Bleeding Green Nation: FanPosts

stole from HR ...funny as HELL!

2009-11-24T01:42:04Z

Terror Alert in Chicago

by hawkarooski on Nov 18, 2009 4:22 PM EST 30 comments, 30 new

Just received this in an email from a buddy living in Chicago:

The Chicago Bears football practice was delayed nearly two hours today after a player reported finding an unknown white powdery substance on the practice field. Head coach Lovie Smith immediately suspended practice and called the police and federal investigators.

After a complete analysis, FBI forensic experts determined that the white substance unknown to players was the GOAL LINE.

Practice resumed after special agents decided the team was unlikely to encounter the substance again this season.

Bird Watch: Balanced Offense Propels Eagles to 24-20 Victory over Bears

2009-11-24T00:45:54Z

Last year, Chicago fans exited Soldier Field in a roar of excitement and happiness, for their Bears defeated the Eagles in a Week 4 regular season game by a score of 24-20. The same cannot be said about this season’s matchup between the teams, as the Eagles came out victorious, ironically by the final score of the 2008 contest–24-20. With a balanced offensive strategy and a good performance by the defense, the Birds were able to break their 2-game losing streak and keep themselves within the competitive division race in the NFC East. The game went back and forth, in terms of the scoring leader, but in the end, a 4th-quarter touchdown and a solid defensive stand was enough for the Eagles to capture the much-needed win. Although some may say the Eagles “bearly” won (anyone like the joke?), the victory counts, and is definitely accepted within the organization.

QB Donovan McNabb was proficient in the passing game, completing 23 of his 32 attempts, which included a pair of touchdowns. Meanwhile, rookie RB LeSean McCoy filled in as an excellent replacement for the injured Brian Westbrook, and the defensive unit, which underwent a few changes because of injuries to starters, played well for almost all of the game. There weren’t too many players banged up after the NFC showdown, but CB Asante Samuel sustained a strained muscle in his neck and his status for the team’s Week 12 meeting with the Redskins is currently unknown. Other than Samuel’s injury, the Eagles escaped Chicago with few major and disappointing announcements regarding players in a lot of pain.

The game, which began at 8:20 p.m. ET, tilted in favor of the Eagles early in the first quarter. On the Birds’ third play from scrimmage, backup QB Michael Vick ran the ball out of the Shotgun formation for a gain of 34 yards, and more importantly, the full support of his teammates and fans. Several rushing and passing plays followed the motivating scamper by Vick, and ultimately the Eagles settled with a field goal on the drive after being contained by the Bears in the red zone. As we’ve seen in previous weeks, the red zone of the field has haunted Philadelphia, and despite their stall again here, they were able to improve as the game went on. K David Akers knocked a 25-yard attempt through the uprights of the goal post and the Eagles took a 3-0 lead.

Not only did the offense begin on a good note, but the defense did as well. On the resulting series for the Bears, Chicago was held to 7 yards on 6 plays, and forced to punt. One ought to note the opening play of the drive which was a hand-off to RB Matt Forte…Jeremiah Trotter was lined up as the Middle Linebacker and made a spectacular tackle that kept Forte from gaining any type of yardage. This single tackle may not sound too amusing, but it certainly was during the game, considering Trotter has rarely seen playing time over the last few weeks, and surprisingly got the start and performed well against the Bears.

On the Eagles’ second offensive drive, Michael Vick once again took the field, and was granted a passing play. Despite the minimal gain on the play in which the speedy former Falcon completed his throw to TE Brent Celek, it was entertaining to see the athletic Quarterback active in the game and keeping Eagle fanatics aware that he is truly a useful offensive weapon. Donovan McNabb tossed a few more passes on the drive, but once the Eagles were able to move the ball within the 20-yard line of Chicago’s side, it appeared as if they were not going to be able to punch the ball into the endzone and continue to struggle in that area of the field. Backup RB Eldra Buckley failed to pick up any yards on a carry up the middle, but the Eagles then diminished their end-of-the-field woes with a 13-yard scoring pass from McNabb to WR Jason Avant, who last week led the team with 8 catches and 156 yards.

With a 10-0 lead, the Eagles’ defense played aggressively against the Bears on the next drive, keeping the first three plays under 5 yards. However, when a blitz was dialed, Chicago’s supposed franchise QB–Jay Cutler–quickly found an open receiver down field and converted for a first down. Shortly after this, Cutler almost had a touchdown pass when he heaved the ball deep down the right sideline to extremely fast WR Devin Hester, but the throw was too long and ruled incomplete. The drive concluded with K Robbie Gould booting a successful 45-yard field goal and narrowing the Eagles’ lead to 7 points.

As great as the Eagles’ offense started the contest, they fell just as fast as the second quarter went underway. The offensive line–after blocking very well throughout the entire first period–allowed a sack on McNabb that cost the team 10 yards, and also was penalized for jumping early prior to the play. The brief series resulted in a punt, and the Bears took advantage of the opportunity. Reserve runner Kahlil Bell opened the drive with an astounding 72-yard rush that brought the crowd at Soldier Field to their feet. Several passes and short runs later, the Bears found themselves right back in the game after Robbie Gould kicked his second field goal of the night, this time from 28 yards out.

Neither team was able to establish a rhythm offensively over the next few drives, and therefore neither was able to place any points on the scoreboard. Donovan McNabb was intercepted when his bullet pass intended for WR DeSean Jackson was snatched by Bears’ veteran defensive back Zackary Bowman, but Chicago dropped their turnover opportunity when they were held to a punt the following series. The Eagles gave the ball away again when DeSean Jackson this time made the catch, but was stripped of the ball by CB Charles Tillman and ended up losing the fumble. However, the Bears seemed yet again unable to capitalize off of their turnover, settling with a 28-yard field goal after a drive that lasted nearly 6 minutes and seemed deserving of 7 points, not 3.

The second half began with little excitement, as both squads booted the ball to each other via punts, but the Bears took their first lead of the game when Robbie Gould converted on his fourth field goal of the game, from 49 yards away. Even though the Eagles’ defense was playing solidly and keeping the high-potential Chicago offense under wraps, it appeared the team was letting the contest slip away after allowing 12 unanswered points and failing to regain the early momentum the offense held. That concept was thrown away several drives later, when McNabb aired a deep pass to his big-play receiver Jackson and gave the Eagles another lead. The play went for 48 yards, and gave the 2nd-year wideout his 7th touchdown of the season, a drastic improvement from all of last season in which the California product scored twice.

The Bears struck back when Jay Cutler completed a 15-yard TD pass to his backup TE Kellen Davis, and the Windy City warriors separated themselves further when Matt Forte recorded a reception in the endzone for a 2-point conversion. With the score now 3 points in favor of the Bears, it didn’t seem too promising once LeSean McCoy handed the ball right back to Chicago when he fumbled on a running play that otherwise would have been a significant gain. Attempting to add to their lead and solidify their late-game comeback, the Bears tried to give their kicker yet another shot at earning points, lining him up to kick a 48-yarder. To the dismay of the fans in Chicago, though, the kick was blocked by DT Antonio Dixon, and therefore kept the score within reach.

