Eagles Dealing With Fast Turnaround
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Chip Kelly is famous for working fast. This will be Kelly's fastest week of the season.
After beating the Tennessee Titans on Sunday, the Eagles have just three days to prepare for their first-place showdown with the Cowboys. Every team plays at least one Thursday game during the season and there are plenty of challenges getting prepared, but Kelly doesn't see any disadvantage for his team.
"One thing we don't worry about is what we don't control and we don't have any control over the schedule," said Kelly. "We've got a plan in place. We've got a big game. It's a division game. Both teams have the same amount of time, so it's not like anybody has an advantage over it."
One of the toughest challenges for the players is the recovery from their Sunday game. The physical toll of an NFL contest often takes a full week to recover from, and Safety Malcolm Jenkins says he is hoping there will be a full recovery in time for kickoff on Thursday.
"The biggest thing is just physically getting back to be ready to play a game," Jenkins said. "The coaches usually do a great job of not pushing you too much during the week. There's not much you can do from a physical standpoint, so the challenge comes in digesting the game plan."
There is also the equivalent of cramming for an exam when it comes to absorbing the game plan. Linebacker Casey Matthews points out that with less physical work during the week comes greater emphasis on the mental preparation for Thursday.
You've got to get the mental reps more than anything," Matthews said. "You get your legs back. Obviously, you're not going to have as many reps. You're going to watch more film and get the mental reps."
There will be plenty of hype entering this game. The NFL's Thanksgiving contests draw plenty of extra attention every year as a nation settles down for a side of pigskin with its turkey. This game will have even more drama with first place in the NFC East on the line. However, Kelly isn't worried about the national attention surrounding the game or the fact that it will be played on one of America's most celebrated holidays.
"Just tell us when we're going to play," Kelly said. "We don't really read much into it or wax nostalgic. It's not like we're going to have a cornucopia or turkey on the sideline. We're just going to go play football."
Linebacker Emmanuel Acho (groin) was limited in practice, but still hopes to play on Thursday.
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