unCovering the Birds with Jeff McLane

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The Day After: Can the Eagles sustain this formula for another deep playoff run? Dec 29, 2025

Show notes

With only one game to go in the regular season and the playoffs looming, there’s little reason to think the Eagles’ offense will or is capable of changing its stripes. The defense, on the other hand, continues to prove its dominance (as it did again in Buffalo), regardless of which players it has available, or the opponent it faces. This combination, while imperfect, has still positioned the Eagles for a top-three postseason seed. But will the formula be enough for the franchise to duplicate last winter’s Super Bowl run this year? The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Olivia Reiner weigh in. 00:00 Acceptance; this is what the Eagles are 02:14 What the heck happened to the offense in the second half? 09:35 How should the Eagles approach their offense moving forward? 14:10 A defense capable of carrying a team 19:20 To rest or not; the tradeoffs unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

The Day After (the day after): Are the Eagles really playing their best? Dec 22, 2025

Show notes

Are the Eagles really playing their best football of the season? That was their head coach’s claim following the team’s solid performance against Washington last weekend. But despite the Eagles outscoring the opposition by a combined 60-18 margin in back-to-back wins, trends are emerging with both promising and cautionary implications. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Jeff Neiburg highlight these developments, and address whether they agree with Nick Sirianni’s current assessment of the defending Super Bowl champs. 00:00 Nick Sirianni says the Eagles are playing their best football. Is he right? 10:20 Shades of 2024 - Saquon Barkley and the run game are looking great 18:40 Handing out three defensive stars 27:17 Should the Eagles start looking for another kicker? unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

Can the Eagles keep Nakobe Dean? (and other unrestricted free agents) Dec 19, 2025

Show notes

Nakobe Dean’s value to the Eagles is as clear as the team’s improved defense performance since his return to play. Coming off his best game of the season in last week’s shutout win over the Raiders, the linebacker has made a remarkable turnaround from a serious knee injury that knocked him out of the Eagles’ Super Bowl LIX championship run. But what's Dean's future in Philadelphia beyond this season? The 25-year old is an unrestricted free agent, and for the first time in what feels like forever, the Eagles have depth in the linebacker rotation. With only three games left before the playoffs, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane looks at the likelihood of the Eagles keeping Dean, as well as several other players whose contracts expire whenever this season ends. 00:00 Can the Eagles keep Nakobe Dean? Should they? 14:30 Tiering other key unrestricted free agents on the roster, like Dallas Goedert, Jaelan Phillips, and Reed Blankenship. unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

The Day After: Stock report after blowing out a bad team Dec 15, 2025

Show notes

For a game, at least, the Eagles looked like world-beaters, not the hardest thing to do these days when facing the lowly Las Vegas Raiders. The real question, however, isn’t if the 31-0 shutout win is going to be a cure all for the issues that ailed the Eagles during their three-game losing streak; it’s whether the progress the team showed Sunday can ultimately translate to the postseason, which arrives next month. Possible? Perhaps, but with two of their final three games coming against a weakened opponent, the Eagles might not know exactly what they’re capable of until the playoffs get here. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Marcus Hayes scrutinize changes that surfaced in the Eagles’ victory over Vegas, starting with the performance of none other than quarterback Jalen Hurts. 00:00 The Eagles did what they were supposed to do 01:23 Assessing schematic changes and their impact on Jalen Hurts 10:45 Getting the run game going 20:14 Can this defense get the Eagles back to the Super Bowl? 25:49 The truth about “outside noise” and human nature unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

Bad bunny Dec 12, 2025

Show notes

While cute and novel, the Positivity Bunny proved nothing short of an unceremonious bust. As soon as they could following a brutal overtime loss to the Chargers, the Eagles gave the preposterous 10-foot locker room inflatable the boot. It was not the good-luck charm they hoped for, and served as a reminder that, instead of wishing its woes away, this team will actually have to put in real work to turn the season around. With a potential soft spot in the schedule emerging this Sunday vs. the Raiders, there might not be any better time than the present for the Eagles to breathe some life back into themselves. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane touches base with a few trusted veterans, who share their perspective on the state of the club and the direction they think it’s headed. 00:00 The swift arrival and demise of the Eagles’ “Positivity Bunny” 03:48 What’s with the “awful” sideline vibes? 07:20 Different strokes for different folks 10:18 Jordan Davis and the importance of an optimistic mindset unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

