EAGLES: Packers End Eagles Season

Another Eagles season and another heartbreaking finish. This is really starting to get old in Philadelphia.

Back in training camp when the Eagles were preparing for a season of questions behind Kevin Kolb, many fans never thought the ‘Birds would have been in this position. However, just halfway through week one, Michael Vick brought a new sense of hope to the city of Philadelphia. He brought the Eagles from a rebuilding year to a contending year. Fifteen weeks later, the Eagles faced off against the Green Bay Packers at Lincoln Financial Field.

And that’s all she wrote.

For the third straight week, the Eagles were outplayed and outcoached. You could sense it in Lincoln Financial Field, as fans showed a cautious optimism that quickly turned to cautious pessimism due to the blitzing Packers defense and the relentless Green Bay offense.

Offensively, Marty Mornhinweg’s Eagles seemed utterly shocked by the aggressive blitzing scheme of Don Caper’s Packers. They quickly abandoned the run and put all the pressure on Michael Vick to carry the team on his back. Vick, who was often given less than four seconds to get rid of the football, faced many ups and downs offensive but eventually found himself in a position to win the game.

After a 28-yard pass to DeSean Jackson with less than a minute to play, the Eagles quickly rushed to the line of scrimmage. Facing a 1^st and 10 with 27 seconds remaining, many thought Vick would spike the ball and set up a play to the end zone. However, head coach Andy Reid advised No. 7 to go for the end zone and elected for a 4-go route, sending all receivers to the end zone. The play call is going to be debated until training camp next year, considering it cost the Eagles season and a potential come from behind win that echoed the Miracle in the Meadowlands a month before. Vick, who “went out swinging”, went for the end zone to Riley Cooper in single coverage. We all know where it went from there, as Tramon Williams used his positioning to intercept the pass and end the Eagles highly touted playoff run.

While it was the play that ended the season, it was not the sole reason for the Eagles loss. The Packers came to play at the Linc for the second time this season, and the Eagles came out flat for the second meeting. Between missed field goals, third down conversions, and a creative offensive scheme, the Eagles were fortunate enough to even be in a position to win the game.

For the second straight year, the Eagles failed to show up in the NFC Wildcard game. They have lost their last three playoff games, and sorry Eagles fans, there is no more Donovan McNabb to blame. Michael Vick, the replacement Eagles fans were looking for, also failed to do it. Now what changes do the Eagles need to make? I have a long list to come, but for now let’s look at the final report card of the season.

Quarterback: B –

Michael Vick dished out his second consecutive sub-80 passer rating and completed just 20-36 passes. For the seventh straight game, Vick tossed a an interception, and this one to Tramon Williams topped them all. He was criticized during the Vikings game for his lack of preparation and being unable to properly read defensive schemes. Vick was given an extra week off to prepare for the Packers, but still didn’t look 100 percent out there. He clearly seemed bothered by his leg contusion and failed to create any offensive consistency.

Fun fact: for the second time this season, the Eagles offense lost the football game despite winning the turnover battle. The only other loss occurred in the opening week against none other than the Green Bay Packers.

Why Shady did not touch the ball more is beyond me

Running backs: C+

One of the biggest problems I had with the game was that LeSean McCoy was not properly involved in the offense. Coming into the game, the Eagles offense averaged over 140 yards per game on the ground, but were held to just 84 against the Packers. McCoy has proven as much as anyone that he deserves to see more looks. He only had 12 carries on the night and most of them came early in the game. Granted he didn’t have the most productive yards per carry average (3.8), but everyone knows that Shady is always poised to break a big run. The Packers run stopping was the weakest part of their offense, yet Mornhinweg refused to make any changes and spice up the play call.

Wide Receivers: C

It certainly didn’t help that DeSean Jackson spent most of the game on the sidelines. He finished the contest with just two catches and the other Eagles receivers didn’t pull their weight to make up for the missing Pro-Bowler. Even though Jason Avant scored a touchdown, he also dropped a crucial pass on third down late in the game. Is it me or is it that Avant, the guy who was supposed to have some of the best hands in the league, seems to drop passes at the worst times?

