Philly Sports Blogs Ads
Philly Sports Blogs is part of the YBN Sports Blog Network
Lets Go Flyers Lets Go!
Philadelphia Flyers Eastern Conference Champions
Phillies Tickets
Reid says Eagles entertaining offers for all three quarterbacks
Andy Reid has finally come out and admitted what everyone in Philadelphia already knew: The Eagles are entertaining trade offers for all three of their quarterbacks.
You can read the report on espn.go.com
While the news is not a surprise, the fact that it came from Reid is. The Eagles’ coach has been steadfast in his statement that Donovan McNabb will be the team’s starting quarterback next season and they would like to keep all three of their signal callers.
The national media has not bought that for a second though, linking McNabb, Michael Vick and Kevin Kolb to different locations during the offseason. Someone is going somewhere.
Of course tightlipped Andy was not about to go into any further details on any possible deals, as the article states.
“This is the truth: Our three quarterbacks are Philadelphia Eagles,” Reid said Tuesday, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. “People are entertaining us with offers. Nothing’s been done, but we’re evaluating all of them. That’s the truth. There’s not a lot really going on other than entertaining.”
So while we may not know more about the future of the Eagles quarterback position today than we did yesterday, at least Reid has come out and admitted the obvious.
For him, that’s a big step.
It’s the offseason of Donovan McNabb
In Philadelphia every offseason is about Donovan McNabb.
Only this time, Philadelphia is not alone.
ESPN’s Sal Paolantonio says that the drama around McNabb is the story off the offseason. Bellow is an excerpt:
Philadelphia is the only team in the NFL with all three quarterbacks on its roster going into the final year of their contracts. Teams are calling, wondering who’s available, who’s not and what the Eagles would want in any potential trade.
The Eagles’ front office is listening. But here’s the kicker: The Eagles, according to multiple league sources, have so far told teams that both McNabb and his primary backup, Kevin Kolb, are not available.
Now, does that mean the Eagles won’t trade McNabb? Definitely not. Most league insiders believe the Eagles are just posturing right now, trying to determine the market and how to proceed. If the team says publicly or privately McNabb is on the trading block, its bargaining position would tank.
You can read the complete article here.
The word sources has been thrown everywhere lately and none of it has been verified. On the same day a source told a Buffalo newspaper that McNabb would be open to a trade to the Bills, and a source told ESPN that he would not be open to a trade to Buffalo.
Sometimes I think sources are pulled from the thin air.
It seems set in stone that at least one member of the Eagles’ quarterback trio and maybe a second will be traded. Who that is and where he/they end up is anyone’s guess right now. The speculation will be endless and the Eagles front office has to be loving every second of it. The more their quarterbacks are pumped up, the more the Eagles can ask for in a trade. The trading game is all about having leverage and with three quarterbacks that teams believe can be starters, the Eagles are holding all of the bargaining chips.
Among the teams that have talked to the Eagles, according to multiple sources, are the Denver broncos, Cleveland Browns, St. Luis Rams and Buffalo Bills.
McNabb rumors swirl
Not even the Super Bowl can be free of Donovan McNabb trade rumors.
Les Bowen issued a piece in today’s issue of the Daily News talking about the latest speculation in on trades involving McNabb, as well as Vick and Kolb. He also stressed that as of now nothing is close to happening.
Bellow is Bowen’s article.
If there is one day in the NFL year when we ought to be free of worrying about Donovan McNabb and the Eagles , it should be Super Bowl Sunday. Alas, such is not the case.
We’ve had reports today from ESPN folk who apparently have too much time on their hands, with their network not doing the game. Adam Schefter says teams have asked the Birds about all three of their quarterbacks and three teams have called about Michael Vick. Sal Paolantonio added that three teams — Cleveland, Denver and Buffalo — have had multiple conversations with the Eagles about Donovan McNabb.
Don’t know the exact teams myself, but I understand there have been a lot of calls, many of them not about any QB in particular, just letting the Eagles know Team X is interested, should they look to deal any of their three. I’m also told nothing is anywhere close to happening, that all of the queries have been preliminary.
This last point canot be overemphasized. NOTHING IS ANYWHERE CLOSE TO HAPPENING.
As you know, Andy Reid has indicated McNabb will be the Eagles’ QB in 2010, and McNabb has said this is his strong understanding, as well. Vick has said he would like to go somewhere where he could start, and a few days ago down at South Beach, McNabb endorsed that idea. Kevin Kolb has said he’d like to start, but is a team player, and so forth.
