An exhibition in pugilism

Here's the good, bad, and the ugly for our birds:

The Good: The Eagles won the turnover battle. Tony Romo threw an interception at the end of the first quarter ,that the Eagles were able to turn into a touchdown. Then we receovered Romo's fumble in the end zone for another touchdown. Winning the turnover battle will more times than not get you a win. We didn't get many turnovers last year, but the fact we got 2 against a very good team is praise worthy.

We only had 5 penalties for 44 yards, and the Cowboys racked up 10 penalties for 108 yards. Committing fewer penalties than your opponent is yet another key to winning games. Dallas was loud all night long, and the fact that we committed so few penalties indicates to me, that the were focused, and disciplined.

We won the time of possesion battle too, but not by much.

The Eagles defense held the Cowboys running game to less than 80 yards. Marian Barber was held to 63 yards rushing, and Felix Jones added another 10. The Eagles were all over the ball. Seldom were the Cowboys able to open holes to run through. We didn't allow Barber to get the extra yards after contact that he's known for. If the first guy their didn't bring him down, he didn't let go either, and we swarmed to the ball. The front seven looked fierce against the run.

Donovan completed passes to 9 different receivers for 281 yards. DeSean Jackson caught 6 of them for 110 yards. A great deal of credit should go to our offensive line. They gave McNabb a ton of time to make his reads.

Brian Dawkins can still lay the lumber! made a great play to knock the ball out of Martellus Bennett's hands, while leveling the boom on him as well. He had 4 tackles, and a forced fumble recovery.

The Bad: Blown Covverages. Terrell Owens' 1st quarter 72-yard TD reception opened the offensive flood gates. He made a tiny hesitation move between Lito Sheppard and Sean Considine, that allowed him to get behind the defense. The Eagles were in a zone when T.O. made that move. Did that freeze Considine enough for him to blow by him, or did Sean blow his assignment? There's truth to both sides, but the overall body of work for the night would lean towards blown coverage. Jason Witten got in on the action too. He got behind Brian Dawkins for a 42-yard reception on his way to over 100 yards receiving.

In the 2nd quarter DeSean Jackson put on the afterburners, and ran right by a flat footed Ken Hamlin and Adam Jones for a 61-yard reception which would have been a touchdown, except for the fact that he dropped the ball at the 1-yard line. We were lucky that we still got a TD out of it (B-West). I would have chalked this up to being a Rookie, but he has done that before. It's a lack of concetration, and unacceptable. He needs to understand that one play can be the difference between winning and losing.

Pressure on the quarterback. The Eagles didn't record a single sack, and the Cowboys had 4. With the acquistions of Samuel and Clemons this off season Jim Johnson was supposed to conjure up some serious havoc to rain down on opposing quarterbacks. We were able to get pressure, and force Romo into some bad throws. However, we needed to apply more.

Effective use of the tight end. L.J Smith let the first pass of the game bounce off his hands. That set the tone for his night. He caught one pass for 10 yards. Brent Celek only caught one pass too. The Eagles need their tight ends to be effective in the passing game. Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett, and Tony Curtis all caught passes when their number was called.

The Ugly: Turnovers. They cost the Eagles the game, and by "They" I mean the only one we had! Donovan McNabb did some double pump before handing off to Westbrook. Westbrook never got a hold of the football, and the Cowboys pounced on it. They got the ball back at their own 33-yard line. On the ensuing drive Asante Samuel was called for pass interference in the end zone, which gave the Cowboys the ball at the one. Marian Barber scored, and they were able to take the lead for good. There's nothing uglier than losing a game in the fourth quarter.
We need to regroup, and come back strong. It's a short week, and we have got another tough opponent in the Steelers on Sunday.

It was a tough loss for me last night. I watched the game with a Cowboys fan. We went back-and-fourth with some jawing, just as the game did. In the end we agreed that it was a good game. I knew to expect some Dallas propaganda, but there were a few that got my ire up.

Why did I have to see this on SBnation?

Then Alex Marvez, of Fox Sports, is ready to anoint Tony Romo as benevolent ruler of the universe.

I'm tapped out right now. Tomorrow will be much improved.

GO BIRDS!!!!

Eagles vs. Cowboys (A Rivalry Renewed): Pt. 4

Like all good things, this post has come to the end. Offense wins games, but defense wins championships, and that’s today’s topic. We are going to look at the defenses of both teams. Who they have, what’s their depth, performance, injuries, and before it’s all over, I give you the winner! So get your popcorn ready, because this is going to be a show.

Just a few quick notes: 1) All the numbers referenced in this article come from the 2007 season, and were reported at NFL.com 2) Depth charts were provided by Dallascowboys.com and the Philadelphiaeagles.com.

Philadelphia is now on the clock.

