Oh, the drama.
It always seems to pick up in the NFL when a team with expectations goes through tough times.
There has been a good deal of drama following the Eagles' consecutive losses by a combined score of 75-30, dropping the team to 3-4.
Much of the drama has surrounded franchise quarterback Carson Wentz. ESPN's Josina Anderson reported last week that an anonymous Eagles source had frustrations with Wentz and the team's offense.
More dysfunction and confusion surrounding the report unfolded Monday after the Eagles' 37-10 loss Sunday night to the Cowboys.
And everyone remembers the PhillyVoice report in January citing anonymous sources inside the organization calling Wentz "selfish" and "egotistical."
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On Monday's Ryen Russillo Podcast for The Ringer, former Eagle Chris Long addressed the negative buzz around the Eagles, specifically Wentz. The two-time Super Bowl champion is fully aware the 2019 Eagles have a litany of issues outside of the play at quarterback.
"In all of the losses to date except for [Sunday night], I didn't think he generally looked bad at all," Long said of Wentz. "They have two more wins if the players catch balls in the Atlanta game and the Detroit game - those are facts. I don't think there would be this bubbling headline ready to overflow if it weren't for those drops and some of the injuries. And then [Sunday night], he didn't play well. Quarterbacks have bad games. There's no way you can tell me he is not a franchise quarterback. I just don't believe it. His ceiling is too high, we can't cherry pick."
Long was one of the leaders for the Eagles team that hoisted the Lombardi Trophy in February 2018. He was also great in the community and good with the media, according to those who cover the Eagles. If anonymous players are leaking information to reporters, Long has a big problem with that. Long's final season was with the Eagles last year, so he obviously knows these teammates and the locker room very well.
Here was his perspective regarding the reports on Wentz:
I was bummed about that. No, I don't think they're right about it. Last year, it was complaints about leadership, over-targeting Zach Ertz. Listen, he targeted Zach Ertz a ton last year, but Zach was also very good. Could he have spread the ball around a little bit more? Sure. But I think he probably took that to heart, took the criticism, didn't lash out at anybody, didn't start screaming or kicking and coming in and motherf---ing people. Listen, if I was him and there's people in the building that are talking about the franchise quarterback to reporters, you got a problem, come say it to me. … There was a big article questioning his leadership and his decision-making, etc. They tried to make it an Alshon [Jeffery] thing. A source told me that it wasn't Alshon last year. Now this year, there's the Josina thing, which is disappointing again. And again, people are trying to make it Alshon.
I'm disappointed with any player that has an issue with a teammate and doesn't come to that teammate, and goes through a reporter. There had been situations where reporters had come to me because I'm media-friendly and tried to get me to sink people or sink coaches. I just don't do it. Because it's bulls--t. That's not the way you do things. If you want your team to be successful, you have a man-to-man conversation with the person you think is the problem, if you think they're the problem. And by the way, Carson is not the problem in Philadelphia. He's just not.
The Eagles' next four games come against the Bills, Bears, Patriots and Seahawks, teams with a combined record of 20-6.
Wins and staying in the playoff race will help quiet the drama and any anonymous voices.
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