Westbrook had Surgery?

Did you know Brian Westbrook had surgery on his ailing knee? I didn't, but he confirmed it to reporters at Disney's Hollywood Studios.

In Westbrook's case, a key step toward that front was taken recently when he underwent knee surgery and began a rigorous rehab he hopes will whip him back in the form he displayed for most of the 2008 season, during which he wore down in the home stretch.

''It's getting better all the time,' he said.

Link: Orlando Sentinel

You could tell that Westbrook was wearing down at the end of the season, so hopefully this minor arthroscopic surgery can relieve that situation. However, the Eagles fans have to be scratching their heads wondering about what is going to happen if Westbrook does indeed go down. Currently, the Eagles only have Lorenzo Booker on the roster and not only had trouble griping the offense, but he cannot block in passing situations either.

Derrick Ward was on the market, but he signed with Tampa Bay last night. Derrick Ward is not a bad back, but he is nearing 30 and most of his yards came in passing situations. He did have an ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.

Though it is unlikely, the Eagles could look at Cedric Benson. After being released by the Chicago Bears, Benson joined the Bengals and put up 747 yards in 12 games. Not exactly the most impressive numbers in the world with 3.5 ypc, but he might be an option. He's likely looking for someone to overpay for him, so that leaves us with the draft.

Beanie Wells and Knowshon Moreno are projected as first round backs, but neither guy is very good in the passing game. I would not expect the Eagles to draft a running back in the first round. I'd expect them to look at offensive tackle/line and go after Sean Smith, the free safety from Utah.

In the second round, LeSean McCoy and Rashad Jennings are two backs that might peak the Eagles interest. McCoy is built similar to Brian Westbrook and he can catch out of the backfield. They're likely not going to go for a big back because they never do, so McCoy fits. The problem is McCoy is likely going to go late first round or early second. Jennings would be your prototypical big back. He is 6'1" 231 lbs. He's got speed on him too as he ran a 4.49 40.

If they chose to go with a tight end or another position in the second round, I am not sure where the Eagles are going to address the backup running back position. Are they waiting for June cuts?

This has definitely been an interesting off-season for the most part. The Eagles have let more players walk from the team that played late in January than they have gained or resigned. Some of us do forget that they were still a 9-6-1 football team.

Continuing reading...

A Brotherly Affair

Once, Jordan Gross left the market, the Eagles had to react quickly to swoop on a poor group of free agent offensive tackles. They nabbed the top tackle left on the market by signing Shawn Andrews older brother, Stacy Andrews.

A league source tells PFT that tackle Stacy Andrews has agreed to terms with the Philadelphia Eagles.

Per the source, it's a multi-year deal averaging $7 million per season.
At this point, the structure of the contract isn't known as it relates to guaranteed money. Andrews suffered a torn ACL late in the 2008 season, and it might have prompted the Eagles to defer any large payments until March 2010, after Andrews proves that he is 100 percent.

The deal hinges on Andrews passing a physical.

Link: Pro Football Talk

Stacy Andrews was considered the top offensive tackle available and the Eagles need two of them. Andrews, like his brother can play either guard or tackle, but he will likely play along side his brother on the right side.

This is a special moment for both brothers and hopefully Stacy helps Shawn get his head straight. They should be a decent force together in the running game. The Eagles really missed Shawn Andrews talent at right guard last year.

Also, it appears that the Eagles were also very strongly interested in Ravens FA Jason Brown, now a Ram. Brown's agent has seemed to accidentally admit that tampering took place by the Rams.

Brown agreed to a contract with the St. Louis Rams last night. His agent, Harold Lewis, said the Eagles were among the first teams to inquirer about his client when free agency started at 12:01 a.m. yesterday. But the Rams called first.

"The Eagles showed some really strong interest in Jason, but we had no inkling until midnight passed," Lewis said. "Who knows? Maybe if they'd have called first, they'd have had the first chance to talk. Jason is not the kind of guy who wants to take a tour."

Link: Philadelphia Inquirer

It will be interesting to see if anything comes out of Lewis' slip up, but it is doubtful. Tampering goes on all the time. I mean it was a foregone conclusion that the Redskins were going to sign Albert Haynesworth well before free agency sparked. Whether it was phone calls or it was the many reports about it, the information is getting to the players regarding which teams are interested well before the free agency bell.

We've added a right tackle, but we have lose two safeties, a cornerback, and a running back to opposing teams.

Way to fill those holes front office!

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Lito Sheppard Traded to Jets

Lito Sheppard has been traded to the New York Jets for a 2009 fifth round pick and a 2010 conditional pick depending on Lito's playing time. The pick will range anywhere from a 2nd and 4th rounder.

Link: CSN Philly

Lito was owed $3 million this year in the last year of his contract. Sure, it is not a lot, but it is almost pointless for both parties to remain together. Lito dropped to 4th on the depth chart and was even deactivated during the playoffs.

Also, it looks like Brian Dawkins is all but officially a Bronco.

Ugh, such a bad image.

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Tuesday Update 2/10/09

A few things worth reporting in this. Again I appologize on behalf of Justin and myself for our lack of posts. I'll start off talking about Ryan howard and the Phillies avoiding arbitration with his 3 year, $54 million deal the Philly Inquirer reported on Monday. This is a great signing and personally I feel it's a steal. They aren't locking him up for too long and I personally feel he's worth more than just $18 million a year. Howard is 29 and if his production stays the same it has been in his tenure as a Phillie, you will definitely see his asking price increase. That's the only problem with the short term deal. Howard led the league last year with 48 home runs and 146 RBI's.

The Eagles free agaent right tackle Jon Runyan had surgery on his knee last week. He will be out 4-6 months but should be fine for next season said the Philly Inquirer. His only problem is that he is 35 years old. If the Eagles don't sign him back, he may have a hard time going somewhere else, especially because he'll be on crutches when the FA period starts.

The Flyers are heating up after they beat Boston on the road on Saturday in overtime on Rnady Jones lucky toss at the net. They then beat Atlanta on Sunday on the road for 14th straight time (hahaha). What also is laughable is that Antero Nittymaki is the better option than Marty Biron at this point. Biron has failed to catch fire this year and Nittymaki has. Make it happen coach. The Flyer will next play on Thursday at home versus Ottawa. They are now in 2nd place, only 6 points behind the Devils with 2 games in hand.

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Is Andy Reid a Good Drafter?

More times than not, Andy Reid has been labeled a poor drafter by our fan base. Usually the picks of Freddie Mitchell, Jerome McDougle, and Kevin Kolb seem the highlight the debate. So, with the draft only three months away and the offseason quickly approaching, I’ve decided briefly analyze the picks he has made in his ten-year tenure.

How did I grade? I graded on value, team need, and who else was available. Some of the overall grades may seem harsh, but a lot of it have to point out that Andy Reid has really been either hit or miss. However, 13 of the 22 starters have been drafted by Andy Reid.

With regard to the overall grading of the draft, I did as if you were looking at an education grading system. Example, A = 4.0, B = 3.0, etc

Overall, Andy Reid scored a C, but with a realistic grade of a B-B+. See why below as I have outlined every pick he has made and graded each accordingly.