The Philadelphia Eagles’ base defense is a 4-3 system. This means that there are 4 down lineman, and 3 linebackers that make up the front 7 of the defense. The most important part of the Eagles defensive scheme is blitzing and creating pressure. Jim Johnson, the Eagles Defensive Coordinator, will send blitzes from anywhere to create pressure, and hopefully create turnovers. The Eagles starting lineup and backups are as followed:
· Left Defensive End – Juqua Parker Backups are Victor Abiamiri, Chris Clemons
· Left Defensive Tackle – Mike Patterson Backups are Trevor Laws
· Right Defensive Tackle – Broderick Bunkley Backups are Dan Klecko
· Right Defensive End – Trent Cole Backups are Darren Howard, Bryan Smith
· Strong Side Linebacker – Chris Gocong Backups are Tank Daniels
· Middle Linebacker – Stewart Bradley Backups are Joe Mays
· Weak Side Linebacker – Omar Gaither Backups are Akeem Jordan
· Left Cornerback – Asante Samuel Backups are Joselio Hanson
· Right Cornerback – Sheldon Brown Backups are Lito Sheppard
· Strong Safety – Quintin Mikell Backups are Sean Considine
· Free Safety – Brian Dawkins Backups are J.R. Reed, Quintin Demps

The Eagles were ranked 10th in the NFL in total defense, averaging 18.8 points and 311.4 yards per game. Against the run, the Eagles ranked 7th in the NFL, giving up 10 TDs, and 1,553 yards on the ground. The Eagles were ranked 18th in the NFL against the pass, giving up 16 TDs and 3,449 yards through the air. The Eagles’ biggest weakness last year, was there inability to generate turnovers. The Eagles didn’t generate a consistent pass rush, and our secondary was depleted by injuries, but that is no longer the case. The Eagles signed cornerback Asante Samuel, and defensive end Chris Clemons, in order to improve upon our weaknesses. The signing of Asante Samuel bolsters the Eagles strength in the secondary. Our defensive line has great depth, and will keep fresh legs on the field for 4 quarters. Our linebackers are young, talented, and aggressive. Look for the Eagles to improve their team defense from a year ago.

The Cowboys use a 3-4 defense, which uses 3 down lineman and 4 linebackers. The 3-4 allows the linebackers to keep everything in front of them (pass and run). In order to be successful, you need linebackers that can do it all, rush the passer, stop the run, and drop into pass coverage. Here’s the Cowboys lineup:
· Right Defensive End – Chris Canty Backups are Stephen Bowen
· Nose Tackle – Jay Ratliff Backups are Tank Johnson
· Left Defensive End – Marcus Spears Backups are Jason Hatcher
· Strong Side Linebacker – Greg Ellis Backups are Anthony Spencer
· Middle Inside Linebacker – Bradie James Backups are Bobby Carpenter, Justin Rogers
· Middle Outside Linebacker – Zach Thomas Backups are Kevin Burnett, Bobby Carpenter
· Weak Side Linebacker – DeMarcus Ware Backups are Justin Rogers
· Left Cornerback – Terence Newman Backups are Mike Jenkins, Alan Ball, Orlando Scandrick
· Right Cornerback – Anthony Henry Backups are Adam Jones
· Free Safety – Ken Hamlin Backups are Courtney Brown
· Strong Safety – Roy Williams Backups are Pat Watkins, Keith Davis

The Cowboys were a strong team on defense in 2007. They were 9th overall, giving up 20.3 points and 307.6 yards per game. They ranked 6th against the run allowing, 12 TDs and 1,513 yards, and 13th against the pass, giving up 19 TDs and 3,409 yards through the air. The Cowboys were a formidable defense in 2007. They improved their depth by adding Tank Johnson (Nose Tackles), and Adam Jones (Cornerback). The Cowboys linebackers have tremendous talent. They can play the pass, or the run at a high level. As a group the Cowboys tallied 398 tackles, and of that, had 32.5 sacks. All around, the Cowboys have a great defense.

The Eagles and Cowboys were neck and neck last year in defensive categories, with the Cowboys having the better overall numbers. Both teams have made moves to improve themselves. So, here’s the final breakdown of both teams, starting up front and moving back. The Eagles defensive line has improved from a year ago. They have great depth that consists of, veterans, and young talent. They will make it difficult for any team to run the ball, and they should be in the passers face all day. The Cowboys are going to be the same. They have got a strong front 3, that know their system well. At the linebacker position the Eagles are young, but highly regarded. The only difference for them is who’s starting, and where. The Cowboys linebackers are older, but aren’t close to being past their prime. In the secondary the Eagles are healthy, and talented. Lito Sheppard and Asante Samuel can cover any receiver on the field. Brian Dawkins is getting older, but is not to be dismissed. The Cowboys sent 3 players in their secondary to the Pro Bowl last year (Newman, Hamlin, Williams). Terence Newman is questionable for the game with a groin injury. Roy Williams can be a liability in pass coverage. Adam Jones is a talent, but has to get all of the rust off from his suspension. The defense is a Push.

Who’s going to win the game? The winner is going to come down to turnovers. That has been the deciding factor in our recent history. The team with the fewer turnovers is going to win this game. Agree with it or not, this game could be a shootout, but I’m thinking that it’s going to be a low scoring affair. This game will be decided on the very last drive.

Eagles 17, Dallas 10

GO BIRDS!!!!!

Eagles vs. Cowboys (A Rivalry Renewed): Pt. 3

Sorry to about missing the Day 3 deadline, but here it is. Enjoy!

