Happy Holiday’s Philadelphia Sports Fans

Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanza, we all should be thankful this holiday season. Many of you got the latest technology, vacations and even an ugly sweater or two, but the City of Philadelphia received a number of wonder gifts this season.

The Philadelphia sports complex is seeing a lot of exciting action

Philadelphia Eagles:

I think you know how this story goes by now. The New York Giants placed a beautifully wrapped present under this year’s tree. It came in the form of a 28 point comeback and the first punt return ever to end an NFL game. DeSean Jackson danced his way along the goal line, celebrating the holiday season and another bid to the postseason.

Quarterback Michael Vick raised his arm high into the sky, thankful for another chance that he has proven to be well deserved. He was the catalyst in the holiday gift for Eagles fans, as his performance in the fourth quarter was one of the most dominant in the history of the league. Best of all, head coach Andy Reid can celebrate his holiday knowing that his Eagles are the hottest and most feared team in football. They define the term relentless and proved that they can get out of any hole possible. I’m sure he is celebrating with a nice Christmas ham today.

Philadelphia Phillies:

The 32-year-old, 6-foot-3 lefty from Arkansas made his second appearance under the Christmas tree in Philadelphia. Cliff Lee stunned baseball two seasons ago after his dominance with the Phillies and is back for more in 2011. He delivered what may have been the best gift of the season for Philadelphians, solving any starting pitching questions heading into next year.

Something about this city brought him back. He was slapped in the face by the organization and shipped away after being one of the main reasons the Phillies made it to the World Series. However, a part of him never left and now he is back to prove why he denied the Yankees and Rangers. He wanted to be part of something great; something that he even coined the most dominant and most feared foursome in the history of baseball.

And the best part, he even allowed his city to save a few bucks for next season.

Philadelphia Flyers:

What a wonderful gift

The 2009-2010 Philadelphia Flyers brought hockey back on par with football and baseball in the City of Brotherly Love. Even though they fell to the Blackhawks, they put together one of the most exciting post seasons in the history of the NHL. Now in 2010 and 2011, they are on a mission. They’ve battled injuries and a very tough division, but still have found a way to remain atop the NHL heading into the holiday season.

The orange and black have won seven out of the last nine games, including wins over the Penguins, Rangers, Bruins and Devils. Even though they will be without Pronger for the next month and a half, they are still one of the most feared teams in the league and one that is expected to make another run at Lord Stanley’s Cup next spring.

Philadelphia 76ers:

Certainly not the most exciting team in Philadelphia, but their young core might just make a push at the playoffs this season. As we have seen in the last decade, sub-500 teams tend to sneak in to the playoffs and the Sixers are no exception this season.

They are 6-5 in the month of December with all five losses coming against playoff teams. Despite their 11-18 record, they sit at ninth in the Eastern Conference, which is one spot out of the playoffs. Led by head coach Doug Collins, their young and aggressive style could enable them to make a run at the postseason.

Philadelphia has four teams that are all playoff contenders in their respective sports. There’s not much more you could ask for this holiday season (except maybe a championship). The Eagles are the hottest team in the NFC, the Phillies are only expected to maybe lose every fifth game this season, the Flyers smell another chance at the cup, and the Sixers are well on their way towards rebranding their old-school logo. It sure is nice to be a Philadelphia sports fan. Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday’s Philadelphia, we are well on our way to some more trophies in the near future.

EAGLES: The Miracle at the NEW Meadowlands

Eagles fans will never forget where they were at 4:30 p.m. on December 19^th, 2010. Some were running around their living rooms, some were hugging and holding loved ones or complete strangers, and others just stared at the screen in shock and disbelief. No matter how you may have celebrated, everyone was asking the same question: did that really just happen?

Every emotion possible came to light in the Eagles and Giants game. The first half was everything that Eagles fans were nervous about. The Giants came out on a tear and the Eagles failed to respond. Eli Manning was controlling the offense and Michael Vick had no answer against the aggressive New York defense.

The lead continued to grow for New York and Eagles fans slumped further down into their chairs. Once again we were watching the Eagles buckle in the big game. And then something changed in the hearts of those on the Eagles sideline. With eight minutes and nine seconds left, something clicked team and they realized that in the NFL, nothing is truly over until the clock hits zeros.

Twenty-eight points and over 300 yards of offense in the final half of the fourth quarter and the Eagles ran into the locker room in celebration and disbelief. They had just pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in NFL history. It was not your average comeback, but rather one that included two 30+ yard scrambles by Michael Vick, the best onsides kick off of David Akers career, a missed challenge by Andy Reid, two three and outs forced by the Eagles defense, and most notably a punt return touchdown by DeSean Jackson to end the game. Truly unbelievable.

Now for the weekly grades:

Quarterback: A –

What Michael Vick did in the fourth was the most impressive quarterback performance I have ever seen. No other quarterback could have done what he did to bring the Eagles back into the game. The combination of big plays in the air and on the ground makes him the most dynamic threat in the league. With his 242 passing yards and three touchdown passes alongside 10 rushes for 130 yards and a touchdown, Michael Vick took the Eagles under his wing.

