Five things​ ​the​ ​Eagles​ ​must​ ​do​ ​to​ ​maintain​ ​their​ ​spot​ ​atop​ ​the​ ​NFC

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After​ ​completely​ ​dismantling​ ​the​ ​Arizona​ ​Cardinals​ ​to​ ​the​ ​tune​ ​of​ ​34-7,​ ​the Eagles​ ​move​ ​to​ ​4-1​ ​and​ ​find​ ​themselves​ ​at​ ​the​ ​top​ ​of​ ​the​ ​totem​ ​pole​ ​in​ ​the​ ​NFC.​ ​The aforementioned​ ​victory​ ​was​ ​without​ ​a​ ​doubt​ ​the​ ​most​ ​complete​ ​game​ ​the​ ​Birds​ ​have produced​ ​this​ ​season,​ ​and​ ​perhaps​ ​in​ ​the​ ​entirety​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Wentz-Pederson​ ​era.​ ​There are​ ​a​ ​plethora​ ​of​ ​reasons​ ​to​ ​be​ ​optimistic​ ​about​ ​the​ ​Eagles,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​burning​ ​question​ ​on the​ ​minds​ ​of​ ​many-​Can they keep this up?-​ ​is​ ​one​ ​that​ ​should​ ​be​ ​addressed.

Although​ ​I​ ​believe​ ​the​ ​Eagles​ ​have​ ​displayed​ ​all​ ​the​ ​signs​ ​of​ ​a​ ​successful​ ​team,​ ​it is​ ​still​ ​fair​ ​to​ ​wonder​ ​if​ ​the​ ​team’s​ ​current​ ​trajectory​ ​is​ ​sustainable.​ ​It’s​ ​been​ ​thrilling​ ​to watch​ ​the​ ​Birds’​ ​go​ ​on​ ​a​ ​tear​ ​like​ ​they​ ​have,​ ​but​ ​the​ ​more​ ​they​ ​win​ ​the​ ​bigger​ ​the​ ​target on​ ​their​ ​backs​ ​become.​ ​I​ ​believe​ ​that​ ​there​ ​are​ ​five​ ​things​ ​the​ ​Eagles​ ​need​ ​to​ ​do​ ​in order​ ​to​ ​continue​ ​their​ ​reign​ ​over​ ​the​ ​NFC.

 

1. Keep​ ​a​ ​short-term​ ​memory

The​ ​Eagles’​ ​coaching​ ​staff​ ​have​ ​preached​ ​week​ ​after​ ​week​ ​about​ ​the​ ​importance of​ ​having​ ​a​ ​short-term​ ​memory​ ​in​ ​the​ ​NFL,​ ​and​ ​that​ ​practice​ ​should​ ​not​ ​fade​ ​after​ ​a​ ​4-1 start.​ ​Successful​ ​players​ ​and​ ​franchises​ ​never​ ​get​ ​too​ ​high​ ​or​ ​too​ ​low​ ​on​ ​themselves, and​ ​the​ ​Birds​ ​should​ ​emulate​ ​this​ ​as​ ​they​ ​transition​ ​into​ ​the​ ​upper​ ​echelon​ ​of​ ​the​ ​NFL. The​ ​Eagles​ ​have​ ​been​ running rampant ​lately,​ ​but​ ​should​ ​remain​ ​focused and​ ​save​ ​the​ ​celebrations​ ​for​ ​when​ ​they​ ​clinch​ ​the​ ​division​ ​(yes,​ ​I’m​ ​calling​ ​it).

 

2.​ ​Continue​ ​Dominance​ ​on​ ​the​ ​Ground

LeGarrette​ ​Blount​ ​and​ ​Co.​ ​rushed​ ​the​ ​ball​ ​for​ ​120+​ ​yards​ ​for​ ​the​ ​third consecutive​ ​game​ ​and​ ​are​ ​absolutely​ ​steamrolling​ ​teams​ ​right​ ​now.​ ​The​ ​running​ ​game has​ ​taken​ ​a​ ​ton​ ​of​ ​pressure​ ​off​ ​Wentz’s​ ​shoulders​ ​and​ ​is​ ​the​ ​main​ ​reason​ ​the​ ​Eagles lead​ ​the​ ​league​ ​in​ ​time​ ​of​ ​possession​ ​at​ ​35:32 per game.​ ​The​ ​proficiency​ ​at​ ​controlling​ ​the clock​ ​allows​ ​the​ ​defense​ ​to​ ​stay​ ​relatively​ ​fresh​ ​and​ ​is​ ​a​ ​trend​ ​the​ ​Birds​ ​must​ ​continue​ ​to remain​ ​successful.