It turned out the block was very beneficial, for the Eagles reached the endzone on their next drive (off of a 10-yard run by McCoy) and gave their defense some leverage with the 4-point lead, which is obviously more than what a field goal will supply in a crucial situation. With the game on the line, the defensive unit produced for the Eagles, forcing Jay Cutler to miss on several throws and ultimately toss an interception to seal the game.

With their sixth win of the season, the Eagles now prepare to face the cellar dweller of their division in the Washington Redskins. This matchup will take place back home for the Eagles, in Lincoln Financial Field, and will be played on Sunday afternoon at approximately 1:00 p.m. ET. Further analysis and evaluation of today’s game will be released throughout the week, but for now, take a look at the Eagles’ statistical leaders from the matchup, some of their key players, a scoring summary of the contest, and a look at some interesting things that you may have missed while viewing the game:

Statistical Leaders

Passing: Donovan McNabb (QB): 23-32, 244 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT

Rushing: LeSean McCoy (RB): 20-99 yards, 1 TD

Receiving: DeSean Jackson (WR): 8-107 yards, 1 TD

Receiving (cont.): Jeremy Maclin (WR): 6-64 yards

Defensive: Quintin Mikell (SS): 6 tackles

Defensive (cont.): Will Witherspoon (OLB): 6 tackles

Kicking: David Akers (K): 1-1 FG, 3-3 extra point

Punting: Sav Rocca (P): 5-30.6 punt yard average

For a complete statistical breakdown of the game, click here.

Key Players

RB LeSean McCoy: In place of the veteran Brian Westbrook, the freshman pro McCoy took to the Bears’ defense very well. The 21-year-old averaged 5 yards a carry, and finished the game with a total of 99. He also scored the winning touchdown, a 10-yard rush, and picked up on many blitzes that the Bears sent in on the Birds’ offensive front. Overall, he did a great job as a starter last night, and actually seems quite capable of carrying the rushing load for the team for the remainder of the year.
WR DeSean Jackson: One might have thought that Jackson disappeared from the offense when he appeared to be uninvolved in the past few weeks’ “highlight plays”, but in reality, the 2nd-year target has been one of the most consistent and dangerous receivers on the roster. Last evening he hauled in 8 passes, and managed to eclipse 90 yards receiving for the fifth time this season, totaling 107. He also scored his fifth touchdown reception of the 2009 season, and as if that weren’t enough, Jackson also manned the team’s punt returner role, taking back a pair of kicks (one of which was returned for 53 yards).
SS Quintin Mikell: Mikell has always been one of the quiet defensive leaders of the team, and once again had an arguably under-appreciated performance. With 6 tackles, the Safety also played man coverage on several occasions when starting CB Sheldon Brown rested on the sideline to keep his hamstring injury under as little pressure as possible. Mikell allowed few complete passes in areas he was responsible for in the secondary, and was overall one of the most consistent defenders on the field in last night’s game.

Did You Know…

…that backup FS Macho Harris was frequently brought into the defense as part of the “3-Safety” formation? The defensive technique has been used in other instances this year, typically with the starting Safeties and reserve defensive back Quintin Demps, but because Demps was out with an ankle injury, Harris was thrust into the “center-field Safety” role. In this position, the highly-regarded rookie recorded 4 tackles and a pass deflection, and was somewhat of a key part of the defense’s success against the Bears.
…that a rotation was established for the Middle Linebacker position during the game? Veteran player Jeremiah Trotter, signed earlier in the season and used only sparingly after a one-game stint as the starter, was dubbed the game’s official starter at the position, and finished with 4 tackles. He looked very motivated and determined to prove to the staff his worth on the team, but wasn’t the only member of the MLB position. Sophomore player Joe Mays saw a bunch of repetitions, starting OLB Will Witherspoon was moved to the middle in several formations, and 7th-year backup Tracy White was also brought onto the field for some action.
…that FS Sean Jones was able to record the 15th interception of his career versus the Bears? His game-clinching pick keeps him among the league’s top Safeties in terms of most turnovers caused over the past few years. In addition to his interception–which was the first of the season and as an Eagle–Jones also got his hands on a pass for a deflection, and notched a total of 4 tackles.

Scoring Summary

1st Quarter
	FG	D.Akers 25 yd. Field Goal (9-68, 4:06)
	TD	J.Avant 13 yd. pass from D.McNabb(D.Akers kick) (8-76, 4:44)
2nd Quarter
	FG	R.Gould 45 yd. Field Goal (8-30, 3:03)
	FG	R.Gould 28 yd. Field Goal (6-72, 2:03)
	FG	R.Gould 28 yd. Field Goal (13-57, 5:34)
3rd Quarter
	FG	R.Gould 49 yd. Field Goal (5-20, 1:35)
	TD	D.Jackson 48 yd. pass from D.McNabb (D.Akers kick) (2-64, 0:30)
	TD	K.Davis 15 yd. pass from J.Cutler(J.Cutler-M.Forte pass) (6-55, 3:01)
4th Quarter
	TD	L.McCoy 10 yd. run (D.Akers kick) (11-62, 5:30)

(picture source)

Stuff my wife doesn't care about...

2009-11-23T17:32:10Z

I was trying to talk to my wife during the game about some facets of this Eagle bunch, since I was watching the game at home, and she didn't really care. So since I have nobody at home who loves football as much as I love football, I'm going to bounce them off you.

1. Do you think that our spasmatic running game has more to do with Andy's love of throwing the ball or the fact that Peters is back in the line up? I thought that with him in there we really were able to handle that side of the defensive alignment. Also, was it just me or did we just keep running it off tackle and off guard effectively because of him? Also, loved his pick up of the corner blitz.

2. The one thing I have to say about Maclin that puts him well above DJax is his ability to get position on a CB. Is it really a surprise that the slants keep coming to Maclin since he is able to cut to the inside and outplay his man. This is twice now that McNabb has thrown interceptions directly to defenders off of slant plays, and I'm more inclined to think that Don is "trusting" his receiver to make a play. With Maclin, he gets in there and fights for the inside position, Jax just doesn't stick his nose in there.

3. The one thing over the past couple of weeks that I've noticed is that usually we've been giving up on the I-formation for most of the games we've played. It always seemed like when we were going to run it was predictable, and mostly out of a single back set. But when we passed, it was also predictable just in our alignment. It was nice to see andy keep those backs in there running, and passing, out of a strong running alignment.

4. We need to send a fruitbasket to Cutler.

5. I like how they talk about Avant as if he's in the same "new guy" group with Maclin and McCoy. Avant has been "Mr. Clutch" for a long time now. I need to buy an Avant jersey.

6. Somebody has to tell Asante that he's not allowed to jump routes unless he has safety help over the top at all times. I know that he's gotten quite a few INTs that way, but he bites hard on those pump fakes.

7. Who else likes how Mr. Jones likes to throw the body around like a FS from the "olden days" ?

8. I would rather see them stay with weaver in the FB position and keep the two back sets in with Eldra Buckley taking a quarter of the snaps with Westbrook out. Running from the single back set is fine, but if you go three wide and the opposing team is staying in their base defense, you're going to have to be crafty to get your running game going. But if the eagles keep a FB in the back field with a blocking tight end, we can just man up our blocks and pound it...Just saying. (I like how in pass protection, people always talk about how we have the biggest O-Line in the league, but when it comes to run blocking nobody says anything about their enormous girth. Just saying.)

9. Come 2011 this offense should be frightening.

Alright, I'm done. Thanks for reading.

