Kevin Patullo breaks silence — and the name he credits for the Eagles’ resurgence might surprise you.QQ
As loyal as they are, Philadelphia Eagles fans can also venture into disagreement. Andy Reid left a long time ago. Fans and the media continue to debate his legacy. Since his exit, two head coaches have led the team, and each has won a Super Bowl. It doesn’t seem to matter.
Discussions about Doug Pederson and Nick Sirianni can divide the NFL’s most adoring fan base. Still, with all that being said, there are topics that everyone can agree on. One was born recently. Everyone believes that Brett Toth is a drop-off in talent when compared to Cam Jurgens.
Well… That isn’t just a theory. It’s true, but even still, some take their evaluations too far. Depending on who you listen to, you might hear that Toth doesn’t have any talent whatsoever, and that isn’t really fair to say.
Sometimes, emotions fuel arguments. Sometimes, we rely on our emotions and gut feelings, choosing to ignore the facts. Perhaps it’s in those times that we should listen to the people who know these athletes better, such as coaches and teammates. Jeff Stoutland, the game’s best offensive line coach, believes in Toth. That ought to be telling you something.
In relief of an injured Cam Jurgens, Toth started at center for the Eagles in Week 8. Some were nervous. Toth and his teammates weren’t. He played a strong game on Sunday, resulting in positive feedback. Recent nods came from a team captain, Jordan Mailata. More of the same came from Philadelphia’s offensive coordinator.
Kevin Patullo shares his appreciation for Brett Toth.
Philadelphia’s top assistants met with the media on Tuesday: Vic Fangio, Kevin Patullo, and Michael Clay. The offensive coordinator, Patullo, was as interesting as always, discussing Jalen Hurts’ continued progression and his thoughts about that fumble during an early Tush Push.
The subject turned to his stand-in center at one point. Jordan Mailata praised Brett Toth following Week 8’s win. Coach Patullo offered additional positive reinforcement on Tuesday.
“He played really [well.] He played really, really [well.] I mean, the guy’s extremely smart. He’s detailed. He comes to work every day, he works his butt off constantly in the classroom. He asks really good questions. He’s out in front of things. He wants to know the plan inside and out, and you can feel his detail and his energy out there. That’s the biggest thing for him is you could tell that he wants to be good in every area and do anything he can for this team, and he put a lot of effort into it, so it was really good to see.”
Give credit where it’s due. When a depth player fills in for a Pro Bowler, it’s reasonable to expect some drop-off, but it’s hard to deny that Toth played a great game vs. the Giants, all things considered.
All we can ask of backups is that they provide quality snaps at whatever position they are playing. Toth did preciselyd that. Credit him for that, and give credit to his coaches for preparing him.
Naturally, everyone would rather have Cam Jurgens in the lineup. Still, we all learned something that could benefit Philadelphia in the future.
Stoutland’s faith is rewarded. It’s reassuring to know that the Eagles can rely on Brett Toth if needed. Let Week 8 and a decent showing provide the evidence.
