Eagles notebook: Britain Covey ready to contribute to this playoff run originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
Last year’s playoffs were hard on Britain Covey.
After entering last season as the Eagles’ full-time punt returner, Covey suffered a shoulder fracture in Week 3. That injury led to nerve issues in his neck and shoulder that lingered all last season. Despite that, Covey remained optimistic.
And when the Eagles opened his practice window in late January during the playoff run last year, Covey held out hope that he would be able to return for either the NFC Championship Game or Super Bowl LIX. But it didn’t happen …and that was deflating.
“It was for sure. It was a letdown,” Covey said this week. “But at the same time, the older you get, the more you appreciate doctors who are willing to tell you stuff like that. Had I not played in a Super Bowl already, I think it would have been even harder. Let’s hope we can get there this year.”
The Eagles ended up using Cooper DeJean as their punt returner last year but they didn’t want him to be too exposed in his second season because of his importance on defense. But DeJean remains impressed by how detailed Covey is as a returner and said he learned a lot from him in the role last season.
As the Eagles enter the playoffs this season, hoping to defend their Super Bowl crown, Covey is healthy and he’s once again the Eagles’ full-time punt returner. Although, it wasn’t the straightest path to this point.
After last season and after he was medically cleared, Covey signed with the Rams in May and thought he was going to make their 53-man roster. When he was released at final cuts, Covey re-signed to the Eagles’ practice squad but still had to wait his turn. The Eagles began this season with Jahan Dotson returning punts and then they claimed Xavier Gipson off waivers from the Jets, so Gipson got the next opportunity.
So Covey waited and tried to be the best teammate he could be.
“It’s funny,” Covey explained. “It’s kind of like a paradox because when you add value when you’re not playing, you’re directly contributing to you continuing to not play. But I think it’s a better way to live life, it’s a happier way to live life. So when Jahan was back there or Xavier was back there, I tried my best to give them tips and advice.”
But after Gipson got hurt on a disastrous return in Dallas, Covey finally got his chance. And it came after the Eagles traded away John Metchie III, so Covey even got his No. 18 jersey back.
Since taking back his spot as the Eagles’ punt returner, Covey has offered stability to the position. He has 11 returns with an average of 11.3 yards per return but is maximizing his chances. He takes a ton of pride in his advanced numbers like net punt and yards over expected. Covey believes there are hidden yards in punt returns and he tries to maximize them.
“He’s done a really good job since being elevated from the practice squad to the active roster and getting those chunk yards that we’re so accustomed of him doing,” special teams coordinator Michael Clay said. “And we’re going to try and keep adding at that and use it as a possible weapon for us going into this playoff.”
The benefit of rest
While plenty of folks debated about whether or not the Eagles should have rested their starters last week, there’s undoubtedly a tangible benefit to that decision. The Eagles reaped the benefits of that rest this week and hope that will carry over into Sunday’s wild-card game.
“Yeah, well-rested,” left tackle Jordan Mailata said. “Pretty grateful for that rest. Pretty excited.”
Mailata, 28, explained that there’s some “delayed gratification” as it pertains to getting a week off for rest.
“You feel it more towards the end of the week,” Mailata said on Wednesday. “At the start of the week, kind of rusty. You’re kind of slow, feel a little slow. As you practice during the week, you get your legs, you get everything firing again. It’s the best way I can explain it. It’s not an immediate release. It sucks going from 0 game reps back to 100% practice reps. It’s not what you think it is, especially 18 weeks in.”
On Friday, Mailata confirmed what he suspected about the rest. As the week went on, he felt better and better. “I feel great,” Mailata said on Friday. “I stand by that.”
“Anytime you can rest guys, it gives them an advantage going into the next weekend,” offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo said. “And I know mentally all last week those guys were into it and trying to help everybody out and really still getting mental reps, which is obviously one of the biggest things, too, at this point in the year. You don’t practice as much as you do early in the year whether you’re playing or not.
“So, you have to get all those mental reps as much as you can going forward. So, I think all the guys being in tune to even what we were doing last week and just being available and pushing through meetings and everything was a big help for them.”
While other players aside from offensive linemen rested last week, the biggest boost could be felt on the O-line where the only starter to play was Tyler Steen and he was pulled early. The rest could prove to be especially beneficial for center Cam Jurgens and left guard Landon Dickerson who have battled ailments all season and haven’t looked like themselves.
