Chris Franklin talks Eagles vs. Buccaneers, AJ Brown injury, Key Matchups, and More | Sports Take

in yes it is a football Monday yes don't often get a chance to say that in the postseason but we are saying it today that's for sure Rob Ellison to Shields hanging with you we are sports take we haven't had a chance to talk to our next guest in a while always great to get his insights you could check out his work nj.com as well on Twitter at CF Franklin news that would be Chris Franklin Chris what's up man how are you hey doing great thanks guys for having me on hope you guys are doing well doing great Chris all right first off uh we're gonna have you we're gonna have you play sesily tin in here hurricane Schwarz what's uh what are we looking at weatherwise here uh in in in the game tonight here we see we're seeing at least my on my crude apt that I have uh it looks like some rain in the forecast here what are you saying if you want me to get a bow tie closest I thing I have bow TI a brush or something like that but right now I was I was watching beforehand it's like 65 degrees this say's gonna be around 67 game time it's going to rain during like so anybody who's watching Who's down in the tailgates they're saying it's going to rain then but they say the rain's going to end by the first quarter that's what one the forecast I saw on down here said so for the most part it's going be a wet field early on and but after that things should clear up and should be good from there on out okay you know Chris um thanks again for coming on to the show man it's been a while we appreciate you um a lot has been leading up to this matchup obviously the Philadelphia Eagles were trying to win the division um that didn't happen but again the Cowboys are a gift that keeps on giving and we we saw how that panned out last tonight um how much of this fifth seed could be a blessing and disguise for the Philadelphia Eagles I think it's good because it's in terms of two things one the path is obviously easier now and I say that lightly because Detroit is a team you don't want to mess with because the way they're playing they're physical nature they can be a problem so it's even if they win tonight the Eagles win tonight it's still not still not Cakewalk from here on out but you get to avoid the 49ers which is better the other one is I think it gives this CH team a chance to get away from everything even if it's for like a day or two and try to avoid the noise as much as possible because the best thing especially with the Cowboys losing they can say you know what anything can happen I mean look at if you just look at that Rams game last night the Rams played it close so even though they're a road team even though this team on paper should beat this Buccaneers team and they've had issues who knows maybe they can happen it just starts with one win so which is saying a lot for this way this team is playing right now but I guess that's the best thing can do is start on the road try to Galvanize themselves and then try to start some type all right Chris so injuries could play a big part in this game guys who aren't playing and guys who are playing through injuries namely Jaylen with the finger and and Baker Mayfield's dealing with a couple different things but let let's start with AJ Brown not playing in your estimation other than Devonte just getting more opportunities who's the other guy who is capable and and and needs to step up for the birds tonight I think it's a name we haven't said a lot all season is it's not just gas doas I think it's Julio Jones the way I think you see him on the outside I think you see a lot more of him tonight I think you see a little bit more quz Watkins but I think when you look at Julio he's not going to give you the number of snaps that he used to do years before he's not going to just not going to do that but I think you see some high lever situations maybe when you're are to plus 30 or you're in opponent's 30 yard line on you just you go ahead and give him a chance I me you've seen the ability what he's he can still do at times when he's giv a shot or when he's even targeted that's the that's the main thing if hers targets him I think he can make some plays especially against this your secondary in the middle of the field and that's an area where now you don't have brown you really need to attack that tonight you know with the injuries like you know like like Rob said how do you what do you anticipate the Philadelphia Eagles doing and um what do you think they should do right you know that you know that's always a competing thought right what they should do versus what they will do and um and and everything we know about we had a whole segment on this already Chris just a whole but no knowing what we know right uh does the injury bug lend to the Philadelphia Eagles kind of really leaning on the running game more in this matchup how do you think this thing is g to play out see what should play out is what I is that we talked about blessings in the sky that you didn't is it was an illness you don't want DeAndre on the field but the fact that he's another weak presser he didn't have to run or anything to any hitch like that for it I think you feed him the ball you feed him often early often as many times T you can get from him because we saw he did 16 carries 130 yards the last time he he played this team yeah you know he can have success against them and Tampa Bay probably looking at that but I still think you can still beat through that especially in in the Box eight what if you go off history what will happen probably deep shot after deep shot after deep shot deep