10 games in....playoff picture

2009-11-23T05:46:40Z

To begin, does anyone believe the playoffs are only 7 weeks away????? It seems like this season started last week. Amazing. Okay, so lets look at the standings and assess the playoff hunt as it looks right now, even though the picture is nowhere near complete.

THINGS I'M PRETTY SURE OF:

New Orleans and Minnesota will almost surely win their divisions and are probably your top two seeds in the NFC. I don't think anyone who knows anything about football will argue with me here. Minnesota is 3 games up on Green Bay and holds the head to head tiebreaker, so in essence its a 4 game lead with 6 to go.

THE NFC West is not going to produce a wild card. San Fran is sitting there with a mathematical chance at 4-6, but would need a really good run to challenge. They've made strides, but not quite enough this year.

STILL UP IN THE AIR

The NFC East is about as murky as it gets, with Dallas holding a narrow one game lead. They have some tough ones upcoming though, with the Giants, Eagles, Chargers and Saints still on their schedule. Like many of us predicted, this race won't be decided until all 16 games are played.

What will happen with Atlanta and Green Bay? These were teams I pegged as good wild card candidates, but Atlanta is reeling badly right now at 5-5. Green Bay still has offensive line woes, which is never a good thing to have if you're making a playoff push.

The Eagles (of course). Inconsistent play at QB and penelty prone. Gotta get that crap fixed, and fast. On the plus side, having the tiebreaker over Chicago helps our wild card chances.

A LOOK AHEAD FOR THE EAGLES

The Birds face Washington at home and then away at Atlanta in the next two weeks. If we can get these next two, our chances of at least a wild card are well enhanced. Especially a win over Atlanta, which would give us the tiebreaker. The next two weeks will clarify the picture at least a little. On a side note, we're 11 weeks in and not one NFL team has yet been eliminated from playoff contention. Although I think that changes this week as Tampa, Cleveland, and St Louis starting gearing up for the race to the number one overall draft pick, the NFL's ultimate booby prize.

#5 = Class Act

2009-11-23T04:39:06Z

I just watched Donny McNabb talking to Cutler after the game and I have to say that the man is a class act. I'm proud of him and I feel honored that he's stuck with this city through the boos as well as the cheers. He could have had a better game, but he could have had a worse game, too. Winning and losing aside, our QB is a class act.

Happy Birthday D.McN.

4th Quarter Comebacks

2009-11-23T04:35:35Z

Its too bad that McNabb can't lead the Eagles on 4th Quarter comebacks, otherwise we'd be able to beat the Bears tonight.

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah

Cataldi is a doofus jackass

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah

Cataldi is a doofus jackass

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Cataldi is a doofus jackass

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah

Cataldi is a doofus jackass

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah

Cataldi is a doofus jackass

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah

Cataldi is a doofus jackass

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah

Cataldi is a doofus jackass

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah

Cataldi is a doofus jackass

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Cataldi is a doofus jackass

Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah

My first half assessment of the Eagles Bears game

2009-11-23T03:21:21Z

Offense:

Eagles started out strong, the 15 scripted plays by Reid and Mornhinweg to start the game did a pretty good job of setting the tone. However, we got away from running after that, and turned the ball over twice.The interception was due to a bad throw by Donovan.

To win this game we will need more than 17 points from the offense. In the run game, we need to run toss plays to the outside, we need some cutback runs, and we need to have LeSean McCoy stop dancing so much in the backfield. One cut and then downhill running. We also need more QB draw runs from Mike Vick. In the passing game, we need to send our WR in motion more, as well as run some bunch sets with 2 or 3 WR bunched up to one side. So far the middle of the field is open on crossing routes, but I'm not sure Donovan has the accuracy to consistently hit those.

Defense:

Playing lights out considering the injuries, and considering the turnovers by the offense. Remember the goal of Jim Johnson's and now Sean McDermott's defense is to hold the opponent to 17 points or less. right now we are on pace for that.

Special teams:

Good returns, coverage could be better.

Let's see what the second half brings.

It's Hunting Season in Chicago: Eagles vs. Bears Week 11 Game Preview

2009-11-22T05:38:13Z

Upon reading this game preview’s title, one may immediately receive the “joke” that was intended to be delivered: The Bears are going to be “hunted” by the Eagles in Chicago this week. However, there is also another, more significant meaning to the clever headline (at least I thought it was clever). Not only are the Eagles going to go on a fictitious hunt for a team with an animal that is commonly hunted representing their logo and nickname, but Philadelphia is also beginning their hunt to keep pace in their division, and even establish a path to the postseason. Against a slumping but talented Bears squad, the Eagles will really have to execute on given opportunities, and more importantly, create a balanced game plan that will allow the offense to succeed consistently and the defense to perform with dominance. The team has done both on several occasions, but hasn’t done it on a regular basis, hence their two consecutive losses in which passing has virtually been the entire offensive strategy, and the defense has allowed too many early scores. Despite the Bears’ 4-5 record, they should not be taken lightly, just as the Chargers should not have been last week, and the Cowboys should not have been the week before. As long as the Birds can take advantage of what they’re given, we should once again be in for some more thrilling football action.

Week 11 Opponent: Chicago Bears

2008 Record: 9-7

Last Meeting Between Teams: Week 4, 2008: PHI-20 CHI-24

Game Location: Soldier Field (Chicago, Illinois)

Evaluation: The Bears–after apparently having enough of the fan base’s criticism for the lack of a solid Quarterback, and realizing their need to get back to the Super Bowl–acquired one of the game’s top young passers in Jay Cutler over the offseason period, but thus far, the former Bronco has looked no better the team’s previous options at the position. In fact, the QB they traded away to Denver as part of a package deal for Cutler–Kyle Orton–appears to be on pace for a remarkably better season than Jay, and overall, things just aren’t looking too bright in Chicago. High expectations was indeed on the mind of the organization following the Cutler acquisition, especially since the Bears also hold one of the better young runners in Matt Forte, and a typically consistent defense led by longtime MLB Brian Urlacher. But Forte is rushing for low totals, Urlacher is hurt, and Cutler is on track to throw a horrid 30 interceptions. Lately, the “Windy City warriors” have had trouble finding an offensive balance (sound familiar?), and have been unable to keep up when their opponents take a lead. Although they are certainly beatable, the Birds cannot play this game without a smart strategy, for if they do, they may just let the game slip away as they’ve done before.