The Vick-to-St. Louis speculation makes a lot of sense to me.
A scource close to the situation thinks at least half a dozen teams ultimately will inquire about Kolb — including Cleveland, where Tom Heckert, of course, is now the GM, working under Reid’s mentor, Mike Holmgren. Almost any team looking to draft a QB this season would be smart to look into Kolb, who presumably wouldn’t need several years of training to take over. This is not a great quarterback draft; if Kolb came out this year, he’d almost certainly be a first-rounder. Of course, with McNabb heading toward his 12th season and not under contract after 2010, trading Kolb would be quite a gamble for the Birds.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled Super Bowl XLIV hoopla.
Making the case: The final verdict at QB
Over the past few days phillysportsblogs has made a case for Michael Vick, Kevin Kolb and Donovan McNabb to be named the starter in 2010 for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Now it’s time to get serious.
Before I unveil the rightful choice for the job, it is time to look at one of the major factors in the decision that not yet been discused.
The last two weeks have been hard on Eagles fans young and old. Entering the final week of the season the Eagles had hopes of a NFC East title, No. 2 seed and first round bye in the playoffs. Instead they were presented with two tail-whippings at the hands of the rival Dallas Cowboys.
Over the course of those two games it became impossible for even the most stubborn Eagles fan to deny that the Cowboys have surpassed the Eagles in terms of talent and production.
Before the start of the season Eagles’ President and CEO Joe Banner announced to the media that his team was the most talented in the NFL.
Mr. Banner, you were wrong. Dead wrong.
While there is uncertainty for the future in Minnesota and Arizona due to possible retirements at the quarterback position, Dallas and New Orleans look set for the several years to come. Each team has a multi-layered running attack, a proven quarterback (Yes, it’s time to award Tony Romo that status) and tons of weapons at the tight end and receiver positions. The Cowboys are also stacked on defense, while the Saints have shown drastic improvement on that side of the ball from a year ago.
These teams aren’t going away so the only way for the Eagles to return to the Super Bowl — and maybe actually win it — is to improve to or above their competitions level.
With a solid draft — and health — the Eagles should be able to see improvements on both sides of the ball. Stewart Bradley will be back at the MLB position and DeSeasn Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Brent Celek will each be a year wiser.
Is that enough?
No.
And that’s where the decision making comes to light.
Everyone has seen what McNabb can — and cannot — do leading the offense. It is true that if McNabb has three or four years of success at his current rate he will surpass the 40,000 yards passing mark and with that likely secure a ticket to the Hall of Fame. If he is elected to the Hall he will go in as an Eagle.
But even with that in mind, it is time for a change.
There are anywhere from 8-12 teams that will be looking for a new starting quarterback in the offseason and there isn’t a whole lot out there. There are not 8-12 quality quarterback out there. In fact there might not be two.
The market is led by Kyle Orton, Jason Campbell, Chad Pennington, Tavaris Jackson, and Kellen Clemens. Yhat’s it folks.
I mention this because if made available McNabb jumps to the top of that list. He could even bring back a late first rounder, or a combination of a second and a third. This would help the Eagles fill a couple of holes on the lines in a hurry.
So who then is the man to lead the offense in 2010?
Kevin Kolb.
If not now then it will be never for Kolb and the Eagles. He is a free agent to be next offseason and if the Birds do not commit to him next season there will be no reason for him to re-sign.
There is no guarantee that simply placing Kolb in the starting lineup will vault the Eagles into contention with the Saints and Cowboys next year and beyond, but it is almost certain that is the Eagles return with McNabb they will not.
As the saying goes “you are what you are.” The Eagles with McNabb at the helm have been a very, very good football team over the last decade. Yet at the end of the day the franchise has earned the same amount of Super Bowl rings as teams that are very, very bad.
What McNabb has done for this city and team should not soon be forgotten. He brought the team to heights it had not been since the early 80’s and turned Philadelphia back into a football town.
For that he should be thanked, and above all, appreciated. But the time has come to part ways.
McNabb is still very good.
It’s long past time for the Eagles to be great.
Kevin Kolb, the time is yours.
Making the case: Donovan McNabb for starter in 2010
In 1995 after feeling underappreciated by the Philadelphia Eagles organization, Randall Cunningham retired from football.
For the next five years the Eagles would be led by the likes of Rodney Pete, Ty Detmer, Bobby Hoying, Koy Detmer and Doug Peterson.
Boy did that group of quarterbacks make Cunningham’s achievements that much grander.
