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: Who’s In The Spotlight?

It’s amazing what one week can do to a team.

Heading into the Washington Redskins game, the Eagles were riding high after back to back wins against the Lions and Jaguars. Michael Vick was the MVP of the NFL during that two week span and it seemed like the 2010 season wasn’t going to be a complete bust. In a season full of turnarounds, Andy Reid named Michael Vick the starter before the Redskins game and the Eagles went into the game with their chins held high.

Kolb will start Sunday for the second time this year

Similar to what happened to open the season, a season that was held to shockingly high expectations with the Kevin Kolb era beginning, Michael Vick (who was now the Eagles guy) got hit. And he got hit hard. Now Andy Reid and the Eagles are back to square one with Kevin Kolb. However this time it wasn’t by choice and both the fans and the players fully understand just how different of a start this will be for Kevin Kolb.

Kolb will be making his fourth career start for the Eagles. Just a week after the organization was quick to rid him of his starting job, he is back in the hot seat. But with an Eagles team that is certainly more than just a quarterback, who is the pressure really on—Kolb or Andy Reid?

It was Andy Reid who was confident enough in Kolb’s future to let go of Donovan McNabb and welcome a new beginning. And just over a week ago it was Andy Reid who gave up on Kolb without really giving him a chance to defend himself. Also, the Eagles have a lot more problems than the quarterbacking debacle. Andy Reid is not the quarterbacks coach—he is the head coach and is responsible for all aspects of the team. The Eagles defense has been pretty horrendous and the offensive line even worse than that.

On the flip side, Kevin Kolb has yet to prove that he deserves to be the starting quarterback for the Eagles. Before getting knocked out of the Packers game, he was a mere 5 for 10 and couldn’t get anything going on offense. This past Sunday, he looked even worse when he came in for the injured Michael Vick. How do the Eagles run an effective offense when 20 of his 27 completed passes went for five yards or less? The Texan who was born to run the west coast offense has been running the Eagles offense into the ground. Can he not handle the pressure of the big stage? Is he just not as good as people thought he was?

The most terrifying part of this debacle is that the Eagles are in the easy part of their schedule right now. The San Francisco 49ers were supposed to be the best team in the NFC West (which isn’t saying much). Even though they are 0-4, they still have a lot of options on offense in Frank Gore, Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree. After this weekend, the Eagles face Atlanta (3-1) and Tennesee (2-2) before the bye week. After that, every team they play is either .500 or better right now. With Vick most likely out until after the bye week with his rib injury, this stretch of games coming up before the bye week are must-wins for the Eagles. So with all that said it goes back to the question of who is under a brighter spotlight—Kevin Kolb or Andy Reid?

Is Andy Reid on the hot seat?

As close as it is considering it’s easy to blame everything on the head coach, I am going to go with Kevin Kolb. If he wants to be the Eagles starter one day (or a starter anywhere in the NFL), he needs to start winning some games. What happened to the Kevin Kolb who became the first player to ever throw back to back 300 yard games in his first two career starts? Was that a fluke? I thought I saw a future after watching him in training camp in August. There seemed to be chemistry with his receivers that day that has seemed to fade since the start of preseason. He is afraid to make plays. When he finally does decide to go after those plays (which happened a few times against Washington), he was far from accurate. If there is any position in the NFL that requires confidence, it is the quarterback. He does not look like he is trusting his receivers or himself every time he drops back.

Andy Reid is a winner. There’s no denying the amount of success he has brought the franchise in his long year tenure with the organization. Even though he has yet to get a ring, he has created one of the most consistent franchises in sports. However, there’s an overwhelming amount of fear and questioning with this Eagles team that I haven’t seen in the past. Most of it has to do with the lack of a stable quarterback, but every aspect of the team seems to have its own set of question marks. Maybe the Eagles aren’t as good this year as people thought they were. There’s something, and I would argue a lot of things, that are off about the team that Andy needs to fix.

Something needs to change. The Eagles can’t go into games every week with skepticism about their different units. They are playing was too inconsistently to compete at the top level, a level that I think they have the ability to be at when clicking on all cylinders. Whether it’s Kolb or Reid, something needs to change and something needs to change fast.