Vick was far from effective in the first half. Just like we saw the last time these two teams met, Vick struggled with the constant pressure put on by the Giants. He threw the fifth interception in the last five games and missed a lot of his receivers through the first 45 minutes. However, No. 7 didn’t let that affect him. He rebounded in a way that no one could have imagined. I look forward to seeing him in an Eagles uniform for the next couple of seasons.

Running back: A –

LeSean McCoy only saw 10 carries but he did the most with them on Sunday. Shady rushed for 64 yards, making it the eighth time this season he has averaged over five yards per carry (the fourth time he averaged over six yards per carry). It also doesn’t hurt the rushing offense when Vick averages 13 yards per carry.

Did that really just happen?

Wide Receivers: B

If DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin could hold onto the football, this unit would be in the B+ to A – range. Both star receivers committed costly turnovers that could not have come at worse times for the Eagles offense. However, both Maclin and Jackson certainly made up for their miscues. Maclin scored the game-tying touchdown with just over a minute to play and then Jackson answered right back with a game-winning punt return. Tight end Brent Celek scored his longest touchdown of his career when he hauled in a 65-yarder from Michael Vick.

Offensive Line: C+

It was a lot of ups and downs for the offensive line. King Dunlap got absolutely owned by Justin Tuck, who finished with 1.5 sacks, two tackles for losses, six tackles and three quarterback hits. If it wasn’t for Vick’s speed, Tuck would have made Dunlap look like the Winston Justice of 2007. On the contrary, Jason Peters did a great job on Osi Umenyiora and Max Jean-Gilles threw a great block that sparked Michael Vick’s first touchdown run.

Defensive Line/Linebackers: A –

The front seven was the biggest question mark coming into Sunday’s game; however they stepped up in a big way against a tough Giants offense. They were without defensive end Brandon Graham and middle linebacker Stewart Bradley. Rookie Jamar Chaney, a seventh round draft pick, dominated the middle of the field with 16 tackles (12 solo) and one tackle for a loss. Moise Fokou also stepped up on the linebacker core, notching 10 tackles (8 solo), a sack and two tackles for losses. The defensive line didn’t put a ton of pressure on Eli Manning, but they did a great job defending the run. The duo of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs was held to a mere 3.2 yards per carry and the defense only allowed three rushing first downs.

The defense did a great job stopping the run on Sunday

Secondary: D+

One stat pretty much speaks to the Eagles secondary against the Giants: in the first half, cornerback Dmitri Patterson was thrown at 10 times. Of those targets, Eli Manning completed six passes for 84 yards and three touchdowns. For the game, Manning passed for 289 yards, four touchdowns (three in the first half), and in interception en route to a 105.4 quarterback rating. This marks the second time in the last four games the Eagles secondary has allowed four touchdown passes.

If this continues, the Eagles offense will need to put up over 30 points a game if the team has any choice of winning. With Nate Allen joining Ellis Hobbs on the sidelines for the rest of the season, rookie Kurt Coleman will start for the rest of the season. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott needs to find an answer or Philadelphia is in some big trouble.

Special Teams: A+

What more do I need to say? DeSean Jackson defied all odds with his game winning punt return for a touchdown. His first touchdown return of the season could not have come at a bigger time for No. 10. Also, kicker David Akers knocked down a very clutch 34-yard field goal with less than eight minutes left in the game.

In a matter of minutes, the 2010 season has taken a turn for the better. The Eagles now control their own destiny to their sixth NFC East title in the past 10 years. If they beat the Vikings or Cowboys, the division is theirs. If the Chicago Bears lose one of the next two games and the Eagles win out, then Philadelphia could find themselves with a first round bye.

It’s pointless to play the “what-if” game. For now, it’s important that everyone enjoy and embrace this win. Christmas came six days early in the City of Brotherly Love.

Check out Philly Phour writer Josh Getzoff’s video about Philadelphia’s dominance over New York in the last week. Also check out the Eagles locker room celebration after the Giants game.

The Week Philadelphia Was New York’s Daddy

Listen, as Philly sports fans, we all love every single event that transpired over this past week.  Let’s face it: we beat New York in EVERYTHING.  Here’s a video I put together to commemorate this awesome week.  Check it out!

FLYERS: Be Wary, but Don’t Panic About Pronger’s Injury

The 2010-2011 season had simply been moving along too well for the Philadelphia Flyers.

Through 33 games, the Orange and Black have established themselves as a legitimate Stanley Cup contender, going 21-7-5 for an NHL best 47 points.  Their goal differential of +32 is also the highest mark – by a long shot – of its kind in the league this season.  Recently, they just completed a stretch against three teams that surely will challenge them for the Eastern Conference title this season, in the Boston Bruins, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Montreal Canadiens.  In that three game stretch, the Flyers were 3-0-0, snapping the Penguins’ 12-game winning streak with a win this past Tuesday, and moving into sole possession of the top spot in the Atlantic Division, Eastern Conference, and, as I said earlier, the National Hockey League.

