EAGLES: Eagles hold off Giants to gain control of division

There’s a reason the Eagles have been tagged the “Cardiac ‘Birds” this season. Outside of last weekend’s beat down over the Redskins, the Eagles were met with a tough test against the New York Giants on Sunday night.

It mimicked a typical Eagles Giants matchup, full of the chippiest of plays, hair pulling and one that goes down to the wire. Both teams showed their vulnerability, but it was the Eagles that prevailed in one of their most important wins of the season.

The Eagles relied heavily on their big-play style of offense and defense. They have always struggled to grind out close games under Andy Reid, but were able to get away with a win against a very good Giants team that is known to make teams beat them. Philadelphia came out firing in the first half, but missed a number of crucial opportunities to put the game out of reach. The offense failed to convert on three-straight red zone opportunities, thanks to two drops in the end zone and a failed third and short.

By halftime, the score should have been about 24-3 in favor of the green and white. However, things felt all too similar to the previous home game against the Indianapolis Colts, where the Eagles had a number of opportunities to put them away and instead let the game go down to the wire. Soon after the half, the Giants scored 14 unanswered points to take a one point lead in the fourth quarter.

A few gray hairs later, the Eagles found themselves in a 4^th and 1 situation at midfield. After running a terrible third and one play that ended in an incomplete pass (which should have been a running play), Michael Vick snapped the ball and pitched it back to LeSean McCoy. Fifty yards later the Eagles were back in control of the game after McCoy exploded for his best and most clutch run of the season. From there on out the Eagles looked like the Eagles from the first quarter and the Giants had no answer.

For the grades:

Quarterback: B –

For a majority of the game Michael Vick had no answers for the Giants defense. They had a game plan and did a good job sticking to it by negating Vick from beating them with his feet. He was only held to 34 yards on 11 carries Sunday night. Throwing wise, Vick didn’t seem to click as well with his receivers as he did against the Redskins. Regardless of the fact that Vick couldn’t get help from his wide receivers in the first half (dropped touchdowns by Jackson and Avant) he still struggled to hit his receivers when he was facing pressure.

My other big problem with Vick on Sunday night was his run-first mentality on a number of plays. This was one of my biggest concerns about him as a quarterback because he often fails to let plays develop and tries to scramble for yardage instead. He fumbled the ball twice on Sunday, one of which was recovered by the Giants during their third quarter comeback.

Also, Vick has to realize that he only weighs 210 pounds. With all of this scrambling, he continues to risk himself for injury every time he takes a hit from an opposing defense. He was only hit three times in the pocket, but another ten or so times when he went to rush. He doesn’t slide and he rarely runs out of bounds, which means he is getting hit that many more times each game. His health a big concern if the Eagles are going to make him a franchise quarterback.

Runningback: A –

McCoy is a special runner

For about the fifth time this season, LeSean McCoy has taken the game into his hands and acted as a catalyst to an Eagles win. He struggled at the beginning of the game (8 rushes for 4 yards), but exploded for two runs over 40 yards in the fourth quarter to seal the win for the Eagles. It continues to baffle me that Andy Reid does not look to McCoy more often during the game. He averages less than 16 carries per game, yet has four games over 90 yards rushing and six games over 100 all purpose yards. I would say that merits more touches every game.

I was also shocked to see the limited role by Jerome Harrison against the Giants. I guess his 100+ yard performance from last week didn’t justify more time.

Wide receiver: B

One ball. In all of training camp Jason Avant allegedly dropped one ball. However, he dropped one of the easiest touchdown catches of all time against the Giants, and one that would have changed the outlook of the game. He is not the only one to blame. DeSean Jackson, while not as bad as Avant, dropped a touchdown pass from Vick in the first quarter. However, both receivers made up for the drops with great catches throughout the game. Mistakes happen, but it’s how the receivers respond to those mistakes that matters.

Jeremy Maclin continues to impress each week. He finished with 120 yards, which is his second highest total of the season, and made a number of great catches down the stretch. He also tied a career high with nine receptions.

By the way, where in the world is Brent Celek? Let me know if you have an answer.

Offensive Line: C –

Penalties, penalties, penalties. That was the story of the day for the Eagles offensive line. Jason Peters, who is usually good for at least one penalty a game, accounted for multiple flags against the Giants. Todd Herremans, who has really improved over the last few weeks, was called for two penalties that came at inopportune moments. Also, they allowed three sacks all to Justin Tuck, who dominated the outside tackles all game.

Defensive Line/Linebackers: B+

The story of the game was the ability to create turnovers from Eli Manning. If there’s one thing Eagles fans know about Eli, it’s that he is very vulnerable and prone to make mistakes. His three interceptions and the offense’s two fumbles were the story of the night. The Eagles front seven did a phenomenal job stopping the running attack of Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. Bradshaw only netted 29 yards on 12 carries and Jacobs averaged just two yards per carry. My one concern (and reason for the B+ grade) was the lack of pressure on Eli Manning. For the first time since the 2008 season, the Eagles failed to register a sack. Shawn Andrews, the once crazed Eagles lineman, completely shut down Trent Cole on the right side of the line. Brandon Graham forced a fumble but struggled to get to Manning all night. It was also great to see Stewart Bradley get an interception, but I’m still waiting for his breakout game.

Secondary: A–

Samuel may have finally learned how to hit too

I don’t know if it’s his speed or his impressive anticipation, but Asante Samuel was everywhere on the field against the Giants. He intercepted Manning twice, recovered a fumble and even recovered a fumble that was eventually overruled by the referees. He has seven interceptions in the last seven games and it probably having the best season of his career. Not to mention that he finally showed he can hit people instead of his usual push-tackle technique. The only ironic thing is that his first big hit ended in a penalty and most likely a fine from the league.

Dmitri Patterson also showed up to play for the second consecutive week. He did a great job shutting down Mario Manningham.

Special Teams: B+

After missing three field goals in one game against the Falcons, David Akers has been on a tear this year. He is practically automatic on field goals, making four of five against New York (one was blocked to end the half). It was a scary period of ten minutes watching Ellis Hobbs being carted off the field, but thankfully he is in stable condition. He will miss the rest of the season with a neck injury. With Hobbs out, the Eagles are in search of another consistent kick returner. Eldra Buckley filled in for a return and ran hard but only gained 20 yards. Jorrick Calvin has struggled recently so that part of the roster is going to need to be figured out soon.

 

There is certainly an optimistic buzz coming from Eagles fans in Philadelphia. I urge them to sit back and let the season play out before booking tickets to Dallas in late January/early February. It has been fun to watch this team come together under Michael Vick, but there are still six weeks left in the season that can change the entire outlook of the year. Philadelphia has proved that they are the team to beat in the NFC East, but can they continue this winning streak for the rest of the season? If they keep playing like this, they are going to be one tough team to beat in the NFL.

 

EAGLES: What We Have Learned from the Eagles This Season

A lot has happened in the first seven weeks of the Eagles season. Between the transition of the franchise from the Donovan McNabb era and 13 draft picks in April, the Eagles have had to deal with a lot of changes in their young roster.

Philadelphia is 4-3 on the year and sits one game behind the New York Giants in the NFC East. Luckily for the Eagles, they play in the NFC East which has been one of the biggest divisional busts of the season. Many believe that the Eagles are lucky to even be in the hunt at this point in the season, considering how inconsistent the team has been and how much drama has surrounded them on and off the field.