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Other News and Notes for Sunday’s game:

-According to ESPN.com, Andy Reid said that LeSean McCoy is a “full-go” for Sunday night’s game against the Niners. He has a cracked rib and is expected to split time with Mike Bell. Bell has struggled all year on short-yardage opportunities, but should see more action this week than in past games.

-Moise Fokou was announced the starter at linebacker instead of Akeem Jordan. Defensive coordinator Sean McDermott said that Fokou’s size should be a nice compliment to a speedy defense. The Eagles have struggled against the run and it doesn’t help that they will face Frank Gore and former Eagle Brian Westbrook.

EAGLES: Previewing the Third Preseason Game

Even though the game is just a few hours away, there are a few things to look forward to for the Eagles third preseason game against the Kansas City Chiefs. With the first team playing three quarters on both sides of the ball, it will be the last chance for the Eagles to show their fans what they’ve got. Now for some quick notes before the game:

-The Eagles first team offense has still yet to score a touchdown. They looked far from game ready last week against the Bengals, but the offense should get a few boosts with Stacy Andrews and running back Mike Bell back in the rotation.

-First-round draft pick Brandon Graham will start tonight at defensive end. He has impressed coaches at practice and will get his first start with the Eagles first team defense. Safety and second-round pick Nate Allen will start his third-straight game.

-Left guard Todd Herremans will start for the Eagles tonight. He will not play all three quarters for precautionary reasons with his foot.

-Cornerback Macho Harris is expected to play after missing the first two games with a hamstring injury. He is one of the main players in the bubble so tonight’s performance will be crucial for Harris.

-Things continue to get worse for Eagles tight end Cornelius Ingram. He did not travel with the team because of knee problems. Doctors noted that he has a Baker’s cyst on the back of his left knee, which is the same injury that kept him out of his senior season at Florida. His chances of making the team continue to dwindle with the injury problems.

-Players that are on the bubble and have something to prove tonight:

1) Moise Fokou- this is one of his last chances to prove that he can compete with the first team. He has continued to fall down the depth charts and almost has no chance to compete with Akeem Jordan anymore.

2) Omar Gaither- similar to Fokou, he is under the spotlight and if he wants to be on the first team, his performance tonight is crucial.

3) Darryl Tapp- with rookies Brandon Graham and Daniel Te’o-Nesheim playing well and winning the approval of Sean McDermott, Tapp could be seeing his chances of starting dwindle

4) Joselio Hanson and Dimitri Patterson- who will be the Eagles second starting cornerback? And don’t forget about Trevard Lindley.

A lot of questions for the first team and the bubble players. Let’s see how it all comes to play.

EAGLES: Training Camp Wrap-Up; Notes for Second Preseason game

With training camp coming to a close yesterday, all eyes point to Friday night’s second preseason matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals. The Eagles are coming in relatively healthy, which has been the biggest highlight of training camp.

There were no torn ACL’s. There were no season ending injuries. With the exception of a few key players battling nagging injuries, the Eagles were fortunate enough to steer clear of the injury bug (for now that is). Now heading into the heart of preseason, the young Eagles team has the ability to flourish and mold into one of the biggest dark horses of the 2010 season. Looking back at training camp, there were a number of players that really proved themselves and earned a spot on the Eagles roster:

1. Rookies

Andy Reid talks with Clay Harbor

I don’t think I have ever been more excited about a rookie class since following the Eagles. Granted the Eagles have 13 draft picks to choose from, but there are a number of youngsters that proved they can run with the big boys. For one, Brandon Graham demonstrated that he can start as a defensive end for the Eagles. He proved all the naysayers wrong that doubted his size and power. In the last few days he has gotten reps on the inside of the line too, illustrating the confidence that Reid and McDermott have in the first round draft pick. Similarly, free safety Nate Allen, who had arguably the most pressure riding on him coming into Lehigh, showed that he can also play with the first team. Considering the Eagles are extremely thin at safety, many were worried that the second-round pick wouldn’t live up to hype and Allen showed, for now, that he is not afraid to back down. Also, safety Kurt Coleman really opened a lot of eyes over the last few weeks. As a seventh-round pick, Coleman was often overlooked coming out of Ohio State. He should have the backup safety spot locked up.