“It helps. It definitely helps,” Jurgens said. “But I don’t know. I try to forget everything. All I’m about is this week. My body feels good and I’m excited to roll.”
The other guy who really enjoyed the rest was OLB Jaelan Phillips, who had to play 17 games in 17 weeks before getting a break in Week 18. Phillips was traded from the Dolphins before their bye week and arrived in Philly after theirs.
So Phillips finally got a bye in Week 18.
“It was great,” he said. “I was definitely itching to be on the field but ultimately there’s a bye week for a reason. It was nice to be able to get some rest.”
Will Jalen Hurts run more?
It’s fair to wonder if the Eagles will use Jalen Hurts’ legs more in the playoffs. They probably should. During this regular season, Hurts had just 105 rushing attempts and averaged just 26.3 rushing yards per game — both career-lows during his time as a starter in the NFL.
Hurts is healthy going into these playoffs but he isn’t sure it is a product of his limited workload on the ground.
“I think the season has just kind of gone the way it has,” Hurts said. “The approach this year and the way the games have been called with this coordinator, with coach KP (offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo), it’s just kind of gone that way. I’m just kind of taking it in stride and try to give my best with whatever position I’ve been put in.”
It feels like we have been waiting all season to see Hurts more involved in the run game. And now that the Eagles are in a win-or-go-home scenario, it should be time to get his legs moving.
During his nine career playoff games, Hurts has run quite a bit. He is averaging 42.3 rushing yards per game in the playoffs and had 70+ rushing yards in half of the Eagles’ playoff games last season, including 72 in Super Bowl LIX. This is an element of the Eagles’ offense that has been missing.
The 49ers know how dangerous Hurts can be with his legs both in structure and off schedule.
“He’s very aware from a pressure standpoint, being able to escape,” 49ers DC Robert Saleh said to reporters in San Francisco this week. “And then obviously the QB runs. They don’t do it often, but when they do, it’s effective.”
Bang the drum
Eagles running back Saquon Barkley was feeling a little extra locked in this week thanks to an unlikely source. He recently watched a good movie that spoke to him.
“I watched this movie called ‘Whiplash,’ I’m pretty sure a lot of you guys watched,” Barkley said this week. “So maybe I’m more locked in a little more this week after that movie. If you haven’t watched that movie, it’s a great movie. After that, you’re like ready to do push-ups and sit-ups.”
Noted Eagles fan Miles Teller stars in the 2014 film ‘Whiplash,’ which follows a drummer’s quest to achieve perfection in front of a harsh and ruthless teacher. It’s a good watch.
Barkley started talking about the movie when asked about his excitement level entering these playoffs after winning Super Bowl LIX last year. He said it’s the same excitement level for him.
“Yeah, we’ve been to the mountaintop,” Barkley said. “I think you become locked in even more when you know what it feels like to hold the Lombardi Trophy, you know what it feels like to have that parade. And you fight and crawl to do anything you can to have that again. So it’s fun to have the moment in the playoffs but you’ll do anything to win it all again. I think that makes you a little more focused.”
Super Bowl champ Bryce Huff
The 49ers finished dead last in the NFL this season with just 20 sacks. One of the two guys who tied for their team lead with 4 was Bryce Huff.
Remember him?
The Eagles signed Huff to a 3-year, $51 million contract last offseason but things never worked out in Philly. He didn’t fit the scheme or with Vic Fangio and the Eagles. Huff had just 2 1/2 sacks in 12 games last season. And he played just 13 defensive snaps in the playoffs and was a healthy scratch in Super Bowl LIX.
The Eagles expect Huff to be juiced up for this game against his former team.
“Hundred percent,” Jordan Mailata said. “I can’t wait to see Super Bowl champ Bryce Huff. What are you talking about? That’s my teammate.”
Huff is technically a Super Bowl champion and he did get a Super Bowl ring. But Huff told The Athletic earlier this season that the ring doesn’t hold any significance for him.
“It doesn’t mean anything to me,” Huff said. “I have never even looked at it. The last thing I want is a participation trophy.”
The Eagles traded Huff to the 49ers for a fifth-round pick that could have become a fourth-rounder if Huff was able to get 8 sacks. He got halfway there by Week 7 but then got shut out in the final eight games of the season.
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