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Why the Eagles' week in California was a 'precursor' to the Super Bowl | Early Birds

The Eagles spent a week on the West Coast in December. That gave them a taste of what their routine will look like this week.

The Eagles gather before the start of practice at the Angles Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, California on Thursday, December 7, 2017. YONG KIM / Staff Photographer
The Eagles gather before the start of practice at the Angles Stadium of Anaheim in Anaheim, California on Thursday, December 7, 2017. YONG KIM / Staff PhotographerRead moreYONG KIM

Good morning, Eagles fans. The Eagles will start putting their Super Bowl game plan together for the New England Patriots early this week. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich and defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz will meet with reporters at 11:45 a.m. today.

  1. The Eagles did not fly back to Philadelphia in between December games against Seattle and the Los Angeles Rams, instead setting up camp in Orange County, Calif. They spent the week in a hotel, gathering in meeting rooms and practicing and training in a different environment than they do in Philadelphia. They adjusted to bus rides to practices and using different facilities. Coach Doug Pederson kept the team out there because it made logistical sense, but in the back of his mind, he also knew it would prepare them for a week away if they're ever in that situation again — like, say, Super Bowl week. The Eagles will spend all of next week in Minneapolis. It will be colder than California, and there will be more attention and security, but the week on the West Coast could be advantageous. "We talked back then that this was sort of a precursor for hopefully this opportunity. Kind of going through it a little bit with the team hotel, the meetings, the travel to a practice site, the media obligations and things like that," Pederson said. "Now having been through it, it makes it a little bit easier going up to Minneapolis. But it's just on a grander, bigger stage, obviously. So the attention will be a lot more. There will be a lot more distractions, a lot more pulling on coaches, players, and personnel. Having gone through it in L.A. has really given us a leg up now going up there in a week."

  2. After Pederson finished with all his postgame obligations on Sunday, he returned home to celebrate with family and friends. His sons were home from college, and his mother was also in town. He had friends from Louisiana over his house after the game, too. "We just enjoyed the moment," Pederson said. He said he went to sleep at 2 a.m. The coaches were back at work on Monday morning beginning to prepare for the Patriots.

  3. What stood out about the playing-time distribution against the Vikings? After the opening series, it seemed the Eagles mostly abandoned the base defense. Middle linebacker Najee Goode took only six defensive snaps and slot cornerback Patrick Robinson played 56 snaps (84 percent) while third safety Corey Graham played 35 snaps (52 percent). The Eagles were in nickel and dime often on Sunday. On offense, LeGarrette Blount played only 11 offensive snaps (17 percent). Corey Clement (32 percent) played more than Blount.

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— Zach Berman

What you need to know about the Eagles

  1. Are you surprised by Nick Foles? Jeffrey Lurie and Doug Pederson are not surprised.

  2. The Super Bowl is especially meaningful to Brent Celek, the Eagles' longest-tenured player, Jeff McLane writes.

  3. Les Bowen gives credit to the Eagles' offensive line, and has much more more in his game review.

  4. Who's laughing about emotional intelligence now? Marcus Hayes writes about Pederson.

  5. What was Sunday night like for the players? Bob Ford found scenes in the locker room.

  6. What did Jeff McLane learn in the win?

  7. Paul Domowitch offers five reasons why the Eagles won.

  8. Pederson said the Eagles are like their fans, Bowen writes.

  9. Former Eagles CB Eric Rowe, now with the Patriots, learned from Malcolm Jenkins, Bob Brookover writes.

  10. Jenkins is sending an ex-juvenile lifer to the Super Bowl.

  11. The Eagles are now America's sweethearts.

  12. In the latest Birds' Eye View podcast, McLane and I discussed Sunday's win, Foles, Howie Roseman, and more.

  13. If you missed Monday's newsletter, it looked at why the Eagles are going to the Super Bowl.

From the mailbag

I think the equalizer in this game will be the Eagles' offensive and defensive lines. The Eagles are better on both lines, which will help them against perhaps the best quarterback in NFL history. Think about the Super Bowls the Patriots lost. How did they lose? The Giants won the line of scrimmage. The Eagles should be confident that Fletcher Cox can be disruptive; he's been that way all season. But Tom Brady and Josh McDaniels know this, too. That chess match will be fascinating. As for winning three of four twice, I wouldn't put as much stock in that. Every year is different and takes on its own identity. This is a different Patriots team than last year's team. The Patriots are going to present a major challenge. You can't think there's fatigue from last year's Super Bowl.