SB Nation - Victor Abiamiri

State of the AFC West Week 9

Sam (sdsuaztec4) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 23:15:45 -0000

Well well well, here we are after week 9, a week I'd been looking forward to for awhile. I had a crazy day on Sunday which of course had a perfect ending. Last night's game was the proverbial "icing on the cake". The Chargers are now 1 game back at the halfway point of the season with 8 games to go. The Broncos still have the advantage with the 1 game lead and a win over the Chargers as a potential tiebreaker. As far as the schedules, of the 8 games remaining, 3 are easy division games (2 KC 1 OAK), but 4 are against tough teams (SD, NYG, INDY, PHI) and their game this week at Washington. On the other hand, the Chargers get the Browns and Titans, don't have to play Indy, but they only play the Chiefs one more time. As far as momentum, it is clearly on the side of the Chargers who have capped their three game winning streak with an emotional win at the Meadowlands. The Broncos on the other hand are riding a two-game losing streak that included two disappointing second halves. Oakland and KC are still out of the picture.

Jump the break for individual teams.

AFC West Standings

	W	L	PF	PA
Denver	6	2	150	124
San Diego	5	3	206	179
Oakland	2	6	78	201
Kansas City	1	7	126	205

(updated 11.10.2009 at 1:30 AM PST)

Oakland Raiders: The Raiders had a quiet bye week getting healthy and trying not to lose any football games. Running back Darren McFadden, wide receiver Chaz Schilens, left guard Robert Gallery and right tackle Cornell Green returned to practice Monday and are expected to play against the Kansas City Chiefs this week. So that's good news. Although Tom Cable won't be charged criminally, the NFL is evaluating the situation and sending out people to determine if Cable should attend anger management classes. The National League of Women (NOW) and other women's rights groups are calling for Cable's job. The Raiders next division match-up is this week's pillow-fight of the week in Oakland. Let the battle to determine the most dysfunctional team begin, too bad nobody will see it because it will likely be blacked out.

Oakland Raiders Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Cornell Green	calf	11/09/2009
Tony Stewart	chest	11/09/2009
Gerard Warren	toe	11/09/2009
Jon Alston	shoulder	11/09/2009
Ricky Brown	ankle	11/09/2009
Robert Gallery	fibula	11/09/2009
Tommy Kelly	elbow	11/09/2009
Chris Johnson	groin	11/09/2009
Chaz Schilens	foot	11/09/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
John Bowie	knee	09/30/2009
Oren O'Neal	ankle	10/14/2009

Kansas City Chiefs: The Chiefs played a close game against the Jaguars which inevitably ended in another loss. As the Chiefs march toward another top 5 draft pick, the big story is still the rapid fall of Larry Johnson which ended in his release from the Chiefs. Although they will probably end up paying him a lot of money since I doubt anyone will pick him up, this gives Jamaal Charles more opportunity to play and gets rid of a clubhouse cancer. Chris Chambers seem to have rejuvenated their offense, at least for the moment, with two TD passes. The addition seems to have helped the Chiefs and the Chargers at the same time, and Chris will probably be happier too. As already mentioned, the Chiefs next division game is at Oakland which I'm sure will be terribly exciting.

Kansas City Chiefs Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Jon McGraw	thigh	11/09/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Devard Darling	knee	09/01/2009
Jarrad Page	calf	11/04/2009
Jackie Battle	shoulder	10/14/2009
Colin Brown	undisclosed	09/05/2009

Denver Broncos: Will the real Broncos please stand up? Are they the 6-0 team or the 0-2 team? Are they the second-half juggernaut or the second-half duds? Is Kyle Orton the QB who threw one INT in 7 games or 3 INT's in one game? Are they a punishing opponents on the lines or the team that didn't get ONE rushing first-down against the Steelers? The answer is probably somewhere close to the middle. Teams are starting to key on the Broncos weakness and adjusting their game-plans as such. Kyle Orton looks nervous as opposed to the pillar of strength he looked like earlier in the season. Either way, the Broncos are much better than everyone thought but they still aren't an elite team. The Steelers were clearly the superior team last night, even at Mile High. The Broncos have lost some momentum going forward but they are still healthy and still have the advantage over the Chargers. Now is the time for Josh McDaniels to adjust to the adjustments that other teams are making. Going forward, we will see if the Broncos and McDaniels are studs or duds. The game at Washington this weekend may tell us a lot about the Broncos. Their next division match-up looks to be a huge game with playoff implications at Mile High against the Chargers.

