There was absolutely no doubt for Nate Sudfeld.
He wanted to stay in Philadelphia.
And that's exactly what happened. Sudfeld, the Eagles' third-string quarterback, was signed to the 53-man roster earlier this week as the Eagles prevented the Indianapolis Colts from poaching him off the practice squad.
"Never for one minute that I've been here have I thought that they didn't believe in me and I've wanted to play my best for them," Sudfeld said. "I'm thrilled that they think of me that much and did everything they could to keep me around and see a future with me being apart of it."
Keeping Sudfeld might have surprised some fans, but it's pretty clear the Eagles must think a lot of him. They showed interest in him during the 2016 draft, when Washington took him in the sixth round. But Sudfeld never forgot about his encounters with the Eagles. He even chatted with Eagles coaches before the two games against them last season.
Sudfeld likes it so much in Philly that he said he would have even considered staying on the practice squad instead of joining the Colts' 53-man roster. Good thing for him, the Eagles didn't know that. They signed him so they wouldn't lose him. He's felt the love from the Eagles for a long time. It's why he decided to come to Philly this September instead of staying in Washington.
"Absolutely," Sudfeld said. "They showed interest during the draft process and then got to see them before games and things last year. They were saying hi. That little stuff has been great."
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Nick Foles is obviously the Eagles' backup quarterback for now, but it seems very possible that Sudfeld could end up being the Eagles' backup quarterback at some point. There are always teams who need quarterbacks and Foles might not be a bad option for some of them.
Did Sudfeld really think about leaving?
Yeah, of course. But he talked it over with his family and his agent. "Ultimately, I'm happy I stayed here," he said.
More praise for Wentz
It's going to become an every week thing. The opponents who are about to play the Eagles are going to praise Carson Wentz. That's how well he has been playing this season.
The top-notch Denver defense is no exception.
Von Miller is impressed:
"He just has that vibe about him. I hate comparisons in the National Football League. I don't want to compare him to Ben Roethlisberger or Aaron Rodgers or Andrew Luck because he's totally different than them. He does have the ability to stay up. He's not trying to go down. He's out there trying to play football. He's not even playing quarterback. He's out there playing football. It's similar to Ben Roethlisberger and Andrew Luck, but like I said, I'm not making any comparisons. He's totally different. He's faster than those guys. He's quicker than those guys. It's going to be a tough challenge."
Here's head coach Vance Joseph when asked how Wentz went from North Dakota State to the NFL's MVP race:
"I'm not sure. His background, but he's the second pick of the draft for a reason. He's a talent. He uses his legs. He's a big guy, he has a great arm and he has great legs. He has courage and poise and he's smart. I'm not sure how he got to that school, but where he is now, he's a special player. He's up for the MVP in my opinion watching the guy play. He is a playmaker and he plays with a lot of courage. He has some Brett Favre in him. He doesn't slide, he runs for first downs and he hangs in the pocket and holds the ball a long time on occasions to make big plays. He's a special player. I'm not sure how he got there, but where he is now, he's special."
Here's what Broncos DC Joe Woods had to say about Wentz:
"He's a big guy. He can make all the throws. He has great touch on his deep ball. Guys just bounce off of him in the pocket. I know guys compare him to Ben Roethlisberger and I see why. He is a good young quarterback. It's only going to get better. He's doing a hell of a job right now."
Where's the beef?
Fletcher Cox made sure to call Joe Staley this week after his block on the 49ers' offensive tackle left Staley with a gash under his eye and a fractured orbital bone. At the time, Staley thought it was a dirty hit, so Cox called him to clear the air.
"We talked through it and he did tell me that he's been on the opposite side of that situation," Cox said. "And at that point right there during a football game, what can I do besides check on him? He's fine and we have no beef or nothing going on."
Cox said it was a mistake that his hand slipped through Staley's face mask. Cox said he was glad Staley was OK (relatively) and was thankful he didn't break his hand.
The block came after Jalen Mills' second-quarter interception and helped Mills get into the end zone for his first-career pick-six.
"This game is so fast," Cox said. "Most people don't understand. I understand that he was probably frustrated at the time and thought it was a dirty play. But honestly, who goes out and pokes people in the eye on purpose? We got helmets on so why would you do that?"
Quote of the Week I: "I'm just glad now that there's two backs I don't want to see in December are both on my team. Good luck to everybody else." - Malcolm Jenkins on the trade for Jay Ajayi
Quote of the Week II: "I always say, man, it's an 80-20. Eighty percent chance I'm gonna catch it. Twenty percent chance it's going to be incomplete." - Alshon Jeffery on 50-50 balls
Quote of the Week III: "I woke up today as a Philadelphia Eagle and I'm very excited about that." - Jay Ajayi
Random media guide note: If Destiny Vaeao could play another sport, he would want to be a forward for the Manu Samoa rugby squad.