As the Eagles enter an offseason filled with questions about the quarterback position it is hard not to think back the Birds’ 1995 decision to got with Pete and relegate Cunningham to the bench and ultimatelt retirement. It would be another half-decade until the Eagles recovered and found a franchise quarterback – none other than McNabb.
Now Cunningham and McNabb’s tenures are not all that similar, but the lack of appreciation from the fan base during their time as a starter does draw similarities. It is common knowledge that Eagles fans are the hardest on the quarterback position, and there is nothing wrong with that. The quarterback is a general and fans want the five star kind and settle for nothing less. But as history shows us, sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for.
Love him or hate him, on cannot deny that McNabb still has the skill set to be a successful NFL quarterback. This season McNabb went 267-for-443 (60.3 percent) for 3,553 yards, finishing with a 92.9 quarterback rating. That quarterback rating was 12th in the league according to nfl.com. He also sported a strong touchdown-to-interception ratio tossing for 22 scores and 10 picks.
While the knock on McNabb has been that he has not made enough improvements over the years, it should also be pointed out that he has not progressed. A five time Pro Bowler McNabb still has the skills of a quarterback five years his younger.
It is true that the Eagles are a team in transition with a young set of receivers and a running back of the future in LeSean McCoy. These players should continue to grow and by them getting better, so will the Eagles offense. Having a veteran quarterback should only help that progress.
McNabb hasn’t been a perfect quarterback but he does have five NCF Championship games a Super Bowl trip on his resume. He throws for over 3,000 yards on a yearly bases and is still mobile enough to extend plays.
Sometimes change is good. Sometimes it’s not. There is no telling what the future will hold at the quarterback position in Philadelphia.
But the Eagles sure don’t want to go down the same path they did after the 1995 season.
Making the case: Kevin Kolb for starter in 2010
Though his sample size was small (two games) and the defenses he faced weren’t the greatest (Chiefs and Saints), Kevin Kolb’s two performances as the starting quarterback for the Eagles this season should not be overlooked.
In that limited sample he became the first quarterback to pass for 300 yards or more in his first two NFL starts. That’s right, he did something that not even Peyton Manning, Joe Montana or Dan Marino can lay claim to.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying Kolb is the next great quarterback in the league, but he certainly looks capable of running an NFL offense.
The Eagles drafted Kolb with the 36th overall pick in the 2007 draft (traded with the Cowboys to get that pick). Next season he will enter the final year of his four-year rookie contract. That is the same year that McNabb’s contract is set to expire.
Needless to say, the Eagles are on the clock.
People who clamor for McNabb to remain the Eagles starting quarterback point to his incredibly strong arm and his ability to get the deep ball to DeSean Jackson. While Kolb may not have quite the rocket hanging off his shoulder, he showed the ability to throw – and put touch on – a 64-yard touchdown pass to Jackson against the Chiefs In the same game he had a nice intermediate route pass to Brent Celek that turned into a 35-yard score.
I understand that his best performance came against one of the worst defenses in the NFL, but Kolb has no control over the schedule. Who’s to say he couldn’t have doe the same against the Raiders when McNabb led the team to an awful 9-point showing?
The Eagles gave up a lot to draft Kolb, notably a first-round pick the rival Cowboys. There is no way Kolb and his agent would sign onto an extension in the last year of his contract if he is not promised a chance to at least compete for the starting job. That means the Eagles would risk losing Kolb next offseason without truly knowing how good he can be.
In addition, trading Kolb this offseason would likely net a value far less than the Eagles gave up. Though he is young and there are several teams in the market for a quarterback any packages for him would likely begin no higher than a third rounder.
The Eagles front office has done a great job stay competitive while also getting younger. Their receivers are young, they have a young running back n LeSean McCoy and there is plenty of youth on the defensive side of the ball. This team has a chance to grow and improve together.
All that is missing is a young, talented quarterback.
Kevin Kolb is that man.
Making the case: Vick for starter in 2010
Michael Vick is a weapon, plain and simple. He can run, pass and he is capable of the big play at any time.
When the Eagles signed Vick last offseason they did so to give an athlete with a troubled past a chance to rebuild his reputation in the community and show that he could also still get the job done on the field.
I think most would agree that he went 2-for-2.
It is almost a certainty that the Eagles will not keep Vick around as a backup considering his contract calls or him to make 5.2 million next season. Reid has already come out and said that Donovan is his guy next year, but plenty can change in an offseson.