Denver Broncos Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Ryan McBean	knee	11/10/2009
Peyton Hillis	other-excused	11/10/2009
David Bruton	groin	11/10/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Nick Greisen	knee	08/05/2009
J'Vonne Parker	knee	08/08/2009

San Diego Super Chargers: The Bolts are flying high after an emotional victory at the Meadowlands and gaining the momentum in the AFC West race if not the advantage. They are finally getting healthy, emotionally and physically, as well and it looks like All-Pro center Nick Hardwick will make his return to Qualcomm Stadium this weekend against the Eagles. The Chargers are still a little banged up at the linebacker position; SP95 was injured in the Giants game and Kevin Burnett and Tim Dobbins are still ailing. It looks like Phillips and Burnett will play this weekend while Dobbins will sit. LB Jyles Tucker is also most likely out this weekend. It looks like the Eagles are having the same problem the Chargers were earlier in the season: inability to keep anyone healthy. If Westbrook is out and the Eagles must depend on the passing game, the Chargers could win big with improved pass rush from Shawne Merriman and Shaun Phillips. The Chargers are also only 2-2 this season and they need to improve their play at home. The game is already sold out so we know it will be loud this weekend. Our next division match-up is Week 11 at Mile High Stadium.

San Diego Chargers Injuries

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Tim Dobbins	knee	11/09/2009
Nick Hardwick	ankle	11/09/2009
Kevin Burnett	ankle	11/09/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Ryon Bingham	arm	09/05/2009
Jamal Williams	triceps	09/19/2009
Antwan Applewhite	hamstring	10/20/2009
Brandon Hughes	knee	09/02/2009

Philadelphia Eagles Injuries

Probable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Max Jean-Gilles	shoulder	11/09/2009

Questionable

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Victor Abiamiri	knee	11/09/2009
Chris Gocong	other-excused	11/09/2009
Akeem Jordan	knee	11/10/2009
Brian Westbrook	ankle	11/09/2009
Quintin Demps	ankle	11/09/2009

Out (IR / Out / Suspended / Physically unvailable)

Player	Injury Type	Injury Date
Shawn Andrews	back	09/15/2009
Stewart Bradley	knee	09/01/2009
Omar Gaither	foot	10/22/2009
Cornelius Ingram	knee	09/01/2009
Fenuki Tupou	chest	09/05/2009

Who's In and Who's Out: Giants @ Eagles

Bob_Q — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:06 -0000

More photos » by Manuel Balce Ceneta - AP

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As expected, Kevin Curtis and Victor Abiamiri will not be playing Sunday afternoon while they recoup from their knee injuries. Dimitri Patterson will also remain off the field while he recovers from his broken hand and quad injury. The big questions this week, though, are the status of Brian Westbrook and Macho Harris, who are both listed as questionable. Westbrook sustained a concussion last week against the Redskins, so it's hard to believe that Andy Reid will seriously risk his star player aggravating his injury. LeSean McCoy is likely to get the start, and should have his hands full with the Giants' dominant defensive line. Macho Harris didn't practice all week due to an ankle injury, and it is looking more and more like Sean Jones will take his place as starting free safety. This isn't as serious a loss though, as Jones is an experienced former starter who has a knack for always being around the ball. Refer to KingMcNabb5's article about Jones for more info.

On the Giants' side of the ball, three defensive starters will be on the sidelines: linebacker Michael Boley, defensive lineman Chris Canty, and cornerback Aaron Ross. This is a big blow to New York's dominant defense, and hopefully Donovan McNabb will be able to take advantages of the weaknesses in the secondary. Look for DeSean Jackson to continue his dominant performance with at least one touchdown. On the GIants' offense receiver Mario Manningham missed practice today with a shoulder injury and is listed as questionable. Over the course of the season, Manningham has emerged as a reliable target for Eli Manning and will definitely be a factor should he play Sunday night.