We have learned a lot about the Eagles through the first seven weeks. Anyone that follows the Eagles knew coming into the season that it was going to be a year full of questions. Many have coined this year’s team as a “rebuilding process”, whereas others still believe that the Eagles can contend with any team in the NFL. Heading into the second half of the season (and the hardest part of the season), the Eagles have a lot to improve on if they want to be taken seriously in the very up-in-the-air NFC.

So what exactly have we learned this season?

1) The Eagles have two very capable quarterbacks

Andy Reid got his wish. Much to the dislike of fans and the media, Reid has flip-flopped between starters Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick all season. They have both proven that they can lead the team to wins, but it’s their dissimilarities that make this an interesting core. They have very different styles (which I have argued in previous posts is not beneficial to the future of the organization) and have accounted for two wins each on the season. Vick played hero at the beginning of the season, but took a brutal hit on the goal line, sending Kevin Kolb back to the starting role. Kolb answered back in dramatic fashion, leading the ‘Birds in back to back wins over the 49ers and Falcons. They have combined to one of the best passer ratings in the league and I think any Eagles fan can feel comfortable with Vick or Kolb as the starter.

2) The offensive line is a joke

Much of the Eagles success on offense relies on the offensive line. They are one of the most inconsistent units in franchise history. Barred by injuries to Jamaal Jackson and Jason Peters, the Eagles have had to rely on young players such as King Dunlap and Mike McGlynn to carry the weight on the line. They are tied for second in the league for sacks allowed per game (3) and rank high in QB hits allowed. There have been flashes of potential, but week in and week out the offensive line finds a way to keep the opposing defense in the game.

3) Brent Celek hangover

Can Brent Celek re-establish himself as a go-to receiver?

For the most part, the Eagles receiving core has been pretty impressive. DeSean Jackson took one of the biggest hits of the season that has put him out for a couple of weeks. Until this past week against the Titans, Jeremy Maclin has been the most impressive receiver for the Eagles. He leads the ‘Birds with 30 receptions for 458 yards and six touchdowns and has done a sufficient job as the top receiver (with the exception of the Titans game).

More importantly for the success of the Eagles has been the lack of production from tight end Brent Celek. Coming off a Pro-Bowl caliber season, Celek was expected to be one of the best in the league at his position. He only has 21 receptions for 229 yards and two scores on a pass-happy offense that loves to go to the tight end. In the last couple of weeks he has faced problems with dropping balls in crucial moments and is losing his reputation for being a big play tight end. With DeSean Jackson now on the concussion watch list, Celek is going to need to fill in as a go-to receiver.

4) LeSean McCoy has established himself as a No. 1 running back

Without McCoy, the Eagles would probably have a losing record. He has played with cracked ribs the last couple of weeks but continues to carry the workload for the running game. He is averaging 4.5 yards per carry and more impressively he leads the ‘Birds in receptions. One of the biggest questions for the second half of the season is whether or not McCoy can handle the heavy workload during the long season. The Eagles lack a sufficient backup that can compliment McCoy. Hopefully Jerome Harrison can make more of an impact than Mike Bell.

5) Vulnerability of the secondary

Since the Brian Dawkins era, the Eagles secondary has primarily been a big-play unit. They like to take risks with the hopes of not giving up too many big plays. The problem this season is that they have given up too many of those plays. A case point would be last week’s performance by Kenny Britt, who torched the Eagles for 225 yards and three touchdowns in three quarters of play. Ellis Hobbs has been a cancer at cornerback and Asante Samuel has been relatively quiet this year. Despite recording three interceptions in the first three weeks, Nate Allen still has a lot of growing up to do. Quintin Mikell leads the team in tackles, but has been vulnerable to the long ball and tends to get beaten over the top. The Eagles defense is allowing over 22 points per game, ranking them 19^th in the league. Sean McDermott is on the hot seat now and improving the secondary is the first thing he needs to do to improve his image.

Where is the Stewart Bradley of old?

6) Where is Stewart Bradley?

Two years ago, Stewart Bradley seemed like he was going to the future of the Eagles defense. Since Eagles Flight Night in 2009 when Bradley suffered a season ending ACL tear, he has not provided the same presence in the middle as he did in 2008. He is fifth on the team in tackles and has yet to create a turnover this season. At least the Eagles have Trent Cole to pick up his slack.

7) The schedule is only going to get harder

The biggest concern for the Eagles moving forward has been their inconsistency against mediocre and subpar teams. Three of their four wins have come against teams with losing records, but more importantly their losses have been ugly. All three of their losses have come to teams that are .500 or better. This is a big concern for Eagles fans considering that seven out of the next nine opponents have even or winning records. It also doesn’t help that the Eagles face the Colts coming out of the bye, a team that Andy Reid has yet to beat in his tenure.

Philadelphia has a lot to work on if they want to continue to compete in the division. They face five more NFC East games, including two against the Giants and Cowboys. Let’s see what this young team’s got.

Happy Halloween and more importantly happy Phillies World Series Parade day as it was two years ago today that Broad Street was flooded with red.

EAGLES: Eagles hold on to beat 49ers on road

It seems like the motto of “a win is a win” is starting to get redundant for the Eagles during the 2010 season. All three of their wins have come against three mediocre or sub-par teams in football, whose combined record is 4-11. Not to mention that all three of those wins came on the road.

For the most part, the Eagles played one of their better games of the year last night in San Francisco. Kevin Kolb made his best start of the season (which isn’t saying much), going 21 of 31 for 253 yards and a touchdown. His 103.3 passer rating was one of the best of his career and he showed glimpses of what he can offer the Eagles organization. LeSean McCoy, who was questionable coming into the game with a cracked rib, continued his brilliance of the 2010 season by rushing for 92 yards and a score on top of 46 yards receiving. Despite a banged up defense, they forced a total of five turnovers en route to protecting an Eagles lead that reached 17 at one point.

Even though these numbers seem good on paper, it doesn’t excuse the Eagles for allowing the game to get within three points. Any time a defense can force five turnovers, your QB have a 103.3 passer rating, and you are playing an 0-5 team, the game should be a blowout. The Eagles had several opportunities to make the game out of reach, but once again allowed big plays on both special teams and over the middle in the passing game.

This week’s grades:

Quarterback: A –

Kolb breaks two tackles before throwing a TD pass to Brent Celek

Kolb made a couple of great plays against the 49ers. The best play of his career came on his only touchdown pass when he tip toed to avoid two potential sacks and threw across his body the Brent Celek who fell into the end zone. He went an impressive 12-14 for 123 yards and a score in the first half and seemed to be in rhythm. After last week against Washington, he was mainly criticized for failing to take any risks to move the ball downfield. However, he responded this week with four passes over 20 yards, including a nice connection with Jeremy Maclin in the second half.

This was an attempted statement game by Kevin Kolb. However having a game like this only actually hinders Kolb’s future. Andy Reid already stated that Michael Vick will be the starter when he is healthy again, which means back to the bench for Kolb until Vick either gets hurt or starts throwing the ball backwards. Because let’s be honest, I don’t think Andy Reid can afford to flip flop again and announce Kolb the starter—he is now stuck with Vick.

The real question here is whether or not Kolb’s performance justifies anything for his future with the franchise. The Inquirer’s Rich Hoffman made an interesting point after the game when he wrote, “But now the dilemma is plain. If Vick plays well enough to allow the Eagles to make a long playoff run, it is hard to believe they wouldn’t re-sign him, in which case Kolb is going to have to be traded. But if Vick doesn’t play well enough, then the Eagles have just wasted what should have been Kolb’s season of development.”