Offensive Line: D –

The most crucial part of the Eagles success failed to show up on Sunday. The offensive line has been the Eagles biggest question mark all season and needed to hold their own against the highly aggressive Packers defense. However, they looked terrified on the line. Winston Justice tallied four penalties and miraculously managed to get two penalties on one play. Clay Matthews and B.J. Raji made Michael Vick’s day that much harder and it was quickly apparent on the opening play when Matthews sacked Vick for a loss.

If the Eagles want to have any success on offense next year (pending Michael Vick’s status), they are going to need to invest in some offensive linemen. Winston Justice, King Dunlap, and Nick Cole all showed that they can’t contain opposing defenses.

Defensive Line/Linebackers: F

I expected the front seven to have some trouble covering receivers over the middle, but never did I think the Packers would dominate the inside game. Rookie James Starks looked like Barry Sanders against the ‘Birds. He rushed for 123 yards, which was 22 yards more than he had all season for the Green and Gold. It was quite obvious that the Eagles overlooked the running game and focused solely on stopping the Packers passing game that ranked top-5 in the NFL.

Even worse than the run-stopping was the Eagles failure to stop Green Bay on third down. Led by Aaron Rodgers, the Packers were 7-9 on third down conversions in the first half. One their three scoring drives, Green Bay was 7-7 on third downs. This simply cannot happen defensively, especially when most of those conversions came on plays of more than five yards.

Donald Driver killed the Eagles on third down

Finally, the front seven did a terrible job getting to the quarterback. The Eagles only hit Rodgers twice, both resulting in sacks. When you give Aaron Rodgers all day to throw the ball, he is going to make you pay. The Eagles experienced that firsthand on Sunday night. Philadelphia’s “enforcer”, Ernie Sims, ran around the field aimlessly. He only had two tackles on the night, which is quite pathetic considering how many plays went over the middle.

Secondary: C

The Eagles secondary did a great job preventing the long ball, but still struggled when it mattered on big plays. Aaron Rodgers was 5-5 with three touchdown passes in the red zone, which is something the secondary has failed to improve on all season. On third downs, Rodgers completed 6-8 passes, all of which went for first downs.

Special Teams: F

David Akers, the longest tenured Eagle and one of the hardest workers, could not have picked a worse time to collapse. Granted there are reports that there have been some family issues, but that is no excuse when you are a professional football player, especially a kicker. Akers was having a career year, missing just two field goals heading into the game. However, No. 2 missed two gimmes that proved to be the difference maker. Is he the sole reason for the Eagles loss? No. But it certainly would have been nice to have those six points.

Gerard Lawson was absolutely terrible. Not only did he fail as the Eagles kick returner (averaged just 18 yards per return) but he also was called for a holding penalty on DeSean Jackson’s punt return at the end of the game. I have a feeling we won’t be seeing much more from Mr. Lawson.

As difficult as it is to not have a team to truly cheer for in the next month, the Eagles had one heck of an impressive season. Taking into account all of the drama that came with the quarterbacks and the injuries to the defense, it was quite impressive that the Eagles showed such signs of dominance in 2010. Even though most of us aren’t numb to this pain of losing and coming up short in big games, we still have a lot to be thankful for. There’s no need to call for the end of Andy Reid or Michael Vick because if I was a betting man, I would say there’s a bright future for both of them coming soon.

EAGLES: Ernie Sims Should Repeal His Fine

Call him the guinea pig for the “future” of the NFL when it comes to protecting players. Eagles linebacker Ernie Sims was fined for $50,000 yesterday by league officials for his hit on Titans wide receiver Lavelle Hawkins two weeks ago. The officials defined his hit as, “unnecessarily striking a defenseless receiver in the neck and head area with his forearms.”

Today, Sims announced that he will repeal the fine, citing it as “outrageous.” I couldn’t agree more.

