EAGLES: The Miracle at the NEW Meadowlands

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

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

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

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

Now for the weekly grades:

Quarterback: A –

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

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

Running back: A –

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

Did that really just happen?

Wide Receivers: B

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

Offensive Line: C+

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

Defensive Line/Linebackers: A –

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

The defense did a great job stopping the run on Sunday

Secondary: D+

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

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

Special Teams: A+

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

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

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

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

EAGLES: Philadelphia Could Be In Trouble Without Samuel

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

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

Who will finally step up with Asante on the sideline?

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

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

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

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

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

EAGLES: Eagles Dominate Falcons in Best Game of the Year

I don’t know if I have ever been more impressed with a regular season game (taking into account all the Eagles have been through in 2010) since the 2004 season when the Eagles were one of the most dynamic teams in football. The score doesn’t justify just how good the Eagles looked on Sunday. It reads 31-17 in favor of the ‘Birds, but the Falcons were outplayed the entire game.

More drastically for the Eagles, the win was a statement game. Kevin Kolb, who has been turned inside and out all season long with the quarterback shenanigans, pretty much just said screw you to all of the doubters. He played brilliantly the entire game and without a question played the best game of his short career. After DeSean Jackson got absolutely obliterated on a defenseless hit, Jeremy Maclin stepped up and gave the best performance of his short career as well. The defense shut down Matt Ryan and Michael Turner and held the Falcons to just 293 yards of total offense.

Now for the fun part—report card:

Quarterback: A+

Kevin Kolb was on point all game Sunday

What else is there to say about Kevin Kolb? He finished with 326 yards and three touchdowns. I never once found myself questioning his throws. On top of his numbers he completed 79.3 percent of his passes and earned himself a 133.6 passer rating. The first touchdown pass to DeSean Jackson was thrown perfectly between three defenders and in stride to Jackson in the end zone. Kolb, who is mostly criticized for rarely taking risks on long passes, completed a beautifully drawn up play action pass to Jeremy Maclin that went for a 83 yard touchdown.

What does this performance mean in the long run? Check back later this week for an article about the ongoing quarterback controversy in Philly.

Running back: B

With the passing game in sync, there was really no need for LeSean McCoy against the Falcons. The only Eagles rushing touchdown came on a 31-yard end around to DeSean Jackson in the first quarter. McCoy finished with 64 yards on 21 carries, which is not his best effort, but he also complimented the passing game with four catches for 21 yards. Also important to note Eldra Buckley’s success on third down carries. From what I saw, it looked like he converted on each of his attempts.

Wide Receivers: A

Jeremy Maclin took control of this game with seven receptions for 159 yards and two scores. He is really coming into his own this season and actually has been more productive than Jackson, who has faced injuries for a lot of the season. Maclin now has six touchdown receptions, which ties him for second in the NFL, and is on pace for over 15 on the season. As noted in training camp, he is clearly Kevin Kolb’s go-to target considering they were roommates together at camp and have a good relationship off the field. He has established himself to be a viable top receiver and one of the best No. 2 receivers in the NFL.

Thoughts and prayers to DeSean Jackson. I felt my heart skip a beat after that hit. I hope Dunta Robinson gets fined for hitting Jackson so high up.

Offensive Line: A –

Can you believe it? The offensive line is getting their first true taste of an A-caliber ranking! Much of Kevin Kolb’s success had to do with the offensive lines pass protection. They only allowed one sack and Kolb barely got touched the entire game. Hats off the King Dunlap after deciding to wake up and realizing that he’s not playing at Auburn anymore. He completely shut down John Abraham, who is regarded as one of the toughest defensive linemen in the game.

Trent Cole was the most dominant player defensively for the Eagles

Defensive Line/Linebackers: A –

Isn’t it fun to watch Trent Cole do his thing? He was an absolute beast on Sunday and made a fool out of left tackle Sam Baker. Cole recorded two sacks and five tackles, but pressured Ryan on almost every play. Linebacker Stewart Bradley led all tacklers on the afternoon and notched his first sack of the season. He was also a catalyst in stopping Falcon’s running back Michael Turner all game, as he only had 45 yards and averaged three yards per carry.