1999

Round 1 (2) – Donovan McNabb – QB - McNabb has become the greatest quarterback ever for the Eagles franchise. He has led the Eagles to 5 NFC championship games and 1 Super Bowl. He has made 112 career starts for the Eagles throwing for nearly 30,000 yards and 194 touchdowns. Grade – A+

Round 2 (4) – Barry Gardner - LB - Played with the Eagles until the 2003 season. He started 18 games in his 4 seasons here, but never really amounted to the career of the player selected immediately after him in Mike Peterson. Grade – D

Round 3 (3) – Doug Brzezinski - OG – He started all 16 games his rookie year, but lost his job to John Welbourn another 1999 draft pick. Grade – C

Round 4 (2) – John Welbourn -OG – Welbourn started 56 games in 5 seasons with the Eagles. He was traded prior to the 2004 season in favor of Artis Hicks. Grade – B

Round 4 (33) – Damon Moore – S - Moore started 32 games for the Eagles at SS in 2000 and 2001. He was let go after the 2001 season in favor of Blaine Bishop – Grade C

Round 4 (35) – Na Brown – WR – 34 career receptions and 2 career touchdowns. He started the run of bad receivers drafted by Andy Reid. Grade - D

Round 6 (3) – Cecil Martin – FB – For a 6th round pick, Martin made a good impact on the Eagles for a few years. He started 39 games at full back for the Eagles. In 2000, he caught 31 passes out of the backfield for the Eagles. He was let go for Jon Ritchie. Grade – B

Round 6 (32) – Troy Smith – WR – Troy Smith made one career catch for the Eagles. A few picks later, Donald Driver was selected and he has 577 career receptions for Green Bay. Grade – F

Round 7 (2) – Jed Weaver – TE – Didn’t last long with the Eagles, but had some success in Miami and San Francisco. Not a terrible pick though it didn’t work out. Grade – C

Round 7 (45) Pernell Davis – DT – Only made it through 2 games with the Eagles. Can’t really grade 7th round picks. Grade – D

Overall Grade – 10 picks, C. Realistic Grade – A – Drafted franchise QB.

2000

Round 1 (6) – Corey Simon – DT – When healthy and fit, Corey Simon was a great defensive tackle. He had 32 career sacks with the Eagles, including 9.5 his rookie season. He also made the pro bowl in 2003. Grade – A

Round 2 (5) – Todd Pinkston – WR – To be fair to Andy Reid, the WR class was absolutely poor in this draft. Pinkston is known for his alligator arms, but he had height and speed. Pinkston was never going to be a number one, but he was alright as complimentary receiver. In 2004, he averaged 18.8 yards per catch opposite of Terrell Owens. That Super Bowl was the last game he ever played with the Eagles. Grade – B-

Round 2 (30) – Bobbie Williams – OT – Bobbie Williams was drafted as an offensive tackle, but he’s played guard his entire career. The Eagles were already set at guard with Welbourn and Mayberry and tackle with Thomas and Runyan, so it was hard for Williams to break the starting lineup. He did wind up starting 61 games for the Bengals – Grade - B

Round 4 (5) - Gari Scott - WR – Like I said before, the WR class was bad. Real bad and Gari Scott going in the 4th round only makes it look worse. Grade – D

Round 6 (5) - Thomas Hamner - RB – The first running back selected by Andy Reid never made the team or played a down in the NFL. Grade – F

Round 6 (12) – John Frank – DE – Another player who never played for the Eagles AND he was taking before Adalius Thomas. Grade – F

Round 6 (26) – John Romero – C – Another player to be cut. Grade – F

Overall Grade – 7 picks, D+. Realistic Grade – C

2001

Round 1 (25) – Freddie Mitchell – WR – Sure, he made the 4th and 26th catch, but he never amounted to his potential. Not even close. He was more talk than anything. Draft pick looks even worse with guys like Reggie Wayne, Chad Johnson, and Chris Chambers still on the board. He gets a D- just because of the catch. Grade – D-

Round 2 (24) – Quinton Caver – LB – Talk about a bust. Caver never amounted to anything with the Eagles. He recorded 7 career tackles with the team. Shaun Rodgers was available and would have been great along side Corey Simon. Grade – F

Round 3 (1) – Derrick Burgess – DE – Burgess had 6 sacks his rookie season, but he often had trouble staying healthy. The Eagles let him go to Oakland when Burgess demanded a big contract, but with good health came three great seasons. It’s a shame he didn’t pan out here, but he was a good pick. Grade – B+

Round 4 (26) – Correll Buckhalter – RB – Buckhalter would have been a higher pick if it hadn’t been for some off the field issues, but Buckhalter has been a nice player when healthy for the Eagles. He’s always had a great burst through the holes. He has 2155 yards rushing and 930 yards receiving in Eagles’ green. He did miss the 2002, 2005, and 2005 seasons, but he has shown he can be successful given the opportunities. Grade – B+

Round 5 (16) – Tony Stewart – TE – Stewart didn’t last long with the Eagles, but he wasn’t exactly a poor draft pick. He was never really starter material after a nice career with Penn State, but he still sees time in the NFL. Last, he was playing for the Raiders. Grade – C-

Round 5 (24) – AJ Feeley – QB – Drafting a decent back-up this late in the draft was a great move. AJ Feeley had some great games for the Eagles, including keeping the Eagles as division champions during the 2002 season when McNabb hurt his ankle. He is 4-3 in his career as a starter for the Eagles. Grade – B+

Overall Grade – C+, Realistic Grade – B because of Reid’s later round picks that season. His first two were horrendous.

2002
Round 1 (26) – Lito Sheppard – CB – Sure, he’s had injury issues, but when healthy, Lito has been a very good corner back. He has 18 career interceptions, 2 pro bowl awards, and 1 first-team all-pro award. When healthy, he’s been a very good corner for the Eagles. Grade – A

Round 2 (26) – Michael Lewis – S – When he played for Eagles green, he was very good until his last season here. Sure, he didn’t become a life-time combo with Brian Dawkins, but he did very well in the 58 games he started for the Eagles. He had 9 career interceptions for the Eagles and even had 93 tackles in 2005. He made the Pro Bowl in 2004. Grade – B+

Round 2 (27) – Sheldon Brown – CB – Brown is probably the most underrated player on the Eagles defense. In the past, the talk was always about Dawkins and Sheppard, until this year when Asante Samuel came into the mix; however, Sheldon Brown has always been a hard-hitting model of consistency. Sure, he's been beat on a few long routes, but so are all corner backs. Since 2004, he has started every game for the Eagles. Grade – A+
Round 3 (26) – Brian Westbrook – RB – Do I really need to type anything? Grade – A+

Round 4 (26) – Scott Peters – C – Never played with the Eagles. Grade – D

Round 5 (27) – Freddie Millons – WR – Andy Reid’s 6th receiver in 4 drafts and he never made the roster. Grade – D

Round 6 (27) – Tyreo Harrison – LB – Nothing more than a special teamer. Grade – C-

Round 7 (26) – Raheem Brock – DE – He didn’t make the Eagles, but he has made 81 career starts at defensive end and tackle for the Colts. Didn’t make our roster, but he turned out to be a nice player. Grade – B

Overall Grade – B. Realistic Grade – A+

2003

Round 1 (15) – Jerome McDougle- DE – Hurt, shot, terrible were all a number of reasons why he never made an impact on the Eagles…and we traded up for him. Troy Palamalu was drafted immediately after, but the Eagles seemed content with Lewis and Dawkins, so don’t fault them for that. Wow, Larry Johnson would have been a nice compliment to Brian Westbrook. Grade – F