The Eagles have three options with “the original wildcat: They can decline his option leaving him to go free elsewhere; pick up the option and trade him; or trade McNabb and make Vick the starter.
While option three seems the most unlikely, let’s examine it.
It is hard to look too deep into Vick’s numbers this year considering he attempted only 13 passes during the regular season – completing six for 86 yards. He also ran the ball 24 times for 95 yards. Vick was used sparingly during the regular season and most of his plays were designed to set up this big moment on Saturday.
It was the one highlight in an otherwise miserable day for the Eagles and their fans.
For his career, Vick has been up and down. He has tons of highlight runs and has a cannon for an arm, but also lacks the consistency to be an accurate pocket-passer.
So how does it make sense for him to become the starter in Philadelphia?
I think it could be a good move for the franchise if they get an offer for McNabb that is too good to refuse – as in, above market value. The fans are clamoring for a change and starting Vick would certainly qualify. The team could keep both Vick and Kevin Kolb for next year and see how things transpire. If it becomes clear that Vick is not the guy, you have a young backup you can turn to. If it does work out you can negotiate an extension with Vick to keep him in Philadelphia. Either way, one of th two QBs would become the “man” in the future.
Is it likely? No. Could t work? Yes.
Fans have seen what the McNabb-Reid combo can do. They want a new look and this could be the one.
Check back on Wednesday when we make a case for Kevin Kolb to be the 2010 starter.
The end of the McNabb era may have arrived
The late Albert Einstein is known for many great pieces of knowledge. In the sports world there is one phrase he coined that seems to trump all else:
“The definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result.”
That phrase has been used by fans over the last few seasons to persuade the Eagles front office breaking up the duo of Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid. Of course the front office has not taken that route, keeping the pair together and hoping for different results.
As a result, the Eagles fan base has been driven insane.
The Birds made it clear earlier this season that Reid will be back, signing him to a contract extension after back-to-back wins over Washington and Atlanta. What we will soon find out is if McNabb will join him.
It’s not an easy call anyway you look at it. Few quarterbacks in the league have an arm as strong as McNabb’s. With DeSean Jackson on board McNabb got to show off that arm, throwing for over 3,5000 yards and 22 TDs. His 92.9 QB rating is well-above average.
But then there is the bounce passes and the mental lapses. And for all that he has accomplished (five NFC title games), he still has a reputation for failing to deliver in big games.
The Star-Telegram in Dallas has a good read on McNabb’s cloudy
“And while the blame for the Eagles’ 34-14 loss to Dallas on Saturday shouldn’t be laid solely at the feet of McNabb, the fact remains he is what he is — the Eagles quarterback and the face of the franchise. When things go right, he usually gets credit. When things go wrong, and wrong they did go on Saturday, McNabb must face the music and bear the brunt of the criticism, as he did Saturday.
But for how much longer?”
The rest can be read here: http://www.star-telegram.com/332/story/1881936.html
With Kevin Kolb’s contract will run out after next season and Michael Vick’s option only to be picked up if he is a starter (backups don’t make $5.2 million) there is clearly a decision to be made – a decision that will go a long way in determining the teams success over the next few years.
Over the next three days I will make the case for Vick, Kolb and McNabb to be the starters, before rendering a verdict on Friday. In the meantime, who do you want to captain the Eagles next season?
Athlete of the Decade #8 Brian Westbrook
Westbrook hits our list at #8. He would be much higher but for one thing. The guy can not stay healthy. He was born in 1979 and came from one of my favorite local colleges, the Villanova Wildcats. He still owns 37 school records at Villanova.
Early on in his career he got the reputation for being injury prone. He has lived into this reputation. In his 8 NFL seasons, he has NEVER started every game for the team. McNabb got the reputation after getting hurt for the second time in his career, despite playing an entire game on a broken leg. What chance does Brian have of overcoming the same rap ?
Never mind that he has 420 receptions for 3765 yards and 29 touchdowns, with 40 receptions over 20 yards and 10 over 40 yards in an 8 year career as a running back. Forget his nearly 6000 yards rushing with a 4.6 yard average and 37 touchdowns. Just scoring a touchdown every other game you start is not enough to endear you to Philadelphia fans. Being the most versatile running back and leading the team in receptions 2 years, and leading the league in receptions for a running back on 4 occasions won’t do it either. These fans want a Super Bowl and they want it bad !!
But, Westbrook is frequently mentioned as one of the top ten utility backs of all time, let alone of the past decade. In 2007 he led all players in yards from scrimmage, first downs, and yards per touch. He holds records too numerous to categorize in this post.
