The Eagles have a chance to improve to 4-4 (.500!) with a win over the free-falling Cowboys, who have lost their last five games since Tony Romo got knocked out with a broken collarbone.
As we get ready for another Sunday Night Football game, here's this week's Twitter mailbag:
It seems like a combination of all three things. We'll start with rusty. Bradford is coming off another major knee injury and had to learn a new offense this offseason. It's understandable to see some rust. The problem is the rust is still there through seven games. The team and fans can allow for some rust in the first few games but how long can everyone wait for Bradford to shake that rust? I'll say this: he has looked more comfortable in the offense and in the pocket in the last few games. We see it the most when he's able to avoid pass rushers with his legs in the pocket to either extend plays or scramble for first downs. The chemistry with the receivers kind of goes along with the rust question. The relationship between quarterback and receiver doesn't happen overnight and it's impossible to nail down how long it should take for them to get on the same page. It happens at a different rate of time for each pair of receiver and quarterback. It, obviously, has to get better.
Finally, is Bradford just bad? Well, maybe not bad, but it's possible he's just not that good. His best season came in 2012, when he threw for 3,702 yards with 21 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, with a passer rating of 82.6. That's not bad. It's certainly not great either. Perhaps the expectations placed on Bradford this season were simply unfair. We saw a glimpse in the preseason and had visions of him taking Chip Kelly's offense and running it well. Maybe he just is what he is.
OK, so I'm not going to answer this question literally but I think it's important we talk about Jordan Matthews. He's in something many NFL players worry about: the sophomore slump. He had a very good rookie season and much like Bradford had high expectations thrust upon him. So far, Matthews' biggest problem has been dropped passes and it's a big problem.
One thing about Matthews: I think he has the right mindset to get over the problem. He has made sure he continues to not change his routine. He trusts his process; after all, it's what got him to the NFL. It wouldn't be very surprising to see him have a big second half.
Well, they're contending for the NFC East if that's what you mean. Because the division has been so bad through about half the season, the Eagles still have a shot. In fact, Bovada has the Eagles as the favorite to win the NFC East. The Cowboys have lost five straight and if the division comes down to the final road game against the Giants in North Jersey, I'm taking the Eagles. They seem to pull out big games there.
As far as being serious contenders to win the Super Bowl or even the NFC? Nah. It certainly doesn't look like it so far. The only reason they might have an outside shot is the defense. The Eagles' defense has shown signs that it can be an elite unit. If that happens and Bradford turns it around, sure, anything's possible. It's just unlikely.