The only thing that hurt the linebacker core was the lack of coverage of Tony Gonzalez in the red zone. I’m really getting tired writing about the success of opposing tight ends every week. Gonzalez has made a career out of his red zone production, but the Eagles failed to mark him well on either score.

Secondary: B

As always, the Eagles secondary relied on the big play against Atlanta. They were able to create one interception that Asante Samuel grabbed. However, they let up a couple of big plays to the Falcons, including a 42 yard reception by Michael Jenkins and 25 yard pass to Roddy White. Jenkins finished with 99 yards and White with 83. Nate Allen made a bad play on one of Tony Gonzalez’s touchdown catches. He was playing over the top but was a few seconds late in reacting to Matt Ryan’s floating pass over the linebackers where Allen should have stepped up to make a play. Luckily the big plays didn’t cost them too much.

Special Teams: B –

What happened on Sunday to David Akers? He missed three of his four field goals, which is something I can’t ever recall seeing from the longest tenured Eagle. He seemed to have a hard time judging the wind and pushed all three of his misses wide left. Hopefully this is just a one-game hiccup for Akers.

Jorrick Calvin did a great job filling in for the injured DeSean Jackson. Calvin had a monster punt return that went for 44 yards and led to an Eagles touchdown. Defensively, the ‘Birds special teams improved from past weeks and didn’t allow anything big against the Falcons.

 

The Eagles head to Tennessee to close out the first part of their schedule before hitting the bye week. This would be a huge win for Philadelphia heading into the bye week considering the Titans are a very talented team. The Eagles will most likely be without DeSean Jackson after the hit he took, so look to Maclin to fill in again for the second straight week. Also, it has been reported today that Kevin Kolb will be the starter. Is this a move by Reid to let Vick rest another week because of the bye week ahead? Or is Andy starting to realize that maybe Kolb is the answer for the Eagles future? We will have to see…

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: 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; Offensive and Defensive line

Offensive Line

Centers: Nick Cole, Jamaal Jackson, A.Q. Shipley

Guards: Todd Herremans, Stacy Andrews, Max Jean-Gilles, Mike McGlynn, Dallas Reynolds, Greg Isdaner, Zipp Duncan

Tackles: Jason Peters, Winston Justice, King Dunlap, Fenuki Tupou, Austin Howard, Jerail McCuller

Centers:

Can Nick Cole hold his own at center?

This is the biggest problem area for the Eagles offensive line. With Jamaal Jackson expected to miss all of training camp and some of the regular season while rehabbing a torn ACL he suffered on December 27^th, all signs point to Nick Cole to start under center. Cole took over for Jackson at the end of last season and struggled immensely down the stretch. A lot of his problems have to do with his small stature, as he is only six feet tall.

With the center position being relatively thin, Cole will be competing primarily with Mike McGlynn and A.Q. Shipley. McGlynn was taken in the fourth round of the 2008 draft by Pittsburgh but has failed to successfully break into the league. His main advantage when comparing him to Cole and Shipley is his size. McGlynn stands at 6-foot-4 whereas both Cole and Shipley are the two smallest offensive lineman. Shipley is a product of Penn State football, where he was an All-American in 2008 and was awarded the Rimington Trophy for best center in college football. Similar to McGlynn, he has yet to make an impact since being drafted in 2008.

I don’t think that Cole has this position locked up in the least bit. He showed glimpses of being a capable starter, but also struggled in big situations. With still a lot to prove as a starter, Cole is going to need to be in tip top shape come Monday to protect his starting job until Jackson’s knee is healed.

Guards:

Both Todd Herremans and Stacy Andrews are going to be vital to the success of the Eagles offensive line. They are both coming off of very mediocre seasons (to say the least), but are two of the most experienced players on the team. Herremans has not been the same since his foot injury and there are still a lot of concerns that it continues to hold him back from his fullest potential.