Who's In and Who's Out: Eagles @ Redskins

Bob_Q — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:22:21 -0000

More photos » by Rick Havner - AP

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A long injury list this week features starters on both sides of the ball. It's been a rough week for the Eagles, limping into week seven after a tough loss to the Raiders and four Philadelphia players have been ruled as out: Victor Abiamiri, Kevin Curtis, Omar Gaither, and Dimitri Patterson. Curtis' loss will mean an increased amount of reps for former starter Reggie Brown, who is being given yet another chance to prove himself. Look for Jeremy Maclin to start alongside DeSean Jackson though. Darren Howard is also listed as questionable with a calf injury, leaving the defensive end position suddenly thin. Expect to see third stringer Jason Babin get a snap or two if Juqua Parker or Trent Cole need a breather. Also listed as questionable are linemen Jason Peters, Todd Herremans and Max Jean-Gilles who are all thankfully expected to play tonight. The Eagles will need to bring their best out against Albert Haynesworth and the Redskins' defensive line after giving up six sacks to the Raiders. An extensive list of Eagles nursing minor injuries are listed as probable and include Sheldon Brown, Brodrick Bunkley, Nick Cole, Antonio Dixon, Akeem Jordan, Jeremy Maclin, Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook, and Will Witherspoon. All are expected to play tonight.

On the Redskins' side, starting tackle Chris Samuels is out with a neck injury that could possibly force him to retire at the end of the season. He is expected to be moved to IR on Tuesday. The Eagles will need to take advantage of every hole in the line to put pressure on Jason Campbell. Expect to see Trent Cole come away with at least one sack tonight. Washington starters Albert Haynesworth and Clinton Portis are listed as questionable, but are both likely to play. Punter Hunter Smith has also returned from his groin injury and is expected to start tonight.

Jason Peters injury not serious

JasonB — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:50:03 -0000

Andy Reid updated several injuries in his Monday morning presser and the best news is that LT Jason Peters' knee injury was not serious.

Defensive end Victor Abiamiri is "day to day" with a knee sprain. Left tackle Jason Peters has a knee contusion and an ankle sprain. Middle linebacker Omar Gaither has a foot sprain.

Peters is expected to play next Monday night against the Redskins. Good news considering how painfully obvious it was made on Sunday just how important a healthy Jason Peters is to this football team.

McNabb Doubtful for Sunday, 3 Other Eagles Out

Bob_Q — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 17:54:24 -0000

More photos » by Matt Rourke - AP

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According to a report on PhiladelphiaEagles.com, Donovan McNabb (cracked ribs) is still listed as "Doubtful" for this Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints. McNabb has missed all of this week's practice so far, although Andy Reid has already stated that the quarterback is "capable of playing and playing well without the benefit of practice." Still, it is looking more and more likely that backup Kevin Kolb will receive his first start as McNabb continues to rehab. The official definition of the "Doubtful" injury label means that there is at least a 75% chance that the player will not play.

Three other Eagles have been listed as "OUT," meaning they will not be taking part in Sunday's game: offensive guard Todd Herremans (stress fracture), free safety Quintin Demps (hamstring strain), and middle linebacker Joe Mays (shoulder sprain). Defensive end Victor Abiamiri is listed as "Questionable" (50-50 chance of playing) after sustaining a groin injury during this week's practice.

To cover the gap at offensive guard, Reid has said that he will rotate three players though the two guard spots: Stacy Andrews, Nick Cole, and Max Jean-Gilles. Andrews has been reported as saying that he will not be starting over Jean-Gilles because he still needs time to improve his comfort with the Eagles' offensive scheme.

Abiamiri's potential loss shouldn't hurt the deep and talented defensive end position. It could also mean that preseason hero Jason Babin might be able to sneak in a regular season rep or two.

The temporary loss of Demps and Mays should not effect the defense much. Omar Gaither and Macho Harris are both performing well as starters and there are far worse backups than Sean Jones and Moise Fokou.

What they're saying - Eagles win over Panthers

JasonB — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:59:03 -0000

More photos » by Rick Havner - AP

2 months ago: Carolina Panthers' Jake Delhomme, bottom, is sacked by Philadelphia Eagles' Mike Patterson (98) and Omar Gaither (96) in the third quarter during an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Havner)

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Panther's QB Jake Delhomme on the pressure brought by the Eagles' defense

"That's what they (the Eagles) do," Delhomme said. "We knew they were going to bring pressure ... We need to respond to that. If you think there was a lot of pressure this week and we didn't do too well with it, we are going to see a lot of it next week."