It is day three of my investigation of Monday night’s division showdown between the Eagles and Cowboys. To this point, I’ve weighed in on both team’s running backs and quarterbacks. Today, I will finish out the offensive side of the ball, and scrutinize the wide receivers, and tight ends, and who’s the got the advantage. Here are the depth charts for Philadelphia and Dallas [NFL.com].

Dallas Cowboys:

Tight End: Jason Witten, Martellus Bennett, Tony Curtis
Jason Witten is a big target (6-5, 262lbs), and one of the NFL’s elite tight ends. Witten has come in to his own, over the past few years, with last year being his best to date (96 Rec, 1,145 yards, 7 TDs). He’s tough, and a good blocker. Jason Witten is a great red zone target, but he will receive looks anywhere on the field. Jason Witten, in his 6th season, is at the top of his game, will remain there for a few more years.
Martellus Bennett is a rookie out of Texas A&M. Like Witten, Bennett is a big target (6-6, 265lbs). I followed the HBO series “Hard Knocks”, and he appears to be a work in progress. Bennett has raw talent, but it needs to refined and polished. He’ll be out there on special teams, but I don’t know how much time he will see in the offense.
Tony Curtis is in his 3rd year with the Dallas Cowboys. As third man on the depth chart, I expect that most of his contributions will be on special teams, but he does get some offensive looks. In 2007, Tony caught 3 passes, all for touchdowns.

Wide Receiver: Terrell Owens, Patrick Crayton, Isaiah Stanback, Sam Hurd, Miles Austin
Terrell Owens is one of the best receivers in the game. He’s the best option that Dallas has at wide receiver, and rightfully so. He’s physical receiver, with good size (6-3, 218lbs), and great speed. At 34, Owens doesn’t show any signs of losing a step. He’s gone over 1,100 yards the past 2 seasons that he has been with the Cowboys. Owens will draw the focus of every coordinator in the league, and more times than not, “The Player” wins.
Sam Hurd is listed on this week’s injury report for Dallas with a high ankle sprain. Hurd was expected to do some running at Wednesday’s practice, but according the injury report on the Eagles website, he didn’t participate. He’s not expected to play in Monday night’s game in Dallas either. I will exclude him from further reference.
Miles Austin is another 3rd year play on this Dallas team. He will be the number 2 receiver behind Terrell Owens (replacing Sam Hurd). Austin is on Dallas’ injury report with a sprained left knee, but he may be available for the game on Monday night. There is little to no body of work to judge him at the position. Austin is a big receiver (6-3, 216lbs), which is always a positive.
Patrick Crayton is a solid wide receiver, but is a big drop-off in talent from T.O. Crayton has dropped some key balls in the past, but is looking to change all of that. He’s got decent size (6-0, 203lbs), but no real advantage.
Isaiah Stanback is a converted quarterback, and is Patrick Crayton’s backup. At 6-2, and 208lbs, he’s another good sized receiver, and the Cowboys have high expectations for him. He’s coming off a preseason shoulder injury, and had 2 catches for 24 yards against Cleveland.

Note: Dallascowboys.com’s injury report was last updated Monday, September 8th.

Philadelphia Eagles:

Tight End: L.J. Smith, Brent Celek, Matt Schobel
L.J. Smith is looking to have a come back season. In 2007 he was hampered (to say the least) by a sports hernia injury. At 6-3, and 258lbs, Smith provides a good target in the middle of the field, and in the red zone. Smith has good hands, but needs to be more consistent.
Brent Celek is in his 2nd season out of Cincinnati. He’s got good size (6-4, 255lbs). Brent Celek is a solid player that will contribute, but his contributions need to increase.
Matt Schobel is in 7th season, will take Celek’s place from time-to-time, when the Eagles are in a 2 tight end set. Like Celek he’s able to contribute, but there’s definitely room for improvement.

Wide Receiver: Reggie Brown, DeSean Jackson, Greg Lewis, Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant, Hank Baskett
Reggie Brown is entering his 4th season with the Eagles, and is currently hampered by a hamstring injury. Reggie Brown has been a slow starter for the Eagles, and tends to come on strong as the season progresses. Brown is a good receiver, with decent size (6-1, 197lbs). He’s not going to blow by defensive backs with any consistency, but is a good possession receiver. He needs to have a breakout performance this year. Hamstring injuries are nagging, and you can expect that it will hinder any chances of him starting off this season any different from his past three.
DeSean Jackson is a rookie out of Cal, who has exceeded all expectation to this point. Jackson was expected to come in, and contribute in the return game, and see some time as the slot receiver. With the injuries sustained to Reggie Brown and Kevin Curtis, DeSean was thrust into a more primary role. Jackson is an undersized (5-10, 175lbs) speedster, that has drawn comparisons to Steve Smith. DeSean has shown a knack for creating space between himself, and his defender. He was impressive against the Rams with 6 catches for 106 yards.
Greg Lewis is a 6th year veteran of the Eagles. He’s a good enough receiver. Lewis isn’t going to dominate any defenses, but he does seem to come through with some timely catches. Greg Lewis will contribute, but he’s not going to get many hundred yard games.
Kevin Curtis statistically, is the Eagles best receiver. He had career numbers last year for the Eagles, but is out indefinitely after suffering a sports hernia injury. He hasn’t been placed on IR, but he’s not going to be a factor no earlier than week 8.
Jason Avant is a 3rd year Eagle. He’s one the biggest Eagles receivers at 6-0, 212lbs. He’s a good possession receiver for us. Avant will get those short yardage pass plays, and enable to the Eagles to keep moving the chains.
Hank Baskett is the Eagles’ biggest receiver (6-4, 220lbs), and is entering his 3rd season. Baskett is a deep threat receiver. His size gives him a distinct advantage over most defensive backs. He is a work in progress, but he will make big plays throughout the season.

