unCovering the Birds with Jeff McLane

Anytime a player goes public and describes an aspect of his team as a “s--- show,” you’ve got a story. When the person saying it is a star whose happiness has been in question all season long, you’ve got a major headline. Such is where the Eagles and A.J. Brown landed this week. As much as Brown, his teammates, and coaches downplayed the shock value of his remarks, to think that everything is “business as usual” with the Eagles would be misguided. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane shares what he’s been hearing and what he knows about Brown, the receiver’s role this year, and how the Eagles, collectively, can get him on track in the second half of the season. 00:00 The Eagles offense, now a “s--- show” 01:55 What’s A.J. Brown’s beef? 04:26 The culpability of the coaches 09:38 The culpability of the quarterback 14:45 The culpability of the receiver 19:55 Jeff’s take on the saga unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

It wasn’t flashy, but the Eagles certainly made a statement coming back from the bye with a gritty 10-7 win in Green Bay. They beat a good team, in a hostile environment, and played with valuable intangibles that could serve them well down the stretch of the season. Yes, the offense remains a mystery. But the defense, with new and familiar faces in the fold, showed why it could very well be capable of carrying the Eagles on another deep run. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and David Murphy analyze the good, bad, and curious from Monday night's victory at Lambeau Field. unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

The turnaround the Eagles orchestrated in less than three weeks was no small feat. The defending Super Bowl champs went from looking listless to inspired, showcasing a dominant, balanced performance against an opponent that had blown them out just two games earlier. From Jalen Hurts' poise and precision to Saquon Barkley's first breakout day of the season, the Eagles, which also boasted a punishing pass rush in their 38-20 win over the Giants, are looking more and more like the group that reached the top of the NFL mountain last February. Now that the bye week is here, The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane and Mike Sielski take stock of the 6-2 Eagles, what moves general manager Howie Roseman might consider making at the trade deadline, and how well positioned the franchise is for the homestretch of the season. 00:00 Guess who's back? Saquon's back! 06:41 Why did it take the Eagles seven weeks to tweak running game? 15:43 Does Howie Roseman need to make a trade for more defense? 23:22 Did A.J. Brown finally cross a line? 31:38 Mike's hot take about Nick Sirianni unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

Can the Eagles finally get Saquon Barkley going? The question feels like it’s the last big one left for the Eagles’ offense to answer this season, which has seen the group go through ups and downs during the first half of the year. But on the heels of the Eagles deploying a more under-center, play-action flavored attack in Minnesota to tap into an explosive passing performance, there’s growing optimism inside the NovaCare Complex that the team is getting closer to unlocking its record-setting running back. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane examines key reasons why Barkley and the Eagles’ run game have struggled, and whether a rematch with the archrival Giants could prove the right antidote. 00:00 The next big issue to address on offense... 01:42 Are the run game issues all on Saquon Barkley? 06:30 Jordan Mailata breaks down the Eagles' different run schemes 10:02 The impact of under-center runs 15:42 How Barkley is dealing with his drop in production 20:13 Where health is hurting the Eagles the most unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes dropping each week throughout the season.

Not only was Jalen Hurts called upon to step up, he got a phone call in the middle of his post-game press conference in Minnesota. “When you win, everyone wants to call you,” he joked. In the Eagles’ 28-22 victory over the Vikings, the star quarterback was certainly a winner, delivering one of the most statistically-impressive performances of his career. The 326 passing yards and three touchdowns were much needed, as Hurts, along with the dynamic receiving duo of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, led the way in getting the Eagles back on track after a two-game slide. What changed on offense, where plenty of criticism has been directed this year? How did a couple of welcomed faces help the defense clamp down? The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Marcus Hayes give their takes on the Eagles’ success in Week 7. 00:00 Jalen Hurts: perfection marks major progress 05:29 Offensive adjustments pay explosive dividends 16:51 Welcome back, Nakobe Dean and Jalen Carter! 21:25 Concerns about the edge and…Brandon Graham?!?! unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