Pronger will be out for the next month or so

However, the rigors of the 82 game NHL season have finally caught up with the soaring Flyers, who have been hit hard today by news that six-time All-Star defenseman Chris Pronger has a broken right foot that will require surgery.  The Stanley Cup winning, Gold Medal winning, future Hall of Fame blue liner will be sidelined for the next four to six weeks.  The injury apparently occurred during the Flyers’ Wednesday night victory over the Canadiens, when Pronger left the ice in the second period, and did not return for third period action.  An MRI revealed the break, which was made public today, and Pronger, per Flyers General Manager Paul Holmgren, was set to have surgery on the foot at 1:00 PM today.

So, to sum up what the situation is here: the Flyers, who are currently the best team record-wise in the National Hockey League, will be without their best defenseman in Pronger for conceivably the next month or more, in a stretch that will include that dreaded West-Coast swing, as well as five divisional games all against either the New York Rangers or New Jersey Devils in the next six weeks.  Also included in that stretch are games against the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks.  In total, the Flyers are slated to play 19 games in that six-week span that Pronger could likely miss in entirety.

Here’s how it breaks down:

• 12/18-12/25: New York Rangers, Florida Panthers
• 12/26-1/3: Vancouver Canucks, Los Angeles Kings, Anaheim Ducks, Detroit Red Wings
• 1/4-1/11: New Jersey Devils (x2), Buffalo Sabres
• 1/12-1/19: Boston Bruins, Atlanta Thrashers, New York Rangers, Washington Capitals
• 1/20-1/27: Ottawa Senators, New Jersey Devils, Chicago Blackhawks, Montreal Canadiens
• 1/28-2/3: Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators

Looking at this from a realistic perspective, it’s somewhat safe to assume, barring there are no setbacks, that Pronger will return to the Flyers’ line-up post-NHL All-Star Game, which is the weekend of January 28-30.  So, the February 1 game against the Tampa Bay Lightning will more than likely be Pronger’s return.  With that being said, that’s an enormous amount of time missed, and some crucial games that will be played in that time frame that Pronger won’t be apart of as well.

So, where to move from here?  Well, as the Philadelphia Inquirer‘s Sam Carchidi has already reported, the Flyers have established pairings for the time being that obviously are subject to change without the presence of Pronger on the back-end.  According to Carchidi, the Flyers will keep Matt Carle as part of the top pairing with Andrej Meszaros taking Pronger’s spot.  The second pairing will be Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn, with Sean O’Donnell and Oskars Bartulis anchoring the third pairing.

Oskars Bartulis will be Pronger's replacement

If the name Bartulis doesn’t ring a bell, it should.  The youngster was a regular on the Flyers’ blue-line during the team’s run to the Stanley Cup Finals last season, as he and Lukas Krajicek made up the Flyers’ third defensive pairing.  However, citing a weakness in that pairing as a reason the Flyers lost in the Finals last season, Paul Holmgren went out this off-season and traded for Meszaros and signed O’Donnell, both of whom had been partners on the Flyers’ third defensive pairing until this injury.  Now, Bartulis gets to hop back into the action, fresh off a prolonged stay in the press-box as the team’s seventh defenseman, and a regular healthy scratch.  This season, Bartulis has played in three games, posting no points, but recording a plus-1 overall rating.  His play has been praised in his brief stints in Orange and Black this season, as many have said it looks like the confidence that left him last season has regained shape this time around, and Bartulis has looked much steadier on the blue-line.  He won’t be asked to score goals on the powerplay, let alone even appear on it.  Instead, he’ll simply be looked at to maintain a steady defensive effort, and not make any mistakes in his own end.  If he can successfully do that, there likely won’t be many cries for his head.  At least not from me.

One thing that certainly needs to be taken into consideration when looking at this injury is while Pronger was the team’s leading point scorer amongst those that play defense on this club, he also was logging significantly less ice time than he was a year ago.  This is due completely to the fact that two of the league’s top plus/minus guys that anchor the Flyers’ third defensive pairing in O’Donnell and Meszaros have given Peter Laviolette the ability to roll all three of his pairings out onto the ice as he pleases.  With that being said, there’s no doubting that Pronger is the most important piece to the Flyers’ defensive puzzle, but he hasn’t needed to be as much of a horse as far as ice time is concerned, which bodes well for the Flyers’ prospects of at least finding a temporary solution while he misses time.

Already having a solid year, keep an eye on Meszaros in Pronger's absence

The scariest thing about the injury to Chris Pronger’s foot is this: even with the six defensemen the Flyers will trot out tomorrow afternoon against the New York Rangers, that unit will still be better than the regular six blueliners that more than half the teams in this league field on a given night.  Coming into this season, the big talk about the Flyers was their tremendous depth on the blue-line.  They acquired Matt Walker in the Simon Gagne deal, and along with Bartulis, and the talented Danny Syvret who is currently a member of the Adirondack Phantoms, the Orange and Black have more than enough depth on their back-end.  Well, they did, until Pronger and Walker went down with long-term injuries, so now they are down to the minimum.  But, hey, this is why you stockpile at a position as important as defense!