Key Matchups:

RB LeSean McCoy (PHI) vs. MLB Nick Roach (CHI): If someone were to list this as one of the key player matchups prior to the season, one might be tempted to burst out in laughter or enter into a slight state of shock. While it was expected McCoy would see some time as a rookie in the offense, not many projected him to be the bearer of full duties at the RB position, and of course, it was fully expected that Pro-Bowl LB Brian Urlacher would be in the Bears’ lineup, but the veteran dislocated his wrist in the opening game of the year, requiring season-ending surgery. Roach, playing in his 3rd season, was originally a rookie free agent addition of the Chargers, but has since grown into a reserve and special teams role for the Bears. When he has been thrust into a starting spot, Roach has done a quality job, though, and his performance might very well change the momentum of the Eagles’ running game.
DE Trent Cole (PHI) vs. OT Orlando Pace (CHI): Cole has overall been one of the most consistent and productive of the Eagle defenders, racking up 34 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. After recording at least a half of a sack in the first six games, Cole has managed only one–to go along with 7 tackles–in the last three. Despite his recent slump, if it can be called that, the Pro-Bowl defensive lineman remains a threat each and every week, and this time, he’ll face one of the most experienced Offensive Tackles in the league–Orlando Pace. Formerly a longtime Ram, the 6′7″, 325 lb. beast of a player has seen his ups and downs this year after signing with the Bears in the offseason free agency session. He hasn’t been bad, but he hasn’t been impressive either. The amount of pressure Cole is able to place on Pace (and therefore on Jay Cutler as well) may determine how well the Bears’ offense flows, and that is obviously a key factor if this game.
MLB Joe Mays (PHI) vs. RB Matt Forte (CHI): As stated in a previous section of the article, Forte has struggled carrying the ball this year, and thus far has gained only 482 yards off of 143 touches (a mere 3.4 average per carry). Despite his low rate of success, the Eagles will likely be starting a new man in the middle this week–2nd-year LB Joe Mays. This may not seem like much, but with a new leader at the heart of the defensive unit, the Birds will truly need the young Mays to perform with at least a hint of success. He has shown aggressiveness, but has also proven to be tentative at times when trying to determine what he should be doing on the field. This could perhaps be a bigger player battle than expected, depending on the amount of times the Bears attempt to run the ball up the middle.
WR DeSean Jackson (PHI) vs. CB Charles Tillman (CHI): Jackson has been the Eagles’ go-to guy on big plays this year, and despite recording a quality amount of yards and total touches as of late, hasn’t been involved in many explosive opportunities lately. Of course, not many players have, considering the offense has been out of their rhythm over the past few weeks, but Jackson is definitely nagging at the chance to make another highlight. In his rookie campaign of 2008, he scored his first touchdown against the Bears, and this week, he’ll face them again, primarily matching up with CB Charles Tillman, who is experiencing arguably his best season in several years. Through 9 games, he has notched 41 tackles, 5 pass deflections, 3 forced fumbles, and a pair of interceptions. His speed allows him to keep up with fast receivers like Jackson, so we should be in for a great matchup here, that might decide how effective the Eagles’ passing attack is.

What to Watch For…

The Eagles have been recorded as winless when they play in front of a national audience on Sunday evenings, so although statistical facts like this don’t really have an actual effect on the contest, they are factored in as intriguing trivia at the conclusion. Hopefully that number will receive it’s first victory mark tomorrow, and the Sunday night curse will be broken.
Eagles’ starting QB Donovan McNabb was born in Chicago, and is therefore playing tomorrow night’s game as a sort of homecoming. Again, facts like these don’t provide true factors to the game, but be sure to keep an eye on McNabb and how he performs in his hometown, especially after throwing an astounding 55 passes last week in a loss to the Chargers.
CB Sheldon Brown, who injured his hamstring last week, threatened to make the Eagles’ secondary extremely thin with the possibility of sitting out because of pain, but has since stated several times that he plans on being out on the field and performing at his best despite his injury. Without Brown, the Eagles would have been forced to push young backup (and relatively new roster addition) Ramzee Robinson into a starting role. However, Brown is intent on playing, and there shouldn’t be as many worries within the defensive backfield as a result of him likely to suit up.

Injury Report (Eagles):

RB Brian Westbrook (concussion) Out

FB Leonard Weaver (ankle pain) Probable

WR Jeremy Maclin (recurring foot pain) Probable

WR Kevin Curtis (surgery; sprained knee) Out

OT Jason Peters (sprained ankle) Probable

OG Nick Cole (knee pain) Probable

DE Victor Abiamiri (sprained knee) Probable

DT Antonio Dixon (foot pain) Probable

DT Mike Patterson (bruised wrist, toe pain) Probable

OLB Akeem Jordan (hyper-extended knee) Out

OLB Chris Gocong (strained hamstring) Probable

CB Sheldon Brown (strained hamstring) Questionable

FS Macho Harris (blurred vision) Probable

FS Quintin Demps (sprained ankle) Out

Projected Team Lineups:

Philadelphia Eagles
Offense	Defense
QB Donovan McNabb	LDE Victor Abiamiri
RB LeSean McCoy	LDT Mike Patterson
FB Leonard Weaver	RDT Brodrick Bunkley
WR Jeremy Maclin	RDE Trent Cole
LT Jason Peters	WLB Will Witherspoon
LG Todd Herremans	MLB Joe Mays
C Jamaal Jackson	SLB Chris Gocong
RG Nick Cole	LCB Asante Samuel
RT Winston Justice	FS Sean Jones
TE Brent Celek	SS Quintin Mikell
WR DeSean Jackson	RCB Sheldon Brown

Chicago Bears
Offense	Defense
QB Jay Cutler	LDE Adewale Ogunleye
RB Matt Forte	DT Tommie Harris
FB Jason McKie	NT Marcus Harrison
WR Earl Bennett	RDE Alex Brown
LT Orlando Pace	WLB Lance Briggs
LG Josh Beekman	MLB Hunter Killenmeyer
C Olin Kreutz	SLB Nick Roach
RG Roberto Garza	LCB Charles Tillman
RT Chris Williams	RCB Zack Bowman
TE Greg Olsen	SS Al Afalava
WR Devin Hester	FS Danieal Manning

(picture source)

Westbrook to miss at least 2-3 weeks

2009-11-21T17:19:44Z

Copied the story from: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4676868

Brian Westbrook is expected to miss at least two to three games as he recovers from his second concussion in 20 days, Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid said Friday.

Westbrook, already out for Sunday's game againstChicago, was examined Wednesday by concussion specialists at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. After that exam, Dr. Joseph Maroon and Dr. Michael Collins said Westbrook was making encouraging progress, and would be re-evaluated in two to three weeks.

Asked if that meant Westbrook would be sidelined for upcoming games against the Washington Redskins and the Atlanta Falcons, Reid said yes, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.

"I think the doctors want to see how he does after two weeks, what kind of symptoms he has, and then they'll just go back through and evaluate him after that -- two to three weeks," Reid said, according to the report. "We'll just see how he feels after that."

Westbrook was back at the Eagles' training facility on Thursday, but is not expected to resume activity until next week at the earliest, according to the report.

"We're backing off this week, just letting him rest," Reid said, according to the report. "Next week, he can start going to meetings and some things. We'll see how he feels as he goes."

Westbrook, a key element in the Eagles' offense, suffered a concussion on Oct. 26 in a game against Washington. He sat out for two weeks, but suffered a second concussion Sunday in his return to the lineup at San Diego.

Rookie running back LeSean McCoy will start in Westbrook's absence.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Poll

What should Westbrook do?

What record do you think the Eagles finish with ?

2009-11-21T00:20:27Z

I am going to stick with my prediction from a few weeks ago.....8-8. Heres how I see it playing out...

Chicago...a win here gets Eagles fans excited again ! Mcnabb is riding high after passing for almost 400 yards against a corpse-like Bears defense. Record --6-4 !

Eagles come back home and promptly lose to the redskns the following week. Reid throws the ball 65 times and says after the game that "maybe we could have run the ball a little more" Record is 6-5.