shot deep shot shot there a deep shot but I think that's what should happen throw throw a bubble screen in next to that screen come on man and and the one thing and this is what I worry about when you look at Todd BS in the way that how good of a defensive coach he is when he man he's he might manipulate that box to show a certain look when they count the cting oh okay then you got both especially on third thing just try to out leverage the Eagles in that situation so that's another thing I'm keeping an eye on tonight and see how that chess match between him and Johnson serani whole offensive coaching staff how that goes yeah he he they blitzed the third most of anybody uh in the NFL well let let's talk about the guys who are playing through injury Chris I guess I'll start with Baker because we don't hear as much on that end down there he's dealing with ribs and an ankle and he didn't practice the early portion of the week that's sort of the approach they've been taking if you watch that game last week he didn't he look like he was moving around all that well it where's he at at at this point as we kick this thing off in what's whatever it is seven hours well I seeing it everything looks like right now it's going to be a game time it might be game decision but I think he's playing and something a game like this I think he's playing but they're going to have their backups ready to go it's one of those things where you know he's he he's the one he's your spark plug as much to say like and who would have thought we say baker Mayfield's your spark plug in an offense like that of course you got Mike Evans Chris and Chris guy on the outside but the way he's been play he was playing before that Panthers game really galvanized that team and that's a streaking Baker but you can't protect yourself and it's bad enough your ankle you can't move around protect yourself and then you already got a rib injury already you can get a lot of pain and and we haven't seen this Eagles pass rush get there consistently at all when you look at that this might be a game where you know this is a game where Derek you would like to have Derrik Barnett in the fact that he would you know he would get a hit on the quarterback even if it was late but it got the quarterback thinking so that's where take a shot to the ribs take a 15 yard early in the game you're like but Baker starting to think that's hurting I gotta get the ball out quicker so that's you kind of miss him in that aspect now too you know it's funny right there's so much pressure on his defensive line and then rightfully so I mean they are the lynchpin of the defense but you know I'm willing to say this I think it's going to be so important for this offense to really do their best to keep their own defense off the field as much as possible I think the Philadelphia Eagles need to find a way to shorten this game lean on their run game get their RP on the play action game going and just do whatever they can to put their defense in optimal situations I I think that's their only way of trying to make it through not just this game but any kind of playoff match up that they may have going forward what say you about that Chris I think in all actuality you know looking back on even though everybody like myself included thought Matt P could do some things to fix this defense at the time I think when they made that move it's basically became a offense you gotta win this type of deal because you got to win games this way and when you look at the way it's basically they need to win shootouts and you bucks defense I know statistically may not look like hey they're the world beater especially this season but they still got a lot of good guys on that side of the ball but like you said before when you look at this defense they've had issues with run the Running Games stopping to run so you're on the field more you lessen your offensive ways to go there it's a it's a ball control game that the Eagles are need to win in that aspect and they're GNA have to win it on the ground and put up a lot of points while doing it so I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a lot of 12 13 14 play drives just because they don't want to give up the like I think you can see a lot of that in order to try to grind in and keep that defense fresh but that's you got a lot of veterans on that side the ball and some a lot of unexperienced guys just keep them just limit their chances of the Eagles defense have to be on that field that's the way to do it just yeah almost run and shoot almost the way yep I'm with you I'm with you let's go back wow that there's your your rides here oh it's a boat ride I guess I know they got the boat right nearby in Clear Water you're right you got a nice site you got you get the view of the water there look at you man I oh you have to use some points for this one now about nj.com spare no expense go all that far now some points we used on this one now yeah your yacht is awaiting Chris man I want to go back to to BS and his aggressiveness yeah he's always aggressive but you know with the eagle struggles against the blitz he's probably gonna have even more exotic look styled up so this year against the blitz Jaylen five touchdowns eight interceptions which is the most in football why have they struggled so much because they were good against the blitz last year Chris what's happened I think it was couple a couple things I think one a I think is the not just having a hot route but the type of hot routes they run they're not yet utilizing that one the issues we've heard over the time about throwing in the Middle Field use it a lot of times