But don’t worry, Andy always has a way of shocking fans so who knows what’s next.

Running back: A

As I have been saying all year, LeSean McCoy has proven that he has what it takes to be a No. 1 back in the NFL. He was questionable coming into the game and was the Eagles most valuable player on offense for the second consecutive week. I knew he was shifty, but that 29-yard touchdown where he dodged about four different 49ers was truly remarkable.

Wide Receivers: B

The Eagles wide receiver core did a good job picking apart the San Fran secondary and made a lot of crucial catches on Sunday night. Jeremy Maclin led all receivers with 95 yards, which was mostly due to his great catch on Kolb’s bomb. However, it’s quite obvious that Kevin Kolb and DeSean Jackson are struggling to make a connection. Even though Jackson left the game with an injury, he was held to just 2 catches for 24 yards. Despite catching the first Eagles touchdown, Brent Celek dropped a couple of passes that are not characteristic of the tight end.

Offensive line: D –

What else is there more to say about this group? It’s almost like they get worse every time they get on the field. Jason Peters injured his knee during the game and was replaced by King Dunlap, the largest waste of space in Eagles history. Standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing in at 330 pounds, you would think that not a single sole in the NFL would get around him, right? That was not the case as Dunlap was embarrassed (almost as embarrassed as Winston Justice was against the Giants in 2007). Todd Herremans also played terribly, committing a bad holding penalty that brought the Eagles back after a big gain.

Defensive Line/Linebackers: C

If I were grading strictly on run defense, I would have given the front seven an A minus. After giving up 169 rushing yards to Clinton Portis and Ryan Torain last week, they held Frank Gore to a mere 2.6 yards per carry on the night. However, the linebackers continue to struggle in pass coverage. It is evident that Stewart Bradley is still feeling the effects of his knee and head injuries because he does not look like the same Bradley of old. Vernon Davis, who the Eagles continuously struggle against every time these teams play, had five receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown late in the game to bring it within three points. I almost forgot that Moise Fokou played last night, as he only had two tackles and failed to make any impact in his first start of the season.

Secondary: D+

Dmitri Patterson grabbed his first interception of the year

Don’t believe the hype about the turnovers committed by the Eagles secondary. Quintin Mikell picked up a fumble for a touchdown and Trevard Linley and Dmitri Patterson both had interceptions; however the secondary was probably the main reason the 49ers came back in the game. After shutting down Alex Smith for three quarters, the team completely collapsed in the fourth and allowed Smith to go 11 of 15 for two touchdowns.

Special Teams: D –

There was nothing really good to say about the special teams. David Akers knocked down two of his three field goals, but that was overshadowed by pathetic return coverage. Ted Ginn had kick returns of 44 and 61 yards during the game, both of which resulted in touchdowns for San Fran. Offensively, it seemed like Ellis Hobbs didn’t make any effort to dodge people on his kick returns and DeSean’s habit of running east to west too often resulted in poor punt returns.

 

Don’t be fooled by the fact that Philadelphia is 3-2 and tied atop the NFC East. There are still a lot of improvements that need to be made before I am sold that this team is a contender. For one, they need to beat someone other than the Lions and 49ers. Secondly, the offensive line needs to show the slightest bit of improvement. Finally, the defense and special teams cannot give up the big plays to opposing teams. The next two weeks against Atlanta and Tennessee could prove to be the most important stretch of the season heading into the bye week. If the Eagles can get situated for those two games, there might be potential.

EAGLES: Rout of Jaguars Gives ‘Birds First Place

In the middle of August, it was the Eagles first preseason game that ended in a one point win. On Sunday, it was a completely different story that ended in a 25-point win. In August it was the debut of Kevin Kolb as the Eagles new starter. Earlier today it was the beginning of a new Eagles era–for however long it lasts—the Michael Vick era.

Michael Vick accounted for all four of the Eagles touchdowns against the Jags. The Philadelphia offensive was practically unstoppable, posting their best numbers of the 2010 season. The offensive line certainly bent but didn’t break, enabling Michael Vick to find his receivers and scramble around the field. Defensively, the Eagles held the Jags to no touchdowns, making it the first time they’ve done that since the 2008 season.

It’s always fun to give grades when the Eagles play well:

Quarterback: A –

Michael Vick proved why he got the starting job

The spotlight was on Michael Vick after Andy Reid’s decision to give him the starting job for the rest of the season. Vick delivered in dramatic fashion, throwing for 291 yards and three touchdowns. He also added another touchdown on the ground off a 17-yard rush in the fourth quarter.

For the first time in his career, Vick recorded his third straight passer rating over 100. He has made a special connection with his receivers, especially with DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin on the long ball. The only problem I had with Vick was his completion percentage on Sunday. He finished the game just 17 for 31 (54.8 percent), which really needs to come up when the Eagles start playing competitive NFL teams.

Running Backs: B

Typical of an Andy Reid offense, the Eagles didn’t let the running game develop on Sunday. LeSean McCoy continues to prove why he deserves more carries each game, as he averaged five yards per carry on 11 carries for 49 yards. What more does he need to do to win over Any Reid? He is averaging 6.7 yards per carry behind a sub-par offensive line.

Mike Bell, who has gotten little action this season, failed to convert two short yardage situations today. He was supposed to be a good compliment to McCoy’s speed, but failed to get the job done and brought the running back’s grade done because of it.

Wide Receivers: A

What a beautiful sight seeing the wide receivers exploit defenses. They are one of, if not the, most dynamic cores in the league. The speed of DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin cannot be defended by most teams in the country, which was proven on Sunday. Jackson opened the game with a 61-yard touchdown and finished the game with five receptions for 153 yards and a score. Maclin recorded his third and fourth touchdowns of the year and had 83 reception yards on four catches. To put things in perspective, Maclin only had four touchdowns all of last season. It was also great to see Brent Celek in the mix, who finished with four receptions for 42 yards.

Offensive Line: B

In the beginning of the game, the offensive line struggled to protect Vick, forcing a number of incomplete passes. Throughout the game, Vick was sacked three times, which shows that there is always room for improvement when it comes to the Eagles offensive line. However, this was definitely the best the o-line has looked this year. Once they got situated and into a rhythm, they gave Vick a lot of time to make plays happen.

Defensive Line/Linebackers: A

Stewart Bradley made his presence felt on Sunday

Maurice Jones-Drew is the type of running back that is not often held to 3.7 yards per carry. It’s amazing how much the front seven improves with the presence of Stewart Bradley in the middle of the field. On top of stopping the run, the Eagles also sacked David Garrard six times, which is the most they have all season. Trent Cole led the team in sacks (2) and tackles (8) and continues to be the staple on the defensive line.

As I mentioned in the preview post, one of the big concerns heading into Sunday was how the Eagles would defend the athletic and versatile tight end Mercedes Lewis. The linebackers did a great job preventing him from catching balls over the middle and held him to three catches for 15 yards.

Secondary: A

Any time you hold an opposing quarterback, and I don’t care who that quarterback is, to 105 yards of passing, you are doing something right. The Jaguars didn’t have an answer for the Eagles pressure from the front seven, which led to bad passes on tight coverage. Asante Samuel recorded his first interception of the season and did a great job defending Mike Sims-Walker throughout the game.

Special Teams: A –

I don’t think I’m the only one who found myself wondering who Jorrick Calvin was when he entered the game. He did a pretty solid job returning punts after DeSean Jackson and returning kicks after Ellis Hobbs. Speaking of Ellis Hobbs, he had a great kick return of 46 yards that sparked an Eagles offensive drive. Sav Rocca also continues to kill the ball, averaging over 45 yards per punt this season.

