Kendricks plans to practice, could play vs. Cardinals
Mychal Kendricks has missed the last four games, but the Eagles' starting inside linebacker could be back this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. The Eagles return to practice on Tuesday after a full week off.
Mychal Kendricks has missed the last four games, but the Eagles' starting inside linebacker could be back this Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals. The Eagles return to practice on Tuesday after a full week off.
"I'll be in practice this week pushing forward to do what I set out to complete while not seeing this as a setback but as a way forward," Kendricks wrote on his personal website on Monday.
Kendricks said after a Week 2 victory to the Indianapolis Colts that his calf had "spasms," but the injury was clearly more serious than spasms. Kendricks progressed to the point that he was able to jog leading up to the Week 6 game against the Giants. However, he has not practiced since he suffered the injury.
"Watching our team thrive on the sideline has been great, but I can't help but want to be apart [sic] of what we are building on the field," Kendricks wrote. "After the release of my bitterness came acceptance because it's better I come back fresh from an injury than attempt to overwork myself and end up injuring myself further."
Kendricks' status for Sunday's game will become clearer later in the week.
The Eagles used Casey Matthews, Emmanuel Acho, and Marcus Smith at inside linebacker in Kendricks' absence. Matthews started three games, and Acho started one.
"You have to hope you have enough depth, and you try to teach your guys that aren't the starters that they have to prepare like they're starters because they're literally a play away," Eagles coach Chip Kelly said. "That's not a cliché. They literally are a play away from having to go in and play an extended amount of time, and you hope they're prepared. Casey and Acho have done a good job when they've been thrown into it with Mychal going down."
When Kendricks returns, the Eagles will have a decision to make on Smith. They drafted Smith in the first round as an outside linebacker, but defensive coordinator Bill Davis did not rule out keeping Smith on the inside.
Mathis will practice
Guard Evan Mathis (sprained knee ligament) told Comcast SportsNet he has been cleared to practice this week. Mathis is not eligible to play until Nov. 10 against the Carolina Panthers because he is on the injured reserve-designated to return list.
Mathis said that center Jason Kelce is "ahead of schedule" in his recovery from a sports hernia.
Cole racks up sacks
In the first eight games last season, Trent Cole did not record a sack. Since then, he has 111/2 sacks in 14 games. Cole recorded 31/2 sacks in six games this season, including a sack in each of the last two games.
"I'm still a high-producer," Cole said. "There's more years to come of this."
Cole turned 32 earlier this month and is in his 10th NFL season. He spent the first eight years as a defensive end in a 4-3 scheme, and he needed to adjust to survive with the Eagles as an outside linebacker. The transition included growing pains early last season, but Cole said he now feels comfortable and knows his role within the defense.
"I always thought I could stand up and rush the quarterback," Cole said. "But I never thought 9-10 years later, I'd be playing in it."
Cole believes his career could be extended at outside linebacker. He said he's taking less of a beating than when he was on the line every play, although he has needed to run more since coach Chip Kelly arrived.
Cole has played 77 percent of the snaps during the first six games, which is an increase from last season, when he took 73 percent of the snaps. With the way Brandon Graham has improved this season, the Eagles might need to find a way to get the fifth-year linebacker on the field more. That leaves defensive coordinator Bill Davis with a juggling act with Graham, Cole, and Connor Barwin.
"We feel that we've got three guys in there that when you look up, it's not, 'Why is he in the game?' It's, 'All right, let's go,' " Kelly said. "Part of what we're doing is trying to get the best guys out there and giving them an opportunity to make plays."
No prime time
The Eagles' Week 11 game against the Green Bay Packers and their Week 14 game against the Seattle Seahawks will not be moved to prime time. The Fox Network protected the games, preventing NBC from moving them to the night slot.
The Eagles visit the Packers on Nov. 16 for a 1 p.m. game. The Seattle game is at 4:25 p.m. on Dec. 7 at Lincoln Financial Field.