or maybe they lose.

If so, the Eagles don’t believe it will be because of the schedule that had them play on Oct. 16 and then have their bye week. They played against the Steelers on Oct. 30 then four days later in Houston. 

Now, they have an extra day because they play on Monday night.

“I wouldn’t say I’m concerned,” said WR A.J. Brown, who is sixth in the NFL in receiving yards with 718. “This is what practice is for, knocking all the kinks off and doing what we have to do. We’re professionals and we play at a high level for a reason. If we can’t adjust after having a couple days off, we’re not professionals.”

Still, it’s a lot of me-time.

“It’s fine,” said left tackle Jordan Mailata. “It’s the NFL. I don’t know what the schedule is like for everybody else, so I’ll say it’s the NFL. We gotta do our best to prepare. We’re getting paid. We’re professionals and we get paid to do this for a living, so it’s up to the players to be ready.

“I would never say there’s too much me-time during the season, because when you get those short turnarounds, you wish you had me-time, so it’s depending on the situation.”

Mailata said the extra rest has helped his ailing right shoulder. Sort of.

“Yes and no,” he said. “It’s just something I try to manage week to week and just making sure I’m trying to increase the range and increase the strength in it, too. It depends on how it goes for the game. Get a couple dingers and you feel like you get set back, so you go to the sideline, tape it up again, do what you can to strength it.”

Just about every player talked to on Thursday leaned into the “we are professionals” reasoning for being ready to come out firing on all cylinders from the opening kickoff.

“That’s what we do,” said CB Darius Slay. “Y’all ain’t talked to us in how long, and y’all find a way to still ask some good questions, don’t you? 

"You gotta (use the time to) critique your job. I mean, some of y’all do ask some (stupid) questions … Just locked in, we focused. Just work. That’s our job.”

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.