Round 2 (29) – L.J. Smith – TE - From 2004-2006, Smith had some very good years with the Eagles, so you really cannot call it a bad draft pick. The blame here moves to the player. Grade – B

Round 3 (31) – Billy McMullen – WR – For the fifth straight draft, Andy Reid took a WR. For the fifth straight draft, that WR is no longer on the Eagles roster in 2008. McMullen averaged 14.8 yards per catch in 2005 before being traded for Hank Baskett. Grade – D

Round 4 (34) – Jamaal Green – DE – Another DE from Miami in the same draft. Just as awful. He was often injured and often terrible. Yeah, only Robert Mathis was still available. Grade – F

Round 6 (12) – Jeremy Bridges – OT – Didn’t play a down for us, but he has started 35 career games with Arizona and Carolina. Not bad for a late round pick even if he didn’t make our team. Grade – B

Round 7 (29) – Norman LeJeune – CB – Played 5 games for the Miami Dolphins. Kevin Walter would have been a nice risk. Grade – D

Overall Grade – D- Realistic Grade – D. LJ Smith is the only player who made an impact for the team.

2004

Round 1 (16) – Shawn Andrews – OG – Andews has made 2 pro bowls and 1 all-pro team. Probably would have made another Pro-Bowl team if it were not for depressing and a bad back this season. When healthy, he is labeled as one of the best guards in all of football. The whole world thought we were trading up for Steven Jackson, but we took Andrews instead. The move is a toss, but I can’t disagree with the pick. Grade – A+

Round 3 (26) – Matt Ware –CB - The Eagles were looking for a nickel corner, but that man was not ware. His most infamous play with the Eagles is returning a blocked field goal for a touch down against the Chargers in 2005. Grade – C-

Round 4 (33) – J.R. Reed – S - J.R. Reed looked like he was going to become a nice back-up safety and quality kick returner for the Eagles before suffering a freak leg laceration. He was never the same player since. Grade – B-

Round 4 (35) – Trey Darilek – OG – No real roster spot for him with the Eagles and he was let go in 2005. Grade - D

Round 5 (30) – Thomas Tapeh – FB – He was injured in 2004 and missed all of the 2005 season. He was expected to be the Eagles fullback and short-yardage back, but he was never good at either. He did crack the lineup though, so we’ll give him an average grade. Grade – C

Round 6 (20) – Andy Hall – QB – Andy Hall had a nice season and he was worth the risk for a third quarterback. He didn’t make the team. Grade – C

Round 6 (27) – Dexter Wynn – CB – Dexter Wynn was a nice punt-returner, but he never offered much else to warrant Andy Reid keeping him on the roster. Grade – D+

Round 7 (26) – Adrien Clarke – OG – Clarke started 4 games for the Eagles in 2008 and 14 games for the Jets in 2007. Not exactly great, but not bad for a 7th round pick. Grade – C

Round 7 (41) – Bruce Perry – RB – He made the practice-squad in 2004 and saw some time in 2005 when Westbrook and company were all injured. He was a local product and did enough for a 7th rounder. Grade – C

Round 7 (42) – Dominic Furio – C – Never made the team. Grade – D

Overall Grade – C, Realistic Grade – B for trading up for Andrews

2005

Round 1 (31) – Mike Patterson – DT – Patterson is one of the most under-sized and underrated defensive tackles in football. He was rated as one of the best defensive players in the rookie class. He’s become very good at stopping the run. Grade – A

Round 2 (3) – Reggie Brown – WR – We got this pick because we traded AJ Feeley. Brown showed potential off possibly being a #1 WR, but he drops too many passes. He does have the most receptions for any receiver passed the third round. Can’t fault Andy. Grade – B+

Round 2 (30) – Matt McCoy – LB – When the Eagles drafted McCoy, they felt the Eagles got a steal, but he turned out to not be very good at all. He couldn’t cover, tackle, or stay on the field. Grade – C-

Round 3 (13) – Ryan Moats – RB – I absolutely hate this pick because Ryan Moats offered nothing different than Buckhalter Westbrook. Yes, the same problem that plagued us in 2008 was the lack of a big back, so they went and drafted the little 5’8” kid. Marion Barber and Brandon Jacobs went back to back in round 4. Grade – F, one of the worst picks ever by Andy Reid up to this point? Not saying Moats was a bad player, but he was not even close to what they needed regardless of Westbrook’s contract issues and Buckhalter’s health issues.

Round 4 (1) – Sean Considine – S – Considine looked like he had potential, but he really never panned out. He was either injured, bad, or both, but he’s still on the team in probably his best role as a depth player and special-teamer. It’s a 4th round pick and he’s still on the roster. Grade – C+

Round 4 (25) - Todd Herremans – OT – Herremans now plays guard, but it goes to show how well Andy can draft the o-line position. I wonder why. Grade – B+

Round 5 (10) - Trent Cole – DE – Cole has 34.5 career sacks in four seasons with the Eagles. He averages nearly a sack per career start. Talk about a steal. Grade – A+

Round 5 (36) - Scott Young – OG – Not much room for Young, but he wasn’t awful for a 5th round pick. Grade – C

Round 6 (37) - Calvin Armstrong – OT – He never made the team. Grade – D

Round 7 (31) - Kenyonta Marshall – DT – He made the team and played in one game. Grade – C

Round 7 (36) - David Bergeron – LB – Never made the team. Grade D

Overall Grade – C+ Realistic Grade – B+. 3 players from this draft currently start for the Eagles. 5 of them have started at times.

2006

Round 1 (14) – Broderick Bunkley – DT – Contract issues caused him to not offer much in 2006, but he has become a player and a nice tandem with Mike Patterson in the middle of the d-line. Grade – B+

Round 2 (7) – Winston Justice – OT – The Eagles traded up for this pick and at the time, it was regarded as a steal. Of course, we know things didn’t exactly turn out that way yet, but it wasn’t a terrible pick. Many people regarded him as first-round talent. – Grade - C+

Round 3 (7) – Chris Gocong –DE- Gocong led all of division 1-AA in sacks with 20.5. Because he was too under-sized to played DE in the pros, they moved him to linebacker and he has played well for what you can expect for such an adjustment. He has started 28 games for the Eagles – Grade B

Round 4 (2) – Max Jean-Gilles – OG – Jean-Gilles was regarded as another great offensive line steal for Andy Read. Jean-Gilles filled in for injured Shawn Andrews this year and did well for getting injured himself. He was a great pick in this slot. Grade – B+

Round 4 (12) – Jason Avant – WR – Avant took a little while to come along, but he is becoming a sure-handed slot receiver with a good ability to go over the middle. Avant was crucial at times for Donovan McNabb and made some big 3rd down receptions this season. He was never drafted to be a star and should be a bigger part of the offense next year in the slot. Grade – B

Round 5 (14) Jeremy Bloom – WR – The moguls medalist never panned out in an NFL uniform. Not sure if he was really worth the pick. Sounds more like an undrafted free-agent type. Grade – D

Round 5 (35) Omar Gaither – LB – Before losing his job this season, Gaither played very well and was a big reason why the Eagles made the playoffs in 2006 after being inserted into the starting lineup. He’s also a quality special teamer. Grade – B

Round 6 (35) – Lajuan Ramsey – DT – Ramsey was a victim to a position the Eagles had depth at. For a few years, he filled in and did decent in his opportunities. Grade – C

Overall Grade – B- Realistic Grade – B+ 2 current starters came from this draft and 3 good back-ups.