Now that Stacy’s brother, Shawn, is no longer a distraction to the team, Stacy is expected to make a big comeback in 2010. He signed a contract in February of 2009, but missed the regular season while rehabbing his knee after surgery late in 2008. With him healthy opposite of Herremans, the Eagles add a lot of experience and reliability on the line. If Andrews ends up underperforming in training camp or continues to deal with injury problems, expect Max Jean-Gilles to make a run at a starting spot on the line.

Tackles:

Will Jason Peters get support from the rest of the line?

Fresh off a Pro-Bowl season, Jason Peters is probably the most reliable member of the offensive line. Even though he suffers from “happy feet” resulting in a number of false start penalties, Peters is very experienced and his accolades speak for themselves. Peters is not the person that worries me, but rather the man that lines up on the opposite side of the line as him—Winston Justice. Every time I hear his name, I can’t help but immediately think of the painful images of Osi Umenyiora getting past him every play in 2007. However, the Eagles think that he is ready to be a top notch starter, hence the 4-year $21.3 million contract he was given in the offseason.

Even though I think Peters and Justice have their starting positions locked up for the regular season, there is still a good amount of depth at the tackle position in King Dunlap and Fenuki Tupou. Both Dunlap and Tupou are very young and don’t have a ton of experience (Tupou spent most of last season on the IR with a chest injury), but they have worked hard in minicamps and have been in great condition heading into Lehigh.

Defensive Line

The defensive line is the unsolved mystery of the 2010 Philadelphia Eagles. It was the most troubled aspect of the 2009 Eagles team, thus making it Andy Reid’s primary focal point during the draft.

Defensive End- Trent Cole, Juqua Parker, Brandon Graham, Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, Darryl Tapp, Ricky Sapp, Victor Abiamiri, Eric Moncur

Reid used his 13th (Brandon Graham), 86th (Daniel Te’o-Nesheim) and 134th (Ricky Sapp) picks all on defensive ends in the hopes that one of them will be able to be the future Trent Cole of the Eagles. All three of these players are not the biggest guys at their position, but certainly can pose a threat with their speed and agility off the line.

Trent Cole needs someone to compliment his skills

Speaking of Cole, he is coming off is best season in the NFL, recording 12.5 sacks and was one of the tops in the league in tackles for losses. He was elected to his second Pro-Bowl and was the most consistent player on the Eagles defense. Unfortunately for Cole, he has yet to find a companion to take pressure off him from the other side of the line. Darren Howard failed to make an impact the last few seasons and Jevon Kearse was one of the biggest busts in Philadelphia history. Andy Reid is hoping that former Michigan Wolverine Brandon Graham can be that guy. Graham earned second-team All American honors at Michigan in 2009 and recorded 29.5 sacks and 56 tackles for losses in his four year career. He is expected to compete heavily with Juqua Parker for the other defensive end position.

Parker is certainly no pushover heading into training camp. He is coming off his best season for the Eagles in 2009, recording eight sacks and picking up a lot of the slack for the underperforming Darren Howard. He is entering his 10^th season with the Eagles, which makes him the second longest tenured Eagle behind kicker David Akers. He is nearing the end of his five year deal signed back in 2007 and will be fighting hard to keep his starting spot.

Other defensive ends that have big potential come Monday are Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, Ricky Sapp and Darryl Tapp. Both Te’o-Nesheim and Tapp have gotten a lot of snaps in the nickel formation during spring practices. They are more known for their pass rushing capabilities, which could end up being useful in shuffling them between defensive end and defensive tackle. Ricky Sapp also has a lot of versatility in his style of play and could even get some snaps as a linebacker at training camp. Reid figured that by drafting smaller guys with speed he will be able to shuffle them around and make the best possible depth chart come the regular season.

In case you were wondering, Victor Abiamiri is still continuing to rehab from micro fracture surgery that could keep him out for awhile.

Defensive Tackles- Brodrick Bunkley, Antonio Dixon, Jeff Owens, Mike Patterson, Boo Robinson, Trevor Laws

Patterson is going to need to be a leader on the defensive line

With a lot of young talent being moved in and out, the tackle position will certainly be an interesting scenario to watch unfold. Brodrick Bunkley and Mike Patterson are clear favorites to keep their starting jobs, but Trevor Laws, Antonio Dixon and a lot of the young guys are always breathing down their necks. Laws has battled injuries for the past two seasons and was inactive for five games last year, but finally seems to be healthy for once heading into training camp. Dixon played in every game for the Eagles last season despite making a minimal impact.

