Smallwood: For Eagles, it's won game at a time

IT IS THE most overused cliché in sports - the favorite line for every coach and player in just about every sport. It is meant to focus attention on the task at hand instead of looking ahead.

"We just have to approach it the same - one day at a time," Eagles coach Doug Pederson said on Monday becoming the something-thousandth coach to orate this theme for the something-millionth time, "That's the way this business goes.

"We have to stay humble about this. There is still a lot of football left. We just have to take it one game at a time."

OK, make that the something-thousandth and one coach to say that for the something-millionth and one time.

The funny thing, however, about that old, tired, boring approach is that if you can pull it off it probably is the best way to look at things. The Eagles did not go from preseason nobodies to realistic playoff contenders by going 3-0. They did it by going 1-0 for three consecutive games.

Now the Birds go into an early bye week with directions from Pederson to take a physical and mental break from football, but return to the NovaCare Center on Oct. 3 with their attention focused on the next game at the Detroit Lions.

"The message (to the players) is to get away from football and get away from it for a bit," Pederson said. "It's been a hard training camp and then going into the regular season.

"We had three physical games already, so get healthy, rejuvenate, rest and come back ready to go. It's going to be 13 straight weeks."

With the Eagles coming off Sunday's 34-3 woodshedding of the Pittsburgh Steelers, a lot of fans want the team to keep riding the wave of momentum and fear a bye week could hurt.

Eagles defensive end Connor Barwin had a different take on it telling WIP on "The Mike and Ike Show" that, "If you break down the whole season, we're kind of closer to the halfway point than people think.

"We had six or seven weeks of training camp, which is really the hardest part of the season. We're at nine or 10 weeks of work, which cuts the season in half. So I think this could be a good time."

There is no denying that the early bye benefits the Eagles, as tight end Zach Ertz and cornerback Leodis McKelvin back could return from injury without missing another game.

The coaching staff will also have two weeks to figure out how it wants to make adjustments to the offensive line with the inevitable performance-enhancing drug suspension of right tackle Lane Johnson expected to begin as soon as his appeal is heard this week.

Obviously, there is a danger that a break could affect the momentum the Eagles have built while jumping to their 3-0 start.

Pederson knows that the Birds, and particularly rookie quarterback Carson Wentz, are one of the top stories in the NFL right now.

Pederson has talked to his players about enjoying the moment, but keeping it in perspective.

"The biggest thing is complacency," he said of the dangers of a fast start. "You think you've arrived. You think you are all that. When that creeps in, that's when you get beat. It's my job to not let that creep in. I've got the guys focused and grounded.

"You're on top of the world one minute and then you can be at the bottom of the heap in the next. We just got to keep things on even keel. You can't get too high or too low."

Many of the Eagles have talked about how Pederson, being a former NFL quarterback, has helped build the relationship between coach and players.

He has even more clout when he imparts wisdom because he understands what they are going through from similar personal experiences.

"In 22 years in the NFL (as a player and coach), I've been on teams that have started fast and teams that have started slow," Pederson said. "It's just how you stay the course.

"There's no substitution for preparation and hard work that we do. We stay the course and see what happens on Sundays. So far, it's been great."

There is an opportunity for the Eagles. The NFC East is considered to be wide open and, while they were predicted to finish last, they are now the only undefeated team in the division.

Still, 13 games remain, and Pederson knows the best way to manage them is the oldest cliché in the coaching manual.

"You're building for one ultimate goal, but that's still a lot of weeks down the road," he said. "That's what you are trying to get to. But you can't get there unless you take care of the next opponent."

@SmallTerp