When talking about Chris Pronger, there are two glaring holes that his absence creates on this Flyers roster: first, the inability to have a big cannon at the point on the powerplay, and second, the lack of a presence in front against teams’ top lines to be able to clear the porch.  While the Flyers’ powerplay struggles have been well-documented this season, Pronger is one of the reason why the unit has such heavy expectations.  The 6’6” behemoth has a laser-beam slapper that he can let loose at any time from the point, making things extremely difficult on penalty killers when he has the puck on his stick with the man advantage.  On the defensive end, it’s very rare that teams take liberties with going towards the Flyers’ goalmouth at their own discretion anymore.  When Pronger came into the fold, all that changed as far as other teams’ attitudes in the Flyers’ defensive end.  Those are two huge gaps that will need to be filled in Pronger’s absence.

So, who fills them?  Well, on the powerplay, Matt Carle, Braydon Coburn, Kimmo Timonen, and Andrej Meszaros all have howitzers from the point, but I would go with either Timonen or Meszaros.  Timonen has the hockey sense to know when it is a good time to make a move towards the net up the man, and Meszaros is a very offensively gifted defenseman who could potentially show his worth even more than he already has in Pronger’s absence.  As far as clearing the porch in front of either Bobrovsky or Boucher, I like the ability in all the Flyers’ defensemen to take up that trait.  I like to think that since Pronger joined the Flyers last season, his mentality and approach to the game has been copied by his fellow defensemen.  I don’t think I’d find many people who disagree with me.

The bottom line here is this: Chris Pronger is not a guy a team can replace on the ice.  He is a helluva defenseman, and an even better asset on both the bench and in the dressing room.  His presence will definitely be missed by the Flyers for the duration of his injury.  While it’s a tough situation, if any team in the league this year can handle it, it’s the Flyers.  They have shown the depth on their team to be the main reason for their success, and it’s hard to believe they won’t find a way to remain at the top of the heap during one of their key leaders’ prolonged absences.

For more reading on the Pronger injury, click here: PRONGER TO HAVE SURGERY, OUT 4-6 WEEKS

EAGLES: ‘Birds Edge Out Cowboys in Must-Win

Everyone knew it was going to be a shootout, but not many expected the Eagles and Cowboys game to go down like it did on Sunday night. It involved a 91-yard game winning touchdown by DeSean Jackson, five turnovers and even a touchdown from Todd Herremans. As far as excitement, the Eagles and Cowboys certainly didn’t disappoint.

At this point every win is crucial for the Eagles. However, the win over Dallas could not have come at a better time. If there is one thing that we learned on Sunday, it’s that you never know what you are going to get from the Eagles offense. Between Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, and others, the Eagles can explode in almost every aspect of the offense.

The only downside is that the Eagles lost two of their biggest defensive players. Stewart Bradley left the game with a leg injury and is doubtful for the rest of the season. Rookie defensive end Brandon Graham, who was really starting to come into his own, will miss the remainder of the year after tearing his ACL. With a defense that is already depleted with an ailing Asante Samuel, the Eagles are certainly lacking in the leadership department. Stewart Bradley has played well the last couple of games in the middle, but now finds himself watching on the sidelines once again.

Despite losing Bradley and Graham, the Eagles pulled through in the third quarter after being down 20-14. Led by the power running game of McCoy and a big touchdown late, Philadelphia capped off its ninth win of the season.

Grades:

Quarterback : B+

Once again, Vick came through for the Eagles on Sunday night. He had three touchdowns total, but for the first time since being released from prison he had two interceptions in a game.  Despite the turnovers, his passing was pretty spot on for most of the night. What a beautiful pass on the opening play of the game, when he connected with DeSean Jackson for a  60-yard bomb.

I was not so impressed with his running game. For the first time all season he struggled to find open holes. He only averaged two yards per carry and was sacked twice trying to scramble. Vick needs to start treating himself like glass because it’s obvious that referees are not giving him the calls (such as when he was pushed to the ground when running out of bounds).

Running back: A+

What more can I say about this guy? In his second year he is already being compared to Brian Westbrook in his prime. Statistically, he has been without question the best Eagles running back through two seasons. To this point he has 2,455 all purpose yards in his first two seasons and the next closest in franchise history is Billy Ray Barnes (1956-57) with 1,715 (and McCoy still has three games to play). He has proven that he can be an every down back that can fight for yards in the trenches and be an effective pass-catcher. Shady averaged over nine yards per carry against the Cowboys and finished with 149 yards on the ground. He sealed the win for the Eagles after gaining three extremely impressive first downs on the final drive.