“Solutions.” This has been the buzzword of choice for Nick Sirianni this week, as he and the Eagles try to turn things around after back-to-back losses. The Eagles’ head coach says he’s not in the business of assigning blame; instead, he wants answers. So, in the spirit of Sirianni’s spin, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane examines one of the biggest issues holding the Eagles back - Jalen Hurts’ recent inconsistencies - and offers up ways the team can help the quarterback recapture the dynamic form he’s displayed during his career in Philadelphia. 00:00 The “solutions” business 04:22 Solution 1: Designed runs 08:06 Solution 2: “Autonomy,” and Hurts’ pre-snap protections 13:26 Solution 3: The drop-back passing game 16:50 Solution 4: Speeding up the pre-snap operation unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes dropping each week throughout the season.

There’s clearly something wrong with the Eagles. All that “wait-and-see” couching about it being early in the season and the need to be patient, that stuff is out the window after the team’s ugly 34-17 loss to the New York Giants. The defeat was the second in five days for the defending Super Bowl champs, which now have a mini-bye to not only lick their wounds, but figure out how to get back on track. How much of the blame goes to the players? Could first-year offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo already be on the hot seat? The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Olivia Reiner sort through the messy storylines from a disappointing night at the Meadowlands. 00:00 What (and who) is wrong with the Eagles? 03:56 “This is a team that should have been able to handle the [Denver] loss better” 06:01 About the offensive coordinator’s job… 13:12 They Sirianni-Patullo-Lurie dynamic 17:57 What happened to the quarterback-run game? 19:50 Injuries and other defensive concerns unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

The Eagles aren’t on the brink - not even close. But with a quick, four-day turnaround looming before their next game, another bad performance could change the tone around the team, and fast. In the aftermath of the Eagles giving up 18 unanswered points en route to a 21-17 loss to Denver, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Jeff Neiburg pick apart what went wrong, and what can be fixed before Thursday’s matchup with the Giants. 00:00 Why it's not time to panic, yet... 05:48 Too many dropbacks for Jalen Hurts, too few touches for Saquon Barkley 10:28 Hurts' one, key recurring problem throughout his career 15:38 The missed deep connection between Hurts and A.J. Brown, and what it represents 18:50 Cutting the defense some slack 22:00 Were the "bad" calls really that bad? unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

When the Eagles opened their locker room to the media this week for the first time since leaving Tampa with a victory, A.J. Brown’s latest social media-instigated saga was the focal point of the media. Reporters swarmed his locker stall, waiting for the star wideout to explain himself. One locker over, however, the team’s other stud receiver stood and smiled. Over the years, DeVonta Smith has seen this show before. While Smith has been far less outspoken than Brown, he too has experienced a dip in production through the first month of the season. How does Smith feel about it? What does he think the Eagles can do to get him more involved? The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane goes one-on-one with the Slim Reaper to find out, and takes a closer look at the dynamic between the Eagles’ dynamic pass-catching duo. 00:00 “I ain’t part of the story…” 02:38 How DeVonta Smith is handling his own slow start to the season 06:36 Can two “alpha males” co-exist? 11:37 A.J. Brown, self-explained 14:25 The state of Brown’s relationship with Jalen Hurts 17:50 What the future holds unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes dropping each week throughout the season.

How can a team so successful continue to be the source of so many questions? This remains the state of the Eagles. They’re 4-0, and have gone 20-1 over the last 365 days. But in each game the Eagles have played this season, they've shown some concerning flaws. Following the team's 31-25 win in Tampa, The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jeff McLane and David Murphy try to make sense of what they've seen, and do some reading between the lines about A.J. Brown's latest cryptic comments. 00:00 4-0 but we still don't know: what are the Eagles? 04:54 Tale of the tape on offense 10:38 Jeff's postgame interaction with A.J. Brown 16:40 Baun, DeJean, and Mitchell: three game-changers 22:08 The final word on A.J. Brown: the Eagles need him unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.