Eagles star responds to fan backlash after poorly received joke
Philadelphia Eagles fans can be rowdy, but they can also be surprisingly sensitive. Such was the case Thursday when Eagles cornerback Darius Slay hurt some feelings by telling the truth.
When asked about playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road on Super Wild Card Weekend, Slay told reporters it might be good to get away from home to avoid being booed. Unsurprisingly, the comment brought the best out of the Philly faithful, who came so hard after the five-time Pro Bowler that he responded to the noise on social media.
Slay ruffled feathers earlier in the day, conveying that playing at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa Bay may benefit the Eagles because fans at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia "get to booing fast."
He added that jeers from those draped in midnight green were the last thing he and his struggling team needed on Monday night against the Buccaneers.
Slay isn't wrong, as the Eagles could use some positive vibes. Entering the opening round of the postseason, the Eagles are on an increasingly steep decline. Following a 10-1 start, the team has backed into the postseason, losing five of the last six games. Furthermore, they look lackluster on both sides of the football.
Offensively, the Eagles have been painfully predictable, translating to only 20.5 points per game since Week 13 after averaging 28.1 through the first 11 weeks of the season.
Meanwhile, an already-leaky defense has somehow gotten even worse. Even after demoting first-year defensive coordinator Sean Desai for Matt Patricia, the only changes to the unit have been bad ones. After allowing 22.3 points per game through Week 11, the defense has given up 30.8 points over the last seven games, including 400-plus yard outings by the Buffalo Bills (505), San Francisco 49ers (456), Arizona Cardinals (449) and New York Giants (415).
The Eagles are also a banged-up bunch, with quarterback Jalen Hurts (finger) and wideouts DeVonta Smith (ankle) and A.J. Brown (knee) nursing injuries. However, they will see the return of cornerback Avonte Maddox (elbow) on defense as well as Slay, who is aiming to return from a torn meniscus that's kept him out since Week 14.
"The knee is feeling good," Slay said on his most recent podcast. "Did a lot of drills this week. I'm saying I'm feeling good, getting in the rotation. It's go time now. It's playoff time now, playoff football, and best believe I will be out there."
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