I will try to do him justice here. Brian Westbrook IS:
the only active NFL player with 20-or-more TDs both rushing and receiving (27 rush, 23 rec.)
the owner of 52 career TDs (27 rush, 23 rec., 2 PR) 8th on the Eagles all-time list, 4th among RBs
the franchise leader in yards/carry (4.7) ,2nd in yards/touch (5.9 – min. 750 touches), yards from scrimmage (7,992) and receiving TDs (23)
the Eagles all-time single-season record holder in yards from scrimmage (2,104) and receptions (90), both set in 2007
the first Eagle to lead the league since RB Ricky Watters, who registered 1,855 yards in 1996.
According to the Elias Sports Bureau, the 4th-fastest player in NFL history to record 20 rushing TDs and 20 receiving TDs (76 games) behind Lenny Moore (46), Chuck Foreman (55), Timmy Brown (65) and tied with John David Crow (76)
Since 2003, leads all NFL RBs in yards/touch with a 5.9 avg. on 1,306 touches (min. 500 touches)
Since 2003, leads NFL RBs in receptions(338), receiving yards (3,121) and receiving TDs (23)
Since becoming a full-time starter in 2004, has amassed 6,768 yards from scrimmage in just 55 games, the 2nd-highest total in the NFL
With 17 career 100-yd. rushing games (regular and postseason), ranks 3rd in team history behind Wilbert Montgomery (26) and Steve Van Buren (19)
The average length of his 52 career regular season TDs is 20.1 yards
In seven career playoff games, ranks 2nd in team history in career rushing yards (472), t-2nd in career rushing TDs (3), t-3rd in career total TDs (5), and 4th in career rushing attempts (79)
Owns the two longest rushing TDs in Eagles playoff history (62 at NO 1/13/07, NFC-D; 49 vs. NYG 1/7/07, NFC-WC)
Has posted 12 TDs and 1,165 total yards from scrimmage in his last 9 games against the Giants
That last one may be the most important to the Eagles fan base as Westbrook has become the Amani Toomer of the Eagles when playing NFC East competitors. If only he could suit up and play every game of the year for three or four years and achieve the desired results, I believe Westbrook could crack the top three on this list, and the top ten of all time in Philadelphia sports history. Unfortunately, after a concussion early this season, Westbrook has been largely absent, and his replacement, the running back of the future, LeSean McCoy has performed so well that many have written the star off. But now he looks to return next week against the Broncos and the return of Brian Dawkins (Think he is on this list further up somewhere ??) Unfortunately, it is possible that Westbrook’s legacy in this city may very well come down to the last few games he plays here and the result of those contests, when in reality, he should be revered for what he has been able to do in his tenure here. No matter what, it is hard to deny what he accomplished in the last eight years regarding overall productivity and it is also hard to deny the raw talent he possesses and the exuberance and sheer love for the game he displays on the field every week he suits up. I hope the rumors are not true and his time playing is not over, but no matter what, he will always be on my list of players that were fun to watch and beneficial to my team. When he does retire, he is sure to be missed.
Reid gets three more years
Andy Reid got his extension and will now be at the helm of the Philadelphia Eagles through the 2013 season. In his ten seasons, Reid has led the Eagles to the playoffs five times, with four NFC East championships and 1 superbowl appearance. BUT, still no elusive superbowl victory. He is the winningest coach in Eagles history.
When he arrived the team was 3-13 the year before and somewhat of a laughingstock in the perennially tough NFC East. His first act was to draft Donovan McNabb, and 115 victories and a .611 winning percentage later, these two are still together and winning games, the longest such streak for a quarterback and head coach combination in the league.
Now, Reid has no more distractions, in the family or the team outlook, to prevent him from getting what Philly fans desire most. Bragging rights over the entire NFL for winning it all, the Superbowl. After three straight NFC East championships he was the toast of town, but then he lost the Superbowl, had a down year, then last year managed to ONLY get back to the NFC title game where his team lost to the Arizona Cardinals, and since then, fans have been clamoring for both him and McNabb to be replaced.
When the team signed Vick and everyone made such a big deal about it I commented on the fact that this coach and quarterback have never gotten the respect they deserve. McNabb is the best at this position in team history, and Reid is the best at his position as well. There are many other quarterbacks and head coaches who have not won the superbowl, yet you rarely hear their fans hollering for them to hit the road.