 

3.​ ​Feature​ ​Nelson​ ​Agholor​ ​in​ ​the​ ​Offense​ ​More

Shhh,​ ​you​ ​hear​ ​that?​ ​It’s​ ​a​ ​bit​ ​faint​ ​so​ ​really​ ​focus.​ ​That’s​ ​the​ ​sound​ ​of​ ​me​ ​pulling my​ ​foot​ ​out​ ​of​ ​my​ ​mouth​ ​and​ ​burying​ ​my​ ​head​ ​in​ ​the​ ​sand​ ​as​ ​the​ ​Nelson​ ​Agholor truthers​ ​advance​ ​towards​ ​me.​ ​I’ll​ ​be​ ​the​ ​first​ ​to​ ​admit​ ​that​ ​after​ ​two​ ​lackluster​ ​seasons​ ​I was​ ​ready​ ​to​ ​give​ ​up​ ​on​ ​the​ ​former​ ​USC​ ​standout.​ ​He​ ​was​ ​simply​ ​a​ ​trainwreck​ ​to​ ​start his​ ​career,​ ​but​ ​seems​ ​to​ ​have​ ​turned​ ​a​ ​new​ ​leaf​ ​in​ ​his​ ​third​ ​campaign.​ ​Agholor​ ​has found​ ​the​ ​endzone​ ​three​ ​times​ ​in​ ​five​ ​games​ ​this​ ​season-​ ​as​ ​many​ ​as​ ​his​ ​first​ ​two seasons​ ​combined-​ ​and​ ​is​ ​on​ ​pace​ ​for​ ​851​ ​yards​ ​and​ ​10​ ​TDs​ ​this​ ​season(!).​ ​He​ ​has been​ ​sensational​ ​when​ ​given​ ​the​ ​opportunity​ ​this​ ​season​ ​and​ ​I​ ​think​ ​he​ ​should​ ​see more​ ​targets​ ​moving​ ​forward.

 

4.​ ​Take​ ​Care​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Division

The​ ​NFC​ ​East​ ​was​ ​expected​ ​to​ ​be​ ​one​ ​the​ ​toughest​ ​and​ ​most​ ​competitive divisions​ ​in​ ​the​ ​league​ ​this​ ​year.​ ​Due​ ​to​ ​numerous​ ​injuries,​ ​looming​ ​suspensions,​ ​and​ ​a hot​ ​start​ ​by​ ​the​ ​Birds-​ ​Philly​ ​is​ ​looking​ ​to​ ​run​ ​away​ ​with​ ​it.​ ​With​ ​two​ ​divisional​ ​wins already​ ​under​ ​their​ ​belt,​ ​the​ ​Eagles​ ​still​ ​have​ ​four​ ​more​ ​games​ ​to​ ​really​ ​stake​ ​their​ ​claim on​ ​the​ ​division.​ ​The​ ​Giants​ ​are​ ​laughably​ ​bad​ ​at​ ​0-5,​ ​the​ ​Redskins​ ​are​ ​middle​ ​of​ ​the road​ ​at​ ​2-2​ ​but​ ​will​ ​be​ ​without​ ​CB​ ​Josh​ ​Norman​ ​for​ ​a​ ​few​ ​games,​ ​and​ ​the​ ​Cowgir-​ ​err- Cowboys​ ​are​ ​2-3​ ​and​ ​may​ ​soon​ ​lose​ ​star​ ​running​ ​back​ ​Ezekiel​ ​Elliott​ ​to​ ​a​ ​six​ ​game suspension.​ ​The​ ​Eagles​ ​must​ ​pounce​ ​on​ ​their​ ​wounded​ ​divisional​ ​foes​ ​and​ ​claim​ ​the NFC​ ​East​ ​crown.

 

5.​ ​Get​ ​Healthy

Its​ ​promising​ ​to​ ​see​ ​how​ ​the​ ​Eagles​ ​have​ ​weathered​ ​the​ ​injury​ ​storm​ ​with​ ​the next-man-up​ ​approach,​ ​but​ ​they​ ​still​ ​have​ ​huge​ ​voids​ ​on​ ​the​ ​roster.​ ​Fletcher​ ​Cox,​ ​Lane Johnson,​ ​Ronald​ ​Darby,​ ​Wendell​ ​Smallwood,​ ​and​ ​Sidney​ ​Jones​ ​are​ ​all​ ​out​ ​with​ ​various injuries​ ​and​ ​the​ ​consequences​ ​are​ ​apparent​ ​when​ ​watching​ ​film.​ ​The​ ​Eagles​ ​are undoubtedly​ ​off​ ​to​ ​a​ ​fantastic​ ​start,​ ​but​ ​they​ ​need​ ​to​ ​get​ ​their​ ​heavyweights​ ​back​ ​to remain​ ​the​ ​#1​ ​seed.

 

Mandatory Credit: James Lang-USA TODAY Sports