2007

Round 2 (4) - Kevin Kolb – QB – Ugh, what? They traded out of the first round to the Dallas Cowboys for this? They drafted Kevin Kolb who was slotted as a 4th round pick with their first pick in the entire draft? Really? I don’t fault them for drafting a quarterback because of McNabb’s health issues, but really, Kevin Kolb…in the second round? Grade – F

Round 2 (25) - Victor Abiamiri – DE – Not a real bad pick, but I didn’t see it as that much of a need. Abiamiri is not a bad player, but he has been plagued with some bad injuries. Grade – C+

Round 3 (23) - Stewart Bradley – LB – Talk about a steal. He slipped because he was injured his senior year, but he’s turning into a stud middle linebacker. He was a key part of the Eagles defense this year. Grade – A

Round 3 (27) - Tony Hunt – RB – Eh, I liked the pick, but that is because I am a biased Penn State fan. I really thought Hunt would offer something in the NFL, but he didn’t. Whether it was because he was always deactivated or playing out of position, it just wasn’t there. Oh look, Trent Edwards was drafted right after Hunt. Did we need to draft Kolb that high, ugh. Grade – D+

Round 5 (22) – C.J. Gaddis – S – Wow, I hated this pick when it happened. Gaddis wasn’t a great player in college, so I am not sure about what they saw to project him to the NFL. Yep, didn’t make the team. Grade – F

Round 5 (25) – Brent Celek – TE – Definitely not bad for a back-up TE and he’s done well when he gets his chances. For some reason, the Eagles still played him behind LJ Smith. Not sure why. He does need to improve his blocking. Grade – B

Round 6 (27) - Rashad Barksdale – CB – He was drafted as a project, but they didn’t keep him on the roster to watch him grow. Probably should have been an undrafted FA. Grade – D

Round 7 (26) – Nate Ilaoa – RB – Can’t fault them here. They thought Ilaoa might be able to offer some power running and they drafted him to challenge Hunt. He didn’t do well and it looks like Ahmed Bradshaw may have been the better choice. Grade – D

Overall Grade – D+. Realistic Grade – C+ only because of Stewart and Celek

2008
Round 2 (16) – Trevor Laws – DT – For the second-straight year, the Eagles traded out of the first round. This time, they used their second round picks a little more wisely. Trevor Laws is a motor DT and played well in his role as a back-up. Grade – B

Round 2 (18) – DeSean Jackson – WR – Finally, a quality WR. A play-maker. Speed. DeSean Jackson is one of the best early round picks for Andy Reid since selecting Shawn Andrews in 2004. Grade – A+

Round 3 (18) – Bryan Smith – DE – Many experts feel that Smith may develop into a good role player, but he spent most of the season on the inactive list. Grade – C+

Round 4 (10) – Mike McGlynn – OT – McGlynn was injured this season and they placed him on injured reserve. He wasn’t going to play, so they’re better off waiting for him next season to make a push for a roster spot. Grade – C

Round 4 (18) – Quintin Demps – S – Demps was able to make an impact this season as a dime corner back and a kick-off returner. Demps averaged 25 yards per kick return this year and he should only improve. He was a great value pick. Grade – B+

Round 4 (32) – Jake Ikegwuonu – CB – Some feel that Ikegquonu could have been an earlier pick if it weren’t for an injury that sidelined him the entire 2008 season. It was a great risk pick on a player who could help them a lot next season and in the future. Grade – C+

Round 6 (18) – Mike Gibson – OT – Mike Gibson suffered a shoulder injury and was placed on the IR before the season started. He’ll challenge for a roster spot next year. Grade – C-

Round 6 (34) – Joe Mays – LB – A lot of people feel that Mays may make a nice contribution at some point in his career. Grade – C+

Round 6 (37) – Andy Studebaker – LB – Like Mays, some feel Studebaker may do well whether it be on special teams or in a back-up role. Grade – C-

Round 7 (23) – King Dunlap – OT – Dunlap is a big man and he might be able to offer something in the future. He was signed to the practice squad and will challenge for a spot next year. Grade – C-

Overall grade – C+, Realistic Grade – B

Andy Reid has made 84 picks. I gave him an overall grade (averaging of picks) of a C, but a realistic grade of a B-B+.

4 QB - Avg Overall - C+ : A+ McNabb, B+ Feeley
7 RB - Avg Overall - D+ : A+ Westbrook, B+ Buckhalter
11 WR - Avg Overall - C- : A+ Jackson, B+ Brown
4 TE – Avg Overall – C+ : B Smith, B Celek
8 OT – Avg Overall – C+: B+ Herremans, B Bridges
3 C – Avg Overall – D-
7 G – Avg Overall – C+ : A+ Andrews, B+ Jean-Gilles
2 FB – Avg Overall – C+ : B Martin
9 DE – Avg Overall – C: A+ Trent Cole, B+ Burgess
7 DT – Avg Overall – B-: A Simon, A Patterson
9 LB – Avg Overall – C: A Bradley, B Gaither
7 CB – Avg Overall – C+: A+ Brown, A Sheppard
6 S – Avg Overall – C+: B+ Lewis, B+ Demps

And lastly, round by round:
Round 1 – 8 picks, 3.125, B-B+, weighed down by McDougle and Mitchell
Round 2 – 14 picks, 2.535, C+
Round 3 – 10 picks, 2.3, C-C+
Round 4 – 15 picks, 2.183, C-C+
Round 5- 10 picks, 2.175, C-C+
Round 6 – 15 picks, 1.281, D-D+
Round 7 – 11 picks, 1.613, D+-C-

So, in conclusion, it really isn't so bad afterall.

Continuing reading...

It's Always Dim at Lincoln Financial

Another NFC title game, another loss, but did this one hurt a little less. Sure, the big-time believers felt they should have been here regardless, but the season didn't set up that way. At times, the defense stunk. At other times, the offense stunk. Inconsistency. The black plague of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Yesterday's game was a complete microcosm of the Eagles season and their franchise. The first half, everything just looked like a giant mess. Nothing was going right, except for the great hustle by DeSean Jackson to force a fumble after McNabb throw an interception.

Then, in the second half, the defense and offense awoke. Donovan McNabb, yes the QB everyone is putting the blame on for some reason, put together one of the best halves any QB ever had. Ever. McNabb finished 28-47 for 375 yards, 3 touchdowns, and that first half interception. He did also fumble. The lack of a running game, wide receiver drops, and also McNabb's inefficiency at times did hurt the offense, but when you score 25 points, you should win. Every time.

The defensive effort just was not there yesterday. It seemed like Arizona called the perfect play every single time and it was only to be combined with poor tackling by the Eagles. Wrap up boys. Don't go for the hit every single time. The defense who had been stout over the past month looked fatigued, too slow, and just flat out, out-matched. Everything Jim Johnson called, failed, save a few second half stops.

So where does the blame go? Is it even worth wasting the time on it? It's simple. The entire team lost. They win together, they lose together. The season was just a long list of inconsistency, frustration, but also happiness, and excitement. Lastly, the season was completely ironic.