DeSean broke past the secondary and never looked back in the fourth quarter

Wide Receivers: A

DeSean Jackson just loves to play under the spot light. In the 15 primetime games he has played since being an Eagles, he has 61 catches for 1,252 yards and 7 touchdowns. Are you kidding me? He caught the opening bomb from Michael Vick and added on a 91-yard touchdown reception to give the Eagles a 27-20 lead in the fourth. Jackson averaged 52.5 yards per catch and did most of the work after making those catches. He stole the show from the rest of the receivers, but I don’t see many complaining.

Offensive Line: B+

Jason Peters did an unbelievable job defending DeMarcus Ware. The All-Pro Cowboy lineman only had three tackles all night and rarely got to Vick in the pocket. For one of the first times this season, Todd Herremans did something positive for the offense after catching a touchdown pass. Since the referees aren’t protecting Vick, it’s important that the offensive line step up and protect him. He was only sacked twice but took some brutal hits that need to be avoided if he plans on staying healthy.

Defensive Line/Linebackers: B

The Eagles red zone defense is the worst in the NFL and it was certainly apparent against Dallas. All of their touchdowns (counting Witten’s 22 yard catch) came in the red zone. They did hold Felix Jones to just 3.2 yards per carry and quarterback Jon Kitna to 6.8 yards per completion, but something breaks down when defending that last part of the field.

Where in the world has Trent Cole been? Through the first half of the season, Cole was on pace to break some record books and buy himself a ticket to the Pro-Bowl. However, the last couple of games he has been completely shut down. Cole only got to the quarterback once and finished with a mere two tackles.

The defensive player of the game was Jamar Chaney, who filled in for Stewart Bradley. Chaney led the team with seven tackles after coming in more than halfway through the game. The rookie is expected to be the starter in the middle this weekend against the Giants. Hopefully he and the rest of the linebackers can do a better job covering the opposing tight end though.

With the loss of Brandon Graham, the Eagles welcome back defensive lineman Derrick Burgess. A couple of years ago he was the staple on the D-line for Philadelphia and hopefully he still has some fuel in the tank.

Quintin Mikell captained the defense Sunday

Secondary: A –

Similar to the linebackers, the secondary could have done a better job covering Jason Witten over the top. Other than that, the defensive backs did a great job covering the high-powered Cowboys offense. On top of two interceptions, they held top receiver Miles Austin to two catches for 22 yards and Roy Williams to 23 yards. Even more impressive is that they did it without Asante Samuel, who missed his third straight game with a knee injury.

Special Teams: B+

At the age of 36, David Akers seems to be having his best season yet for the Eagles. He has connected on 23 of his last 24 field goal attempts and has made 11 in a row. He nailed a 50 yarder in the fourth quarter to tie the game up at 20 that proved to be one of the difference makers in the game.

On another note, I much rather prefer to have Chad Hall returning kicks than Jorrick Calvin. Hall is faster and more elusive than Calvin. Also, DeSean Jackson has hit a bit of a slump as a punt returner, which is a bit worrisome for the special teams core.

With the Giants playing a cupcake game against the Vikings, Sunday was a much needed win for the Eagles. It sets up the stage for this weekend’s game, which is without question the biggest game of the season. If Philadelphia wins, they clinch a spot in the playoffs because they will have two wins over New York. With a depleted defense, Philadelphia is going to have to rely on the elusive offense that New York did a solid job defending last time they played. It’s going to be a fun one on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.

PHILLIES: The Return of the Cliff Lee Saga..

Before I start, I just want to let you all know this is not a repost of something I have previously written.  In fact, this is more of a during finals procrastination tool that further shows me that baseball news takes precedent over any dedication to my academics that I might have at this time.

But for good reason.

Under some pretty, well, unforseen circumstances, the bidding war that is the free agency process of Cliff Lee has become quite a wild ride. Since free agency started a week after the San Francisco Giants won the 2010 World Series, there has been plenty of speculation on where the most heralded free agent in recent memory may go. That speculation, as of early Sunday evening, has reached an all-time high.

Here is where it currently stands.

RANGERS: First, it was Texas. Much like he was in Philadelphia, Lee had just been an integral part of a historic run in franchise history, a run that ended without a ring after a trip to the World Series. Viewed as somewhat as a savior to the the Rangers after a midseason deal sent him to Arlington last July, many people in baseball circles thought if the Nolan Ryan led organization were willing to give him a contract with enough years (7+) to allow him to raise his family Texas, he would stay.  As it stands now, the years are not the issue. The Rangers brass eliminated that part of the equasion by offering him that duration in their formal contract offer. The issue is, does Lee want to be the face of a franchise for the rest of his career that may not have enough depth within the farm system, enough talent on the big league roster, and most importantly to compete with the traditional powerhouses of the AL for a pennant year in and year out. Remember, for all the accolades Cliff Lee has, a World Series ring is not one of them. Yet.

Where will Cliff Lee call his new home?