especially if you're going blit in the middle that's where the open spot is a lot teams don't have the rotations ready it's it's partly it's partly schematic in that way I think also is partly on jailing to make sure he targets and get the ball over the middle and for some reason like he had some issues lately well not L but a lot of season right a lot actually no I qu lately too a lot of the Season you know he's having issues when you look and try to throw that middle and I don't know if he's not say afraid but he doesn't wor about getting balls bad down where he's not that he's always rolling out to his left rolling out to his right and not truly stepping up in the pocket as much you like to see that but it's a blitz so I think he he with him and I think you can see it tonight a couple in a couple ways if he just steps up and he avoids that first Rush is depending on that one too because I think the Buccaneers are going to try to attack him on the edge just especially on that right side and make him try force him to his left that's looking at bows and and some of the stuff that the Eagles are doing I think they're gonna try to do that if he just steps up in the pockets for some of the ways I think he has a good night rushing the ball too but it's a matter of him it's of him offensive line getting on the same page making sure they get the right looks and to get that and make the right decisions to open up those holes and get the ball out Chris you know what what are your what are your expectations for Nick serani and his coaching staff tonight um a lot of people believe Nick and a lot of the staff you know they're coaching for their jobs um when you hear that um how do you process that and how much do you how much do you buy into that notion I think Nick if anything Nick toes doesn't get ugly blowout in that way I think he wants his team to be competive which is sad when you think about this team as 10 and one beforeand like like we hope we're competitive tonight huh what look that think know but overall I think Nick's back I I really think Nick's back I think a lot of those guys from defensive staff gone I think that may happen I think you may have a couple tweaks to the offensive side if anything but all that can be averted if they win the game they win couple games like it or not I think when you look at especially they went in the manner how they win maybe that starts to change some of the decisions on the defensive side but I think I think Nick's back I think he's confident I think he's going coach the way he has a little bit we've seen him change his way he's been assign but I think yeah I think he's back no matter what let me ask you about Brian Johnson now he he may end up getting one of these gigs he's interviewing for and if that's the case you know all bets are off obviously but if that doesn't happen do you think he's back Chris because I know we talked about this before I I was curious about your answers for maybe people who didn't hear it you think he is gonna be back yeah I think they running back I really do I think they just add another defense offensive coach a veteran offensive coach that maybe help him out and one thing I think that reason why they haven't done it because if you bring in offens another offensive voice like everybody bring Frank riken bring Frank R he's free he's free free well if you do that then and you know how Nick wants to see his guys go elsewhere and get these opportunities if he gets he does very well all of a sudden you're looking like well what's Brian Johnson doing and that hurts his chances so we know how Nick is loyal to his guys so does in the long term and everything does it help out not really not really in terms of like does it is it good for the team or anything else I think Brian Johnson still is a really good offensive coordinator I think he makes I think when you look at who's making the decisions of what play calling I think there's some things going on there I'm wondering and questioning about what's going on like who has info who doesn't and all that stuff but I think when all said and done if he doesn't get a job like and Parton me thinks I wonder if this is some of his just requiring the Rooney Rule but I think overall if he does come back I think he remains and I think they make some I think most of that offensive staff remains too just maybe just add one more Coach T let me follow real quick on that yeah go ahead all right all right so I have an issue with the way it's sort of structured here Chris where it feels like it's Nick scheming it up all week and then Brian is essentially calling plays and not to say he doesn't have some input he's not involved in all the the stuff during the week too but it just feels like something gets lost could possibly get lost in the translation Andor Brian's being hamstrung by some of the stuff that Nick wants to do that that he might do differently had you know what I mean if they didn't have that sort of like Overlord happening there like do you think that that's something they have to look at as well next year the whole structure everything has to be the whole side has to be that because when you start out that you start out the way you did and then you just that I personally I think they need to change some of that stuff philos philosophically on the offense in changing that I know they built this system around jayen and his strengths I think it's time that I think people have started to caught on a little bit I mean the r we keep hearing rprs rpos and stuff like that I think teams have caught on some of their schemes and you can tweak things here and there but I