Tag: Philadelphia Eagles (Page 22 of 61)

      The Packers will have many more believers after beating Eagles in Week 1

      September 12, 2010 /
      Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers throws a forward pass against the Philadelphia Eagles during the first quarter of NFL football action in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, September 12, 2010. REUTERS/Tim Shaffer (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      Super Bowl caliber teams can win on the road, no matter what type of environment they play in.

      Super Bowl caliber teams play defense, especially late in the fourth quarter.

      Super Bowl caliber teams can run the ball.

      Super Bowl caliber teams have quarterbacks that make plays when opportunities present themselves.

      If you can’t see where I’m going with this, then you’ve probably been drunk since about 3:00 in the afternoon and if that’s the case then I applaud you, my friend. Because everyone should crack open a cold one on the first NFL Sunday of the year. (Thank God football is back.)

      The Packers are a Super Bowl caliber team and they proved it today. Philadelphia is not an easy place to win on the road, yet Green Bay went into the “City of Brotherly Love,” built a 20-3 lead and then made plays late in the fourth quarter to earn a hard-fought win. The biggest play they made came on a 4th and 1 when they stoned Michael Vick on a rush attempt to seal the win.

      Aaron Rodgers wasn’t particularly sharp (he only threw for 188 yards and tossed two interceptions), but his touchdown throws to Donald Driver (1:48 left before halftime) and Greg Jennings (1:56 remaining in the third quarter) were a thing of beauty and like he proved so many times before, he was resilient under pressure. He was also aided by a running game that churned out 132 yards, including 63 from Brandon Jackson (3.5 YPC) and 45 from Ryan Grant (5.6 YPC).

      Defensively, Clay Matthews was practically a one-man wrecking crew. He lead the team in solo tackles (7), sacks (2), tackles for loss (2) and hits on the quarterback (2). For as good as Michael Vick looked at times running the ball, he’s going to have nightmares of Matthews chasing him out of the pocket when he goes to sleep tonight.

      Had the Packers played well and lost a tight game, the people that picked them to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl wouldn’t have wanted to change their pick. Again, Philly is a tough environment to play in – especially on opening day.

      But the fact that they won only cemented the belief that this team has what it takes to play for a championship this season. They have a long way to go, but they’re off to a perfect start.

      External Sports, NFL

      2010 NFL Preview: NFC East Predictions

      September 2, 2010 /
      MINNEAPOLIS - JANUARY 17: Tony Romo #9 of the Dallas Cowboys yells to call a play during the second quarter of the game against the Minnesota Vikings during the NFC Divisional Playoff Game at Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome on January 17, 2010 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)

      2010 NFL Division Previews & Predictions: AFC East | AFC North | AFC South | AFC West | NFC East | NFC North | NFC South | NFC West | 2010 Question Marks Series

      Much like its counterpart in the AFC, the NFC East is extremely difficult to predict this year. Three of the top four teams are legitimate playoff contenders and the Redskins have improved after going 4-12 last season.

      It’s going to be a battle in this division this year, much like it is every season.

      Here’s how I see things shaking out in the NFC East in 2010. Be sure to check out the link entitled “2010 Question Mark” under each team’s preview, which is a breakdown of one or two potential weaknesses that could derail that squad’s hopes this season.

      1. Cowboys

      What to Like: The ‘Boys already had quite the offensive core in Tony Romo, Miles Austin, Marion Barber, Jason Witten and Felix Jones. But then they had Dez Bryant fall to them in the first round last April, which gives the offense yet another playmaker that defenses have to deal with every Sunday. After finishing sixth last year in total offense and 14th in scoring, I don’t see any reason why Dallas shouldn’t light up the scoreboard again this season. Defensively, DeMarcus Ware returns as a pass-rushing terror from his outside linebacker position and the unit is littered with underrated players like Jay Ratliff and Igor Olshansky.
      What Not to Like: The biggest two question marks surround the free safety and left tackle positions. Alan Ball is an intriguing prospect, but he’s only a rookie and no matter how well he plays, he’s going to make some mistakes. At left tackle, the ‘Boys dumped long-time veteran Flozell Adams and replaced him with the inexperienced Doug Free, who played well on the right side last year but he has never been counted on to protect a quarterback’s blindside. The good thing is that if Free struggles, the team added Alex Barron this offseason as insurance. The other concern when it comes to the Cowboys is that they have a habit of fading down the stretch, with last year being the exception. I put that on coaching more than anything and with Wade Phillips (good coach, but he doesn’t come without his criticisms) still roaming the sidelines in Dallas, that means a late-season free fall isn’t out of the question.
      Keep Your Eye On: Dez Bryant, WR
      The Cowboys’ first round pick has already turned heads this offseason (both for his play on the field and his decision not to carry Roy Williams’ shoulder pads after practice) and if he can recover from an ankle injury that has sidelined him for the preseason, he’s going to have opportunities to make plays out of the team’s three receiver set.
      The Final Word: This is the most talented team in the division and they’re pretty deep at most positions. The problem is that the Cowboys usually get in their own way down the stretch and late season collapses are nothing new to this franchise. That said, they got the playoff monkey off their back last year by advancing to the second round and as long as Phillips can keep this squad motivated, the ‘Boys should win the East for the second straight year. Their offense will be tough to stop and their defense will put pressure on the quarterback. The talent is there, now let’s see if the execution follows.

      Dallas Cowboys 2010 Question Mark: Free Safety

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Do the Eagles have enough depth in the secondary?