It was thought that the Washington Redskins had virtually ended our season. It turned out that we were able to end the seasons of both the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants.

Our season was over, but for some reason, it just didn't hurt as much. Maybe it's because of what the Phillies did. Maybe it is because of how we snuck into the playoffs. I'm just not sure right now. Maybe I am starting to realize that this is just the norm.

Andy Reid will be back. Donovan McNabb will be back. Their second half adjustments all, but secured that. They finally adjusted in the second half. Maybe they've finally changed a little inside.


The Eagles will need to add a few more playmakers. Give McNabb a little more help. While I like what we have, there are better players out there that we can add. It seems like we have too many clones of the same players. We need variety and playmakers. We need...TJ Whosyourmomma. Make it happen Jeff.

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Warner 2; McNabb 0

I'm sure Justin will write a post on this game as well but I figured I will write one too. I saw some great positives, some bad negatives, some typical situations, and some aspects of the game that need to change. I'll do a quick summary and then go into my 4 points after the jump.

The Cardinals won 32-25. That's a given. Donovan McNabb completed 28/47 passes for 375 yards, most coming in the 3rd quarter. He had 3 TD's and a pick. Kurt Warner completed 21/28 passes for 279 yards and no picks. He also threw 4 TDs, 3 to Larry Fitzgerald. Fitz had 9 catches for 152 yards as well. Leading the Eagles in receiving was Brent Celek who had an amazing game with 10 catches for 83 yards and 2 TDs. Kevin Curtis had 4 for 122 and DeSean Jackson had 6 for 92 and a score. The running games were shut down all day on both sides even though the backs did get off some decent runs. Adrian Wilson for Arizona had an amazing game with 2 sacks and a forced fumble.

The Positives:
-McNabb started things off with a 21 yard run. He also ran for 10 yards down in the red zone that set up the Eagles go ahead TD in the 4th.
-After being down 24-6 at the half and fumbling on the opening drive of the 3rd, McNabb, the offense, and defense played the best it had all postseason. Too bad that died after the Eagles went ahead in the 4th.
-Celek proved that he is a much better offensive weapon than LJ Smith. He needs to learn to block better if he can be trusted as a full-fledged starter next year.
-The only positive in Andy Reid's play calling was he recognized he could beat Arizona deep.

The Negatives:
-The defense was terrible for 3 quarters.
-The play of Tra Thomas was God-awful! He had terrible penalties on him and he was poor at reading the blitz. On Wilson's sack and strip, instead of picking up Wilson, Thomas doubled down with Todd Herramins to block the end and let Wilson go in untouched to strip McNabb.
-McNabb was bad in the first half as well. His throws were all over the place and his completion to Hank Baskett was all due to Baskett's great catch. A good throw and that was a long TD run for him.
-The wide recievers continued ot drop key passes, like Kevin Curtis on 4th and 10 w/ 1:57 to go in the game. Yea I know the throw was suspect and the PI call was missed but he should have had that. Baskett and Jackson also dropped some passes but both also made some amazing ones. Consistency guys!
-Reid's play calling. 47/18 pass/run ratio and an absent screen game.
-Where did the defense go? I mean this defense was amazing versus New York and Minny and was just outplayed by a loaded Cards offense. I mean they could not get proper pressure on Kurt.

Typicals:
-Reid's play calling.
-Dropped passes.
-The new Greatest Show on Turf was just awesome. I mean this is gonna be a good Super Bowl seeing a high powered offense in Arizona play a stellar defense in Pittsburgh or Baltimore.
-Fitzgerald is the best WR in the game and Warner is a future HOFer.
-The Eagles get us on an emotional high to dash our hopes and dreams on the rocks. Hey, atleast we finally got our parade with the Phillies but one with the Birds would be just as sweet, if not sweeter.

Aspect of the game that needs changing/monitering:
-There is one thing that pisses me off the most. I know the refs blew some calls for Arizona early in the game but don't do make up calls. 2 wrongs that make a fucking right! Not once but twice did they blow PI calls that were key to the Eagles. The first forced a field goal in the 2nd quarter and the second ended the game. Kevin Curtis was clearly dragged down before he caught it and no flag was thrown.

Now that I got that shit out of the way. I'll do a wrap up and call it a night.

Eagles Best Play: Jackson's 62 yard TD pass that was tipped by Rogers-Cromartie. Jackson then bobbled it a few times and got control as he waltzed into the endzone.
Eagles Worst Play: the screen pass caught by JJ Arington that was the go ahead TD.
Eagles Best Number: 10 (number of catches by Brent Celek)
Eagles Worst Number: 3 (number of TDs by Fitzgerald)
Turning Point: on 3rd and 19, McNabb completed a 50 yard pass to Curtis to set up their first touchdown.

3 Stars (both teams):
-Brent Celek
-Donovan McNabb
-DeSean Jackson

-Adrian Wilson
-Kurt Warner
-Larry Fitzgerald

I'm not gonna be bitter. They fought hard after being ruled out a few times all year and this game. Plus they beat the Giants twice, once in the playoffs, and manhandled the Cowboys to get in.

Arizona will play Pittsburgh in Super Bowl XLIII.

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We Just Need to Chill Out...

It is funny how the sports world works, at least in the Northeast. One day, we're completely in love with a team, a player, or a coach, and the next day we want them out on the next plane to somewhere else. They're normally just quick, knee-jerk reactions said in the moment, but even if it is a player or coach that just makes the home team's fans get upset, we still defend them to fans of other teams. Regardless a Philadelphia player or coach will always be better than whoever is on your team. At least we will tell you that.

The purpose of this post is to comment on Donovan McNabb and Andy Reid. The media circle revolves around them...even when the Phillies are in the World Series.

Let's be honest, they both have their faults. Clock-management, an inability to adapt, etc. They also have good characteristics like, um, winning. I understand we in Philadelphia always want perfection. The perfect play-call, the perfect execution, the perfect ending, but it doesn't always happen and quite frankly it rarely happens for everyone.

Outside of the Patriots, there has not been much of a dynasty since the Denver Broncos in the late 90s. We always talk about the Patriots, but quite frankly, they haven't won a Super Bowl since the 2004-2005 season. The Eagles, yes the Eagles, have been the closest thing to, for lack of a better word, a dynasty in the NFC. Five NFC Championships in 10 seasons of the McNabb/Reid era. You don't just get there on accident. You need a good team effort, both offensively and defensively. When the defense faltered, McNabb and the offense has been there to pick them up over the last ten years. When the offense struggled, the defense picked up their game and completely took over.

Sure, the team has had in-game inconsistency, but there has always been one overall constant: winning. Over the last 10 seasons, the Eagles franchise has one a hell of a lot more games than they've lost. Team effort! Andy Reid is 97-62-1 in his 10 years of coaching the Eagles. A .610 winning percentage combined with a 10-6 record in the playoffs. His .610 winning percentage ranks him 26th all-time. Sure, he makes his bonehead moves, but do we really want someone different? Like I said before, maybe he just needs some help...or luck to push him over the top.

