Eagles Notebook: Eagles' Josh Huff flips at chance to contribute

JOSH HUFF, who'd played just four snaps a week earlier against Washington, was a big part of yesterday's 39-17 Eagles' victory over the New Orleans Saints.

Huff set a tone by running the opening kickoff back 40 yards. Then he scored the team's first touchdown of the day, zooming 41 yards down the visitors' sideline with a second-quarter Sam Bradford pass.

"I just prepared like I was going to have this opportunity. The opportunity arose, and I was able to make the most of it," said Huff, a 2014 third-round wideout who finished the day with four catches for a team-high 78 yards. Bradford spread his 32 completions among nine receivers.

There was no doubt Huff was disappointed to see the field so little at Washington. Chip Kelly told reporters during the week that Huff had missed the Jets game with a hamstring, then hadn't been able to practice until toward the end of the Washington week, so he didn't really plan much for Huff.

"He had a really good week of training" this past week, Kelly said. "You sink to your level of training, and your level of training allows you to play well on Sunday . . . I thought he did a really nice job for us today."

Asked if the kickoff return gave the Eagles a jolt, Huff said: "I felt like it gave the whole team a jolt. I really wanted to return it for a touchdown . . . It gave us a boost that we needed. I'm trying to do that every week, if the kicker's giving me a chance to bring the ball out."

Huff, known as much for miscues as big plays during his rookie season, decided to punctuate his first career touchdown from scrimmage by crossing the goal line in a somersault.

"I haven't flipped since high school. I just thought it would be a grand opportunity to do so, with me so open," Huff said.

"(Tight end Zach) Ertz had a high angle route. I was coming across as a drag. I saw a hole and I just shot up in it, hoping Bradford was able to feed me, and he did . . . Ertz threw a couple blocks downfield."

Huff got a slow start with a shoulder separation, lost a fumble his rookie year, and also basically handed an interception to a defender, causing him to lament last November that "everything I've done has been going bad."

"Last year the game was a little bit fast for me, but this year, I know what to expect," Huff said yesterday. "I know what the defense is trying to do, and I'm very aware of my surroundings and how to protect the ball."

Fletcher Cox is the first Eagles player with three sacks and two forced fumbles since sacks became an official stat, in 1982 . . . Rookie inside linebacker Jordan Hicks has now recovered three fumbles, in successive weeks . . . outside linebacker Bryan Braman's sack was the first of his career . . . The 34 first downs were the most the Eagles have compiled under Chip Kelly . . . Donnie Jones punted only once, for 50 yards, 49 net . . . Right guard Matt Tobin said he practiced at left tackle Tuesday and Wednesday, then got one day in Thursday at guard with the group that started and finished the game, when left tackle Jason Peters (quad) was able to practice . . . That unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on the Eagles' bench following a Drew Brees fumble was called on Kelly, he acknowledged. What did he do? "Something you're not allowed to do, because you get a penalty for (it)," Kelly said.

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