PHILADELPHIA — When Darius Slay was trending upward with the Detroit Lions, he couldn’t stand then head coach Matt Patricia, who traded him and now is calling defensive plays for the Eagles.
Now, well, let’s just say they hug it out a couple of times a week, even while Slay is rehabbing a surgically repaired knee that has bothered him all season.
“He’s a great dude,” Slay said. “I just don’t take disrespect crazy. Where I’m from, that doesn’t go. But for him to come to me as a man, apologize, and I know I gave my peace to him as well. When two men do that, you just put the differences aside and go to work.”
Slay is out indefinitely after having his knee scoped. He said he needed the procedure for a while but played through it.
“Finally, Advil ain’t working anymore,” Slay said. “(Surgery) was best for me at this point and the team. I’ve been playing on probably like 30 percent of a leg for two years.”
Slay isn’t on injured reserve and hasn’t ruled out returning before the end of the season. He had similar procedures in 2013 and 2019.
“We’ll see how it goes,” Slay said. “But like I said I am feeling good. I’m progressing in the right direction. We’ll see how it goes.”
What bothers Slay almost as much as the knee is the way defensive coordinator Sean Desai was stripped of the play calling.
“I feel as players, I feel it’s our fault,” Slay said. “We failed him. And that’s the sad part about it because I don’t like to see a man get demoted because of performance. But this is a production business, and we weren’t productive for him. I feel like we all had a hand in that.”
The shortened offseason following the Super Bowl run and the personnel turnover in the secondary, including the failure to re-sign safeties Marcus Epps and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, set the Eagles back. Ditto for learning a new defense under Desai and an injury to nickel back Avonte Maddox, who practiced fully Friday.
It’s early but Slay sees the light at the end of the tunnel. Already he notices subtle differences in the way the Eagles’ secondary is playing with Patricia directing it.
“I could see on film a lot of guys are playing a lot faster, smarter, and with more understanding,” Slay said. “Guys just are knowing their role and embracing it.”
If there ever was a time for the Eagles (10-4) to embrace the challenge ahead, it’s on Christmas Day when they oppose the New York Giants (5-9) at Lincoln Financial Field. Judging by the SeatGeek emails, there are some bargain tickets available.
If Slay’s hunch is right, Coach P will make a difference.
“I know one thing about him as a coach,” Slay said. “He wants to win.”
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In addition to Slay, wide receiver DeVonta Smith (knee), left guard Landon Dickerson (thumb) and linebackers Nicholas Morrow (abdomen) and Zach Cunningham (knee) did not practice Friday.
It was the second straight practice Smith missed. Morrow is hopeful of playing Monday but isn’t sure. Maddox (pectoral muscle) says he’s day to day.
The good news is right guard Cam Jurgens (pectoral) is back at work, freeing Sua Opeta to move to left guard to replace Dickerson.
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Among the Giants held out of practice Friday were defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence (hamstring) and offensive tackle Evan Neal (ankle), their two top players up front.
Tight end Lawrence Cager (groin) and defensive tackle Rakeem Nunez-Roches (knee) also sat out. Cornerback Xavien McKinney (illness) was limited along with running back Matt Breida (hamstring), defensive tackle A’Shawn Robinson (back), linebacker Carter Coughlin (neck) and punter Jamie Gillan (groin).
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Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown at least temporarily has ditched expressing his frustrations with critics on social media in the name of his team leadership.
“Honestly, that was, like I just stated, me personally, I didn’t handle that correctly,” Brown said. “And I’m man enough to say that. I pride myself on being the best. When the game is on the line, throw me the ball. So, when things don’t go my way, it’s OK, sure, put the blame on me. I accept that. Much is given, much is required. So, I had to sit down and really think to myself, like, ‘Yeah, if they do put the blame on me, sure, I asked for that. I asked to be in that chair.’”
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Tua Tagovailoa leads the fan voting for the Pro Bowl with 175,772 votes. Christian McCaffrey (131,108) is second, with San Francisco teammate Brock Purdy third and George Kittle fifth. Rookie C.J. Stroud of the Houston Texans is fourth.
Eagles players rank among the top five clubs in votes received, with center Jason Kelce and safety Reed Blankenship leading the NFC vote getters at their positions.
The fan voting concludes on Christmas. It’s supposed to count for one-third of the process, with coaches and players’ votes counting one-third each.