So many people in Philadelphia are longing for Bill Cowher. They're similar coaches. Bill Cowher was always the coach of great teams who could never get over the final hump. What happened? He got some luck in the Steelers 2006 Super Bowl win and he and his team were crowned champions. (Big Ben still didn't get in the end zone.) This year, the Eagles were granted with luck and they've used it to their full advantage of the the opportunity for another Super Bowl berth. Someone had to keep the team together. Was it not Andy? While his press-conferences are boring and predictable, what do you want him to do? Sure you want questions answered, but do you also want him throwing his players under the bus? Do you want a Tom Coughlin or to watch a team like the Dallas Cowboys?

Who do we want? Let's face it, Reid is a good coach and he has the resume to prove it. Sure, he's lacking that one Super Bowl win, but so was Bill Cowher. Remember it takes offense, defense, and the special teams to win the big game. You need COMPLETE dominance. Also, the bounces have to fall your way. The bounces fell our way to get into the playoffs. Everything is going our way so far in the postseason. Enjoy the ride. Remember none of us felt we'd even be in this position. Remember everyone prepared themselves for another Philadelphia let down with the Phillies. Just believe, right?

As far as Donovan McNabb, my two main problems with him is that he holds onto to the ball too long sometimes and he limits himself. What I mean by that is that he doesn't use his tools. I know he's older, but he doesn't realize how valuable his legs are. A 1st and 10 scramble for 4-5 yards is as good as any run on first down. I like the fact that he wants to score every play, but he just needs to settle down, milk the clock, build long-drives, and just take advantage of the opportunities given to him. Last week, we witnessed one of the best two-minute drills ran by McNabb in a long time. It was reminiscent of the game-winning drive at Green Bay a few years back and the late first half drive against Dallas a few weeks ago. I understand he feels the pressure and his frustrated with the perception the media and local fan base may have of him. Let's be honest though, you, me, and Donovan McNabb are all frustrated with the same thing. We all want that title. Have faith, it's happening this year.

Eagles Wins - Wife goes to Tampa!

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Conference Game Predictions

I’m here at the liquor store bored so I figured I’d contemplate my picks now for the AFC/NFC Championship games. In the AFC, it’s the Steelers versus the Ravens in Pittsburgh and in the NFC it’s our beloved Eagles versus the Cardinals in Arizona. Yes it’s a shock to the rest of the NFL world that the Cards are not only playing in the Championship game but they are the home team but to them it isn’t a surprise. Their offense is showing shades of Kurt Warner’s “Greatest Show on Turf” in St. Louis 7 years ago and I think they are actually better but we’ll get into more depth when I get to that game. The two games after the jump:

We’ll start with the night cap. One of the nastiest rivalries in the NFL is Baltimore and Pittsburgh. Baltimore’s defense is just nasty in the turnovers department while Pittsburgh won’t let you run for the life of them. You also can’t forget about Troy Polamalu running around. He has no problem putting his helmet in your chest if you aren’t looking. The problem with Baltimore’s defense is that they have allowed more first downs than earned, by a lot. In their 2 games, opponents have gotten 39 first downs, 27 through the air. If the Ravens can’t get a good rush on Ben Rothleisberger, he will light up the secondary. The Ravens have given up 533 passing yards to Chad Pennington and Kerry Collins combined and Big Ben is a much better quarterback then those 2. When Pittsburgh’s offense gets rolling, there is no stopping them like in the San Diego game. The Steelers defense only gave up 15 first downs against the Chargers, 1 on the ground. Baltimore will have to move the ball in the air with a rookie quarterback if they want to get down field. If LeRon McClain can establish himself as a running back that can control the game, now is the time. If he doesn’t, Baltimore’s defense will be on the field a lot and they will give up points. I say Pittsburgh wins it 27-10.

Now it’s on to the Eagles. This honestly should be no contest. It’s Arizona, who is playing the best football the franchise has ever seen since the merger but it’s still Arizona. They have a good offense but the defense doesn’t scare me. I think the score will be similar to Thanksgiving when Philly won 48-20. The Eagles offense hasn’t been clicking like it was in Dallas but that defense has been relentless on the ground, on the rush, and in the air. Warner isn’t mobile and his line will allow Jim Johnson’s blitz scheme to take full advantage of them. Asante Samuel is in a familiar position, making big plays in the post season and he will make another one Sunday afternoon. Brian Dawkins is playing every game like it’s his last and he is easily the hungriest player on the team for the Super Bowl, followed by Donovan McNabb. Edgerin James is a very good running back but he is no Brandon Jacobs or Adrian Peterson. He will get shut down. Anquan Boldin is a game time decision and it doesn’t look good for him. Larry Fitzgerald is amazing but he can’t do it all by himself. It was a good run for Arizona but it’s ending here. Eagles win it big, 41-21.

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Move On. You Lost.

"See this is why I cannot stand Eagles fans: their stupid song and they run their mouth when their team wins. Talk when you actually win a Super Bowl. Philly always shits the bed," says a NY fan. They fail to understand they're always running their mouth, everywhere.

If you win the Super Bowl in the season you're talking shit you have all the room in the world to talk--or just be a man an enjoy it. Sure, friendly ribbing is fine both ways, but I'm just tired of the New York motto of their fucking lips constantly moving up and down. Just shut up. Your team lost. You were the #1 seed and lost AT HOME. It's happened to us when your team was 4-12 and 6-10 or whatever other awful record you had. It happened to you THIS SEASON to OUR TEAM. The 2007-2008 season was last year. Congrats on your remarkable season last year. Great Super Bowl win/upset, whatever you want to call it. Your season ended this year. We've gone farther. We knocked you out. Deal with it. Unless you're actually in the organization or on the team, there is nothing you can do about it. Don't act like your team winning somehow makes you a better human being. It doesn't. It never will. Just enjoy it because you followed something so closely all season. Yes, you feel apart of it as a fan and it always seems like they won the championship for YOU, but they didn't. Rings define teams, not individuals.

Same goes for us Phillies fans. Once the Phillies season ends next year with either a good or bad result, what happened in 2008 was 2008. It was so fucking amazing, but it was 2008. Don't dwell on the past if things end poorly for us in 2009. Don't run your mouth if we don't repeat. Sure, you can run your mouth if the Phillies finish ahead of the Mets again. Remember this though, each year is different. Every year, teams are different. Cherish the wins. Enjoy them. Remember them. Handle winning like a man. Handle it like you've been there before. The only thing that matters is winning it all.

If you lose, don't be a bunch of morons like the guys in the videos below. (courtesy of the 700 level). You could always jump on our bandwagon like Brandon Jacobs.





On to Glendale!

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DO YOU FEEL THAT IN YOUR DOG-GONE CHEST?

The Eagles are back in the NFC Championship game and back because of an amazing defense. Thankfully, the offense just has a few more weapons than years past.

I am still completely in shock that we're back in the title game for the 5th time in 10 years and we really wanted to get rid of Reid and McNabb. Maybe it is telling us something. Wait for the end of the season for the knee-jerk reactions, but just let everything play itself out before we start pointing figures. For some reason, this just seems so much more exciting. The feeling you get from rooting for the underdog and seeing them be victorious is great.

I fucking hate the Giants so much and get so tired of hearing shit from their fans. Well guess what...your Mets lost and now your Giants just lost to Philadelphia again. Deal with it.

I'll write an actual report on the game tomorrow. Enjoy.

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Um...I hope you're pumped up!