When looking at the Eagles’ and Cowboys’ wide receivers/tight ends, the initial reaction is that the Cowboys have a decisive advantage. They’ve got T.O and Witten. Owens and Witten are the two best players in this discussion. The will both be relied upon heavily in the passing game. However, once you move past those two players, the Cowboys have several guys that are playing with injuries, learning the system, and just don’t get as many looks. On the other hand, the Eagles don’t have any superstars (yet), but have guys that know the system, and will contribute on game-to-game basis. So the receiver tight end matchup is a push.

Am I wrong?

GO BIRDS!!!!

Eagles vs. Cowboys (A Rivalry Renewed): Pt. 2

Today, I am going to look at the quarterbacks for the Eagles, and Cowboys. The majority of this analysis will look at Donovan McNabb, and Tony Romo. I'm going to briefly include Kevin Kolb, A.J. Feeley, Brooks Bollinger, and Brad Johnson in this post, because they could see time, if someone were to get injured, and thus could have a potential impact on the outcome of Monday night's showdown in Dallas. I will incorporate statistics in this discussion, but I will use them sparingly. They are more to display each quarterbacks body of work, than to argue who’s got the advantage.

Donovan McNabb, Tony Romo, both men are the respective faces of their franchise. They are also considered to be among the elite active quarterbacks in the NFL. Tony Romo and Donovan McNabb share a lot of similarities on the playing field. However, their biggest difference is where they are in their careers. Tony Romo, in his 6th season, is the young, up and coming quarterback. Romo is looking to keep the Dallas Cowboys at the top of the NFC East. Donovan McNabb, in his 10th season, is an established member of the quarterback aristocracy. McNabb will be fighting to bring the Eagles back to their dominant ways of the early 2,000's. Both quarterbacks are looking to lead their team to a Super Bowl championship. To do that, they are going to have to face one another at least two times a year. Yesterday, Dallas won the coin toss, and went first. So it's the Eagles' ball today.

Donovan McNabb has become a prolific passer in the NFL. He has the ability to make any throw that is asked of him. Which wasn’t always the case, early on in his career, he was notorious for short hopping passes, and not consistently putting the ball on the money. He used to his athleticism, as a counter measure. If he saw daylight, he was gone. That’s not his game anymore. Today, Donovan’s game has evolved. He’s more of a pocket passer that, if the play breaks down, can make one with his legs. As Donovan learned the art of being a better pocket passer, he became a better quarterback. He led the Eagles to the playoffs 5 years running, 4 consecutive Divisional championships, and one Super Bowl. Since 2005, McNabb has suffered a number of season ending injuries, but in those years he was putting up MVP like statistics. McNabb is once again healthy, confident, and assume his role as team leader. Here are the numbers on Donovan McNabb (career):
1. 58.7 completion percentage
2. 25,765 yards passing
3. 174 TDs
4. 79 Ints
5. 2,965 yards rushing
6. 24 rushing TDs
When Donovan McNabb is healthy, he’s one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. His strength and size give him the ability to elude tacklers, see the field, and put the ball anywhere he needs to. He’s become a more patient passer, makes better reads as well, and he spreads the ball around effectively. Donovan McNabb has tackled every adversity that he’s faced in the NFL, and that has made him a better player.

Dallas fans should thank Bill Parcells for two things: 1) Signing Tony Romo as an undrafted free agent and 2) Keeping him on the bench for three years. Tony Romo came out of relative obscurity, and onto the stage that is being the Cowboys starting quarterback. In 2006 he replaced Drew Bledsoe as the starting quarterback in Dallas, and led the Cowboys to the playoffs. In 2007, Romo and the Cowboys went 13-3, back to the playoffs, and he got rewarded with a big contract. He’s got a strong arm, and can make all the throws. He has good patience in the pocket, and makes good reads as well. Romo will stand in there, and take a hit, in order to deliver a throw, but if nothing is there, he will scramble. When Romo has time to make all of his reads he can pick a team apart. Here are the numbers on Romo:
1. 65.1 completion percentage
2. 7,434 yards passing
3. 56 TDs
4. 33 Ints
5. 228 yards rushing
6. 2 rushing TDs
Tony Romo was an unpolished gem, and by giving him time to learn, and develop he has ascended. He has the ability, and intelligence to be a great quarterback in the NFL. Tony Romo has been compared on numerous occasions to Brett Favre, which is high praise (depending how you look at it). Both Tony Romo and Brett Favre shoot from the hip at times. They may force an issue, and that can lead to turnovers. I don’t think that Tony Romo has peaked just yet, he’s close though. As he gets more and more game experience he should continue to improve.

