unCovering the Birds with Jeff McLane

Hope can be fickle in football, but right now, following an impressive Week 8 victory vs. the Cincinnati Bengals, the Philadelphia Eagles have built modest momentum. What’s been responsible for the turnaround during the team's three-game winning streak? For starters, the head coach tweaked his approach, and his quarterback has responded with improved play. Are Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts sold on the evolution of the offense? The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane takes a look at the Eagles’ new identity, and explains why certain players might be more eager to fully embrace it than Sirianni. Plus, with A.J. Brown putting together another dominant season, Jeff poses the question: could the 27-year old be the Eagles’ best receiver of all-time? And in this week’s “Pick Six” segment, find out which member of the offensive line Landon Dickerson has developed a secret language with. 00:00 How DeVonta Smith’s big touchdown signals change in offense 08:52 Is A.J. Brown the Eagles’ best receiver of all-time? 18:25 “Pick Six” with Landon Dickerson 31:30 Welcome back, Dough Pederson (Part II) Links referenced by Jeff in the episode… A.J. Brown podcast: https://www.audacy.com/podcast/uncovering-the-birds-with-jeff-mclane-e8fbc/episodes/raising-aj-brown-24ecc A.J. Brown article: https://www.inquirer.com/eagles/inq2/eagles-aj-brown-bio-starkville-mississippi-20230905.html unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes each week during the regular season.

Saquon Barkley was a stud, the defense was dominant, and all seems well in Eagles Land, at least for now, following a blowout win over the New York Giants. But beyond the breakout runs and bevy of sacks, there were other noteworthy developments from the victory - some encouraging, others indicators of just how much more work the Eagles have to do as they near the halfway point of the season. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane takes a look at the coaches’ tape, and zeroes in on areas where quarterback Jalen Hurts still needs to improve. Plus, ahead of a potential matchup with Cincinnati Bengals star receiver Ja’Marr Chase, rookie cornerback Quinyon Mitchell joins Jeff for this week’s “Pick Six” segment. They talk about nicknames, family, and favorite movies. 00:00 Jalen Hurts film study 12:01 Where’s Jordan Davis? 17:00 “Pick Six” with Quinyon Mitchell 24:11 Vindication for Nick Sirianni unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes each week during the regular season.

The consensus within the Philadelphia Eagles was virtually unanimous: it wasn’t pretty, but they got what they needed against the lowly Cleveland Browns - a win. The result nudged the 3-2 Eagles back above .500, and brought them within a half-game of first place in the NFC East. All good things, right? Yes, but the seemingly impulsive actions of head coach Nick Sirianni overshadowed the Eagles’ success. What did Sirianni’s back-and-forth with the crowd in the closing moment of the fourth quarter say about his ability to handle his emotions? How did members of the organization feel about his antics? The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane does some digging… Plus, ahead of Saquon Barkley’s first trip back to MetLife Stadium to face his former team, the New York Giants, the star running back joins Jeff for a “Pick Six” segment and dishes on Penn State culture, Philadelphia area golf clubs, and what he wants to do after his NFL playing career. 00:00 Team sources label Sirianni's behavior "embarrassing" 16:01 'Pick Six' with Saquon Barkley 27:23 Hurts, Sirianni relationship showing signs of progress Oh, and here’s the link Jeff referenced in the episode about the time Barkley torched the Eagles in 2018: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D4oRMI0uCQ unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. New for this season, look for fresh episodes to drop weekly in the days following every Eagles’ game.

All it took was a confident, affirming answer. But once again, instead of seizing an opportunity to diffuse speculation, Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts added fuel to the fire surrounding the stability of his relationship with head coach Nick Sirianni. The question posed to Hurts after the Eagles’ lopsided loss in Tampa: given their respective leadership duties with the team, would he and Sirianni huddle up and try to help solve the Eagles’ identity issues during the upcoming bye week? “We have our moments,” Hurts said flatly. The response was as brief as it was evasive, and marked yet another instance since last season’s collapse in which Hurts left his feelings towards Sirianni open to interpretation. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane examines the duo's dynamics, and why it seems like Sirianni typically goes out of his way to defend Hurts. Plus, we pull back the curtain on Cam Jurgens’ transition to the Eagles’ starting center job, all while the shadow of his future-Hall-of-Fame predecessor looms over him. 00:00 Does Nick Sirianni shield Jalen Hurts from criticism? 11:45 Cam Jurgens' transition to starting center 21:05 Bryce Huff is "frustrated" unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. New for this season, look for fresh episodes to drop weekly in the days following every Eagles’ game.

The Philadelphia Eagles were angry. And on the heels of a painful loss in their home opener, they played like it. From the dominance of the defensive line, to Jalen Hurts' poised, game-winning drive with time running out, the Eagles notched a resilient Week 3 win in New Orleans. Listen as The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane takes you on a tour around the victorious winners’ locker room at the Superdome through interviews with several key contributors.  Plus, details on how and why Hurts, now in his fifth season, might finally be finding his leadership voice, and a new Pick Six interview with emerging linebacker Nakobe Dean.  00:00 Jeff chats with C.J. Gardner-Johnson 06:41 Jalen Carter tells Jeff why he thinks his performance vs. Saints was still "trash" 09:48 Jordan Davis explains why the Eagles played angry 13:07 Jalen Hurts and signs of stronger leadership 20:30 'Pick Six' with Nakobe Dean 29:40 Nick Sirianni's fourth-down decisions under the microscope unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. New for this season, look for fresh episodes to drop weekly in the days following every Eagles’ game.