Could the Eagles of old be back for good?

I was one of the lucky 60,000+ Philadelphia Eagles fans afforded the opportunity to watch the team’s best performance thus far during the 2009 season live at Lincoln Financial Field. The Eagles were firing on all cylinders and proved that they can be a contender in the division and more importantly in the NFC Conference.

After a devastating loss to the Oakland Raiders two weeks ago, the season looked like it was practically over. Donovan McNabb looked like a 50-year-old behind center, the offensive line was reminiscent of the Little Giants, and it seemed as if Andy Reid’s sons were calling the plays. Around that same time, the New York Football Giants were the “team to beat” in the minds of sports experts and everyone in the Empire State. It’s amazing what a few games can do to the outlook of the 2009 season.

The Giants suffered their third straight loss. And in case you didn’t read my previous article about how the Giants were the most overrated team in the NFL, then click here because let’s be honest…I told you so. Five straight weeks against mediocre teams does not prove that you are the best team, it just proves that you can win the games you are supposed to win. Now that they have faced three teams with winning records, the true New York Giants have surfaced.

I didn’t know what to expect coming into today’s game against the Giants. I can tell you one thing though, it didn’t involve a 40-17 spanking. With no Brian Westbrook in the lineup, the fear of an Oakland Raiders performance was looming in the back on my mind. However, the Eagles came out with a swagger that we have not seen from them this year. They played a complete game and utterly dominated their conference foe. Eli Manning looked like a poor man’s Tim Couch on Sunday, throwing off balance for most of the game and connecting three different times with the Eagles secondary. Brandon Jacobs couldn’t really get anything going because the Eagles front seven was sharp from start to finish. All in all, it was a good old fashion beat down and the statement game that the Eagles needed to make heading into the second half of the season.

Now here’s this week’s report card:

Quarterback: A

First off, I want to congratulate Donovan McNabb on becoming the 21^st player in NFL history with 30,000 passing yards and 200 passing TD’s. For the first time in awhile, McNabb seemed to be comfortable in the pocket and not force throws. He connected with DeSean Jackson for another bomb and was efficient in the red zone throughout the game (great passes to both Celek and Maclin). One aspect of his performance that deserves recognition was his ability to make a few plays on the ground. He converted a third down by using his legs, which is something that Eagles fans have not seen in awhile and wish would occur more often. Keep it up D-Mac.

LeSean McCoy is the real deal

Running back: A+

Heading into the game, the Giants run defense ranked in the top of the league. They were probably licking their chops once Brian “Giant killer” Westbrook was ruled inactive. In came two rookies, running back LeSean McCoy and full back Leonard Weaver. The tandem gave Eagles fans a reason to believe in the depth at the running back position and for the first time Andy Reid decided to attack the Giants on the ground. I think we can all agree that it worked out pretty darn well. Both McCoy and Weaver broke for long touchdown runs and combined for 180 yards on the ground and averaged over 7 yards per carry. Take your time to get healthy Brian.

Wide Receivers: A-

Sunday marked another strong performance from the young Eagles wide receiver core. DeSean Jackson is establishing himself as a Pro-Bowl caliber wide receiver in just his second year in the NFL and Jeremy Maclin is making fans quickly forget the name Kevin Curtis. Tight end Brent Celek continues to be McNabb’s favorite target on short yardage situations and improves with each game.

Offensive Line: A -

Trust me, I am not saying that the Eagles offensive line has finally reached its pinnacle in talent. However, much of McNabb’s success through the air was directly related to the offensive line shutting down one of the top defensive lines in the game. They only allowed two sacks and committed far fewer penalties than they have in previous games. More importantly, there were no Winston Justice-like blow ups against Osi Umenyiora (He was held to just one sack and one tackle for a loss).

Defensive line/Linebackers: B+

As always, the defensive line and linebacker core were the catalysts to the defensive turnovers. Trent Cole continues to dominate the line and has been the true difference maker for the Eagles on defense. His pressure, along with other linemen such as Chris Clemons and Broderick Bunkley, has really made a difference in the overall performance by the Eagles. As I mentioned in previous articles, the Eagles still have a trouble with opposing tight ends. Kevin Boss caught a few big passes for the G-Men, including a 30-yard first down from Manning. I understand that the blitzing schemes are going to result in a lack of coverage, but there is no excuse for tight ends leading a team in receiving yards. Period.

Sheldon Brown tallied one of the Eagles three interceptions

Secondary: A

This was without question the most impressive outing for the Eagles secondary. Three interceptions in the first half gave the Eagles a hefty lead going into the second half. The secondary took advantage of an injured Mario Manningham and seemed to have several changes to intercept balls on Sunday. Asante Samuel recorded another interception to place him in the top percentile in the NFL. Despite dropping two potential interceptions, I was very impressed with the play of Quintin Mikell. He has done an unbelievable job filling in for Brian Dawkins and repeatedly comes up with big plays.

Special Teams: A –

After weeks of bashing the return game, Ellis Hobbs finally showed up to play against New York. He averaged 22 yards per return (including a long of 39) and gave the Eagles offense superb field position throughout the game. Akers knocked down a field goal, but had one extra point blocked in the first quarter. I know it didn’t play a role in today’s game, but missing extra points could come back to bite the Eagles in later games. Rocca also seemed to be on his game today, averaging over 47 yards per punt and landing two inside the 20-yard line.

 

Call me nice, but the Eagles really surprised a lot of people today. They flushed away the heartache from the Raiders game and proved they can win without their most explosive offensive player. Raiders or no Raiders, the Eagles are officially the top team in the NFC East.

Next up: Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field on Sunday Night Football. Let’s see if the Eagles can keep the momentum and further separate themselves in the division standings.