Of course, this IS Philadelphia. Apparantly if you don’t win the NBA title or the Stanley Cup, you are still talented and game worthy, (welcome back Allen Iverson !!) but if you fail at the World Series or the Superbowl, get the hell outta town !! The Phillies finally redeemed themselves with a Series win followed by a repeat invite where they battled those hated NY Yankees, now it is the Eagles turn to do the same. Beating those hated Giants next week and those totally hated Cowboys to close out the season and get their 5th NFC East title in the past 8 years, followed by a run through the playoffs and a superbowl victory, is probably the only way Reid and McNabb can redeem themselves in the fans eyes and finally get some respect.
Fortunately, we have the quarterback of the future, the running back of the future, the full back of the future, two of our receivers of the future, our safety of the future, our tight end of the future, our cornerback of the future and several key defensive line players of our future already signed, sealed and delivering results on the field. So even if Reid and McNabb CAN’T get it done, we have hope for the future because the Eagles “B” team is probably nearly as good as their “A” team at this point.
I personally believe the A team is finally in place to seal the deal, and I can’t wait to watch the rest of the season and see how close they come to pulling it off ! I said at the start of the year these Eagles would go 10-6 and be in a fight for a wild card, or get that extra win and at 11-5 take the NFC East again. They have lost two games they should have won earlier in the year, so now they need to win at least one game they probably shouldn’t in order to win the division.
I applaud Lurie for committing to Reid for an additional three years at this turbulent time in the team dynamic, and hope it proves to be the right decision as this season and next play out.
Vick redeems himself in return to Atlanta
The Eagles finally broke out of their fall doldrums and thoroughly dominated todays opponent. They only led 13-0 at halftime, largely in part to penalties that called back several scores, and their own inability to finish drives. Only a determined goal-line stand to close out the first half and keep it from being a one score game provided them with needed momentum as they came out in the second half with the first possession.
Michael Vick was welcomed back to Atlanta with a combination of applause and boos, then proceeded to silence his detractors by scoring his first touchdown of the year on a 5 yard plunge in the third quarter to give the Eagles a 20-0 lead. Early in the fourth quarter he followed that up with his first long completion of the year with a 43 yard pass to Reggie Brown.
After contributing a mere 55 yards of offense through the first 9 games, he had 71 yards by early in the fourth quarter and then was handed the ball as the Eagles led 27-0 and Reid decided to sit McNabb for the remainder of the contest. Shortly after that Vick completed his first touchdown pass of the season on a 5 yard pass to Brent Celek to stretch the lead to 34-0 as McNabb cheered him on from the bench.
McNabb looked fairly sharp, buoyed by the superlative running and catching of fullback Leonard Weaver including a 4 yard touchdown he retrieved off his shoelaces and a 59 yard catch and gallop on the ensuing drive. The Eagles still had a little trouble putting it away, with 1 touchdown and 2 field goals on their first four possessions inside the 20, with Akers both setting a record for most consecutive field goals, followed by missing a field goal to break the Eagles consecutive streak of red zone possessions with a score this year.
The Eagles defense, particularly Trent Cole, harrassed Chris Redman all day long rendering him virtually ineffective. The majority of his balls were tipped, batted down or nearly picked off. Sheldon Brown put questions about his sore hamstring to rest with a 83 yard interception return for a touchdown on a 4th and 2 the Falcons tried after converting 2 of their first 3 fourth down attempts. Jones followed shortly thereafter with his own interception and tip toe down the side line to put the Eagles in scoring position once again.
McNabb ended the day going 14-25 for 238 yards and a touchdown completing passes to 6 receivers in his 3 plus quarters of play and having 2 rushes for 17 yards, earning a QB rating of just over 100.
Vick lost the chance to play nearly a full quarter as he injured a thumb on a running play and was replaced by the equally capable Kerry Kolb. The Eagles did not seem to care who was at quarterback position, just as they seemed not to care they were playing without many key players, including running back Brian Westbrook, Kevin Curtis, and DeSean Jackson.
4 Eagles shared running duty with a 4.0 or better yard per carry average, 3 guys suited up at QB, and Jeremy Maclin and Reggie Brown subbed for DeSean and Kevin catching the long balls and converting on third downs to keep drives alive. Macho Harris showed great promise taking on one on one pass coverage assignments against Falcons tight end Gonzalez with good results. McCoy did not see significant action for the first time in a few weeks, but it seems that that is the norm with these Eagles; anytime a player is down and out, another previously unsung athlete steps in to fill his shoes. It makes the Birds a truly tough team to scout, especially as the various players all bring a decidedly different playing style to the field.