Backing up Tony Romo is 17 year veteran Brad Johnson. Johnson is a journeyman of the NFL. He’s also a Super Bowl champion. Here are his career numbers:
1. 61.8 completion percentage
2. 28,627 yards passing
3. 164 TDs
4. 117 Ints
5. 658 yards rushing
6. 8 rushing TDs
Brad Johnson has got a lot of experience. His best attribute as a quarterback is his ability to manage a game. He might not going win you the game, but he’s not going to necessarily lose you the game either. Quarterbacks with his years of experience are useful. If Romo were to get hurt, Johnson could come in, and win a few games, but he’s not a sustainable solution.

The Eagles have placed the backup duties on the shoulders of 2nd year quarterback Kevin Kolb. Kolb has played only an insignificant amount of time, but for conformities sake, here are his numbers:
1. 83.3 completion percentage
2. 53 yards passing
3. 0 TDs
4. 0 Ints
5. -5 yards rushing
6. 0 rushing TDs
Kevin was a 2nd round draft choice last year, and would appear to be Donovan’s eventual replacement. He needs to continue to improve, before he’ll be ready to take over. He looked good in the preseason, but has yet to play a full 4 quarters of NFL football. Kevin has got a strong arm, which he showcased during the ’08 preseason. He’s got a steep learning curve in front of him, but fortunately for him, he’s got the fans support, for now.

Coming in at third on the Cowboys’ depth chart is Brooks Bollinger. Brooks is entering his 6th season in the NFL. Here’s what he brings to the table:
1. 58.6 completion percentage
2. 2,156 yards passing
3. 8 TDs
4. 8 Ints
5. 155 yards rushing
6. 0 rushing TDs
I know little about Brooks Bollinger beyond the fact that he exists. He has some playing experience, most of which came while playing for the Jets. I imagine that Brooks was brought in to add depth at the position, but I think Jerry Jones might strap on a helmet, before Bollinger gets under center.

Our 3rd string quarterback is A.J. Feeley. Feeley is in his 8th season, and has played for the Eagles, Dolphins, and Chargers. Here are Feeley’s career numbers:
1. 55.9 completion percentage
2. 4,070 yards passing
3. 27 TDs
4. 29 Ints
5. 45 yards rushing
6. 1 rushing TD
Feeley has shown flashes of Brilliance, and is a good leader. A.J. stepped up in 2002, and won like 6 games after McNabb and Detmer went down to injury. During the 2007 season, Feeley looked liked he was going to do the unthinkable, and knock off the undefeated Patriots. He committed a fatal error during the final drive. He threw the ball right into coverage, and the Patriots intercepted the ball. Feeley has the ability to steal games. He’s also got a penchant for committing costly errors in clutch situations.

In summation, if Brad Johnson and Kevin Kolb were to play the game, Johnson would have the advantage. This is always a high pressure game. Kolb hasn’t been field tested, and Johnson has plenty of experience. If A.J. Feeley and Brooks Bollinger were the starters, I give Feeley the advantage. Feeley has more of a history with the Cowboys, than Bollinger does with the Eagles. A.J. is Wiley, and can pull a win out of nowhere. Finally, we have the matchup that is going to almost certainly take place, McNabb vs. Romo. Donovan McNabb wins this matchup. He’s got a huge advantage in experience over Tony. Monday night’s game is going to have a playoff atmosphere, and I think that will affect Romo more than McNabb. So, the advantage goes to the Eagles.

What are your thoughts?
Statistics provided by NFL.com

GO BIRDS!!!!

Eagles vs. Cowboys (A Rivalry Renewed): Pt. 1

Although, I'm still revelling in the glory that was our week 1 dismantling of the Rams, my attention has turned elsewhere. My focus has zeroed in on our week 2 division battle with Dallas. Both Dallas, and Eagles' fans alike, can agree that this matchup is of great importance. The winner, will take an early lead atop the division, which is one more step towards the playoffs. The loser, will have experienced a setback, and need to muster their resolve to keep moving forward. It's early in the season, but the game will be a pivotal one for both teams. Over the next week, I'm going to post a head-to-head comparison, and what I see as keys to coming out on top. Todays look, will be at the running backs.

Cowboys: Marian Barber III, Felix Jones, Tashard Choice

The Cowboys running game was nasty, in their handling of Cleveland. MB3 ran for 80 yards on 16 carries, and had 2 touchdowns. Felix Jones ran for 62 yards on 9 carries, and 1 touchdown. Then to wrap up the game Tashard Choice ran for 26 yards on carries. You can't knock that kind of hussle.

Marian Barber is Dallas' featured back. Barber is a physical back, who's not afraid of contact. I'm going to take a step further and say, that he enjoys it. Barber is difficult (to say the least) to bring down with initial contact, and usually will earn a few more yards after contact. Barber is an excellent blocker, and accomplished pianist (funny word), as was displayed in this years HBO documentary Hard Knocks. He seldom fumbles the ball, and is an adequate receiver as well. Barber has yet to rush for over a 1,000 yards, but that can be explained by the fact that he was Dallas' short yardage back behind Julius Jones, until now. As the featured back, I read somewhere that his workload will increase from 204 carries last year, to around 250. Which will be a huge increase in his workload. The increase could become a factor later in the season, but shouldn't have much relevance to Monday's game. What will have an impact is his bruised ribs. I would be flat out shocked, if Barber were scratched from the lineup. I expect that he'll be there, and so does his team [Profootballtalk]. Most likely, Barber will receive a cortizone shot, and wear some additional padding, but that's only going to enable him to play. I know from personal experience that bruised ribs are painful, and long lasting. Day-to-day activities, such as getting out of bed, become chores. It's quite possible that Barber could be pensive, and avoid those collision that usually allow him to get those few extra yards. Barber's sure-handedness could be jeapordized by the additional padding as well. Marian Barber may not be at 100% come game day. If the injury does have an impact, the Cowboys shouldn't worry too much, they've got this rookie out or Arkansas. What's his name??