 

YANKEES: Yes, I know it’s a shocker that the Yankees are involved in the process of trying to sign a highly priced free agent, but try to contain yourselves. While there is plenty of the negative that is associated with playing baseball in the Bronx, you can not deny the positives of wearing the uniform with the most famed pinstripes in all of sports. First, there is a little something called money. As shown in years past, the Steinbrenner led front office is willing and ready to outbid any team, in both years and actual money per year, for Lee’s services. For a player who is approaching his last opportunity for a maximum contract, there is not much more security for a guy of his age with his resume can ask for.  In addition to the dollar signs, what comes along with the fame of fortune of playing for the Yankees is the opportunity to compete in the postseason virtually every year. Now I know Lee enjoys beating the Yankees in that spotlight, but for a guy who spent a good majority of his professional career playing for rather unsuccessful franchises such as the Montreal Expos and the Cleveland Indians, the lure of playing for a team that will literally buy him a championship has to be somewhat attractive. Well, at least more attractive than moving to New York, a city that has caused the Lee family their own headaches when they verbally harassed the wife and kids last year. Don’t be surprised if that’s one of the main deciding factors that pulls him away from the bright lights of New York City. Besides If Lee was going to sign with the Yankees, the team clearly willing to offer the most lucrative contract, don’t you think he would have signed the dotted line already?

PHILLIES: And last but not least, the reason I am even taking the time to even write this. As of late Sunday night, the  ”mystery team” that has rumored to be lurking around during these sweepstakes is in fact the Phillies. As most you know from following baseball for the past 2 years or reading this blog for the same amount of time, there is a prior relationship between Cliff Lee and the Philadelphia Phillies organization. Summed up quickly, the Phillies traded for Lee at the trade deadline during the 2009 season. He then sparked a run, especially in the postseason, that left the Philadelphia two wins away from winning their second consecutive World Series title. After all was said and done, the Ruben Amaro and company then returned the favor by trading him to the Seattle Mariners in fear that he wouldn’t sign a long term deal and wouldn’t be able to co-exist with a newly acquired player named Roy Halladay. With that, it is quite understandable that Cliff Lee may still harbor some anger and resentment towards the Phillies organization. This is a business though, and from a business and a baseball standpoint, Lee seems to be considering the Phillies once again.

Why?

The combination of a successful and competitive franchise along with a sports town that he is beloved by if he would decide to step into the home clubhouse of Citizens Bank Park for at least 81 times a season has to be the main factor. However, will that along with a sense of selflessness that is so rare among professional athletes these days make up for the lack of money (20 mil a year) and guaranteed years (3 or 4 years) he’d be able to get from the Phillies in contrast to his offers from the Rangers, Yankees, or any other mystery teams out there.

Oh do I sure as hell hope so..

_________________________________________________________________________________________

UPDATE (12:10 AM)

So I guess miracles do happen.

According to Jon Heyman of SI.com has reported that Cliff Lee will spurn both the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees for a second tour of duty with the Philadelphia Phillies.

More to come when this becomes official.

EAGLES: Philadelphia Could Be In Trouble Without Samuel

It was not the news that Eagles fans were hoping to hear just one day before the primetime matchup with the Dallas Cowboys. For the third straight game, cornerback Asante Samuel will not be on the sidelines for Philadelphia. Right tackle Winston Justice will also miss Sunday’s game with a knee injury.

It’s pretty obvious how important Samuel is to the secondary. Despite missing three games (and about to be four) this season, he still leads the NFL with seven interceptions. Of those seven interceptions, three came in the fourth quarter (two of which on final drives by opposing teams). He isn’t the best tackler and he tends to give up some big passes, but he is a playmaker. If you don’t believe it, just take a look at the three games that Samuel didn’t play in this season.

Who will finally step up with Asante on the sideline?

On October 10^th, Samuel missed the 49ers game with a concussion. Alex Smith passed for 309 yards and three touchdowns. Two receivers, Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis both had over 100 receiving yards. Two weeks ago, Jay Cutler had one of the best passing performances of his career. He threw four touchdown passes and 247 yards en route to a Bears win. Finally, last Thursday Matt Schaub passed all over the Eagles, throwing for 337 yards (149 of which to Andre Johnson). In those three games, the opposing team averaged 24.6 points, 297 passing yards, and three touchdown passes. On top of that, the top wide receiver for each of those teams averaged 111 receiving yards per game.

It’s pretty obvious the Eagles pass defense has been struggling without Samuel on the field. He brings a veteran presence to a group of cornerbacks that are very inexperienced. With Ellis Hobbs done for the year, the ‘Birds have had to rely on the young trio of Joselio Hanson, Dmitri Patterson and Trevard Lindley to cover the best receivers on opposing teams.

Heading into a game with the pass-happy Dallas Cowboys, this spells trouble for the Eagles secondary. Even though Dez Bryant will miss the rest of the season, the Cowboys still have one of the strongest receiving cores in the league. Miles Austin and Jason Witter are Eagle killers and Roy Williams has stepped up the last couple of weeks. Led by Jon Kita, Dallas has won three out of the last four games. In those three wins, Kitna has thrown a combined seven touchdowns and is averaging a 118 quarterback rating.