think it needs to be another overhaul and look look at what he does well you can still incorporate some of that stuff but take some stuff from other things use we saw all this use of motion in the last couple nights and and say specifically don't use motion just for the sake of using motion but sometimes you can get some stuff out there and get some different looks so maybe you get somebody who's really good at that not say you need to bring a Shanahan team you don't need to make a Frankenstein of one part offense here one part offense there but somebody who's knows how to like really use those type of things and use that to open it up but I think it's going to be a you need to look everything from the top down because you can't have it being as stagnant as it is has been in the past Chris um shifting gears a little bit how what do you think that this Buccaneers offense is going to do um to attack this Eagles defense I mean we know the defense has has been struggling all across the board but what do you think is going to be um you know their course of action to start this game um are they going to try to feed Mike Evans do you think they're going to try to get their running game involved what do you think is going to be their at least their first half game plan yeah I think it's going to depend on if Darius Slay travels with Evans if he does and I think that's when you look at Chris and if you do if like I would do with like everybody else has done too you attack that middle of that Eagles if you throw to the Eagles defense within 10 yards especially in between a number to they've been teams have been eating seriously eating up and eating them up in that areas and especially with Baker being hurt and limited you know you can't you don't want to put subject him to like seven step drops and having him wait all the time so you know the ball's probably going to be out quickly so Chris Godwin in the slot to me that's a matchup I'm really really watching because I think if he can and we seen the communications and especially we talk about the motions and everything those guys having those issues trying to like with that match up going oh you go here well and then you see same guy Point like oh great here we go here's a blown coverage coming and then he beats it he's a guy guy was quiet but he's got speed that can really beat you especially if you're not ready with a matchup so yeah I think that's one thing I'm really really concerned about the the the Buccaneers in Mayfield getting the ball quickly in the middle part of the field within 10 yards and just methodically it's not GNA big plays but death by a thousand paper cuts where it's like okay 10 yards first down 10 yards first down yeah keeps Eagles offense off the field as well uh The Edge rushers have been really quiet lately Chris uh maybe some of that coincides with Matt Patricia taking over I don't know whatever the case may be um is there any reason to believe that we're going to see something different tonight other than they just need those guys to step up maybe the injury that's the only thing I can think of is maybe you say instead of trying and keep dro Assan reick and Josh sweat two your best two your best pass rushers back there know the numbers hav shown it lately but your two pass rushers instead of taking their aggressives away and having drop back the coverage and worry about playing in space and wor everything else just attack that's the thing is see to me is defense become really passive especially things like okay we don't want to give up the big play we don't want to give up everything else and and think overall need philosopy need system in my opinion you don't need get a different system that but when you get become too passive they need to be aggressive in attack and to do that just say you say you know what Hassan Josh Brandon BG when you're in there Patrick Johns who have noan who have you just go after just play regular football like you guys have done like for most of your career just attack the football and that's what theyve done West just go ahead use your pass rush ability get up the speed off the edge and just go after him just just tired for me I'm looking like every time I look back at the V I'm like why are they dropping him back first play of the game Assan re you know your best your best guy on there that's drop him in the coverage yeah he can do that and we saw over time what happened with sign in coverage back when in the Cardinals you saw he wasn't as effective in the pass rush until he just basically let him go so yeah just just just attacking it just attack him stop worri about putting him back in coverage I that go a long way think everything's done so Chris um I'm curious right stand on the defensive side of the ball for the Eagles who are you going to be keying in on right for me I'm going to be locking in on Jordan Davis's game I believe it's going to be really important for him um to win his match up to win at the point of attack and to dictate the trajectory of this Philadelphia Eagles run defense um who are you going to keep your eyes on um you know in this match up for the Eagles defense Avon Maddox for two reasons one if well like you said blanket just a game time decision with it raining and this is all specul I don't have any inside information on this with it raining and a guy with a groin injury and just slick and everything else I'm at this point I'm questioning if he's going to be a ready to be available no once again it's no inside information or anything like that for but if that happens he's going to play he's probably playing some safety he was taking Snaps there