Felix Jones, the rookie from Arkansas, is the change of pace back for Dallas. He's good. Really good. He can run between the tackles, or take it to the outside. He can catch, and he's a threat to score every time he touches the ball. Jones lurked in the shadows of Darren McFadden, but he wasn't any slouch, check out the numbers [Felix Jones]. In my opinion, Felix Jones is a young Brian Westbrook.

Tashard Choice, is another rookie, but I don't know much about. I do know that he bulldozed the Browns last Sunday to close out the Cowboys victory. Take a look at his bio [Tashard Choice].

Eagles: Brian Westbrook, Correll Buckhalter, Lorenzon Booker

Brian Westbrook had a good game against the Rams. He rushed for 91 yards on 19 carries, and 2 touchdowns (1 receiving). Buckhalter, and Booker combined for 14 yards rushing on 7 carries, but the Eagles don't rely on the running game nearly as much as other teams.

Brian Westbrook, is an offense unto himself. Countless times, He has taken the Eagles offense on his shoulders, and brought us to victory. He can do so many things, and opposing defenses have to scheme around him. Last year, he ran for over 1,300 yards, caught 90 passes for 771 yards, and recorded 12 touchdowns. Westbrook, also receives praise for his blocking ability. He's a difficult guy to defend against. Brian Westbrook is in a good place right now, he's healthy, and happy (just got a new deal). Look for Westbrook to expose the mismatch of being covered by a linebacker. If/When he gets to the second level he could take it to the house.

Correll Buckhalter, is a strong runner, who is best suited running north/south. His career average is 4.5 yards a carry. Buckhalter is a good secondary back. He's going to give you positive yardage, strong play. If Buckhalter can stay healthy, he'll keep the chains moving, by gaining positive yardage, and give Westbrook a rest throughout the game.

Lorenzo Booker, was acquired by the Eagles in a draft-day trade with the Miami Dolphins in 2008. As a rookie, he tallied 125 yards rushing on 28 carries, 237 yards on 28 catches, in just 7 games. Booker, in his sophomore season out of Florida State will provide another threat out of the backfield for the birds, when lined up with Westbrook. Although, we didn't see any of this during the St. Louis game, we'll probably see it against Dallas. Lining Booker and Westbrook in the backfield will make opposing defenses take notice, and provide any number of mismatches for the Eagles to capitalize on.

Brian Westbrook is one of the best backs in the NFL, and he takes the advantage over Marian Barber. That being said, The Cowboys are the better team at the runningback position. They have an excellent back in Marian Barber, who's going to wear down defenses with his running style. Then you have Felix Jones, who's a homerun hitter, every time he touches the ball. Then if the first two fail, there's one more Choice (Bad joke). The Cowboys depth and skill at the position is too much, and Brian Westbrook is irreplaceable to us.

Tomorrow, I'm going to look at the Quarterback position. Until then, what's your take on this?

Go Birds!!!!

Monday Morning Glory

Fly Eagles, Fly. On the road to victory.
Fly Eagles, Fly. Score a touchdown 1,23.

Good Monday morning, and welcome to a glorious day after a win post. I was fortunate enough to attend yesterdays, dismantling of the St. Louis Rams 38-3. It was such an awesome site, and the exactly what the Eagles, and the city of Philadelphia needed to see yesterday. It's a great game in Philly, when the only thing the "Boo Birds" have as ammunition, is the fact we gave up a field goal late in the 4th, and lost the shutout. So, let's talk Eagles.
Receiving:
DeSean Jackson shouldn't be annointed as our savior, but he is making a strong case for himself. Jackson caught 6 passes for 106 yards, and an additional 97 yards returning points. Which included one for 60 yards, that was close to being a touchdown. He stepped in yesterday, and met the expectations of the Eagles, and the crowd. Although this was just his first game, against a sub-par team, Jackson performed admirably. Next week's Monday Night battle with Dallas, will be a more challenging test.

Not falling too far from the Jackson tree, the other Eagles' receivers stepped up as well. Hank Baskett had 2 catches for 102 yards, and a touchdown. Greg Lewis had 104 yards receiving too. In total 8 players had receptions. This is important, when a team doesn't have one go-to-guy at receiver. Everyone is going to have to chip in, and yesterday they did.