.Onto Atlanta...Eagles bounce back with a close win over a injury depleted Atlanta team. 7-5. Eagles fans feeling good once again. 7-5...Winning the division is in sight !

The following week the Giants win a close one overe the Eagles. Eli Manning leads a 11 minute drive at the end of the game to seal it. ...Hakeem Nicks is slowly becomig the new Plaxico and a hobbled Sheldon cant cover him.
Record 7-6.

49ers come to town.....all will be well if they win this one...and they pull it out despite Vernon Davis scoring 3 td's and having 12 catches for 140 yards. 8-6 ! Playoffs here we come...

Denver rolls in...Standing ovation for Dawkins...the last time the home crowd cheers. Eagles lose 27-10. Dawkins plays like an animal knocking poor Jeremy Maclin out of the game early for daring to go over the middle. Dawkins finishes game with 12 tackles an int and a Lesean Mccoy fumble recovery. BGN server goes down because of all the angry eagles fans...Record: 8-7.

Last game of the Season....In Dallas... Eagles have a small chance at a wildcard but if they lose its over.
Romo has an awful game but the Cowboys run game decides it...they hold the ball for 39 minutes. Andy reid after getting down early passes the ball 38 straight times....Eagles lose the game 24-12. After the game Reid says "We just have to get after it next week and that's on me. Don't worry, we will get better." Les Bowen reminds Andy that this was the last game of the year. Reid stares ahead blankly for what seems like hours then ends the press conference.

Following the game the BGN server explodes...too many rabid Angry Eagle fans posting calling for Reid/Mcnabb/Luries head on a platter.

The entire summer is spent with fans wondering how they can lure Bill Cowher or Mike Shanahan out of retirement.

Eagles reshuffle LB's again going into the Bears game

2009-11-20T22:01:41Z

PHILADELPHIA (AP)—For the second consecutive week, the Eagles will go with a different look at linebacker because of a knee injury to weakside starter Akeem Jordan (notes).

Coach Andy Reid ruled out Jordan for Sunday night’s game at Chicago.

Will Witherspoon (notes) will again start at weakside LB, and second-year man Joe Mays (notes) will start in the middle. Chris Gocong (notes), who started in the middle in last week’s loss to San Diego, will move back to his customary spot on the strong side. Rookie Moise Fokou (notes), who started the past two games on the strong side, appears to be the odd man out.

It’s the sixth different set of linebackers the Eagles will start in their 10th game of the season.

So it looks like Joe Mays will get the nod, and Fokou will not be starting. I'm still scared about this unit because no matter which way you turn a shitty pie, its still a shitty pie. Be at that, an injured shitty pie.

Mcnabb and Reid hold a closed door meeting.

2009-11-20T08:53:07Z

TRANSCRIPT FROM THE MEETING...

Reid: Great job on Sunday, 5. Those late touchdowns gave the impression we wanted to win. That’s exactly what I was looking for.

McNabb: Yeah, those 450 yards were pretty sweet! Glad I started me on my fantasy team. I’m 8-2 and heading for the playoffs.

Reid: Hah, me too, thanks to Akers.

McNabb: You crafty bastard, that’s why we kept kicking field goals. It all makes sense now.

Reid: Hey, I needed the points.

McNabb: You could have told me, I would’ve thrown a couple in the dirt to help you out.

Reid: Did I really need to let you in on it? We never score touchdowns in the red zone.

The two share a big laugh.

McNabb: That’s so true.

Reid: Alright, let’s get serious.

McNabb: I’m with ya, Big Red.

Reid: We have engineered another successful midseason swoon. The media is writing us off. Fans have given up. It’s a beautiful disaster.

McNabb: I trolled some message boards last night. They want Kolb.

Reid: Perfect! Now is the time when we win three straight. First up, da Bears. Should be easy.

McNabb: But not too easy, right?

Reid: Exactly. Last thing we need is those asshats at ESPN jumping back on our bandwagon. We’ll still commit stupid penalties and stall in the red zone, but a couple bombs to DeSean should be enough to notch a W.

McNabb: Then there’s the Cutler factor.

Reid: Yeah, he sucks big time. Problem is, I’m running low on cornerbacks.

McNabb: Why not have Vick play corner?

Reid: Nah, I’m saving him for the Falcons game.

McNabb: That will be crazy.

Reid: No doubt. When Mikey scores his first touchdown in the ATL, we’ll be the talk of the league.

McNabb: Just in time to flop against the Giants.

Reid: Of course. That goes without saying.

McNabb: So, are we looking at winning the division, or wild card again?

Reid: Hmm… I haven’t decided yet. Injuries are buzzkilling my ability to manipulate the season. May have to call in a couple favors.

McNabb: Michael Lewis told me Singletary loves the cheesesteaks.

Reid: Is that right? Well, a couple boxes from Pat’s should do the trick.

McNabb: This has been fun, but I gotta go polish the “must-win game” speech for my presser.

Reid: You and the media. Just tell ‘em you need to do a better job and be done with it.

McNabb: Hey, you can coach until you’re sixty. I have a second career to think about.

Reid: Whatever!

Phone rings. Reid picks it up.

Reid: Yello, uh huh… you wanna do what? Um, yeah… sounds… interesting. I’ll be right over… okay… see ya then.

Reid slams the phone down.

McNabb: What now?

Reid: McDermott wants to start Trent at middle linebacker.

McNabb: Oooh, good luck with that.

Reid: Yeah, thanks.

McNabb: Later, Big Red.

Reid buries his face in his hands and sighs.

Insidetheiggles.com

I thought that was pretty funny so thought of posting it here. Now off to some serious talk.

I truly believe this upcoming game is a "must win" for the Eagles. Currently they are in a four way tie for two wild card spots. If they lose on Sunday, they will be at a sub par 5-5 record and could have a tough time making the playoffs. If the Bears win, they are back on the race as well. It would become a 5 team race for 2 wild card spots. As for the division, if the Eagles are 5-5, I think the Giants and Cowboys will capitalize on our struggles. It would give them the push they might have needed to play better. We don't need to help them out. 3 teams for the division and 5 teams for the 2 wild card spots. That's going to be really tough especially with the toughest part of our schedule up. Any of those 4 other teams could get hot at any time, they are all good teams.Three straight losses will pretty much kill this team and possibly the season. I feel it will destroy their confidence and frustrations will start to boil over.

Yes, I know, you ain't out until the math says you are but seriously, they need to show something against the Bears or I'm afraid this team will go nowhere. I want the Eagles to WIN the division not be handed out to them by Dallas and New York screwing up. Last year it took a miracle to make the playoffs, they might not be so lucky this time. They better get their shit together soon because unlike last year, we got two of the top 4 teams in the NFL in the NFC. The playoffs are not going to be a cakewalk. There won't be 10-6 and 9-7 teams waiting in the playoffs like last year.They need to finish the season strong and gain some momentum going into the post season.

In other words, Eagles......DO NOT LOSE THIS GAME!

Poll

Is this Sunday's game a "must win" for the Eagles?

I think Brian should retire.

2009-11-18T23:06:47Z

I really hope he does...