Fullback Brad Hoover on the same

"They're a pressure defense, so it's not that we weren't expecting it. They just hit us on some things to which we weren't able to adjust," said fullback Brad Hoover. "They got us and bit us."

Might one of things they weren't expecting be Trent Cole rushing up the middle? Chris Gocong says "I told you so" about the surprises on defense.

"I've been telling you guys for a while now, but you wouldn't listen," said a chuckling Chris Gocong about the potential of the defense. "It's still Jim (Johnson)'s defense, but it's streamlined. It's real aggressive, very aggressive. We've known it for a while. We haven't shown too much of our blitzes in the preseason, and we know what we had going in, so we were kind of expecting things. But that was a great first performance for us, I'm really proud of the defense."

Much more after the jump

Omar Gaither attributed the success of the D to McDermott's playcalling

"A few of the things that (coach McDermott) did came up big for us," said middle linebacker Omar Gaither, "A lot of those big plays were things that he's changed. And obviously with our personnel ... it worked out well for us."

Victor Abiamiri on scoring the first TD of his career and the first of the Eagles' season.

"Trent made one heckuva play. I was just there to scoop and score. The ball was just sitting there, right there, I just picked it up," said Abiamiri, who made his second-career start. "It was a great start to my season. I'm hoping to build on it. I hope it's just one of many."

Omar Gaither talked about how the Eagles shut down one of the NFL's best rushing attacks.

"That first drive he was bouncing a lot. We know he likes to bounce outside, but we didn't know how much he wanted to get out there," Gaither said. "We came back and regrouped for the second drive and we were able to get him stopped."

Macho Harris on starting his first NFL game

"When I walked out there I was a little emotional because it was my first start in a professional league," Harris said. "I dreamed of playing this game on Sundays, so it was emotional for me in the beginning of the game, but other than that, it was great."

Desean Jackson on his 85 yard punt return for a TD.

"The punt-return team did a great job of setting me up," Jackson said. "I got a good crease and I hit the crease, and from there I saw the punter and I just made him miss."

Desean also talked about his future in the wildcat offense.

"The Wildcat is not going to go anywhere," Jackson said. "I'll be back there with Mike and without him."

Finally, Panthers' WR Steve Smith probably summed up his team's performance the best.

"Offensively, we just sucked. Let’s be honest," receiver Steve Smith said.

Eagles dominate Panthers 38-10

JasonB — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 20:25:28 -0000

More photos » by Rick Havner - AP

2 months ago: Philadelphia Eagles' DeSean Jackson (10) returns a punt for a touchdown as Carolina Panthers' James Anderson (50) chases during an NFL football game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Sept. 13, 2009. (AP Photo/Rick Havner)

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The Eagles won big today, but could potentially have come out the losers in the end. There's a ton to talk about with this game, but we have to start with the injury to Donovan McNabb. He took a pretty tough hit as he plowed his way into the end zone for a TD. He spent a few minutes on the ground before walking off under his own power and eventually heading to the locker room. He did return to the sidelines, but was still in obvious pain. Trainers were working on his lower back and the Eagles called it a rib injury. The best case scenario seems to be a bad contusion, the worst is probably a broken or cracked rib. Obviously his health will be the big story this coming week.

The other big story is going to be the absolute domination by the Eagles defense. The D forced seven turnovers including five picks and two forced fumbles, while also sacking 3 different Panther QBs a total of five times. New defensive coordinator Sean McDermott certainly earned an A+ in his first game as Eagles defensive coordinator. He seemed to bring pressure at the perfect times to the perfect places & pretty much everything he called worked. His attacking mindset and love of the blitz certainly showed that he was paying attention to Jim Johnson all those years and gives many hope that he will follow in the footsteps of former Jim Johnson proteges like Steve Spagnuolo and become great himself.

The play that will define Sean McDermott to me was the second to last of the game. With just seconds left, the Panthers had a 4 and goal from the one yard line down 38-10. Unwilling to give up even a meaningless TD, McDermott re-inserted his starters into the game and the Eagles' D stuffed the Panthers 4th down attempt and took the ball back. That was an attitude play. He was sending a message to this team and every other team that they won't willingly surrender an inch no matter what the situation.