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Divisional Round Predictions - Sunday

OK so I missed the Saturday games but I got 'em right in my money pools. So now I'm gonna post my picks for the Sunday games. I'll start with the Sunday nighter in Pittsburgh. The Charger's who snuck in with an 8-8 record, which was good enough to win them the pathetic AFC West. They rolled all over the hot Colts last week, being carried by Darrien Sproles. I honestly don't see him being able to carry the Chargers again versus the toughest run defense in the NFL. He will just get man-handled. Pittsburgh's offense has been the opposite of what the name calls it, especially with Ben Rothleisberger and Willie Parker not being 100% and a weak O-Line. I still see the Steelers winning this in another defensive struggle, 13-6.

In our day game at 1PM, the Eagles go to the Meadowlands to play the Giants. They are the only team to win in New York this and they honestly can do it again. It's easy; get pressure on Eli Manning and shut down Brandon Jacobs, who is obviously no Adrian Peterson. If the defense plays like they did versus Minnesota and the offense keeps the Giants defense on the field, this game is theirs. They have to play like they did in Week 14 when they won 20-14. Control the clock and pound the offense. Use Correll Buckhalter more, run the ball, and re-issue the screen game. Donovan McNabb needs to spread the field latterly so he can attack vertically. This should be either very pleasing or very disappointing. Eagles by 10.

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News from the Week

Sorry, I was really battling a stomach virus all week and I've sort of lost the desire to write lately. So, below is some news from the week.

- Jeff Carter made the Eastern Conference all-star team.

- Quinton Mikell was named the all-pro second team. He was the only Eagle acknowledged as an all-pro.

- The Philadelphia MLS team is down to 4 possible names: AC Philadelphia, Philadelphia SC, Philadelphia Union, and Philadelphia City. All names obviously have a European style and my favorite from the bunch is probably Philadelphia SC. My suggestion is Olde City instead of Philadelphia City.

- The Sixers are winners of 3 straight games, though they were lowly opponents, but they still won. They will be in Atlanta tomorrow at 2pm.

- The Phillies signed Marcus Giles to a minor league contract worth $600,000. They're also in the running for Nomah! Other people still see them interested in Derek Lowe.

- Villanova blew a game today at home and lost 61-60 to Louisville because they could not make free throws, including 2 missed by Antonio Pena in the final seconds that would have given them the lead.

- Eagles secondary coach, Sean McDermott, is coveted by Packers coach Mike McCarthy to become their new defensive coordinator, but they cannot talk to him until after the Eagles season is over.

- Sixers will consider trading Andre Miller by the trade deadline.

- We're still World Fucking Champions of baseball!

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The Eagles Just Have to Win!

I actually feel really confidant about tomorrow's game, but I think there is one key for my confidence level to remain high come game time. For the Eagles to win, Westbrook AND Buckhalter need about 30-35 touches between them. Reid needs to do a better job of using Buckhalter every so often to help spell Westbrook and keep him fresh for the entire game. Also, Buckhalter gets through the hole a little quicker than Westbrook with a nice burst and change of pace to keep the Giants defense off-balance.

By giving the running backs plenty of touches, McNabb will be able to use play-action to help confuse the pass rush and coverage by the Giants. With the weather conditions expected to be a wintry mix of shit along with high winds, it will likely not be the easiest game for McNabb to just do the regular five-step drops. Also, I would like to see a few three-step drops with slant patterns to Kevin Curtis and DeSean Jackson.

Defensively, the team just needs to continue doing what they've been doing. They will need to control the two-headed monster in Ward and Jacobs. If they can try force Eli's hand in winning the game, I completely believe the Eagles will be victorious. I still stand firmly by my belief that while Eli is not a bad quarterback, he's far from a good quarterback and he's never truly showed me any signs of carrying the team on his back.

Don't even talk about the Super Bowl. Yes, he made a great play when he broke away from the sack, but he also nearly threw 3 interceptions before throwing that Hail Mary of a pass that took a ridiculous catch to bring down. That's luck, not skill. He's also without the loser who shot himself in the leg and that hinders his throw it up and hope someone catches it mentality.

The one thing that I am scared about is the fact that the Giants are truly due for a statement game. They've been losers of 3 of their last 4 and in each loss, they failed to score at least 20 points. The Eagles defense is playing at their highest level in years and I really feel that they'll be able to shut down the Giants, but they will need to watch for the home run type runs that really push the Giants offense. Brian Dawkins is playing every game like his last in an Eagles jersey, so I would not expect any less.

Personally, I really need this win tomorrow. I think we're due for another NFC title game.

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I Screamed "Screen" All Game...

...and thankfully they finally ran on it. I've already received calls to become the next Lions head coach.

The Eagles offense seemed bottled up with pressure from the Minnesota Vikings front seven all game, but they finally, finally, finally called the play that would fool the pressure. Westbrook took a screen pass to the right for 71 yards and a touchdown. Screaming at the television does work and I think you need to do it approximately 15 times for the coach to hear you. The screen play put the Eagles ahead 23-14 and the entire city of Philadelphia let out a big sigh of relief. Akers later added his fourth field goal of the day for the 26-14 final.

The defense played stellar through most of the game, but was just absolutely ridiculous in the second half. Their speed on defense was all over the field and they forced Tavaris Jackson to make plays and he couldn't. Defensive end Trent Cole had 13 tackles, including 7 solo tackles. That is just crazy for a defensive end. Trent Cole was able to get some pressure, but he did an even better job of sealing the edge and forcing Peterson to try and dance around to found yardage. Sure, Peterson ran for 83 yards on 20 carries, but 40 came on a blown tackle on a zone blitz for a touch down.

Asante Samuel returned another interception for a touchdown in the postseason, setting a NFL record with four in his career. Tavaris Jackson was not up to the task completing only 15 of 35 passes for 164 yards.

McNabb was 11-19 with an interception in the first half. He finished the game going 23 of 34 for 300 yards. His 12-15 second half helped the Eagles get out of some poor field position and kept 4th quarter drives alive. The offense struggled with the run, but that was expected against the best run defense in football. I would have liked to see Buckhalter get a few more carries with his burst through the hole, but the coaches felt differently.

DeSean Jackson only made one catch for 34 yards in the passing game, but he was great at punt returns, including a 62 yarder that set up the Eagles first field goal. He returned 4 other punts for an average of 11.8 yards.

Jason Avant and Brent Celek stepped up for the offense, and Kevin Curtis came on late in the game, but Avant and Celek caught a combined 11 passes for 105 yards. Avant is truly developing into a nice slot receiver with the ability to make the catch over the middle and come up with some big third down conversions.

The talk yesterday was all about Chargers punter Mike Scifres 6 punts inside the 20. Well today, Sav Rocca was 4-4 with punts inside the 20, including a 58 yarder that put field position back in the Eagles favor after the first drive. Eagles kicker David Akers appears to be back after hitting field goals of 51, 43, 31, and 45 yards. He has probably been the Eagles truest comeback player of the year. Including the postseason, Akers is now 37 for 44 on the season.

Stat of the day... Trent Cole's 13 tackles (7 solo)
Offensive play of the day... Brian Westbrook's 71 TD reception
Defensive play of the day... Asante Samuel's "pick 6"

Check back in later this week for discussion on the upcoming game with the Giants. Starting Wednesday, we will discuss each facet of the Eagles team all the way up through Sunday.

Gametime next week is set for 1pm.

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Wild Car Predictions.