A point of displeasure was L.J. Smith (according to some accounts), but certainly not mine. He had 5 receptions for 39 yards, and a tough Touchdown grab in the first quarter. Stonehands? I think not. He did drop a shovel-esque pass in the endzone, but I didn't think that he did a bad job.
Passing:
Behind every good pass, there is a good quarterback. Donovan McNabb, was great!!!! Top passer for the week with 361 yards passing, completing 21 of 33 passing attempts, 3 touchdowns, and a QB rating of 131. He hit his receivers in stride, and looked nimble in the pocket. Donovan looks like he's ready to be our quarterback, and I'm ready for him to do that too!
Running:
Brian Westbrook looked good as always, claiming 91 yards rushing on 19 attempts, and 2 touchdowns (1 receiving). Tony Hunt scored on 1 yard run in the 3rd. Booker added 9 yards, and Buckhalter had 5 yards.
O-Line:
The Eagles offensive line kept McNabb upright, and opened holes for Westrbook, There is little more that one could ask for. They did a good job, and receive a gold star next to each of the names.
Defense:
They looked marvelous. We held the Rams to 166 total yards, and only gave up 3 points, while recording 4 sacks. The secondary was batting passes down, and Steven Jackson was held to 40 yards rushing for the game. We got great play from every position on the field. Although we didn't have any turnovers (which has been a point of focus), we didn't need them. We stopped every Rams drive, before they even got started.
Summation:
The Eagles looked good on both sides of the ball yesterday. The Eagles attack was a balanced one. The Defense was aggressive. The Rams performance was lack-luster at best. The Eagles took them out of their game early, and they never made an attempt to get back in it either. We have got a big test coming next week. It's against our division rival Cowboys. We'll talk more on our Monday night showdown later.

Around the league:
The road to glory has just taken a turn through disasterville. What some saw as a dirty play, everyone saw as the end. Tom Brady's knee is the hot topic of today. Leaving the game, and not returning has got everyone buzzing. Waiting to hear the results of his MRI. If the injury is season ending, then a world of possibility could blossom forth. Losing the Patriots posterboy for the season could lead to missing the playoffs. What we know for certain is this: Matt Cassel isn't a backup quarterback. He's a backup's backup. If Brady's injury ends his season, Matt Cassel will still be on clipboard, and jock-strap duties. During the Football Night in America broadcast, Peter King talked about how devestating Tom Brady's injury was to the NFL!!! This gets my Ire. Yes, he's a great quarterback, posterboy for the NFL, and the leader of the Patriots. However, if Tom Brady is indeed done for the year, the NFL is not going to collapse. The world will not end.

I have a fever, and the only cure is. More Highlights. Last night Football Night in America became the show to watch. Why? Because, they have all the highlights. Profootballtalk.com compared Football Night in America with ESPN, and came to the conclusion that it was better, but needed more highlights. I wasn't all that impressed. I'll watch, because I want to see hightlights, but the show itself seems chaotic. There was a lot take in during the broadcast. The show just had too many people, in too many places on the same set for liking. Up top you had the line up of Keith Oberlman, Dan Patrick, Bob Costas, and sometimes Peter King. Then at a table below you had Jerome Bettis, Tiki Barber, and Chris Collinsworth as the mediator. Interesting note: Shawn Merriman played only 2 downs.

Jake Delhomme spent the summer under John Elway's tutelage, and subsequently mastered the 4th quarter comeback. Scoring the game winning touchdown as time expires, it doesn't get much better than that.

Marion Barber III bangs up ribs, in win over the Browns. This is a serious issue for a guy who's running style is that of bull. Although according to ESPN's sources, the ribs are not broken. He's got a full week to rest up for the Monday night's showdown with the Eagles. It would be to the Eagles benefit if Barber is limited or unable to play. That doesn't mean that the Cowboys running game will vanish. Rookie Felix Jones can step up, and keep their running game alive, and well.


That's it for now. Don't forget about tonight's Monday Night Double-Header.





GO BIRDS!!!

Since when did adequate replacements instill confidence?

Andy Reid doesn't think that we should be alarmed that our best receiver from a year ago will miss "be out for a while," due to a sports hernia. Really??

Yeah, were going to have to agree to disagree on that. We should be alarmed, and for a number of reasons.

Hank Baskett and Greg Lewis will be filling in for Curtis. Two is not better than one, at least when it comes to replacing Kevin Curtis. Andy Reid has stated that Baskett and Lewis will share the responsibility of replacing him. Baskett and Lewis' numbers combined don't add up to Kevin's.

Reggie Brown is suffering from a hamstring injury. It's my observation that hamstring injuries are nagging ones, and that they are very difficult to get rid of. It's no secret that Reggie Brown is a late starter when healthy. Without Curtis in the Lineup he is going to have to step his game up big time, and we have yet to see him do that. Coach Reid says that he will be ready on opening day. Let's hope that he can shake off his injury, and start the season off strong.

DeSean Jackson will be called upon to make another transition from backup to starting receiver. He's slotted to replace Brown in Friday's game in New England. Jackson has really impressed me so far this off season as a receiver, and I hope that he continues to improve. However he is not truly NFL tested yet. If he is called upon to step in, and replace Brown during the season how will he handle it.

The West Coast Offense is a passing offense, and requires solid receivers. That's why the Eagles were so active in the offseason trying to land Moss or Fitzgerald. They needed another receiver.