Headlines after the jump.

[Note by JasonB, 09/13/09 4:39 PM EDT ] Comcast sportsnets' Derrick Gunn is reporting that McNabb sustained a cracked rib and will likely miss at least two weeks. Certainly puts a damper on an otherwise fabulous win. Andy Reid confirmed the injury in his post game press conference and indicated that McNabb might be able to play next week.. but that certainly seems unlikely.

Delhomme in postseason form

Jake Delhomme was in postseason form today throwing 4 picks before Panther's coach Jon Fox mercifully pulled him, which was probably the only reason Delhomme didn't equal the 5 picks he threw in the playoffs last year. Jake did manage to turn it over 5 times when you include the fumble that was recovered in the end zone for a TD. The Panther signed Delhomme to a 5 year, $42 million extension this offseason which includes $20 in guarantees. Ouch.

Who gets singled out?

It's hard to even pick out which members of the Eagles defense to praise. The unit as whole was dominant. Sheldon Brown certainly stands out with his two picks. Asante Samuel absolutely shut down one of the great WRs in the game, Steve Smith. Smith and Asante lined up against one another 20 times. Smith had one catch for 8 yards and Asante had an INT. Shut. Down.

Trent Cole played like a madman today. He forced the fumble that ~~Omar Gaither~~ Victor Abiamiri picked up in the end zone for a TD and although he tallied just one official sack, he was in the face of whoever the Panthers trotted out to play QB play after play.

I said this when Stewart Bradley got hurt, Bill Barnwell of Football Outsiders said this in our interview... The reason the Eagles were so good against the run last year was primarily because Broderick Bunkley and Mike Patterson were so good. Stewart Bradley did a very good job last year, but he was not the main reason this Eagles D was so strong up the middle. Those two DTs were dominant today holding one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL to 86 total yards rushing... now you could say that the low rushing totals were because the Panthers were forced to throw to make up the big deficit, but the 2.9 yards per carry shows that their run game was never effective.

O-Line impresses

The Eagles much maligned offensive line certainly did it's job today. Other than two lack sacks on Kevin Kolb, they pass blocked well and paved the way for a 185 yard rushing performance. Can you believe an Eagles offense had more than twice as many yards rushing as it did passing? Hopefully Andy Reid pays attention to that...

There were some miscues. Two offsides from Peters and one from Nick Cole are things that need to be fixed, but overall that unit did it's job. Peters almost blocked the entire left side of the Panthers' D himself on a 17 yard Westbrook run. I still don't think he's fully in the flow yet, but you can see the raw talent there is great. Winston Justice was arguably the most impressive of the bunch. Not only did he do a good job in pass protection, he was sealing off the edge effectively on run plays. Julius Peppers did beat him on a strip sack of Kolb late, but overall Justice looks more like the second round he was than he ever has an Eagle.

Philadelphia Eagles 53 man roster by the numbers

JasonB — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 05:35:19 -0000

More photos » by Matt Rourke - AP

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The Eagles have made their cuts and whittled their roster down to 53 men. However, just because those guys survived cut day, doesn't mean they'll actually be on the team come September 13th. Let's look at some positions where changes are still likely to be made.

Wide Receiver - The Eagles currently have 7 WRs on their roster and are only likely to start the season with 6. Desean Jackson, Kevin Curtis, Jason Avant, & Jeremy Maclin are all locks. The guys not guaranteed a spot are rookie Brandon Gibson, Reggie Brown, and Hank Baskett. Since Gibson wasn't cut with the first round and wouldn't be valuable trade bait, it may actually be safe to assume that he made the team. It's likely that the Eagles held onto Reggie and Hank(esp the former) since those guys may have some trade value to fill another spot.

Tight End - The Eagles currently have just two TEs on the roster. That will not be the case for very long as the Eagles will carry a 3rd TE on their roster. Whether it's through trade or free agency, I'm guessing we'll find out who that guy is before the weekend is out. Considering that Tony Curtis was signed just before the preseason game against Jacksonville, the Eagles will go into this season with just one TE(Celek) that was on the roster at least 3 weeks before the season.