Now the easy part of the season is behind the Eagles. The highly anticipated return of Donovan McNabb to Philadelphia will take place next Sunday night, which also marks the Eagles first divisional match up. Isn’t it odd to think that after all of the controversy this past week the Eagles are the only team in the NFC East to be above 500? Funny how things work out.

EAGLES: ‘Birds Survive in Win Over Lions

After watching Sunday’s 35-32 win over the Lions, there’s only one thing I can say: I’m glad I’m not head coach Andy Reid.

While on the surface the impressive performance by Michael Vick was good for the team– giving them their first win of the season–it went about as badly as possible in convincing the team and fans that Kevin Kolb is still the go-to guy. I still believe it and I stand by my previous post about why Kolb is the right guy for the job, but according to Sports Nation yesterday, over 70 percent of fans believe that the Eagles should start Michael Vick this upcoming week against Jacksonville. However Reid is sticking by his prized possession and going with a healthy Kolb in week three, a decision that Vick rightfully accepted (on the surface and to the media at least).

The Eagles first win of the season was much more of a story than Michael Vick’s first start since December 31, 2006. It was a story of rookie Jahvid Best, who torched the Eagles for 232 all purpose yards (78 on the ground and 154 in the air). It was a story of a struggling offensive line and a still developing defense that forced the offense to be in tip top shape against one of the least successful franchises since the days of Barry Sanders. Before I delve too deep into analysis, let’s hand out the second report card of the season.

QB: A –

Vick has been waiting for this opportunity since he joined the Eagles last season

As I mentioned earlier, Vick stepped up in ways that many advocates for hoping for and many haters were cringing about. He dropped back over 50 times during the game and completed over 60 percent of his passes for 284 yards and two touchdowns. The 284 passing yards is the fifth-most yards he’s thrown for in a game since he joined the NFL in 2001. He also recorded 37 yards on the ground.

I still have a problem with how Vick misses passes. While he does make some passes that most quarterbacks cannot make, he does tend to miss badly. Lucky for him none of them turned into interceptions on Sunday, but I still feel he needs to improve his passing and make it more consistent.

On a completely separate note, did anyone happen to see Donovan McNabb’s performance? He went 28 of 48 for 426 yards and a touchdown. The Redskins should have improved to 2-0 on the season but a missed field goal in the closing seconds cost them the game. In his effort, McNabb passed Hall of Famer Steve Young (33,124) and Phil Simms (33,462) for 20th place on the NFL’s all-time passing list. But no, he’s still not a good fit as an Eagles starter…right Andy?

RB: A

This was the breakout game from LeSean McCoy that the coaching staff and Eagles fans have been waiting for since he was the primary back last season. If anything, Shady proved that he deserves at least 20 carries a game. Why not give it to him? I can’t remember the last time the Eagles consistently gave a running back 20 carries a game since the Duce Staley era. The best teams in the league function with a dynamic running game that helps balance their offense. McCoy had 16 carries for 120 yards and three touchdowns. It was his performance, not Vicks that enabled the Eagles to prevail on the road in Detroit. Case point: give Shady the ball.

WR: B+

It’s a beautiful feeling to see the DeSean Jackson of last year. With his speed, all the Eagles quarterbacks need to do is get him the ball in the open field and let him make people miss. Vick did just that in the first quarter and it resulted in a 45 yard touchdown. On the day, Jackson finished with 135 yards receiving and a touchdown.

Eight different receivers were incorporated into the Eagles offense on Sunday. Outside of Jackson, Jason Avant was second in yards with 33 on the afternoon. Jeremy Maclin hauled in his second touchdown of the season but only finished with three catches for 26 yards. My big concern for the receiving game is in tight end Brent Celek. In his first two games, Celek only has 5 receptions for 57 yards. He was expected to be one of the most prolific receiving tight ends in the league this season, but has failed to make much of an impact thus far in 2010.

Offensive Line: C -

LeSean McCoy proved that he can be a No. 1 option

When a defense has five sacks on Michael Vick, that’s like saying a defense would have had 10 sacks against Kevin Kolb. The Lions defensive line, led by Kyle Vanden Bosch and Ndamukong Suh, embarrassed the offensive line this past weekend. Once Jason Peters went down with a knee and ankle injury, the Eagles were forced to have King Dunlap guard one of the best in the game. He held his own for a little, but Vanden Bosch still managed 1.5 sacks and two tackles for losses in the game. Suh added a sack, two tackles for losses, and led all tacklers with eight.

The revolving door Eagles offensive line continues to cripple the Eagles high powered offense. The ‘Birds were able to get away with it on Sunday because they were playing the Lions, but that won’t happen come divisional play. With Jackson out for the year and the rest of the starters dealing with nagging injuries, this part of the team is a big concern moving forward. If they don’t get healthy and continue to get worked by opposing defensive lines, the Eagles need to make a move to improve their line or Kevin Kolb might have some more concussion problems to deal with.

Defensive Line/Linebackers: C -

The Eagles front seven gave up 109 rushing yards in the first half alone. To make matters worse, the Eagles defense as a whole has given up 59 yards in the first two games this season, the most in the NFL. Without Stewart Bradley in the mix, it’s amazing how much the run defense changes. Detroit finished with 115 on the ground, but only ran the ball nine times in the second half. It will be a beautiful sight to see No. 55 back on the field this week.

Secondary: C+

The Eagles saw the back of Jahvid Best's jersey all too often on Sunday

Outside of the 75-yard touchdown to Jahvid Best, the secondary didn’t play too horribly on Sunday. Shaun Hill (who threw for 335 yards) did torch them in the last five minutes of the game, going 10-12 and throwing a touchdown to Calvin Johnson to bring the game within three. Safety Nate Allen notched his second interception of the season, becoming the first Eagle with two interceptions in his first two games since Brenard Wilson in 1979. Joselio Hanson also made a great play on the ball to prevent the Lions from a first down that would have prolonged the game and took years away from the lives of many Eagles fans.

Special Teams: C

Sav Rocca had another monster game for the Eagles, averaging over 48 yards per punt and landing two within the 20-yard line. However, the rest of the special teams was pretty pathetic. Rookie Kurt Coleman was called for back-to-back penalties on punt plays. Both Ellis Hobbs (averaged only 19 yards per kickoff) and DeSean Jackson (only 5 yards per punt return) had sub-par outings. That’s the second straight game the Eagles have failed to make any significant impact on kick and punt returns.

All eyes and pressure is now on Kevin Kolb. Even though I foresee Reid sticking with Kolb regardless, there is a lot of pressure on No. 4 to get the job done. Not only does he have a microscope for being the heir to Donovan McNabb, he now has to prove that he is a better fit than Michael Vick as the starting quarterback for the Eagles. Luckily for Kolb, he is playing the 0-2 Jacksonville Jaguars who just gave up 38 points to the San Diego Chargers and finished the game with six turnovers.

EAGLES: Ugly Season Opening Loss to the Packers

For over eight months, Eagles fans have been waiting for tonight’s matchup with the Green Bay Packers. It marked the beginning of a new era under Kevin Kolb and resurgence of a young and athletic defense. However, you must be crazy if you could have predicted how Sunday’s matchup ended up playing out.