during the week saw out there with like next to buyer what corner okay great so then you're worried about the communication that way and then somebody having taken a nickel probably Bradley Roy or some somebody like that so then now you're worried about the two things the communications working there if he if re plankers ship does play and you put him in that slot now you got worried about him and Chris GD and trying to limit his success and then also on top of that you we all know about Mass history availability can he stay make it through this game because if not and then you already say blank sh doesn't play and mad somehow gets hurt now you look at who knows key Ringo maybe go safety because he's get Trace there you go Tristan mccom it's it just can be a domino effect that just really affects that back seven so for me avonte Maddox in multiple ways is how he's utilized and if he can stay healthy through this game and make an impact I Chris I need a Vibe check because you're down there every day um and you know we're we're one wondering are these guys still together is there any kind of fractures here is there any kind of issues where are you at what's your sense of what you've been seeing from these guys the week leading up to the game tonight it's it's just it kind of seemed Reserve in a way okay like like if you if you compared it to say week if we week three when they were playing the buck versus now it just seems like more reserved guys quiet like they'll say they're confident everything just got it's different feel to this especially what happens when you lose five by your last six it's just feels more it just feels more reserved to me and I'm looking and just hearing it like you you'll hear the veterans the guy who' been there for a long time like the Brandon grahams and Jason Kel like they're not panicking we're trying to tell everybody we're doing this way it's just I just want to hear one of the Young The Young leaders step up and do that as well too maybe they're doing it behind the scenes where we're all out and they're doing it in those in those auditory mums but just outwardly us I just want to see somebody besides jayen Herz this is like this middling calm influence see somebody go out there and just like throw a couple F bombs out there and just go BL R them up even for show or whatever just something that Galvanize some of these guys well too because I think when you hear the same message over and over again the same people just goes like okay you just get somebody out of nowhere just go ahead and stands up in front of the team and is that I think that can be a shot meor but especially for somebody young but thing is I don't know who who would be that guy you know based off everything you said Chris is it is it fair to say that Nick sani's message is starting to go dry you know with this team I mean you know with all the dysfunction that's been going on the past few weeks and the losing and um you know AJ Brown saying well uh the players you know you know you we got to step up we go out there and play um but yet we're seeing a product that's not conducive of a of a team that has any kind of motivation or any fire in their bellies um one can only assume that the message has kind of you know kind of gone dry for for his team um how much do you buy into that I don't know if it's so much the message I think it's the fact they're losing then if they losing losing starts a snowball and then start get start your mind and you can come up you can come up with I'm sorry I keep bringing it up or anything but come up with the flower stuff for a sake come up with something else and you can give all that stuff it's not until like the players like it's almost like when you have that teacher and you hear you're sit in the class and te like you can't do this can't do this or or that coach like well it's not until the other players the students go like yo look all right cool I'll listen after that so I think it's one of those things where you need something like that where I don't think it's gotten dry in that sense I just think it's gotten everybody starting to look Inward and it's starting to get kind of Helter Skelter especially all just losing I think it's more of that and then because I bet you like say if they they win tonight it's like you know we had this meeting tonight and he was talking about where we were from and everything else where you from want to be football player who knows something like that and it's back so I don't know if it's so much his messaging I think I think it's I look internally to some the players messaging and think see if it get something that goes get through to him to turns things around I I think it's only human nature too like I don't care who the coach is if you've lost five of six and things are careening at like how many more rahas speeches can you give like how many more you know win one for the gippers can you do it's finally it's like dude we got we gotta go out and play guys like I don't know what else to say at this point right especially yeah if you keep doing that you just looking at the person who like yeah we can do that one we just lost five like the Giants and the Cardinals man I you know it's like what else can we say at this point true it's a St it's almost like you get hit mouth say like how do I got here you don't know like your head spin and everything I was like how the heck does this happen and all that stuff and really I think it start weighting you start internalizing a lot of things you start thinking you just I think guys they won't say it I think some guys just questioning confidence overall so it's