Offensively, the loss of Winston Justice could be a problem against a tough Dallas defensive line. King Dunlap, who has been nothing short of a disaster at many times this season, is going to fill in at tackle. He is going to need to defend the speed linebacker DeMarcus Ware, who has 9.5 sacks and eight tackles for losses this season. We have seen what Michael Vick can do with time in the pocket, so it’s going to be very important that Dunlap holds his own against a Cowboys team that has nothing to lose. They are going to do everything possible to ruin the Eagles season much like they did last year.

This is the beginning of the hardest part of the Eagles schedule. Back to back road games against NFC East teams is going to be the difference in whether or not the Eagles make the postseason. If they can get to 11 wins, then they are most likely a sure bet to take the division. However, if they lay an egg down the stretch, then the explosive Eagles could find themselves left out of the race with the top-heavy NFC.

EAGLES: Eagles take care of business against Texans

Pinned in the heart of the Eagles second half schedule, many overlooked the matchup with the Houston Texans on Thursday night. Even though it was a non-conference game, it was a must win for the Eagles considering how tight the NFC is looking at this point in the season. Once again, Michael Vick carried Philadelphia on his back and led the Eagles to a 34-24 win at Lincoln Financial Field.

Offensively, the Eagles continued their dominance of opposing defenses. Vick led the Eagles to touchdowns on four of six red zone possessions and to a 50 percent third down conversion rate. He controlled the game and let the offense work itself out against one of the worst defenses in the league.

Defensively, the Eagles were pretty shaky. The Texans scored touchdowns on all three of their red zone trips. Coming into the game Philadelphia allowed touchdowns on 76.7 percent of red zone possessions, which is the worst in the league. Now for the grades:

Quarterback: A-

Was Michael Vick slippery or what against the Texans? He dodged a couple of tackles throughout the game that should have resulted in sacks and he instead turned them into big carries. He had his fifth game of the season with a quarterback rating over 100 and his seventh over 90. Vick completed 22 of 33 passes for 302 yards (third time in four games throwing over 300 yards).

Vick did a great job controlling the game under pressure. He had his first come from behind win as the Eagles starting quarterback. He completed 5 of 7 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown (on top of a rushing touchdown) in the fourth quarter. That’s a passer rating of 153.2. The Eagles are averaging 33.6 points per game with Vick under center and have scored over 25 points in each of those games.

I’m still a bit worried and annoyed by Vick’s refusal to slide. He said in an interview after the game that he knows how to slide, but would rather not to. He’s all smiles right now while he is healthy, but one hit can end all of the Eagles dreams with Vick under center.

Running backs: A

On the ground, LeSean McCoy only rushed 12 times for 44 yards. However, McCoy hauled in a team high eight passes for 86 yards and finished with two touchdowns on the day. On the season he has 67 receptions, which is only 23 away from tying the Eagles single season record set by Brian Westbrook in 2007. He is averaging just over five catches per game and with four games left, he is poised to contend for that record. I really cannot say enough about how much Shady has developed in the last year. He is extremely versatile and does a great job making people miss.

Even though he only had three touches on the night, Jerome Harrison had a huge third down carry that went for 14 yards. He broke a tackle and quickly moved to the edge of the field and beat out a couple of linebackers.

Wide Receivers: A –

Brent Celek saved the game for the Eagles late in the 4th quarter

This was the first game of the season that the Eagles got solid production from the big three of their receiving core: DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek. Jackson finished with 84 yards, Maclin with 68 and Celek with 55. Granted they were facing one of the worst secondaries in football, but still they seemed to do a good job getting open at all points of the field. It seems like Vick and Celek are starting to get more comfortable together, as the tight end was targeted a season high seven times from No. 7. Also, hats off to Brent Celek for keeping the Eagles in the game late in the fourth quarter when he stretched for a first down on 3^rd and 19. That play changed the outcome of the game.

What is the deal with Jason Avant? For the third time this season Avant dropped a touchdown pass that could have changed the outlook of the game. He is regarded as having some of the best hands in football, but seems to miss at the worst possible times. Both Avant and Celek dropped touchdown passes on a second half drive that resulted in a touchdown.

Offensive Line: B

The offensive line only allowed one sack to the Texans.  More impressively, they only allowed two tackles and one tackle for a loss to Mario Williams, who is regarded as one of the most dominant defensive ends in the country. However the line as a whole continues to buckle against the blitz. Imagine what Vick could do with more time in the pocket.

Jason Peters had a great game blocking, and impressively without any penalties. He made great blocks on almost every big passing play. Todd Herremans was really inconsistent and allowed too many defenders in the backfield.

