Getty Eagles RB Miles Sanders
Running back Miles Sanders got a ton of heat for calling the 2022 Philadelphia Eagles an “All-Star Team” this summer. Four months later, they are backing it up with the best record in football. The Eagles own a perfect 6-0 record as they head into their bye week.
No one could have predicted a better start to the season, except for the man who actually did. Sanders had a sheepish grin on his face following a 26-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys as reporters asked him what was running through his mind. The Pittsburgh native took a playful shot at his adopted city, making sure to let everyone know the standard hasn’t been met.
“This is the same city that talked bad about me for saying we had an All-Star team, so I think I’m backing that up right now,” Sanders told reporters. “But it’s just a great feeling overall, just keep winning, the pace that we’re on. We still haven’t played our best game. Crazy.”
Sanders went on to say that he had a “bad taste” in his mouth from his 2021 season. He rushed for 754 yards last season but failed to get into the end zone, not even one touchdown. He’s got four scores in six games this season, with plans for more. Sanders is well on his way to shattering his career-high of six touchdowns from 2020. He rumbled for 71 yards against Dallas and got the party started after a 5-yard touchdown run.
“It’s four more than last year,” Sanders said. “Just a bad taste in my mouth from last year. I didn’t like that. The top running back not having no touchdowns? I gotta have 1,000 yards at least but [this year] I’m prepping my touchdown dances and stuff.”
Miles Sanders TOUCHDOWN. Eagles strike first.
📺: #DALvsPHI on NBC
📱: Stream on NFL+ t.co/exBLpcJhjS
The fourth-year player out of Penn State – a guy in a pivotal contract year – ranks fourth in the NFL in rushing this season with 485 yards on 105 carries. Guess what? He’s just getting started. Sanders is so confident that he’s been practicing his dance moves. He paid tribute to rapper GloRilla on Sunday Night Football.
“Shout out GloRilla, she’s a rapper,” Sanders said.
Bye Coming at Perfect Time for Banged Up O-Line
If there was one concern with the Eagles it’s on the injury front. Starting right tackle Lane Johnson left Sunday’s game with a concussion, while starting left guard Landon Dickerson sat out a series due to a nagging ankle injury. Starting right guard Isaac Seumalo played all 71 snaps against Dallas but his ankle isn’t quite 100-percent. Ditto for All-Pro center Jason Kelce.
Now they head into their bye week looking for rest and recovery. Perfect timing, right?
“With my ankle I’m sure happy about it,” Kelce told reporters. “Hopefully we can get healthy, the offensive line has been pretty banged up. It gives us a week to kind of recover but you know – I don’t know – after the bye week we’re going to have nine games straight. I’ll let you know how I like it around Week 13.”
The Eagles technically will play 11 straight games after the bye, although Kelce is counting the lull between Week 9 and Week 10 as a second bye since there is a Thursday Night Football game mixed in.
Darius Slay Comments on ‘Amazing’ Secondary
When Darius Slay looks at the Eagles secondary he sees a room full of dogs. The four-time Pro Bowler started barking as he shouted out James Bradberry and CJ Gardner-Johnson for coming up big against Dallas. Gardner-Johnson recorded two interceptions, including a game-sealing pick, while playing with an injured hand.
Bradberry tipped a pass that Gardner-Johnson swiped out of the air for his first pick, then batted away another Cooper Rush pass on a crucial 4th-and-1. He finished with four pass breakups on the night. Slay had an interception of his own versus Dallas to give him three picks on the year, tied for second-best in the league. The Eagles lead the NFL in takeaways with 14 (9 interceptions, 5 fumbles).
“It feels damn amazing,” Slay said of playing in this secondary. “I’ve been in a lot of great secondaries, this is one of them for sure and we got guys who can really get their hands on the football. We’ll continue to keep trying to thrive in it, because obviously turnovers was the difference today in winning. You look at the stats, the stats are even up, but the turnovers is what won the game for us so we gotta continue to keep turning the ball over.”
Darius Slay is glad the Eagles are balling… but he’s still amped about the bye week 😅😂