As Kolb took the field, I felt myself taking deep breaths in anticipation for a new beginning. I had mixed emotions of excitement and anxiety. A quarter into the game, it was hard to control my frustration at the Eagles offense and by Kolb’s performance. It was exactly what Eagles fans were afraid of—Kolb not being able to handle the pressure of the big stage and adjusting to the defensive pressure put on by the Packers. He finished the game with only five completions thanks to a crushing hit by Packer’s linebacker Clay Matthews that forced him to the sidelines with a concussion. Even though he tried to come back, Kolb soon left the game and put the ball in the hands of Michael Vick.

Vick might see his first role as a starter next week

Even though Vick has several years of experience as a starting quarterback, the Eagles front office put all of their eggs in the Kevin Kolb basket. They believe that Kolb is the future of the franchise and that Vick is simply another addition to an already dynamic offense. Well Vick did his best to prove them wrong after filling in for Kolb during the second half. He looked like vintage Vick, changing the game with his versatility and speed on the ground. It didn’t prove to be enough though for the struggling Eagles offense, as their 10 unanswered points in the 4^th quarter left them a score short.

The biggest concern was not necessarily the loss to the Packers, but instead the Eagles losses suffered throughout the game. The Eagles lost Pro-Bowl fullback Leonard Weaver most likely for the rest of the season due to an ACL tear. After making his first start in 10 months, center Jamaal Jackson might be spending the rest of 2010 season on the bench after allegedly tearing his bicep. Finally, Stewart Bradley, the captain of the Eagles defense who missed last season with an ACL tear, suffered a concussion in the first half of the game. Both Kolb and Bradley are doubtful for next week’s game against the Lions.

Now it’s time to hand out grades to each of the positions:

QB-  C

To make it fair, I averaged the performances by Kolb (D -) and Vick (B+). Obviously Kolb didn’t spend much time on the field, only throwing ten passes, but still struggled to get anything going against the Packer’s defense. He couldn’t handle the pressure and only created more questions for the Eagles offense with his abysmal performance.

If it wasn’t for Vick, the Eagles would have lost by 20 points. He took the struggling offense and did what he does best—tuck the ball and run. He rushed for 103 yards in the game and completed 16 of 24 passes for 175 yards and a touchdown. At the same time however, Vick threw a couple of passes into the ground and seemed scared to throw the ball. His biggest problem is that he refuses to let plays develop and is too quick to commit to running.

RB- B+

I loved what I saw from LeSean McCoy tonight. He only got seven carries during the game, but finished with 35 yards (5 ypc) and a touchdown. McCoy also led all receivers with five receptions for 47 yards. With Weaver going down early in the game, McCoy did a good job adjusting to the workload and taking care of his tasks.

Just wondering, who is going to play fullback now? Eldra Buckley?

WR- C

Much of the receiving trouble had to do with the struggles at quarterback and offensive line. It’s never good when Mike McGlynn, the Eagles second string center, had more catches than DeSean Jackson at halftime. Maclin and Avant had respectable outings, but the absence of tight end Brent Celek and DeSean Jackson is a big concern.

OL- D+

Losing Jamaal Jackson was certainly no help, but it is a familiar situation for the Eagles offensive line. Jason Peters had another false start penalty, making it his third in three games of action (including preseason). The o-line had no solution to the Packer blitzing schemes, especially when it came to linebacker Clay Matthews, who was the player of the day for the Packers. The revolving door of an offensive line is way too concerning to me if the Eagles offense wants to reach its potential.

DL/LB- B

Parker had two sacks on Sunday

For a very young and unknown front seven, the Eagles held their own against a high powered Green Bay offense. In the first quarter and later in the second half, the Eagles put a ton of pressure on Aaron Rodgers and helped to force two interceptions. Juqua Parker and Trent Cole both tallied sacks and combined for eight tackles. The only weak spot was how the front seven seemed to take running back Brandon Jackson for granted. He filled in well for Ryan Grant and compiled 63 yards on 18 carries. As strong as the Eagles defense looked at times, they still showed signs of weakness without Bradley in the game…just like they did all of last season.

Secondary- B

Despite accounting for two interceptions, the Eagles secondary still let up two touchdowns and were beat badly on a few plays. It seems like Asante Samuel still doesn’t know how to tackle. He missed at least two tackles that led to another five to ten yards by the receiver. Also, even though it practically was thrown to him, it was great to see Nate Allen get a turnover in his first official start as an Eagle.

Special Teams- A-

I can’t recall ever seeing Sav Rocca punt the ball so far on consecutive kicks. David Akers also went perfect during the game, hitting field goals of 45 and 24 yards. Ellis Hobbs averaged just over 23 yards per kick return and DeSean Jackson didn’t really get a good opportunity to make an impact with the punt game.

Andy Reid- D

Reid’s playcalling woes continued on Sunday night. In the first quarter, I was confused of who the starting quarterback actually was considering Kolb and Vick practically split time behind center. How is a first-year starting quarterback and a shaky offensive line supposed to get in any consistent flow when there are new quarterbacks and offensive schemes going on every play?

Clay Matthews just made Kevin Kolb's opening season a lot more difficult

The Kolb and Vick debate was the least of Reid’s concerns. On the last play of the game (after Vick had rushed the ball 5 straight plays and still hadn’t thrown the ball on the drive), Reid and Marty Mornhinweg elected to have Vick rush the ball on a 4^th and 1 in the Packers zone. I don’t necessarily have a problem with Vick holding onto the ball, but Reid needs to be less predictable in that type of situation. I just feel like Reid buckles in pressure situations when it comes to playcalling and becomes way too predictable.

There’s really no beating around the bush on this game. The Eagles were terrible. Their offense has yet to improve since failing to produce anything respectable in the preseason. I still refuse to believe that Vick is the quarterback of the future, but how injured is Kolb? Bradley? Can the Eagles rebound without their captains on the offensive and defensive side of the ball including two of their best offensive starters for the season? A season filled with questions only added a few more to the list after the loss to the Packers.

EAGLES: Looking back at the Eagles preseason game against Jacksonville

There was a lot to take away from the Eagles first preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday night. From the positive to the negative, the Eagles 28-27 win illustrated that the ‘Birds are still far from game-ready.

If the Eagles could work the west coast offense they did on the first drive, this is going to be a fun year to be an Eagles fan. First off, the Eagles scored on four of their first five drives. Quarterback Kevin Kolb looked relaxed in his completions to DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin for big gains over the middle. The drive ended in a field goal, but that was due to a dropped touchdown pass by Brent Celek. DeSean Jackson was wide open on the side of the endzone and was probably a better option, but there’s no excuse for a drop like that in the red zone. Kolb went 6-for-11 for 95 yards on the night and still realizes there’s a lot to work on before the regular season.

Michael Vick on the other hand was full of ups and downs. He had a great vintage-Vick touchdown run, but also tossed an interception and missed a few crucial passes. His best pass of the night came on a 46-yard toss to rookie wide receiver Riley Cooper. I was surprised at the lack of Wildcat play-calling throughout the game. Maybe Andy finally got it through his head that it wasn’t fooling anyone.

Don't let Chad Hall's size fool you

The player of the game was 5-foot-8 wide receiver Chad Hall. Despite competing at the deepest position of the Eagles roster, Hall’s spectacular performance on Friday night may have solidified his spot on the 53-man list; whether that be as a wide receiver or return specialist. The rookie hauled in a 57-yard pass from Mike Kafka over the middle on top of a few large gains from end-arounds. Despite his tiny stature, his speed is unmatched by almost anyone on the roster. And we all know how much Andy Reid loves speed. Even if Reid decides to take four or five receivers, I can’t imagine he will pass up on Hall’s versatility and ability to be a kick/punt returner.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Eagles first team was very strong in the first quarter. They didn’t see much action (6 plays to be exact), which is a positive considering they forced back-to-back three and outs. Because of that, there’s not much to report on rookies Brandon Graham and Nate Allen, who are two of the biggest question marks coming into the regular season.