...I do not write this lightly, because Brian Westbrook has long been one of my favorite Eagles. I want Brian to retire. Given the recent concussions controversy in the NFL (most of it being Goodell confused over the idea that repeated head trauma could lead to later cognitive impairment--link provided below) and the NFL's recent hearings on the subject, I see that the league is finally waking up to what the NFLPA and neurosurgeons across the country have been saying for years. Ultimately it will be Brian's decision, but as Eagles fans, we need only to look at the sad story of Andre Waters (one of my all time favorite Eagles) to see what can happen from the lack of attention, knowledge and medical care on this most serious of issues. I love football as we all do, but am very concerned about Brian Westbrook's health and life after football, not just what he does (and has done) for us on the field.

Incidentally, the NFL tried to silence and shun the neuropathologist at the University of Pittsburgh whose findings ultimately forced the NFL to change its position on this subject.

Good luck, Brian.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/nfl/10/28/congress.head.injuries.ap/index.html

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iAQff8hVXbSyins4EOOok-6ER8_AD9C26EOO0

What does it take to win a championship?

2009-11-18T22:55:13Z

I was thinking (probably a bad thing) while working today.. We all want to throw our coaching staff out and start fresh. But really, how many things have to go your way for your team to win a championship?

I noticed a few things:

A) Injuries. The team has to have any depth to cover injuries and if the injury bug gets bad enough at a bad time it can become too much for a team to over come. How many SB teams have we seen come through who got killed with injuries?

B) Schedule -- Almost every SB in recent memory has had soft(ish)/(er) schedule. It makes playing consistent much easier and if you hit a few injury plagued weeks, it eases the blows.

C) Playing hot at the right time. Like the Steelers in 05 and Giants in 07 both of these teams played red hot in the playoffs. You can be 12-4 in regular season and if a team is on fire that 12-4 team can be playing golf in February..Kinda like the Eagles ending the Giants season last year.

D) Mistake free. Remember the 04 patriots? Honestly, from top the bottom they weren't that spectacular talent wise. They always seemed to be in tight games, but GD they won every close game on the schedule (including the SB). Can't play good teams and make mistakes, they'll capitalize sooner or later.

E) A good QB/defense. Arguably the two most important things on the team. Both can make or break a team. To be honest, I thought the Steelers offense last year was mediocre at best. Their line sucked, skill players weren't top of the line but their defense kept them in every game and Ben Roethlisberger is probably the best QB with 2 minutes to go. Almost every SB winner has a good defens and very few have bad quarterbacks.

F) LUCK - Every SB team has the ball bounce their way a couple of times. Whether it be penalties, turnovers or miracle catches (David Tyree anyone?) there is absolutely some luck involved in this highly skilled game.

Couple that with 31 other teams in a parity league, it's not so easy getting a ring. What Reid has done is give us a chance to win it since the year 2000. Is there any other team besides the Colts that can say this? Is there any other team who is as young and talented as our roster? Has Joe Banner not tried to sign our young talent long term and bring in top flight FA every year? It tok Cowher 15 years, it might take Reid less , might take him more. Either way, Banner/Reid '10 (and beyond) baby.

Anything else I left out ????

Westbrook Visits Two Concussion Specialists

2009-11-18T21:11:12Z

Today, the Eagles suggested that starting RB Brian Westbrook seek advice from two separate concussion specialists located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania regarding his second head injury in the last four weeks, and the player thoughtfully did so. The 8th-year veteran has not yet spoken about the amount of pain he is experiencing, nor his concern for the pair of concussions, but when he sustained the first one (back on October 26th vs. the Washington Redskins), Westbrook expressed that he was "scared" about what effects the severe injury would potentially place on his body and future health.

As much as the Eagles would love to have Westbrook (pictured) a part of their offense in the coming games (and/or years), playing an explosive role as he once did, the staff is clear that the status of Brian and the condition he is in will come before decisions about football. This situation is no longer a question of whether the Pro-Bowl Running Back will be able to perform at a high level. It has become so serious that the career of Westbrook is in jeopardy, and the team is doing everything they can to test and examine the runner before they make any mistake in placing him on the field again, something that isn't likely to happen for the remainder of the season.

The Eagles' head athletic trainer, Rick Burkholder, said this earlier in the day regarding Westbrook's visits to the concussion specialists: "Westbrook [will] consult with neuropsychologist Mark R. Lovell, PhD. Following that visit Westbrook and Lovell will consult with neurosurgeon Joseph Maroon, MD. Dr. Lovell has been consulting with the Eagles' [other] medical staff on Westbrook's recovery from the first concussion during the past three weeks,".

The results of Westbrook's visits have not been disclosed to the public, and are not likely to be revealed anytime soon, thus all we can do is hope that our franchise leader in many offensive categories is able to make a well recovery, whether that means the 30-year-old will set foot on a football field again or not.

(picture source)

Take a look!

2009-11-18T18:02:14Z

at are up coming games

Why is everyone jumping of this train like its over. Talking about who we should Draft, and the next year moves. JUST STOP and look at out team. We are only 1 game behind Cowgirls, are up coming games dont look as bad as you might think.

Bears-Cutler like to trow the ball across his body and had 17 INTS this year.

Bears D is not the same they are incosistant.

Forte is overrated.

Hester is good but Asante is gonna come up big this game!

Redskins- They still suck, yea they beat Denver so what.

Campbell does not have wepons around him. That we need to worry about.

Portis is prob. done just like Westbrook.

Falcons- Begining of the season they were the team that everyone had in their TOP 5. Now they are not half of the team they were projected to be.

There D is awful so many hole for our team.

Only problem is maybe their run game( Our D has been doing a good enough job)

Giants- What to say they are unpredictable. I do think its gonna be a good game.

Just like all the teams we have to play they as well have problems on their D.

49ers- Nothing to worry about our D will get to Smith.

We just got to stop Davis that it.

Broncos- What team will show up? I think they are good but not good to make the playoffs.

This game is going to be emotional for all of us Dawkins fans.(but we dont need him) Thanks for everyhing Dawk!

COWGIRLS- I dont think this game is gonna have the effect last year did WIN OR GO HOME!

I do believe we will win the Devision before this game.

If you look at the last game we had their number,that 4 and 1 by donovan was good.

So people dont Panic we are just fine. We just need to make few changes and not allwo that big play.

DONT THINK THAT IM SAYING THAT EAGLES ARE PERFECT! WE ARE NOT BUT WE ARE BETTER THEN WHAT MOST PEOPLE ARE THINKING THAT WE ARE NOW!!!!

Would everone please relax?

2009-11-18T14:50:24Z

Last year, we tied the bengals, lost to the bears, lost a must win to the skins (lost to them twice actually), and benched mcnabb in a horrendous outing with the Ravens and we wound up being one defensive stop away from the Super Bowl.

Now I understand completely everything that had to fall correctly for the playoffs to be a reality last year, but my point is, you just can't throw the towel in on this team this early in the season. We do this every year... it's like we forget that one, two, three, maybe even four bad games do not ruin a season. We're one game out of first in the East, and we are guaranteed another shot at Dallas in DeKyrptonember (There's a new buzz word for you)

On top of that, two of our losses have been to out of conference opponents.

The Eagles will not only make the playoffs, but will win the division

2010 Draft Candidates

2009-11-18T14:10:42Z

i liked the post DSmith215 put up so I decided to follow up on who the Eagles could draft in 2010 draft even though I know that it is still very early.