I like that the guys are confident that they can step up, and do what is neccessary to win, but I have my concerns. We weren't able to land a big name receiver in the offseason, but we picked up a potential gamer in the draft. Now we are missing 2 of our starting receivers. We need their productivity in order to compete within our division. Let's hope for the best!

Go Birds!!!!

Resources:

Andy Reid isn't concerned.

Dreaming of Boldin.

Eagles receivers use "Moto."

"Like Riding A Bike

With Day 2 of training camp in the books, there's no big story. So, here are some smaller nuggets of bliss for everyone to wrap their minds around. These pearls are brought to you by Donovan McNabb, an Jim Johnson.

Playoffs: Donovan is confident that he, and the Eagles will return to form of yester year, and make the playoffs! He's quoted as saying it's, "Like riding a bike." I find solace in Donovan's confidence. He's the face of the Ealges, and he takes the brunt of Philadelphia's criticism. This is what a quarterback is supposed to do. I don't think that it's lip service either. McNabb believes in himself, and his teammates. That's 10 points for our fearless leader. I'm not trying to get ahead of anything though. There is a long road ahead of the Eagles in order to make the playoffs, but on paper we certainly have the potential.

D-Mac on: Donovan gives his take on a number of topics. Most of the answers sounded similar to me, but what do I know. The one that really stood out in my mind though was on whether Westbrook will hold out or not. Donovan is confident that he'll (Westbrook) will report on time. I'm not so sure about that one. Another season under his belt isn't going to make his case any stronger. The real issue is his age. Hopefully they can resolve this quickly. Everyone agrees that he is crucial to running a successful offense.

A Lot of Nickel: What do you do when you have 3 starting cornerbacks (2 of 3 are all-pro)? You play a whole lot of nickel defense. Jim Johnson thinks that you will see some variation of the nickel package between 50-60% of the time this season. I'm excited to see what our defense does this year.

Injuries: A couple of guys on the PUP list, but not really a big deal. Trevor Laws and Bryan Smith are on their, but they are expected to be ready to go in the coming weeks. Jake Ikegwuonu will spend his rookie year on the PUP list rehabbing his knee.

So far, so good.
Anyone got some dirt to discuss?

Welcome to Lehigh University(A recap)

Footballs Back, and I couldn't be more stoked! The Eagles opened up training camp at Lehigh University yesterday . Rookies, and select veterans were scheduled to attend. The rest of the team will arrive on Thursday. The report's from the organization after day one were positive, as is to be expected. Here are some concerns, and some reasons to breathe a sigh of relief.

Will Westbrook report on Thursday? It has been reported that Brian Westbrook wants LT money. He feels that he should receive $30 million in guaranteed money. Most would agree that he deserves that kind of money, but turning 30 this year is the big issue. Running backs at that age are considered to be depreciated in value. Shaun Alexander signed a contract with $15 million in guaranteed money after receiving the MVP award, and taking the Sea Hawks to the Super Bowl. He was 29. If were up to me, I would pay the man. If anyone thinks that Lorenzo Booker and Ryan Moats can replace Westbrook they need get in check with reality. I think that this is going to get complicated, and I don't expect that Westbrook will report on Thursday.

DeSean Jackson get his deal done on Sunday. It's crucial that as a rookie who is expected to make an immediate impact be in camp on time. Now he's got to strap on his pads, and put in some work. We really need to improve our return game from last year, and Jackson certainly has the potential to do just that. I'm not so concerned with seeing him at the receiver position right now. His time will come eventually, but for now he's more important to special teams.

Trevor Laws is in camp, and has a deal. Like his fellow 2nd round choice Laws signed a 4 year deal with Philadelphia completing the signing of this years draft class. Laws will bolster what I think is a solid group at defenisive tackle. Missing the first day of practice isn't going to impede his ability to learn the system.

Here are some other stories from around the NFC:

Redskins are dropping like flies: Alex Buzbee, Phillip Daniels, Fred Smoot (This was just on Sunday). Jim Zorn loves leg injuries!

Jason Taylor traded to the Redskins. Is he another Jevon Kearse? The NFC East is a physical place to play. Runyan should give him a good eye gouge to provie it.

Chris Cooley thinks training camp is as much fun as a, "Bag of dicks." Like, many players isn't a fan of training camp. I take him on the Eagles any day.

Shockey's a Saint? It's what he wanted. Now that he's a Saint, I predict that he may actually live up to the expectations that were set for him when he joined the NFL.

What will day 2 of camp have in store?



This picture serves no purpose beyond shear enjoyment. Keep crying Romo.

"Money over championships"

Big words from small man! It would seem that Wes Welker has supreme confidence in his team, but does that give him the right to make a statement like this? Is he taking a shot across the the Eagles' bow?

No, he is not qualified to make that type of statement. Tom Brady, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Troy Brown to name a few have earned that right. Why would they have the right you ask? They all have the hardware to back it up. Wes Welker has not won a Super Bowl yet.

I don't think that he was taking a shot at the Eagles either. I do believe that people will interpret his statement that way, but what do you think?

1. Do you think that he was making a statement about the Bird's chances?

2. Do you think that he was making a statement as to the character of Samuels?

3. Is Wes Welker's lack of Super Bowl rings enough to discredit anything that he says in relation to championships?