Preseason game number one is in the books.  It was good to see some football for a change - even if it was mediocre, meaningless football.  We got to see some good and some bad from each group on the field;  the offense, defense and special teams each had their moments.  Lets take a look.

Special Teams

The first unit to take the field (as in every game) was the special teams.  David Akers blasted his kick almost out of the end zone.  It was good to see.  Unfortunately for a unit that supposedly got a major overhaul during the offseason, this group was not much improved.  In fact, according to the Eagles gamebook (link - 13 page PDF), we gave up 11 yards of field position to the Steelers over the course of the game.  Both teams had 12 drives - including Pittsburg's kneel to end the game.  On average, those drives started for the Eagles on the 25 while the Steelers were getting the ball up around the 36.   Field position translates to points.  Last year the Eagles averaged 37 yards per drive.  A 37 yard drive from the 25 stalls with a punt on the 38 yard line, whereas that same drive nets a fieldgoal if it's started on the 36.  I'll grant that the special teams unit that took the field Friday will not be the same as the one that will take the field September 7, however I'd really like to see some improvement on both coverage and returns before we play the Rams.

Special teams standout: 

Lorenzo Booker provided the only noteworthy highlight of the special teams on a play where he bobbled the kickoff, recovered his mistake and took off for the better part of a 30 yard return.  At the end of the run, he lost his footing otherwise the gain could have been much larger.

Special teams goat:

Both Rocky Boiman and Jamal Jones were penalized on separate instances to help Pittsburg obtain it's field position advantage.  Given the mediocrity of our special teams the last several years, we simply can not afford silly penalties on special teams.

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It was nice breezy day at Lehigh and some cloud cover provided relief from what would have been the oppressive heat. A crowd of over 6,000 showed up on a Sunday to watch the second to last day of live hitting at camp. Later on, considerably less people stuck around for the special teams session...

Brian Westbrook returned from the viral illness that held him out of the previous days practice. He didn't take a ton of reps, but the previous reports from camp have said that Westbrook hasn't been taking a lot of reps period. When he caught his first pass the crowd a cheered and one guy yelled "Andy, give him his money!" drawing laughs from the stands and the sidelines.

After the jump catch my full report and observations

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The Eagles Fancast boys chatted with Tommy Lawlor of Scouts Notebook about the Eagles draft. (Eagles Fancast)

Iggles Blog scored an interview with Eagles Kicker David Akers thanks to REEBOK. (Iggles Blog)

The 700 level has pics of some Eagles cheerleaders getting nude going green. (700 Level)

Here's a look at the state of sport in the city of Philadelphia ... Who do you think will be the team to break the drought? (Poor Sports)

I've talked about this before and I must say I wholeheartedly agree with Dave here ... Yet another Philly writer has written an "oh poor me" column about how hard his job is covering the Eagles. (Eagle Scout)

It's the offseason, which is why we see things like "The Rise and Fall of Koy." Was it a rise and fall or just a nondescript sputter... you decide. (Inside the Iggles)

Bounty Bowl has some comments on McNabb's latest inspirational t-shirt , which appears to be more of a novel than just a simple slogan. (Bounty Bowl)

The Eagles Chick is enjoying watching the Patriots squirm ... (Eagles Chick)

If you haven't seen this "Empire Strikes Barack" video yet... check it out. Hilarity. (Huge Tiny Mistake)

That said, I'd say this shirt best sums up my feelings on the political season... (Fortress of Pillows)

AJ Feeley's favorite receiver, Lofa Tatupu, was arrested for DUI . (The Big Lead)

It appears the Eagles may have lost their good luck charm , Jessica Simpson. (WWTDD)

Finally, I went to the Philadelphia Museum of Art this weekend to check out the Frida Kahlo exhibit which was great BTW... I decided to stay in the city Saturday night and had one of the best meals ever at Alma de Cuba on Walnut street. I highly recommend that place if you're looking for a great meal in the city.