Rookies Boo Robinson (To Kill A Mockingbird anyone?) and Jeff Owens have a lot to prove to Andy Reid to make the final roster. With a deep defensive end core that have a lot of crossover players, Robinson and Owens are going to be under the microscope every day. Robinson was signed as a rookie free agent by the ‘Birds after compiling 145 tackles, 12.5 sacks and two interceptions in 52 games for Wake Forest. Owens was taken in the 7^th round of the 2010 draft and has a great combination of speed and power. He is only 6-foot-1 but weighs over 300 pounds and has quick feet off the line.

Overall, much of the success of the Eagles 2010 season relies heavily on the defensive line. One of the biggest holes in the Eagles’ game last season was the lack of pressure on both the quarterback and on the running back (if you want proof just watch both of the Dallas games to close out the season). Trent Cole is searching for someone to take some weight off his shoulder on the outside while Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley are hoping to get some support in the middle. With how much time Reid put into drafting these players, there has to be a few gems in his stack of draft picks.

EAGLES: Several ‘Birds not traveling to Indy

If you are looking forward to seeing Michael Vick on Thursday night against the Indianapolis Colts, bad news—he, along with eight other starters are not traveling to Indianapolis.

Seventh-round draft pick King Dunlap is forced to play a large role on Thursday

After the scary number of injuries that have plagued the Eagles, head coach Andy Reid is not going to take any risks for the second preseason game. On the offensive side of the ball, the following players will stay in Philadelphia and watch the game from their couches: RB Brian Westbrook (ankle), QB Kevin Kolb (knee), G Todd Herremans (stress fracture in foot), T Jason Peters (quad spasms), T Shawn Andrews (back) and G Stacy Andrews (knee). Vick will not travel because of Reid’s personal policy.

Let’s take a deeper look at this. Well first off, it’s hard to overlook the gaping hole in the offensive line. The four lineman not traveling are projected to be four of the five starters at their respective positions. Not exactly the way you want to get guys comfortable playing together. Further, two of the best defensemen in the game—Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis –will go head-to-head with inexperienced linemen Winston Justice and King Dunlap.

I am extremely worried about the offensive line because there are still so many questions to be answered. I understand that Reid is being cautious with injuries, but it’s not worth opening up more of a possibility for McNabb or McCoy to get injured. Reid mentioned that he expects the first team to play the entire first half on Thursday. Even though Freeney and Mathis will not play much, there is still enough time for them to take advantage of the youthful linemen and cause some damage.

As I have mentioned several times, one of my main concerns with the Eagles offense is in lineman Shawn Andrews. It was reported earlier today that Andrews has no structural damage in his lower back, but the questions remains if Andrews is mentally stable enough to play in 2009. The back injury happened in the first week of training camp and he still has not been seen on the field. Many have questioned his desire to play and whether or not he is willing to put forth the effort to be a top-notch offensive lineman. He responded to those accusations by claiming he was not crazy. Time will tell, but I am still very pessimistic about his return.

Darren Howard's groin injury is in no relation to his previous sports hernia

On the defensive side of the ball, Philadelphia will be without five more impact players—DE Trent Cole (shoulder), DE Darren Howard (groin), Omar Gaither (knee), Sheldon Brown (ribs), and DE Bryan Smith (concussion).

Even though there may not be as many injured members on the defense, there is still just as much damage to the team chemistry. With both starting defensive ends (Cole and Howard) out, the defensive line is going to have to be careful and injury-free. Normally, Howard and Cole would play in more than a quarter on Thursday night, but the second stringers are going to have to carry double the load in the second preseason game. Both Gaither and Brown’s injuries are not very serious, so there is not as much concern for finding players to fill the void against the Colts.

The game on Thursday is set for 8 p.m. at Lucas Oil Stadium on FOX.