      August 29, 2010 /
      PHILADELPHIA - DECEMBER 15: Asante Samuel #22 of the Philadelphia Eagles celebrates with Quintin Mikell #27 and Trent Cole #58 after an interception for a touchdown against the Cleveland Browns on December 15, 2008 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

      Merry preseason, everyone. It’s been a long offseason, but football is finally gearing up again and to celebrate I’m rolling out a new series on TSR entitled “2010 NFL Question Marks,” where I discuss one or two of the biggest concerns that teams have heading into the new season. Granted, some teams have more issues than others, but I’ll primarily be focusing on the biggest problem areas. Today I’ll be discussing the lack of depth the Eagles have in their secondary.

      Truth be told, the Eagles are in pretty good shape entering the season. The question on everyone’s mind is whether or not Kevin Kolb can replace Donovan McNabb, but I wouldn’t necessarily deem the quarterback position a weakness.

      Nor would I say secondary is a weakness either. I like the starting four of Asante Samuel, Ellis Hobbs, Quintin Mikell and highly intriguing rookie Nate Allen. But after trading Sheldon Brown to the Browns in the offseason, the depth behind those players is now where the concern lies.

      Hobbs, who keep in mind is coming off neck surgery, is expected to return kickoffs once the regular season starts. If he were to go down with an injury, it would leave the Eagles with Macho Harris, Joselio Hanson or fourth-round pick Trevard Lindley at the cornerback position opposite Samuel. And none of them have proven that they can be starters at this level. (Although to be fair, Lindley is only a rookie.)

      And what if Allen struggles as a first-year starter? All indications are that he’s a stud in the making, but the regular season hasn’t started yet and thus, he hasn’t officially been tested. After losing his job to Harris last season and battling injuries throughout the year, can the Eagles get by with Quintin Demps if Allen can’t produce as a rookie?

      Of course, most of this is hypothetical, which is why I’ll reiterate that I don’t think the Eagles have any predominant weaknesses. Again, I think their starters are solid and Allen has a legitimate chance of winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year award if he can live up to expectations.

      That said, this is still a thin secondary and Andy Reid better hope that this unit can stay healthy throughout the year. An injury to a starter could derail Philly’s chances of returning to the postseason.

      External Sports, NFL

      Kevin Kolb impresses in preseason opener

      August 14, 2010 /
      PHILADELPHIA - AUGUST 13: Kevin Kolb of the Philadelphia Eagles stands on the sideline against the Jacksonville Jaguars during their preseason game at Lincoln Financial Field on August 13, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

      As Donovan McNabb made headlines in Washington last night for throwing his first touchdown pass as a Redskin, the Kevin Kolb era also started in Philadelphia against Jacksonville.

      And it started off well.

      On his first pass attempt of the preseason, Kolb threw a short pass to receiver DeSean Jackson, who promptly took it 21 yards for a first down. Kolb then engineered a 9-play, 65-yard drive that took 3:41 off the clock and ended with a 29-yard David Akers field goal.

      An offense stalling in the red zone will never be considered a positive outcome, but considering it was Kolb’s first chance to impress in what will be a critical year for the youngster, I’m sure the Philly faithful will take the three points. The Eagles eventually went on to beat the Jaguars, 28-27.

      Relatively speaking, Kolb was sharp. He completed 6-of-11 passes for 95 yards and also rushed for 15 yards, which included a nice first down pickup. He would have had a touchdown pass had Brent Celek made the catch on a red zone play in the first half, but a Jaguar defender knocked the ball out of his hands before the tight end could secure it.

      On a whole, Kolb was satisfied with his performance (from the Philadelphia Daily News):

      “With the talent that we have, we feel like we can execute and be consistent, and I’m not even saying I was consistent,” Kolb said. “We feel like we can put up a lot of points. Like I said, there were some mistakes, but I thought it was a good start overall.”

      Michael Vick’s performance in this game was also note-worthy, as he completed 11-of-17 passes for 118 yards and no interceptions. He also rushed for 60 yards and a touchdown on five carries, showing some of the speed that made him so popular earlier in his career.

      Of course, he also showed some of that trademark carelessness by fumbling twice and coughing the ball up once.

      External Sports, NFL

      Police identify shooter in Vick investigation

      July 6, 2010 /
      ARLINGTON, TX - JANUARY 9: Michael Vick #7 of the Philadelphia Eagles looks on from the sideline in the second quarter against the Dallas Cowboys during the 2010 NFC wild-card playoff game at Cowboys Stadium on January 9, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

      According to the Philadelphia Inquirer & Daily News, the Virginia Beach Police have identified who shot Quanis Phillips the night of Michael Vick’s 30th birthday party and also announced that the Eagles’ quarterback is not a suspect.

      The police have identified the shooter, but cannot charge the suspect because the victim and various witnesses have been uncooperative. The statement went on to say that there are no other suspects, including Vick.

      Here’s the Virginia Beach police statement in its entirety, released by spokesman Adam Bernstein:

      “Investigators were able to determine the identity of the shooter. Unfortunately because of the lack of cooperation from the victim, coupled with the reluctance of witnesses, the Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, upon reviewing all of the evidence, has determined that no charges will be filed in this case at this time. Because the suspect will not be charged, his identity cannot be released by police. There are no other suspects in this case, including Michael Vick.”

      It appears that Vick is in the clear, although don’t forget that at one point during his dog fighting investigation it seemed as if he was going to dodge punishment, too. I doubt the Eagles will release him at this point, but you never know.

      My question is, will the league take action against him for associating with Phillips, who was one of the co-defendants from his dog fighting case? If they do, it’s going to be pretty hard for Roger Goodell to determine that Phillips wasn’t just an unwanted guest crashing the party. And in that case, Vick did nothing wrong.

      External Sports, NFL

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