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INDIANAPOLIS – Frank Reich is one of the rare ones in the NFL.
On Sunday, Reich’s going to a place where he used to work and things will be more of a celebratory mood, with that partnership ending on a happy note.
Reich didn’t get his pink slip from the Eagles.
After two years as the team’s offensive coordinator, and helping Philadelphia to Super Bowl LII, Reich left the Eagles in February to become the head football coach of the Indianapolis Colts.
“It’s special,” Reich says of this weekend. “A lot of times in this business, usually when you are going back some place, you are usually going back to some place you got fired from and so this isn’t like that.
“I have nothing but great memories and tremendous experience in the two years there. I couldn’t have a higher opinion of the organization and the people there. But at the end of the day, we are all after the same thing. I owe a lot to that organization because they helped give me the opportunity that I have right now to be the head coach here. But it’s exciting to go back and to be able to compete against the defending Super Bowl champions and that’s what we plan on doing.”
Reich said that him and Eagles head coach Doug Pederson exchanged some texts on Monday, but their communication will be pretty quiet besides that this week.
There’s a game to be played.
“Doug and I are very, very close, I mean very close,” Reich said. “I am as close with Doug as I am with anybody in this profession. I just think the world of him. I think he’s a superior coach. He’s an incredible coach and an incredible person.
“But you know in this business, we are at work.”
The Eagles will have Carson Wentz back under center for his first action of 2018. Wentz tore his ACL in December of last season, paving the way for Nick Foles to lead the Eagles on the magical run.
Wentz was outstanding in 13 starts before tearing his ACL. He threw for 33 touchdowns, 3,296 yards, while leading the Eagles to an 11-2 start in his second NFL season.
Foles has quarterbacked the Eagles to a 1-1 start in 2018, with some shaky moments offensively from Philadelphia early in the year.
The Eagles are down several targets at the wide receiver position due to Alshon Jeffery and Mike Wallace dealing with injuries. The team actually signed former Colt Kamar Aiken last week. Aiken had 5 catches for 39 yards in last week’s loss to the Bucs.
Defensively, the Eagles’ dynamic front has produced the league’s top rushing defense (58.5 yards per game) through two weeks. But the Philadelphia D ranks 27th against the pass.
2018 Record: 1-1, tied for first in the NFC East.
Head Coach: Doug Pederson, head coach (3rd season as an NFL head coach, 21-13 overall in regular season, 3-0 in the postseason).
2018 NFL Rankings: Offense – Overall, 24th (322.0); Rushing, 18th (102.0); Passing, 23rd (220.0). Defense – Overall, 18th (367.5); Rushing, 1st (58.5); Passing, 27th (309.0).
2018 Leading Quarterback: Nick Foles (54-of-82 comp., 451 yards, 65.9 pct., 1 TD, 0 INTs, 78.9 rating).
2018 Leading Running Back: Jay Ajayi (22 carries, 85 yards, 1 TD).
2018 Leading Receiver: Zach Ertz (16 receptions, 142 yards, 0 TDs).
2018 Leading Sacker: Fletcher Cox (2.5).
2018 Turnover Breakdown: Minus 1 (tied for 21st in the NFL).
2018 NFL Draft Results: With no second or third round picks entering the 2018 Draft, the Eagles were always a favorite to trade out of the No. 32 slot. They did that, moving back to No. 48 overall, where they took South Dakota State tight end Dallas Goedert. That trade added a 4th rounder in 2018 (and another in 2019). In the fourth round this past April, Philadelphia spent their two picks on CB-Avonte Maddox (Pittsburgh) and DE-Josh Sweat (Florida State). The Eagles had just 5 total selections in the 2018 Draft.
2017 Review: What a second season it was for Doug Pederson and young quarterback Carson Wentz. After a 1-1 start, the Eagles rolled off 9 straight wins. But Wentz tore his ACL in Week 14. The Eagles still secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC with a 13-3 record. With Nick Foles under center, the Eagles defense was dominant, allowing just 17 points in the NFC Divisional and Championship games. The offense then stole the show in Super Bowl LII, winning a shootout over the New England Patriots. Philadelphia overcame season-ending injuries to All-Pro tackle Jason Peters, Darren Sproles and Wentz.
Last time in Playoffs: 2017 season. Won Super Bowl LII, 41-33, over the New England Patriots.
Last time in Super Bowl: 2017 season. Won Super Bowl LII, 41-33, over the New England Patriots.
Super Bowl Championships: One. 2017 season (Super Bowl LII).
2017 Pro Bowl Selections: QB-Carson Wentz, TE-Zach Ertz, OG-Brandon Brooks, OT-Lane Johnson, DT-Fletcher Cox, S-Malcolm Jenkins.