I believe this all starts with the coaching staff, evident when McDonough stepped in to replace Jim Johnson after his unexpected and tragic death earlier this year. The defense showed little if any disruption at the change and have gotten to be more and more asolid as a group as the season has developed. The Eagles showed they understand the value in this coaching staff as well, announcing shortly before the game that they were very close to signing a significant contract extension with head coach Andy Reid; sources say this deal could be conclued within the week.
The Eagles defense nearly earned their first shutout of the season, before a late meaningless drive capped by a fluke double deflected pass resulted in a touchdown for the Falcons as time expired and they settled for a 34-7 victory. This ran their record to 8-4 and put them in position to work their way into a tie with the Cowboys for the NFC East, if the Giants beat them later today. Meanwhile the Redskins were beating the undefeated Saints with 2 minutes to go as the resiliant NFC East conference reared it’s head and showed why most years two or three of the best teams in the conference come from their ranks. The Saints came back to tie it up, and the game was undecided at the time of this post.
It looks like the final four weeks are going to be a lot of fun to watch, and fiercely competative as well !
David Akers an unsung hero for Eagles
Whenever talk surfaces about this era of Eagles football, the attention immediately goes to Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb – the duo that has spent the last decade together as coach and quarterback.
However there is another piece which has been vital to the teams’ success. A piece, which like Reid and McNabb, has had big success, while also drawling the ire of fans at times.
And right now, this piece is as responsible for the Eagles’ place in the standings as any other.
I am speaking of David Akers.
A member of the Eagles since 2000, Akers is enjoying one of the finest seasons of his career and should drawl big consideration for his fourth Pro Bowl, and first since 2004. In Sunday’s 27-24 win over the Redskins, Akers was perfect in four field goal attempts and drilled two touchbacks. He has now made 16-straight field goals. For the season Akers is 24-of-27 for an NFL-best 89 percent.
Akers actually had a brief stint with the Redskins in 1998, playing in one game and missing the only two field goals he attempted. Washington certainly never figured 11 years later it would be Akers who would put another nail in their coffin.
While Akers’ leg strength has never been an issue, his accuracy on field goals from 40-yards and out came into question over the previous two seasons when he was uncharacteristically inaccurate, going 12-of-25.
This year he is 11-of-14 in that category.
The talk this week will be about Reid finally showing a little commitment to the run and McNabb leading the team to its second-straight fourth quarter comeback, and rightfully so. Coaches and quarterbacks are the stars of the show, while the kickers stay in the background.
The only time a kicker’s name comes to the forefront is when he fails to come through.
I guess that’s why we haven’t heard much about Akers this season. All he has done is come through.
Eagles control their own destiny, notch 2nd win in a row.
The Eagles dominated every single offensive and defensive category in todays game and in the process managed to just barely win. They had more total plays of offense, more yards passing, more yards rushing, had better yards per pass and rush attempt, had more time of possession, better 4th down efficiency, allowed fewer turnovers, and barely escaped with a win !!
Yes they were not as good on third down, thanks to the Redskins being unnaturally good at that, but they did everything they could to give the Redskins the game until the 4th quarter, from the initial onsides kick they misplayed, allowing Washington to have a 24 yard field, quickly shortened to a 19 yard field with the 5 yard penalty, to repeatedly being called for offensive penalties that negated many of their better plays.
They had a touchdown called back that turned into a field goal, they brought Vick in every time the offense gained any momentum and he promptly disrupted the rhythm of the game, they had countless passes dropped including three in a row by Brett Celek, they lost DeSean Jackson after another touchdown catch due to injuries, yet they won the game to go to 7-4 and put their fate in their own hands for the first time all season. Jackson’s catch was his shortest of the year, a mere 35 yards. This guy is clutch and the best reciever we have had in years, and I hope he is recovered in time for next weeks contest !
Simply put, if the Eagles win out, and beat the Giants and Cowboys in their final meetings, they win the division.
If they beat the Giants and Cowboys and win 1 of their other three remaining games, they will win at least the wild card.
A couple positive observations, the one two punch of McCoy and Weaver was productive for the second week in a row. The halfback/fullback tandem rushed for 120 yards on 23 carries and Buckley came through with the first touchdown of his NFL career to pull the Eagles within 2. Then McCoy performed a balancing act to tie the game up with the 2 point conversion allowing Akers to win it with his field goal on the ensuing drive as the Eagles scored 11 unanswered in the fourth quarter for the win. Assante Samual overcame an average first half with 2 interceptions to keep the Eagles in the game. And the Eagles finally appeared able to convert a third and short with their running game, a quality they had been seriously lacking over the past 6 weeks.