The Day After: A reckoning for Jalen Hurts Dec 10, 2025

Show notes

The blame game on offense this season has been a constant back and forth. One week it’s the coordinator. The next, it’s the head coach and his scheme. But after Monday’s game in LA, the pendulum took a major swing, and it was impossible to ignore the direction: right at the quarterback. Jalen Hurts isn’t the only problem, but five turnovers is unacceptable. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and David Murphy look at the implications of a historically bad performance by Hurts, and examine how the Super Bowl MVP has sunk to this level 10 months after reaching the pinnacle of his career. unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

Other problems, beyond the obvious Dec 05, 2025

Show notes

Turn on sports talk radio or read coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles, and it's probably be impossible to find any analysis of the team’s recent woes that doesn’t reference the offense. The unit has been painfully disjointed and inconsistent to watch, unable to deploy a nucleus filled with all-pro talent. But to pin the Eagles’ issues on this factor alone would be misguided. Should head coach Nick Sirianni, offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo, and quarterback Jalen Hurts shoulder a chunk of the burden? Yes, but as The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane points out, there’s plenty of blame to go around, and we shouldn’t overlook the other areas where it can be found... 00:00 Yes, the offense stinks, but there’s a lot more going on 02:17 Addressing the Jalen Carter news, and the warning signs that preceded it 06:25 Where art thou, Jihaad Campbell? 13:38 Seeking solutions at safety 17:47 The one play that summed up the Eagles’ offensive plight unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

The Day After: A loss of belief Nov 29, 2025

Show notes

Things aren’t getting better; they’re getting worse. The theme doesn’t just apply to the Eagles’ Black Friday loss to the Chicago Bears. It fits the narrative of the entire 2025 season. With five games to go, there’s little reason to hope or expect significant change to take place, particularly on the offensive side of the ball - unless... The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Olivia Reiner take a look at what the Eagles’ seemingly inherent flaws mean for the homestretch of the season, and how they could affect the fate of offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo. unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

Bonus: From Super Bowl triumph to personal tragedy, Byron Young keeps father's memory close Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

Just weeks after a triumphant moment, Byron Young found himself dealing with the greatest tragedy of his life. Back in March, the defensive tackle returned home to Mississippi for a festive weekend with family. Not only did they celebrate him being part of the Eagles’ 2024 Super Bowl championship team, but his aunt’s birthday as well. A day later, Young’s father, Kenny, died suddenly. The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane profiled Young’s emotional journey in a recent feature. You can read the article in full on inquirer.com and via the following link: https://www.inquirer.com/eagles/byron-young-late-father-memory-key-chain-nfl-week-13-20251126.html Listen to an excerpt of Jeff’s conversation with Young on this bonus episode of unCovering the Birds. unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

The Day After: An indictment of Sirianni's scheme Nov 25, 2025

Show notes

It looked like Sunday’s game in Dallas was going to be everything the Eagles needed. In the end, they wound up getting exactly what they deserved. Lack of focus, poor execution, conservative play calling. The Eagles picked each of these poisons, and died a miserable 24-21, walk-off death. In the aftermath of a defeat that knocked the defending Super Bowl champs out of the top spot in the NFC, The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane and Mike Sielski scrutinize head coach Nick Sirianni's scheme and approach, and explain how these factors have contributed to the Eagles' issues. They also forecast what the Eagles - specifically a potentially short-handed defense - can expect with the surging Bears coming to town on Black Friday. unCovering the Birds is a production of The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW Newsradio Original Podcasts. Look for new episodes throughout the season, including day-after-game reactions.

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