Defensive Line/Linebackers: C –

Let’s just say that if Michael Vick had as much time as Matt Schaub in the pocket, the Eagles would average 50 points a game. The front four did a terrible job getting to Schaub all night. They only blitzed nine times, which resulted in two sacks. Brandon Graham played in 70 percent of the snaps, but was practically invisible on the field. Trent Cole, a man who seems to be able to get past any offensive lineman, was shut down for most of the game. Aside from Trevor Laws’ interception in the first half, the defensive line was very unproductive against a mediocre Texans offensive line.

Stewart Bradley had another great game for the Eagles. He has been very quiet all season, but finally showed signs of leadership on Thursday. Bradley made a couple of big tackles against Arian Foster that went for losses. However, Bradley, like the rest of the linebackers, gave up a couple of big plays to tight end Joel Dreessen.

Secondary: C+

The second straight game without Asante Samuel and the Eagles secondary was torched again. Matt Schaub passed for 337 yards, 149 of which went to Andre Johnson. The Texans star receiver was injured for most of the first half, which shows how big of an impact he had in the second half. Both Nate Allen and Dmitri Patterson were beat badly on a head fake by Johnson in the second quarter that went for 42 yards.

Congratulations to David Akers who made Eagles history Thursday

That being said, the Eagles defense still was able to pull things together late in the fourth quarter. They were in a tough spot and the offense picked them off the ground and put them on their back. The defense really needs to step up heading into Dallas and New York.

Special Teams: A

It finally happened. The Eagles returned a kickoff for the first time this season, and one of the first times in the last decade, but then it all came crashing down on a Clay Harbor holding call. Watching Jorrick Calvin celebrate after the return without knowing there was a penalty was painful. He still rebounded and averaged over 23 yards per return.

Congratulations to Eagles kicker David Akers. He became the all-time leader in starts in franchise history (184), surpassing former safety Brian Dawkins. Akers also accounted for 10 points for the Eagles on Thursday night.

Now is when things get very interesting for the Eagles. They finish the season playing the Dallas Cowboys twice, the New York Giants at the Meadowlands and at home against the Minnesota Vikings. For the first time in the last few seasons, a 10-win team might not make the playoffs in the NFC. Now is when we see what the real Philadelphia Eagles are like and how they can respond on the road in Dallas and New York.

If you haven’t seen it yet, you must watch the Eagles post-game locker room celebration

EAGLES: Must Win Tonight vs. Texans

Coming off one of the ugliest losses of the season, it will be important for the Eagles to rebound against the Houston Texans tonight at Lincoln Financial Field. Pretty much all weaknesses were pinpointed this past Sunday, including the Eagles offense that ranks second in the NFL in points per game (28.2).

I expect nothing short of a shootout tonight at Lincoln Financial Field. Behind Michael Vick the Eagles have the ability to score on every defense in the NFL. Taking into account that the Texans have given up at least 24 points in every game this season except for this past Sunday should make for an exciting Eagles offense. One of the most important things to watch tonight is the productivity of the Eagles red zone offense. They rank 19th in the NFL right now in red zone efficiency and their struggles last week against Chicago was one of the main reasons for losing. However, Houston’s pass defense ranks 31st in the league and Michael Vick has proven that he can make big plays with both his arm and legs. Case point: expect a lot of points and a lot of yards from the Eagles offense.

The Eagles need Samuel on the field against Andre Johnson

Another key matchup to watch on offense will be how the line handles defensive end Mario Williams. He has 8.5 sacks on the season and is quickly becoming one of the best in the league at his position. He will most likely be matched up with Jason Peters, aka the penalty machine. It’s going to be crucial for the line to protect Vick and let him stand in the pocket instead of running aimlessly in the backfield.

That being said, the Texans rank in the top 10 in the league in points per game (24). They garner the top-ranked running back in the NFL right now in Arian Foster, who is poised to run all over the Eagles if the front seven doesn’t come to play. Philadelphia’s defense has done a great job against the run this season so it will be important for them to continue down that path. Sean McDermott needs to make sure to stay aggressive and not allow Foster to break for big runs.

Even though Matt Schaub is not having the most productive year, he is still a play-making quarterback that has a number of weapons in Andre Johnson and Owen Daniels. The Eagles need to pray that Asante Samuel can play tonight. He is listed as a game-time decision with a knee injury and it was quite apparent how important he is to the secondary. The secondary is very young and Samuel lead’s the NFL in interceptions, so it will be important to have him on the field. If not, then the Eagles will rely on Dmitri Patterson and Joselio Hanson to cover the speedy and athletic Andre Johnson, Kevin Walter and Jacoby Jones. They will have their hands full tonight and could be the reason for keeping the Texans in the game.

This is a game that the Eagles are expected to win, but it is also a game that could really throw the Eagles under the bus in the final couple of weeks. The NFC is very top-heavy and the Eagles need to stay atop the division knowing they still have three more divisional games to play. If the Eagles offense can control the game and keep the ball away from Arian Foster and Andre Johnson, then this could be a fun highlight reel to watch.

Prediction: Eagles- 38, Texans- 17