2009: Season in Review

We have been done with the Eagles’ 2009 season for nearly two weeks now, but our second annualSeason in Review article will deliver to you anything you may have missed during the latest campaign in what has been a proud (well, at least a little bit, to some) history of Philadelphia football. The 2009 season was the 77th all-time for the franchise, and although the Super Bowl aspirations were not exactly met, the squad was able to reach the postseason and place themselves among the year’s best record-holders with 11 wins and only 5 losses. There were plenty of highlights, milestones, and celebrated victories, so be sure to read on and look back at how the 2009 season panned out for our beloved Eagles:

The Games

Week 1: @ Carolina Panthers. September 13, 2009. Under the guidance of new defensive coordinator Sean McDermott, the Eagles demolished the Panthers’ attempts to establish an offensive attack in the Birds’ season opener. Multiple members of the secondary recorded interceptions and it was clearly a dominant showing. On offense, QB Donovan McNabb threw for only 79 yards but scored 3 touchdowns. However, he was forced to leave the game early with a rib injury…this didn’t affect the outcome, as the Eagles won 38-10.

Week 2: vs. New Orleans Saints. September 20, 2009. Without an injured Donovan McNabb, the Eagles struggled to maintain an offensive rhythm despite a 300-yard passing performance from young QB Kevin Kolb. New Orleans and their superstar passer Drew Brees put up nearly 50 points as the Saints completely took hold of the opportunity to play the beat-up Birds, and handed Philadelphia its first loss of the season. PHI-22 NO-48

Week 3: vs. Kansas City Chiefs. September 27, 2009. WR DeSean Jackson and rookie RB LeSean McCoy took the spotlight away from the debut of situational QB Michael Vick, and helped the Eagles pounce on Kansas City’s weak defense. The Chiefs were never able to stay within competition during the contest, and Philadelphia was able to win its first game with Kevin Kolb under center as the starting passer. The defense also played well against the sloppy Chiefs and their offensive game plan. PHI-34 KC-14

Week 4: Bye Week (no game). The Eagles released veteran Jeff Garcia (who was signed a week before as an emergency QB) in their off week after it was clear Donovan McNabb would be ready for the next week. Philly also announced the return of LB Jeremiah Trotter, who had been signed out of retirement after a few impressive workouts.

Week 5: vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. October 11, 2009. In McNabb’s return to the lineup, not only did he shine, but so did rookie WR Jeremy Maclin. The 1st-round pick exploded for 142 yards and a pair of TDs, while others like FB Leonard Weaver and CB Asante Samuel performed well on both sides of the ball. The Bucs were helpless from the start, for their new starting QB Josh Johnson was unable to successfully drive Tampa’s offense, and the Eagles came away with a blowout win, 33-14.

Week 6: @ Oakland Raiders. October 18, 2009. The Birds’ 2-game win streak came to a stunning halt when they traveled to the west for a matchup with the lowly Raiders. Despite being known for a horrid offense and a barely decent defensive unit, the black and silver men handled the Eagles completely, capturing an upset victory that left Philadelphia fans disappointed and embarrassed back at home. The offensive line seemed to fall apart, especially after OT Jason Peters was lost with an injury, and overall the game was just a mess. PHI-9 OAK-13

Week 7: @ Washington Redskins. October 26, 2009. After their dismal loss to Oakland in Week 6, the Eagles rebounded with an–although not convincing–satisfactory win over the rival Redskins. DeSean Jackson ran for a touchdown and caught another as the offense exploded but overall was not consistent. On defense, there were not too many stars, but trade acquisition Will Witherspoon made an impact in his debut as a Middle Linebacker, recording 6 tackles, a forced fumble, interception, and defensive score. PHI-27 WAS-17

Week 8: vs. New York Giants. November 1, 2009. Heading into their second straight divisional showdown, the Eagles were very confident and prepared. The Giants, winners of the Super Bowl only a few seasons ago, came out flat, allowing the Eagles to put 30 points on the board before halftime, and ultimately giving up what was a huge day for the entire team. The Birds got a load of production from their running game (LeSean McCoy, Leonard Weaver), and also saw success on defense in pass coverage, intercepting 2 passes and deflecting many of Giants’ QB Eli Manning’s throws. PHI-40 NYG-17

Week 9: vs. Dallas Cowboys. November 8, 2009. In this third consecutive matchup against a rival team, the Eagles stuck in contention for the win until the final minutes. Despite some arguable officiating throughout the contest, tight defensive play had the game close into the fourth and final quarter, but a pass from Dallas’ QB Tony Romo to WR Miles Austin gave the Cowboys a late touchdown that sealed the deal, handing the Eagles their first loss in 3 weeks, 20-16.

Week 10: @ San Diego Chargers. November 15, 2009. After dropping a close game to the Cowboys a week earlier, the Eagles seemed to learn little the following week when the hot Chargers hosted Week 10. After the defense allowed the Bolts to tack on a bunch of early points, Donovan McNabb and the offense were forced to make a comeback. They gave a good effort, clawing within 8 points towards the conclusion, but once it was all said and done, Philadelphia found itself on the losing end of it’s second straight game, 31-23.