The secondary saw the most action against the Jaguars. Seventh-round standout Kurt Coleman, who has opened eyes during training camp, was the Eagles most consistent defensive player on Friday night. Similar to Chad Hall, he may have secured a spot on the team with his performance, making a few big hits (most noticeably the hit on Mike Sims-Walker to break up a 4^th down attempt) and pass deflections.

Veterans Stewart Bradley, Ernie Sims, Broderick Bunkley, Asante Samuel, and Ellis Hobbs all played very well with the first team offense.

Cornerback Joselio Hanson was beat badly by Troy Williamson in the second half, which led to a 73-yard touchdown pass. Hanson is battling Dimitri Patterson and Trevard Lindley for the second cornerback spot on the depth chart and plays like that are certainly not going to help. Linebacker/defensive end Moises Fokou was called for illegal contact and failed to make up for it the rest of the night.

Safety Kurt Coleman is making strides to be the backup safety

Overall, the most important part of the night was that the Eagles remained injury free (with the exception of Antoine Harris). Both the offense and defense showed a lot of bright spots, but more importantly left a lot of room for improvement. The next preseason game is on Friday, August 20^th at Cincinnati.

Updates from Training Camp

-Jason Avant’s brilliant and unnoticed streak of catches may have ended today. Until the morning practice, Avant had not dropped a single pass during training camp and preseason (which according to Marty Mornhineg has been over 100 passes so far). Avant still claims it was a fumble and not a drop pass, jokingly adding, “I caught it and he poked it out. It was a fumble,” he said. The Eagles are lucky to have him as a slot receiver.

-The luck, or lack thereof, continues for running back Mike Bell. After sitting out for the last two weeks with a hamstring injury, Bell left the field this morning with a strained calf muscle. Let’s hope these nagging injuries end fast.

- The Eagles activated left guard Todd Herremans and center Jamaal Jackson from the physically unable to perform list. Herremans has not played with the team since early on during the spring practices and Jackson has been rehabbing a torn ACL that occured against the Broncos on December 26^th. Center Nick Cole is expected to return later in the week after sitting out with knee swelling. Considering how well Mike McGlynn played in his debut as a starter against Jacksonville, it should make for a great position battle between Jackson, Cole and McGlynn.

- Harbor continues to practice with the first team. Ingram’s calf is still tender and he remains out of training camp while Harbor inches closer to the second spot

-According to the last reports from ESPN.com, it looks as though former Eagle Brian Westbrook is going to sign with the St. Louis Rams on Monday. Good for B-West.

EAGLES: A Day at Lehigh

This morning, fellow Philly Phour writer Alex Cohen and I ventured to Lehigh to spend the day watching the Philadelphia Eagles partake in training camp. It was an early rise to ensure that we could get a good view of the main field, but it was certainly worth every second of it. I make an attempt to go to training camp every year and I can never get over great the atmosphere is day in and day out.

We arrived to the field about fifteen minutes before the start of the 8:15 practice. Soon we learned that we were on the later end of arriving, as there were close to 3,000 fans in attendance to watch the morning practice. We ended up standing along the front fence, practically ten yards from some of the players on the field. The thing that makes training camp so special for fans is that while it’s taken very seriously, all of the players seem so relaxed. Most of them constantly interact with the fans and aren’t afraid to pump up the crowd or give them a thumbs up. The fans entusiasm is felt by the players, in turn creating a great environment for the dedicated ‘Birds fans that made the trip on a Monday morning.

Analysis on Practice:

Practiced opened up with indidivual drills by positions. The quarterbacks and wide receivers worked together for awhile before the team moved into 7 vs. 7′s. From the beginning, it was was not hard to see a connection between Kevin Kolb and Jeremy Maclin. They clearly have something special working there and it was fun to watch them gel together so well. Michael Vick was a bit streaky on the day. His biggest problem is that he can make a 50-yard pass and then miss the next receiver by five yards on a simple route. Kafka seemed to have a similar problem with consistency.

Riley Cooper runs an out route in practice

The most interesting aspect of Monday’s practice was at the receiving positions. As I mentioned, Maclin looked sharper than every on both his route running and catching abilities. DeSean Jackson did not participate in camp, but I noticed him running on he open practice field alongside linebacker Stewart Bradley. Jason Avant also seemed to make no mistakes and looked comfortable being the second receiver with Jackson out. As I predicted, the fourth spot is going to be one heck of a battle. Hank Baskett didn’t seem to make many mistakes, but also didn’t really open eyes and make himself noticeable on the field. Riley Cooper, the rookie from Florida who has been hyped by the media, had a very hot and cold day. He dropped a total of three passes alone in the morning practice and heard a lot of criticism from the fans. He seemed to struggle making that burst that could get him past the cornerbacks and give him separation. Instead he seemed to take too many steps and rely too heavily on his 6-foot-4 frame to make catches. At the same time, the catches he makes are quite acrobatic and his size enables him to make catches that most wide receivers couldn’t dream of making. The big surprise at wide receiver came from Kelly Washington, who was acquired in the offseason. He has good experience in the NFL, which is something rare with this Eagles offense, and it was apparent in his playmaking on Monday. He made a couple of crowd-pleasing grabs and didn’t drop a single pass all day.

At tight end it was rookie Clay Harbor that stole the show. Brent Celek played well in the morning session, but left early due to dehydration problems. He came back for the afternoon practice and didn’t seem to lose a step. Coming into today, I was under the impression that Cornelius Ingram was far and away the favorie to be the second tight end. After watching Ingram drop a ball from five yards away, attention soon turned towards the rookie from Missouri State. Harbor caught almost everything his way, including the best catch of the day when he sprawled out and dove over the middle during the 7 vs. 7 drills. Watch out Ingram, the rookie is coming for you.

Not much to update about the running game. They only got a few looks during the scrimmage and after the initial burst there wasn’t much hitting. McCoy and Weaver both made solid catches and did a great job interacting with the fans and getting them excited about training camp. J.J. Arrington took a big hit in the middle of the morning practice when it looked like he was lost on the field. Charles Scott seems to throws his arms at the ball rather than cradling it for a catch, but he makes up for it with his powerful running. He is very stocky and his low center of gravity could be vital for third down plays (barring he makes the team, which seems like a long shot as a rookie).

Winston Justice, LeSean McCoy, Leonard Weaver, Brent Celek and Jeremy Maclin

The offensive line seemed to struggle the most at practice. Granted most of my attention was paid to the young offensive and defensive players, but based on the scrimmage plays there is a lot of work to be done. Left guard Todd Herremans didn’t put pads on but worked out on the side with Jamaal Jackson. Right guard Stacy Andrews left during practice with a shoulder injury that is only listed as day-to-day. With both of them banged up, Max Jean-Gilles and Mike McGlynn stepped in with the first team. It seemed like almost all of the offensive lineman struggled against the defensive line in the one on one drills. During the scrimmages, defensive coordinator Sean McDermott opened the floodgates and blitzed almost every other play. If Kolb/Vick/Kafka weren’t wearing the red jerseys, there would have been a lot of hitting going on. Tackle Winston Justice had back to back false starts, in turn forcing Andy Reid to give him the axe and sub him out for King Dunlap. The offensive line was one of the biggest question marks coming into the season and health is a big concern right now.