yeah it's it's a rough time around here yeah if I could sneak on in Rob real quick Chris um speaking of confidence uh Quest Watkins is never in short supply of that um how do you anticipate quz wak is making an impact tonight um I'm trying to like how do we use like his speed like the thing is is I want to see him if they do send him deep just make if he makes one catch when he goes in runs a seam route that you can say like hey okay he stretches the field he stretches the field he stretches the field but you got to do something when you stretch the field and quz qu we all know quz is fast and we all know quz when he has like if he's not around there you can he's I'll say this he has run his routes a little bit better than he did last year like why the boundar stuff like that but he's got to catch one of these long passes someday and to really make it effective to open stuff up underneath because seems to see them going that way they'll cover them but they're probably think okay the ball's not going to him I mean let's still work focus on that so they're going to test it one time they're going to throw the ball to him at least one time in this game deep do you think he catches it I don't depending on a t oh if I'm betting on it no I don't think so I think it might be one of things to throw away just say the 5050 ball maybe something like that third third 20 like trying to do that no 5050 I need him in his own ZIP code if I'm throwing I would be see I wouldn't be shocked if Alam got one see Alam to me like doing like a we alom Dallas jio I think one of those three guys gets a shot team I think one of them makes his I be trust me I I talk to quz talk for all time nice nice guy and everything else and everything else but if he makes a play prove me wrong man I'll be like yeah that was good think so good job that's all I want Rob just prove me wrong right I I hope we're we're all sitting here to like Chris you you tone and I are sitting here tomorrow saying hey he fooled us all right good good you know good on him all right last one Chris what what do you think what's your feel here for the game what's your prediction I'll stick with it because I've been this has been one of the rough like going trying to go through back and like yeah Buccaneers winning this one all right the Eagles can win this one I'm looking at this one I'll stick I'll stick over I wrote in the paper 2017 Eagles I'll stick with that one it's it's it's not a confident one it's one of I'm looking more more the best thing that Pro the best thing that probably can happen is going to be wet early and Baker's all banged up it's going to force him to run the ball and and and and they'll find their physicality again because that's that's the key thing like the Bucks are talking a lot about I Mike Evans was talking a lot about it when talking about be They Se wasn't as the Buccaneers wasn't as physical that first match up as they were last year and I think they're going to make that a really really big focus on this game so the Eagles are out how physical they're capable of doing but I'm worried about defensively can they do that the point attack against the Run game but I think it's one of those things where it's 2017 is not pretty and but hey they move on maybe they go to Detroit all right boy that that's that's confidence right there yeah guys go out run into the sports books yeah yeah check out Chris's work nj.com and of course C Franklin news on Twitter uh and you get links to all of his stories he does an awesome job and we always appreciate it all right the boat's been waiting a long time man you got you gotta go I missed it man that one too I might have to go might have to go to the other one too to have some pirate boat that was going out there yesterday I'm like what the heck is going they really love their Pirates down here they do like pirates in that area for sure Chris we appreciate it man thank you thank you guys all good take care that's Chris Franklin always does an awesome job uh some that when you asked him and he gave you that pregnant pause oh about quz about quz that's all he didn't even need to say another word that he answered it I was like enough said enough said man listen man I don't have fun like like you know ragging on qu I don't either I don't have fun but man what can I what can I what can I really say about him that's positive yeah that's the thing like and he's also he's got this chip on his shoulder which is fine I'm all four athletes having a chip on your shoulder but like dude the criticism is warranted man all that chip and no dip I Ain I I ain't I ain't trying to hear none of that Rob all that chip no all that chip and no dip I just and again I hope you and I are sitting here tone tomorrow and we're like dude he shocked us I hope so because I you know I if he plays well that probably bodess pretty well for this team winning the game but I just I'm not buying it man I'm not buying it oh man yo the chat is hilarious I'm aw says what chip yeah I told y all chiping no dip I love that line by the way uh let's sneak one in let's come back and uh and we'll continue with the Eagles discussion we'll give our story lines our predictions uh Sixers Flyers I'll give you an on this date I got all kinds of stuff for you uh when we come back so don't go anywhere that's tone I'm Rob we are sports take right back I remember getting my heartbroken when they lost the Super Bowl in 2004 we're big Eagles fans we moved to South Philly because of the Eagles when they won we went straight to Broad Street and uh everybody was going nuts over there and it was just a a memory that you'll never forget