Week 11: @ Chicago Bears. November 22, 2009. Donovan McNabb called this game a “must-win” situation prior to the start of it, and also said that he himself would have to play better for the Eagles to win in a trip to the QB’s hometown in Week 11. He certainly did so, tossing 244 yards and 2 touchdowns, and others played well along with him to capture a 24-20 win in Illinois. LeSean McCoy carried the ball 20 times for 99 yards and a late score, and FS Sean Jones had a key interception on the Bears’ final drive to wrap up the much-needed victory.

Week 12: vs. Washington Redskins. November 29, 2009. The Redskins, who were not favored by many to even keep up with the Eagles in the game, held onto a lead for most of the rivalry rematch. A surprise onside kick by the Birds to open the game gave Washington great field possession and momentum that would last for quite awhile. But in the second half, the Eagles were determined to come back, and indeed pulled out a come-from-behind victory, highlighted by a TD catch by DeSean Jackson and clutch receptions from reserve WR Jason Avant. K David Akers’ 32-yard field goal officially gave the Eagles the win. PHI-27 WAS-24

Week 13: @ Atlanta Falcons. December 6, 2009. Although the Falcons were without their star QB Matt Ryan and agile RB Michael Turner, and the matchup was not all it was hyped to be, the pure play of Michael Vick made this NFC showdown one of the best of the season. The defense was on target all day, forcing 3 turnovers and 2 sacks, while Vick exploited Atlanta’s weakened defense and had the Georgia Dome crowd cheering for the former Falcon. He rushed the ball 4 times for 17 yards and a touchdown, and also completed both of his 2 pass attempts for 48 yards and a TD. PHI-34 ATL-7

Week 14: @ New York Giants. December 13, 2009. In the first meeting between the Giants and Eagles, there were a lot of points scored, but mostly in favor of the Birds. The points total was again high, but this time, both clubs took turns punching the ball into the endzone throughout the shootout. While Philly came out on top with 45 points, their defense was far from impressive, allowing 38 points and nearly a comeback by “Big Blue”. DeSean Jackson was one of the key figures of the game, as he returned a punt for a touchdown, and also scored one on offense while catching a remarkable 178 yards.

Week 15: vs. San Francisco 49ers. December 20, 2009. The Eagles clinched a playoff berth in Week 15, as they were able to hold onto a lead against the determined, but inexperienced Niners. It appeared at some points in the game that Philadelphia was going to let the win slip away, for Donovan McNabb made some costly decisions and turned the ball over, but it ended up being a celebrated victory in the city of brotherly love. The 27-13 win advanced the Eagles’ win streak to 5 games and secured them with a spot in the playoffs.

Week 16: vs. Denver Broncos. December 27, 2009. The obvious focus of this game was the return of legendary Eagle FS Brian Dawkins to Philadelphia. As you should know, the passionate veteran left in the offseason prior to the season and signed a big deal with Denver, ending his 13-year run as a Bird. The fans let out a roaring cheer for Dawkins during his field entrance, but after that it was all business: After squandering some opportunities, the offense put together a late-game drive that ended with a spectacular catch by rookie Jeremy Maclin and a game-winning field goal by David Akers. PHI-30 DEN-27.

Week 17: @ Dallas Cowboys. January 3, 2010. Riding on the peak of a 6-game winning streak, the Eagles still had a lot to fight for in their season finale against the rival Cowboys. With a win, they would have received a top-seeded spot in the postseason picture and a bye week in the opening round of the playoffs, but failed to get anything going in Texas. Their offensive line–which was without injured C Jamaal Jackson for the first time–faltered, as did the rest of the offense and the defense. PHI-0 DAL-24.

Wild Card Playoffs: @ Dallas Cowboys. January 9, 2010. Seemingly heated up and ready to avenge their shutout loss to Dallas nearly a week ago, the Eagles once again looked unprepared in all aspects of the game. The offensive line gave Donovan McNabb little protection, while he played poorly as well. The defense could not stop Dallas on crucial 3rd-down situations, and the Birds found themselves once and done, eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, by a score of 34-14.

The Top Players

• DeSean Jackson: In only in his 2nd season, Jackson was undoubtedly the center of the Eagles’ offense, or at least the explosive production of it. Eclipsing the 1,000-yard receiving mark and also manning the punt returning role with brilliancy, the speedy target’s performance was supported by his many monthly awards, Pro-Bowl berth, and various spots on All-Pro listings.
• Brent Celek: Celek just missed a 1,000-yard receiving mark, and if not for a load of other talented Tight Ends in the NFC conference, would have been an easy selection to play in the Pro-Bowl. He was the team’s leading receiver in terms of total catches, and also helped paved the way for a successful rushing attack that included Brian Westbrook, LeSean McCoy, and Leonard Weaver.
• Trent Cole: Earning a Pro-Bowl appearance, Cole continued to prove his point as being one of the best Defensive Ends in Eagles history. Notching a team-high 12.5 sacks, also a career-high, and also recording 57 tackles, the Cincinnati product was perhaps the most consistent and aggressive defender from the entire defensive unit in 2009.

The Statistics

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