Through the first three quarters fans had to be worrying about the Eagles repeatedly driving the length of the field and having to settle for field goals. A 90 yard 10 play drive for the tying touchdown followed by a 10 play drive for the go ahead field goal hopefully put some of these qualms to bed, at least until next week.
One can only hope Reid won’t overplay Vick in the reunion next week with his former team, the Atlanta Falcons. I think enough has been seen this year to confirm the “Vick experiment” is a dismal failure, it is time to let McNabb run this team for the final 5 games, and if not satisfied with his judgement and performance, you have Kolb chomping at the bit to have a go at it next year, I repeat for the millionth time this year……WE DON’T NEED VICK !!!
OK, got it out of my system, for now, on to next week. We dodged a serious bullet against the Redskins, hopefully we will fare better against the Falcons.
Eagles Cannot Afford A Letdown Against Skins
The Eagles avoided what would’ve been a disastrous three game losing streak last week against the Bears as they hung on for a 24-20 victory. The win put them at 6-4 just a game behind the Cowboys in the NFC East and in the drivers seat for the top wild card spot in the NFC. A loss to the Redskins on Sunday could change all that in a hurry so the Eagles need to focus on their opponent and not let their eyes wander past this week on the schedule.
The Cowboys and Packers both won, so if the Eagles fall Sunday they would fall two games behind in the division race and would fall behind the Packers in the wild card standings as well with just five games left to play. 6-5 with tough games against the Giants, Cowboys, Falcons and Broncos still on the schedule isn’t where you’d like to be, and you can’t count the 49ers out, either.
What’s that you say – Andy Reid would never let the Eagles discount or look past an opponent? How’d that work out in Oakland a few weeks ago? Last season the Eagles picked themselves up off the carpet after getting beat down by the Ravens 36-7, a game where McNabb was benched, and whipped the Cardinals 48-20, took out the Plaxico-less Giants 20-14 (a game where they led 20-7 going into the final minute of the game), beat the Browns 30-10 and sitting at 8-5-1 controlled their own destiny as they went down to Washington to play a Redskins team that had nothing to play for but pride. Well, pride won 10-3 and it almost cost the Eagles a playoff berth had it not been for a few stars aligning just right (including a very improbable win by the Raiders over Tampa Bay) and the Eagles simply beating the Cowboys into next year 44-6. The Eagles were flat that day in Washington, just like they were in Oakland earlier this season and they simply cannot allow it to happen again.
Let’s just hope that the Eagles learn from their past and come out firing on all cylinders and score early and often and put the Redskins away.
A tip of the hat to Vai Sikahema
Vai Sikahema did something very few players-turned athletes ever do — he turned on his former employer.
Boy was that refreshing.
Sikahema, who was a return man in the 80s-90s, including a stint with the Eagles in 92-93, was a guest on the Mike Missinelli’s show on 97.5 fm this afternoon and openly said that he believed it was time for the Andy Reid-Donovan McNabb era to end. He was tough on both the coach and player, ultimately saying that their tenure has run its course and the best thing the franchise can do is move on.
Do you think Ron Jawarski would ever be so critical? Heck no. That’s like Lou Hultz picking against the Irish one Saturday. It just doesn’t happen.
Sikahema, who is a sports anchor for NBC is loved in his town, part because of his time with the Eagles (who can forget the goalpost punching) and part for his refusal to dish out any PR spin on what is going on with the city’s sports teams. That is a rare quality these days. Fans have no problem speaking their minds, but alumni don’t dare do such things.
It should be noted that he also said that despite his opinion, he believes a contract extension is already done between Reid and the Eagles and they are just waiting for the right time to announce it. He expressed how much the Eagles’ brass loves Reid and that even a 9-7, no playoff season wouldn’t keep them from brining him back.
Sikahema is usually good for his word, so Eagles fans can expect more of the same coming their way for the next 2-3 years.
Polls
Loading ...Philly Sports Books
Hey Philly, check out this great little Phillies book.
The Phillies Fan's Little Book of Wisdom (Little Book of Wisdom (Taylor))
Sports Columns
Grinding My Gears is all the stuff that gets under your skin. Bad calls in a game, fans storming the court after a regular win, comments by players...
By The Numbers simply put is research comparing records and statistics from today to bygone eras.Philly Sports Blogs on Social Networks