Well I'm posting this too late but I had Atlanta beating Arizona and Indianapolis beating San Diego today. I already lost the Atlanta game and right now Indy is up 17-14 going into the 4th quarter. So hear are my picks for tomorrow's games. The first game will be at 1:00 and it's Baltimore in Miami. The second will be our beloved Eagles playing at 4:30 in Minnesota. Picks after the jump.

Baltimore (11-5) @ Miami (11-5) - This should almost be a low scoring game between 2 very strong defenses. Baltimore's D is just unstoppable, especially versus the run. Ray Lewis is still a nasty human being and can deliver a hit to knock the ball loose. He's the heart of that defense. Miami's D is led by Joey Porter, who racked up 20 sacks this year. He can put a ton of pressure on rookie quarter back Joe Flacco. Speaking of Flacco, he played very well in leading the Ravens to a playoff berth with 14 TD's and almost 3000 yards. He was supported heavily by rookie LeRon McClain who rushed for over 1000 yards. Miami found a leader in newly acquired Chad Pennington, who was dumped by the Jets when Brett Favre went there. They are supported by a solid run attack with Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams. Pennington found a target in Greg Camarillo who will line up against Samari Rolle of Baltimore. Baltimore's secondary can shut down Miami and their vicious run defense should be able to contain Brown and Williams. The Ravens are my pick.

Now to Philly and Minny, the big game for us fans.

The Offense: The Eagles are coming into the playoffs 4-1 and riding the emotions of a 44-6 pounding of Dallas last Sunday. If Donovan McNabb can find his recievers like in that game and Westbrook can run on the defensive line of Minny, it should be an easy game for Philly. The Vikings have a very underated secondary that's led by Antoine Winfield and Darren Sharper. The Eagles injured oline will have to keep the unrelated Kevin and Pat Williams in check. They will be giving Jamal Jackson, Todd Herramins, and Nick Cole a battle all day. Jared Allen will line up against Tra Thomas mainly and he will try to put McNabb on his back.

The Defense: This is gonna be very interesting. We all know Tavaris Jackson sucks but he can also move. They had a slightly tough time with Jason Cambell two weeks ago and Jackson is a better athlete. He can't throw but he can buy time with his legs. If Jimmy Johnson turns up the heat, mistakes will be made by the young and inexperienced QB. The real story though will be if the run defense can shut down Adrian Peterson. He is the best running back in the league and he can be dangerous on the ground and in the air. Shut him down and force Minny to throw and this will be an easy win. The secondary match up will be Asante Samuel versus Bernard Berrian, who is a deep threat. Brian Dawkins will help him a lot in covering Berrian.

In all honesty, this should be easy for Philly if they play like they did versus Dallas. My score: Eagles 31-9.

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2008: The Best Year of My Life

For the first time in my life, I can say that I've had the opportunity to attempt to grow, not one, not two, but four playoff beards (though 2 overlapped.) In 2008, every Philadelphia sports team made the playoffs, even the Soul and Phantoms. We had two Championships in town, including the Soul and the 'World Fucking Champion' Phillies.

Below is a bundle of videos to help you remember everything that went well in 2008, nicely ending with the greatest accomplishment of them all. A World Series trophy.

Hope you enjoy!

Sixers:


Flyers:





Eagles:
The Game that Put us In the Playoffs.

Phillies:

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My last post of 2008

I'm not gonna be doing any posting for the rest of the day so I figured I might as well make it worth while. First I want to wish you all a safe and happy New Year. Just because 08 is over doesn't mean the 80-08 saying is out-dated. We are still in the 2008 football season and hockey and basketball are ending the 2008 portion of their seasons. This is our year. Let's go Eagles!

The Flyers won yesterday, beating Vancouver 3-2 and ending the little 2 game skid. They are now 1-2 during their current 6-game road trip that will continue in 2009 and are 20-10-7 on the season, amassing 47 points. The Flyers are in 2nd place and only 2 points behind the Rangers with 2 games in hand.

The Flyers got the fire works going early with Mike Richards fighting with Vancouver's Kevin Bieksa only 15 seconds into the game. Jeff Carter then tallied his league leading 27th goal 3 minutes later for the early lead. Vancouver tied it back up w/ the Danny/Henrik Sedin connection but less than a minute later, Scott Hartnell fired a hard wrister past Curtis Sanford, who was pulled after the first period. Claude Giroux looked very good all game, especially in that first period. They had him up on the Richards line which is what I liked seeing. I have very high expectations of this kid.

Philly then took a 3-1 lead in the 2nd with Jon Kalinski's first career goal off a redirected pass. Vancouver then made it 3-2 and Marty Biron stayed strong as Philly held on to win. Biron made 29 saves.

For the NFL playoffs I will again be analyzing each week and making my predictions. Even if the Eagles disappoint us once again, I will continue to analyze the playoffs. My next post will be the Wild Card round. I have made my full playoff predictions already but for accuracy's sake, I'll go weekly for the site. Don't forget to cheer hard for your Eagles, who play Sunday at 4:30 in Minnesota.

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"It All Came So Close to Never Happening"

A game of inches. Football is nothing more than a game of inches. A few goalline stands, a missed field goal, stops in short-yardage situations; this is football. These are the things that can make or break an NFL season.

Then, there was a tie. A tie against the lowly Bengals. A tie that could have cost us a playoff position, but it was the tie that kept us alive. Late in overtime, Shane Graham missed a field that would have given the Bengals the win. Our season would have been over. The emotion of yesterday would have never happened. All that we have to talk about with excitement this week, would have never happened.

Every game this year happened and we cannot change it. The plays that were called, the execution or inexecution, it all happened. The regular season is over. The second season is here. Cherish it. You never know when it'll end. Andy Reid, McNabb, and the defense won their first playoff game of the season when they routed the Dallas Cowboys. It was the biggest must-win game of the season. It decided their playoff fate and it all came so close to never happening.

It took victories by the AFC "nots" in Oakland and Houston over Tampa Bay and Chicago respectively. The Eagles were given a present and they took full advantage of it.

It was the red zone offense AND defense that stepped up huge. It was a team effort that built the biggest margin of victory ever against the Dallas Cowboys. McNabb threw for touchdowns and ran for one. The defense took two in for touchdowns. It was a dominance. It was brilliant.

Are the Gods shifting our way now? Did the Phillies' World Championship lift the demons? Is everything starting to fall our way after so many years of the ball bouncing the opposite way?

Remember, it was a missed field goal. It was great run by Michael Bush against Tampa Bay. It was a strong second quarter by Andre Johnson against Chicago. We needed help and the aid came in bunches. We needed a miracle and it was delivered.

Everything that has happened in the overall scheme has happened. Andy Reid's team made the playoffs for the 7th time in 9 seasons. I don't care about how it happened, but it happened. Donovan McNabb set a franchise record for most passing yards in the season. Donovan McNabb threw for 23 touchdowns, third highest total in his career. Thankfully, it was not all for not.

Myself and the rest of the Philadelphia fans, may say whatever they want, but we have to admit that McNabb, Reid, and company delivered. They've delivered more often than any coach or quarterback in the history of the Eagles.

It was an inch lost or gained. It was an inch left or right. Are we starting to realize how lucky we've really been as a franchise. Next Sunday's game came all so close to never happening. Back in the playoffs. Back where we belong.

Now it just comes down to one thing. 'You gotta believe.'

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