I do respect the National Football League for trying to protect players now and in the future, however their attempt to be strict is ruining the game. These players know what they are signing up for. They have played football all of their lives and should understand the risks involved in the daily grind of the sport. Does that mean that players should be able to intend to hurt other players? Absolutely not.

Can Sims no longer be an enforcer because of the NFL rules?

However, aggression and intensity is what drives the sport of football. Athletes are entertainers and their success comes from winning the approval of the public (considering the people fund the sport). By creating these strict rules that will penalize every possible hit, even if it was not the intent of the player, will cause the NFL to become soft. If players like Sims, Ray Lewis, and Clay Matthews cannot be enforcers, then their talent and in turn the teams talent is restricted.

In the article released by ESPN, Sims said, “That’s just the type of player I am — aggressive. I like hitting. It’s fun to me. That’s just the way I play football.”

It is from this mentality that Sims made it to the NFL after playing at Florida State. He has become an enforcer, a man that is feared by opposing offenses. He forces opposing offensive coordinators to game plan around his abilities on the field. Now that he has to focus on how he hits as opposed to the impact of his hits (for the better of his team), Sims’ value will decrease in the long run.

The other big problem I have with the new rules is the disparities between offenses. For example, Sims’s hit on Lavelle Hawkins was considered by the league to be in the same fining category as Dunta Robinson’s hit on DeSean Jackson a couple of weeks ago. That is simply absurd. If someone can justifiably compare the magnitude of those two hits, I would love to hear it. How about Steelers defensive specialist Jerome Harrison? He has been at the forefront of these problems because of his desire to make big plays and even bigger hits. Harrison was fined earlier today for a hit, which brings his 2010 total to $100,000. The ironic thing is that Harrison wasn’t even called for a penalty in the game for two of the hits he was fined for. That just doesn’t make sense.

With the fast pace of the game, it is nearly impossible to players not to naturally react every play and be conscious about how and where they are tackling in the middle of making a play. The only way to potentially protect players is to instill fear in the league. However, I believe the NFL is being unrealistic in its approach and it will affect the future of the game.

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 acquire Sims in three-team deal

The Eagles decided not to wait until draft time to improve their lackluster defense. In a three team deal with the Denver Broncos and Detroit Lions, Philadelphia sacrificed a fifth round pick and acquired linebacker Ernie Sims.

Sims is known for his speed and agility

Drafted out of Florida State in the first round in 2006, Sims made his presence felt for the Lions. In his rookie season he led the team in tackles (144) and topped the century mark in tackles the following two years. His season was cut short in 2009 due to ongoing injuries, but he did not miss a game during his first three seasons in Detroit.

Even though he spent most of his career playing outside linebacker, Eagles sources believe he will most likely compete with Akeem Jordan for the starting weak inside linebacker job.

This was a key acquisition by the Eagles front office. Not only is Sims young, but he has proven that he can start in the National Football League. Joining a team that is in the midst of a rebuilding process, Sims can be an influential leader on the defense that the Eagles have been missing since Brian Dawkins. In just his second season with the Lions, Sims was named one of the five team captains, further proving that he is a leader both on and off the field.

Honestly, what’s not to like about this move by the Eagles? They were able to get a young, first-round draft pick that has good success in the past for a fifth round draft pick. Considering the Eagles still have nine more draft picks in the 2010 draft, this was a smart move to get a proven player before the draft. Now they don’t have to focus as much on getting a linebacker with their first round pick. Instead, this boosts the likelihood of the Eagles trading up their pick and going after a safety (hopefully Eric Berry from Tennessee if they are willing to give up a lot of picks or Earl Thomas from Texas). Even if they are unable to move up in the draft, there a number of defensive players available to them that are good draft candidates.

As long as Sims is able to stay injury-free, this could be a huge steal by the Eagles. With the linebacker core being old and thin, look for Sims to make an immediate impact for the ‘Birds.