The defensive line was highlighted by performances by rookie Brandon Graham and Trent Cole. Graham doesn’t ever seem to stop moving and seems eager to play every snap possible. His additional fifteen pounds he added since the draft make him a big threat on top of his speed off the line. Cole was relatively quiet but added good pressure during the scrimmages.

At linebacker, Omar Gaither filled in at middle linebacker with the first team defense. He intercepted a Michael Vick pass during the afternoon practice and did a great job covering the tight end. Akeem Jordan started at strong side linebacker for the second straight day instead of Moises Fokou. He did a solid job all day and Fokou quickly found himself in the backround as the favorite to start come opening day. Ernie Sims also made a few good plays on the ball. He is not a very tall guy, but he is speedy and shifty (Andy Reid’s favorite type of build for his defensive players). One thing that the offense exploited all day was the quick eight-to-ten yard passes. The linebackers seemed a step too slow and Kolb did a great job hitting his receivers on out routes and flag routes over the middle. Seeing as the linebackers biggest problem in the past has been covering the tight end, I still think the Eagles linebacker core needs to work on closing off the middle of the field.

Even though the receivers made some great plays, I thought the secondary was the strongest group on the field Monday (exactly what you all want to hear I’m sure). Ellis Hobbs struggled a bit covering Maclin, but he always had a hand in there and held great coverage throughout the day. Joselio Hanson also practiced with the first team and broke up a few pass plays. The biggest surprise of the day came from Macho Harris, who Reid and McDermott converted from safety heading into training camp. Harris made a ton of plays in the morning practice and the fans let him hear it. If he continues to progress, he could give Hanson a run for his money during Nickel packages.

7 vs. 7 drills

At safety, both Quintin Mikell and rookie Nate Allen worked well patrolling the backfield. Mikell blitzed a few times, one of which would have resulted in a sack if there were pads involved in the afternoon practice. Allen seems very comfortable with the first team and it’s exciting to see how far he has come in such a short amount of time.

Finally, there wasn’t much exciting action from special teams during either practice. They ended the afternoon practice with David Akers practicing inside field goals, but most of the special teams work was on the second field. Similar to Leonard Weaver, Akers does a great job interacting with the fans and even spent a few minutes throwing balls into the crowd before the afternoon practice.

Overall, Monday showed a lot of promise. Even though the Eagles are far from game ready, the first team offense and defense look pretty solid considering the number of injuries that have kept both sides from a full lineup. It’s always exciting to be at training camp and be able to watch the team improve firsthand and I look forward to being there in the near future.

Player of the Day: Kevin Kolb

He didn’t miss a pass until the middle of the afternoon practice. Enough said. He continues to improve every day and the fans are quickly becoming lovers of No. 4. He does a superb job finding his receivers on out routes and is very melodic with his delivery. The main concern I have right now is his skill throwing the long ball. Kolb only threw two balls longer than 25 yards on Monday.

Players to Watch: Clay Harbor, Kelly Washington, Macho Harris
All three of these guys were in the background heading into training camp. Harbor played twice as well as Ingram today, Washington was up there with Maclin and Avant, and Harris outplaed all cornerbacks all day. They are all struggling to make the 53-man roster and things should get interesting in the coming weeks.

Injury Update:
Did not practice: WR DeSean Jackson, LB Stewart Bradley, CB Asante Samuel, RB Mike Bell, DE Victor Abiamiri
Taken off: CB Macho Harris (Hamstring-DTD), DT Anthony Dixon (concussion), TE Brent Celek (dehydration by returned), Stacy Andrews (shoulder)

List of Tweets (most recent at the top)

What a great day at #Eagles training camp… I could do this every day
Ending practice with some field goals. Caps off a great day in Lehigh #Eagles
Things seemed a little too perfect with the lack of injuries today…the injury bug is always present in Lehigh #Eagles
Its Anthony Dixon, the DT…all play had to be stopped #Eagles
Defensive player collapses from dehydration..waiting to see the number #Eagles
Macho Harris limping of the field #Eagles
Just to give you a taste of how big King Dunlap really is #Eagles http://twitpic.com/2b1onv
Vick to Cooper for a 55 yard bomb…Looks like Cooper woke up for the afternoon practice #Eagles
Vick throws his second int of the day. Gaither makes a great play to come up with it #Eagles
First bad pass by Kolb all day. He’s about 49 of 50. I’ll take those odds #Eagles
7v7 drills with the first team offense #Eagles http://twitpic.com/2b1g29
Vick struggling with back to back throws against the defense…no hitting but still hearing helmets hit hard
Hobbs and Hanson starting at corner with the first team #Eagles
Ingram playing with second team even though Harbor outplayed him in the morning #Eagles
6000 people here for the morning session…only about half that now. Probably because they aren’t in full pads #Eagles
Riley Cooper brings in a pass http://twitpic.com/2b19ud
Charles scott makes catching a ball seem like a chore but man can he run through people #Eagles
Another fan favorite David Akers throwing some balls into the stands with the fans…longest tenured Eagle showing some love #Eagles
Weather dropped about ten degrees now that its overcast…some players starting to come put now for the afternoon practice #Eagles
@EaglesInsider Thanks for having us on fan forum today. Loved talking Birds…check out our blog http://thephillyphour.wordpress.com
Phillies writer @alexmcohen and I just got interviewed by Eagles writer Dave Spadaro…will be on @ThePhillyPhour later on
Philly football lovin in the parking lot in between practices http://twitpic.com/2azwsz
Heart of the #Eagles offense http://twitpic.com/2azp6t
Vick talking with Dave Spadaro http://twitpic.com/2azi01
Morning practice ending early…maybe Andy was getting hungry #Eagles
I asked Ellis Hobbs how many kick returns he was going to return for TDs: “I don’t predict, I just do”
Weaver cracking jokes with the fans…hes having fun out here #Eagles
Winston Justice subbed off for a false start…the defense is loving it #Eagles
Riley Cooper drops his third pass of the day…ironic enough all from Vick #Eagles
When I thought Riley Cooper was big, King Dunlap doesn’t even look human #Eagles
Man Kolb is clicking on all cylinders…him and Maclin work well together #Eagles
Mikell rushes the line and blocks a Vick pass. Going to need that pressure this year #Eagles
DeSean Jackson and Stewart Bradley running in no pads on the other practice field #Eagles Gaither starting at middle linebacker with the first team… Akeem jordan over fokou again. Sims on the weak side
Kolb has those ten and out passes down perfectly…something mcnabb never seemed to nail #Eagles
@movingthechains washington is making riley cooper look silly out there…on the fence in my black maclin jersey, feel free to come talk
Ellis hobbs gives a thumbs up @alexmcohen for feeling healthy and ready
No stewart bradley or asante samuel today
Vick is throwing a better long ball than a short one. Completed another long bomb after a ball that should have been picked off
Vick throws a perfect 30 yard bomb to Maclin much to the fans liking…fans are loving Weaver too
Andy Reid making an appearance from the breakfast table. Maybe he and Haynesworth should start conditioning together
Cooper and Ingram highlight the second team
Avant, maclin and baskett with first team. Cole with a botched snap that Vick can’t handle

EAGLES: Preparing for Training Camp; Linebackers and the Secondary

Linebackers: Stewart Bradley, Ernie Sims, Moise Fokou, Omar Gaither, Akeem Jordan, Joe Mays, Alex Hall, Jamar Chaney (R), Keenan Clayton (R), Simoni Lawence (R)

Bradley missed all of the 2009 season with a torn ACL

There is one question when addressing the linebacker core…will Stewart Bradley be the Stewart Bradley that Eagles fans are hoping for? He was sidelined all of 2009 with a torn ACL and was expected to be the leader on a highly anticipated defense. Instead the defense finished the year ranked 19^th in total points allowed (21.1 per game), 12^th in yards given up (321 per game), and couldn’t tackle a person for the life of them. All reports indicate that Bradley is back to his old form, so let’s just hope he doesn’t partake in this years’ Flight Night. If for some reason Bradley is not in full form, his projected backup is Omar Gaither. He spent a majority of last season battling injuries and getting playing time shuffling between middle and outside linebacker.