The biggest shock in my perspective came from wide receiver Riley Cooper. All I remember hearing from him as Florida was his size and ability to be a deep threat, but Cooper demonstrated all of training camp that he is as versatile as they come. Not only do I expect him to make the roster, I expect him to be a viable threat as the Eagles fourth receiver. Similar to Cooper, tight end Clay Harbor was arguably the biggest surprise of training camp. Even though Cornelius Ingram is coming off his second torn ACL, he was the big favorite heading into training camp to be a solid second option. Ingram continues to battle injuries and ended camp as one of the biggest disappointments, as Harbor outplayed him and stayed healthy enough to lock up the second spot behind Brent Celek.

2. Stewart Bradley

The fearless Bradley proved that his torn ACL from last season is far behind him. The Eagles finally have a sufficient leader on the defensive side of the ball and an experienced veteran that will be a major threat in the middle of the field. Despite being held out of many practices for precautionary measures, Bradley was in full force every time he stepped on the field. Expect a big season from No. 55 in the middle and finally some consistency from the linebacker position.

3. Mike McGlynn

With Jamaal Jackson out for the first few weeks and Nick Cole sitting out with knee swelling, the third-year offensive lineman Mike McGlynn stepped in for the Eagles and surprised many at one of the weakest positions on the field. Nick Cole had a lot to prove coming into training camp, and his inability to remain healthy left the door open for McGlynn. It’s not even that McGlynn is playing that well, it’s more that he isn’t making too many mistakes. He will start his second straight game on Friday night against Cincinnati.

Now for the biggest busts of training camp:

Fokou needs to up his game if he wants to see the field in 2010

1. Moise Fokou

Fokou was expected to be the Eagles strong outside linebacker coming into camp and eventually dwindled to the second team taking reps with the linebackers and defensive lineman. He lost his job to a more experienced veteran in Akeem Jordan and will most likely remain on the bench unless someone is injured.

2. Cornelius Ingram/Mike Bell/Nick Cole

All three of these players had the backup/starting positions locked up before they spent most of training camp getting medical attention. The more unfortunate part is that none of their injuries are serious, but are still enough to keep them off the playing field while they watch their positions being taken from them. This is more the case with Ingram who is without question the third string tight end now and who’s only chance to make the 53-man roster is if Reid takes three tight ends. Bell is still expected to be the backup running back for the Eagles due to the lack of depth at the position, but both Eldra Buckley and Martell Mallet are getting reps with the second and third teams as Bell sits out. As I mentioned earlier with Cole, his starting job was in question coming into the season but he was the clear favorite to be the Eagles starting center with Jamaal Jackson still injured. However, his knee continues to keep him on the sidelines as McGlynn makes moves at the starting job.

3. Hank Baskett

With five years of experience in the NFL, it seemed like Baskett was a sure fit as the Eagles fourth wide receiver. Even though it’s a new quarterback and a lot of new faces, it’s still the same system under Andy Reid. Baskett was out-hustled and outplayed by Riley Cooper and Kelly Washington and if it wasn’t for his experience, he would probably not make the team. I’m sure he will still make it as the fifth receiver.

Check out Philly.com Sheil Kapadia’s list of winners and losers from camp.

Notes for Friday night’s game against the Bengals:

-The starters are going to play the first half on Friday night. Kevin Kolb will start, Vick will play the third quarter, and Mike Kafka will finish the game in the fourth quarter.

- Inactive for the game: Nick Cole, Jamaal Jackson, Todd Herremans, David Pender, and Victor Abiamiri

-Asante Samuel (hamstring) and running back Mike Bell (calf) are listed as questionable

-Tight end Cornelius Ingram practiced yesterday and expects to play. Similar story with Macho Harris (hamstring) and Quintin Demps (knee)

-For the Bengals, head coach Marvin Lewis ruled out WR Antonio Bryant (knee), FB Fui Vakapuna (shoulder), WR Robert Geathers (foot), LB Rashad Jeanty (leg), S Tom Nelson (knee) and OT Andrew Mitchell

-A direct quote from Terrell Owens about his new team: “I was just talking to Carson [Palmer] earlier,” Owens said. “This team, this year it really gives me the feeling of when I went to Philly. The talent level on this team, the capabilities of where this team can really go.” It’s always interesting to play against the infamous T.O.

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.