First Candidate- Everson Griffen (DE)

This guy is 6-3 and weighs 280 pounds. He is a junior this year, but will be expected to enter next year's draft seeing that the NFL could enable a rookie cap. This guy is BLAZING FAST. His worst 40 time is a 4.76 but his best 40 time is a 4.54! When Trent Cole was in college, he ran a 4.7-4.9 40 time. The Eagles should definitely consider this guy.

His stats-

2009 Regular Season Game Log			Tackles						Misc		Interceptions
DATE	OPP	RESULT	TOT	SOLO	AST	SACK	STF	STFY	FF	BK	INT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD	PD
9/5	San Jose State	W 56-3	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0
9/12	@Ohio State	W 18-15	6	3	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0
9/19	@Washington	L 16-13	3	2	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0
9/26	Washington State	W 27-6	3	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0
10/3	@California	W 30-3	4	2	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0
10/17	@Notre Dame	W 34-27	4	2	2	2	0	0	0	1	0	0	0.0	0	0	0
10/24	Oregon State	W 42-36	6	3	3	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0
10/31	@Oregon	L 47-20	7	2	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0
11/7	@Arizona State	W 14-9	Did Not Play or did not accumulate any stats.
11/14	Stanford	L 55-21	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0.0	0	0	0

Picture from:http://www.trojanwire.com/images/ncf_g_griffen_400.jpg Stats from:http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/player/profile?playerId=236585

Here is a short 10 sec. clip of Everson Griffen getting a Cole-like sack:

Everson Griffen

Second Candidate: Greg Hardy (DE)

Greg could be a reach, but you never know what could happen on draft day. He is a little faster than Everson Griffen with a 40 time of 4.5 and his highest 40 time being 4.72. He is a true DE and is rated by ESPN as the fourth best in his position. Greg will not play the rest of this year because of a left wrist injury he suffered this year. He has great pass-rushing skills, and his very quick. Greg could actually fall down the draft boards because of his injury.

I couldn't find any stats on him on ESPN or any other sites so I couldn't post them up.

Highlight clip of Greg Hardy last year:(He's #86)

Greg Hardy

PIcture from:http://thematadorsports.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/09/Greg-Hardy.bmp

Third Candidate: Bryan Bulaga (OT):

I don't know very much about his guy but he is ranked as the 4th best in his position at OT and plays for Iowa He's 6-6 and weighs 311 pounds.

Scouting Report copied from :http://www.fftoolbox.com/nfl_draft/profile_display.cfm?prospect_id=2088

Position:	T
School & Year/Status:	Iowa - Junior
Jersey Number:	#79
Height & Weight:	6'6 - 312 lbs.
Ranked #15 on our Top 100 Prospects Board

2010 NFL Draft Prospect Scouting Report:

Bryan Bulaga, T, Iowa

Bryan Bulaga is the latest in a long line of talented offensive linemen from the University of Iowa. Bulaga began his career at left guard where he started five of the seven games he played in as a freshmen. As a sophomore, he took over at left tackle, starting all 13 of Iowa's games last season. Bulaga has started all five games he's appeared in this season. He missed three games early in the year, but it shouldn't effect his draft status because he was ill, not injured. Bulaga has very quick feet for a big offensive lineman and uses his long arms to ride speed rushers right out of plays. He is not as strong as fellow Big ten linemen Joe Thomas or Jake Long, but he's still very young and has time to develop. Bulaga's run blocking has also improved steadily over the last two seasons. He is no longer satisfied just blocking the man in front of him, he moves on to the next level and tries to get a block on a linebacker as well. The best fit for Bulaga would be on a zone blocking team in the NFL, because of his familiarity with the system. If he has a strong finish to his junior year, he will likely declare for the 2010 draft. If he comes out, he is a lock to go in the first round, and a possible top ten selection.

Picture from:http://i.cdn.turner.com/si/multimedia/photo_gallery/0908/cfb.top.10.big.10.players/images/bryan-bulaga.jpg

Fourth Candidate: Patrick Robinson(CB)

Due to the Eagles lack of sudden depth at cornerback, they could take a chance at drafting one this year. Patrick Robinson plays at Florida State, is 5-11 and weighs 192 pounds. His 40 time is 4.4

I couldn't find any decent highlight vids but he kinda looks/plays like Asante in this vid, but probably has better tackling skills than him.

Patrick Robinson

Poll

Who do you think the Eagles will draft on their first draft pick?

The 2010 Draft

2009-11-18T08:12:29Z

I'm well prepared for the hordes of people telling me that it's too early to think about the draft and that we need to focus on the season. Well, you know what, guys? Thinking about the upcoming draft is fun and almost all of us are doing it anyway.

I'm quite interested in where the Eagles are going to go this year. Lots of the buzz on ESPN, (for whatever amount of consideration we want to give those folks,) seems to indicate that they think Andy will trade out of the 1st round again. In that case, we'll be likely to have a high number of later picks, and I'm interested in seeing what happens.

Another consideration, of course, is whether the Birds will be able to get any picks for Michael Vick if they don't keep him around.

I'm going to discuss some of my thoughts about the draft, and I'm anxious for you all to weigh in with your perspectives, predictions, and comments. Without further ado, here are some things that I think we might see happen this draft, which is supposedly going to be very deep in talent due to the whole CBA situation:

Get Trent an Opposite Number: DE

The most recent DE drafted "high" by the Birds was of course Bryan Smith in 2008's third round; well, we all know how that turned out. Others, recently? Well, there was Andrew Studebaker in 2008's sixth round, (he plays for the Chiefs as a LB now,) Abiamiri in 2007's second round, Trent in the fifth round of 2005, McDougle in the first round of 2003, and Jamaal Green in the fourth round of 2003. As you can tell, we haven't exactly done well.

A lot of people like Jason Babin, some people think Abiamiri can emerge if he can stay healthy, and a lot of people say the Eagles need another playmaking DE to shore up our 4-man pass rush. (Most of the people from this school like to announce that they've been saying this for years now.)

As for me, I don't think Abiamykneeshurt will ever get truly healthy. I like Babin a lot, and think he should get more opportunities over the course of this season. If he turns into a monster, great. But I am of the school of thought that we need someone who can take all those double-teams off of Cole. We're strong with Cole, and Bunk and Patterson are a great tandem. I think that with a real stud opposite Trent we could have a pretty nasty D-Line.

Okay, Enough Already: LB

Let's face it: with all of our injuries and the loss of Big Stew, our LB core is in serious, serious trouble. A lot of folks seem to think that it's a no-brainer that we need to draft a LB high but I think this is a stickier situation than people are realizing.

Almost everything, of course, depends on whether Stew shows up as his old self next season. But, if you listened to Ingram talk about Bradley's rehab on that piece on PE.com, it sounds as though things are going well. (Of course, Ingram wasn't likely to say anything different.) However, Ingram seemed pretty sincere to me.

If Bradley seems good to go, and with the emergence of Akeem Jordan, what we have left is the SAM position, currently filled by the much-maligned Chris Gocong. I'm not a Gocong-hater; I provisionally accept the arguments that in the Eagles' defense, he plays a lot of important roles that are hard to see. Also, the Birds seem really high on Fokou, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him in the mix for a long time, assuming he can learn that football has rules, and when you break them blatantly you will get penalties called on you. I personally think that Fokou looks like more of a 4-3 WILL than a 4-3 SAM but I work in Advertising and not in the NFL.