Defensive Tackle - After cutting loose Dan Klecko, the Eagles DTs are Broderick Bunkley, Mike Patterson, & Trevor Laws. Two starters and one backup. That said, there's a decent chance that they may not add another DT. The Eagles love rotate DEs inside to DTs on passing downs. Darren Howard, Victor Abiamiri, & Juqua Parker have all done it in the past. Those guys, especially Howard and Abiamiri, could be defacto backup DTs. Last year, it seemed that Darren Howard played more inside than he did outside... I'd look for the Eagles to add a couple DTs to their practice squad just in case.

Quarterback - The Eagles currently have 4 QBs on their roster, but due to an exemption Michael Vick does not count against the 53 man roster. While Vick is on the exempt list he can't practice with the team, so obviously the Eagles will be looking to take him off as soon as possible. I'm sure that over the next day or so they'll be trying to trade A.J. Feeley to make room for Vick. If they can't swing a deal, they'll probably just outright release him.

Eagles were in on Burgess?

JasonB — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 05:51:35 -0000

More photos » by Jeff Chiu - AP

4 months ago: FILE - In this Dec. 23, 2006, file photo, Kansas City Chiefs' Larry Johnson, left, runs past Oakland Raiders' Derrick Burgess during an NFL football game in Oakland, Calif. The New England Patriots have obtained two-time Pro Bowl defensive end Burgess. Burgess had held out of training camp with the Raiders in hopes of being traded. On Thursday, Aug. 6, 2009, they obtained undisclosed draft considerations for him. The Patriots released offensive lineman Al Johnson. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, File)

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Yesterday the Raiders traded former Eagle DE Derrick Burgess to the Patriots. According to Adam Schefter, the Pats beat out the Eagles to his services...

The two teams in on Burgess all along were the Eagles and Pats. Eagles were offering a 3rd-round pick and a player. Pats offer trumped it.

Burgess had been holding out of Raiders camp in an attempt to force a trade. The Patriots reportedly shipped a 3rd and conditional 4th round pick in next year's draft. If they Patriots don't currently have a 5th round pick, but if they are able to acquire a 5th round pick in next year's draft the Raiders will get that instead of the 4th. In other words, the Raiders will get the 5th... [Note by JasonB, 08/07/09 1:57 AM EDT ] There's a number of conflicting reports as to what the actual package was, but it's something like a 3rd and 5th.

New England seems to be a popular landing place for disgruntled Raiders...

With Juqua Parker's recent arrest(and general mediocrity) and Victor Abiamiri's inability to stay healthy, it's no surprise the Eagles were looking to bring in insurance. A 3rd round pick and a player is a strong offer, especially from the Eagles... Makes you think they're really looking hard for more help at DE.

Burgess showed flashes of serious pass rushing ability when he was with the Eagles, but could never stay healthy. When he left for Oakland in 05/06 he had a breakout year with 16 sacks, then followed it up with an 11 sack effort the following year. Since then, injuries have again crept up and Burgess has been in a steady decline. Last yera he managed just 3.5 sacks in 10 games.

Frankly, I don't think the solution to our thin-ness at LDE was to bring in yet another guy who can't stay healthy...

Victor Abiamiri out until mid-August

JasonB — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 23:30:09 -0000

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This was some bad, and unexpected news. Andy Reid announced today that DE Victor Abiamiri, who was expected to mount a serious challenge for the starting LDE spot, will be out until mid August with a strained pectoral muscle. Abiamiri picked up the strain while lifting weights.

The positive spin would be that "mid August" is really only about 3 weeks away. Practice doesn't start in earnest until this Friday, so if Abiamiri comes back on time and fully healed he should be there for the Eagles preseason opener. That should give him plenty of time to get into game shape. Plus, this is "just" a muscle strain and not as serious as his previous injuries.

The negative spin(and frankly more realistic IMO) is that Abiamiri's injury puts him behind once again. He started his rookie year hurt, he started last year hurt, and now his starts his 3rd year hurt. VA is quickly starting to earn the dreaded "injury prone" tag and is looking less and like a guy that the Eagles should be depending on.

Abiamiri showed some very positive things down the stretch last year and his third year was(is?) supposed to be the one where he was finally healthy and ready to to take a starting job. While this injury doesn't mean that won't happen, it certainly does make his starting in week one and having a breakout year less likely.