2 Philadelphia Eagles earn spots on PFF’s Third-Quarter All-Pro Team

You wouldn’t have any issues with walking into a barbershop, bar, or breakroom and getting a few people to join you in a discussion about how deficient the Philadelphia Eagles are at many of the important positions on the roster. They’re going to need another outside corner after this season. They need young guys at the EDGE, and regardless of what they ever do to improve the wide receiver position, they never seem to get things right.

DeVonta Smith is solid, but where’s his help? What’s going on with these young guys this team has drafted over the past two seasons (John Hightower, K’Von Wallace, Shaun Bradley, etc)?

Davion Taylor has gotten better. He, T.J. Edwards, and Alex Singleton (if he’s retained next offseason) seem to be a nice rotation of linebackers. The Eagles, though stocked with more than their fair share of disappointments, Jalen Reagor and JJ Arcega-Whiteside for instance, have some young building blocks. They also have a nice mix of veterans.

Two Philadelphia Eagles land on the Pro Football Focus 2022 Third-Quarter All-Pro Team.

Recently, the stat gurus over at Pro Football Focus named the members of their Pro Football Focus 2021 Third-Quarter All-Pro Team. Some of the names belong to guys that you’d expect to be on the list: Tom Brady, Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald, Myles Garrett, Demario Davis. There were some surprises.

Two Eagles made the squad. Cornerback Darius Slay earned a first-team nod. Center Jason Kelce was added to the second team. Here’s some of what Sam Monson, the writer of this one, stated as his defense.

We begin with his take on Kelce:

"Jason Kelce keeps playing at an extremely high level, flashing absurd athleticism for the position that allows him to make some blocks in the run game other centers couldn’t dream of. He has allowed 15 pressures in 13 games."

Here’s the skinny on Big Play. He made the team as a flex:

"Big Play Slay lived up to his nickname over the past month of play, getting in the end zone on both an interception and a fumble return for the Eagles. Slay has allowed just a 71.2 passer rating and is a threat to score any time he gets his hands on the ball."

Kudos are in order for both guys. As we move through the bye week towards Week 15’s game versus the Washington Football Team, let’s, number one, hope that Jason Kelce’s doing okay with his recovery and, second, let’s hope Darius Slay’s monster year carries on to the completion of the regular season.

The Philadelphia Eagles are in the midst of a playoff push. If they’re to leap past Washington for a potential Wild Card spot, they’ll need the continued Herculean efforts of both guys. They’re, without question, two of the team’s leaders both on the field and in the locker room.