As much as we've loved to whine about the LBs recently, I'd be a little surprised to see Reid go after a 'Backer early, unless he's a lot less satisfied with his LBs than he seems to let on. The other question, of course, is what we're going to do with Will Witherspoon when Bradley comes back...

...And Justice For All: OT

Are you someone who believes that Shawn "Mama I'm a Rock Star" Andrews will be playing for the Birds again next season? I'm not. One of the few good stories from this season has been this one: "Well, it turns out that Winston Justice is a totally competent offensive tackle." People seem to think he's better in pass pro than in the run game, but it's been hard not to see that he's developing. Of course, new CBA or no new CBA, he'll be up for a new contract soon, and God knows what will happen with that.

Are we satisfied with Justice? He's been doing just fine but he doesn't look to me like he's going to the Pro Bowl anytime soon. We also, of course, know that Andy Reid likes stockpiling offensive linemen almost as much as he likes cheeseburgers.

I think OT is a possible pick next year, but probably not until the later rounds. I think, from left to right, that 4/5ths of our O-Line will read Peters-Herremans-Jackson-Andrews for a long time. The question is what we do with Justice and that RT position.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to submit that I want King Dunlap to lose some weight, go play basketball, and never step on an NFL field again. Not even for another team. I really do think he's that bad.

Arghh Blargh Dawkins Blargh: S

Oh boy. Okay. Here we go. I'm writing this to address the camp that likes to make arguments that usually go something like this:

DAWKINS WAS THE ENFORCER WE HAVE NO PLAYMAKERS IN THE SECONDARY WEAPON X WOLVERINE BRING BACK DAWKINS LEADERSHIP LEADERSHIP NOW GET ME MY SIX-PACK OF PBR

In case these gentlemen haven't noticed, the Eagles' coaches really, really like Macho Harris. They'll tell you that he's fast, physical, plays hard, and just needs more time to acclimate to one of the most complex defenses in the NFL. I'll go on the record here: I believe them. I've spent a lot of time watching film of him in games and in the pre-season, and I think that once he gets comfortable, he's going to bring the heat as FS. Basically, anybody that gets an unsolicited and ringing endorsement about toughness and physicality from Sheldon Brown gets credit in my books.

I think Jones is the stopgap until Macho gets his confidence up, and that it will then be Macho and Mikell for some time.

It Might Just Be That Time: RB

I hate saying this but I feel that I have to. Brian Westbrook's career is probably over. He might be the best RB in Eagles history, and he certainly helped redefine the role of the receiving RB in the NFL. But, after all of this stuff with his brain, I don't want to see him injure himself for life trying to play the game of football. I'd bet that BWest goes on IR pretty soon.

I think (Christ, I hope,) that we're going to see more of Eldra Buckley from here on out, and there's still that slightly mysterious pickup of P.J. Hill. If either of those guys turn out to be a legitimate hard-nosed, hard-running RB, maybe the Birds don't draft there this upcoming year. Of course, we'd all like to see Andy establish something resembling a consistent and aggressive between-the-tackles running game, but don't bet the rent on that one.

An exciting RB pick isn't something I'm anticipating from the Birds next year, but it's something to keep an eye on. Let's all start collectively praying that they keep Leonard Weaver around. Seriously.

The State of Our Union:

Talent-wise, I actually think the Birds are pretty well set up. I'm excited to have Ingram and Bradley back next year, I think our first three corners will stay consistent, and Celek, Maclin, and DJax will be locks for a while. I bet Andy lets a lot of picks in 2010 go for more picks later, so the selections we will have will be even more interesting.

All right, ladies and gentlemen, weigh in. Let's do the Birds a favor and figure out their drafting strategy for them.

Poll

The Eagles' first draft pick in the 2010 draft will be used on what position?

McCoy ready for the starting job

2009-11-18T04:28:03Z

Lesean McCoy has so far started 3 games in place of Brian Westbrook, who has been injured for the past couple of weeks as the guys already know. Westbrook has had 2 concussions the past 2-3 weeks.

In Lesean's starts for Westbrook, he has had 44 carries for 220 yards and 2 touchdowns. That is about 5 yards per carry, which is pretty good for a rookie. Mccoy has been pretty good, but he will have to do a lot, such as block very well, hit the holes better, and try to do those famous Westbrook screens. Lesean will definitley be able to fill Westbrook's shoes. He will improve over the next games we have, and will show us why the Eagles drafted him in the second round.

Comparison to other rookie running backs drafted this year:

Knowshon Moreno #27 RB(Broncos)-

(The guy we were supposed to draft if the Broncos didn't snag him so high.)

2009 STATS					FANTASY 2009
ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD	OWN(WK+/-)	AVG DRAFT
132	520	3.9	28	2	96.6(-0.0)	70.8

Beanie Wells #26 RB(Cardinals)-

(Eagles weren't really considering him anyway)

2009 STATS					FANTASY 2009
ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD	OWN(WK+/-)	AVG DRAFT
86	395	4.6	29	3	64.0(-0.9)	95.1

Donald Brown #31 RB(Colts)-

(Another guy that the Eagles could have drafted/ and might have drafted had Jeremy Macclin would not have fallen so low)(Just the Raiders being the Raiders, but hey it helped us)

2009 STATS					FANTASY 2009
ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD	OWN(WK+/-)	AVG DRAFT
50	226	4.5	45	2	72.3(-2.4)	106.6

and our man.....

LeSean McCoy #29 RB

2009 STATS					FANTASY 2009
ATT	YDS	AVG	LONG	TD	OWN(WK+/-)	AVG DRAFT
86	353	4.1	66	2	93.0(+2.4)	115.7

Sources from:

http://search.espn.go.com/knowshon-moreno/

http://search.espn.go.com/beanie-wells/

http://search.espn.go.com/donald-brown/

http://search.espn.go.com/lesean-mccoy/

And Lesean Mccoy's 66 yard run against the Giants week 8:

Thought this could cheer you guys up

LeSean McCoy's Amazing run

P.S: I found it funny that when i searched Chris Wells the football player didn't come up. Then I thought of his nickname Beanie, and that's what ESPN catoragized his name as. I guess his nickname stuck with him.

Poll

Bleeding Green Nation: FanPosts

stole from HR ...funny as HELL!

Terror Alert in Chicago

Bird Watch: Balanced Offense Propels Eagles to 24-20 Victory over Bears

Stuff my wife doesn't care about...

10 games in....playoff picture

#5 = Class Act

4th Quarter Comebacks

My first half assessment of the Eagles Bears game

It's Hunting Season in Chicago: Eagles vs. Bears Week 11 Game Preview

Westbrook to miss at least 2-3 weeks

What should Westbrook do?

What record do you think the Eagles finish with ?

Eagles reshuffle LB's again going into the Bears game

Mcnabb and Reid hold a closed door meeting.

Is this Sunday's game a "must win" for the Eagles?

I think Brian should retire.

What does it take to win a championship?

Westbrook Visits Two Concussion Specialists

Take a look!

Would everone please relax?

2010 Draft Candidates

Bryan Bulaga, T, Iowa

Who do you think the Eagles will draft on their first draft pick?

The 2010 Draft

The Eagles' first draft pick in the 2010 draft will be used on what position?

McCoy ready for the starting job

What do you think of LeSean now?