In one of their biggest offseason acquisitions, the Eagles signed former Detroit Lion Ernie Sims. He was the captain of the defense and recorded 100+ tackles during his first three seasons with the Lions. Sims is expected to be the favorite for the weakside linebacker position. Behind him on the depth charts is Akeem Jordan, who continues to improve each season. He was third on the team in tackles last year and also grabbed two interceptions, becoming the first Eagles linebacker with two interceptions since Ike Reese in 2004.

Finally, the most talked about linebacker position is at the strong side. Everything I have read indicates that Moise Fokou is the leading candidate for the job after his success at the position to close out the 2009 season. He was mostly used on special teams but filled in for Chris Gocong while he was injured. The main reason why Fokou is probably the favorite is because two rookies sit behind him on the depth chart—Keenan Clayton and Ricky Sapp. Clayton is recognized for his speed and coverage skills, which makes sense considering he started his college career at safety. Similarly, Sapp was a sprinter in high school and will most likely be used in nickel formations at defensive end or linebacker as a speed rusher or “joker”/hybrid position.

Even though there are three clear favorites for the starting positions, don’t be surprised if there is a lot of swapping at Lehigh. Reid and defensive coordinator Sean McDermott love to shuffle around their linemen and linebackers depending on defensive matchups and to throw off opposing quarterbacks.

Cornerbacks: Asante Samuel, Ellis Hobbs, Joselio Hanson, Macho Harris, Trevard Lindley (R), Dmitri Patterson, David Pender (R), Geoff Pope

Everyone agrees that the cornerback position is the biggest question mark heading into training camp. More specifically, who will fill the role of Sheldon Brown? Clearly Asante Samuel is the Eagles top cornerback, but Sheldon Brown was the most consistent player in the secondary last season and he will be very tough to replace. Many people believe that Ellis Hobbs has the advantage despite still rehabbing neck and back problems that could keep him sidelines for some of training camp. The Eagles only drafted one substantial cornerback in Trevard Lindley, who doesn’t seem to have the talent to start come opening day.

Hobbs' starting job will not come easy

The main position battle is going to be between Hobbs, Joselio Hanson and Macho Harris. Hobbs’ injury really concerns me because it is to his neck (anterior cervical decompression and fusion for a herniated disk  to be exact) and he plays a physical position (not to mention he gets beat up as the Eagles kick returner too). Hanson finished the season with two interceptions despite really only playing in nickel formations. Harris spent all of last season at free safety, but played cornerback in college and will most likely see action at corner considering how thin the depth chart is right now.

There is no definite player (other than Samuel) that the Eagles can rely on at this point during the season. However, changes need to be made during training camp so that the Eagles secondary can avoid allowing 27 passing touchdowns and ranking 17^th in pass defense like they did in 2009.

Safeties: Quintin Mikell, Quintin Demps, Nate Allen (R), Macho Harris, Kurt Coleman (R), Ryan Hamilton (R), Brett Johnson (R)

Quintin Mikell is coming off a Pro-Bowl caliber season where he led the team in tackles (122) and had two interceptions. He is definitely a lock again to start at strong safety in his eight season, but the Eagles are still hoping that he continues to breakout and be the “Brian Dawkins-like” safety they were hoping for.

Can Nate Allen handle the pressure of starting as a rookie?

The guy with the most pressure starting Monday is Nate Allen, the Eagles second round draft pick from South Florida. Often regarded as the “Donovan McNabb pick” since he was the Redskins second round pick, Allen is already listed as the starting free safety on the depth charts. He finished his collegiate tenure with 224 tackles, nine interceptions, and four defensive touchdowns. Reid and McDermott believe that he has what it takes to start as a rookie and have been working hard with him to learn the playbook before the regular season.

Similar to the rest of the secondary, there are a lot of questions still lingering behind the projected starters. Kurt Coleman, Ryan Hamilton, and Brett Johnson are all rookies and have nothing to prove other than their collegiate statistics. Quintin Demps, who has been with the Eagles for the last few seasons, has been a huge bust and failed on several attempts to contribute to the starting defense.

Now we sit back, somewhat relax and watch as the 2010 Eagles training camp unfolds…hopefully with limited or no injuries.

EAGLES: Minicamp comes to a close

There hasn’t been a ton going on as the Eagles closed out their initial minicamp. Here are some of the top headlines from the past week and a half:

Nate Allen's time is now

- With Marlin Jackson out for the rest of the season, most of the Eagles attention moves towards the safety position. Head coach Andy Reid announced that rookie Nate Allen will fill in as the starting safety on the depth charts. Reid mentioned that Allen has won the spot over Quintin Demps for now. This is a big responsibility for the first-year safety out of Florida. This also adds a lot of pressure to Quintin Mikell, who is young and will be playing alongside Allen during training camp.

- The biggest position battle on the team comes at the cornerback position. With Ellis Hobbs still recovering from injuries, Joselio Hanson has voiced his desire to start at corner. While it is still speculated that Hobbs will get the nod and Hanson will most likely see action in the nickel formation, no promises can be made if Hanson proves himself deem enough to fill the void of Sheldon Brown. The Eagles secondary gave up 27 touchdown passes last season, which placed them 26^th in the league rankings.

- The Eagles signed rookie linebacker Keenan Clayton to a four-year deal after putting Jackson in the Injured Reserve. They also released four undrafted rookies: quarterback Joey Elliott, running back Keithon Flemming, tight end Pat Simonds and fullback Chris Zardas. Clayton is now the seventh of 13 draft picks the Eagles have signed.

- Wide receiver Jason Avant has opened a few more eyes at minicamp. Since DeSean Jackson skipped the final four days of voluntary camp (citing personal reasons) and Maclin battled a tight hamstring, Avant took reps with the first team offense. According to team sources, he did a fine job stepping in and they hope he continues to have a larger role in the offense. I hope so too.

- For an interesting outlook on the Eagles offense during training camp, click here.

- Trent Cole will take his aggressiveness on the field to the television. Cole will host his own outdoor reality TV show this July about hunting and fishing. He admits it is one of his favor hobbies outside of football, and will join other outdoor enthusiasts in the show. Cole is the owner/president of coleoutdoors.com, a Web site dedicated to his hunting endeavors with family and friends. It will air on the Pursuit Channel on DirecTV.

- Injury updates: Quintin Mikell suffered a MCL sprain this week, but should be fine for the start of training camp. Defensive end Victor Abiamiri will most likely miss the opening of training camp after having surgery to repair a microfracture in his knee. Lineback Stewart Bradley (calf), left guard Todd Herremans (foot), wide receiver Riley Cooper (hamstring), and offensive tackle Fenuki Tupou (pectoral muscle) will all be ready for camp.

-Training camp begins on July 26th. Head coach Andy Reid has increased the camp to 18 days, which is nearly a week longer than it has been in the past.